DECEMBER 3, 2004
HOUSING IN ATLANTA
Comfort Inn is rapidly filling and already has 41 guaranteed reservations. They are getting reservation calls every day.. I think they started taking reservations before Dec. 1. Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza are also getting some reservations. Days Inn is also getting a lot of calls, but the boss is not there and the lady in charge does not know what rate we are supposed to get for sure. The boss will be back Monday and then the lady in charge will be able to take reservations. SORRY ABOUT THIS! SO DO NOT CALL THE DAYS INN UNTIL TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7. I’m not sure how many have made reservations at the Marriott. In case you have lost or have not received the housing information I am sending it at the bottom of this update.
EXHIBITS
We have now received exhibit forms or requests for all the exhibit spaces available and are starting a waiting list. Exhibit forms may still be sent in, but DO NOT SEND MONEY. If we have exhibit space later because of cancellations we will ask for your money then.
FINANCES
Funds are rapidly coming in primarily from churches and exhibitors and reducing our deficit to the point there is a possibility all money owed except our back salaries will be paid. Right now the major bills we have are over $14,700.00 for the Peoria Civic Center and about $10,500.00 for bills related to the Atlanta convention. About half of the $50,805.60 owed are our salaries. Since Iva Lou and I both now collect Social Security (yes, we are that old!) we are not even close to destitute. We are still eating several times every day. If we still have not paid the other bills by Dec. 17 we may take a short term loan.
PARENTS OF MISSIONARIES
Cheryl Winter Savageau, Counseling Ministry Administrator at LifeSpring (Clovernook) Christian Church, Cincinnati, Oh. is completing her doctoral work at UC. She needs to find parents of missionaries who would be willing to complete a survey to assist her research. For more information, contact her at 513-522-7096 or e-mail csavageau@cinci.rr.com
FROM REGGIE THOMAS--JOYCE (MRS. DOUG) WILLIS GOES TO BE WITH JESUS
Dear Friends of Australian Evangelist Doug Willis and his wife Joyce:
Doug just telephoned me. It was midnight there. 8:30 a.m. here in Joplin. Doug said that he and Joyce were in bed together trying to sleep. He was watching Joyce when she quietly slipped away into the arms of Jesus. Doug said that he and the children are all at peace. Joyce was ready to go and was eagerly looking forward to her entrance into the Heavenly Home which awaits all who have loved and obeyed our Lord Jesus Christ.
Doug and Joyce have a very special place in the hearts of thousands all over the world. For me they have a very very special place. Doug is the one who recruited me for overseas evangelism. During my ministry at Catlin, Illinois, 49 years ago Doug came and preached and challenged me as no one else has ever done. He and Joyce have been a part of WHITE FIELDS from the beginning of our ministry.
Doug requested that I let all his friends know of Joyce's VICTORY IN JESUS and that the funeral will probably be Tuesday. In case you wish to write his address is
cef@iprimus.com.auE-mail Address(es):cef@iprimus.com.au
If you wish to write through the po his address is Doug Willis PO Box 1286 Bongaree Queensland 4507
Australia.
Until we can join Joyce and be together forever let us be faithful to Jesus and spread His Gospel all over the world.
In Christian love,
Reggie and Esther
DON EARL BOATMAN
Also just got word that Don Earl Boatman went to be with Jesus today. He served as President of Ozark Christian College for many years.
HOUSEMOTHER POSITION FOR UNWED MOTHERS FILLED
Just one day after the information was sent out about the need for a housemother in an unwed mother’s home in Show Low, Arizona the position was filled.
HOUSING INFORMATION FOR 58TH NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION, NOV. 17-20, 2005.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
We have room blocks at 5 properties. The Marriott, Comfort Inn and Days Inn are south of the convention center on Best Road. They are just over one mile from the convention center. The Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North and Crowne Plaza are north of the convention center on Virginia about one mile from the convention center. We will be running shuttle buses to and from the convention center and the housing facilities on Thursday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 11: 30 p.m.; all day, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All the housing facilities also run shuttles to the Atlanta airport which is around one mile or less from the hotels and motels we are using.
To make a reservation just call your choice of hotels or motels or fill out the form below and mail it. IF YOU CALL BE SURE TO TELL THEM YOU ARE WITH THE NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE CONVENTION RATE. All these properties are about one mile from the Georgia International Convention Center. If you have a problem call the National Missionary Convention office at 1-800-972-1137 or at 620-668-5259 or e-mail: wbirney11@aol.com.
1. Our Headquarters Hotel is the Atlanta Marriott Airport at 4711 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337. Rate is $89.00 for up to 4 in a room plus tax. Self parking is $3.00, valet parking is $10.00. We have as many as 450 rooms blocked here. Phone number is: 1-800-228-9290. Fax is: 404-209-6808 (THIS IS A CORRECTION FROM THE PREVIOUS INFORMATION. THE NUMBER GIVEN EARLIER WAS A BEST WESTERN. MY FAULT.)
2. Comfort Inn Atlanta Airport is at 4601 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337 between the convention center and the Marriott. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Also have a free deluxe continental breakfast. Phone number is: 1-404-761-6500. FAX is 404-763-3267
3. Days Inn is at 4505 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337 between the convention center and the Marriott. Rate is $49.00 for up to 4 in a room. Free continental breakfast. Phone number is 404-767-1224. FAX IS 404-767-0714
4. Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North is at 1390 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Phone number is: 1-404-762-8411. FAX is: 404-765-9495; Attn: Marion
5. Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport is at 1325 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $72.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Phone number is 1-404-768-6660. FAX is: 404-762-9675; Attn: Celine
If you send the form below to the property of your choice and it is full that facility will pass the form on to your second choice. If second choice is full it will then be sent on to the third choice and so on.
PLEASE PRINT VERY, VERY PLAINLY OR TYPE ALL INFORMATION
1st choice: _______________ 2nd : __________________ 3rd : ________________
Name room should be under: _______________________# of people in room: _____ Circle one: 1 bed 2 beds
Names of other people in room: ________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________ City: _____________ State: _____ Zip______
Phone: _________________
Date of arrival: ____________ Departure date: ____________
Special request: ______________________
PLEASE NOTE: You must make a one night deposit either by credit card or by a check to hold your room. Your deposit is non-refundable unless you cancel it by October 17, 2005. Otherwise you will be charged for the first night. DON’T BE A "NO SHOW!!"
CARD #: __________________________________________
Expiration date: ___________
Print name on card: ______________________
Signature: _________________________
NOVEMBER 29, 2004
YOUNG MISSIONARY MOTHER (KELLY NICHOLS) GOES TO BE WITH JESUS
(From Doug Lucas)
She was born Feb. 6, 1966 and tonight, Nov. 26, 2004, she went to be with the Lord. She and Mark were some of our first recruits for Ireland, and in fact, for Team Expansion in general, having served since 1988. It is highly likely that it will be Tuesday, Nov. 30th, that she'll be laid to rest in the land she loved. Kelly was one of our most faithful workers. She never faltered from her vision of helping Mark plant an Irish-led church-planting movement. The fact that she wanted to be buried in Ireland is proof of her love for her adopted land. This transition signals the end of nearly 20 years of battling various brain tumors. Defying the odds again and again, she kept overcoming the tumors, one by one, until this one. Kelly represents the first Team Expansion missionary to pass into Heaven while serving actively full-time with our global family. Please pray for Mark, as well as Madison (age 8) and Kasey (age 12).
EXHIBITS SPACES ALMOST ALL GONE
With just over a month before we are scheduled to start assigning exhibit spaces we have already received exhibit forms for 418 spaces. This means as soon as we received exhibit forms for 18 more spaces we will have to put all others after that on a waiting list. We have never had this experience before. If you have not yet sent in an exhibit form and expect to have an exhibit space you need to act now by either sending in a form or contacting the convention office.
IS THE CONVENTION WORTH THE MONEY WE SPEND?
Last week I made the comment that some think we should give the money we spend on putting on a convention to missionaries. Since then we have had several responses, all in favor of the convention continuing as it is. Here are comments from two exhibitors as to what they think.
FROM LYNN LUSBY PRATT
The NMC does a great job of saving money! Amazing! As director of Say Yes To Japan who hosts a cooperative exhibit for all the Japan missionaries, I am acquainted mostly with what goes on in the exhibit hall. It's hard to describe. Optimum networking and education take place in the exhibit area because visitors can find missions of just about any variety from just about any field. Recruits can learn about all their fields of interest and talk with real live missionaries from those fields. Recruits meet other recruits and pray together. Churches wanting to expand their missions programs can investigate many possibilities during the short, but power-packed, NMC. I always take away homework to follow up on researching information needed by recruits, churches, and even individuals who want to reach out to Japanese friends. Before 6 years ago, our individual Japan missionaries were rarely able to attend the NMC. And new missionaries going to Japan were few and far between. Then I started Say Yes To Japan and began to exhibit at the NMC. In these past 6 years, at least 17 new missionaries have gone to Japan. All of them, I believe, were influenced to some extent by the information, encouragement, common purpose, and passion coming through the Japan missions staff in the exhibit at the NMC. If the hundreds of other exhibitors are seeing even a fraction of these results, well . . . I think we're getting our money's worth! FROM WAYNE MEECE
Praise God for the overwhelming response at our exhibit during the National Missionary Convention in October. This year we had 2160 square feet of space and there were many times it was overflowing with people. Team Expansion had an overwhelming response at our exhibit during this convention. We have been receiving applications to become missionaries in droves. Since the convention nine families and seven individuals have been accepted as Team Expansion missionaries and there are at least twelve more applications in process. Praise the Lord for this answer to prayer.
