Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

Contacts Around the World and in our own Neighborhood!

April 8, 2021 – On any given evening I sometimes engage in an activity to see how many countries, states, and continents I can chat with on messenger.  As I scroll to see who is on I am amazed at the acquaintances we have.  I have connections on 6 of the 7 continents and over 40 states and about 50 countries.

Now some folks I have not had much contact with for years but we did at one point.  Mostly we have done some kind of ministry together somewhere in the world. 

To be able to do this makes us very blessed folks.  I know that there are many folks who don’t have that many people that they know or can talk to.  Many folks (especially right now) feel alone and abandon without anyone to call.

That idea bothers me – not that I want to talk to everyone but that each of us could ask God and then look around and see who in your neighborhood or church or family might need someone to talk to on a regular basis.

There is a family in our church here in Petrich that every Sunday goes and visits an elderly lady that cannot get out.  They bring food and other things that are needed.  We have talked and some weeks it is not easy and even an inconvenience to do this but this lady has very few if anyone else to care and communicate with.

What if each of us would pray and then look for and begin to serve and care for one family or person that needs to know God’s love. What difference would it make in our world?  It would take some time and take some work, but it would make a difference.  After all People are the only thing that God Died for and the ones we, His followers are called to serve.

This week pray for…

… plans for the store move in Okemos

… plans for our trip states side in a few weeks

… the livelihood groups as we continue to work toward

Another Store Move…?

April 1, 2021 – No Fooling – since in Mall terms we are short term renters they have a clause in the contract that if a long term (meaning a multiple-year commitment) renter comes along wanting your spot, the management of the mall can move us to another location in the mall.

On Monday, we received an email saying that another store was wanting our location and they want it by May 1, 2021.  That means that this weekend we are going to be looking at other locations to determine which one will work and then begin the process of getting it ready to relocate to.

Additionally, this week God has been teaching and challenging me as I am preparing my sermon for Sunday, to understand that circumstances do not dictate my attitude and behavior – I do! I can choose to let the things in life get me down or thrown into a tizzy or I can see them as an opportunity to let God work and get a good witness. That means I am choosing to be positive and now waiting on God to do something amazing in this process.

That being said there is still a great number of obstacles and needs ahead that we need your prayers for.

Diane and I are still in Europe and will not be back before the move has to take place.  I am usually the one that does the layout and design of the stores so that means I will be doing this from over here but the work will have to be done by the (small) team in place in the states.

When you move there are additional expenses encountered for setup, displays and signage of the store. (all of which right now we do not have sitting around waiting to be spent).

And then there is the actual move. Needing to take the product to the new location and get it into its place so we can again open.  (having just relocated the store in Jackson – we know the work and effort involved.)

I tell you all this so you know and can pray (and help if you are in Michigan and want to).

Pray for us to find the right spot that God has in mind for the work He still has for us to do in and through this location.

Pray for the team that will be getting the new location ready and then set up.

Pray that God would provide all that we need to make the move as far as display, signage and the right design of the store for maximum impact on the customers.

This is also Holy Week and with Easter being on Sunday for y’all – (our Easter will be May 2^nd on the Eastern Calendar) – We pray that you may be able to fully celebrate and understand the resurrection of Jesus for your life.

Thanks for your prayers and support  - if you want to know more - email me and we can talk.

Balkan Conference Meets (via Zoom)

March 28, 2021 – We missed last week sending out a post.  It has been a busy week working on all the details for our transition which I will share more about later this week in our regular blog post.

On March 27, 2021 the Balkan Provisional Annual Conference met (via Zoom) and did business for the second time in their history!  Last year we met and I was deeply involved and directing the happenings.  This year we were able to be there but we mostly watched all that was taking place.  The local leaders were doing the work and leading the movement.

I kind of felt like a parent watching my kid graduate from High School.  Proud of them, knowing that they are adults and moving out on their own but still very interested and concerned for what they do all while knowing that other than advise and pray there is not much else for you to do.

For this we THANK GOD! He has led us to the work here and with the team have expanded the work and developed new ministries as God has led.  15 years ago, if you would have told us we would be doing what we are doing – I am pretty sure I would not have believed you or would have wanted to move to where we are but God has a way of preparing you for what is next if you will let Him.

