Opportunities for Prayer, Giving, and Volunteering
The Challenges
Because Zuni is an isolated and disadvantaged community, the Mission continually faces serious challenges in generating sufficient financial resources to carry out its ministry. At one time fully funded by the Christian Reformed Church, the Mission has rightly and steadily assumed full responsibility in generating the needed ministry resources. Both Zuni Christian Reformed Church and Zuni Christian Mission School are responsible for their ministries' funding. For many years, Christian Reformed Home Missions (now Resonate) provided annual support from the denomination. As of 2019, all funding from the denomination has ceased and we thank God for guiding us through this transition, and for many churches and individuals who still remember Zuni and have a heart for the Kingdom work happening here. God has faithfully filled the gap with other funding resources, and we continue to share the exciting things happening in Zuni with new friends around the country.
Financial support for the Mission from the Zuni Tribal Government is not possible due to our religious orientation. Revenue from tuition and donations from local sources are also limited because of the high levels of family poverty and the lack of business and economic development on the Reservation.
Thus the Mission’s existence depends heavily on appealing to a wider network of prayer support, financial assistance, and volunteer involvement to sustain and broaden its cross-cultural ministry. Only recently has the Mission begun developing the capacity to seek and nurture these sources of outside help. It is humbling to depend on God guiding the hearts of His people to give each year, but His provision is abundant and we give praise for every gift poured into this place!
Participating Through Prayer
Most surely, God’s blessings come to the Mission through the prayers of his people. We invite you to pray regularly for Zuni people and for the ministries of the church and school.
To prompt and facilitate your prayers, the school publishes a quarterly news bulletin called The Torch and a monthly e-mail Prayer Bulletin. The Torch, published each September, December, March and June, is available in print form. Online versions of The Torch are available here.
To sign up to receive the Torch or Prayer Bulletin, please fill out the form below. You can also use the form to request to be removed from our mailing lists.
How to Help Financially
Of course, anyone is welcome to make a general donation to the Mission. The church and the school are deeply grateful for the many generous gifts that regularly come from individuals, churches, schools, Sunday schools, businesses and foundations to support our mission efforts in Zuni.
Specific Avenues for Operational Giving
The Mission has various several specific avenues and programs through which our mission partners can channel their benevolent contributions.
Avenues that specifically support Zuni Christian Reformed Church:
Pastor Partnership: The support of individuals and churches is vital for the leadership of our church. While the congregation has increasingly assumed responsibility for the salary, benefits and professional development of the pastor; gifts continue to offset the gap between limited congregational resources and needs. Pastor Mike Meekhof has recently retired after 30+ years of ministry. The Church Council and Interim Pastor continue to seek new leadership for the next chapter of the church's ministry.
Benevolence: ZCRC often has opportunity to help people in the community with their physical needs. Food, wood and gas are common needs to which the deacons respond. During the summer, mission teams often assist community members with basic home repairs.
Discipleship Ministry: In 2014, the church opened a new position that provides Christian teaching and support to individuals and small groups. Part of Tim Eisenga's salary comes from the Zuni congregation and the rest comes from gifts.
Youth Pastor and Ministries: From summer Kids’ Clubs to scholarships for students attending ZCMS or Rehoboth Christian High School, weekly youth activities to camp-outs and conferences - the church provides a wide range of activities for children and young adults which can . The youth pastor has the responsibility for activities targeted for junior high and high schoolers, the building up of trusting, supportive relationships, and discipling the next generation of Zuni Christian leaders in discovering their gifts and calling.
Avenues that specifically support Zuni Christian Mission School:
Student Sponsorship: Outside support helps low-income parents pay their portion of school tuition. Sponsorship also helps the school offset the gap between the parent provided resources and the cost of education and provides an avenue by which donors can build a relationship with a child and his/her family.
Staff Partnership: Some donors desire to support specific staff persons who come to Zuni as mission workers. This partnership helps ZCMS pay staff costs for salary, benefits, and professional development.
Endowment: ZCMS has established a permanent Endowment Fund for the long-term support of the school. Read more about the Endowment Fund
How to Give
The school and church operate as complementary arms of the same mission effort, but have developed separate financial mechanisms to facilitate each ministry’s particular focus.
If you wish to give to the church, a check or online contribution should be written or directed to Zuni Christian Reformed Church.
If you wish to give to the school, a check or online contribution should be written or directed to Zuni Christian Mission School.
Electronic transfers (both recurring or one-time) can be set up via this form. Please mail the form and a voided check to P.O. Box 445, Zuni, NM 87327.
Checks written to Zuni Christian Mission are divided equally between church and school.
Donations for either church or school can be mailed to: P.O. Box 445, Zuni, NM 87327
How to Volunteer
Although limited housing options restricts the number of onsite volunteers that can be accommodated at any one time, the Mission has developed a variety of ways in which Christians outside Zuni can be integrally involved in ministry to the Zuni people. If you are interested in volunteering please contact us!
Zuni Ambassadors:
People who have visited or worked in Zuni can join (or start) groups of fellow Zuni supporters in specific corners of the country to communicate the Zuni story and advocate for prayer, funds and involvement on behalf of Zuni Mission.
Short-Term Volunteers:
The Mission uses a limited number of volunteers who have special skills to fill specific, short-term, on-site roles such as teacher assistants, tutors, technology consultants, and building/maintenance workers. Short-term volunteers generally stay from two weeks to two months. If you are interested please take a moment to fill out this Volunteer Form.
Work Team Volunteers:
Typically, the Mission hosts 2-3 groups of volunteer work/mission teams per year and hopes to increase that number as facilities and resources can be expanded to accommodate more groups. Work teams generally come for one week in the summer. Typically, arrangements are made a year ahead of the anticipated visit. If you are interested, please contact us. To view a sample itinerary or download our Volunteer Form for your group participants please use the following links:
Volunteer form
Sample Itinerary.
Classroom to Classroom Connections:
There are opportunities for elementary students from Christian schools to link up with ZCMS students through the cross-cultural exchange of information, friendship and prayer.
