Browncroft is a sending church. We have sent eleven teams on short-term mission and formalized three new partnerships in 2024 alone. In the month of November, we are going to be celebrating a church on mission during our annual Send Me outreach emphasis. I’ve been spending months praying and preparing for this occasion, and it’s finally here! Can you tell I’m excited?!
For those of you new to Browncroft, Send Me is a yearly, month-long sermon series and mission focus, targeted toward discipling our congregation and sharing the great work of our local and global ministry partners.
This year’s Send Me experience begins on Sunday, November 3rd. And what better way to start off this month than with a focused, corporate prayer and worship time during Sunday morning worship? During this time, in lieu of a traditional service and sermon, we will seek God as a church and as individuals, asking His blessing on the weeks ahead and our ongoing mission efforts. Join us at either of our regular service times (9 and 10:30am) as we come together in prayer and explore the questions: Where and how is God sending me? How is He sending you?
Browncroft is a special place where, while other churches across our nation have left behind annual mission conferences and events, our community has expanded them. Our church has a passion for outreach and for supporting our congregation in missional work in the world. This can be seen throughout Browncroft’s history, as our community has been blessed to be part of the founding and developing of many local ministries: Rochester Family Mission, Flower City Outreach, Guitars for Glory, Nav20s, Pedal for Life, Refuge Rochester, Good News Global: Rochester Chapter, and Community Bible Study. We serve many other organizations as well, offering support to over 50 local and global ministries.
Our church has a passion for outreach and for supporting our congregation in missional work in the world.
One of the reasons the Body of Christ’s focus on mission has decreased is because recent generations have recognized the many toxic things that have been done throughout history in the name of Christianity. This is deeply troubling, both because of the way past ungodly behaviors have hurt those Christ calls us to serve, and because of the impact on the Church, diminishing its efforts to live out The Great Commission both locally and abroad.
Because of this, I am excited to announce our Send Me theme this year: The Beauty of Healthy Mission. Mission can and should be beautiful, generative, holistic, and healthy! While we will have multiple events and opportunities offered over the next month to underscore this important theme, I want to specifically highlight two special weekends and our Holiday Drive:
- One event to put on your calendar is the Wolof 25th Anniversary Celebration. Join us on Sunday, November 10th, from 5:30-8:30pm, as we celebrate 25 years of partnership to reach the Wolof people of Senegal! There will be interactive programming for adults and children as well as childcare. Ministry partners will share, reflecting on the incredible things God has done in the past and looking forward to what He will do in the future in the Wolof people. Let’s celebrate together the profound work we’ve been privileged to be a part of in working to reach this people group. This is one of those works where I literally say to myself, “Pinch me– I get to be a part of this!”
- The following weekend, I want to invite you to our Saturday Send Me Conference. On Saturday, November 16th, we will host a morning of workshops for all ages, featuring some of our ministry partners who will be sharing about their work. This event is focused on our theme of beautiful, healthy mission and will include a special hour dedicated to our ministry partnerships. Our primary guest speaker is Dr. Matt Carter, who will also be sharing in service the following Sunday morning, November 17th.
- One more opportunity to be aware of is our Holiday Drive, which begins now! Over the next few weeks we will be serving families in need through the ministry of Rochester Family Mission. We are requesting donations of cereal boxes and (new) Christmas toys, as well as financial contributions toward holiday turkeys and hams. Any gift is a great help to those in desperate circumstances this season!
For information about all of our Send Me events and efforts (including those listed above), and to sign up for the ones you are interested in, please go to browncroft.org/sendme.
Mission can and should be beautiful, generative, holistic, and healthy!
In addition to our four Send Me services and the many interactive events happening over the next month, you will also have a chance to connect with some of our ministry partners after church each Sunday! A number of them will be stationed at tables in our lobby, where they hope to meet many of you and share through personal conversations more details about their ministries.
I hope you will join us for this very special month! I can’t wait to celebrate with you all God has been doing in and through our church community as we continue to journey on mission for Him.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8