Our Global Workers
Grace Polaris Church supports 17 global worker families around the world. They serve in various countries including England, France, Germany, Portugal, Canada, Cameroon, Chad, and Central Asia.
All our global workers are involved in making disciples of Jesus and studying the Bible with others. As a result of this work, new local churches have been planted in many of these countries.
Alfredo & Rita Abreu
Lisbon, Portugal
Akli & Melody Arab
Marseille, France
Tom & MaryAnn Barlow
Dayton, Ohio
S & R B
Central Asia
Nathan & Jennifer Bryant
Canada
Greg & Sandrine Burgess
Mâcon, France
Brian & Chloé Campbell
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Jason & Christy Carmean
Yaoundé, Cameroon
R & Y F
Middle East
J & K H
Western Asia
Dave & Susie Hobert
Paray-le-Monial, France & Winona Lake, Indiana
Steve & Celeste Kern
Heilbronn, Germany
Elise Klawitter
Dijon, France
Sam & Tracey Schwartz
Lisbon, Portugal
Florent & Lori Varak
Lyon, France
Jerry & Cindy Walker
Ukarumpa, Paupa New Guinea
Mike & Letitia Yoder
Columbus, Ohio
Alfredo & Rita Abreu
Lisbon, Portugal
The Abreu’s ministry focus is serving God, His church, and the city of Lisbon, Portugal, through co-pastoring the church plant in the historic center of Lisbon, as well as providing spiritual assistance to people from all walks of life, from homeless to executives, as an urban chaplain.
Pray for their pastoral role in the Lisbon church. Pray for stability in the ministry to include plenty of time to pray and prepare for the conversations with many who are struggling spiritually and are seeking peace and spiritual counseling.
Akli & Melody Arab
Marseille, France
The Arab’s ministry focus is church planting among North Africans in Marseille.
Pray for the ability to start more small Bible study groups and for many to come to a saving faith in Jesus.
Tom & MaryAnn Barlow
Dayton, Ohio
The Barlows recently returned to the US after 35 years church-planting and discipleship in the UK and France. MaryAnn will continue to work for Encompass World Partners, recruiting and discipling new missionaries. Tom has entered the marketplace with a business called Coaching Cultures that helps churches and businesses thrive in a multi-cultural, diverse world.
Pray for preparation and planning for the four big events this spring and summer that allow Encompass World Partners to connect with churches and individuals in the Charis Fellowship.
S & R B
Central Asia
Information hidden for security purposes.
Nathan & Jennifer Bryant
Canada
The Bryant’s ministry focus is leading the organization Assist Church Expansion as they start new churches and revitalize and restart challenged churches in the Charis Fellowship across the US and Canada.
Pray for Assist Church Expansion and the churches they work with, especially Formation Church in Florida to add a few more core couples to their launch team and for God to bring the right pastor to Grace Fellowship Church in Iowa to lead them in revitalization.
Greg & Sandrine Burgess
Mâcon, France
The Burgess’ ministry focus is publishing Christian books and Bibles in the French language for Europe and Africa, such as the Jesus Story Book and Africa Study Bible. They also serve in their local church through children’s ministry, worship leading, preaching, outreach, and leadership.
Pray for the Mâcon Grace Church. More new families have started to come regularly and several are in the early stages of their walk as Christians.
Brian & Chloé Campbell
Yaoundé, Cameroon
The Campbell’s ministry will be serving at Rainforest International School in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the 2024–25 school year. Brian will teach music and French 1, as well as lead the worship team. Chloé will serve as a guidance counselor, helping to create student schedules and prepare them for post-high school.
Pray for Brian & Chloé to be effective, godly mentors for the students they work with, and pray that this next year will inform their future steps as missionaries.
Jason & Christy Carmean
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Jason’s ministry focus is overseeing the Bible Institute and the training of leaders in theological schools in Africa. Christy’s ministry focus is serving as the principal of the elementary school for kids of global workers.
Pray for spiritual growth in the Bible Institute students as they study God’s Word. Pray for Jason as he prepares African pastors to teach in new and fresh ways.
R & Y F
Middle East
Information hidden for security purposes.
J & K H
Western Asia
This family’s ministry focus is bringing the hope of the Kingdom to least reached migrants in Western Asia.
Please pray that the Lord would walk alongside this family as they learn language, navigate loss and safety, and seek opportunities to share the Good News among least reached migrants in Western Asia.
Dave & Susie Hobert
Paray-le-Monial, France & Winona Lake, Indiana
The Hobert’s ministry focus for the first half of the year is evangelism, discipleship, leadership training, and church planting in Paray-le-Monial. Their ministry focus for the second half of the year is serving as missionaries-in-residence in Winona Lake, mentoring students for missions at Grace College & Theological Seminary.
Pray that French churches would continue to evangelize, train disciples, grow, and multiply. Pray for evangelistic events in Paray-le-Monial and Montceau, and for discipleship of believers in both cities. Pray for the Hoberts as they are in their last 6 months of ministry in France. They will continue as Missionaries in Residence during the Fall sessions this year.
Steve & Celeste Kern
Heilbronn, Germany
The Kern’s ministry is making disciples of the least reached who are seeking asylum as refugees in Germany.
Pray for their ministry among refugees, especially for softened hearts as people learn about the Gospel through the evangelistic Bible groups meeting throughout the week. Pray that people would see the love of Jesus and desire to read the Scriptures when they come to the Xenos cafes for practical help with language and government forms.
Elise Klawitter
Dijon, France
Elise’s ministry is serving as a strategist for Encompass World Partners, helping teammates think through and develop creative ministry opportunities and goals.
Pray for the church in Dijon as they process potential ministry opportunities and make decisions about the future of the church.
Sam & Tracey Schwartz
Lisbon, Portugal
The Schwartz’s ministry focus is sharing the Gospel and mobilizing others to the same through acts of service, educational opportunities, and promoting business ventures in the context of the church communities.
Pray that Serve the City volunteers can share the Gospel, as their services are beginning to return following the COVID-19 shutdowns. Pray for openness to the Gospel.
Florent & Lori Varak
Lyon, France
The Varak’s ministry focus is helping in discipleship, leadership training, and church multiplication. Florent is the director of the Encompass Church Equipping Network. encourages women in their walk with Christ and fosters discipleship through translating equipping materials into French.
Pray for effective leadership as director of church development for Encompass World Partners. Pray for fruit in local witness among neighbors.
Jerry & Cindy Walker
Ukarumpa, Paupa New Guinea
Jerry’s ministry focus is overseeing and recording the Scriptures and videos in the local language of the country. Cindy’s ministry focus is facilitating workshops and discipleship training for locals to engage with the Scriptures and grown in the knowledge, understanding, and application of the Word of God.
Pray for people to actively engage with God’s Word through the audio recordings of Scripture in their own language and the discipleship training so that lives are transformed by the Gospel message and people can find freedom from fear and bondage.
Mike & Letitia Yoder
Columbus, Ohio
The Yoders’ ministry focus is leading Encompass World Partners as Mike serves as their executive director.
Pray for Mike that he would have discernment in guiding the efforts of a diverse staff in very different cultural contexts for Gospel fruit.
Encompass World Partners
Encompass World Partners is the global missions organization associated with the Charis Fellowship. It is committed to biblical truth, authentic Christ-like relationships, and the mission of the Church.
The ultimate goal of Encompass World Partners is to spread the knowledge and glory of God among the least reached of our world. We partner with Encompass to support global workers and various global ministry initiatives.