We Wish you a Merry Christmas! Thanks for a great 2022!

  

Christmas 2022

Dear Family and Friends,

We have heard so many times in the last few weeks how fast people feel this year has gone. To be honest, we can’t disagree. How is it December already? Yet, as we reflect, we realize just how much we have accomplished and how many we have been blessed to minister to!

After two years of not being able to really travel due to Covid, we were finally able to make two international trips this year. There were additional steps to take to make those travels, but it felt so good to get to visit with our precious missionaries again where they serve. In February, we traveled to Kenya with Jeff and Christine Stanfield for our sixth trip there in the last eight years. We had many opportunities to meet with several one on one as well as deliver Valentines Treats to the kids and adults. Ned was able to spend a whole day in surgery with Dr. Ben Roberts as he performed several cataract surgeries, giving sight or improved sight to many. Ned loved this opportunity. And to think that when we got married, he didn’t even like hospitals. We also got to do something that we had not been previously able to do there and that was to take a short Safari, spending two nights “glamping” in the Masai Mara. We were able to see animals in the wild that absolutely amazed us. It was such a blessing and one we highly recommend if you ever find yourself in Kenya!

Then in March we were excited to be able to travel to Paraguay with our teammates Greg and Teresa Leeth and hang out with the teens for sessions while the adults had theirs…we don’t know how the teens felt, but we had a blast! We took the missionaries out for a boat ride and ice cream and spent time
just hanging with each one, listening to their hearts. It’s the part of what we do that we cherish the most!

In May we traveled to Arizona to lead a retreat for our missionary team that serve in various missionaries with Native Americans. Once again, we had many opportunities to just spend one on one time with them as well as lead sessions twice a day about walking with Jesus in His easy yoke. Our hostess on the trip was one of our favorite people, Laura Lee. Sadly, just weeks after that retreat, she lost her life in a car accident. This was a huge loss for her fellow workers, those she ministered to, her family, and those of us who loved her dearly.

In August we were blessed to have a family reunion near Gatlinburg with many cousins and one remaining aunt on Marlene’s mom’s side. Just being with family for a few days warmed our hearts for sure. Including that week, we were able to spend a good bit of time with our grands, Rowen (6) and Elliot (3). We have so much fun when we are together and bonus when we get to be with their mommy and daddy and uncles, too.

Besides these ministry travels we attended various trainings we worked with our awesome team to lead three at headquarters for missionaries coming off from their Field of service to do home ministry assignment. This Renewal time gives us opportunity to love on them and walk with them and their children as they transition back to the States.

We stand in awe at how blessed we are to do this ministry that God has called us to and how grateful we are for you who stand with us through prayer and giving. Do you know we pray for you also? If there is ever anything that we can pray with you about, please feel free to let us know! In the meantime, have a blessed and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. May YOUR light shine brightly for others in the year to come.

If you would like to support our ministry with World Gospel Mission with a special end of the year gift, we welcome your participation with us in this important ministry. Your giving enables us to continue to spread the Good News of Jesus around the world.

Thank you for your gift and for your prayers.

If you wish to make a donation on line you can go to the following secure giving site:

www.wgm.org/mcgrady

OR

You can mail your check with McGrady Ministry in the memo line to:

WGM

Box 948

Marion, IN 46952

 

Blessings,

Ned and Marlene

 

 

Thankful for our Team! Thankful for you!

 

Dear Friends and family,

I was thinking about all the things that we are grateful for and this picture popped up in my mind. This is the Member Health Team that we help to lead at World Gospel Mission. This group of missionaries have a tremendous heart to care, to pray, to listen and to come alongside of our Global Workers. 

