An Invitation to

Support Bill and Lisa Walker (by

I know ... not a very flashy article title!

No gimmicks, no slick pitch designed to slip a request under your nose before you even know it’s coming. This article is asking you for donations. It is my direct appeal to raise missional support for Revs. Bill and Lisa Walker, our devoted (and exclusively EMC) missionaries.

If you know that isn’t possible for you right now, you certainly can just skip to the next page, but before you do please take a moment and pray earnestly that those who can include some additional funding for missions in their regular monthly budget will do so. Thanks!

Max and Judy Edwards)

We have been looking forward to writing this article for some time! One of our beloved pastors and long-time Board of World Missions Chairpersons, Rev. Ken Swearingen made a public appeal at our 32nd General Conference in 2018 - - it has been on our minds ever since. His plea was that in future years, the General Conference might consider adding some funding to its operating budget for the travel and support of the duly elected chairman of the Board of World Missions. He wasn’t asking for himself, as he had previously decided not to seek another term in that office. He was thinking of all those who would come behind him.

Ken’s request for funding mirrors the spirit of the Apostle Paul. Paul himself was supported financially in his missional work by sending churches, but further - he clearly believed in encouraging folks to support others who were devoting their lives to the advance of the gospel and the building up of the church.

“I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost.” (2 Corinthians 11:8)

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.” (Romans 16:1-2)

Bill and Lisa Walker were elected by the 33rd General Conference in July of 2022 as Board of World Missions cochairs. They are the only EMC missionaries not also affiliated with another sending agency such as OMS or WGM. As it has always been since their initial assignment to the Mexico field many years ago, their salary support comes from designated funding from churches and individuals like you and me. Partly because they were instructed to come back to the US for safety reasons several years ago, their funding account has been lagging, and consequently the Board of World Missions has not been able to increase their monthly support draw (or salary) from their fund for 10 years.

So we are coming to you now, asking for both individuals and churches to consider supporting (or increasing their support) for the Walkers. We are making a personal commitment of $100 of monthly support for the remainder of the quadrennium, and if a few dozen other individuals and/or churches would do the same, their need will be met.

And remember, an anonymous donor has offered to match the first $10,000 raised this year in support of the Walkers through the EMC’s Resurrection Offering. There is still time for you to take advantage of this matching gift, even though Resurrection Sunday has passed. The donor will match gifts received for the Resurrection Offering through the end of May.

Send your gift, designated "2023 Resurrection Offering" through your local church, directly to EMC Headquarters (PO Box 17070 Indianapolis, IN 46217), or online https://engage.suran.com/evangelicalmethodist/s/give/gift/resurrection-offering.

Thank you! Max and Judy Edwards