Mission Worker Watershed?

This next year could be a watershed moment in the life of the Presbyterian Church (USA) as members all over the nation meet to pray for God to provide the needed support to deploy new mission workers across our globe. After years of reducing our missionary personnel, we are on the threshold of a shift. Please read the press release below. Join me and others in this exciting moment in our lives as Presbyterians.

Day of Prayer at New Wilmington Mission Conference
July 19, 9 AM – 4 PM
Witherspoon Room, McKelvey Center
Westminster College

You are invited to join in the New Wilmington Mission Conference Day of Prayer on July 19, 9 AM – 4 PM. The Day of Prayer has been a long-standing tradition for the staff at NWMC. It is a standard part of our preparation for the week. This year we are expanding the Day of Prayer by expanding our invitation to everyone and by focusing our prayers more on the world.

This expanded Day of Prayer is in response to a new spark of mission fervor and commitment in the PC(USA). At a World Mission Consultation in Dallas in January an “Invitation to Expanding Partnership in God’s Mission” was signed by all 64 mission leaders attending. In conjunction with this, the PC(USA) World Mission unit has retooled to be more responsive to grass roots mission efforts - http://www.pcusa.org/worldmission/. The plan is to increase the number of full-time missionaries from 196 to 215 in 2009.

The mission initiators at the Dallas meeting committed to help move the PC(USA) forward to greater mission involvement. The shared commitments in this statement begin "As we move forward together in God’s mission, we commit ourselves to calling the church to ongoing intercessory prayer for God’s mission..." This Day of Prayer is one of the efforts that NWMC has made as part of our commitment.

Moderator (former) Joan Gray has committed to help lead this Day of Prayer. Director Don Dawson and Rev. Linda Ruby will join her. The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 11 AM.

Prayer is the most important thing we do in our service to God. Prayer prepares us to be used by God and opens the blessings of God upon all we do. Again and again NWMC leaders have seen the power of prayer and can testify to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of individuals and the influence and vitality of the conference.

We hope you will join us this year to seek the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the conference and in all the world. We need your prayers joined with the NWMC staff to seek after a new day in Presbyterian mission involvement. Even if you will not be present, pray with us during this time for God’s work in the world.



Any questions may be directed to Rev. Dr. Donald Dawson, Director of the New Wilmington Mission Conference – ddawson@pts.edu or 412-362-5610, x2149.)