Missionaries

"The United Methodist Church is a missionary church. From the start of the Wesleyan rival in the mid-18th century England, the Methodists have defined their ministry around reaching the "least and the lost" for Jesus Christ. Missionary works of "mercy" were part and parcel of Christian Discipleship.

Today the United Methodist Church has 1,100 missionaries serving in 79 countries. Most of them are not US born and have been nurtured in Methodist churches around the world."* Here, at St. LUke's United Methodist Church, we have supported many missionaries throughout the years, and currently are supporting two US born missionaries, Kim Torres and Marilyn Beecher, who have committed their lives and answer the call to do God's mission through being a missionary. St. Luke's has a covenant relationship with both Kim and Marilyn and they receive salary support from the church operating budget as well as spiritual support, physical support through teams who have given them their gifts of time, talents and service. Thank you for your continuing support of their great work.

*From the Mission Opportunities booklet was produced by the Office of Mission and Outreach of the Florida Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church

Kim King Torres is a United Methodist missionary assigned by the General Board of Global Ministries as a Church and Community Worker in Florida City. Her focus is with children, youth and families through a variety of ministries that include after school tutoring, community youth group, family literacy program, OASIS Spring Break camp, and summer outreach programs. St. Luke's has supported Kim for several years and has been mission partner with Branches since 1993.

To find out more about the ministry of Branches, click here.

The Rev. Marilyn Beecher is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of the United Methodist Church serving as a Church and Community Worker with the Church and Community Connection of the Florida Annual Conference. St. Luke's first supported Marilyn when she was a GBGM missionary in Bulgaria working with the United Methodist Church after the fall of communism and then when Marilyn served in the Miami District focused on empowering our United Methodist Haitian congregations. Now she is working with local churches in the East Central District to develop stronger community connections in service and mission.

To find out more about the work of Church And Community Connection, click here.