As part of the regular 10 a.m. worship service at Second Congregational Church, UCC in Newcastle on Sunday, Sept. 29, Robert Breckenridge will share his reflections on Jeremiah 32 and Luke 16 and their biblical connections and significance to his 2018-2019 missionary work in Zambia, Africa with Global Ministries. All are welcome to attend the service.

A professional educator, Robert has taught all grades and ages in diverse arenas: an English instructor in Managua, Nicaragua; a bilingual Spanish elementary teacher and junior college Spanish instructor in Dallas, Texas; an elementary and middle school ESL and Spanish teacher on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts; and most recently as a social studies teacher at Lincoln Academy. While living and working in Dallas, Breckenridge pursued graduate studies in religion at Southern Methodist University, taking the Ph.D. in 1993. His principal area of interest was the history of the Christian church.

Breckenridge retired from Lincoln Academy in June of 2017 and offered himself as a volunteer educator to his church denomination, submitting his application for service to the Global Ministries (cooperative mission) office of the United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was chosen to partner with an institution in Zambia — the United Church of Zambia University in Kitwe, Zambia — to teach church history and related subjects in their theology department. Zambia, in southern Africa, is a landlocked country of rugged terrain and diverse wildlife, with many parks and safari areas.

Breckenridge left for Zambia in January 2018. His wife Maria followed several months later. The couple plans to travel to Chile, Maria’s family home. The Breckenridges have two grown sons, one of whom, Luke, is an LA graduate.