Welcome to a symposium that investigates the mission of the global church from everywhere to everywhere and inspires the building of a new vision!
Date: January 20, 2026, 1:00 PM–6:00 PM Location: Åbo Akademi, Arken, Armfelt Hall, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku Organizers: Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Åbo Akademi University, The Polin Institute
Language: English. Participation via Zoom is possible, with interpretation available.
The symposium will explore questions such as:
- What are the future scenarios for mission work?
- What kind of transformation is Western mission undergoing?
- Who will be doing mission work in the future, how, and where?
- What is the role of Western mission organizations and workers?
Register here by January 13, 2026: https://felm.org/symposium-20-01-2026/
Programme
13.00 Keynote: “Future scenarios for mission”, Rev Dr Anupama Hial, Program Executive for Global Public Theology, LWF (Lutheran World Federation)
14.00 Comments and reflections, Rev Pauliina Parhiala, Executive Director, Felm (Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission)
14.30 “Go home, missionary” Discussion by Anupama Hial, Pauliina Parhiala, Dr, Docent Magnus Riska (Sower International). Pre-recorded video by Dr Bruk Ayele, Mekane Yesus Church
15.10 BREAK, coffee and tea
15.40 Keynote: “Nordic Pentecostal Mission in Transition” Dr, Docent Martina Björkander (Polin Institute/Åbo Akademi University)
16.25 Comments and reflections, Dr Chongpongmeren Jamir
17.00 “Do we still need missionaries?” Rev Suvimarja Rannankari-Norjanen (Advisor, mission and parish relations)
17.10 “Does mission have a future?” Discussion by Iida Silfverhuth (Felm Youth), Rev. Tomas Ray (PhD student), Moa Karlsson (theology student), facilitator Prof Björn Vikström (Åbo Akademi)
18 Closing
