COVID-19 resources available
The Office of the General Minister and President has compiled a collection of resources and statements from Church leadership in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are updating this page with more resources as available.
The Easter service featuring General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens will continue to be available on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) YouTube channel. | | Central Rocky Mountain region offers ministry of presence in Puerto Rico | |
Ranging in age from 17 to 80+ and spanning two states, this group traveled to Puerto Rico to offer support for congregations, families, and organizations impacted by the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The group stayed at Camp Morton, the Disciples campground there, and completed a variety of projects onsite to help rebuild the camp, like painting, fixing leaky roofs, and building over 50 bunk beds.
CRMR Disciples also traveled to a refugee camp in Guánica, near the epicenter of the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the island earlier that month. The group talked and prayed with people at the camp and witnessed the work of National Guard troops calming people in crisis. They also toured a local congregation that operated a soup kitchen for refugees.
During a week of “powerful and overwhelming” days, Rev. Barton remembers, “the phrase ministry of presence kept coming up in our conversations. Our work was often to be present with people during a time of great anxiety.” | | Global Ministries offering live Facebook reports from area executives
Each of the five area executives of Global Ministries will be appearing on Facebook Live at different times throughout the rest of the month of April. For a full schedule, go to the Global Ministries event page. | | | | What does hope look like in our changing landscape? What color is hope?
The Disciples AllianceQ invites you to “hope in color.” Using a new color each week, Colors of Hope encourages us to wonder, engage, embody, create and share. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and life’s ongoing challenges, with a surge of digital content and an increase in screen time, this series invites us to experience the divine and all of creation through refreshing practices that require little or no online activity. The project features thought-provoking inspirational messages and practices. Every Tuesday there will be a 10-12-minute podcast featuring a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) leader including Allen Harris, CJ Abramowitz-Rodriguez, Luther Young, Andy Deeb, Sophia Hayes-Jackson, Alysha Laperche and others. The podcast explores one of the week's lectionary texts and includes a transcript for accessibility. Apart from the Tuesday podcasts, the practices do not require online activity.
AllianceQ saw the need for individual and collective embodied spiritual practices. Supplemental resources are available on Well Fed Spirit, affiliated with the Office of Christian Vocations of the Christian Church (Disciples Christ).
The eight colors are from Gilbert Baker’s original Pride flag. Pink stood for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic, blue for harmony and purple for spirit. Gilbert Baker’s life story, like that of the gay rights movement, is one of resilience and transformation. AllianceQ will release mental health resources throughout April, which is mental health awareness month. | | | | Invitation to join in prayer
Holy God who holds us in the palm of your hand no matter the circumstance – we pray that you give strength and resilience to the Oregon/Southwest Idaho region and that each member of each congregation feel your loving presence in spite of the effects of physical distancing we have been experiencing these past months. Keep them in your loving care. Amen. | | | | Celebrate Earth Day by taking action on climate
Care for God's earth is one of the priorities identified by our Justice Table. Celebrate Earth Day by learning more about how you can act on climate - even from home - through this resource offered by Green Chalice partner ecoAmerica. | | | | NBA offers COVID-19 response grants
To offer a rapid and impactful response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Benevolent Association is offering grant funding to support Disciples-related ministries that are working locally in response to this crisis. With this funding, we seek to offer relief to ministries that have been detrimentally impacted and to support new projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic. All Disciples-related health and social services ministries and congregation-affiliated projects in the United States and Canada are invited to apply. Eligible applicants must demonstrate in detail their financial need for support related to COVID-19. For more information and to apply, visit NBAcares.org/covid-19-grants. | | | | General Minister and President offers census reminder
In the midst of all we're doing to respond to COVID-19, General Minister and President Rev. Teresa Hord Owens reminds us that 2020 is a Census year in the United States. Fill out the quick form at 2020census.gov to make a difference for your community for the next 10 years! | | | | How to prepare your church building for an extended period of inactivity
With ‘shelter in place’ orders in effect, our houses of worship are sitting empty. But this can take a toll on our buildings. What can you do?
- Shut off your main water supply.
- Shut off or turn down your water heater.
- Adjust your furnace/air-conditioner. Adjust your heat-setting to about 60° F (16° C) and your AC setting to about 86° F (30° C).
- Turn on ceiling fans in the sanctuary.
- Check your sump pumps. Pour a bucket of water into the sump-pit and confirm that the pump eliminates it.
- Fill floor drains. The water in the P-trap of your drain evaporates over time, allowing sewer gas and methane to seep into your building. Pouring two liters of water into the drain will refill the trap. Then, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil on top to slow water evaporation.
- Don’t neglect your lawn. Clean out gutters, downspouts, and drain lines. Make sure that all yard inlets are clear and that no debris is nearby that could be washed in.
- Let your alarm companies know that your building will be empty.
- Check gas appliances. Shut off the gas to stoves and ovens with full-time pilot lights.
For additional information, visit Disciples Church Extension Fund’s blog. | | | | Applications open for HELM scholarships
The Leadership Fellows program is a leadership development program for Disciples undergraduate students. Each of the four years of undergraduate education has a different focus: Community, Transformation, Global Awareness, and Mentoring. Click here to learn more about the Leadership Fellows program and to access the online application.
For Disciples students pursuing a PhD in the field of religion, HELM offers two scholarships, the William Gilbert and Florence Leonard Jones Scholarship and the Ann E. Dickerson Scholarship. Click here for more information on these scholarships and to access the online application.
All application materials for both the Leadership Fellows Program and PhD scholarships must be received by April 30. If you have questions, please contact Jon Barnes. | | Additional resources and opportunities
| | | | National Benevolent Association extends XPLOR 2020-21 application deadline
The NBA initiates ministries designed to establish and grow partnerships with health and social service supporters and providers. Drawing upon this rich history, NBA continues to assist Disciples to join systemic justice work with direct care and action. In 2014, we launched NBA XPLOR, a prophetic movement of young adults who are considering lives of care and service. The Residency provides 10-month professional development and vocational discernment opportunities for 21- to 30-year-olds to live simply in community and engage in direct service and justice work. Through NBA XPLOR, we partner young adults with Disciples congregations, regional and general ministries, and wider communities—positively engaging neighborhoods, the congregations, and the young adults. We are currently accepting applications for our 2020-21 cohort. Applications for this XPLOR cohort will be received until all spaces are full. Your applications are welcome and you will be contacted immediately with updated news on openings. For questions and more information, contact Rev. Ben Bohren. To learn more about the XPLOR program, visit nbacares.org/xplor. | | More opportunities to put ministry into action
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