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Peru, Kenya, Thailand, Namibia, the Philippines and North Africa are among fields of service where the latest group of new missionaries will minister following yesterday’s commissioning service for The Mission Society.

The Rev. Dr. Ira Gallaway, The Mission Society founder and retired United Methodist Church elder, was keynote speaker for the event held at Simpsonwood United Methodist Church, Norcross, which formally sent 22 missionaries from six states to far-flung ministry assignments. This class of missionaries represents one of largest groups of new The Mission Society workers since its 1984 founding.

“We continue to be humbled and honored by the women and men whom God is raising up to share the Good News cross-culturally,” said Dick McClain, president of The Mission Society. “These choice servants of Christ are God’s greatest gift to The Mission Society, and in turn ours to the world.”

“The Mission Society rejoices that the Lord of the Harvest continues to send workers to us,” said Lauren Helveston, director of pastoral care for The Mission Society, who coordinated the event that included laying hands on the new cross-cultural witnesses. The Mission Society holds two annual services to honor its newly appointed missionaries.

Eighteen of the new missionaries will minister in restricted-access locations in Africa and Asia.

Among the new workers are Travis and Lorna Curry of Atlanta who will serve at the Children of Zion Village orphanage near Katima Mulilo, Namibia.

Bill White of Lawrenceville, Ga., will visit fields served by The Mission Society to help draft agreements with national churches, support field missionaries and develop microenterprise finance programs.

Tara Dunn, associate director of prayer at the Wesley Foundation at the University of Georgia, coordinates prayer initiatives, oversees the prayer small group ministry, disciples female staff members and leads short-term mission trips.

Founded in 1984 in the Wesleyan tradition, The Mission Society (www.themissionsociety.org)  recruits, trains and sends Christian missionaries to minister around the world. It currently has more than 210 missionaries in 39 countries. The Mission Society develops diverse programs and ministries in accordance with its missionaries’ unique callings and gifts, ranging from well-drilling and the arts to more traditional ministries such as teaching English and church planting. Its church ministry department provides seminars, workshops and mentoring for congregations in the United States and overseas, helping equip churches for strategic outreach in their own communities and throughout the world.