North America
Religion
Major religions are Protestant 23.11 percent, Catholic 22.81 percent, Independent 21.94 percent, Jewish 1.83 percent, Muslim 1.68 percent, other less than 1 percent (Buddhist/Eastern, Hindu, traditional ethnic, Baha’i, Sikh).
People
“North America” is often taken to mean the United States and Canada only by many people of those two countries, excluding Mexico and the other countries of Central America. This may be attributed to the fact that, culturally and economically, the United States and Canada are more alike to each other than they are to the rest of North America. North America represents a diversity of peoples: Euro-American (includes anyone of Latin American decent) 81.7 percent, Afro-American 12.9 percent, Asian 4.2 percent, Alaska native 1 percent, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2 percent.
How you can pray
- Pray for the moral devastation caused by drug trafficking to be eliminated and that those in authority might pursue effective policies to achieve this.
- Pray for God’s people to grow spiritually strong and to develop hearts to reach the lost for Christ.
Wayne and Lesley Emery: Arizona
Email: lesleyemery@msn.com
Anniversary: December 12
Birthdays: Wayne–February 27; Leslie–May 12
Agency: International Students Inc.
Address: PO Box 1351, Pine, AZ 85544Wayne and Lesley work with International Students Inc., developing and managing their property in Pine, Arizona, which they are using as a retreat center for international students. Lesley is responsible for curriculum development, writing Bible studies, field-testing and training new material. Wayne provides web-based training for national staff and for international students who are returning to their home countries. The Emery’s began their cross-cultural career with Scottsdale Bible in 1999.
Ray and Lyn Fish: Alaska
Email: raylynfish@avmi.org
Birthday: Ray—June 21; Lyn—January 19
Agency: Avant Ministries
Address: PO Box 210608, Auke Bay, AK 99821
Ray and Lyn are international workers with Avant Ministries and serve in Southeast Alaska. They minister to Native Americans, immigrants and local at-risk youth during the summer at Echo Ranch Bible Camp. During the winter they follow up with the youth that come to know Christ and disciples them personally. Recently married, Ray began his mission career with Scottsdale Bible in 2000. Lyn began her cross cultural career with Scottsdale Bible in 2006.
Bill and Marna Jones: Arizona
Email: AMFJones@juno.com
Anniversary: August 15
Birthdays: Bill–July 17
Marna–December 8
Agency: American Missionary Fellowship
Address: 11858 North 25th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85029-3420
Bill and Marna work for American Missionary Fellowship (AMF). Their ministry is establishing and maintaining churches in rural, central Arizona in order to mentor the unreached peoples of the United States to learn about and follow Jesus. The Jones conduct Bible clubs and vacation Bible schools at many locations, and a Youth Bible Camp. Bill travels over 50,000 miles a year ministering to the rural community and churches. Bill and Marna began their ministry with Scottsdale Bible in 1979.
Bill and Laurie Keyes: Colorado
Email: Billkeyes@oci.org and lauriekeyes@oci.org
Anniversary: April 5
Birthdays: Bill–December 18
Laurie–January 19
Agency: OC International
Address: PO Box 36900, Colorado Springs, CO 80936-6900
Bill and Laurie Keyes have served the Lord with OC International since 1965. After 12 years of missionary service in Brazil, they presently serve at OC International Headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. Beginning in 2003, Bill assumed a new ministry position as Vice President of Resource Development. His area of responsibilities include: mobilization and recruitment, corporate fund rising, development, church relations and partnerships. Laurie assists part-time in the Development Department ministering with Investor Relations. Bill and Laurie became associated with Scottsdale Bible in 1977.
Ken and Noreen McElhanon: Texas
Email: Ken_McElhanon@gial.edu
Anniversary: October 14
Birthdays: Ken–May 8
Noreen–October 9
Agency: Wycliffe Bible Translators
Address: 4703 El Brevo Court, Arlington, TX 76017-2617
Ken and Noreen are members of Wycliffe Bible Translators serving international workers worldwide from Texas. In 1986 their translation of the New Testament into the Selepet language in Papua New Guinea was completed and published. Ken now teaches Bible translation. Noreen counsels international workers on home assignment coping with the various pressures of missionary work. She is also training lay people in churches to improve care of their international workers through debriefing. Ken and Noreen began their cross-cultural career in 1962 and became associated with Scottsdale Bible in 1992.
Ron and Beth Moe: Arizona
Email: ron_moe@sil.org
Anniversary: June 11
Birthdays: Ron–July 24
Beth–June 11
Agency: Wycliffe Bible Translators
Address: 13440 North 44th Street #2090, Phoenix, AZ 85032
Ron and Beth Moe joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1983. From 1992–2002 Ron served as linguistics consultant in Nairobi, Kenya, training and facilitating translators and developing an innovative method for quickly making a massive dictionary of language available at the beginning of translation projects.
In 2003 the Moe’s returned to the U.S. to allow Ron to work full-time on the dictionary. They have four grown children—Sharon, Leeann, Arlene and Jonathan. The Moe’s have been associated with Scottsdale Bible since 1983.
Bob and Judy Moffitt: Arizona
Email: moffitt@compuserve.com
Anniversary: November 27
Birthdays: Bob–October 15
Judy–November 27
Agency: Harvest
Address: 1507 East Nicolet Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85020-5148
Bob is founder and president of Harvest, a ministry that equips pastors and Christian leadership in third-world countries for effective, holistic ministry. Harvest’s headquarters is in Phoenix and has approximately 30 representatives in 12 countries outside of the United States.
Harvest has developed discipleship material for new believers, local churches, church leaders, Bible schools and seminaries that has been translated into several languages.
Bob and Judy began their ministry with Scottsdale Bible in 1985.
Nancy Peterson: Arizona
Nancy works with International Student Inc. at Arizona State University.
Involved in full-cycle evangelism, she hosts a weekly Bible study for international students, assists them with adjustment to American life and culture, and ministers via hospitality, one-on-one Bible studies and oversight of a girls’ cell group.
Nancy began her ministry from Fellowship Bible Church in Phoenix, associating with Scottsdale Bible in 1997.
Email: Peterson.nancy@asu.edu
Birthday: February 2
Agency: International Students Inc.
Address: 103 East Santa Cruz Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282
Gary and Char Shingledecker: Texas
Email: Gary-Char_Shingledecker@sil.org
Anniversary: September 1
Birthdays: Gary–April 8
Char–May 6
Agency: Wycliffe Bible Translators
Address: 7500 West Camp Wisdom Road, Dallas, TX 75236
Gary and Char are members of Wycliffe Bible Translators. They serve at Wycliffe International Center in Dallas, Texas. Gary serves in the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics Library, and Char works in the Medical Clinic as a nurse. These positions serve to promote the work of Bible translation by helping to provide support services to staff and linguistic students as well as their families as they prepare to serve various language groups in the world.
Gary and Char began their ministry in 1973 and became associated with Scottsdale Bible at that time.
Cathy Wilson: Arizona
Email: cathy@chosenpeople.com
Anniversary: May 31
Birthdays: Cathy–August 30
Bob–August 22
Agency: Chosen People
Address: PMB 552
8912 East Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85255-3649
Cathy ministers to the local Jewish community with Chosen People. She educates the church on the why and how of Jewish missions through drama, Bible studies, and witnessing-workshops through the Jewish Outeach Ministry Team. She also reaches out to Jewish people individually and through Beth Sar Shalom, a monthly Messianic service, to share with them how they can be reconciled to God through Jesus the Messiah. Cathy and her husband Bob have one son. She began her cross-cultural career from Scottsdale Bible in 2000.