Dear Rose Park,
A few weeks ago, the Reformed Church in America held their annual mission conference in Orlando, FL. The title for this year’s conference was, “Mission 2025: Roots And Branches.” Those who gathered engaged in workshops with titles like “Reimagining the Traditional Mission Trip Experience,” “Rooted in God’s Call to Grow the Global Church,” and “Stories of Hope and Resilience from Peacebuilding in South Sudan.” The Reformed Church has a long and fruitful history of mission work and it’s my great hope we, at Rose Park, can participate.
Currently, the Reformed Church in America has 94 missionaries in 40 countries (to see the entire roster of missionaries and mission partners, click here). Below is a small snippet from the RCA Global Mission website:
Mission has been at the center of the Reformed Church in America from the very beginning. In the 17th century, mission began by reaching out to the Native Americans in the northeast, and as settlers moved westward, domestic mission continued to be the central focus. In the 19th century, the focus soon shifted to international as the famous Scudder family traveled to India and began what would be a transformative medical mission that would witness to a country for generations to come.
The world has changed dramatically since the early days of the modern missionary movement. Today, more than 70 percent of all Christians live in the southern hemisphere. North America is increasingly a secular society and a mission field in need of the good news of Jesus Christ. Though our strategies and tools may change, the mission principles that have served the Reformed Church in America so well over the past 350+ years continue to do so today.
Those four mission principles are: respectful witness, long-term mutual relationships, holistic engagement, and sustainable empowerment. It’s our hope at Rose Park to hold these principles at the forefront of our mind while actively engaging in the process of establishing new mission partners. As you know, there has been two major changes in our mission partner support. In the summer of 2024, the Beebout Family (Niger) retired from mission work and just a few weeks ago, Malya Delphin (Haiti / Dominican Republic) passed away.
This leaves the leadership of Rose Park with the task to discern possible mission partners going forward. We will keep you informed throughout the process, but at this point, we’re asking for your prayers. As we begin to wonder and discern what relationships fit best with Rose Park, we would covet your prayers of support and discernment.
Here at Rose Park, we desire to connect, empower, and reconcile. It is our understanding those three elements of ministry are not merely limited to the northside of Holland. We are a part of a denomination that has roots and branches expanding far beyond Rose Park Dr. and 49424. This is all to say, would you join us, as we yet again prayerfully begin the process of joining a long and fruitful global ministry?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark