March 6 Potato Banquet and Bolivian singers in Muskogee

The following email came to the pastor's attention. It looks like a great evening if you are interested!

Save the date, Monday, March 8, 6:30 p.m., St. Paul UMC, Muskogee

Our Conference Covenant Agreement with the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia is a rich one. We will be privileged to host three Bolilvians in the singing group AYNI-Bolilvia on the above date.

The purpose of this Potato Banquet and Concert is to raise funds for the construction of the Nuevo Canaan Methodist Church in El Alto , Bolivia . Bishop Hayes has visited that church.

1. WHY A POTATO BANQUET? The potato originated in the Andes Mountains. It is the staple food of those in high altitudes because it is about all they can raise in the cold.
2. WHY BUILD A METHODIST CHURCH IN EL ALTO? For over a hundred years the UMC has had a missionary presence in the Altiplano. The native people respect Methodism because we have not been paternalistic. We have provided for education of the indigenous peoples when the government frowned upon their improvement. We have trained Bolivian pastors. The Methodist presence is strong in the Altiplano.
At the present time, indigenous peoples are moving from the country to El Alto, which now has about 2,000,000 inhabitants. This city has sprung up in the last twenty years. Since the people have an affinity for Methodism, they look for Methodist Churches. The Bolivian Methodist Church is building churches as fast as they can. We can help with this critical construction.

Please bring a group from your church to this event. Our support can go a long way to helping build this church which will spread the Gospel to many persons. More information will be coming.

You can You Tube a video presentation of the group AYNI-Bolivia. The videos show both musicians and dancers. We will host only the musicians due to the cost of travel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v-BC5mjWbsWZs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Deii1DbOg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofIT6gUYxX4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D76Dn_ggYo

See you March 8th.

God’s best,
Pastor Rusty Williams, Chairperson
Muskogee District Committee on Missions