One of the cool things that God has been doing recently is calling native Pennsylvanians to serve here in our own state. That is really exciting!!! But it also presents a challenge, because our Baptist churches are small, and financial resources are spread so thin.
So we are appealing to you guys to get the word out about the Mussers. They need some churches or individuals to come alongside and partner with them financially in the work at Drexel. Even if you aren't able to help at the moment, then please pass the word along to others. This is an amazing opportunity to get in on the ground level of a new work with limitless potential. Please pray seriously about being part of Brian and Jennifer's support team!!!
Hi. My name is Julianna Musser. I live in Levittown, Pennsylvania.
This is my Mommy and Daddy--Brian and Jennifer. They are Mission Service Corps missionaries with the North American Mission Board. They work at Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Kiki thinks I'm one of the most charming little gals she has ever met. She and Doug also love my parents and believe in their ministry.
My parents are native Pennsylvanians. They fell in love while they were students at Messiah College in
Grantham. They got married in 2001. While Daddy was in college, he went to Mexico and spent a semester there doing missions. God began at that point to call him into ministry.But everything really started happening last year. Mommy and Daddy realized that God wanted them to become campus ministers at Drexel. They both had great jobs(my parents are VERY smart!) but were willing to give them up to follow God's call. Daddy was a lab manager and research assistant doing studies on the AIDS virus. Mommy was a Counseling Specialist in the Philadelphia school district.
They quit their jobs, and began raising support. THEN GUESS WHAT???? I decided to make my entrance into the world. Mommy had a tough pregnancy, too, which made things a little harder.
I am writing to ask for your help. Our churches here in Pennsylvania are pretty little. Most of them struggle to even pay their pastors. We don't have the abundance of resources that many of you in the Bible Belt do. We need some more churches and people to partner with us.
My friends Anna and Joshua told me that you were really nice and that I should let you know about my family. They said that you guys can seriously PRAY!!!! My family needs prayer right now. We need to get more support. This month got a little tight, and Mommy wasn't sure how we were going to pay our bills. But God provided at the last minute, like He always does. He is so good to us!!!
Things are going well at Drexel. Daddy started a weekly Bible Study back in March. There is a picture below of him meeting with some of the students. He also got to take some students to Zambia this Summer for a mission trip. Our interns, Alex and Yelena, went with him on that trip. There is a picture of the whole team below, and of them ministering to the people they met in Zambia.
My Mommy didn't go to Africa, because she stayed home to take care of me. But she is also an important part of the ministry at Drexel. We believe that God has called us as a family to do this.
Would you please pray for us? Also, if any of you feel like God is leading you to partner with us, you can email my Daddy at peaceandpower@comcast.net.
One last thing-- would let your churches, sunday school classes, friends, cousins, distant relatives, etc. know about us?
Thank you!
Julianna.
7 comments:
Thank you Julianna for sharing with us a bit about your family. I will pray for you and your mom and dad that our God would supply all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.
isn't it cool how the west is supporting the east?! -- geneva has adopted philly - the whole metro area - not really one campus or director - but we just want to help make an impact on the east - our students love stan and philly - and well . . . if God ever allows me - i'm heading east!
most likely we will be taking a fall break trip to philly - still up in the air -something i'm going to discuss with stan this weekend - if i'm there
francie
Ok Kiki,
you gotta stop posting things like this. Our church is trying to support me and our ministry, support financailly a church plant in Times Square, an international ministry in New Orleans, and support a church plant 20 minutes south of us with prayer and volunteers. At the same time, we're trying to start a hispanic church in town, AND find a retired pastor to help plant a traditional church (or service) for active adults (those 55+). All for a church running 50-60 on Sunday morning.
Then you place this in my life, just an hour from me! This isn't fair!!! :-D
Thanks for sharing the story and I'm going to try to hook up with them somehow in the next few weeks. I will pray that God will supply all their needs as well.
David,
I love your heart! : ) Thanks for WANTING to help, and especially for praying.
Guy--
We really appreciate your prayers. Brian and Jennifer are doing such an incredible job, and thoroughly believe that God will continue to provide.
But it can also be stressful having a little one, and not being sure where the next rent check will come from. So pray for their emotional strength as well.
Francie--
Yes, it is very cool. I love our campus ministry team, and can't wait to see everyone this weekend at the retreat.
Kristina--
Thanks for keeping me posted.
Kiki -
I appreciate your sharing these opportunities for support. I know that raising support is a huge challenge these days in Baptist life. I remember that you blogged about that a week or two ago.
There is simply so much misunderstanding in the SBC. People honestly believe that their CP dollars fully fund all of our work in North America ... just like the IMB fully funds all of our international M's. But the truth is so far from that assumption. That's why you get all of those funny looks when you go to churches in the south looking for funds.
The Mission M Possible crew is actively discussing changing things when it comes to Church Planting. Maybe we should move toward more of a tentmaking strategy ... at least in CP. I can see where that would be problemmatic in campus ministry.
We would love your input, and the input of others, at www.missionmpossible.blogspot.com
It's our latest post.
God bless you ... check in on us at Mission M Possible from time to time. Cool stuff is happening!
Julianna,
I just prayed for your mommy and Daddy. Now, to the really important stuff: I know you're young but as a Native son of Pa. I have to correct one thing you wrote (BTW, you have an amazing vocab for such a little girl) but your parents are NOT native Pennsylvanians....honey if you're from Pa. its' "native Pa-ers". Since you look as though your under 2 (I myself have a 3 year old, a 17 month old and a 5 month old) I'll let it slide this time but ...well let's just hope there isn't a but. LOL.
Sojouner, I found your BLOG off of a comment of a guys journal who I read somewhat. You were linked, I came here, read the post and had to comment. I was born in Williamsport, grew up in Bloomsburg, went to school in Clarks Summit. Go get 'em.
Kiki -- I just found your blog tonight and have enjoyed reading a few of the posts. Great mix of humour and serious reflections on important issues.
Thanks,
Bob
IMB missionary (Kenya)
Currently in regional leadership in Richmond
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