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Wednesday, September 15, 2004

LAST CALL FOR NATIVE AMERICAN SYMPOSIUM
Space still available for NAIITS conference

By Jim Uttley
Special to ASSIST News Service

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA  (ANS) -- One week from tomorrow, September 23, marks the opening of the third Missiological Symposium sponsored by the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS) in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes.

This year's symposium has as its theme "Education: Credentials, Competence, Learning for Understanding."

Keynoting the conference are Dr. Tite Tienou of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, Dr. Mirium Adeney of Seattle Pacific University and Regent College's Osias Segura, a candidate for Doctor of Missiology from Costa Rica.

The conference is being held at the Salvation Army's Crestmont College in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The conference will run through Saturday afternoon, September 25. A Writer's Seminar will follow directly after the NAIITS conference.

Wiconi International's President Richard Twiss has recently embarked on an educational journey at Asbury Theological Seminary pursuing a doctorate. He says that "one of my great hopes in this endeavor is to blend the balanced perspectives from various "apostolic" streams...to produce new understandings and models of Kingdom living that effectively advance Christ's work among us, especially as it applies to our Indigenous communities around the world!

"There is no doubt in my mind," says Twiss, "that we are living in a pre-determined time in the Father's purposes! Our generation is witnessing massive global change, emerging new paradigms of church life, a deepening dissatisfaction with the status quo...."

The Symposium seeks to bring theologians, missiologists, anthropologists and mission practitioners together with pastors and leaders in Native Ministry, for two-and-a-half days of dialogue. Out of this, the proceedings will be released in different formats. One will be a general paper on the findings and outcomes of the symposium and the other will be in theological journal format. In addition, topical booklets may be produced addressing issues raised.

One of the goals is to expand the consortium supporting the Institute and to
create dynamic partnerships in Native North American Ministry.

These meetings are open to mission directors, college and university professors and administrators, Native American and Canadian pastors, teachers and community leaders, missionaries, and anyone who is interested in the field of education and the future of Missions as it relates to the Native North American church.

This symposium is being sponsored by the following institutions and organizations: Asbury Seminary, Canadian Mennonite University's Concord College, First Nations Alliance Churches (C&MA) of Canada, LAMP-USA, My People International, Providence College and Seminary, The Salvation Army Ethics Center, Wiconi International, Urbana-InterVarsity/USA, William & Catherine Booth Bible College, and World Vision Canada's Aboriginal Program.

If you are interested in attending, please contact the conference registrar Anita Keith today. She can give you more details about the conference, the costs, and ideas about lodging. You can reach Anita at 204-261-5676 or by e-mail at naiits@mts.net  Her fax is: 204-261-9164.
For more information, you may also contact Wiconi International at 360-546-1867 or by e-mail at office@wiconi.com
Jim Uttley, Communications Coordinator for Wiconi International, is also a freelance writer/editor and serves as Native American Affairs correspondent for ASSIST NEWS SERVICE. Jim is a member of Evangelical Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Christian Writers Guild.


You can reach him at 1-204-452-9200, E-mail: juttley5@mts.net or jmuttley2000@yahoo.com You can write to him at Wiconi International, P.O. Box 5246, Vancouver, WA 98668. Jim lives with his wife Jan in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They have three grown children and became first time grandparents in August.
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