Preview of Annual Conference: Mozambique Style
News
Craig Stevenson 
By Craig StevensonAnnual Conference is right around the corner, and at Mozambique Initiative, they are preparing to showcase our ministry story.
Their booth will highlight a few of our ministry areas. We’ll be right at our usual location near the elevator and exterior doors of the convention center. Our space will include a thatch-like structure with a short video, the ability for you to carry a 5-gallon bucket of water a short distance, interactively explore the Center of Hope, and feature a tree to highlight our covenant partnerships, with the opportunity for churches to partner with a church in Mozambique!
Mozambique Mingle
A staple over the last few years, the Mozambique Mingle is a time for those interested in Mozambique to enjoy appetizers and visit casually at Gilardi’s restaurant, a short walk from the Convention Center. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit with Ezequiel Nhantumbo, the MI Team, and Craig Stevenson. Appetizers, Tea, Soda will be offered. A $12 per person donation is suggested.
The event is Saturday, June 4, from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Gilardi’s (820 E Walnut, Springfield).
WORKSHOP
SUNDAY Offering Plates: Giving Big For Missions (Craig Stevenson)
As believers, cultivating a generous heart to imitate the love of Jesus is part of our life’s work. In this session, the Mozambique Initiative presents an opportunity to practice the radical hospitality through your congregation’s offerings. By debuting two “Giving Kits” for safe water wells and micro-finance projects at Annual Conference, we expect these tools to assist and encourage churches toward a practice of designating the largest offerings of the year (Christmas and Easter) to missions. During our time together we will walk through the giving kit, including: social media components, letters to share from beneficiaries in Mozambique, video clips designed to be used in worship, sermon and children’s illustrations, and more. Meet Craig Stevenson - the new Mozambique Initiative coordinator, learn about the giving kits, and bring questions related to Mozambique!
Offering: Mozambique Initiative Offering: Support Prenatal and Maternal Health
The Center of Hope is a faith-based community health promotion program located across from the Chicuque Rural Hospital and has active grants from the Imagine No Malaria, UMCOR’s Global Health arm, and the United Methodist Global Aids fund totaling more than $150,000.
In an effort to allow for full implementation of these grants, the 2016 Mozambique Initiative Annual Conference Offering will go toward purchasing a vehicle for proactive health outreach in order to prevent complications, diseases, and deaths. By beginning with currently funded grant projects, this vehicle will directly benefit more than 5,900 children under the age of 5 and more than 1,300 pregnant women in their communities by having trainings and monthly visits to increase child and maternal health in their home communities.