The 48th annual Festival of Missions will be held Nov. 13-20 at Ebenezer Mennonite Church, Bluffton.
The theme this year is: "Jesus, You are Worthy,"based on Revelation 5:9."
"....You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."
Sunday services are at 10:15 a.m. Evening services begin at 7 p.m nightly Sunday through Wednesday. Friday evening is a family meal at 6 p.m. A men's breakfast will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 a.m. and a Ladies Refreshment Hour will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Guest speaker on Nov. 13 will be Dr. Bruce Johnson, president of SIM U.S.A. a global mission, based in Charlotte N.C. He has more than 35 years of leadership experience in Christian ministry. He has had a consulting practice, assisting churches.
Dr. Johnson has worked cross-culturally in Asia helping to establish and strengthen indigenous leadership ministries. He serves his church as an elder, teacher, small group leader and mentor. He and his wife, Mary, make their home in Charlotte, N.C.
On Nov. 20 Dr. Timothy Sisk will be the guest speaker. He is chair and professor of World Missions and Evangelism at Moody Bible Institute.
Dr. Sisk served as a missionary in Japan for 10 years. He taught church planting, New Testament, and theology at the Kansai Baptist Bible College and has served as president of the Japan Baptist Mission Society. He also served in Bolivia for three years to assist national churches in the formation of a training college. Dr. Sisk and his wife, Donna, have four children.
Other participants
Other missionaries that will participate are: Scott and Kaitlin Andrews, serving with TEAM and preparing to go to the Czech Republic; Norm and Gwen Bowman are with Global Outreach International in a music, counseling and prayer ministry.
Jerad and Amy Diller work with 'Rally Point', Lima; Paul and Ruth Erdal work with the Slavic Gospel Union; Tim and Tiffany Gallant work with Global Partners in Cambodia.
Don and Ann Leader serve with Findlay Area Youth for Christ; Daniel and Lynn Plett work with TWR in the Slovak Republic; Nick Powell works with Avant Ministries at Echo Ranch Bible Camp, Juneau, Alaska; Dan Reisacher serves with Trans World Radio.
Jim and Deb Smith work with Wycliffe Associates and are on loan to Aramaic Bible Translation; Christina Wolber works with Push the Rock Ministries; Kerry Wright, Jr. serves with Converge Midamerica in church planting, Louisville, Ky.
Children's programs
There will be special meetings for children ages two through sixth grade each evening. The Children's Missionary Adventure will be led by Patti Collins, who has been teaching children's release classes in Hancock County and Leipsic Schools for more than 25 years.
All services are free and open to the public; however, reservations are needed for the Friday evening family meal, the Saturday morning men's Breakfast and the Ladies Refreshment Hour. For more information please call the church at 419-358-8588.
