Liz and Doug Searles, two of our region’s Global Mission Partners will be in the U.S. from May – December, 2011. Their email address is thesearles@gmail.com and their Skype username is Flight128. Use this form to have them contact you and hopefully visit your congregation.
Who Are We?
We are Rev. Douglas and Dr. Elizabeth Searles, serving since 1997 in international ministries in India, China and now Central Europe. Jointly appointed by Global Ministries and PCUSA, we relate to three denominations: United Church of Christ, Christian Church/Disciples of Christ, and the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Our call is to walk with Kosciol Ewangelicko-Reformowany (KER), the Evangelical-Reformed Church of Poland, a minority and marginalized church. Our work seeks to support evangelism, church growth, ecumenical relations, and outreach.
One new outreach is to Roma, formerly known as Gypsies, who have been residents of Europe for over 500 years. Stigmatized, loathed and persecuted, they face severe human rights challenges. We have begun to build relations that will encourage capacity-building, advocacy and other ecumenical efforts towards acceptance, access and inclusion for Roma.
What do we talk about?
Here are some possibilities. You can select areas of greatest interest:
- “After the Wall”: Ministry and healing in the post-communist era. Walking with the Evangelical-Reformed Church in Poland.
- “Roma: Samaritans of Europe”: News from outside the palaces of plenty.
- “The Pot or the Tree of Life?”: Crossing cultures with the message of Jesus Christ. Unpacking our cultural baggage. Repacking for the journey.
- “Senders, Partners and Sent”: Forging a Circle of Caring and Transformational Ministry
- “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning”: Expecting the Unexpected and building your personal missionary toolkit.
- “The Compassion Revolution”: So many needs; so little time; dwindling coffers.
- “Here I Am, Lord”: Discerning your call. Choosing love over fear; service over security.
- “Expanding your cultural envelope”: Culture quiz and other interactive group activities.
Help us share news from Beyond Borders
Ask us to come: Invitations from individuals and groups of all kinds are welcome.
Tell us how we can support congregational life, and not just from behind the pulpit or lectern.
Open a door. Help us learn about your lives and the corporate life of your congregation.
Help build the bridge that connects your congregation to “all the world.”
We’re happy to talk with folks one-on-one, or to participate in meetings of all sizes and types: youth/mens/womens groups, libraries or schools, service club meetings–Rotary, Lions, etc., gatherings for breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee, camps, pastor cluster meetings, mission committees, prayer circles, retreats, bible studies, home meetings–just about any setting.
Housing us is easy
Meeting your congregation is one of the things we like best about our work. We will travel and speak in churches from May 22 to December 18, 2011. Please keep arrangements and meals simple. We don’t need fancy meals or lodging. We love camping and the outdoors.
Once we have a specific invitation, it’s good to develop a 4-person team:
- advance liaison to let us know the entire “plan.”
- presentation liaison for audio-visual and other set-up arrangements in the meeting space;
- host and transportation liaison for housing, meals, etc.
- onsite event assistant to help set-up and staff our display table, count heads, gather e-mail addresses and contact info, clean up and get stuff to the car, and generally help out.
All four can help introduce us to your group during the event.
Help us learn about life in your part of the U.S.
We are reconnecting with our passport culture. A few questions to start:
- What is an important message for your congregation right now?
- What would people like to learn more about?
- What experiences have you had with missions and missionaries?
- What issues are alive in your community of faith today?
- What is happening in your neighborhood, community, region?
- What challenges are people facing?
Additional family and travel information
We have no home in the United States. Our families are sprinkled from New York to Oregon. Our areas of special relationship include the Midwest (Iowa and South Dakota), and the Pacific Northwest (Idaho and Washington) and a few pockets in between. We will be driving coast-to-coast in 2011, returning to Poland in January, 2012.
We have two children: Mackenzie (23) works in Qingdao, China. She returns to Corvallis, Oregon in the fall of 2011. McCleary (18) graduates from High School in 2011 and will attend Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey in the fall. Our family will gather at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR SEASON OF SHARING IN THE USA.
WE HOPE YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT !!