Still Time to Register for Mission Initiative Summit

New York, NY, April 2, 2008—There is still time to register for the April 17-18 Mission Initiative Summit, which is an opportunity for United Methodists to become involved in church planting and partnering around the world.

The Rev. Mike Slaughter, lead pastor of the Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, Tipp City, Ohio, will be the keynote speaker at the event hosted by St. Andrew United Methodist Church, Plano, Texas.

The deadline for discounted registration is April 10, after which the rate for the full registration package goes up from $120.00 to $140.00. Single day registration is also possible, as is a special opportunity to hear Rev. Slaughter.

Mission initiatives are targeted church growth ministries through the General Board of Global Ministries. The initiatives are in some two dozen countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central America. Each initiative involves a network of fellowship and support that convenes from time to time. The Plano summit will be the first time that representatives from all current initiatives will come together to discuss common concerns and to enlist new participants.

One summit goal is to expand the number of congregations and individuals involved in these adventures in Christian mission.

Rev. Slaughter leads a congregation that has grown in recent years to an average Sunday worship attendance of more than 4,000. Mission plays a major role in the life of Ginghamsburg Church. Slaughter says that he “travels globally to use his ‘gift of irritation’ to equip ministry leaders to minimize brick and maximize mission so that they may fully deploy the mission of Jesus into the world.”

Among the mission outreach of the congregation is a strategic relationship with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to provide assistance to refugees in Darfur, that region of Sudan afflicted with civil conflict. For more information about Ginghamsburg Church and its pastor go online to http://ginghamsburg.org and http://mikeslaughter.com. For information on the Sudan project go to http://thesudanproject.org.

Other exciting speakers at the Mission Initiatives Summit will include Global Ministries General Secretary Bishop Felton E. May, church-planting pastors Ut & Karen To of Vietnam, Bishop Hans Växby of the Eurasia Episcopal Area, District Superintendent Gita Mednis of Latvia, and the Rev. Sam Dixon of UMCOR. Also on hand will be Rev. George & Wanda Holcombe, consultants for the initiative in Cameroon; Missionaries John and Bonnie Campbell from Lithuania, Katherine Parker from Cambodia, Cynthia Ceballos from Honduras, and Bill Lovelace from the Ukraine.

The summit is taking place a few days prior to the opening of the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the quadrennial legislating meeting of the denomination. General Conference delegations from several areas outside the United States, including Russia and Eastern Europe, will take part in the summit.

A bonus event, "Missional Church in a Flat World: A Global Conversation for Next Generation leaders in the Emerging Church," will take place immediately after the summit. It will be held from Friday evening, April 18, through Saturday noon, April 19, at an additional cost of $50.

The summit begins in the morning of Thursday, April 17 and concludes in the late afternoon on the 18th. Registration is offered in three options to enable a wide range of participation: Two day summit package, one day pass, and individual sessions:

Two day Summit Package for $120 after April 10th, $140.
One Day Pass is half price - $60 (includes meals on that day only).
Individual Sessions for $30 each! Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning with Mike Slaughter (all sessions include a workshop and a meal)

Housing is available at the Hampton Inn, 4901 Old Shepard Place, Plano, Texas
75093, phone, 972-519-1000, with group rates of $109 for week days and $89 for weekend dates. These rates are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For a downloadable registration form, event details and accommodation information, visit the summit website: http://gbgm-umc.org/summit/.

For additional information on the bonus event and the Mission Initiatives Summit, contact the Rev. Patrick Friday, pfriday@gbgm-umc.org, phone: 205 529 4209.