WMF BLOG
WMF Blog
Articles and encouragement from the women of the AFLC.
The WMF—Supporting the Mission of Parish Education
Marian Christopherson, Director of Parish Education
For many decades, the WMF has been supporting the ministry of AFLC Parish Education, most importantly through prayer, but also by generous monetary gifts from women’s groups across the United States through our local congregations. Thank you! We are grateful for your partnership!
Through the WMF, God has provided funding over the years for much of our Ambassador Sunday school curriculum and other educational resources, as well as a Missionary Chronicles book of short stories, a Jesus A-Z children’s book, and a recent book on the history of the AFLC by Rev. Robert Lee. This year, your gifts support publication of visual mission stories for the classroom. THANK YOU! The prayers and gifts of the WMF help Parish Education to carry out our mission statement: to serve the local congregation by providing biblical educational and devotional resources to encourage diligent and faithful teaching of the Word of God in homes and churches.
Since you are such an important part of this ministry, we want you to understand each aspect of this mission more fully. Our digital communications coordinator, Kirstie Skogerboe, recently explained:
“AFLC Parish Education’s mission is to serve the local congregation. We recognize that God’s kingdom work is done primarily through churches like yours, through church members and pastors like you. You are the ones whose devotional life, theological study, and Christian education shape the hearts of those in your care, both in the church and outside it. Our goal is to serve you as you serve others.
“AFLC Parish Education’s mission is to provide biblical Lutheran resources. We are fervent about helping you and your congregation identify materials that are true to God’s Word, so you can be confident what you read and teach is leading people toward Christ. By publishing our own content through Ambassador Publications and carefully selecting other outside resources, we are building an array of materials that you can trust will be helpful.
“AFLC Parish Education’s mission is to encourage diligent and faithful teaching of the Word of God in homes and churches. In these two contexts, faith is formed most profoundly—that’s why we care so much about supporting those who are called to provide spiritual formation. By foregrounding trustworthy materials, offering training for Christian educators, and encouraging a thriving devotional life for individuals and families, we are working to enable you to teach God’s Word with unwavering commitment and joy.”
Thank you, ladies, for partnering with us in the ministry of Parish Education!
Pictured above: Customer Account Specialist Aaron Arneson, Administrative Assistant Jaelynn Kozicky, and Director Marian Christopherson
Building Community at FLBC
Jocelyn Heinrichs, FLBC Freshman
The Free Lutheran Bible College is a wonderful place to build community and to create long lasting friendships with people who are likely to stick by your side long after graduation day. Some of my favorite memories that I’ve had here involve time spent with other women in the dorm. I’ve loved getting to enjoy movie nights, making meals together in the kitchen, and having late-night study sessions, regardless of how productive they actually end up being.
Living with others who share a commitment to biblical values makes a difference. Conflicts still happen but we learn how to resolve them with grace and in a way that would best love our neighbor. The dorm is more than just a residence. It is a space of fellowship, growth and support whether that is seen through group homework sessions, gatherings to play Mario Kart, or spontaneous worship in the stairwell.
It is in this building that I have had some of my hardest yet most transformational and rich conversations, yet it is also in this building that I have gotten to celebrate and laugh and make memories that I will be able to look back on for years to come.
Photos above by Olivia Pavlish, FLBC Dorm Assistant
Fearful People Aren't Obedient
Shelby Greven, Missionary Assistant to Paraguay
The Portuguese melody came to an end. Finishing the song, the worship leader led the Bible camp through a time of reflection. Even though I couldn't necessarily understand, I was trying to focus my mind on Jesus. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my recently-made-friend Maria Rita. I had met her while helping with VBS and we had great conversations.
From the time we had spent together, I saw that Maria Rita was overflowing with her love for Jesus, and I knew Jesus was working in her through her words of wisdom and gentleness. During this reflection time she was going up to students praying for them. In that moment, I prayed silently, “Oh Lord, I would really love if Maria prayed for me. That would be so cool.” The next thing I knew, Maria Rita walked over, laid her hands on me and prayed for me. It was not just any prayer; it was commissioning prayer. It amazes me that as Christians we are so connected; that God answers one small prayer by sending another follower of Christ to answer it. The obedience that Maria Rita showed to God is how I want to live.
We all feel that pull in our hearts. The pull to be obedient to do something strange. Whether it’s to walk up and start a conversation with stranger, help your neighbor, or pray for someone you barely know, God gives us opportunities every day to be the hands and feet of Jesus. So often we want to be obedient but are afraid. We are afraid that people will think it's weird; afraid to step out of our comfort zone; afraid we are misunderstanding the Holy Spirit. BUT GOD. He is the one living inside of us giving us the words to say. 2 Timothy 1:6 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Praise God it is not through our own personal works (because they would fail), but because of His own purpose and grace.
In Brazil, the Abels taught me what it looks like to be obedient to God. To them, every person is a conversation that could turn into a relationship. I witnessed Paul Abel stop everything he was doing to comfort a hurting mom. In Paraguay, Mafu Abel pulled someone out of the mud and invited them to church. Ednay Abel used every opportunity to teach her kids how to live like Jesus. This is being obedient to God’s pull on our heart.
As it turns out I was also an answer to Maria Rita’s prayer. The day after she prayed for me, she told me she had been asking God for months that He would send someone in her life to teach her Christian English songs. At VBS I was the one leading the songs and actions, and was able to teach her and give her the left over song posters. I didn’t know God was using me to answer Maria Rita’s prayer; I was just singing VBS songs. Yet God was using my simple obedience to answer prayers that Maria Rita had prayed for months.
Mafu once told me, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” People won’t know you care until you tell them and you can’t tell them without being obedient. I felt God’s care that night through Maria Rita. Is God tugging on your heart to be a Maria Rita to someone you know?
In a world full of fearful people, be a Maria Rita.