by Linda Ann Nickerson

Created on: January 29, 2009

Missionary Missives Keeping in Touch

Whether you are testing the waters of missionary service by participating in a short-term missions project or embarking on your next term as a career missionary, you probably are aware of the importance of communicating with those who support you and your ministry.

As a missionary, you will likely want to keep in touch with several important audiences: your family and close friends, your financial supporters, your prayer supporters, your home church and those who may consider supporting your ministry in the future. Often, these groups may overlap considerably.

Many missionaries choose to produce and distribute periodic newsletters. Done effectively, missionary newsletters can be quite helpful tools. These publications help to keep missionary supporters of all kinds updated and interested in the ministry. In addition, missionary newsletters offer opportunities for missionaries to make appeals for additional or special support for projects and other important needs.

What does it take to produce an effective missionary newsletter?

First, as a missionary, you will want to know your readership. Will you write to folks you know personally? Will your newsletter be distributed to prospective supporters? Will it be posted on public bulletin boards in churches and other locations?

Here are several helpful hints for writing an effective missionary newsletter.

Avoid Generic Addresses.

If possible, address your missionary newsletter to recipients by name. Use a mail-merging program to customize the addressee line of your newsletter, or hand-write a note at the top of each copy, if you can.

Perhaps you have been blessed enough to have an enormous missionary newsletter mailing list. If this is the case, you might address your letters to "Dear Ministry Partner" or another dynamic and targeted title.

Begin with Appreciation.

Ask anyone who receives and reads missionary newsletters. Folks expect these documents to include funding requests. Still, the most well-written and thoughtful missives from missionaries begin with gratitude.

Be sure to thank God and your supporters for their encouragement, prayer support and shared financial resources. Interceders and investors appreciate appreciation.

Include Ministry Highlights.

Your missionary newsletter should offer brief summaries of recent ministry developments. What has God done in your ministry? How have specific individuals been affected? What projects have been completed? What goals have been set for the

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