GOIANIA, BRAZIL

'SHARING THE LOVE THAT UNITES'

   JULY 25-29,2012

Stay in touch in this special section to get the latest planning information for the 2012 Global Gathering.  Ongoing access to details can also be found on our website - 

www.worldconvention.org

the Global Gathering website (english)- 

www.worldconvention2012.org 

the Global Gathering website (portuguese)- 

www.convencaomundial2012.org* 

*Please note - the registration process on this site is for Brazilians only 

Click here, then print brochure. Complete and mail or give to a friend.

Check with your country's consulate office to determine if you need a visa to enter Brazil  - OR - check with your travel agent..  Quatro Estações (our official travel agency) can help with this information.  Prepare your documents for interview using visa questionnaire here. 

This will be prepared in the Nashville office following your paid registration.  World Convention, Nashville must have your completed visa questionnaire to prepare your letter. 

Quatro Estações is the 18th Global Gathering's official travel agency.  Transportation, accommodation and tours can be arranged with them.  We recommend you begin on their web site www.quatroestacoes.tur.br/103665-destino-world-convention-2012   for an English version of their offerings. 

The friendly Quatro Estações sales team is available to assist with your accommodations.   Detail in English can be found at www.quatroestacoes.tur.br/103665-destino-world-convention-2012 03665-destino-18th-world-convention-2012 

Please note that prices are listed in Brazilian Real.  To compute foreign exchange rates, visit www.x-rates.com/calculator.html  

There will be transportation to and from  Goiania and Brasilia.  The planning team will inform the times for these in the near future.

Travel consultants at Quatro Estações will assist with individual tour options. Click here to view two of their choices

Caldas Novas sights - Rio de Janiero sights. 

View details for a post tour to Rio de Janiero here.

For more information, please contact them at www.quatroestacoes.tur.br/103665-destino-world-convention-2012   

Christian Standard Tour

World Convention board member, Mark Taylor (editor and publisher of Christian Standard) and Larry Travis (vice president for leadership development, Cincinnati Christian University) have teamed up with Brazilian Rafa Soares to offer an eleven day tour surrounding the Global Gathering.                                                                    

See their brochure here for details, or email  Larry.Travis@CCUniversity.edu                                                                                                    

Brazil River of Life Ministries'               'Experience Brazil' Tour     

World Convention advisor, Jeff Fife and his wife Monica Fife (Global Women Connecting President and World Convention board member)  will host a tour of several BRoLM church plants in five cities      

See the BRoLM brochure here.                                                                                                                                                               

Plenary Speakers 

Click here for biographical information under the EVENTS/Global Gathering - Program section

A variety of learning opportunities. Click here for list of presentation descriptions

Global Women Connecting 

Special program and activities for women. 

Click here to view the schedule

Earl Haubner regrets to repors that due to a shortage in interest, Central Brazil Mission has decided to cancel this mission trip.  CBM apologizes for the necessity of this change. 

•  The Allan and Mildred Lee Awards which recognize contributions to the life and mission of the church.
• The Garfield and Grace Todd Awards which recognize those in our churches who have made a significant contribution to the wider community.  

Submit your nominations to Gary Holloway at gary@worldconvention.org OR PO Box 50998, Nashville, TN  37205

PO Box 50998     Nashville, TN   USA    37205-0998        

615-298-1824

Two Good Books to Read

                                                             ~Gary Holloway

     A minister in our movement I admire greatly leads a healthy, growing church. He recently was asked about our Stone-Campbell heritage of pursuing Christian unity. His response was that unity was fine but he was much more interested in evangelism. What he failed to see is the connection between the two, made clear by the prayer of Jesus in John 17:23, "May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."

     Unfortunately, there are few books on contemporary efforts at Christian unity for the sake of God's mission in the world. But recently two new and insightful books have been published. The first is by John H. Armstrong, Your Church is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission is Vital to the Future of the Church. The second is Unexpected Destinations: An Evangelical Pilgrimage to World Christianity by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson.

     What both books have in common are stories of each writer's pilgrimage from a Christian upbringing suspicious of Christian unity efforts to his leadership roles in unity organizations. Their stories struck a strong chord in me.

John Armstrong is a leader among evangelicals and a church planter with a heart for evangelism. Through the power of Scripture (particularly John 17), the confession of faith (especially "I believe in one holy catholic church"), and his experience of global Christianity, he experienced what he calls a conversion to spiritual and relational cooperation that he calls "missional-ecumenism."

     I first met Wesley Granberg-Michaelson last year at the Christian Churches Together in the USA meeting in Birmingham, Alabama (led by World Convention board member Dick Hamm). I was also with him at the Global Christian Forum last year in Manado, Indonesia. At both meetings, he graciously included me in discussions even though I am a newcomer to these unity discussions.

     What I find most compelling about the stories of these two are their experiences of how the inward spiritual journey fuels the desire for Christian witness, justice, and unity. As one who comes from a sectarian background, I can relate to the surprising journey of grace that they share.

     Reading these books will give you a deeper appreciation of two of the purposes of World Convention, that is, to provide a means of relating the global family to the whole Church of Jesus Christ; and to cooperate with Christians everywhere toward the unity of the Church upon the basis of the New Testament Scriptures (quoted from our mission statement). That work of promoting Christian unity that proclaims the good news of God's love has been my greatest joy in my two years at World Convention.

Daily Disciple

english version 

July 26-31, 2012

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