Literacy Missions
The purpose of Literacy Missions Ministries is to train, equip, and partner with Southern Baptists to share Jesus through literacy missions while teaching internationals English (English as a Second Language), helping students be successful in school (Tutoring Children and Youth), and helping adults read and write better (Adult Reading and Writing).
Those interested in beginning a literacy missions ministry in their church or community, should contact Cindy Heimbach, State Literacy Missions Coordinator, or Maria Teel, State Literacy Missions Liaison, for more information.
Cindy Heimbach
cindyheimbach@msn.com
662-417-3944
Maria Teel
mteel@mbcb.org
601-292-3201
Each year the Literacy Missions Task Force hosts the Summer Literacy Missions Conference. The upcoming conference will be held at GARAYWA Camp & Conference Center July 28-30, 2022. Those seeking certification in the areas of ESL, TCY, or ARW, participate in an 11 hour Basic Workshop during the conference. Others who have been certified or are interested in learning more about literacy missions participate in General Sessions.
Click here to view sessions from the 2020 online conference.
Literacy Missions Ministries exist in several places throughout our state. If you do not see your ministry listed, please contact Maria Teel (mteel@mbcb.org) to be added.
We are thankful for the support of Mississippi Baptists and the Margaret Lackey State Missions Offering. The MLSMO is the primary funding stream for literacy missions – https://www.mbcb.org/mission-strategy/offerings/margaret-lackey-offering/. Thank you for giving!
Mississippi partners with other states to form the National Literacy Missions Partnership – http://literacymissionssbc.net/. The National Literacy Missions Partnership is supported in part by Send Relief of the North American Mission Board – https://www.sendrelief.org/poverty/literacy-2/.
Literacy Missions has a long history in Southern Baptist life. To learn more about the ministry of Literacy Missions in the United States, visit http://www.tciarchive.org/3223.article. Literacy missions in Mississippi began in the 1960s with Judge and Rene Sugg and Pat Alford as some of the first pioneers. The Rene Sugg and Pat Alford Literacy Missions Endowment was started in December 2005 by Richard Alford in memory of his late wife, Pat, and in honor of Judge and Rene Sugg. You can give to this fund by contacting the Mississippi Baptist Foundation – http://www.msbaptistfoundation.org/.
All Literacy Missions Ministries are asked to complete an Annual Report each year for the ministries they provide. Please complete the Annual Report by August 1, 2022, for the preceding year (Aug 2021 – July 2022)