Dear Friends of the Turkmen

The planning committee is happy to announce that the 2023 Turkmen Network Gathering (TNG) will be held July 28-29, 2023.  

The TNG is an international gathering of supporters, Turkmen from various locations and tribes, individuals, and organizations involved in Turkmen ministry.  We meet annually to build and strengthen relationships, learn from and encourage one another, share ideas and projects, declare God’s glory among the Turkmen, and PRAY.

The 2023 TNG will be held in-person in Edmonds, WA, USA and via video conference.  This format allows participation from locations around the world.

Registration is easy.  Simply contact us and we’ll add you to the list of approved attendees.  Let us know the extent of your interest and we will endeavor to provide the best structure for your participation.  

We look forward to spending time with you — worshiping together, hearing updates from the field, learning how to more effectively work together, celebrating victories, sharing burdens, and upholding the concerns and needs of the Turkmen people and the ministries that serve them in prayer. Our desire is to bring glory to God as we meet, pray, and work together to facilitate and support the sharing of the Good News with the Turkmen people in every tribe, language, region, and nation!

The purpose of the TNG is to provide a forum for:

Involvement – Understanding the big picture and the adventure of ministry among the Turkmen.

Intercession – Spending significant time together in prayer.

Information – Sharing what God is doing in Turkmenistan and in every nation where Turkmen are located.

Interaction – Building relationships, exploring emerging issues, and working together on projects.

Conference Format

The 2023 TNG will be held both in-person in Edmonds, WA and online by Zoom video conference on July 28-29. Fostering intimate interaction with our friends and family, this format allows us to see everyone and maintain a gathering for corporate worship, presentations, reports, updates, discussion, collaboration, and prayer.

Special Event

This year the TNG will host an After Party for the large community of Turkmen expats that reside in the Greater Seattle area. We’ll enjoy Turkmen food, music, and dancing together. All TNG in-person participants are encouraged to stay for the Saturday evening festivities!

Conference Schedule

The TNG will consist of two 2-hour segments on Friday (4 hours total) and conclude with two more segments on Saturday.  Here is the proposed schedule for selected locations:

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM West Coast North America

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Central Time North America

12:00 AM – 4:00 PM East Coast North America

5:00 – 9:00 PM UK

7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Middle East

9:00 PM – 1:00 AM Central Asia

Everyone on the approved email distribution list will receive the final schedule and hours for your location and time zone.  Contact us to be added to the list.

The online meeting will open approximately 30 minutes before the first session each day. Anyone wishing to join the meeting early will be able to greet other attendees as they arrive and engage in informal conversation.  Breaks will be taken between each 2-hour session. The Zoom meeting will remain open for 30 minutes at the end of each day for those that want to remain online and chat.  

Accommodations

Host homes will be available on a limited, first-come, first-serve basis. If you are interested please email the organizer. Hotel accommodations are also available nearby. Recommendations will be provided upon request.

Transportation

For those using air transportation, there are two airports in the Greater Seattle area.  The larger airport is Seattle International Airport, also referred to as Sea–Tac. It is the primary commercial airport serving the Seattle metropolitan area. It serves all major airlines and is located approximately 30 miles from Edmonds which can take from 45 minutes to over an hour to drive depending on traffic. The airport code is SEA.

The nearest airport is Paine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport in Everett, WA. The airport code is PAE. It is a small commercial airport that serves the northern part of the Seattle metropolitan area. Alaska Airlines is the only carrier at Paine Field. The advantages of using Paine Field is its close proximity to Edmonds, WA where the TNG will be held, less traffic congestion, and the same amenities. The disadvantage is that flight options are limited and ticket costs may be significantly more expensive than SeaTac.

We will do our best to arrange airport pickup for you from either airport at no cost when you provide us with your flight information.  If you prefer, you may rent a car at your own expense. Major car rental companies are represented at both SEA and PAE.  For those staying in host homes and hotels, we will do our best to arrange for local transportation to and from the TNG location each day.