FUNDS FOR INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER COMING IN
On December 22 we must have our signed contract and a deposit of $13,307.50 in the offices of the Indiana Convention Center. That is one-fourth of the expected total rent we will owe. The same amount needs to be sent by November of 2005 and twice that much by October of 2006. Several Indiana churches have responded rapidly along with a few who had already responded. Those doing so now or earlier are
New Hope in Whitestown--$1,000.00
Brownsburg--$2,400.00
East 91sst--$1,000.00
North Madison--$1,000.00
Mt. Gilead--$1,000.00
North Terre Haute--$200.00
Curt Nordhielm (2006 President)--$100.00
OPPORTUNITY IN ARIZONA
Maternity home housemother position available. Small home in the tall pines of Show Low, Arizona needs a housemother to offer Christ’s love, structure, guidance, and warmth to a maximum of three expectant or current mothers. The home is part of a crisis pregnancy center which gives the housemother support and fellowship with others committed to the ministry. Housemother has her own studio apartment next to the home. Position includes $900 a month, van to drive, food and utilities. Medical through Samaritan’s Share is also offered. Applicant must be 35 or older, mature Christian woman who loves children and has a passion to minister to women in crisis pregnancies. We must fill this by Dec. 30th. To see the ministry go to www.womenscpc.org. If you are interested please e-mail Dinah at dinah@hh76.com or call me at 928 537-5610. We are looking for a minimum one year commitment.
HOUSING FORM: IN CASE YOU LOST OR DID NOT RECEIVE A HOUSING FORM HERE IS ONE AND YOU CAN NOW CONTACT YOUR CHOICE OF HOTELS.
HOUSING INFORMATION FOR 58TH NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION, NOV. 17-20, 2005.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
We have room blocks at 5 properties. The Marriott, Comfort Inn and Days Inn are south of the convention center on Best Road. They are just over one mile from the convention center. The Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North and Crowne Plaza are north of the convention center on Virginia about one mile from the convention center. We will be running shuttle buses to and from the convention center and the housing facilities on Thursday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 11: 30 p.m.; all day, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All the housing facilities also run shuttles to the Atlanta airport which is around one mile or less from the hotels and motels we are using.
To make a reservation just call your choice of hotels or motels or fill out the form below and mail it. IF YOU CALL BE SURE TO TELL THEM YOU ARE WITH THE NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION AND CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE CONVENTION RATE. All these properties are about one mile from the Georgia International Convention Center. If you have a problem call the National Missionary Convention office at 1-800-972-1137 or at 620-668-5259 or e-mail: wbirney11@aol.com.
1. Our Headquarters Hotel is the Atlanta Marriott Airport at 4711 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337. Rate is $89.00 for up to 4 in a room plus tax. Self parking is $3.00, valet parking is $10.00. We have as many as 450 rooms blocked here. Phone number is: 1-800-228-9290. Fax is: 404-209-6808 (THIS IS A CORRECTION FROM THE PREVIOUS INFORMATION. THE NUMBER GIVEN EARLIER WAS A BEST WESTERN. MY FAULT.)
2. Comfort Inn Atlanta Airport is at 4601 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337 between the convention center and the Marriott. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Also have a free deluxe continental breakfast. Phone number is: 1-404-761-6500. FAX is 404-763-3267
3. Days Inn is at 4505 Best Road, College Park (Atlanta), GA 30337 between the convention center and the Marriott. Rate is $49.00 for up to 4 in a room. Free continental breakfast. Phone number is 404-767-1224. FAX IS 404-767-0714
4. Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North is at 1390 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Phone number is: 1-404-762-8411. FAX is: 404-765-9495; Attn: Marion
5. Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport is at 1325 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $72.00 for up to 4 in a room. Parking is free. Phone number is 1-404-768-6660. FAX is: 404-762-9675; Attn: Celine
If you send the form below to the property of your choice and it is full that facility will pass the form on to your second choice. If second choice is full it will then be sent on to the third choice and so on.
PLEASE PRINT VERY, VERY PLAINLY OR TYPE ALL INFORMATION
1st choice: ___________________ 2nd : ____________________ 3rd : ____________________
Name room should be under: _______________________# of people in room: _____
Circle one: 1 bed 2 beds
Names of other people in room: ________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________ City: _____________ State: _____ Zip______
Phone: _________________
Date of arrival: ____________ Departure date: ____________
Special request: ______________________
PLEASE NOTE: You must make a one night deposit either by credit card or by a check to hold your room. Your deposit is non-refundable unless you cancel it by October 17, 2005. Otherwise you will be charged for the first night. DON’T BE A "NO SHOW!!"
CARD #: _______________________________________________Expiration date: _________
Print name on card: _________________________ Signature: _________________________
REGISTRATION FORM
58th National Missionary Convention, November 17-20, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia
PLEASE PRINT VERY PLAINLY OR TYPE
Name: _________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________
City: _____________________________State: ________ Zip:___________________
E-mail: ________________________________
Your home church, mission or college:__________________________________
City & state: ______________________________ # registering on this form: _____
E-mail: _______________________________________
NAMES FOR BADGES
_______________________________ ________________________________
Children------------------------------------Age
________________________ ___________
________________________ ___________
________________________ ___________
________________________ ___________
REGISTRATION FEES FOR COLLEGE/ADULT CONVENTION
Family: $8.00 --------Individual: $4.00-------Student: $1.00---------Exhibitor: FREE
___ Check to get housing information ___ Check to get meal program information
Send to: NMC, PO Box 11, Copeland, KS 67837
NOVEMBER 22, 2004
SEVERAL SPECIAL REASONS TO GIVE THANKS
Special thanks to all who have been supportive of the National Missionary Conventions plus these reasons:
RV PARKING AT ATLANTA:
Self-contained RV's will be able to park at the convention center. They will designate an area apart from the paved parking lot for this purpose. They currently use the parcel of land adjacent to the east end (that's the curved end) of the building for RV parking. Additionally, RV's will pay a daily rate of $10.00 for parking.
FLYING TO ATLANTA:
The Atlanta airport is the busiest or one of the busiest airports in the USA. It is located about one mile from the Georgia International Convention Center. All the hotels and motels we are using run shuttles to the airport. We have a special arrangement with Air Tran to get special rates and will work to get special rates on other airlines. Air Tran is the second leading carrier into Atlanta. There were over 300 people who flew into the last two places served by economy airlines: Wichita (Air Tran) and Tulsa (Southwest). I believe there could be well over 500 who fly into Atlanta since transportation to the hotels is free and the convention will be providing free shuttle service from the hotels to the convention center. Reservations on Air Tran cannot be made until about 6 months before the convention.
INDIANA CHURCH LEADERS LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO RAISE FUNDS FOR 2006 NMC
I was in Indianapolis on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 17 and 18 to do some work on the 2006 convention. We had a meeting with about 20 people from the Indianapolis area whom David Empson, our Teen Convention Director, had rounded up and they are excited about the NMC meeting in Indianapolis. We expect around 8,000 to 10,000 to attend there including 4,000 teens and 2,000 college students. The Indiana teen convention will be meeting with the NMC. Main purposes of the trip to Indianapolis were:
1. To figure out a way to raise $30,000.00 from Indiana churches by Dec. 10 to pay the required rental deposit. There was great optimism that this could be done with several preachers or church leaders commitment to raise $1,000.00 with these and others agreeing to make an effort to contact other churches to do the same.
2. Another purpose was to check on hotels and motels. Right now we have some excellent rates (for Indianapolis) at the Hyatt (which is connected to the convention center by a skywalk) the Hampton Inn, Comfort Inn and Best Western--all about 3 blocks from the convention center and the Econolodge which is about a mile north of the convention center.. We are still looking for about 500 more rooms.
3. Figure out how to get a maximum number of exhibit spaces in the exhibit halls and lobbies. Hopefully we will be able to get 550 to 600 exhibit spaces.
"IT’S A GOD THING"--
I think the first person I heard use this term was Cheryl Hurley, the special events coordinator for Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas. She was a close friend of Rich Mullins, also and had worked with the NMC on the 1992 NMC in Wichita. That is what I feel about the meeting last week in Indianapolis regarding the 2006 NMC. That was a "God thing." Up until about 10 days ago I thought we had until some time around the first of April, 2005 to sign a contract for the Indiana Convention Center and pay a deposit of $30,000.00 on the rent (that would be half of the total expected rent). Then I got word they were issuing our contract right away and we would need to pay the $30,000.00 deposit by Dec. 23. We had already planned to have this meeting last week because our gung-ho 2006 President, Curt Nordhielm, was planning to be in Indiana to raise funds for the mission work he is doing in New England. As it turned out there was a great deal of optimism on the part of the Indianapolis area preachers and leaders at that meeting and they are now working rapidly to get the needed money raised. Earlier today (Nov. 22) Sue Ellen Potter called from the Indiana Convention Center to say she was working on our contract and we would only have to pay 25% of the total rent as a deposit instead of 50%, with another 25% due a year from now.
Update on Kelly Nichols in Ireland by Wayne Meece
I have received e-mail reports from Carie Canfield and Joel and Julie Bates. Both are telling me that Kelly’s condition has continued to deteriorate along the lines of the doctor’s predictions. Her pain has increased, but in controlled by medication; she can no longer climb the stairs to her bedroom; but her mental attitude continues to be the same sunny disposition that has always characterized her life. Nichole Clayton has been working in the Nichols home as nanny, cook, house keeper, etc. She was working too hard and for too long hours, so she had to take a much needed rest for a few days. Several family members and friends have visited the Nichols as well as the Bates and other team members in Dublin recently. Carie says the family is doing well, but still hopeful, praying. Kelly has beaten doctor’s predictions before so they pray she can again.
