Ebenezer Mennonite Church, Bluffton, will celebrate its 50th annual Festival of Missions, Nov. 10 through 17. The theme is Footprints of the Past, Footsteps toward the Future.
Featured speakers are Jerry Trousdale, director of International Ministries for City Team International. He co-founded Final Command Ministries, an organization dedicated to establishing church planting movements among Muslim people groups.
Chip Kirk has served with OM ships Doulos and Logos II since 1987. He and his wife, Stellise have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Richard Sharpe is known to show up for meetings and turn audiences into evangelist teams. He is an Englishman, married to Rachel. They have two sons in college. He sums up his speaking ministry this way: "Richard is my name; to spark is my game." He lives to: Spark people to come wholeheartedly to Christ.
The festival begins on Sunday, Nov. 10, with 9 a.m. combined Sunday School with Jerry Trousdale speaking. He will continue through the worship service at 10:15 a.m. and again at 7 p.m.
Weekday services, Monday through Wednesday, will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday includes an all church breakfast 8:30 a.m. with Chip Kirk and Richard Sharpe speaking at 9:30 a.m.
Saturday evening service is youth night at 7 p.m.. Sunday, Nov. 17, concludes the festival with Rich Sharpe speaking at 9 a.m. and Chip Kirk and Rich Sharpe at the 10:15 a.m. service.
A mission festival banquet is at 6 p.m. with Chip Kirk and Rich Sharpe speaking. There is a $5 charge for the banquet. Tickets are required in advance, deadline for tickets is Wednesday, Nov. 6. Children 10 and under are free.
Special services are held nightly for the children.
Other missionaries participating are Andy and Pam LaBreche, United World Mission in Romania; Tiffany Bixel, Cru with Cadets at Texas A&M; Kathleen Needler, vice-chairperson of Children Choosing Christ; Gary and Pearl Nussbaum, Transport for Christ, Dan and Cheryl Riesacher, TransWorld Radio, Wade and Hannah Slechter, YFC Bluffton/Pandora and Findlay area; Chuck and Naomi Smith, New Tribes Mission, Paraguay; Lee and Michelle Sonius, HCJB, Ghana; Phil and Mindy Steiner, Be2live; and Les and Verla Unruh, SIM USA.
The festival verse is Romans 10: 14,15: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard ? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news'.
All services with the exception of the Sunday evening banquet, are free and open to the public. For more information call the church at 419-358-8588.
