Middle America Wee Kirk Conference 2009
Caroline Kurtz builds on years of missionary experience. She was raised in Ethiopia, the daughter of missionaries, Harold and Polly Kurtz. At home and in boarding school, the stories of God's plan for his beloved humans permeated her world view. She doesn't remember a time when she did not feel called to be used by God to bring his will "on earth as it is in heaven."
Caroline returned to Ethiopia in 1989 with her husband, Mark Rasmussen, and their three children. She taught English in a school that was started by Presbyterians in the 1930's to educate Ethiopian girls. After seven years in Ethiopia, Caroline and Mark were transferred to work with Presbyterians in war-torn South Sudan. There she taught teachers and worked with women's groups in remote villages. Under New Sudan Council of Churches she organized a grass-roots peace conference which opened back up a fertile no-man's-land along the Nile River between warring tribes.
Caroline has visited Presbyterian frontier mission work in Hungary, India, and Turkey. Because she speaks the national language and has relationships with church leaders in Ethiopia, she is PFF's natural resource person to help US churches support the fast-growing partner church in Ethiopia which sponsors efforts to bring the gospel to fourteen different people groups in this multi-ethnic country. All but one of these outreach efforts is led by Ethiopians. Caroline frequently visits Ethiopia, where she encourages church leaders, hosts visiting US church groups, and helps strategize outreach into new areas.
The Church is Flat: Finding the Unique Call of God in the U.S.
Church historian Philip Jenkins says, "These are revolutionary times. But we are not participating in them." He is referring to the fact that the church today is more global, more diverse and spread more widely than ever before in history. What do changes in the global church mean for the cross-cultural mission endeavors of our PCUSA congregations? How can we participate in what God is doing in the body of Christ? This workshop will combine history, a look at past and present mission approaches, and case stories for new mission relationships around the world. Resources for working with mission committees will be available.