This team is absolutely incredible! Marlene and I are are so thankful for each person called to serve with us. From left to right, Amy Chittick, former missionary to Kenya, serves as both my Administrative Assistant and our Young MK/TCK worker (Missionary Kid, Third Culture Kid) Martha Ritchie, former missionary to Kenya, now working with our WGM Alumni and Retirees as well as logistics, Marlene and Ned, you may know us, Rick and Lori Lampen, former Bolivian Missionaries, serving the member care needs of missionaries serving in Europe and Asia, Jeff and Christine Stanfield, former missionaries to Uganda, serving the member care needs of global workers serving in Africa, Greg and Teresa Leeth, former missionaries to Mexico, serving our workers in the Americas and Oceania, and Mike Banks, former missionary to Bolivia, serving as our coordinator of our MK/TCK ministries.

We are thankful for this team as they unselfishly serve others through caring conversations, zoom calls, emails and in person visits. This year our team has touch lives and helped to spread the Gospel in Kenya, Native American Reservations, Paraguay, Albania, Czech Republic, Uganda, Egypt, Mexico, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Hungary and all over the USA! What an opportunity to reach the world with the Good News through a team like we lead! Thank you so much for your support and for your prayers as you partner with us in this vital ministry. We are thankful for you. 

We also want to send a resource your way. As you enter into the holidays and prepare for the Advent Season here is a resource from WGM you may want to get. You can get a free subscription to this below. 

Have you started listening to Christmas music yet? In the Communications Department at WGM headquarters, we started listening to Christmas music in July, which is also when we started working on an Advent devotional! WGM global workers Justin Williams Tim Rickel, Andy Bowen, and Betsy Tejeda wrote engaging, practical pieces walking through Philippians 2:5-11. They’re centered around the idea that Jesus’ sacrificial arrival on earth demands that we respond in some way: how can we follow His example?  Each week, we’ll send an Advent devotional to all of WGM's constituents, and we’d like to invite you to share this resource with your partners. You can use this as a simple contact point during your busy holiday season, or maybe as a part of your end-of-year campaign. Each devotional will include an action step readers can take, a little snapshot of Christmas in that writer’s context, and a fun Christmas activity. All you have to do is to join the email list: Advent Devotional from WGM

We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and trust you will have a blessed time as you enter the Thanksgiving Season and on in to Advent. 

Sincerely,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

Missionaries World Gospel Mission

Box 948

Marion, IN 46952 765-671-7240

Serving Christ in Mission

 Dear Friends and Faithful Supporters,

We send heart-felt thanks to you for your friendship and partnership on this journey of mission that God has called us to. During the past few months we have reached dozens of missionaries and workers sharing the Gospel of Jesus to a world in need. From medical missions in Kenya to educational missions in Paraguay, the Word of the Lord has gone forth and you have been a part of this great outreach. Thank you. 

During the months of July and September we hosted global workers from the fields of Honduras, Kenya, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Native American, Peru, Mexico and the Border Ministries. During this time we provided a time of debriefing and renewal for these families as they continue in the next stages of 

their home ministry assignment and prepare for their next season of ministry with WGM. God is working in and around the world as we hear testimonies of the faithfulness of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit transforming lives with hope, and wholeness. 

Sometimes we are asked what exactly do we do, and we often are reminded of our early days in ministry as missionaries to the Texas-Mexican Border. We were so overwhelmed with work and busyness in ministry that we did not even know that sometimes it is good and healthy to take a pause and refresh the soul spiritually and emotionally. We knew what it was to work and work hard, but no one taught us the value of replenishing our our spirits and we reached a level of near burn-out in ministry. Over many years of ministry in the pastorate, chaplaincy, counseling and missionary service, we have learned the importance of renewal in the life and work of the minister, the missionary and leaders in ministry. We are thankful for the opportunity we have to provide this type of pastoral care through the gift of listening, giving empathy and encouraging people in the faith. We have often compared our ministry to that of the story in Exodus 17, as Moses was praying for Joshua and the battle with the Amalekites. As Moses prayed with arms held up, Joshua would be winning the battle, but as Moses' arms grew tired in prayer, he would lose. The Lord sent along two men, Aaron and Hur to hold Moses' arms up in prayer and Joshua won the battle. This story reminds us that we are Aaron and Hur to our missionaries and we are holding them up in prayer, counsel and encouragement. We are so thrilled to be a part of this tremendous work and we take just a minute to remind you that you to are in partnership with us. 

