IMS Updates Leadership Teams and Casts A 2020 Vision

On Saturday, November 19, leadership teams, elders and wives and church representatives from around New England gathered in Framingham, Massachusetts, for the final board meeting of the year for the International Missions Society (IMS). The morning session began with an informal breakfast at 9 AM, where the board members and church leaders were joined by several European church leaders and representatives from the Midwest U.S.A. family of churches.

Following the fellowship and food, the day began with a presentation from Valdur Koha (IMS President), Douglas Arthur (Boston Board Member) and Jim Blough (IMS Treasurer). These three eloquently laid out the purposes, plans and proposals for strengthening and expanding our mission efforts in Europe and New England. The 2020 Vision video for New England, a project headed up by Chip Mitchell from Boston, was played for all in attendance. AT Arneson, lead evangelist for the Chicago church, also spoke and shared how their congregation is "all in" with their plans to help support churches in Europe emotionally, relationally, spiritually and financially.

As the morning session concluded, the board members moved downstairs for a quick lunch and then the actual dollar by dollar breakdown and 2012 plan for the donated funds from 2011. The needs are enormous (Europe has almost 500 million souls) and the potential for good is great (open doors for new church plantings, and more churches wanting to hire staff). Each New England congregation has a seated board member, and several European churches also have representatives serving the IMS.

Our desire is that each disciple in New England continue to give, pray and "go" for God's mission to be spread both regionally and globally for His glory. We are inspired by the $1 million plus amount God and His people have made available for the work. Not too many years ago, the donated funds were only allowing some churches and existing programs to survive. By His grace, our dreams and plans are much more in a mode of thriving now, as new churches have been planted in Storrs, Connecticut, and Portland, Maine, and new programs like the pursuit of a Mission Center in Berlin are being added each year.

Vitalij Staroverov, Hartford Church of Christ