Host A Church Watch Party
Welcome to the Virtual Missions Conference! We are so glad that your church has decided to join us and watch the conference with your members. In addition to watching the plenary sessions and hearing stories from missionaries virtually, we have created ideas about how to engage your church members in person with one another.
This is a global and nationwide conference where you can expect to interact (not just sit and listen to) many of the missionaries that you support. Don’t worry, this isn’t one big, long Zoom call. We’re partnering with an event platform that will have a lot of the look and feel of a typical missions conference, complete with plenary speakers, missionary stories from the field, breakout workshops, and roundtable discussions. So gather up your fellow church members for a socially distanced watch-party.
Keep in mind, one registration for your church allows you to stream on one device. To stream on multiple devices, you must register with multiple email addresses.
Watch Party Planning Ideas:
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First, we've created promotional resources to help your church to market this virtual conference. (below)
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Second, we've compiled a list of international dishes from our missionaries that you can prepare and share as an international dinner. (below) Or consider the possibility of ordering takeout from a local international restaurant.
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MTW is excited to provide four 15-minute videos for families and churches to encourage the hearts of children to engage in God's Story of growing His kingdom! Each video provides unique content including praise and worship, teaching on missions, Bible Stories, and encouragement for living missionally as a family. You'll be introduced to missionaries (from Uganda, Ukraine, Nicaragua and Japan) and hear about God's work around the world. Our hope is that families and churches will use this fun digital content to grow hearts for God’s heart for the world.
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Next, we have several ways to engage your youth group in the conference. Host the students in a separate room at the church on Saturday with a youth leader. Pick two stories to watch in the morning with donuts, then watch the plenary together, then end the day by watching the breakout session: "10 Things To Think About When Considering Missions". Finally, have them complete the devotional together, which each registered participant will receive.
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Lastly, we have attached a response card that your church can print for members to fill out. You can hang them on the wall of the church for all to see.
Post-Conference Debrief
If you are not planning on hosting a watch party, but the attendees from your church would like to all meet together online during the conference, we recommend setting up a Zoom call after the Saturday session has ended. This way, your church body can still meet up like you would if you were all together watching the conference. You can plan ahead to meet up with church members who are at their homes via Zoom once the closing session has ended, to debrief your time and end the conference in fellowship.
We hope you enjoy the conference, and have a sweet time with your church this weekend as we praise God together!
CONFERENCE RESOURCES
Powerpoint Slides, Graphics, & Resources
BULLETIN INSERT BLURB
Below is a blurb that you can use for your own bulletin insert, or you may download our pre-designed and formatted insert above.
Virtual Missions Conference
February 19–20, 2021 | FREE
Our world is in upheaval but the work of making disciples of Christ is ever before us. Now more than ever, we witness His hand at work and celebrate the assurance that His story continues.
You’ll hear stories from around the world, experience workshops that will challenge your views on missions, and catch a glimpse into the future as we anticipate how God will grow His kingdom through the work of the Presbyterian Church in America and our partners.
Individuals, groups, and churches welcome. More info at mtw.org/vmc
CHURCH LEADER TRAINING
See below for a basic tour of the conference platform. We discuss the structure of the conference, and answer attendee questions. You may also download our printable conference user-guide to show you how to log in and navigate the platform. For the same guide in video, check out our video tour.
SETTING UP YOUR SPACE
We are grateful to God that learning about His Story is for followers of all ages! For the weekend, we suggest having 3 rooms: One designated for the smallest disciples, one for youth, and then one large room where main sessions will be viewed.
As each space is tailored to each life stage, our prayer is that each attendee will walk away from the weekend enlivened and having heard encouragement catered for their stage of life.
GATHER AROUND A MEAL
At home or abroad, some of the best conversations happen over meals. For the Virtual Missions Conference, gather your friends and family around you for an international-inspired dinner on Friday night and huddle around warm coffee and donuts Saturday morning before the morning sessions. Sit back and watch the conversations unfold!
YASSA POULET (Senegalese Chicken)
Ingredients
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1/2 cup vegetable oil
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3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into filets
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4 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
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8 Tbsp. lemon juice
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8 Tbsp. cider vinegar
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1 bay leaf
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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2 Tbsp. mustard
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1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
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1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
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1/2 tsp. black pepper
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1 tsp. salt
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2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Instructions
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Combine all of the ingredients except for the last 2 Tbsp. of oil in a large zip-close bag and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag, but save the marinade.
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Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil once hot. Sauté chicken for two minutes on each side. Remove, and set aside on a plate.
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Use a slotted spoon to scoop the onions out of the marinade bag, add to the hot pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining marinade and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil for ten minutes.
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Continue to cook the marinade until it becomes a sauce (about 20 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, then return the chicken and drippings to the sauce, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about another 10-15 minutes). Serve with rice.
HONDURAN CORN TORTILLAS
Ingredients
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2 cups corn flour
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½ tsp. salt
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1¼ cups warm water
Instructions
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Mix the flour and salt, then add water
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Make 12 balls
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Leave for 15 minutes
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Flatten a ball
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Place on a pan (med-high heat)
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2 minutes on each side
As you take each tortilla off, keep the stack wrapped in a towel to stay warm and become more flexible.
