wfn.org | ABCUSA: Ohio Church To Host First World Mission Conference Of 2008

["Jayne, Andy" <Andy.Jayne@abc-usa.org>]

VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 05/16/08) - Hundreds are expected to gather at
the Montgomery Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio Friday, May 16
through Sunday, May 18 for the World Mission Conference of American
Baptist International Ministries.

Montgomery Community Church expects crowds from many churches from
Southeastern Ohio and beyond. The event will feature 20 workshops, and
ten missionaries or international guests from Italy, Thailand, Mexico
and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among other countries.

"I am excited about the real mission presence that will be on our campus
that weekend," said Tom Lipsey, senior pastor at Montgomery. "I want to
see us come away with a greater heart for the world. Where we can't go,
we can send, but more of us can go," Lipsey said. Montgomery is one of
the leading church supporters of International Ministries. The church
encourages its members to not only give financial resources to support
mission, but to give of their time and talents as mission volunteers
around the world.

"Churches like Montgomery are central to what International Ministries
is all about," said Executive Director Reid Trulson. "Almost 200 years
ago, Baptist churches like Montgomery came together all across the
United States and said we can make a big difference in this world if we
work together," Trulson said. "Today, thousands of churches are still
vital partners, along with over 200 national churches and organizations
with which we work around the world, sending more than 2,500 short- and
long-term missionaries, including wonderful people from the Montgomery
Church."

The surprises of people working together to share good news and meet
human needs will be the focus on the weekend-long celebration of
teaching, worship and interaction.

There will be a special opportunity for attendees to hear from Duane
Binkley, a missionary who splits his time between Thailand and the
United States, doing work with refugees. Binkley helps ethnic minorities
who have fled Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia, get out of refugee
camps along the Thai-Myanmar border and relocate in the United States.
"Because of the experience of these refugees, our government is giving
more and more of them the opportunity to find a new life in the U.S.,"
said Binkley. "The surprise for many Americans is that many of these
refugees are Christians, and when they come to the U.S. they look for
the closest church, and churches are seeing their congregations
transformed in welcoming their new Christian sisters and brothers."

Binkley, who speaks the ethnic languages of groups coming to the U.S.,
will share with those who attend the conference how they can best
prepare to help these refugees make the adjustment to life in the U.S.

Registration for the conference is $70 for adults, $60 for youth and
students and $40 for kids. Child care will be provided. Get a $10
discount by registering online at www.worldmissionconference.org.
Separately, you may call 1-800-222-3872 for more information.

American Baptist International Ministries, organized in 1814, is the
oldest Baptist mission agency formed in North America. We serve more
than 2,500 short-term and long-term missionaries annually, bringing U.S.
and Puerto Rico churches together with partners in 76 countries in
cutting-edge ministries that tell the good news of Jesus Christ while
meeting human needs.

Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/