February 5, 2010

              131^st    Weekly Edition                                     2010  GRR CURRENTS

JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS

Rev. Patrick and Dr. Kimberly Bentrott, our missionaries in Haiti, have been evacuated and are back in the United States.  To read their heart-felt story and reflections on their experiences of adoption, leaving behind their ministries in Haiti, and becoming the ones receiving care rather than giving care, their blog is a must-read...  especially in light of the missionaries that have been charged with trying to leave Haiti with children without proper documentation... http://kimandpatrick.blogspot.com/

Wendy White, the daughter of Rev. Linda White, remains in intensive care at UAMS hospital in Little Rock.  Please pray for healing of pneumonia and autoimmune disease that wrecks havoc in her body.

Congratulations to the Rev. Steve Willis who will be ordained Saturday, February 6!  See details below!

Congratulations to the Rev. Vance Moore and Gwen    who will be married February 6 at 2:00 pm at Westside Christian Church in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Those who would like to “shower” them with gifts… send in the form of Walmart gift cards to Rev. & Mrs. Vance Moore, 9139 Tank Road, Crystal Springs, MS, 39059.

NEWS and

EVENTS

The Great River Region and the First Christian Church of the Christian Church (DOC)

Cordially invite your presence and prayers
for the Ordination to Christian Ministry of

Rev. Steve Willis

on Saturday, February 6th, 2010, 2:00pm
at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
of Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1806 Central Avenue

Reception at the church following the service

Minister’s Spiritual Life Retreat.  Our annual Spiritual Life Retreat for Ministers will be April 12-14 at St. Mary of the Pines, Chatawa Mississippi. Fr. Paul Patin, Spiritual Director with the Jesuit Spirituality Center in Grand Coteau, LA will be our leader. ThC focus of our retreat will be Spiritual Discernment. Mark your calendars, more info will follow concerning cost and registration. 

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.

Disciples World.  The award-winning journal of news, opinion, and mission for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), will cease publication after almost eight years.  Click here to see the full press release.  Disciples World website, www.disciplesworld.com.

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.

Disciples Women.  As we continue to work on our Quadrennial Assembly service project to bring an end to human trafficking, I wanted to bring to your attention this new film, co-produced by George Clooney, that deals with the sexual exploitation of children.  Called “Playground,” we have written to the publicist of the film to see if there is a possibility of having a showing at the theaters across from the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro during QA next year.  Meanwhile, please help publicize this new film so if there is a showing in your area women might be encouraged to attend.  Adonna Boman.  http://www.nestfoundation.org/film/.

Click here to see the latest issue of ‘VOICES’ newsletter and ‘Umaja’ newsletter.

QA Speakers, Preachers and Teachers.

Opening Night, Wednesday, June 23^rd   Bishop Vashti McKenzie serves as the 117^th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and is the first woman to reach this level of leadership. Bishop McKenzie is a former journalist and is often described as “an electrifying speaker.”

Thursday, June 24^th   Joanne Kagiwada is a native Californian and retired attorney. Her law degree led her to direct Disciples work in international affairs and to represent the Disciples at the National Council of Churches. She was instrumental in lobbying for the official government apology to Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II. Her late husband, David, is remembered on David Kagiwada Memorial Sunday for his leadership of Disciples Asian American ministries.

Friday, June 25^th   Rev. Evelyn Nieves is a native New Yorker and former elementary school teacher. Evelyn and her husband, Moises, also a Disciples pastor, founded the Christian Family Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Bronx in 1996.

Saturday, June 26^th   Rev. Amy C. Gopp is also a Disciple who serves as the Executive Director for Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee, and development ministry of the Disciples church. Amy served for four years as a peace activist in Croatia and Bosnia.

Sunday, June 27^th   Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will serve as the closing speaker. The Rev. Watkins has served as a pastor and missionary in Congo (the former Zaire.) She was recently recognized by President Obama as one of America’s most influential religious leaders.

Daily Bible Study will be led by Dr. Sharyn Dowd, Pastor for Spiritual Formation and Mission Engagement at First Baptist Church of Decatur, Georgia. Sharyn is a New Testament scholar and author of two books on the Gospel of Mark. She taught New Testament and Greek at Lexington Theological Seminary (KY) and Biblical Studies at Baylor University (TX).

Be at QA…you don’t want to miss any of these outstanding women!!

Disciples Institute.  Disciples of Christ – 19^th Century Roots – 21^st Century Mission.

One-Day workshop at Park Hill Christian Church, Saturday, February 27, 2010, Dr. Amy Artman, Instructor.  As Disciple churches across our nation are looking at redefining their mission and ministries, all of us would probably be surprised to learn the similarities between today’s issues and the issues our founders faced.  We would probably also be impressed by the ways they addressed those issues.  The things we take for granted as Disciples:

·         RESTORATION of NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY

·         CHRISTIAN UNITY

·         PRIESTHOOD of BELIEVERS

·         OPEN COMMUNION

·         BELIEVER’S BAPTISM

have been part of us from the beginning!

Are these things that the world needs?  If your people could share this good news, would your church be a more vital, more effective, more transformed?  Of course it would!  Take a moment to consider the difference it will make when your people can build on their heritage as they follow God’s Spirit into the future!  Then plan to bring your entire congregation to this workshop!  Each church can bring its entire congregation for a single fee of $200.00!  Contact Deitra Blackwell – 501-517-2474 or deitra.d.blackwell@comcast.net – for more information.

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.

FCC Slidell, LA is building a Community Center on their site in March 2010. The facility will be used as a mission outreach to the community. Disciples Volunteering is sponsoring the Blitz Build. If your church is interested in participating in the build, you can call Brenda Tyler at 317-713-2642 or go to

www.disciplehomemissions.org/Volunteer/SpecialProjects/SpringBreak.htm 

FCC is asking for materials donations form churches, individuals, or companies.