PEORIA CIVIC CENTER TO GREATLY EXPAND:
The Peoria City Commission has approved the expansion of the Peoria Civic Center. As I understand this will double the exhibit space, put a 30,000 square foot ballroom on top of Exhibit Hall C and add several meeting rooms. This will make it possible for the NMC to return to Peoria in 2009, if several other factors get positive responses, my last year with the convention assuming I make it that long.
WALKING BY FAITH--LIVING ON THE EDGE:
For many years the NMC has walked by faith, living on the edge in several ways. We are constantly taking new steps especially in regard to the programs for teens and college age. To do this we spend a lot of money--probably more than $500,000.00 by the end of 2004. Some people feel we are wasting a lot of money that could go directly to the support of several missionaries. Our goal is not the recruitment of several but of hundreds and thousands of new missionaries. One organization at the Peoria convention had so many applications from those wanting to become missionaries that they are still processing several of them. In the past 4 years well over 500 people have made decisions for missionary service. We believe the money we are spending is an investment in the future. We also believe God is leading us to do what we are doing and that He is empowering us to do what He wants: for us to evangelize the entire world. Nothing less will do.
REQUESTS FOR EXHIBIT SPACES CLOSING IN ON 400:
We have now received exhibit forms or requests for almost 400 exhibit spaces. We have a total of 436 spaces available counting 16 in the lobby. Anybody planning to still have an exhibit at Atlanta should contact the NMC office very soon even if they can not pay the full amount right now.
NOVEMBER 11, 2004
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit forms have been received from these exhibitors by No. 11, 2004. Exhibit spaces will be assigned on or shortly after Jan. 2, 2005. Exhibit forms have already been received from these exhibitors for 283 spaces and 25 spaces have been assigned for the hospitality area and NMC Resource Center. This means only 112 are still available in the exhibit halls. There are probably going to be another 16 spaces in the lobby, just outside the exhibit halls. Anybody wanting to be in the lobby should contact the NMC office.
AFRICAN HOPE
AMERICAN INDIAN EVANGELIZING ASSOCIATION
ANGEL DELIGHTS
ANTIOCH FOUNDATION
ARM PRISON MINISTRY
ASSOCIATION FOR BIBLICAL ASTRONOMY
BAJIO CHRISTIAN MISSION
BARBARA'S BARGAIN T-SHIRTS
BILLY GRAHAM CENTER
BLUERIDGE COLLEGE OF EVANGELISM
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE
CENTRAL EUROPE
CENTRAL INDIA CHRISTIAN MISSION
CHILE: KIDS, YOUTH, CHURCH PLANTING AND MORE
CHINE NOW MINISTRIES
CHRIST IN YOUTH
CHRISTIAN REACHING ASIA MISSION WORLDWIDE
CHRISTIAN BOOK CLEARINGHOUSE
CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S HOME OF OHIO
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES PENSION PLAN
CHRISTIAN FREEDOM INTERNATIONAL
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY ENRICHMENT SERVICES
CHRISTIANVILLE FOUNDATION
CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION IN INDIA
CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
CMF INTERNATIONAL
CROSSROADS COLLEGE
DALLAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
DEAF MINISTRIES
DIRECTORY OF THE MINISTRY
ENCOURAGE ME MINISTRIES
ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE/CHINA
ENVOY CHRISTIAN MISSION--ARGENTINA
EQUIPPING THE SAINTS
EUROPEAN EVANGELISTIC SOCIETY
FAIR'S EVANGELIZING HAITI
FELLOWSHIP OF ASSOCIATES OF MEDICAL EVANGELISM
FLORIDA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
G. O. MINISTRIES, INC
GOOD NEWS PRODUCTIONS, INTL
GREAT LAKES CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
HAITIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
HERKO FAMILY MISSION
HOPE IN TRANSIT--MUSIC MINISTRY TO NATIVE AMERICANS
IMPACT MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
IMPACTO LATINO, INC
INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF CHRISTIAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN BRAILLE MISSION
INTERNATION COMMUNITY (CHRISTIAN) SCHOOL, KOTAGIRI, SOUTH INDIA
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER EMERGENCY SERVICES (IDES)
JAMAICA BIBLE SEMINARY
JAMAICA CHRISTIAN MISSION
JAMAICA CHRISTIAN MISSION--JOHNSON FAMILY
JAVA AND BEYOND
JOHNSON BIBLE COLLEGE
KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
KIAMICHI MOUNTAINS CHRISTIAN MISSION
KOREA CHRISTIAN GOSPEL MISSION
KUFFEL, COLLIMORE AND CO INSURANCE
LIFELINE CHRISTIAN MISSION
LINCOLN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE AND SEMINARY
LITERACY AND EVANGELISM INTERNATIONAL
LITERATURE AND TEACHING MINISTRIES
LIVING HOPE CHRISTIAN MISSION
LOWER CARIBBEAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
MASTER PROVISIONS, INC
MEDITERRANEAN CHRISTIAN MISSION
MID-INDIA CHRISTIAN MISSION - JAY HENRY
MILLIGAN COLLEGE
MISSION CONNEDT: ROMANIA
MISSION MEDIA PRODUCTIONS, INC
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION
MISSION TO RUSSIA, INC
MISSIONS ALIVE
MOUNTAIN MISSION SCHOOL, GRUNDY, VA
MTS TRAVEL
NAVAJO TRAILS MISSIONS, INC
NINOS DE MEXICO
NORTH AMERICAN CHRISTIAN CONVENTION
NORTH BURMA CHRISTIAN MISSION
NORTHWEST HAITI CHRISTIAN MISSION
ONE TRIBE MINISTRIES
ORPHANAGE OUTREACH
OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL
PACIFIC JUSTICE INSTITUTE
PAKISTAN CHRISTIAN EVANGELICAL SERVICES
PEACE ON EARTH MINISTRIES
PERSPECTIVES
PHILOKALIA MINISTRIES
POLISH CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
POWER MINISTRIES
PROJECT EVANGELISM INTERNATIONAL - N. IRELAND
RANCHO DE LOS NINOS
RAPTIM TRAVEL - LEWISTON, NY
REMEMBER THE CHILDREN - ORADEA, ROMANIA
RESTORATION HOUSE MINISTRIES; MANCHESTER, NH
RICK GROVE - TOY BOX USA
RIO BRAVO CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
ROANOKE BIBLE COLLEGE
S.O.A.R. MINISTRIES
SAINT LOUIS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
SAY YES TO JAPAN
SHILOH CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S RANCH
SHOW-ME CHRISTIAN YOUTH HOME
SONS OF LIGHT MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY
SOUTH INDIA CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION
SOUTH PACIFIC CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
STADIA: NEW CHURCH STRATEGIES
STANDARD PUBLISHING
SUDAN AFRICAN MISSION
TCM INTERNATIONAL, INC
TEAM EXPANSION
TEEN MISSION, USA & MISSION JOURNEYS
THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS
THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS
TURKISH WORLD OUTREACH
WEESNERS - HOPE REHABILITATION CENTER - INDIA
WHITE FIELDS OVERSEAS EVANGELISM
WINSTON-SALEM BIBLE COLLEGE
WORLD BIBLE TRANSLATION CENTER
WORLD MISSION TOURS INTERNATIONAL
MARRIOTT FAX NUMBER:
Here is a reminder that the original FAX number sent out was WRONG. The correct FAX number for the Atlanta Airport Marriott is 404-209-6808. If you faxed a housing form to the wrong number you need to fax your housing form to this number, but wait until at least Nov. 20.
GEORGIA CHURCHES AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE GIVEN TO HELP PAY THE RENT ON THE GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER
36 Churches -- Groups -- Individuals Responding So Far!
Ben Hill Christian Church -- $ 370.00
Berea Christian Church [Hampton] -- $ 300.00
Bethel Christian Church [Conyers] -- $ 1,500.00
Calvary Christian Church [Stockbridge] -- $ 1,500.00
Central Christian Church [Atlanta] -- $ 250.00
Central Christian Church [Lawrenceville] -- $ 500.00
Christ's Church at Whitewater [Fayetteville] -- $ 2,500.00
Community Christian Church [Sharpsburg] -- $ 1,000.00
Conyers Christian Church [Conyers] -- $ 300.00
Corinth Christian Church [Loganville] -- $ 1,000.00
Countryside Christian Church [Warner Robbins] -- $ 70.00
Douglasville Christian Church [Douglasville] -- $ 320.00
East Point Christian Church [East Point] -- $ 500.00
East Ridge Community Church [Covington] -- $1,000.05
Fairburn Christian Church--$1,000.00
Fayetteville Christian Church [Fayetteville] -- $ 1,500.00
First Christian Church [Carrollton] -- $ 900.00
First Christian Church [Centerville] -- $ 500.00
First Christian Church [Dalton] -- $ 500.00
First Christian Church [Mableton] -- $ 1,000.00
First Christian Church [Jonesboro] -- $ 500.00
Good Hope Christian Church [Good Hope] -- $ 500.00
Gresham Park Christian Church [Decatur] -- $ 500.00
Hardwick Christian Church [Hardwick] -- $ 500.00
Individual -- $ 125.00
Lilburn / Hamilton Mill Christian Church [Lilburn] --
$ 2,000.00
Madison Christian Church [Madison] -- $ 300.00
McDonough Christian Church [McDonough] -- $ 5,000.00
Mount Carmel Christian Church [Stone Mountain] --
$1,250.00
Northwest Christian Church [Kennesaw] -- $ 750.00
Peachtree City Christian Church [Peachtree City] --
$1,000.00
Savannah Christian Church [Savannah] -- $ 1,000.00
Seven Hills Christian Church [Rome] -- $ 1,395.53
Tucker Christian Church [Tucker] -- $ 1,000.00
Western District Missionary Society -- $ 100.00
Woodstock Christian Church [Woodstock] -- $ 1,200.00
Total Raised So Far --------- $ 33,630.58
Payments Made To Date -- $ - 25,000.00
Balance On Hand ------------- $ 8,630.58
Amount Still To Raise ------- $ 15,869.42
OCTOBER 29, 2004
PLANNING MEETING RESULTS:
The Missionary Convention executive and teen planning committees met in Atlanta this week to continue planning for the convention. These meetings are always productive and exciting. As the convention becomes more and more directed at college age and teen-age young people the convention and these meetings get more invigorating. Just to be with those who attend the convention and with those who plan it is an inspiring experience. This year we were blessed to have college leaders, campus ministers and college students on the executive committee along with some great missionaries and preachers. One mission professor told the president of his college that the Missionary Convention was one event the students definitely needed to attend. And what can you say about the youth ministers and youth missions with all the dynamic energy they bring to such a meeting??!! WOW!! There was one slight change made to the theme--actually an addition. It will now be: ‘SET APART TO SHINE--A CHRISTIAN WITNESS IN A CORRUPT WORLD." More news on other decisions will be forthcoming in future weekly updates.