Pause with me for just a moment and consider how many people around the world are touched by a missionary or a global worker? I would not even know a number to put on it but lives are being restored and helped because of persons answering God's calling on their lives to serve. As you partner with Marlene and I in our ministry as member care givers to these servants, you are having a direct impact on helping be an Aaron and Hur! We praise God for you and thank you for your prayers and support for us. 

During the first week of September we had a Retreat for Retirees of WGM, here at the Marion Campus, in Indiana. Nearly 60 saints of God representing 100's of years of combined ministry through WGM around the world gathered for this event. We honored those currently retiring and those that have been retired. Devotional times, singing, sharing, with times of prayer and fellowship around meals was well received. It was a joy for our member care team to serve these retirees and share in honoring and thanking them for many faithful years of service to Jesus through WGM. 

WGM has been in existence since 1910 and continues, to this day, providing for the needs of people around the world. Our rich heritage is certainly a blessing. We are grateful to serve with WGM and so grateful to have you partnering with this great mission. 

We had the opportunity to attend the New Room Conference held in Murfreesboro, TN as over 2,500 leaders from churches, organizations, and mission agencies gathered to pray for a great awakening and move of God for our World.

The Holy Spirit led in each of the sessions as we were challenged and encouraged to lean into the heart of God and His desires for the next generation of leaders and the furtherance of the Gospel. 

The New Room Conference was born out of the move of God over 8 years ago with about 250 people who gathered to pray. This year it was a tremendous response as God moved in our midst. Nearly 60 persons from WGM attended from top leaders to missionaries to have our hearts ignited and to rekindle our hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit. We believe the next generation of leaders are being raised up through movements such as this one and the next generation of missionaries will come forth to continue to help usher the the Kingdom of God to earth as Jesus taught us to pray. 

We also had some time this summer to enjoy our families. We had a 4th of July family gathering for Ned's family at our home in Marion, and we had a Post/Lane Family reunion for Marlene's family in the Smokey Mountains. Of course we love the time we have with our family and with our precious granddaughters. We are blessed beyond measure and so grateful for the blessings of the Lord in our family. We do ask an interest in your prayers as we have family currently displaced by the hurricane, as well as some family members facing physical challenges and in need of prayer. We will be traveling next week to North Carolina for a conference on pastoral care giving, and hope to continue to be encouraged and helped in our ministry. Pray for our travels. We also have had some deaths in our missionary families that we are responding to by providing pastoral care and a ministry of presence and support during times of grief and loss. 

Finally, we just want to give thanks to the Lord, Jesus Christ for each one of you. Thank you from our hearts for your prayers and support for us. We depend on you and whether you are part of a mission board at your church, a pastor, a friend, a co-worker, a prayer or financial supporter of our ministry, we love you and appreciate you!

In Jesus' Good Name, 

Ned and Marlene McGrady

Missionaries WGM

Box 948

Marion, IN 46952

727.459.2966

Click below

To be a part of the McGrady's Ministry

Summer Ministry Update

 

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS!

Greetings to you our faithful friends, family and supporters of our ministry. We are in the busy time of ministry at World Gospel Mission as summer is a time when many of our missionaries come back for a time of ministry in the USA. We will gather with 10 of our Global Workers next week for a time of debriefing and renewal. We will work to listen well to their stories and come alongside of them in times of sharing both their joys and concerns of this last term. We also offer a special camping opportunity for our missionary kids at a state park here in Indiana. We have 9 Mk's coming to MK Camp this year. So we will be intentional about ministry these days ahead. 

