Global Missionaries and Missions Activity:
We are blessed at Grace Covenant Church to be partnered with such a diverse and gifted group of people, who are on the Mission field full-time reaching the world for Christ. Our goal is to be united with them-- heart, mind, soul and body--underpinning their ministries, attempting to "Hold the Ropes" of support. See below for more information. As a missions-minded church we have touched the globe with various short-term trips around the world. We have had missions activity in Asia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Germany, Israel, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, Philippines, as well as various places in the USA.
Asia- Alex and Jodi Seidler
Alex joined Campus Target in 2006, and was on the first ever team to launch to Asia for Campus Target. From 2006-2008 he served in Asia, leading teams, sharing the gospel and helping to start churches. Alex joined Campus Target's executive leadership team in 2008 and has served on it ever since.
From 2010 - 2012, Alex and Jodi lived in Asia again, and led the work. Alex was the national leader - overseeing 4 cities, filled with ministry teams and small campus church plants. While living in Asia, Alex and Jodi helped train Campus Target teams in ministry and member care, as well as lead church planting strategies. They traveled extensively to each city month by month, and helped make significant strides in Campus Target's mission and systems.
In 2013 Alex and Jodi had a word from God to returned to Lima, NY to serve stateside. For the past 3 years, they have overseen recruiting, an internship program, and traveling for speaking and preaching opportunities. They travel into Asia 1 or 2 times a year to meet with leaders, train their team and hold retreats for missionaries.
Disaster Relief- Hope Force
Hope Force International is focused on providing rapid response and relief for those who have experienced a disaster in the U.S.A and around the world. This is ministry provides food, medical supplies and treatment to areas struck by natural or man-made disasters. Hope Force is committed to train reservists with the goal of making them ready for rapid deployment when disaster strikes. Their aim is to be the first on the ground with both aid and the Gospel to bring hope and a future to those in their darkest hour. Visit their website at www.hopeforce.org
England & South Africa-
Dirk and Elizabeth Wood
Dirk and Elizabeth Wood began a work for God in the Philippines, establishopeforceinternational.hing churches, a Christian school, Bible College, feeding program and medical clinic (see Philippines). Dirk still oversees this work while establishing outreaches in two other countries. In England pub was converted into the London Outreach Center and Surfer’s Church was planted in South Africa where the woods currently reside and do their main evangelistic outreach. Visit their website at www.arise-shine.org.
Israel - Eagles' Wings:
Feeding Israel Program
Every month Eagle’s Wings reaches the poor in Israel through Abraham’s Bread Feeding Centers in Jerusalem and Tiberias. According to statistics, 22% of Israel’s 8 million person population live below the poverty line, including 31% of minors and 23% of the elderly. Eagle’s Wings serves 390,000 hot, nourishing meals annually through a network of free restaurants, which includes Abraham’s Bread Feeding Centers. They also distribute 81,600 hot lunches annually to needy children throughout the country. Pre-paid food shopping cards ($75) are distributed to families and Holocaust survivors each month and before holidays (alcohol and tobacco purchases are prohibited). They desire to tangible walk out the Scripture found in Genesis 12:3 which says “I will bless those who bless you [he descendants of Abraham], and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Visit their website at https://www.eagleswings.to/feedisrael.
Mexico - Pastor Tomas Bencomo
Pastor Tomas Bencomo’s heart was stirred with compassion as he watched a news cast describing the plight of the Tarahumara Indians of the Copper Canyon in north central Mexico and he felt called by God to do what he could to alleviate the suffering of these people he never before knew existed. Since then, he has been hiking into the remote canyons seeking them out and bringing with him gifts of food, clothing and the good news of the gospel. He has also built a school where children from across the canyon are educated and learn of God’s great love for them. Visit their website at www.tarahumaramountains.com
Philippines - Pastor Noel Alberto
Noel Aberto is the pastor of One in Christ Community Church and oversees the school and ministries Arise and Shine Evangelistic Association (founded by Dirk Wood) in Tondo, Philippines. Pastor Noel is a living testimony to the power of Grace. From the streets and jails of Manila (imprisoned at a young age), God radically changed the destiny of his life. God saved him and miraculously set him free to obey the call to preach the Gospel. Noel now preaches on some of those same streets and in the jails that God is in the life-changing business; Christ can bind-up the brokenhearted and set the captives free from the prison of darkness. ASEA also feeds and clothes the poor, educates children (approx. 250 students) thru the Christian school, and Christian workers thru their schools of Bibliological and Theological Seminary, and they disciple the imprisoned thru outreaches and training programs. Pastor Noel and his wife Gina have four children. Noel is ordained through Arise & Shine Evangelistic Association. Visit their website at http://www.arise-shine.org/philippines.html.