Nazarene Missions International

At the Penticton Church of the Nazarene the Nazarene Missions International (NMI) ministry is responsible to bring awareness about the exciting way God is working around the world in Nazarene Missions. A different emphasis each month as described below is used to highlight the numerous and varied world areas that the Church is involved in through missions. Click on the underlined links to get more information about each month's emphasis from the Nazarene Missions International website.

Emphasis Each Month (Ongoing) — Prayer and Fasting

“Prayer begins where human capacity ends.”

- Marian Anderson

Prayer and fasting are vital to missions. For this reason, the prayer and fasting emphasis is not restricted to a particular month. Nazarene Missions International (NMI) provides special prayer and fasting opportunities in a variety of settings throughout the year. NMI knows that such spiritual disciplines take place in individual, small group, and corporate settings.

Ongoing Prayer Requests:

Pray for missionaries and their families—for their ministry and safety.
Pray for missionaries and Christians in creative access areas, where government officials may not welcome missionaries and those who share their faith are in danger on a daily basis.
Pray for World Mission Broadcast programs and personnel who minister globally via radio, television, Internet, podcasts, and cell phone texting. For more information about World Mission Broadcast, visit broadcast.nazarene.org.
Pray for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries teams that share the love of Jesus to a needy world.
Pray for the JESUS film ministry. For more information about JESUS film, visit the JESUS Film Harvest Partners Web site.

January — Volunteer Ministries

February — Alabaster

What is Alabaster?

The Alabaster Offering provides funds for property and buildings around the world. While we understand the church consists of the people of God and not a building, buildings erected for the purpose of ministry help provide a sense of permanence, functionally enhance ministry efforts, and convey an attitude that the Church of the Nazarene intends to "put down roots." Alabaster funds help provide land for many Work & Witness projects, and the entire Alabaster Offering goes toward the purchase of land and construction of churches, schools, medical facilities, and homes for missionaries and national workers.

How Are Alabaster Offerings Received?

The Alabaster Offering gets to the mission field via several avenues. The most widely used is the Alabaster Box. Individuals are challenged to regularly contribute the cost of items they desire but do not need. The boxes also serve as reminders to pray for those people who will benefit from Alabaster buildings.

In September and February, the money is collected. Sometimes a "march offering" is received with individuals carrying their boxes to the front of the church and pouring the money into a large offering container. The way an offering is received is as varied as the world areas in which the Church of the Nazarene has a presence; however, it is always accompanied with a spirit of rejoicing.

Many churches receive regular offerings throughout the year that are designated as Alabaster funds. (This is often a part of the Faith Promise plan for missions giving.) However, the semi-annual offerings should still be received, allowing opportunity for giving by those not participating in other ways.

History of Alabaster

In 1948, Rev. Elizabeth Vennum, Global Council member, was asked to think and pray about a challenging project for NMI. Rev. Vennum knew if God wanted the project to take place, He would provide the plan. On the return trip from Kansas City, God gave her His plan of giving "love" gifts. It was modeled after the sacrifice of the woman who anointed Jesus' head with expensive perfume poured from an alabaster jar (Matthew 26:6-13).

At the Global NMI Council meeting in 1949, Mrs. Vennum told of the Alabaster plan God had given her. The Council unanimously adopted the plan, and the first offering was received in 1949.

The Board of General Superintendents approved the plan for Alabaster funds to be used exclusively for buildings and properties in cross-cultural ministries.

Now, more than 60 years later, Alabaster is still strong, having provided more than 8,600 projects since 1949. Faithful Nazarenes around the world have given approximately $95 million dollars for this much-needed ministry.

Project Summary

1949 - 2010
Churches and Chapels	3,983
Bible Schools and School Buildings	398
Mission & District Centers	537
Hospitals and Clinics	37
Missionary Homes	407
National Workers Homes	1,083
Land	1,537
Miscellaneous	627
Total	8,610

2010
Churches and Chapels	133
Bible Schools and School Buildings	2
Mission & District Centers	27
Hospitals and Clinics	0
Missionary Homes	12
National Workers Homes	27
Land	50
Miscellaneous	0
Total	252

Offerings Summary
1949-2010	US $94,924,492
2010 Offering	US $2,788,904

The Ethiopia Central District celebrated their ninth district assembly on October 17, 2005. During the assembly, which was chaired by General Superintendent Nina Gunter, a new five-story building was dedicated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The building was constructed through a joint effort of Alabaster funds, Work & Witness, and the support of local churches. The first floor of the new building is being used as a worship center, the second floor serves as the district office, the third floor houses educational ministries, and the fourth floor houses the field offices. The fifth floor is a conference center for the many Nazarene ministries on the Horn of Africa Field.

In his dedication speech, Horn of Africa Field Strategy Coordinator Howie Shute shared how the vision of a center for training pastors to lead a holiness movement in the Horn of Africa first came into existence. When no one had any idea how money could be raised for a single-story building, God “broke through the roof” of that dream with the idea of a multi-story training center. When the building contractor insisted that he must know how many stories the building would have before the foundation could be dug, Rev. Shute said, “Dig it for five floors. But you must clearly understand, when the money runs out, the building stops!” By God’s grace, the money never ran out until the building was completed.

The land on which this great facility was built once housed an abortion clinic. In the place where lives were taken, now through Jesus Christ, lives are being reborn, transformed by God’s grace. Thanks, in part, to your Alabaster offering, where darkness once prevailed, now there is light.

March — Easter Offering (World Evangelism Fund, Faith Promise)

Special Prayer Emphasis — Nazarene World Week of Prayer

April — Mission Education

May — Missionary Health Care

Special Prayer Emphasis — Global Day of Prayer

June — World Mission Broadcast

July — International Ministry, Bible Schools & Seminaries

August — LINKS

September — Alabaster

October — Thanksgiving Offering (World Evangelism Fund, Faith Promise)

Special Prayer Emphasis — 10/40 Window

November — Mission Priority One

Special Prayer Emphasis — International Day of Prayer

December — Nazarene Compassionate Ministries

Work & Witness
Over 150,000 people have been mobilized through Work & Witness since its beginning in 1974. Resulting in more than 5000 years of donated labor worldwide, Work & Witness teams go to every region of the world and partner with local churches in construction projects, technical needs, evangelism and compassionate ministries. Come be a part of something significant!

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

Work and Witness is an important ministry opportunity that is generously and enthusiastically supported by the Penticton Church of the Nazarene. We have sent teams to South America, Cuba, the Ukraine and most recently to Ethiopia in January/February of 2009. Click on the image below to go to the Work and Witness site to see how you can become involved.

What is NMI?

"NMI is the organizational representative of missions for the Church of the Nazarene on the regional, district, and local levels."

"NMI is the promotional, educational, program, and fund-raising arm of missions."

NMI is the organization that "provides the structure and spiritual dynamic for mobilizing the church in mission."

What is the purpose of NMI?

NMI Mission Statement: To mobilize the church in mission through praying, discipling, giving, and educating.

NMI Objectives:

To encourage people to pray for all efforts of world evangelization

To inform people of the world's needs and what the church is doing to meet those needs

To challenge children and youth to learn about and participate in the mission of the church

To raise funds for mission outreach

For more information click on the image below to go to the Church of the Nazarene Missions International website.

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