TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR August 2008 MMN CONFERENCE

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2008

3:00 - 5:30 P.M.
Registration
5:30 - 6:30 P.M.
Dinner
7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
Gathering - Welcome, Introductions, Worship - Julie Burton & Phyllis Wezeman
Worship - Rev. Dennis Ritchie, Claremore, OK
Greetings from Denomination - Doug Welch 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2008

7:30 - 8:30 A.M.
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:00 A.M.
Worship
9:00 - 10:00 A.M.
Keynote Address: Rev. Davidson Chifungo, General Secretary, Nkhoma Synod, CCAP
10:00 - 10:30 A.M.
Conversation: Rev. Davidson Chifungo, General Secretary, Nkhoma Synod
10:30 - 10:45 A.M.
Break
10:45 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.
Small Groups
    Blantyre Synod
    Nkhoma Synod
    Livingstonia Synod
12:00 - 1:00 P.M.
Lunch
1:15 -2:30 P.M.
UPDATE - Doug Welch
2:30 - 2:45 P.M.
Break
2:45 - 3:45 P.M.
PANEL DISCUSSION - Development Issues in Malawi including Brain Drain
    Jim McGill , Doug Welch, Rev. Davidson Chifungo & others
3:45 - 4:00 P.M.
Break
4:00 - 5:00 P.M.
WORKSHOP/CONVERSATION I - EDUCATION - (3 choices)
  1. Embangweni School for the Hard of Hearing - Carol Nussbaumer
  2. HIV/AIDS - Nora Goetz & Linda Robertson
  3. Language Lessons - Chichewa and/or Tumbuka - Mercy Nyirenda & Mlekwa Mwachande
5:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.
Agencies/ Organizations - Displays
Free Time
5:30- 6:30 P.M.
Dinner
7:00 - 8:30 P.M.
Nine Reasons Projects Fail:   Ted Wright
8:45 P.M.
   Conversation Groups
   Pool/Sauna/Free Time

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2008

7:30 - 8:30 A.M.
Breakfast
8:30 - 9:00 A.M.
Worship - Rev. Davidson Chifungo
9:00 - 10:15 A.M.
Conversation/Presentation: Jim McGill 
10:15 - 10:30 A.M.
Break
10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Fifteen Minutes with ... Agencies
    Africa Bags - Todd Petitt
    International Health Ministries - Gail Bingham & Bob Ellis
    Marion Medical Mission - Jim Nussbaumer
    Medical Benevolence - Pam Ator
    Ministry of Hope - Scott Rodehaver
    University of Livingstonia - Tom O'Meara
12:00 - 1:00 P.M.
Box Lunches with one of the following:
    Rev. Davidson Chifungo
    Jim McGill
    Doug Welch
    Sue Wright
    Ted Wright
1:15 - 2:30 P.M.
CONVERSATION / WORKSHOP II - MONEY ISSUES - (3 choices)
  1. African Friends and Money Matters: Alex Kasasi, Jeremy Namwali 
  2. Fundraising Ideas for Malawi Projects - Karen Muennink, Lois Vermeer, Phyllis Wezeman & Helen Zimba
  3. Logistics of Money Issues (Containers, Shipping, Wire Transfers & more)   Working with Finance Committees/Mission Committees/Sessions in Your Church
2:30 -2:45 P.M.
Break
2:45 - 3:45 P.M.
CONVERSATION / WORKSHOP III - CULTURE - (3 choices)  
1. Grief Observed: Insights Gained from African Funerals - Sue Wright
2. Malawi Culture - Helen Zimba
3. Moving from Relationships to Friendships - Kay Day
3:45  - 4:00 P.M.
Break
4:00 - 5:00 P.M.
CONVERSATION / WORKSHOP IV - NEXT STEPS - (3 choices)
  1. The Next Big Step: Discerning God's Call to Mission Service - Long and Short Term - Sue Wright
    2.
  2. What Overseas Partners Wish You Knew about Short Term Mission Trips - Ted Wright
  3. Women's Issues - Victoria Chichana
5:00 - 5:30 P.M.
Next Steps for the Malawi Mission Network - Julie Burton & Phyllis Wezeman
6:00 P.M.
Evening in Oklahoma!!

SUNDAY, August 7, 2008

7:30 - 8:30 A.M.
Breakfast
8:45 - 9:30 A.M.
Worship

    ADJOURN

SPEAKERS:

Julie Burton: Julie is a Certified Associate Christian Eductor and serves as the Director of Congregational Resources for Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery.   She has been moderator of their partnership committee and is currently staff liason to that committee.

Rev Davidson Chifungo: Rev. Chifungo is the General Secretary of the Nkhoma Synod,  CCAP.

Carol Nussbaumer: Carol is a retired speech therapist from Estes Park, Colorado, who has been working with the Embangweni School for the Hard of Hearing since 1997.

Phyllis Wezeman: Phyllis is the Director of Christian Nurture at First Presbyterian Church, South Bend, IN. She is a co-convener for the Malawi Mission Network.

Jim McGill:  Jim is a Mission Co-worker coordinating projects for the Synod of Livingstonia in Mzuzu.