BULGARIAN MUSAKA
Ingredients
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3-4 potatoes, diced
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2-3 carrots, diced
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1 onion, diced
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2-3 cloves garlic, diced
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1 can diced tomato
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1 large jar tomato sauce
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1 pound ground meat (usually pork)
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2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
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Paprika
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3 eggs
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1 package yogurt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 F.
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Put potatoes in a baking pan with a little water, oil, salt and pepper. Bake until potatoes are almost cooked through.
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Sauté onion, garlic, and carrots until the carrots are cooked. Brown the meat in the same pan/pot. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices (to taste). This should be like a sauce.
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Pour meat and tomato mixture over potatoes.
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Whisk eggs and yogurt together. Pour over the pan.
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Cook until the yogurt/egg mixture is firm and golden on top.
HUMMUS
Ingredients:
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3 cups dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight
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1 pinch baking soda (optional)
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1/2 cup olive oil
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3/4 cup tahini paste
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1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
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1 large clove garlic, minced
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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Pinch of salt
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1 tablespoon olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the garbanzo beans and place in a pot. Fill with enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Add baking soda. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat until the beans are very soft, 1.5 to 2 hours.
Step 2
Drain the beans, reserving some of the water to use later. Reserve a small handful of the whole beans for a garnish. Transfer the rest to a blender or if you have a hand blender, a large bowl. Blend the beans until smooth, adding 1/2 cup of olive oil gradually. Add some of the reserved water if needed to help it blend. Add the tahini and blend in along with the lemon juice. Blend in the garlic, cumin and salt.
Step 3
Spread the hummus into a flat serving dish and garnish with the reserved beans and a drizzle of olive oil.
MANGO STICKY RICE
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups glutinous (sweet) rice
- 1 1/3 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted lightly
- 1 large mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into thin slices (at least 24)
- In a bowl wash rice well in several changes of cold water until water is clear. Soak rice in cold water to cover overnight.
- Drain rice well in a sieve. Set sieve over a large deep saucepan of simmering water (sieve should not touch water) and steam rice, covered with a kitchen towel and a lid, 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender (check water level in pan occasionally, adding more water if necessary).
- While rice is cooking, in a small saucepan bring 1 cup coconut milk to a boil with 1/3 cup sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and remove from heat. Keep mixture warm.
- Transfer cooked rice to a bowl and stir in coconut-milk mixture. Let rice stand, covered, 30 minutes, or until coconut-milk mixture is absorbed. Rice may be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
- While rice is standing, in cleaned small pan slowly boil remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Transfer sauce to a small bowl and chill until cool and thickened slightly.
- To serve, mold 1/4 cup servings of sticky rice on dessert plates. Drizzle desserts with sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Divide mango slices among plates.
PINCHITOS MORUÑOS
The moors introduced both skewers and marina ted meat to Spain. These little yellow kebabs are a favorite ln Andalusia, where many butchers sell the meat ready marinated. The Arab versions used lamb, but pork is used now, because the spicing fits so perfectly.
Ingredients
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 5ml/l tsp paprika
½ tsp dried oregano
l tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
l¼ lb lean cubed pork salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Starting a couple of hours in advance, grind the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and work in the garlic with a pinch of salt. Add the paprika and oregano and mix in the lemon juice. Stir in the oil.
- Cut the pork into small cubes, then skewer them, three or four at a time, on to cocktail sticks (toothpicks). Put the skewered meat in a shallow dish, and pour over the marinade. Spoon the marinade back over the meat to ensure it is well coated. Leave to marinate in a cool place for 2 hours.
- Preheat the grill (broiler) to high, and line the grill pan with foil. Spread the kebabs out in a row cand place under the grill, close to the heat. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, spooning the juices over when you turn them, until cooked through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve at once.
From Chef Pepita Aris
PATATAS BRAVAS
- 4 medium potatoes
- Olive oil for frying, about 1-2 cups
- Salt
Homemade Bravas Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp. hot smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. sweet smoked paprika
- 1 –2 Tbsp. of flour
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- Peel the potatoes, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a paper towel.
- Cut the potatoes into bite-size chunks.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the potatoes and adjust the heat to the lowest setting, allowing them to pre-cook for a few minutes.
- Remove the potatoes and let them cool in the fridge for a few more minutes.
- Turn the heat up to high and add the potatoes back into the pan.
- Fry until crispy and golden.
- Transfer the potatoes to a plate lined with paper towels to cool, and sprinkle with salt to taste.
- To serve, drizzle the bravas sauce over the potatoes.
- Salt to taste
For the sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the pimentón dulce and pimentón picante and stir until combined.
- Add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir until combined. Keep stirring for about a minute, to toast the flour slightly.
- Over a medium-low heat, add the broth very gradually, stirring constantly. (This is similar to how you'd make a cream sauce. The flour will absorb the liquid and leave you with a delicious sauce.)
- The sauce should start to thicken as you incorporate the broth; add more flour only if necessary to achieve the right consistency (it should be velvety and smooth, but not so thick that it holds its shape alone).
- Reduce to low heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Drizzle over some fried potatoes and enjoy!
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Lawrenceville, GA 30043
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