THANKS TO MARRIOTT AND CONVENTION CENTER:
Another delightful aspect of the planning meetings was our stay at the Marriott Hotel, where we also had our meetings. The Marriott is our headquarters hotel. They did a great job of providing for us, especially our event coordinator, Joy Gentile (the name is Italian with an Italian pronunciation) and all the people who work with her. And the food they served was delicious. We also had a chance to tour the Georgia International Convention Center with out sales rep, Awbrey Wilburg and event coordinator, Rick Levin. They are ready to go all out to make this a great experience for everybody. Another delightful person was our catering sales lady, Leija Islamovic. She is a brand new USA citizen, coming to this country from Bosnia just 5 years ago. This Tuesday, Nov. 2, she will be voting in a USA election (which I trust everyone of you are also planning to do).
THANKS TO OUR EXHIBITORS:
We have more and more fantastic exhibitors at the Missionary Convention every year. This year we are trying to come up with tens of thousands of dollars to pay off the Peoria convention and start the year 2005 all caught up. Exhibitors have already put out more than $30,000.00 to pay for exhibit spaces even though the convention is almost 13 months away. The executive committee wondered why we were able to attract so many exhibitors to the Missionary Convention. I think it is mainly because we recognize the exhibits as being equally or more important than any other part of the convention and we try very hard to make them feel wanted. Counting the spaces set aside for the "gathering place"--hospitality area and the NMC Resource Center we have contracts for 223 spaces out of the 420 in the exhibit hall.
HOUSING INFORMATION FOR 58TH NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION, NOV. 17-20, 2005.
We have room blocks at 4 properties. The Marriott and Comfort Inn are south of the convention center on Best Road. Both are just over one mile from the convention center. The Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North and Crowne Plaza are north of the convention center on Virginia about one mile from the convention center.
To make a reservation just call your choice of hotels or motels. Be sure to tell them you are with the National Missionary Convention. All these properties are about one mile from the Georgia International Convention Center. If you have a problem call the National Missionary Convention office at 1-800-972-1137 or at 620-668-5259 or e-mail: wbirney11@aol.com. DO NOT MAKE RESERVATION UNTIL DEC. 1, 2004.
1. Our Headquarters Hotel is the Atlanta Marriott Airport at 4711 Best Road. Rate is $89.00 for up to 4 in a room plus tax. We have as many as 450 rooms blocked here. Phone number is: 1-404-766-7900
2. Comfort Inn Atlanta Airport is on Best Road between the convention center and the Marriott. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Phone number is: 1-404-761-6500
3. Holiday Inn Atlanta Airport North is at 1390 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $62.00 for up to 4 in a room. Phone number is: 1-404-762-8411.
4. Crowne Plaza Atlanta Airport is at 1325 Virginia Avenue. Rate is $72.00 for up to 4 in a room. Phone number is 1-404-761-6500.
ANOTHER WINNER:
The winner of the painting at the Christian Dominican Evangelistic Mission, Alberto Rivas, booth was Sylvia Trippel from Marion, Iowa.
PRAYER REQUEST FOR DICK ROBISON: Dick and Sarah Robison, long-term missionaries in Portugal (and Brazil) and former missions professor (and soccer coach) at JBC, returned to the USA for a short visit to Fayetteville, NC, where one of their sons lives. Dick performed the wedding of his grandson while here. While there, Dick followed up on some medical tests he'd had in Lisbon. He has an advanced stage of prostate cancer and asks for our prayers. Dick will have a bone scan on November 4 -- and hopes to begin treatment (hormone and radiation) shortly after that. Dick and Sarah can be reached at David Robison's house (where they'll probably be staying for 4-6 weeks). Their telephone number is 910-826-0417. The mailing address is 6813 Netherdale Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28314. RAPID REGISTRATION AND REGULAR REGISTRATION FORMS:
RAPID REGISTRATION
58th National Missionary Convention
Nov. 17-20, 2005
Atlanta, Georgia
Churches and colleges may register their entire membership or college family for a small fee.
Rates are:
150 members or less:$110.00
151 - 250 members: $220.00
251 - 500 members: $330.00
501 - 750 members: $440.00
751 - 1,000 members: $550.00
Over 1,000 members: $660.00
Church or college name:
_______________________
Address:
_______________________
City, state, zip:
_______________________
What is your approximate
local membership? ___________
Here are two ways to make it most effective to get your members to pray for and attend the convention.
ONE: Send a list of members, including all family members with addresses to the convention office. The convention will send direct mailings with information on the convention 2 or 3 times and name badges to every family a month before the convention. If you want the members to receive e-mail updates please send their e-mail addresses. E-mail updates go out about once a week (sometimes less). E-mail updates are NOT for the purpose of raising money but to raise excitement and enthusiasm in regard to the convention particularly and to world evangelism generally.
TWO: If you do not want to send addresses of members, just send names (including all family members) and the NMC will send packets along with name badges for your church to distribute.
You also have the alternative of not sending any names. Just tell your members they can get name badges at the convention by telling the registration workers their church did the "Rapid Registration." It does mean they may have to stand in line to wait for their name badges.
SEND THIS FORM AND PAYMENT TO:
National Missionary Conv., Box 11, Copeland, Ks 67837
REGISTRATION FORM
58th National Missionary Convention
Nov. 17-20, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia
PLEASE PRINT PLAINLY OR TYPE
Name: ___________________________
Address: _________________________
City: ____________________________
State_______ Zip______________
E-mail_______________________
Your home church, mission or college:
_____________________________
City & state of church, mission or college:
_____________________________
NAMES FOR BADGES:
_____________________________
_____________________________
CHILDREN AGE
_____________________ ______
_____________________ ______
_____________________ ______
REGISTRATION FEES:
Family: $8.00 Individual: $4.00
Student: $1.00 Exhibitor: FREE
_____Check to get housing information
_____ Check to get meal program info
MAKE CHECK TO AND MAIL TO:
National Missionary Convention
Box 11, Copeland, KS 67837
BUDGET FOR 2005
EXPENSE ITEM------------------AMOUNT
Walter Birney salary----------$36,278.52
Iva Lou Birney salary-----------30,700.00
Mickey Birney salary------------6,000.00
David Empson--------------------41,713.48
Iva Lou and Walter benefits--12,040.16
David Empson benefits--------15,000.00
Social Security---------------------8,673.93
Printing & publicity---------------35,000.00
Office equipment & supplies--18,000.00
Postage & freight------------------25,000.00
Tele-comm adult conv.------------6,000.00
Office utilities-------------------------1,200.00
Exec. comm. travel----------------9,000.00
Meals with programs-------------20,000.00
Nursery & pre-school--------------1,000.00
K-6th grade----------------------------2,000.00
College----------------------------------2,000.00
Nitty-Gritty/MK-----------------------1,000.00
Ladies' tea--------------------------------500.00
Refunds----------------------------------1,500.00
Credit card fees-----------------------1,500.00
Conv. center deposit 2006-------35,000.00
Sound, light, image mag----------25,000.00
Conv. center liability ins-------------1,000.00
Security-----------------------------------1,000.00
Piano---------------------------------------1,000.00
2-way radios-------------------------------800.00
Stage decorations-----------------------500.00
Communion--------------------------------600.00
Phones at conv.--------------------------400.00
Exhibit equipment-------------------18,000.00
Electricity in exhibits----------------8,000.00
Refreshments in exhibit area----10,000.00
Shuttle buses---------------------------9,000.00
Loan repayment-----------------------20,000.00
Teen convention-----------------------45,000.00
Copier at convention---------------------750.00
Hotel rooms-----------------------------10,000.00
Unknown, misc., surprises, etc--10,000.00
______________________________________
TOTAL---------------------------------$464,156.09
INCOME ITEM-----------------------AMOUNT
Churches-----------------------------$200.000.00 (includes an extra $35,000.00 from Indiana for 2006 convention)
Registrations--------------------------90,000.00
Exhibits---------------------------------72,000.00
Individuals------------------------------14,000.00
Missionaries----------------------------5,000.00
Meals-------------------------------------15,000.00
Offerings at conv.---------------------50,000.00
Teen registrations--------------------15,000.00
Miscellaneous---------------------------2,500.00
____________________________________
TOTAL------------------------------$464,500.00
OCTOBER 19, 2004
GREAT RATES FOR HOUSING IN ATLANTA
We need to wait to send information about the hotels and motels in Atlanta because some of them cannot accept reservations more than one year out. We will send information around the first of December. We have excellent rates including $89.00 for up to 4 in a room at the Atlanta Airport Marriott, our Headquarters Hotel; $72.00 at the Atlanta Airport Crowne Plaza; $62.00 at the Atlanta Airport Comfort Inn and $62.00 at the Atlanta Airport Holiday Inn North.
