The Great River Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

April 2, 2010

Click here to see currents in MS Word format. Click here to see 'AROUND THE REGION'

139^th Weekly Edition 2010 GRR CURRENTS

JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS

Congratulations to Gwen (Mrs. Vance) Moore who became a grandma last week! Landon was 7# 4 oz, and all are doing well.

Prayers surround the Schoen family and Downey Avenue Christian Church, long term volunteers at Westside Mission. Ron Schoen, on his 11^th trip to Westside Mission, along with 67 members of Downey Avenue CC of Indianapolis over the past two weeks, came to build a house with money they raised for that house. Their church is located in a transforming neighborhood in east central Indianapolis, and when their sanctuary burned, they made a conscious decision to stay in that neighborhood AND to raise money at the same time to rebuild a house in New Orleans. This act of extraordinary presence and love is the context in which Ron passed away of natural causes. He came back to the mission center on Tuesday not feeling right, and not long after they returned he collapsed. Vance Moore, John Kirby, Michael Elmore, Diana Negron, and the whole Downey Avenue group provided healing support for Nancy from that moment on. Week of Compassion sent a small gift so that the group could find a way to commemorate his life and dedicate the work they continued to do in his honor. Brother Vance was who God needed where God needed him, and for that we give thanks and praise. Nancy has a long road ahead of her as she returns home without Ron, but she lost him in the midst of work he loved, and a community of faith who loved both of them. Praise God.

NEWS and

EVENTS

First Christian Church in Ozark, AR will be having several events in the coming months to celebrate the church's 2010 Centennial Celebration. All present and former members and pastors and their families, friends, and supporters are invited to attend these activities. The Kickoff Celebration will be held on Sunday, April 11th. Morning worship will begin at 10:45 a.m. Lunch will be provided by the church women following the morning service. (This date was set to commemorate the church's construction beginning in April, 1910.)

Minister’s Spiritual Life Retreat: April 12-14 at St. Mary of the Pines. Fr. Paul Patin, SJ Spiritual Director at the Jesuit Spirituality Center in Grand Cateau will be our leader. We need to make a small charge this year to help cover cost of $40.00 per person. We have some monies to cover most of the cost but need a little help. If the cost will keep you from coming please let Michael Elmore know and we can be of help. Michael@grrcc.org.

The Disciples Women Spring workshop schedule is as follows:

First CC, Hammond, LA - April 10th

Covenant CC, Byram, MS - April 24th

Broadmoor CC, Shreveport, LA - May 1st

First CC, Little Rock, AR - May 15th

Highland CC, Bella Vista, AR - May 22nd

Make plans now to attend a spring workshop near you!

WEBINARS PROVIDED BY UCCIB INSURANCE

Apr 13, 2010 11:00AM EST / 8:00AM PST
The New Church Usher – More Than a Greeter
To assure a welcoming place and the safety of all, the Usher’s role is expanded to the whole property and more technical concerns. What should your Head Ushers be doing?

Apr 15, 2010 2:00PM EST / 11:00AM PST
The New Church Usher – More Than a Greeter
To assure a welcoming place and the safety of all, the Usher’s role is expanded to the whole property and more technical concerns. What should your Head Ushers be doing?
You can register for ANY session(s) by clicking here.

Greetings from the Young Adult Commission of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)!
We are excited to announce that this fall the Young Adults of our denomination will be gathering together for the first ever Disciples Young Adult Conference. Our theme will be "Recharting Our Faith" and we will be looking at ways in which the church is trying to navigate the current culture using outdated maps, and how we as Young Adults in the church can work to change this and make our church a relevant agent of the Gospel in today's world. Our speakers will be some of the editors of the new WTF: Where's the Faith? book series for Young Adults published by Chalice Press - Christian Piatt, Jose Morales, Lara Blackwood Pickrel, and Heather Godsey. They will cover topics ranging from culture and politics to racism to sexuality, all in a manner to promote discussion and sharing among all of the Young Adults across our denomination. This will all take place in a setting that can't help but call to mind the prevailing currents of today's Young Adult culture - Las Vegas, Nevada - "The Capitol of Second Chances."
It is our hope that you will pass this information along to any Young Adult ministries in your region and assist us in getting the word out about this first ever event. Registration and more information will soon be available on our website: http://www.docya.org. It would also help us if you could send us contact information of Young Adult leaders in your region so that we can get in touch with them directly.
If you have any questions we can help you with, please don't hesitate to contact us, or you can connect with us via the Facebook Group "Disciples Young Adults".

