Annual missions conference has new name, broader focus

Mar. 6, 2008
By Lauren Urtel

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)—Missions opportunities and growth in service for both men and women will be the focus of the 2008 SonShine missions conference April 3-5.

Sonshine, formerly known as Celebration of Missions, will be held at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center for the first time.

The new conference name is based on the idea that “if the son, Jesus Christ, is not shining through His people, others will not see him,” said Cindy Goodwin, director of the Florida Baptist Convention Women’s Missions and Ministries Department (WMM) who is hosting the event.

With the event’s new name, WMM has partnered with the Men’s Missions and Ministries Department to reach men as well as women. The men’s department will provide conference leaders for specific breakout sessions, including “How to Build a Life Changing Men’s Ministry” and “The Role of the Man in the 21st Century.”

“We have had men come to the meeting for several years but we wanted to offer more of what they would be interested in,” said Goodwin. “This is something different. We wanted to reach out to a broader audience, not just women.

“Missions is more than just for women, it is for everyone and we all have our responsibility about it.”

National and international, short and long-term missionaries will speak during the three-day event. “We want people to see there are mission trips that can fit any lifestyle,” said Goodwin. “You don’t have to be a career missionary; you can take a short-term mission trip and make a real difference.”

Eddie and Janice Ray, International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries to Mozambique, will lead in prayer on Friday afternoon session. The WMM has been in a prayer partnership with missionaries serving in Mozambique for more than a decade.

“We try to bring missionaries from Mozambique in whenever we can to come to update the women,” said Goodwin. “They read the prayer-gram and see the names but when you can put a face with a name and prayer request, it makes a difference. The missionaries say that the prayer partnership has meant so much to their work.”

Other missionaries speaking include Archie Jones, retired IMB missionary to South America, an IMB Journeyman and volunteer missionaries who have participated in short-term missions.

Keynote speaker of the event will be Diana Davis, wife of the executive director of Indiana Baptist Convention, which is involved in a missions partnership with Florida Baptists. The author of Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry will present the theme interpretation and teach a breakout session based on her book.

Jane Bishop, director of missionary mobilizations for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), will lead a break-out session on the Annie Armstrong Offering of National Missions, “How do You Spend Annie’s Money?”

“While international missions often receive attention, NAMB also sends missionaries all over the United States,” said Goodwin. “A lot of new Christians don’t know who Annie Armstrong is and why we give to the offering. This session will help people understand where the money goes.”

“There is a place for everyone to be involved in missions—to be doing missions, learning about missions, praying about missions,” said Goodwin. “Missions is limited in the minds of many people to offerings or the week of prayer, but there is more than that. We want people to come away thinking that there are many ways they can be involved in furthering the kingdom.”

Christian Recording artist Kate Campbell will begin the conference with a concert Thursday night. Campbell is the daughter of Jeanette and Jim Henry, retired pastor of First Baptist Church of Orlando. Other musicians include “Three16” from Plantation’s First Baptist Church and “Higher Call,” a quartet from Stetson Baptist Church.

The conference will also feature the parade of flags; a presentation from the Historical Commission; a reception for WMU President Carol Vandeventer, who was elected to a one-year term at last year’s annual meeting. She is eligible for re-election this year.

For more information or to register for this event, call 800-226-8584, ext. 3141 or go online.