GREAT RATES FOR FLYING TO ATLANTA
The Georgia International Convention Center and the hotels and motels we are using are all within about one mile of the airport in Atlanta. Air Tran is an economy airline that is now the number two airline server to Atlanta. I'm not sure what other economy airline there are to Atlanta. This will make it easy and affordable for people from all over much of the USA to fly. Most of the airport area motels and hotels run shuttles to the airport. Check with your travel agent or go online to find out more.
Windows Report for Peoria 2004, by David Empson
October 5, 2004
We had a great year, a great weekend! We had 1,150 students and adults attend this year, which is a 58 % growth over the last time we were in Peoria in 1999. .
Our plan was successful in most of the areas of our programming.
We improved our teen registration.
We stepped up the level of electronic programming in the God Moves service, and lengthened the service. We continued to have great testimonies and our time of prayer at “9:38”. Over 400 students accepted the challenge to visit “their continent” within the next 12 months.
Riley Armstrong as our Master of Ceremonies was very positive. 321 Improv Comedy team was another last minute addition that was a good addition.
The Geo Prayer Wall was good, even though as many adults as used by teens. The wall was patterned more like the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. So far this is the best prayer tool connecting teens and missionaries together, second to the prayer encounter.
The building project went well. Using a city park lot, one big tent, being outside and two big blocks away from the convention site was difficult to set up, but it worked and all the projects were finished and delivered. This year we sent walls to Kentucky Heartland, Discovery Ministries, and to American Reservation Ministries at San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona.
91 % of all the prayer encounters happened. 9 % of the teen groups & 9 % of missionaries did not meet. Probably one big difficulty of these appointments was meeting in 3 locations. We mixed and matched no-shows for 60 encounters. Despite more information and overseers of each of the three area, many missionaries did not seem to understand where the encounter was or that it was on Saturday only.
Our workshops, initiatives, and simulation games all went on as scheduled.
The Clothing project for Sudan was a good activity. The convention gave 15,000 lbs. of clothing, packed and loaded them into the ocean going containers.
FROM PAUL AND MARILYN DOUGLASS--SUDAN AFRICAN MISSION:
We arrived back home on the 14th.
The NMC days were busy and profitable for both of us.
We considered the convention one of the best.
Our location was right by the Sudan clothes collection center so we could keep tab on what was going on.
It gave us opportunity to guide clothes contributors as they came pouring in with bags.
From our point of view the whole convention was buzzing about Sudan relief.
It was a "Faith building experience" to see the 100's bringing bags of clothes as an offering to God for the Sudanese.
We were there where we could see the 100's of young people sorting clothes.
1. Using their eyes to make sure they were usable for Sudanese.
2. Using their noses to sniff each bag and box to make sure they had not been exposed to moisture.
3. Using their hands to stuff them in 100 pound bags.
4. Using their backs to lift the bags and wheel them to the container truck.
5. Using their hearts to serve God.
6 Using their compassion to reach out to the needy in Sudan.
7. Using their pocket books to bountifully share the expense of shipping the clothes half way around the world.
It was a pleasure working with the Master Provision group. To compare it to sports news: To make a 10,000 mile run to the Sudan goal line is something to cheer about. WHAT A TEAM! Thanks Quarterback Walter for calling the play!!
I did not see any one coming in with a scowl on their face because they did not want to do their part.
Praise be to the God of Americans and the Sudanese.
Paul, Marilyn and SAM.
PS The worship services were uplifting.
Someone else will have to write about the workshops and classes..
Each time I headed off for a workshop I would get intercepted by someone asking about the Sudanese.
I hope for better class attendance success on my part next year.
Paul
Paul took 59 pictures of the clothing work during the convention.
We have sorted our 36 pictures that tell the story best.
I have put them on a Power Point Program which I have put on a CD disc to send to individuals or churches to show this miracle happening at NMC.
The disc is free for the asking from SAM.
Contact Sampdouglass@comcast.net
Paul, Marilyn and SAM
GUITARS FOR MISSIONARIES
Churches and individuals took guitars to "A Missionary's Guitar" at the convention in Peoria. They took some back to Joplin to repair and were able to give a couple to missions in need right at the convention. They are still accepting guitars. Contact Lea Ann Piercy at: suntone@occ.edu.
MORE WINNERS
The winners for the handcrafted pillow covers from India for the Weesner booth were: Bethany Tiearney of Lincoln, IL and Merilly Maddux of Joplin, MO.
INFO ON VETERAN MISSIONARY LOIS REES
Some of you know or know about J. Lois Rees, veteran missionary to India. After the Peoria convention her son, Emrys, his wife, Usha and Leonard and Pam Thompson drove to Omaha, Nebraska to see Lois. Usha says: "she was in good spirits. Her memory is bad, her imagination is wild", but the Rees and Thompsons return to India with good memories of Lois.
OCTOBER 15, 2004
MORE WINNERS
Merilly Maddux of Joplin, MO won the free copy of Ivan Prokhanov's autobiography In the Cauldron of Russia that was given away by POEM (Peace on Earth Ministries).
We (African Hope) did give away two Authentic African Drums winners were Jessica Linzy and Torrie Satter Both were presented on last day of convention...I will try to bring a couple more next year.
WORKSHOP COUNT CORRECTION
In my report on workshops that had over 100 I put 1162 for the workshop Emrys Rees led. Actually it was 116. Mickey caught that since he was the one who did the counting. I told him I did that on purpose so people would know that I am not perfect. His response was: "Yeah, right."
DECISIONS AT PEORIA
Information on those who made or announced decisions for missionary service are available. It you want the list contact the NMC office. There are 108 on the college/adult list. There were also 34 teens who made decisions for missionary service.
MORE COMMENTS
GREATLY IMPRESSED BY TEEN LEADER AND TEENS
I am a little slow in getting this to you, but I have to join what I know is a great chorus: THANKS FOR A GREAT CONVENTION! There was much I missed, but Barbara and I were blessed by what we shared in. Thank you for letting MASTER Provisions be a part of the story. Your cooperation was most significant. The youth event went well. And our booth was well placed for our involvement in both. A word needs to be said for David and the youth. I was GREATLY IMPRESSED with the youth we related with there. As Saturday afternoon wore late we were far from accomplishing what we had to do. We had only one more group scheduled to work. I located David and he made a "call to action" on the speakers. And the wife of one of our staff, Carolyn Davisson, who was working at the booth began to get the attention of youth passing by and encouraged them to join in the work. To her best knowledge, if any did NOT help it was only one. And work they did!! They worked on into the dinner hour. And finally there was one boy who would not quit as long as I was still hauling out the cardboard trash. He stayed right with me. We were able to finish as needed.Tom Pendergrass
MISSIONARY TO IRELAND, KELLY NICHOLS, APPROACHES DEATH
(From her husband, Mark)As some of you know Kelly Had a MIR scan last Friday. It showed that there are several area's where the tumor is growing. The doctor said that this has raised the pressure in the cranium to a very high level. He says it is very near the point where she will begin sleeping more and more. Soon after that she will go into a coma. When I asked him how long she has the Dr. said that Kelly probably has 4-6 weeks. Needless to say that caught us off guard. The doctors have done all that they can do. He also said that Kelly has been proving doctors' wrong most of her life :-) So only God knows how long she has left, but we are preparing for the worst. But now she is really a shadow of the person she once was. But her large brown eyes still let you know that she is still in there. Kelly continues to have her wonderful attitude toward all that her body continues to throw at her. She still smiles, laughs and has yet to complain. She has a wonderful grace from God to accept all of this. One of the things that she continues to talk about is how she is ready to go. She talks about how for 18 yrs. she has known that her days were numbered. She shares how for some time she has been thinking about heaven and what it will be like. I have to say that part of me is excited for her as she gets her chance to meet the Lord face to face. How wonderful it will be for her to walk with the Lord with a new body that is no longer broken and bruised. .All in all we are doing well. We have talked to the girls and explained everything in detail. They are doing well with the information but my guess is that their mom has been sick for so long that they can't bring themselves to really believe that she only has a few weeks left. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
MORE COMMENTS
Thank you so very much for your attentiveness and help in getting these people registered so late in the process. Everyone I talked to was so grateful! What an amazing experience the conference was! This was a valuable resource/tool for all those who are currently involved or considering involvement in missions, both here in the states and abroad. Great job! Keep building His Kingdom, one person at a time! I'll be praying for your organization's continued efforts, growth and progress in the coming months!Heather Karr--Eastview, Normal. IL
The morning after that breakfast meeting where several of us shared; a woman of Taiwan descent, came to my table. She held me tightly and cried for a long time, later I found out, that the tears were from her finally submitting to the Lord.
