Celebrating NEW Ways of Connection

Back in February, our congregation hosted its 18th Mission Dinner and Auction, gathering to raise money for our continued commitment to reach out to those near and far.

This connection with one another, connection with God’s work beyond our walls, and connection with Bishop Joseph and his ministry in South Sudan is a fundamental part of who we are at COTHA.

One tangible expression of this commitment is our support of clergy in South Sudan. Many priests and bishops serve without salary or reliable transportation, traveling long distances in challenging conditions to preach, pray, and administer the sacraments. Together, we raised $7,700 to provide motorcycles for his priests—an investment not just in transportation but also in relationships and in sharing the Gospel.

In South Sudan, connection is not always easy.

Bishop Joseph serves a vast and often remote region where roads are few, distances are long, and communities can be difficult to reach. His priests are deeply committed to their people, traveling between villages to lead worship, offer pastoral care, and share the hope of the Gospel. Without reliable transportation, these connections can take days to maintain or may be missed altogether.

Because of your generosity, new pathways of connection are opening.

Motorcycles will allow these priests to travel farther, more efficiently, and more safely. They will be able to show up more often—in moments of celebration, in times of need, and in the everyday rhythms of life that build trust and community. What might seem like a practical gift is, in truth, a deeply relational one.

This is what partnership in the Body of Christ looks like.

We may be separated by continents, cultures, and circumstances, but we are united in mission. As a church, we are called not only to grow in our own faith, but to strengthen the bonds that connect us to the global Church—to stand with leaders like Bishop Joseph who are faithfully serving in places of both great challenge and great hope.

As we continue to pray for Bishop Joseph, his priests, and the communities they serve, may we celebrate the new ways God is creating connection through our partnership and the many lives that will be touched because of it.

In Christ,

Alex