Click here to see the list of materials needed. Contact Josh Baird at 985-778-6915 or at joshbaird@hotmail.com if you can donate. Also, for more information, you can call Rev. Susan Lassalle at 985-643-8623.

Black Ministers Retreat 2010.  The office of Black Ministries is happy and excited to announce that the Black Ministers Retreat of 2010 will be held March 1-4, 2010 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Our host for this event will be Bishop Chester L. Aycock, Presiding Prelate of The Goldsboro-Raleigh District Assembly of The Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ International. This will be a historical moment for the office of Black Ministries, Disciples Home Missions, the Black Ministers Fellowship and National Convocation. In the thirty-five year history of Black Ministers Retreat, this will be the first time that this event has been hosted by one of the Assembly Churches. The Black Ministers Retreat is a national church event and is open to all clergy of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ.  Please feel free to pass along the attached information. Karen Jones, Admin Asst,  Phone:  (317) 713-2672 or toll free (888)346-2631, kjones@dhm.disciples.org, Web site: http://www.discipleshomemissions.org

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.

Dear Friends of Council on Christian Unity.  I want to share a quick note with you regarding some recent postings on the CCU website.  Here’s what’s new: 

· There are two new resource materials related to our 100^th Anniversary “Worship Resources throughout the Year”:  February 14 (Transfiguration Sunday in connection with African American History Month); and, March 14 (Fourth Sunday in Lent).
Ron Allen and Linda McKiernan-Allen are offering some excellent worship resources and notes on the lectionary texts that we hope will be of use to congregational pastors and worship committees. (Go to http://www.disciples.org/ccu/100thAnniversaryResources.html) 

· In that link, you will also note that we have listed all of the dates that will be included in this year-long program.  I hope in having the dates in advance that you might anticipate making use of these resources in your congregations.  We hope to post the materials at least four weeks ahead of the Sunday identified. (Go to “ Planning for the Future: Sundays when resources will be offered” on that same webpage) 

· Detailed information is now available for the April 27, 2010 dinner to celebrate CCU’s past and to honor the 25-year ministry of Dr. Paul A. Crow, Jr., as we name him “President Emeritus of the CCU.”  (Go to http://www.disciples.org/ccu/100thAnniversaryResources.html) 

· Christian Churches Together (CCT) has posted its latest Newsletter reporting on its meeting in Seattle on January 13-15, 2010.  This was a very interesting and exciting meeting.  (Go to “Latest Newsletter from Christian Churches Together”  under the “What’s New From the Council” on CCU home-page: http://www.disciples.org/ccu/ )

I do not plan to send out notices every time I update my website.  However, I hope you will go to this website often.  I am trying to keep our website updated and “fresh” with news and resources related to what’s happening in the Council on Christian Unity and the ecumenical movement today.  And, as always, I deeply appreciate receiving your comments and response!

In Christ’s love, Robert Welsh, RWelsh@ccu.disciples.org.

STAFF UPDATES

From Barbara Jones:  This weekend I’ll be performing a wedding for a special couple in New Orleans on Saturday and preaching in Fort Smith on Sunday!

From Rick Hamilton:  This weekend I will be leading the Ordination service for Steve Willis at FCC Hot Springs. Next week I will be at TCU Ministers Week in Fort Worth, TX.

Search Committees I am currently supporting:

FCC Sherwood, AR

FCC Mountain Home, AR

Please contact me, in confidence, to inquire about any of the above Ministry Opportunities.

From Michael Elmore:  This weekend I will be attending Vance Moore's wedding at Westside CC and then watching the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl, "Who Dat gonna win the Super Bowl!!!" 

Search Committees I am currently supporting:

FCC Leesville, LA 

FCC Lake Charles, LA

FCC Gulfport, MS

From Vance Moore:  Saturday at 2 pm, Gwen and I will be married at Westside Christian Church in New Orleans. Then we’ll go on a short honeymoon to the Mississippi coast. Monday we’ll return to New Orleans to work with volunteers and then on to FCC Meridian to be a part of the annual Kentucky Ham Meal. This annual event is a tradition at FCC Meridian. We’ll be there “cooking” and “serving”.  Welcome to the GRR Gwen!

Search committees I am currently supporting:

       FCC Newport, AR

       Community CC, Hardy, AR

Westside Mission:  Last week we hosted a group from the UCC church in Manchester CT. Thanks to Terry Schmidt and his band of hardy volunteers. They worked on the transition house. We’re so proud that Danny Washington and family are in the process of moving in. Now we can look to finding them a home and getting it ready for them to move.

       This week the folks from Mantua, Hiram, Stow Ohio came for week one. They’re up to 3 weeks this year. What a blessing. Three years ago they started coming to Westside and brought 16 volunteers. Now they’re up to 75 and coming over a period of three weeks. They’re working on homes in the Treme’, Mid City, and Lower 9^th ward areas of New Orleans. We’ll start the new house for Rose Gueringer on Carnot St. next week!!!!

Special Welcome: Diana Negron has assumed the Chaplain duties at Westside Mission Center. She’s already being welcomed and loved by the volunteers.

Special Thanks: Go to Mel and Judy Norton, our long term volunteers from Choctaw, OK. January, February and March are flying by. Good to have you guys on board.

BY THE WAY—WHERE DID YOU SEE GOD TODAY?

From Sara Rozzell:  Snoasis registrations forms are due in the regional office by February 11.  For registration forms and more information see the youth page at www.grrcc.org .

2010 Summer Camp Dates:
June 13-19    CYF
June 19-20    Discovery
June 20-23    JYF
June 23-27    Chi-Rho