Our Global Workers
Grace Polaris Church supports 16 global worker families around the world. They serve in various countries including France, Germany, Portugal, Canada, Cameroon, Chad, and Central Asia.
All our global workers are involved in making disciples of Jesus through building relationships and studying the Bible with others. They do this through teaching opportunities, community outreach, one-one-one discipleship, equipping local believers, and producing resources for spiritual growth. As a result of this work, new local churches have been planted in many of these countries and many people have been impacted by the Gospel.Â
Akli & Melody Arab
Marseille, France
Tom & MaryAnn Barlow
Dayton, Ohio
S & R B
Central Asia
Nathan & Jennifer Bryant
Canada
Greg & Sandrine Burgess
Mâcon, France
Jason & Christy Carmean
Yaoundé, Cameroon
R & Y F
Middle East
J & K H
Western Asia
Steve & Celeste Kern
Heilbronn, Germany
Elise Klawitter
Dijon, France
Frank & Karin
Central Africa
Sam & Tracey Schwartz
Lisbon, Portugal
C S
North Africa
Florent & Lori Varak
Lyon, France
Jerry & Cindy Walker
Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea
Mike & Letitia Yoder
Columbus, Ohio
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
MaryAnn actively pursues churches, schools and responds to online inquiries to identify and disciple people God is calling to share the light and hope of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Pray for MaryAnn as she seeks to find new global workers to join existing teams in Ireland, France, Japan, and Central Asia and new teams in Thailand, Cambodia and Spain.
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 that God would raise up and send us leaders to pastor fellowship churches needing revitalization and restart. As well as gifted leaders who desire to start new churches.
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 effective distribution of newly published African authored and illustrated children’s books and Christian comics. Pray also for continued distribution of the Africa Study Bible. Please pray that God would provide some younger elders for the Mâcon Church.
Jason & Christy Carmean
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Jason is the Africa Director for Encompass World Partners, and is casting vision and providing leadership that promotes church planting, leadership training and integrated ministries in partnership with the Charis Alliance African churches. Christy works in member care with Encompass World Partners.
Pray for all that the Lord wants to do in Africa to bring glory to Himself through His Church, and pray for wisdom for Jason as he works in partnership with our African leaders to help accomplish those things. Pray for Christy as she works in her role of member care, working mostly with families who have children.
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.
Pray that the Lord would equip this family with language, relationships, and opportunities to share the Good News among least reached migrants in Western Asia.
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 believers to be equipped for effective outreach to those from their own cultural/religious background.
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 healing for Elise as she continues to navigate ongoing treatments for a complicated cancer, and that others would come to Christ through this ordeal. Pray for the Dijon church as it launches into the reconstruction of its building. That this project would bring the Church body closer together and be a true tool for God’s Kingdom.
Frank & Karin
Central Africa
Frank oversees Encompass’s missiological training in Africa. Karin’s ministry focus is training leaders to use the oral teaching methods while they teach the Bible chronologically.
Pray for wisdom as they write teaching material for oral learners and for church planters. Pray also for protection, strength, and guidance as they teach different programs in the context of church planting and women’s ministries in the Central African Region.
C S
North Africa
Information hidden for security purposes.
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 for leadership transitions within Serve the City, and within the Lisbon church, that they will continue to be a faithful witness and light in Lisbon. Pray that Tracey will build bonds with those that she can potentially walk alongside.
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 Lori’s discipleship ministry. Pray for Florent and Lori’s new church planting efforts in a small town. Pray for Florent’s  leadership of the Church Equipping Network and his teaching across the globe.
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 Jerry’s work in providing audio recordings of Scripture for those who do not have easy access to God’s Word. Pray for Cindy as she facilitates workshops and discipleship training sessions to help people engage with the Bible in ways that help them to apply the Word of God to their everyday lives. Pray that His Word will bring hope, healing, and transformation to many hearts.
Mike & Letitia Yoder
Columbus, Ohio
The Yoders’ ministry focus is leading Encompass World Partners as Mike serves as their executive director.
Pray for Mike as he serves as the Executive Director for Encompass World Partners, that he would have wisdom and courage 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.