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Come grow with us! |
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Missions |
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The History of Alabaster |
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Following World War II, the critical need for buildings and land in the world mission areas of the Church of the Nazarene was presented to the General NMI Council. The Council asked Rev. Elizabeth Roby Vennum, a member of the group, to submit a plan that would generate giving for this need. Rev. Vennum knew if God wanted those buildings, 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). The General NMI Council unanimously adopted the plan, and the first offering was received in 1949. Now, more than 50 years later, more than 7,300 projects have been purchased or built with more than $79 million.
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Loving, Interested Nazarenes, Knowing and Sharing What is LINKS? The LINKS program of the Church of the Nazarene is a network of personal connections between missionaries and Nazarenes around the world. Missionaries are assigned to districts and, then on the district level, connected to local churches. This gives each church an opportunity to become personally acquainted with the missionary family and their field of service. Typically, churches send packages, cash gifts, cards, and other remembrances to their LINKS missionaries. In return, the church feels a sense of involvement with the world mission enterprise of the church through regular correspondence from the missionaries, updates from their field, and even through deputation services while the missionaries are on furlough. The missionaries are encouraged, knowing people care and pray for them. The relationships built over time personalize names and faces that both the missionaries and their LINKS churches value highly. |
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Dr. Humberto Fernando and Mrs. Dorothy E. Bullon Humberto Fernando was born in Lima, Peru, to one of the first Nazarene converts in Monsefu, Peru. He went to a school managed by the Free Church of Scotland and then was converted while studying industrial engineering in Lima. At the local Nazarene church he was involved in youth work and taught Sunday school. While he was at the university, he was invited to be a staff worker with Peruvian Intervarsity on graduation. After a year as a traveling secretary he went to an earthquake-torn area where he established a small community based development program. It was also used as an in-service training center for Christian students. After eight years of full-time service in Intervarsity, an evangelical student organization, he received two master’s degrees, one in agrarian economy and the other in educational administration. In 1981 he married Dorothy. During the early years of their marriage, they pastured one of the Nazarene churches in Lima as well as lectured at a local university. After a brief visit to Great Britain, where he began his Ph.D. in development Studies at Manchester University, the family moved to Cajamarca, and Andean city where Fernando led a regional development project with an outreach to thirty rural communities. While he was completing his Ph.D. research in 1990, he was involved in postgraduate training in Christian theology and development studies at the Oxford Centre for Mission studies in the UK. The family moved to Costa Rica at the beginning of 1991 to work in the Nazarene Seminary as missionaries. Both Fernando and Dorothy currently lecture in the Master’s degree by extension program of the Nazarene Seminary of Costa Rica, with extension bases in several Latin American countries (Cuba, Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil). Dorothy was born in Peru to British missionary parents. After finishing boarding school she went to the Royal London Hospital to train as a nurse. Dorothy completed midwifery studies and went to the London School of Theology for theological training. In 1970 she went to Peru to work in a small mission hospital for five years. Afterward, she went to Lima and joined the team of staff workers of the Peruvian Intervarsity movement. While working in pioneer student work in the private universities of Lima she studied for a postgraduate diploma in anthropology. Dorothy joined the Nazarene church shortly after her marriage. While at the seminary in Costa Rica, Dorothy completed a M.A. degree in theology and the D.Min program from Nazarene Seminary, Kansas City. The Bullons have two grown children, David and Daniel. David is a graduate of Messiah College, Pennsylvania. He is working as a mechanical engineer at Black & Decker in Baltimore, Maryland. Daniel is studying anthropology at the University of Costa Rica and is living at home. Important Bullon Family Dates Humberto’s Birthday Sept 28th Dorothy’s Birthday Aug 10th Wedding Anniversary May 10th, 1981 Daniel’s Birthday Dec 21st David’s Birthday TBD
Family Mailing Address: Apartado 3977-1000 San Jose Costa Rica Email Address: hfbullon@gmail.com (Click on address to send e-mail)
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Mission Fast Facts • The Church of the Nazarene now ministers in 151 world areas. • In 2006, there were 788 missionaries (active, retired, regional, Mission Corps volunteers, and tentmakers) for the Church of the Nazarene. These missionaries originate from 26 world areas. • As of April 10, 2007, the Church of the Nazarene through the JESUS film ministry made contact with more than 43.3 million people; 17.5 percent (7.6 million) viewers accepted Christ; and 31 percent of the new converts were involved in follow-up (discipleship). As a result of the JESUS film ministry, more than 11,300 mission churches have been started and more than 14,200 new pastors are in training. • In 2006, 534 Mission Corps (formerly Nazarenes in Volunteer Service) volunteers, including 22 tentmakers, ministered in 66 world areas. • 181 Youth In Mission participants from 5 regional areas, and 2,320 Youthserve students served around the world for the Church of the Nazarene. • The Border Initiative, a ministry partnership between the World Mission and USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism departments, has a team of missionaries in place who will develop and implement strategies to promote growth and development of the Church of the Nazarene on both sides of the Mexico/United States border. • The Church of the Nazarene produced literature in 67 languages and dialects in 2006. • In 2006, the Church of the Nazarene sent 1,119 Work & Witness teams, with a total of 20,581 participants. This represents an estimated 506 years of donated labor. • The two districts with the largest membership in the Church of the Nazarene are the Guatemala North Verapaz District with 22,012 members and the Korea National District with 20,282 members. • World Mission Broadcast ministers via radio, television, and Internet with 83 programs in 77 countries in 30 languages and dialects. Coordinated through 6 regional communication centers, radio continues to be the most widely used medium of World Mission Broadcast to “Reach the Unreached” through a total of 1,397 broadcasts. • In 2006, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries’ Child Development program provided more than 9,348 sponsorships and nutritional assistance in over 79 countries. • The Church of the Nazarene has 176 Compassionate Ministries Centers in the United States of America and Canada to help care for underprivileged and hurting people. • In 2006, Nazarenes sent more than 41,000 Crisis Care Kits and 6,000 School Pal-Paks. • Alabaster funded an average of 4.5 projects every week. • The total amount raised for World Evangelism Fund in 2006 was approximately US$48 million—103 districts globally paid or overpaid their accepted World Evangelism Fund allocation. NMI 4/2007 <www.nazarenemissions.org/fastfacts> |
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World Evangelism Fund Supports
• Outreach ministry in 151 world areas • Approximately 788 missionaries and 196 missionaries’ children • Monthly pensions for 320* retired missionary units; (“units” consist of couples and single missionaries) • 40 Bible and theological colleges, 11 liberal arts universities, and 5 vocational and training schools—with 40,801 students enrolled • 2 hospitals, as well as community-based health care/medical clinics • Literature in 67 languages • Casa Robles (Nazarene Missionary Retirement Center) • The facilitation of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Work & Witness, Alabaster, and World Mission Broadcast • Administrative costs to facilitate ministries and services to 14,567 churches and 4,123 church-type missions around the world • Total amount raised for World Evangelism Fund in 2006 was US $48 million. Extend Your Ministry Throughout the World by Giving to the World Evangelism Fund * This represents all missionary units who receive some portion of their retirement from World Evangelism Fund. Statistics reflect 2006 numbers NMI 4/2007 |