Sending Them Out to Serve

The concluding words of Central's mission statement have become genuine reality as we bid farewell to Jerry, Ingrid and Joy. Jerry's departure is certainly the most news worthy headline for the weekly Mission News since News & Views originated.

In the dozen years of Jerry's oversight, the Mission Outreach of Central Church has improved dramatically. We have moved from merely writing a check to missionaries with Central ties to strategic funding and missionary care around the world. Our method of support in the early nineties, sending money, has broadened to regular communication (email and letters), coaching on mission matters and counseling about personal concerns. Congregational interest has been reflected in the exciting efforts to build meaningful relationships with missionaries in many aspects of life at Central: small groups, communities of care, missionary advocates, social action volunteers and children's and youth ministries.

Jerry is masterful at developing the understanding of strategic focus, such as targeting the 10/40 window, where globally there is the greatest concentration of people with minimal resources, who have little opportunity to learn about Jesus. He has worked with great wisdom in helping Central's Missions Committee and individual missionaries set goals and in providing accountability thereafter.

Jerry has modeled his passion for outreach in his involvement with math tutoring of 3rd and 4th grade inner-city students, with an active role in Partners for Transformation (an evangelical, bi-racial group of pastors committed to the transformation of Baltimore City), with conference planning on a national level for missions education and international evangelism, with developing a respected position within the Baltimore Presbytery, and with preparing and leading groups on short term mission adventures.

Given his broad skill set, Jerry could have been a musician, a statistician, a university professor, a college president or the CEO of a business venture. We are thankful that his mission and passion have been lovingly poured out at Central for 12 years.