In May we had a wonderful retreat with the staff at the Southwest Ministries Center. Missionaries from New Mexico and Arizona met with us in a week long retreat in Prescott, AZ back in May. God met with us in a very special way and we shared about the easy yoke that Jesus offers in exchange for our heavy burdens. It was a meaningful time of witness and experiencing the close presence of Jesus in our midst. Ned had a chance to hike up Thumb Butte with missionary Steve Cartwright and Pastor Felix from one of our Native American churches. It was a beautiful time during one of the afternoons during the retreat. Thank you for your prayers for us as we traveled there and ministered amongst this people. Our first five months of 2022 took us to Kenya, Paraguay and the Southwest. You were with us every trip! Thank you!

We went to our granddaughter's kindergarten class and read in Spanish at her Spanish Immersion School. Ama and Papa (as Rowen and Elliot calls us) did a little skit in Spanish and read a couple of books. The highlight for Papa was being corrected on my pronunciation by a kindergartener! Well it has been a while since the days in Mexico and Ecuador... :)  

In June we had a week to spend on Lake Michigan at the Howard House near Silver Lake. This cabin has been a blessing to our family for nearly 30 years and one that we so have enjoyed. We first came in contact with Howard and Penny Henry while pastoring in Jackson, MI. They would attend church and was always our guest speaker from the Gideon's International. Howard went to be with Jesus a few years ago, but his family still allows us the privilege of enjoying the Howard House as it is lovingly referred to. We were able to enjoy a week there with our kids and granddaughters. It was a great time for family. 

In July our local church Lakeview Wesleyan Church had a Vacation Bible School. We were able to raise almost $300 for the Least of These Children's Ministry in Nairobi, Kenya. The kids did a great job supporting missions all while learning that they were fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Rowen and Elliot attended VBS this year. Papa helped with Elliot's class of preschoolers, with about 20 kiddos. Marlene helped with Rowen's class of K - 1st grade and she too had about 20. We loved doing VBS and grateful to have our grandkids as part of this time. They loved it as did all the kiddos!

We just returned from an opportunity to visit the Augustine Monastery in Petoskey, MI where we did a spiritual retreat. The beauty of Petoskey along the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan is a fresh water ocean of beauty. We were able to have some dedicated time to listen to the Lord and make preparation for many of the summer events we are leading. It is so good to refresh the soul as you prepare to be refreshment to others. 

July 18 - 22 will be our Renewal event at the WGM Marion Campus and then after that we will head to a family reunion in Tennessee before returning to campus for the next events including another Renewal, a Retiree/Alumni Event and a conference. The question we normally get center around do you have any trips planned and with so much going on in the summer we are looking at the fall as a possible time to plan another visit to a mission field. We will see what doors open and where God may be leading us to next! We will keep you posted. 

We trust that you are doing well. It is always a joy to remember you and to know that God has used you to bless us in so many ways. We can not say thank you enough from our hearts. It is the faithful gifts of God's people that makes the work we do possible, it is the faithful prayers of God's people that empowers us to do that work. Together we make a great team!

May Jesus bless you greatly! We pray you will have a good summer too. 

Sincerely,

Ned and Marlene McGrady 

Missionaries with WGM Box 948, Marion, IN 46953

https://www.wgm.org/missionary/mcgrady

Shepherding Servants at Southwest Ministry Center, Peoria, AZ

One of the greatest opportunities we have is helping to shepherd the hearts of our missionary servants. We are inviting you to pray with us as we fly out to WGM's  Southwest Ministry Center in Arizona, Sunday, May 22 to hold a spiritual retreat with our 19 Global Workers serving in various ministries among the Native American people in New Mexico and Arizona. 

We have so appreciated the concepts we have learned in recent spiritual formation classes in a Soul Shepherding course of study. We have been introduced to living life in Jesus easy yoke and what it means to trust the hard things of this life to our burden bearer. Jesus' invitation to abide in him has given us a renewed understanding of abundant life in Christ. We are excited to share the Journey of the Soul, a book by Bill and Kristi Gualtiere, who we had the privilege of training and studying under during the pandemic. 

