ONE of the summer's most important and longest-running missionary conventions, Bangor Worldwide, will be held in August and feature a closing night celebration in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Taking 'Building the Kingdom' as its theme, the Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention - now in its 79th year - will include 33 events, most of which will be held in Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church.
The convention has held events in Belfast before, with the Waterfront Hall hosting the 2011 opening meeting, and chairman Tom Clarke said the organisers had "decided the time was right to return, this time on our closing night".
The convention has a simple aim, said Mr Clarke: "In all of our events we seek to inform people of the work of a range of mission agencies and encourage them to have a real heart for global mission as God calls us to have."
Maud Kells, a missionary for over 45 years with WEC International who found herself at the centre of a news story in January when she was shot at her home in the Congo, will also take part in several events, including the Waterfront Hall meeting.
"I have been attending Bangor Worldwide for a very long time and always find it a blessing to go and hear the work of other missionaries, it is so encouraging for me," she said.
"The Bible readings in particular are great, offering spiritual food. Bangor Worldwide is always a highlight in my year and something I always look forward to when I come home from the Congo."
Mr Clarke said Pastor Paul Mallard, from Widcombe Baptist Church in Bath, will be leading the morning Bible readings and that a youth stream called Worldwide Ignite hoped to "inspire the next generation to be passionate about missions".
::Bangor Worldwide runs from August 21 to 29. More information from www.worldwidemission.org, @BangorWorldwide on Twitter and on the Bangor Worldwide Missionary Convention Facebook page