Her question to me was: Can you use me in CHINA. I am a physical therapist. Needless to say, Walter...we both wept! Can you see it now! 110 handicapped children in our facilities in Hunchun, CHINA ... with a trained physical therapist. To God be the glory, great things HE is doing! Hallelujah! The committed person's name is : Karen Wang. She also speaks Mandarin. God is so good!
Yours, for a better world, starting with me!
Patricia Kim
EXHIBIT INFORMATION FOR 2005
It has been sent to all who had exhibits this year in Peoria. One copy was sent over 6 weeks ago and another was sent yesterday. Any who have not received an exhibit form and want to have an exhibit should contact the Missionary Convention office.
FLYING TO ATLANTA
Atlanta’s Hartsfield Int’l is right next to the Georgia International Convention Center. We expect a huge number of people to fly to Atlanta because of the presence of Air Tran, an economy airline (and other economy airlines). It is now the number two server in Atlanta, next to Delta. The convention center and the hotels/motels where we are blocking rooms all run shuttles to the airport. Our Headquarters Hotel, the Atlanta North Marriott runs every 15 minutes most of the time and also runs all night long. We will have our own shuttle buses to transport people from the hotels and motels to the convention center. You may want to check on flight arrangements soon.
HOUSING INFO NEXT WEEK
The next e-mail update will have information on housing in Atlanta. Rate at our headquarters Hotel: the Atlanta Airport North Marriott is $89.00 a night for up to four in a room. Crowne Plaza rate is $72.00; Holiday Inn is $62.00; Comfort Inn is $62.00; and Days Inn is $49.00. They are all about one mile from the convention center. There will eventually be 5 full service hotels right at this brand new convention center, but there will not be any yet in 2005.
OCTOBER 10, 2004
RAJAN IPE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK
The President of the 58th National Missionary Convention is Rajan Ipe. He is from India. He will be available to speak in USA colleges and churches from the middle of August 2005 to the time the convention starts on Nov. 17. He may be contacted by e-mail at: ipe@sancharnet.in (Rajan Ipe), or rajanipe@yahoo.co.in
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
The two Mexican blankets from MBC Ministries, INC. drawing winners
are: (WE MAIL IT TO THEM VIA USA POSTAL SERVICES)
Martha Sanders, Greencastle, Indiana and Emily Eichhold, Florissant, Missouri
We would also like to get the names of winners from other exhibitors.
GREAT OFFERING
A record number of people for a National Missionary Convention in Illinois gave a huge offering at Peoria with over $53,000.00 given for convention expenses plus over $4,000.00 (most of it given by the teen convention) to ship clothes to Sudan and over $18,000.00 in the college/adult convention for hurricane relief in Florida, Haiti and wherever else making a total of over $71,000.00. This makes it the most ever given at a Missionary Convention except in 1998 at Cincinnati. At that convention a month long drive resulted in over $70,000.00 being given in a special offering for hurricane relief in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. This time we had two days to publicize the special offering and that was the Thursday and Friday of the convention with the offering received on Saturday morning.
RECORD ATTENDANCE
The attendance was a record for a convention in Illinois with around 4,700 present on Friday evening and a total of different people close to 6,000. The teen convention was twice as large as it was in 1999 in Peoria, a remarkable statistic since it was right in the middle of high school football season. This was the ninth time for the NMC to meet in Illinois.
LARGEST WORKSHOPS
Here are workshops which had the largest attendance. In some cases the count was made early in the workshop and more people came in later. So there were at least:
1. Spiritual Warfare, Joe Belzer--285
2. Salvation according to Islam--Steve Hagerman--259
3. Trends and issues in Missions--Tom Telford--230
4. Essentials of an effective missions church--Tom Telford--227
5. Developing intimacy with God through journaling--Dean Trune--223
6. Pivotal decisions that invigorate local church missions--Tom Telford--214
7. Leading a missions meeting--Wade Landers--205
8. Stories about what God has done on the mission field--"Acts 29"--Garland Bare--200
9. Islam at the door of the church - Tragedy or opportunity--Robert Douglas--191
10. Where in the world does God want me?--Mike Worstell--179
11. Listening to God in solitude--Neal Windham--178 (about 100 were out in the hall listening by way of the recording equipment)
12. Raising the missions profile in your church--David Mays--158
13. The persecuted church--Dave Brackemyre--154
14. Learning to trust in God alone (An experience in China)--Randy Dolan--151
15. Essential qualities of a missionary--Mike Nichols--149
16. How to have a mission driven church--Dennis Bratton--144
17. Spiritual warfare on the mission field--Enoch Nyador--142
18. Is Jesus the only way: What about those who have never heard?--Bob Kurka--137
19. Animism--Emrys Rees--1162
20. Getting there: from desire to destination--Glen Gibson--115
21. How to get to second base--Jeff Prus--114
22. Understanding folk Catholicism--Roro and Eustache Gerard--114
23. Becoming a world Christian--Wayne Shaw--112
24. Making missions come alive to children--Martha Sanders, Debbie Leonard and Patty Gardner--111
25. Stopping the epidemic of abused and neglected children--Vern Reed--110
26. The impact of American moral decline on the world missionary enterprise--Paul Boatman--106
27. Witnessing to Hindus--Usha Rees--106
28. My greatest and worst experiences on the mission field--Mario Calderon, Chuck McDaniel and Charlotte Barkley
29. The prayer that will save the world--Victor Knowles--102
30. What in the world are women doing in missions--Dixie Shewmaker, Judith Pickett and one other lady
Thirty workshops had from 50 to 99; Thirty more had from 26 to 49; Thirteen had less than 25. We did not get a count on the following workshops. If anybody has an idea of how many attended please contct the NMC office:
1. Communicating with and about sensitive lands--Doug Lucas
2. Forwarding agents--Hope Labisky
3. Building blocks for a successful inner city fellowship--Steve Andry
4. God’s kingdom economics--Michael Bowling
5. The idiot’s guide to language-learning--Rondal Smith
EXHIBITORS PROVIDING FUNDS
We have already received exhibit forms from over 50 exhibitors amounting to more than 100 exhibit spaces. We appreciate these loyal supporters who are helping provide funds needed to pay off Peoria expenses. Peoria exhibits also helped pay Cincinnati expenses. The Atlanta convention should cost around $50,000.00 less than Peoria because the Georgia churches have taken on raising all the funds for the rent of the Georgia International Convention Center and we will only need sound, lights, image magnification in one main session room this year as the college/adult and teen conventions rotate main sessions. Our budget will still likely be well over $400,000.00. This year and in 2003 it was over $450,000.00.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
Roy and I at 72 and 76 as of Nov. 23 were
so energized and hopeful that the baton is being passed in fabulous
fashion. There were two names omitted in this fabulous report: IVA LOU
AND WALTER BIRNEY! God Bless you both and take care of you...we need you
both....can you imagine the missionary convention in Heaven? In His
Love, Fern and Roy McClain
What an exciting time we had at the convention! The resource center was awesome!!! I hope to see that next year! It will probably take me a year to read all the books I bought so I'll be ready to buy more in Atlanta! The speakers were great. It is so awesome to see God at work in so many lives across the Nations.
Vickie Auxier, Bedford Acres Christian Church, Paris, KY
I would just like to express my gratitude for all the hard work you and
your staff displayed at this convention. It was a great blessing for me.
This was my first NMC to have attended and came away with alot of great
ideas and resources but most importantly just deepened my commitment to
praying as the most important resource above all. Thanks so much!
Next time I will fly, the driving through construction zones really tested
my patience, especially in and around Chicago. UGH!
Ron Krolak
Anchor Christian Church
Rochester,NY
The convention was inspiring on many different levels. Speakers, music, workshops and displays have continued to improve every year…I cannot wait until next year. Also, I know the refreshments cost a lot, but they facilitate lots of productive conversation throughout the day. The NMC has become my wife’s and my favorite event of the year. Also, thank you for the invitation to do a workshop…I was humbled and honored. We had a good attendance and a lively conversation both during and after the workshop. As Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, we have got to improve on our witness to urban peoples. The NMC seems to see this more clearly..
I will be asking our Missions Team to do Rapid Registration for next year. This year we paid the exhibit fee for the mission group ECHO out of Ft. Myers, Florida. Next year, I hope we do both.
Finally, we have designated a large room in our building as a Missions "nerve" Center. Each continent has its own display area; we have one wall completely covered by a world map (with 10-40 window clearly outlined) and lots of Missions books and periodicals. We have a computer with internet access and a list of Mission information websites in the room as well. Do you know of others doing a similar thing…we would love to get some new ideas on improving the space?
Again Walter, thank you for your hard work and dedication. Your sisters and brothers in the inner-city of Indianapolis appreciate you.
In Christ,
Michael Bowling
Englewood Christian Church
Indianapolis, IN
In a message dated 10/9/2004 11:16:46 PM Central Standard Time, paul.marshall3@verizon.net writes:
Hi there, this note is from Paul Marshall of Camarillo Ca. Ever since we saw each other in Phoenix I have been telling the group from our church who had signed up to go to Peoria (there were 7) to say hi to my friend, Walter. Each one so far has said good things about both you and your wife. In particular, this past Thursday evening at our small group meeting Bea and Eldon Sandy gave an emotional report. They are new in our church but are going to go to some mission soon, we all believe. In their report the following story was related.
Laurie McKutchen (sp?) got up to the mike three times as one committed to go to the mission field. She was reluctant to do so the first night and then had two more chances. Well as it turned out, on the flight home the man behind her on the plane leaned forward and said, You are Laurie McKutchen aren't you. She said yes.. He said 'you were at the NMC, right? Again she confirmed it. "You are going to the mission field right?" Well, again she agreed. He then said ,"I am going to support you, how much do you need? "!