The Association of Disciples Intentional Interim Ministers will be hosting The Intentional Interim Minister training the week of September 20th - September 24th at Christmount Christian Assembly. This training is being provided by the Interim Ministry Network, Inc. (www.imnedu.org) utilizing two Disciples trainers and is for those who have already completed the Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry training or its equivalent. Applicants must also apply through the IMN prior to attending. The registration cost, at a significant discount, includes lodging, meals and training fees and will be $1000 for ADIIM members and $1100 for Non-Members. (A $100 deposit will be requested to hold your place.) There are grants for up to $1000 available for Disciples Ordained Ministers through DHM.

For more information please contact James Cotten at pastorjamesc@gmail.com. To request an application packet please call the Ozarks Lakes Area Office at 417.865.0850

Global Ministries hosts a variety of webinars with mission updates.
To see a schedule of all upcoming Global Ministries Mission Live webinars
Click here:http://globalministries.org/news/webinars/mission-live-global.html

THE PARISH PAPER

From Herb Miller: Your congregations can now download several dozen free resources from the www.TheParishPaper.com Web site.

Want to check your congregation’s giving? Disciples Mission Fund has a new look online! The link below will take you to Disciples Mission Fund's website to view Comparative reports of offerings. www.disciplesmissionfund.org.

Foundation Course for Ministry. The Foundations for Ministry Course which covers 24 topics over a 14 week period is scheduling a new session to begin in May. If you would like to participate or to receive more information please contact: Rev. Stephen Wallace at (501) 217-9129 or swallacegs@aol.com.

Quadrennial Assembly Pre-Event Opportunities.

Wish someone would explain what the Disciples Mission Fund is and how it works? Want to become a Ministry and Mission Interpreter (MMI) for the church? Love to get your hands involved in mission and see tangible results?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you won’t want to miss the Quadrennial Assembly pre-events. Special note: Because these events are expected to fill up quickly, you MUST be signed up for these trainings by April 15, whether you have already registered for QA by then or not. Read on for more information and instructions on how to be sure you’re not left out.

Available Now from Chalice Press: A Travel Guide to Christian Faith (by Dawn Weaks) has three components. The Before You Go booklet gives first-time seekers an easy-to-understand synopsis of the Christian faith. If they wish to learn more, the Traveler's Edition serves as a student workbook, while the Tour Leader is for the instructor.
This group package offers a 25% discount off the regular full price, and includes:

·one (1) copy of the Tour Leader

·ten (10) copies of the Traveler's Edition

·ten (10) copies of the Before You Go

To order, call 1-800-366-3383 or click here: A Travel Guide to Christian Faith Group Package.

Disciples' Bicentennial History Book and Workshops. There are less than two months left during the Disciples’ Bicentennial Anniversary! We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the publication of The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation, our bicentennial history (2009) authored by D. Duane Cummins. It is the successor to Journey in Faith, written by McAllister & Tucker in 1972. The reviews for Cummins' new volume are highly favorable, strong and solid.
To view more information about Dr. Cummins’ new book, follow your browser to
http://www.chalicepress.com/The-Disciples-Deluxe-Edition-Leather-Hardcover-P169.aspx.
The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation is available in a leather hardcover edition and paperback.

cumminsdd@gmail.com, 255 Sears Lane, Swanton, Maryland 21561, 301-387-8088.

FREE DEMOGRAPHIC UPDATES ARE READY! We know it's possible, with everything going on at the beginning of a new year, you may have forgotten Percept's Annual Data Update! But, for us, it's a big production. We regenerate tens of thousands of custom studies and demographic reports, then store them on our servers so that when you want the latest data for your ministry area, all you have to do is click. You can sign on to Link2Lead and, within a minute, get the latest FirstView or 10 Facts report instantly, for your county, ZIP Code, or a radius around your church.

