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Westminster College to Host Annual Mission Conference July 21-27

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Posted on Monday, July 16, 2012

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The 107th New Wilmington Mission Conference (NWMC) will be held at Westminster College July 21-27.

The week-long conference will include Bible studies, events to promote spiritual enrichment, lectures by spiritual leaders, and Christian fellowship.  The purpose of the conference is to strengthen Christians in their commitment to mission work. Missionaries and leaders from the global church will share their mission experiences and challenge participants to join in the mission calling.

NWMC began as a Presbyterian mission conference for young people in 1906.  It has retained its Presbyterian roots and connections while promoting the broader Christian witness in the world. About 900 delegates and staff from 30 states and 30 countries are expected to attend this year's conference. It is estimated that another 500-800 regional residents will also attend some portion of the conference. All events are free and open to the public.

The conference will open Saturday, July 21, at 7:45 p.m. in Anderson Amphitheater with Augustine Jebakumar, a mission leader from Bihar, India. Also speaking at the conference is Bindu Choudhrie. Choudhrie and her husband lead a training organization for church planters in India. Additional speakers include: Rev. Jeff Eddings, pastor of Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community located on the southside of Pittsburgh, and Rev. Mangal Maharjan, founding pastor of Koinonia Patan Church in Katmandu, Nepal.

The NWMC is unique in that it is a multigenerational and family conference; yet it is distinctively youth-focused and oriented.  Lectures geared toward youth include one by the Summer Service team and their leader Judy Nelson. This team of eight college students teach  English in schools of the Church of Christ in Thailand and will speak Monday and Friday at the conference. Mike Haddox of Meridian Presbyterian Church is the daily speaker for the junior high program and Rev. Tyler Domske, associate pastor at Northmont Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, is the daily speaker for the high school program.

There will be two worship services Sunday morning at 11 a.m.:  Marilyn Borst of the Outreach Foundation will preach at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church; and Tom Lin, vice president for Mission for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, USA, will speak at Anderson Amphitheater. He will also speak Sunday evening at 7:45 p.m.

Wednesday evening Rev. Dr. Hunter Farrell, director of the Presbyterian Church (USA) World Mission, will recognize missionaries for their years of service and commission new missionaries. A reception in the Field House lobby will take place that evening.

The conference mission project for the week is with the "Stop Hunger Now" organization, which distributes food and aid to third-world countries. Volunteers will have an opportunity each afternoon to help package meals that will be sent to school feeding programs and orphanages around the world.

For the complete schedule of speakers and locations or to register, visit www.NWMCmission.org or call the NWMC office at (724) 946-9770