Connecting everywhere, every day

From the President

The Board of World Convention has just concluded an exciting and energizing meeting in Nashville – April 16-19. We are excited about the future direction and possibilities for the ministry of World Convention. This letter has been prepared as quickly as possible so that our wonderful Friends of World Convention everywhere can prayerfully celebrate and share what is currently happening in our everywhere, every day ministry.

World Convention is best known for its quadrennial Global Gatherings (that’s what we’re going to call our conventions from now on) but as you know, the ministry of World Convention is to help our world-wide family to connect every day. In many different ways we are striving constantly to build up fellowship, understanding and common purpose amongst our people and churches to strengthen our service to Christ.

You know that in Zimbabwe we have serious problems. But our 1000 congregations are growing numerically and spiritually in spite of the difficult situation. I feel especially privileged that our persecuted nation can provide leadership for our global family at this time.

I ask for your continuing prayers, support and encouragement. I am especially looking forward to seeing many of you in Brazil in 2012.

BJ Mpofu, President

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Goiania, Brazil 2012

Goiana will be an amazing experience!!!!

Goiania is a modern, safe city only 125 miles/200 kms from the capital, Brasilia. It has a fantastic convention center/centre, wonderful facilities and the time we meet will be at the end of the tourist season so costs will be considerably less expensive!

Our 1000 congregations in Brazil are already feeling honored and blessed knowing the 18^th Global Gathering is coming. It is a huge encouragement to them. There will be several thousand attending and they are seeking to encourage bus loads from other countries in South America to also be present at the gathering. It will be an exciting encounter for all of us who are there. We will connect!!

It was thrilling to have Pastor Victor Hugo Queiroz, President of our churches in Brazil and a Vice President of World Convention, at our meeting and to ‘catch’ the enthusiasm Brazil has for 2012. The generosity of our Brazilian churches is astonishing and humbling as they have offered to meet a substantial proportion of the cost of the gathering.

Plan—NOW-- to be there in 2012!

Korea 2016

The Board also accepted the enthusiastic invitation of the Korean churches for the 2016 Global Gathering. Dr Kang-Pyung Lee, President of our Korean churches and First Vice President of World Convention, was also at our meeting and brought a generous support gift from Korea. We have about 500 congregations in Korea and they greatly value their connection to our global family through World Convention.

The Great Communion

World Convention is promoting the Great Communion globally as a top priority for 2009. Our churches in the USA have great plans and resources (http://www.greatcommunion.org/study/declaration/declaration.htm) to celebrate the bicentennial of the publishing of the Declaration and Address. Check them out to see how you can also utilize them. World Convention, in its unique role connecting our family globally (in 180 countries), is encouraging churches everywhere to become involved. From Australia to Zimbabwe, it is happening!

Women’s Desk

The board learned that the Women’s Desk for Global Women Connecting is settling in well to the World Convention office. Global Women Connecting is contributing financially to hours for World Convention staff member, Julia Keith. Communication and coordination now occur through the World Convention office and news publications. The GWC service project (2008-2012) is the Klong Toey slum in Bangkok, Thailand. Gifts designated for either Global Women Connecting or Klong Toey can be made payable to World Convention with your designation in the memo line and sent to the Women’s Desk, c/o World Convention.

Connecting Everywhere, Every Day

Staff visits, ChristiaNet, World Christian, Global Gatherings, Bader for Evangelism Lectures, National Profiles (national stories on our web site), the web site itself, 11:11 Get Connected (our every hour somewhere, prayer chain), everyday emails and phone calls across the planet – these are some of the ways World Convention helps us ‘connect’ every day. The board looked at other ideas to strengthen this ministry including:

- Enhancing the use of electronic means to communicate, strengthen relationships, and share resources generated by the witness and ministries of churches around the world.

– Regional Leaders’ Conferences with World Convention acting as catalyst/coordinator.

– Lectureships and similar events occurring between Global Gatherings especially at meetings already scheduled.

Our People

The board reluctantly bid farewell to the Executive Director, Jeff Weston, and thanked him for his outstanding service to World Convention. It is very disappointing that securing permanent resident status became impossible. Jeff and Rosemary are now back in Melbourne, Australia with Jeff serving at our Southern Community Church. We ask you to pray for them as they settle into a new routine. Their address is 13/22 Bindi Close, Springvale South, VIC 3172, Australia.

Our dedicated and very capable office staff and volunteers – Clint Holloway, Julia Keith, Everett and Judy Davis and Ed Dodds will ensure that the work of World Convention continues seamlessly. Continue to hold them up before God in this challenging period.

The office of World Convention will continue be located at the World Convention house in Nashville.

We would also seek your prayers for the Executive Committee (B J Mpofu, Bob Wetzel, Rick Reisinger, Doug Foster and Katherine Anne Haggard) as they will be especially active in the near future as we continue to seek a part time interim Executive Officer (formerly General Secretary) and a permanent new appointment.

Like many ministries in this economic downturn, World Convention has been receiving less income. But we do look for, need and anticipate your continuing and (wherever possible) increased support so we can enhance and extend the work we are doing.

If you have not mailed your 2009 gift, receiving it now would be of great assistance to World Convention.

These are exciting times for our global family …

Board member Martin Phiri has established a World Convention office in Kenya. Reference to the churches in Brazil, Korea and Zimbabwe in this newsletter show how the ‘new world’ is rising to take its place in partnership with the old. Our 21st century growth is transforming who we are into what we are truly called to be –a GLOBAL connection!!

It is very exciting! New connections every day!