Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention

A little bit later than planned due to Easter, we hope this latest update finds you refreshed!

Convention 2012 Update

Al Hamill and Band

Following the outstanding success in 2011 of the 75th Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention, plans have been being finalised for the 2012 event.

Full details of a very busy programme are now available on the website and there will be a formal public launch on Thursday 31st  of May. Convention 2012 will run (DV) from Friday 24th August to Saturday 1st September. As has been the case throughout its long history, the convention will focus entirely on mission and will be open to all, free of charge.

The highlight of the 2011 Convention was undoubtedly the 75th celebration event in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall. This was filled to its 2000 seat capacity for the occasion in which Rico Tice, Ajith Fernando and Michael Nazir-Ali all took part. A return to the Waterfront is not planned for 2012, but the convention is likely to be equally busy, with Archbishop Ben Kwashi (Nigeria) and Canon Andrew White (Baghdad) among the speakers.

They will speak of their experiences in front line situations and the constant threat of violence under which they and their fellow believers live.  John Woodside (Rep. Ireland) will lead the Bible Readings and others taking part include Sarah de Carvalho, David Eastwood (Taiwan),Sid and Jean Garland (Nigeria), Andy and Tatyana Ball (Ukraine), Alen Kercmar (Slovenia) as well as a number of other more locally based mission workers. Full details of all the speakers are available on the website www.worldwidemission.org.

The Convention will have a full program throughout the day with morning  prayer meetings and Bible readings, afternoon seminars and evening celebrations. There will also be events for children and young people. An exhibition provided by over 70 mission agencies will run from Monday 27th August to Friday 31st August in halls adjacent to the main Convention venue.

New for this year are seminars for congregational mission agents, for those with learning disability and a reception for retired missionaries.

Prayer Update

  1. Give thanks for a very positive meeting at Stormont with the Minister for Tourism. Arlene Forster was very supportive in her response to our presentation and asked that we progress the idea of promoting N. Ireland as destination for Christian Conferences such as Bangor Worldwide. We have subsequently had a meeting with officials from Tourism Ireland, NI Tourist Board, and the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau which went well.

    We now have detailed work to do to formulate a marketing plan so please pray that we will have wisdom in doing this – not something that we are used to doing !
     
  2. Worldwide is keen to extend its work among children and we are investing ways of linking with local SUs through the E3 worker (Leanne Dunlop) for this area. Please pray that we will provide the  resources for these groups that will help the children understand more about mission.
     
  3. We will be issuing invitations shortly to our Programme Launch (more details of this next time) to be held on 31st May. Please pray that as these are received by local clergy, mission agency representatives and others that they will draw a positive response and that the usual large number will gather to learn about this years programme.

Nelun Fernando Update

We have been regularly updated by Ajith Fernando, who led our Bible Readings last year, on his wife’s cancer treatment and he writes,

Nelun’s five weeks of radiotherapy starts on 9th April—about two and a half weeks after we had hoped it would start. It is at a government cancer hospital and there seems to be a waiting list. I am trying to change my flights so as to go to Toronto five days later than my original 30th April departure date. But the flights seem to be full. Please continue to pray that the treatment will be fully successful. All has been going well for so far.