Besides the large number of members who will be present to take an active part in the upcoming Assembly in Adelaide there will be many visitors. Some will be members of congregations from South Australia and other states who have come to observe and participate in the celebrations and meetings. Others will have travelled further.

Approximately fifty guests have been invited from our many Partner Churches in Asia and the Pacific, from our Sister Churches in Canada, the USA, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK, and from Ecumenical Bodies, such as the World Methodist Council and Christian Conference of Asia.

Guests can be present at business sessions but also have the opportunity to be a part of the official Visitors programme. This enables them to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Adelaide and surrounds, as well as to take part in a broad range of electives covering a feast of subject areas.

Assembly guests will be invited to take part in worship services in and around Adelaide on Assembly Sunday, July 16, and there are still some openings for congregations. Contact Liz Dyson on 8212 4066 if you would like to extend an invitation for a guest to come to your congregation.

During the period of Assembly, a lounge will be available at Prince Alfred College for overseas guests. For many of our guests, English is their second or even third or fourth language, and the lounge will enable them to retreat from a barrage of English and take some time to digest what they have heard. It is also a time to meet with people from other partner churches to share ideas and experiences.

The presence of overseas guests enrich the experience of Assembly. Stories are heard, expertise and ideas are shared and Christians from many cultures and backgrounds can experience together more fully what it is to be a part of the body of Christ.