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Westminster College to Host Annual Mission Conference July 20-26

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Posted on Wednesday, July 3, 2013

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The 108th New Wilmington Mission Conference (NWMC) will be held at Westminster College July 20-26.

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 800 delegates and staff from 30 states and 25 countries are expected to attend this year's conference. It is estimated that another 300-500 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 20, at 7:45 p.m. in Anderson Amphitheater with Greg Allen-Pickett, the general manager of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) World Mission. Additional speakers at the conference include: the Rev. Dr. Ray Jones, evangelism coordinator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); the Rev. Dr. Reneiro Arce, president of the Seminario Evangelico de Teologia in Matanzas, Cuba, and past president of the Cuban Council of Churches; the Rev. Dr. Donald Dawson, director of the NWMC and World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Seminary; the Rev. Dr. Michael Boyland, pastor in Fremont, Calif.; the Rev. Dr. Darrell Guder, professor of mission and former dean at Princeton Seminary; and the Rev. Dr. Rob Weingartner, executive director of The Outreach Foundation.

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 Ellen Dawson. This team of six college students is serving under the Koinonia Patan Church in Nepal, and will speak Monday and Friday at the conference. 

The Rev. Kyle Joachim, associate pastor in Granada Hills, Calif., is the daily speaker for the junior high program; and the Rev. Jason Santos, associate pastor at New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, is the daily speaker for the high school program. The Rev. B.J. Woodworth, pastor of The Open Door and abbot of the World Christian Discipleship program in Pittsburgh, is the daily speaker for young adults.

There will be two worship services Sunday morning at 11 a.m.:  Bob Rice, missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, will preach at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church; and Jannie Swart, professor of mission and evangelism at Pittsburgh Seminary, will speak at Anderson Amphitheater.  The Rev. Ayana Teter, Pittsburgh Presbytery staff member, will preach at the Sunday evening service.

Wednesday evening the Rev. Mark Adams, director of Frontera de Cristo, a U.S./Mexico ministry, will recognize missionaries for their years of service and commission new missionaries. A reception in the back of Anderson Amphitheater will follow.

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.