This journey has really helped to shape our own personal spiritual formation through spiritual direction and emotionally healthy leadership. We will be sharing many of these concepts with our servants during this retreat and we prayerfully ask for you to remember us as we teach, share,

and spend quality time there. We will have time to meet together for teaching, Bible study, prayer, small group activities and fellowship and fun together. We are so thankful for this opportunity and are looking forward to the 6 session we will share together. 

It is a privilege to be able to travel again and return to this important ministry. Many of you receiving this update pray for us and support us financially, and we want to say , "thank you" so much for both. We are depending on your prayers, and for the Holy Spirit to be our retreat leader as we go. Your financial gifts to our ministry are making this week possible. We are so grateful for your partnership. 

May Jesus Bless you today, and may you find His easy yoke, 

Sincerely,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

World Gospel Mission                      

Box 948 

Marion, IN 46952

727-459-2966

TO SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY  www.wgm.org/mcgrady

In the Air Again! Up, Up and Away to Paraguay

 It is great to be able to talk about moving around the world in ministry again. We were able to spend over two weeks in Kenya as we provided missionary care to our team of Global Workers serving in Kenya. It was wonderful to be God's messengers in the right places at the right times. 

Last month we shared the long list of preparations necessary for the visit and all of the travel requirements and expectations that had to be met as travel in our world today, demands. We are thankful for many of you that prayed for us as we went on this journey. We had what we needed, when we needed it and God provided all along the way. 

One of the right places at the right times was overnighting with one of our missionary couples when they received word of a death in their family back here in the USA. We were able to be with them at this exact time and provide pastoral care and ministry of presence and support as they received this news. God continued to keep us in the right places at the right times throughout this visit. 

From our travels to the hospitals in Chogoria and Bomet, to the outpatient clinic in Koboson our opportunities to minister and encourage were many. We had times of prayer, conversation, empathy and even an opportunity to go in to surgery with Dr. Ben Roberts at the Tenwek Eye Surgery Center. Each experience filled our hearts  to full and overflowing as we shared together. 

There were many wonderful times with brothers and sisters in Christ from churches to Bible colleges as well as the hospitals.  We finished our visit with an opportunity to go the Mara where we were able to go on our first Safari. What a great opportunity to debrief and unwind in the "wild" after a full two weeks of ministry. We were so thrilled as we looked at the "King of the Jungle" and realize that we had two full weeks of serving the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords!"

We are thrilled to be able to return to the joy of serving Jesus through these avenues. God has partnered us together for this time and we are so thankful for your support and your prayers for us. 

We are heading next for Paraguay in South America. As we make all the arrangements for the flight requirements we ask an interest in your prayers as we spend a week with our WGM Team serving Jesus there. The ministries include church planting and discipleship, Christian Education through the church and an International School,  as well as language school training that is provided by our missionaries to train other missionaries in the heart language Guaraní that is spoke in addition to Spanish. Our team of Global Workers are working diligently in the ministry of sharing the Good News and we are excited to partner with them in spending this week of encouragement and ministry to them. 

Pray for us as we go, we need the negative PCR Covid Tests, we connect through New Jersey, Panama and on to Paraguay. We will be flying overnight both ways, so we appreciate your prayers for the travels and for the retreat time for our people. We have the privilege of serving alongside of some of our missionaries that are a part of our support team that we were with in Laredo, Texas, many years ago. We will meet up with Greg and Teresa Leeth in Paraguay as they are on an extended visit to South America and we are traveling with Barb Thomas who is serving as a volunteer in member care. We pray that we will be attentive to the Holy Spirit as our guide through out this journey. 

Thank you so much for all you do to support our ministry. Truly it is a gift to have you on this journey with us. May Jesus bless you real good!