Go to www.link2lead.com and provide some simple sign in information. In minutes you will know more about the community you are called to serve than you did before. Link2lead data will tell you about the age, income, spiritual priorities, church going habits, and more in YOUR ZIP code. Or, the region can help you generate a custom report. The fees are prepaid through a partnership with the region and Church Extension.

Study Leave Program.
       Study Leave for Ministry Professionals at Duke Divinity School is for Christian institutional leaders and pastors of all traditions who want to spend a week immersed in learning and renewal through self-directed study, worship and prayer on the Duke University campus. While on campus, study leave participants have full access to university libraries, community worship and lectures. Special arrangements can be made for participants to audit courses or meet privately with Divinity School faculty.
       Study Leave is open to ministry professionals of all Christian traditions and communions, including Christian institutional leaders, pastors, educators, musicians, deacons, elders, lay professionals, parish nurses, program directors and youth leaders. The program is offered multiple terms each year. Tuition for Study Leave is $650 for the 2010 fall and 2011 winter/spring terms.
       Tuition for the week includes: accommodations for four nights, a meal allowance, access to the campus gym, parking on campus, a temporary university library membership. Please click the link below for more information and online registration.
http://faithandleadership.com/programs-training/for-organizational-leaders/study-leave-for-ministry-professionals

The Christian Church Michigan Region is continuing its search campaign for its next regional minister. You can send a quick e-mail to our search committee chair at the following e-mail address: Miregionsearch@hotmail.com. Anyone who has interest in the Michigan region can download pertinent regional documents from the Michigan region website: michigandisciples.org. We are looking for a candidate with pastoral, relational, and administrative abilities who has done on-going training in leadership and conflict mediation, someone who has experience with regional work and/or General Board and denominational issues, someone who leadership style is transparent, collaborative, and clear, who holds people accountable, who works within existing structures and who can move the region forward, without dwelling on the past. We are looking for someone who can do necessary repair work, and who sets good boundaries. Thank you for your help and for your ministry. May God bless you in all that you for the Church. Rev. Richard H. Boyd, Chair, Regional Minister Search Committee, Michigan Region. Pastor, FCC Lansing, Michigan.

ATTENTION GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: Click here for an exciting Leadership Fellows program exclusively for Disciples of Christ students!

Deadline to apply is April 30, 2010

STAFF UPDATES

From Barbara Jones: I thought I would be in the office this week… but alas, I was home sick with bronchial and lung infections... certainly not the week I planned. Monday I’ll be presenting information about the Dominican Republic and update on Haiti to First Christian Church in Little Rock on Monday at lunch; Tuesday I will present the same in Mountain home and that following weekend I’ll fly to Denver for a shower for my daughter and her husband, who’s baby boy is due May 7.

From Rick Hamilton: I will be at home in Rogers for Holy Week, and will lead the Maundy Thursday services at First Christian Church, Fayetteville, AR on Thursday, April 1. Hosanna to the Son of David!

Search Committees I am currently supporting are:

Bentonville First (Associate)

From Michael Elmore: I will be worshiping at FCC Baton Rouge for Easter. Friday and Saturday I will be at FCC Monroe for their New Beginnings Workshop. May each of you have a wonderful Easter celebration!

Search Committees I am currently supporting:

FCC Lake Charles, LA

FCC Gulfport, MS

From Vance Moore. Have a blessed and happy Easter season.

FCC Newport, AR

Community CC, Hardy, AR

Westside Mission: Downey Ave. Christian Church spent their 2^nd week at Westside this year working on Mrs. Rose Gueringer’s home. We’re just about finished with the outside of this new build and ready to begin on the inside work. Thanks Downey for a great week.

WHERE DID YOU SEE GOD TODAY?

From Sara Rozzell: Registration and counselor forms can be viewed and printed on the youth page at www.grrcc.org .

2010 Summer Camp Dates:

June   4-6      Family Camp at Camp Roosevelt (contact bjones@grrcc.org)
June 13-19    CYF
June 19-20    Discovery
June 20-23    JYF
June 23-27    Chi-Rho

July 4-10 FISSH (finished 9^th grade only)

Main Navigation

April 2, 2010