As it happens she is quite early in her planning stage for that sort of thing so she could not give a number but he gave her his card and asked her to tell him whenever she gets her need down to a number. The man is a rancher from Montana who spends 1/2 of each year in China as I got the story.
Did you know, when you got up early for each day's breakfast, that a young woman from Ca., who met Jesus on a short term mission trip to Chile would get such an offer. Yes, she accepted Christ while there with our church? A little side light, my daughter is married to Loretta Shrader's son Hal and they moved to Chile in Aug. to work with Doug Kalistad and Ibero America mission. God is good, all the time.
Keep up the fine work Bro. and do not be weary in well doing.
Aloha
Paul Marshall
OCTOBER 6, 2004
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING:
Oct. 26 and 27 the Missionary Convention executive committee will meet in Atlanta to put together all the plans the sub-committees have proposed. If you have suggestions for topics or speakers send them to me and I will pass them on. E-mail is: wbirney11@aol.com. Oct. 27 and 28 the Teen Committee will meet.
SOME MORE NUMBERS:
ATTENDANCE--We did not get an exact count for any of the main sessions. We do know we used about 6,500 name badge holders..
EXHIBIT REFRESHMENTS--One of the things we promised everybody who would take the time and make the effort to visit all the exhibits at Peoria was that we would keep them hydrated, with ice water, punch and coffee as well as providing them with snacks--all FREE. Well, we did just that by spending over $30,000.00 on drinks and snacks. We consumed 9,500 sacks of snacks. One day alone took 95 gallons of coffee. Not only did the people visiting the exhibits consume a lot. The same is true of the children from 6th grade down. The caterer did not have one single container of juice or milk in the building by Sunday afternoon. I think it was all worthwhile and I am very sure every exhibitor and every visitor thought the same. Undoubtedly this will continue to be our practice. I read in a meetings magazine some time ago that one of the most important keys to a successful event is to have good food. I think this convention proved that to be true. At times the exhibit halls were so full it was difficult for the caterers to get through to replenish everything, especially when they were pushing a cart. In Peoria God blessed us with prices that were considerably less for coffee and punch than most other places. Coffee was $17 a gallon while punch was $14.55 a gallon. Both of these are usually over $20 a gallon.
DECISIONS AT WINDOWS OF THE WORLD TEEN CONVENTION:
There were 34 decisions made on Saturday night of the Windows program.
15 of these were marked "I will go wherever God leads me". Many of these were first time decisions, and some mentioned designated places to serve.
9----mentioned they wanted to go and serve 1 year.
7----were for full time as a long term missionary.
3----were a little more certain about a specific item, like leading a trip at home, or a specific mission destination.
DVD AVAILABLE OF OPENING PRAYER CLIPS AT NMC:
Note from Mike Schrage--I was thrilled to see the success in the acceptance and sale of the Prayer Harvest DVD that GNPI produced for this year’s NMC. If you would ever want to plug impacting production in future communiqués that would be appreciated. All six short presentations are available on one DVD for $10 the NMC special rate through October. After that they will be on sale for $19.95. Good News Productions is at PO Box 222, Joplin, MO 64802 or call: 417-782-0060
MUSIC AT PEORIA CONVENTION:
FROM PHIL MEHRENS--Just FYI. Quite a few people are asking about the source of some of the songs I used for worship, feel free to give them my e-mail or you can post it on your mailings: music@PhilMehrens.com
GOD PROVIDES:
For the last several weeks it has been apparent we were going to be considerably short of funds to meet the payments due by the end of the convention in Peoria. We do not have nearly all the bills yet so it is difficult to know exactly where we stand. I have also been saying it is going to be interesting to see how God provides especially from sources outside what we normally expect. Please understand we are looking at being more than $50,000.00 short of having funds to meet all those bills. One way He was already providing was waiting for us in the mail when we arrived back in Copeland. It was a check for over $1,000.00--a refund from our telephone company which shares its profits from several years ago. Another source has been the number of exhibit payments we have already received for the Atlanta convention. Over ten thousand dollars has come in from this source since the start of the Peoria convention. Starting with this year our fiscal year will end Dec. 30. I believe God will provide the funds to have us all caught up by then or even before.
EXHIBITS FOR ATLANTA:
We have already received exhibit forms for 95 spaces including Florida Christian College and Living Hope Christian Mission Haiti, both of whom had to cancel because of the hurricanes and have applied what they paid in 2004 to 2005. We will not start assigning spaces until Jan. 2, 2005, except Atlanta Christian College and Church Development Fund. ACC because they are the host college and CDF because I messed them up this year in Peoria. We will again have a hospitality area-gathering place and an NMC Resource Center in the back of the exhibit hall. Those will take approximately 24 more spaces or a total of 119. I know the Native American missions are going together to get at least 12 spaces. I would not be surprised if we had exhibit forms for the 420 spaces available in the exhibit hall even before Jan. 2. This is so incredible it blows my mind. When we were planning to go to Atlanta I assumed we would not need to plan on as many exhibitors or people attending as in Ohio, Indiana or Illinois. Shows what I don't know!!
Getting the funds for exhibits in this early is helping us pay the bills from the Peoria convention just as funds for Peoria exhibits helped us pay for the Cincinnati convention. Strange as it may seem the possibility is that the Atlanta convention could catch us up financially. It is strange because we have about 3 times as many churches in Ohio and Illinois as we have in Georgia. Of course, Georgia has Keith Bunn and the Georgia Missionary Rally. Several items in Atlanta will cost us much less than in Peoria and Cincinnati. For one thing the Georgia churches are raising all the money to pay the rent on the convention center--right at $50,000.00 and the other thing is that we will have only one main session area which will serve both college/adult and the teen convention which means we should save from ten to fifteen thousand dollars. We will alternate main sessions.
HOUSING IN ATLANTA:
I will be sending out housing information sometime very soon or at least shortly after Nov. 1. In Atlanta we will not be using a housing bureau. Instead each one will call the property of their choice. We will provide a list of places where we have blocks of rooms. The nearest places are about one mile from the convention center, so we will be running shuttle buses. This is a brand new convention center and no hotels have yet been built there. This whole area is right next to the Atlanta Airport--Hartsfield Airport, I think.
SUDAN OFFERING:
The last I heard the offering by the teens and others to ship about 10 tons or more of clothing to Sudan was over $4,000.00. I think it will take at least $8,000.00 to do this. Funds for this may be sent to Paul Douglass at Sudan African Mission, PO Box 187, Gresham, OR 97030 or to Master Provisions., 12236 Hutton Drive, Walton, KY 41094
HURRICANE OFFERING:
As you may already know the convention received an offering on Saturday morning to help the victims of the hurricanes, especially in Florida and Haiti. This came about because Larry Williams had an "impression" (I think that is what he wrote) that we should do something about this. Larry is the Minister of Counseling at First Christian in Dodge City and also serves on the NMC continuation committee. He has been a strong supporter of the Missionary Convention for several years, both by attendance and financially. I think he is our number one individual supporter. The result is that at lest $18,000.00 was given for this purpose during the convention. You may remember a similar situation in 1998 at Cincinnati when hurricanes had ravaged Honduras and the Dominican Republic. Then it was Rita Arnold who said she thought the NMC should do something. That time there was more time to promote it before the convention and an offering of $70,000.00 was received at the convention and hundreds of thousands of dollars were given directly for that purpose by others. In both cases it was one person who got the ball rolling. WOW!!!
Funds for this year’s hurricane relief may still be sent to I.D.E.S., PO BOX 60, KEMPTON, IN 46049.
URGENT NEED: South African Bible Institute in Kimberley, South Africa is in urgent need of a book-keeper/secretary for the year 2005. This position is for a volunteer who has their own support. Housing will be provided. South African Bible Institute (SABI) is a small school training Christian leaders for the Church of Christ/Christian Churches in South Africa. Several students have also come from other churches. The school was begun in 1997 and has graduated 21 students. SABI is led by a nine person Board of Governors. Seven of these Governors are So. African. Steve Caulley, missionary, is a full time teacher and academic co- ordinator. He has been with the school since its beginning. It is the goal of the school to be truly So. African. However, due to lack of finances, help is needed at present from the U.S.A. A missionary couple plans to arrive to assist with SABI in 2006. Meantime, someone who can keep the books and do secretarial work is sorely needed. There will also be an opportunity to train the students in these skills, if you so desire. If you can come, or know someone who could, please contact Alice Fishback (Board of Governors member)
OCTOBER 3, 2004
LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS WORKERS
Words cannot describe the super job done by John Plunkett and all the local workers. What can you say to adequately describe the quantity and quality of work done by these faithful workers in an area that has less local churches and members than any other place where the convention goes. I would have to start with John’s wife, Faye, and daughter, Jennifer who took off work to help; John and Stephanie Haney, pre-school and elementary leaders; Youth Minister, Andy Johnson, who filled in at the last moment to transport people from the airport and a host of others from the Creve Coeur church; Gary Salm from Morton (they had over 150 students from Central Christian College of the Bible staying in their church--more on this later) and a host of people who helped in the information area; Joyce Nordhielm (who was supposed to have died from cancer several months ago) and her husband, Bert, sons Brad and Curt (2006 NMC President, their daughter, Pati, and a host of members from the Washington Christian Church, including their preacher, Jeff Browning and Russ Robison from Parkway in Pekin; Shaun Lindsey, from Bartonville, equipment; Bob Hentrich and a lot of people from Chillicothe; Anamarie Morris, Ladies’ Tea (she is going to make absolutely sure it is done right no matter what it takes); Marty Hunt from Richwoods in Peoria, preschoolers; Liz Adams, local publicity; Jim Gorby and his crew who provided coffee, punch and ice water to all the exhibitors as they moved in; and so many more I feel like the writer of Hebrews, "and what shall I say of….???
