2018 New Wilmington Mission Conference set for July 20–27

‘Love Your Neighbor’ theme invites transformation in God’s mission  

by Tammy Warren | Presbyterian News Service

NWMC has programs for all ages — infants through adults. Photo courtesy of NWMC

LOUISVILLE – The 113th New Wilmington Mission Conference (NWMC), regarded as the oldest annual mission conference in the U.S., will be held on the campus of Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, July 20–27.

Each year some 30 states and 20 countries are represented among more than 800 registered attendees, and hundreds more from the local area attend some portion of this multi-generational conference, featuring programs for all ages — infants through adults.

For those who can’t attend the full week, a special weekend rate covers all activities from Friday through Sunday, July 20–22. “Our new Friday to Friday schedule will allow individuals and families who can’t be with us for the full week to join us for the weekend,” said the Rev. Ginny Teitt, director of the NWMC.

In addition to program-area speakers and leaders on the mission staff, other speakers and worship leaders will include:

• • Shane Bennett, an author and speaker who lives to help people who love Jesus connect with people who’ve never heard of him. Bennett is co-author of the guide Exploring the Land: Discovering Ways for Unreached People to Follow Christ. (All morning meetings)
  • The Rev. Saleem Ghubril, a volunteer pastor of Mosaic Community Church in Pittsburgh and leader of The Pittsburgh Promise, an initiative committed to transforming the quality of life in the city by making higher education a reality for all of Pittsburgh’s urban youth. (Friday evening, July 20)
  • Chauncey Crandall IV, a renowned cardiologist in Palm Beach, Florida, and author of several books on faith, medicine and heart disease, which have inspired millions. Crandall devotes extensive time to missionary-based medicine and education in the Caribbean, Africa, South America, Europe and Haiti. (Saturday evening, July 21)
  • Nancy Alderson McDonnell, president and CEO of Value of the Person Consultants, a business that brings Christian principles to the workplace. She and her father, the late Wayne T. Alderson, worked together for 35 years to inspire and challenge organizations to build a strong “culture of relationships” rooted in love, dignity and respect. (Sunday evening, July 22)

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    The Rev. Yonas Yigezu, president of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, will speak at NWMC on Monday evening, July 23. Photo provided

    The Rev. Yonas Yigezu, president of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, a Lutheran denomination in Ethiopia. Yigezu oversees the activities of more than 8 million people. He is a man who cares passionately about each member of the church. (Monday evening, July 23)

  • The Rev. Brian Newman, pastor of leadership development at Living Word Community Church in York, Pennsylvania, and director of the Isaac-Ishmael Initiative, which seeks to promote shalom in Jesus to Jews and Muslims. (Tuesday evening, July 24)
  • Peter Fry, executive director of End Poverty, a major international faith-based micro-enterprise development organization. Fry is a resident of Reston, Virginia, who has come to believe that the best way to create lasting positive change is to empower the poor to end poverty in their own communities and beyond. (Wednesday evening, July 25)
  • The 2018 Summer Service team — young adult scholarship recipients and their leader — are completing a six-week mission in Europe. They will return just in time to share what God is doing in Sicily, Italy. This is the 59th year the NWMC has sent out a Summer Service team. (Thursday evening, July 26).  

This year’s conference theme is Galatians 5:14. NWMC illustration

The leadership of NWMC firmly believes that every Christian of every age has a Great Commission call. The NWMC is dedicated to helping believers discern their call to be a “missionary,” whether in their homes, schools and jobs, in the local church or abroad.

This year, the Niger and the Sudan/South Sudan mission networks are holding their annual meetings on campus in conjunction with NWMC.

Members of the community are invited to participate in the morning and evening meetings at no charge.

On-campus housing and meals are covered in the registration fee. All events and mission network gatherings are free and open to the public. Learn more and register. For questions, contact conference staff at office@nwmcmission.org.

If you can’t make it to conference this year, visit NWMC’s YouTube Channel to watch the recorded presentations.