GREENSBORO, N.C. (BP)–Woman’s Missionary Union will launch its new two-year emphasis, “Live the Call,” as part of the worship, interactive breakout sessions, and fellowship planned for this year’s annual Missions Celebration, June 11–12 at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons in Greensboro, N.C.
“WMU will follow up on the ‘Christ Followers’ emphasis with a new focus on what it means to understand, embrace and live the call that God has placed in each of our lives,” said Wanda S. Lee, national WMU executive director-treasurer. “It will be an exciting time as we celebrate all that God is doing through the missions efforts of so many in our churches as well as through our missions boards.”
An overview of the new emphasis will be woven into four general sessions, each featuring testimonies from missionaries and missions leaders, worship and music and more. Breakout sessions will offer interactive learning experiences, opportunities for personal and leadership development, and ways to expand one’s missions involvement.
Registration and hands-on missions opportunities begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Those who arrive Sunday afternoon may participate in a wide variety of choices, including various missions projects and opportunities to meet and visit with international and North American missionaries. Additional options available on Monday will include a “treasure hunt” for missions resources; a self-guided prayer demonstration using a prayer module based on WMU’s new “Christ Followers: Prayer Path Kit”; and a WMU/LifeWay bookstore, showcasing new books and products and WorldCrafts and offering author autograph sessions.
Pepper Choplin, musician/songwriter and minister of music at Greystone Baptist Church in Raleigh, N.C., has coordinated worship music for this year’s event. A sought-after composer, clinician, conductor and entertainer, Choplin will be the worship leader for the celebration, as he is for many events throughout the country each year.
In addition to Lee and national WMU President Kaye Miller, featured session leaders will include Marvina Hooper, ESL instructor and former missionary to Honduras; Archie Jones, former IMB missionary to Chile, and his wife Caroline, missions innovator for national WMU; Rosalie Hunt, president of Alabama WMU and former IMB missionary; Donna Swarts, president of Mississippi WMU and coordinator of the Mississippi Disaster Relief Task Force; and the 2006 national Acteens panelists.
Featured personnel from the North American Mission Board will include John Forrester, who serves with his wife Terri as a church planter in Alaska, and Norma Melton, who serves as director of church and community ministries in the Buncombe Baptist Association in Asheville, N.C. Also featured will be yet-to-be named field personnel from the International Mission Board.
The first general session will begin at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. The last general session will be 7 p.m., Monday, June 12, prior to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Everyone is welcome; no pre-registration is required and the event is free of charge.
For additional information regarding the 2006 WMU Missions Celebration, call 1-888-968-0322 or visit www.wmu.com/annualmeeting.
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