March 01, 2009 by Lee Purgason

Services Division

Doing ministry requires infrastructure and capable people to provide smooth operations; our Services Division provides both! In the USCWM, Services has both external and internal customers.

Our Records and Subscriptions team uses technology to maintain electronic files which enable us to prepare mailings for the Global Prayer Digest and Mission Frontiers—you can thank Dan (who telecommutes from Ohio!), Marjorie, Diane, Ed and Josiah for the roles they play in providing such services and sending out packaged quantities for groups.

These publications as well as other printed resources are made easier to read and more pleasant to look at by the focused skills of the Graphics team, Brian and Amanda. Not only do they serve the publications mentioned earlier, but also help with staff newsletters, brochures and promotional materials for distribution by various departments, and displays for conferences.

John, our Services Manager, is also technologically astute and helps provide programming and support for our Filemaker databases, and helped us develop ways for people to contribute online (see www.uscwm.org/donate to support those who serve here—choose Ministry Account “101” for “staff-in-need,” to help those with unusual medical or other needs, which assists those who are especially underfunded). Or, to help with the costs of Mission Frontiers see www.missionfrontiers.org/donate. Donations especially help us provide the magazine in a timely way to readers abroad—as we send more than 11,000 copies of each issue internationally. Skilled at Filemaker programming? We might let you help us with a few projects.

John also supervises our Ministry Accounts office which helps process the support gifts that provide the funding for our staff families’ support. Alberta, Beatrice, and Kathleen help navigate over 5000 transactions each month—now many of these done via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), which keeps our overhead costs low. Last year over $3 million was sent to fund the ministries of our staff—about half who work in Pasadena, and half who work elsewhere in the U.S. and internationally.

All of the ministries of the USCWM are made possible by finding, equipping, and supporting the right people—so kudos to our Personnel team! Teresa, the Personnel coordinator, supervises the daily activities of recruitment (Mike and James), support development coach and member care, (Steve), volunteers (Norma) and administrative support (Heather). Your prayers that God would direct key people to join, support and pray diligently for our ministries are crucial. In addition, your gifts for staff are always appreciated (go to www.uscwm.org/donate to select a particular ministry or staff member—by name—to support). Of course, you can pray for all of us to be fruitful in our efforts.

We’re also developing a follow-up to our original purpose of energizing a million people to awaken to God’s purposes among all peoples. In previous years we were hampered by limited technology and by too few staff. We hope to launch this new campaign effort late in 2009.

A related possibility is for people to join us as associate members, serving with us a few hours each month while learning, praying and growing in your local context. Look for more info on our main www.uscwm.org website in the weeks ahead on how you can join us in this new way.