Here is a video that was shown of the work of the Agricultural Program happening here.

This week pray for the national board and leadership.

Pray too for our transition to our new role and ministry

Pray for the people of Bulgaria – Covid has returned and the hospitals are about to reach their limit.

Change is coming!

This week it is a video post announcing some changes to our ministry!

This week pray for our transition and all the details that will need to be worked out,

If you want to know more email me at almellinger@yahoo.com or catch me on messenger.

Thanks!

 

Thoughts about Injustice

March 7, 2021 – Today’s post may be a bit longer than most and on a heavier subject than we usually do, but I encourage you to read it through

______________: A POLITICAL MANIFESTO FOR TODAY?

1. Reduce the gap between rich and poor
2. Seek to ensure full employment
3. Introduce measures to help the poorest, including a living wage
4. Offer the best possible education
5. Empower individuals to feel they can make a difference
6. Promote tolerance
7. Promote equal treatment for women
8. Create a society based on values and not on profits and consumerism
9. End all forms of enslavement
10. Avoid engaging in wars\
11. Avoid narrow self-interest and promote a world view
12. Care for the environment

Now some of you might be thinking we have become completely liberal – but this is not my Manifesto – it was actually written by John Wesley for the 18^TH CENTURY!   It could have been written for today as many of the issues it talks about are issues we are still talking about.

John Wesley made quite a bit of money from his publications, but chose to live on a modest salary throughout his entire ministry and gave everything else away to help the poor and less fortunate.  Some years as much as 90% of his income.

Here are a few quotes from some articles on the internet *

Wesley, who was suspicious of riches (as was Jesus), once told a colleague, "The poor are the Christians." He stirred so much animosity with his criticism of wealth and defense of the poor that he was prohibited from preaching in Church of England parishes. His response was the famous declaration that the world was his parish. He went out and preached standing on his father's gravestone. The poor heard him gladly.

Wesley's thinking about and approach to ministry with the poor changed over the years. When young he encouraged acts of charity, such as giving alms to the poor, even begging from the rich on behalf of the poor. He organized a society to provide relief for poor, sick, and friendless "strangers." 

Later, Wesley would move away from charity and begging as responses to the needs of those on the economic margins. He looked for more lasting benefits and took a stance in favor of an 18th century form of individual, family, and community empowerment. He advocated and helped to organize:

• Employment collectives, such as for seamstresses
• Loan programs so that persons could get capital for small businesses
• Free or low-cost health clinics
• Housing for widows and orphans
• Schools for the poor

Wesley encouraged the early Methodist preachers to live among the poor in order to maintain solidarity with them. He and his brother Charles sometimes acted as arbiters between the poor abused by the early industrial revolution and civil authorities. One mayor accused the Wesleys of causing "much mischief" in England, but they won him to the cause doing justice for people.

The more I read and look into a holistic approach to the Gospel I find that we must become a people who not only care about the spiritual well-being and the salvation of the people but also about how they live now. We need to be aware of how we can live out our lives for the King, and help other brothers and sisters be able to do so as well.

Here are some additional comments about the Wesleys –

The Wesleys were keenly aware of poverty as the result of systems of injustice. They combined a positive concern for the welfare of people with protests against specific forms of injustice. John sharply criticized the exploitation of the poor by industrialists, merchants, doctors, lawyers, and distillers; he condemned colonialism and slavery. To a large degree, the treatment of the poor became for Wesley the litmus test of the value of Christian life and service.

As he grew old and Methodism became larger and more prosperous, Wesley deeply feared a growing complacency toward poverty. He warned of this in one of his last essays. He wrote: "For the Methodists in every place grow diligent and frugal; consequently, they increase in goods. Hence they proportionally increase in pride, in anger, in the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes and the pride of life. So, although the form of religion remains, the spirit is swiftly vanishing away."

We share these thoughts with you and challenge you to think about them and reflect a bit about your own life and way of living.  Pray and ask God if there is anything you need to do differently?

Also, pray for our economic programs here – we are working to get them started up again so that they can be long lasting with or without us.

Pray for the upcoming Annual Conference of the Churches here to be held on March 26-27, 2021.

*https://www.umcmission.org/Learn-About-Us/News-and-Stories/2011/May/Heritage-Sunday-John-Wesley-and-the-Poor