Sincerely,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

Pastors to Missionaries 

World Gospel Mission

Marion, IN 

To support this ministry

Return to Kenya

It was March 12, 2020 and we were in Nairobi, Kenya when we received a text from our daughter in Ohio stating that the USA was closing the borders to travelers from Europe. Our flight to Africa transferred through Amsterdam and we were wondering if the outbreak of the Coronavirus we were just beginning to hear about, would hinder our ability to get home. At this time we did not know what we did not know and we felt there was wisdom in returning so as not to be a burden on those we had come to encourage and visit. 

We found a direct flight the next morning that took us from Kenya to New York. Our co-workers, Jeff and Christine, returned with us and we made it back to our home. From then until now Covid has become very familiar, perhaps more than than we ever wanted it to become. Covid-19 began its' fury of infections and we all began to understand a pandemic was upon us that was likened only to plagues or pandemics of old. 

Many people's lives were greatly affected by this virus and all of us soon learned that it was a real and serious threat to our world. Our international travel to support missionaries and provide ministry to these choice servants of Christ  became possible only through the  computer and virtual visits by zoom, facetime, and messenger as we worked through the pandemic. We saw many new struggles and covid related difficulties as our global workers navigated lock downs that in many parts of the world far exceeded anything we experienced here. God has given us many opportunities to minister and deepen relationships through intentional zoom calls and virtual meetings around the world over these past two years. 

Tomorrow begins a new chapter as we will be returning to Kenya. We will re-join with our co-workers Jeff and Christine and board a plane in Ft. Wayne, IN  at about  11AM  for ministry in Kenya from Feb 7-23rd. Our Global Workers have been faithfully serving in the medical field at Tenwek Hospital,  as well as other ministry settings, and it has been challenging times in this pandemic. We are praying that we may be a blessings and encouragement to them as we return to this ministry. In preparation for this trip, we have gathered gifts and goodies to bless our missionaries and their children with, as well as  transporting some of their needed supplies. We are notifying our supporting churches, individual supporters and prayer partners as we embark on this journey. As we fly through Atlanta, Amsterdam, and on to Nairobi, we will arrive Tuesday Feb. 8 at 10PM. We will be traveling throughout Kenya ministering at most of the locations of  WGM Kenya. 

Above there is a picture that captures ALL of the documents and health clearance forms, generated QR codes, e-visas, passports, airline tickets. regulations, negative PCR tests, vaccinations, and more that this trip demands. Can you imagine families traveling in missions service today? They have to do all of this for every one of their kids, wear masks, and fly for hours. The stress and added burden on our Global Workers to travel is not found in just added cost, but also in added burden. It is harder than ever to travel and the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt. 

There is however, Good News! The Good News of Jesus continues to prevail and the love of Jesus continues to save lives physically and spiritually around the world. These are great times to be in ministry and behold the work of the Lord. We ask that as we travel to Kenya for this ministry, would you please pray for us? Would you ask Jesus to keep us healthy; help us to navigate jet lag; to be present in Jesus' easy yoke that He promises each one of us as we live in His Kingdom. Would you ask Jesus to give us ears to hear and hearts to understand as we minister? Would you pray that we will be salt and light as we travel these many miles in service to Jesus?

We are so thankful for you. As we return to Kenya, we know that we don't go alone. So many of you have faithfully prayed for us and have faithfully given to this ministry and we thank you! We are taking each of you with us in our hearts as we go forth to serve in Jesus strength. 

Here is a little prayer that has become very helpful and meaningful. It is short and simple. As you quiet your heart, take a deep breath and pray, "In Jesus Name"....and as you breath out, "Not my strain." May you be blessed, "In Jesus Name," Not my strain."

Thankyou for your on-going prayers and support for the work. Together our partnership in ministry allows us to reach around the world. We are so thankful for you! 

Love and prayers,

Ned and Marlene McGrady

World Gospel Mission 

www.wgm.org/mcgrady - for more info on partnering with this ministry.