Gainesville church's World Mission Conference features multiple events

GAINESVILLE - First Presbyterian Church's (FPC's) 2014 World Mission Conference scheduled this weekend is packed with activities and events from road races and rocking chair marathons to workshops and worship services with missionaries from around the world to an African village where children can learn about everyday life there.<br /> <br /> The Love Out Loud 2014 World Mission Conference is co-chaired by Dr. Jack and Mrs. Barbara Griffeth, FPC members who themselves have recently led a medical mission to the Dominican Republic. The clinic where they and several other Northeast Georgians** volunteered their services for a week is one of the beneficiaries of the funds raised through the conference events.<br /> <br /> The entire weekend is focused on interaction with the missionaries and how to Love Out Loud" in support of their missions. Individual exhibits which will be open from Friday evening and throughout most of the day Saturday and Sunday morning will feature specific needs which can be filled with a donation from a brick to build a school or clinic to a chicken added to flock for egg production.<br /> <br /> Details on how to sign up for races and participate in all of the activities can be found on the church's website https://www.fpcga.org under the Missions tab on the top bar of the home page and Regional and World Missions on the drop down. Proceeds will go to support missionaries in Costa Rica, India, Pakistan and the Middle East.<br /> <br /> Deadlines for signing up for the races, which start at 3 p.m. Saturday, are this Wednesday, Feb. 5. You can pre-register for the sanctioned, timed 5K on a Riverside Drive route online at https://runsignup.com, through the church website or in the church office at 800 South Enota Avenue. Registration fees at the race site at Riverside Military Academy Saturday for the 5K and the Family Fun Walk on the 1/3 mile Riverside Military Academy track will be higher and race day registrants are not guaranteed tee-shirts. Sign-in and race day registration opens at 2 p.m.<br /> <br /> Top finishers will receive special wood-turned bowls by one of the church pastors, Roe Calloway, and "pinch pots" sculpted by Riverside Military Academy artist and teacher Mitch Freeman. The design is inspired by the late master potter and Riverside graduate Roddy Reed. Each of these pinch pots is unique.<br />