Tal Gardner Executive Director of WMM
Regrettably, I had to cancel several scheduled trips in September including a trip to the Inaugural Missions Fest in Burlington, North Carolina and a trip to Berlin, Germany for a church dedication. I wanted to give you a report on these events even though I was not present because both events were significant for World Missions Ministries and you, our faith family.
Inaugural Missions Fest
Since the School of Missions had recently been restructured exclusively for our missionary family, I realized there was a great need for a missions centered forum for pastors and local church missions directors that would provide them with a practical overview of how the IPHC does missions as well as education on the scope of our global outreach and influence. The idea of hosting a national Missions Fest soon emerged.
The inaugural Missions Fest was celebrated with a peak attendance of 315 people, averaging 289 people throughout the event. I have provided you with an overview of the program below to get a glimpse of what our Missions Fest attendees were able to experience throughout the weekend. Be sure to note upon review of our schedule that Ismail Serinken, the leader of our ministry in Turkey, was our featured guest speaker on Friday evening. I felt very strongly that those in attendance needed to hear the voice of a missions leader like Ismail, as he represents the fruit of our laborers in the global harvest field.
In addition to the program, I have also included an email below that I received from one of the participants, Mike Simpson. Mike’s comments are a summary of the great response received in the 100+ surveys given to attendees to provide us with feedback.
I want to thank Steve and Kathryn for directing this Missions Fest for the WMMD. Everyone has been so complimentary about their service. I am also indebted to Trinity Worship Center and Pastor Darrell Cox [my home church] for hosting this spectacular event. Super pastor–super church!
Email: Mike Simpson
Received Mon 9/15/2014 5:35 PM –
“I’m very sorry you were forced to miss two extremely exciting days in Burlington and hope your recovery from knee surgery is going well. Most of the following comments were included in my Missions Fest survey form, but I want to tell you personally just how good this event was. I have been Missions Director at the Stoneville PH Church for the past 15 years, heavily involved in World Mission for almost 25 years, and can state unequivocally that this was the best WMMD sponsored or promoted event I have ever attended. I have been to School of Missions a couple of times and found it both enjoyable and informative, but really more applicable to those who are already deeply involved in various aspects of World Missions, especially career missionaries or those wanting to become career missionaries. Missions Fest appears to have been designed from the ground up for everyone who has even a passing interest in world missions.
There was a very good balance of topics and speakers. The ten minutes time allocations worked well. Despite a few casual comments about that not being enough time, all the speakers were well prepared and everyone got their points across within 10-12 minutes. That’s enough time for someone who is not well prepared to get boring, and I did not get bored. There is no way I can say enough good things about everyone at WMMD who was involved in making this happen. It ran like clockwork and was extremely well planned and orchestrated. Trinity Worship Center was an ideal facility and their staff and volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who was involved in putting this together and making it happen. It was a fantastic event, a tremendous success, and one that should only get better each time it happens. I sincerely hope this becomes something that will be repeated on an annual, or least every two year, basis.
Best Regards,
Mike Simpson”
Treffpunkt Dedication in Berlin, Germany
Steve and Betsy Cofer traveled to Germany and represented World Missions Ministries at the Treffpunkt Dedication, a local church in Berlin. Steve kindly provided the following account of the dedication along with a few pictures from this special occasion.
“September 21, 2014 was a special day for the Buchholz community in Berlin, Germany. On this Sunday, the commencement of a spectacular, all-day event acknowledged the completion of the Treffpunkt facilities. Under the excellent, national German leadership of Pastors Peter and Beate Kressin and their ministry team, the morning began with praise and worship followed by a dedication service, which turned into a community event. Key persons present were Pastor Erhart Zeiser – Pentecost Church (BFP); Pastor Manuela Michaelis and his leadership board – Lutheran Church; Pastor Timo Heimlich – Free Evangelical Church; Pastor Winfried Rudloff – Christus Gemeinde (BFP); Doris Reichert – Leader of Christian Coffee House in Berlin; Jens Tangenberg – Citizen Club Französisch Buchholz; Rudi Bayer – Sportclub SV Buchholz; and Christof Reinwald – Architect of the Treffpunkt building project.
The afternoon service was filled with some of the above guests sharing their congratulatory remarks to the church and its ministry to the greater area of Berlin and Germany.
Also present were Bishop A.D. Beacham Jr., General Superintendent of IPHC Ministries; Continental Director Bob Cave and wife, Carol; Western Europe Regional Director Linwood Berry and wife, Nancy; Mark and Jeannie McClung, founding missionaries of the Treffpunkt; and missionaries Jeff and Miranda Weaver. From the States, Coffee House Director Steve Cofer and wife, Betsy and World Missions Council Member Charles Craig and wife, Doris.
The Treffpunkt Coffee House, now directed by Christoph and Andrea Mueller, was a significant part of this special celebration. Pastor Peter Kressin’s perspective is that the church was launched with the coffee house. Its role is important, especially as it continues today and ministers to the community through outreach. They did a superb job in the afternoon as they hosted everyone present. It was a wonderful time of fellowship with special foods for the occasion. Yes, they had great coffee too!
The dedication ended in the evening hours with a meal for all the special guests and Treffpunkt leadership team. The event marked a significant time to remember and the launching out into deeper waters as the church continues its strategic plan to reach the Buchholz community. The dedication was not the end but a beginning of a new season.” – Steve Cofer
Pastor Peter Kressin and Translator address the congregation
View of the congregation in attendance for church dedication
The church’s Royal Rangers group poses for a picture
View of Treffpunkt Gemeinde, our church in Berlin, Germany
Church leadership team presents Pastor Peter with congratulatory bouquet
Until Christ returns, I ask you to continue partnering with us in this Kingdom-advancing work through your prayers and your generous financial support.
Thank you for standing with us in the critical work of sending missionaries to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.
-Tal-