Lutheran World Missions--Ghana (Part 1)
Shortly after becoming self-supporting in 1981, the church council of Ascension Lutheran Church, Cleburne, Texas, recommended to the voters that they join in supporting a program instituted by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LC-MS) in that same year, known as Together in Mission or TIM. The program allowed local congregations to provide support for a missionary of their choice.
TIM is a mutual relationship--in fact, you might call it a "partnership in the Gospel." Through this parternership, congregations strengthen the missionary and his or her family through prayer support, letters of encouragement and regular financial gifts. In return, also through letters, personal visits to the supporting congregations, the missonary strenghtens the members by giving them a deeper understand of mission work--its challenges, disappointments and successes. The results for both partners is growth in commitment to God's mission--and both partners have advanced the Gospel of God's love for all people because of Jesus Christ.
TIM program members receive a prayer card containing personal information about the missionary and "World Notes" describing the country where the missionary works along address for further communication. The missionary in turn sends back periodic newsletters giving detailed information about the current mission efforts in that country. Whenever possible, missionaries will visit sponsoring congregations during their home leave time in the United States.
A missionary with Texas roots was chosen who was serving in Sierra Leone. That missionary was supported for several years and returned to accept a call in the U.S.
Another missionary with Texas roots was chosen and that was Dalton Noack and his wife Deanne. They were serving at the time in Sri Lanka. In 1989, they returned to the United Stated for furlough and were refused re-entry into Sri Lanka. The synodical mission board assigned them to Ghana, West Africa, to prepare men there for the ministry to the people of Ghana.
The support for the Noacks is not a budgeted item. It is monies given outside of the general fund and is given through various organizations within the congregation. The Sunday school is responsible for one-quarter of the total, the men's club one-quarter, Women of Ascension one-quarter and the youth group for the remaining one quarter of the funding. Each organization is responsible for determining how to arrive at their allotment. Also each organization may increase or decrease their portion of the allotment as they deem necessary. Each year, it has been increased.
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