Candidate Orientation

Twice each year we host a 13-week Candidate Orientation at our WEC USA Sending Base campus near Philadelphia, PA. One begins in September and the other in February.

Spiritual Life and Ministry

You and your fellow candidates will join our sending base staff for regular times of worship, prayer and missionary reports. Getting away with some of our staff on a retreat is a tradition that candidates and their families find refreshing and spiritually challenging. It’s also a great way to get to know your new WEC family—a process that continues as we share weekday evening meals together in the “Castle” dinning room. Two other ministry highlights are a visit to Betel (a WEC ministry in New York City) and giving a helping hand to an inner-city church plant in Philadelphia.

Classes

Each weekday morning you’ll be led by various staff members and non-WEC facilitators in discussions on topics such as:

• Introduction to church planting
• Practical experience with church planting in Philadelphia
• Spiritual warfare
• Cross-cultural communication
• Culture and culture shock
• Working in international teams
• Language learning
• Researching your country of ministry
• Practical preparations
• Health
• Expectations

Practical Work

A few afternoons each week, candidates help in various roles at the headquarters.  By helping in areas such as maintenance and the kitchen, candidates are able to work alongside staff and learn from them, as well as contribute to the running of the sending base.

We value training in the context of community. During CO you’ll live on the sending base campus along with our staff, their families, retired and furloughing missionaries, and lots of visitors. Besides CO–related activities, your life on campus will include joining the sending base community for weekday evening meals, sharing responsibilities (like washing dishes), and  informal times of conversation and recreation.

Families with children are welcome in WEC.  While you are in candidate orientation we help you to prepare your children for the transition into cross-cultural ministry.  Each family’s needs are considered individually.  We work with candidates in making the best arrangements for child care and schooling.  Candidates decide whether daycare, public, private or home schooling is best for their children.

Below is a list of some of the activities that you’ll be involved in before you leave for the field. During this time of preparation we’ll keep in regular contact with you, helping and encouraging you in any way we can.  

• Share your vision and burden with your home church and prayer supporters
• Prayerfully confirm adequate prayer and financial support
• Visit family and friends
• Obtain visas and complete other necessary paperwork
• Make travel and shipping arrangements
• Take further training if recommended