GARY SALM AND MORTON
Gary Salm volunteered for the students from Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri, to stay at the Morton Christian Church. He first thought they would have about 65 or 70, so he went through the church building trying to figure out where everybody was going to sleep, so he figured 5 in this room, 5 in this room, 5 in the room and so forth till he came up with enough space for 65. Then he found out over 100 were coming, so he counted again and came up with 10 in this room, 10 in this room, etc. Then the word came that over 150 would be coming so now it was how to get 15 in this room, 15 in this room, 15 in this room and a whole bunch in the basement. That was the prevalent attitude of many preachers and other people in the Peoria area--the attitude that is absolutely necessary to make something of this magnitude succeed.
REPORTER FROM PEORIA JOURNAL
Most of the other people in the Peoria area had no idea something really big was going on at the Civic Center even though Liz Adams, our local publicity worker and convention bureau personnel tried to tell them. A reporter from the Peoria Journal was amazed at the size of the convention when he came to do an interview on Saturday.
ATTENDANCE
We did not get an exact count of the Sunday morning attendance. We do know we used over 3,100 communion packets. Several local churches either turned out their services or had an early morning service and then came in to the convention. It was the Peoria area preacher’s idea to have the late morning service and it turned out very well. That is the way it almost always works best--that is when other people come up with the ideas. It gave another time slot for workshops as well as giving local people an opportunity to attend. We did get an exact count of the Sunday morning workshops and there were at least 663 present for those. This is the first time we have had Sunday morning workshops so we had no idea what to expect. It turned out very well. Sunday morning breakfast had approximately 400. Just over 400 tickets were sold, but a few may have slept in.
OFFERING
The Sunday morning offering was around $14,400.00, bringing the total received for the convention to around $53,000.00. This is just slightly less than half of what was needed this week. Additional funds have also come in from teen registrations, adult registrations, meals, camp housing, kid’s trips, payments on this year’s exhibits, 2005 exhibit payments, contributions from churches and other sources. It will be a few weeks before the exact financial situation is known. It will be interesting to see how God provides as He has so many times in the past.
TEEN CONVENTION
A large number of teens made decisions to consider missionary service in the future. The teens also built something like 250 wall panels 8 ft by 8 ft under the Direction of Rob Minton and a host of Crossroads Mission staff members and volunteers for at least three different mission projects: one in Arizona, one in Missouri and one in Kentucky. God certainly provided for this situation just as thousands of people all over the world had been praying. The walls were built on a vacant lot owned by the city of Peoria. When the weather forecast strongly indicated the chance of rain Friday evening and night the decision was made to put up a tent. That is exactly the way it turned out as a downpour on Friday evening soaked all the people who had to go from the Civic Center to receptions in the two hotels, while over $10,000.00 worth of wood was protected under a tent. Saturday morning dawned clear and cool and God provided a perfect working situation for all the teens and leaders in the tent. Rob Minton reported that their worship time under the tent was made so much better that way than it would have been out in the open. Teens also packed something like 10 tons of clothing and shoes to send to Sudan, along with giving over $2,600.00 to ship the clothes under the direction of Sudan Christian Mission with Paul and Marilyn Douglass and Master Provisions with Roger Babik, Jim Smelser, and Tom Pendergrass. Additional funds given during the convention brought the total shipping funds to over $4,000.00. David Empson, Teen Director, who sometime in the next 5 years will become the NMC Coordinator, Director, etc., etc, and his staff, which included his wife, Sherree, his super parents, his sister and all the Youth Ministers, youth sponsors, program personnel and others did another fantastic job. Over 1,500 people were present at both the Friday and Saturday night services--at least by the time those services were finished. They filled the first level and spilled over into both the second and third levels of seating in a magnificent theater, undoubtedly the finest facility we have ever used.
PEORIA CONVENTION WORKERS
The Peoria Civic Center, the Convention bureau and all the hotels and motels did a great job again. It was especially delightful to work with Jim Wetherington again. He was our Event Coordinator in 1994, then moved up in his job status which took him out of personally working with our 1999 convention. This time we were blessed to have him back because the person assigned to us resigned about 3 weeks before the convention. Jim also has a great assistant in Brooke Leverton who was a real joy and deserves a giant salary increase. Robin Barnes, our sales rep, Mary Beth Gilfallin and so many others at the Civic Center went above and beyond in their work. The same is true of Diana Anderson, Lana Herrman and other Convention Bureau people, Bill Chardini, Julie Shoopman, Danielle, etc., etc at the Pere Marquette. And what can be said about all those great people at the Holiday Inn City Centre who rose to the task of feeding up to 540 people five times during the week? One of the young ladies had three hours of sleep Friday night, after going home at 11:30 p.m. and getting up at 4:00 a.m. Karen, Tracey, Abbas and the whole catering staff were terriffffic!! There is one major problem in Peoria and that is the size of the Civic Center, especially the exhibit area and the meeting rooms. Plans are under discussion to double the size of the exhibit hall and add a large ballroom and meeting rooms. What is done will be a major factor in determining whether or not the convention returns to Peoria at some time in the future, around 2009.
NMC RESOURCE CENTER
One of the goals of Chris DeWelt, NMC President this year, was to have a Mission Resource Center where a wide range of mission materials of all kind would be available at a very low price. He and several others including Wade Landers, Mike Schrage, Susan Casey, Marsha Bacon, at least 8 others worked all year to get this ready. To say it was successful would be a huge understatement. Almost everything they had on hand was sold. This included something like 200 different titles in the form of books, videos, CD s, DVD s--you name it. For example 250 copies of "Operation World" were sold by late Saturday afternoon. This certainly will be a part of the Atlanta NMC.
SUNDAY NEWSSHEET, OCT. 3, 2004, NATIONAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION
DECISIONS FOR MISSIONARY SERVICE
On Friday evening there were 103 decisions for missionary service. Of these 78 were for becoming career missionaries and 25 for at least one year. Of these 59 were first time decisions. There were 8 more decisions Saturday evening. More decisions are expected this morning at the conclusion of Kevin Dooley’s message. We are seeing an incredible --
movement of God among these college students as well as among teens. These are the most exciting times for missions in the history of the world. Information on these decisions will be available in the near future. If you would like to have copies of that information contact the NMC office at 1-800-972-1137 or write PO Box 11, Copeland, KS 67837 or e-mail: wbirney11@aol.com.
ANOTHER RECORD
The convention shattered another record in the exhibit area where around 9,500 sacks of snacks were consumed. These, as well as popcorn, coffee, punch and so forth were provided by the convention. The cost for these refreshments was over $10,000.00 one day. One convention magazine article said that one of the secrets of a successful convention is to have good food. Considering the amount of snacks and drinks that were consumed this must have been the very best convention ever to meet in the Peoria Civic Center or anywhere else the NMC has ever met!!!
LOST MONEY
An envelope with $300.00 is missing. If you find it please send it to Lynn Ransdell, 7731 Northway Drive, Hanover Park, IL 60133.
PRIZE WINNER
Bill Witsman is asked to drop by Christian Children’s Home of Ohio booth prior to 10:30 a.m. His name has been drawn to win the prize.
FUTURE CONVENTIONS AND PRESIDENTS
The 2005 NMC will meet in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb of College Park. It is very near the airport in Atlanta and a record-breaking number of people are expected to fly to the convention. The dates are Nov. 17-20 and the President will be Rajan Ipe. It seems the Indians are taking over the NMC. There have been 3 Indian Presidents in 4 years: Ajai Lall from India, Tom Blackeagle from the USA and now Rajan Ipe from India.
The 2006 NMC will be in Indianapolis, Indiana, Nov. 16-19 with Curt Nordhielm serving as President and Marsha Relyea, missionary to Papua New Guinea will serve in 2007 at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Marsha will be only the second woman to serve in this capacity. The first was Isabel Dittemore way back in 1951.
EXHIBIT MOVE OUT
The loading dock will be open for move out after the morning service at 12:00 noon. Anybody needing to move out before then still has permission to do so in whatever other way possible.
SHIPPING EXHIBITS
If you have an exhibit you want shipped you may pack it up and take it to the Exhibitor Service Desk on the west side of the exhibit hall. It will be shipped by our exhibit decorator, Peoria Flag and Decorating. There will be an extra charge by the decorator for shipping.
EXHIBITS FORMS FOR 2005
Are available at the information counter and also at the 2005 NMC exhibit, number 806. Assignment of exhibit spaces will begin on or shortly after Jan. 2, 2005, except for those spaces already assigned to Atlanta Christian College as the host college and to Church Development Fund to make for a goof I made in regard to this year’s NMC.
Global Prayer Initiatives – North Africa
GPI was developed at Kingsway Christian Church for their living-link missionaries’ involved in North Africa, and is the prayer force behind strategic initiatives seeking to impact mainstream Muslim culture in the region.
The key to recent open doors and strategic contacts made in the region is focused prayer. If you would be interested in praying for the Dooley’s and their hope initiatives please subscribe to Global Prayer Initiatives – North Africa at Go1040Window@aol.com.
HURRICANE AND SUDAN OFFERINGS
The offering for the relief of victims of several hurricanes in Florida, Haiti and other countries has now reached over $18,000.00. Funds to ship clothes and shoes to Sudan is over $4,000.00.