Missionaries

Contact: Jim Sholer, Sending Mission Team Leader


We believe God calls us to serve others in both word and deed. This led to a large commitment to missions in our congregation. We support missionary families all over the globe, and reach out to the community through backpack drives, and community dinners.


Listed below are the missionaries that we prayerfully and financially support. Contact them via email by clicking on their name.  Find out more information on the web by clicking on the name of their organization. Some have sent videos that are a window into their work.

  • INTERNATIONAL: Pierre & Judy Allard (just.equipping)

    just.equipping educates, trains and equips people in the area of restorative justice. Since 2006, training missions have taken place in Africa where just.equipping plays a crucial role in the reintegration of offenders, the rebuilding of communities, the comfort of victims and the future of corrections and chaplaincy. 

  • INTERNATIONAL: Edwin & Sylvia Caruana (Global Fellowship)

    Edwin and Sylvia are based in Malta but work mainly in North Africa. Edwin has four main roles:  

    • Works with Global Fellowship overseeing the work being done by indigenous ministries in North Africa. 
    • Pastor of an International Baptist Church in Malta. 
    • Director of the Friendship House reaching North Africans that live or travel in Malta. 
    • Facilitator for the North Africa Partnership-a partnership of over 200 missionary agencies. 
  • LOCAL: Kathleen Shaffer (Informed Choices)

    Informed Choices (formerly South Valley Pregnancy Care Center) is dedicated to serving women, as well as their families and partners who come seeking help in making decisions about their unplanned pregnancies and related concerns. Informed Choices meets clients where ever they are in their pregnancy, helping them sort fact from fiction, including providing ultrasound images and pregnancy tests with a trained on-site nurse.  There are also support classes and an on-site shop for baby supplies.  Informed Choices is dedicated to providing a warm and safe environment, regardless of age, race, income, nationality, religious affiliation or circumstances.

    Click here to see how to support their local outreach.

  • INTERNATIONAL: Karmelo & Ivon Kresonja   (Evangelical Church In Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

    Karmelo Kresonja is pastor of the Evangelical Church in West Mostar. He also works with Vanya Bule at Camp Emek Beraka (movie clip) - a summer camp that is held in the mountains at Boracko Lake near the city of Konjic.
    "If you had asked me beforehand if these peoples could live together, I would have said no," Kresonja says. "What we are witnessing in Bosnia-Herzegovina is a true miracle of divine reconciliation and healing."   For a brief movie clip of Karmelo's heart for the work, click here.

  • LOCAL:  Daniel Mahan (Advent Group Ministries)

    Daniel Mahan is the Executive Director of Advent Group Ministries. Since the 1980s, Advent has seen God's hand guide them - currently they provide a residential drug and alcohol program for adolescents, a community-based outpatient drug and alcohol program for adolescents, and a low-cost counseling center.

    Click here for a post Christmas thank you video from AGM.

  • INTERNATIONAL: Josie Oldenburg (SEND)

    Pursing new directions in his calling, Josie and husband, Eric, and their three boys returned to the US from a long stay with Talbot training upcoming pastors in Ukraine.  Josie serves SEND through communications, using newsletters, brochures and other means to recruit students and to share what the Lord is doing in this part of the world.  They both focus on raising their sons, Dietrich, Lev and Max, and on serving God wherever they go.

  • She Is Safe tackles the issues of abuse, privation, exploitation and spiritual darkness of women and children in 10 countries least reached with the Gospel.
    You can receive monthly audio updates via email by signing up on the SIS website: www.sheissafe.org. We want folks to be as informed and prayerful as possible - particularly with our new initiative on the abuse and exploitation of girls. This is likely one of our biggest spiritual battles so far. Please pray with us!

  • INTERNATIONAL: Louis & Lisa Shanks (Wycliffe/The Seed Company)

    The Seed Company was launched by Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1993 with a mandate to accelerate Bible translation. It started with pilot projects in 10 different languages. In 4 years went to 50 people groups and growing.  Today, over 30K people have been exposed to the New Testament through this translation work! But there's more to do - watch this 45 sec video!
    Today, The Seed Company is working with several hundred local translators who are leading the translation process in more than 350 language translation projects. These translators are responding to the local churches’ and ministries’ need to make Scripture available more quickly for church planting and discipleship.

  • INTERNATIONAL: Jim & Suzanne Witty (Care Corps International)

    Care Corps was founded by Jim Witty to provide a Christian crisis-care ministry in a response to the victims of war and disaster.
    This ministry of supporting and training the church, missionaries and relief work in crisis areas of the world has expanded to 20 countries. By invitation, Care Corps teams train national pastors and mission staff working in areas of disaster and war. This compassion ministry supports and assists the church in their mission to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ and practical ministry tools to show God's love, care, healing and hope to victims of trauma. Watch this quick video to get an idea of how Care Corps impacts communities.

  • LOCAL: Lise Green (Young Life – South Valley)

    Young Life Club in the South Valley area thinks the world of kids. They believe that kids deserve to know what life can hold for them. Young Life leaders are caring adults from local churches who share that hope while building fun and lasting friendships with kids. From Club and Camp to Campaigners and other activities, teenagers will have blast laughing, trying new things and being with their friends.


  • LOCAL:  Gilroy Compassion Center

    Located at 370 Tomkins Court in Gilroy, the center serves the needs of the homeless in the South Valley with dedication to provide a pathway to stability that maintains self-respect and recognizes the dignity of each human being.  Board President, Jan Chargin, loves to invite area churches and their members to come serve.  Center hours are:  8 a.m. - noon, Monday through Friday (December 1 - March 31 extended hours  6 a.m. - noon)  In addition, Saturday Suppers are offered weekly April through November 2-4pm - volunteers needed!  Click here to fill out their volunteer form.