'We see ourselves walking with the community...'

News from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US and Canada

May 27, 2020 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. Recently added: Global Ministries mission co-workers available for live or prerecorded visits to your congregation. Same time. Same format. New location. General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens has updated her Facebook presence so she can accept more followers. Her Facebook live prayers will continue at noon EDT but will be accessed at her new page "Rev. Terri Hord Owens" (facebook.com/terrihordowens). 'We see ourselves walking with the community...' How new church planters are approaching ministry By New Church Ministry, Pentecost 2020 UrbanMission, a joint congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), lies at the intersection of White Avenue and Ninth Street in Pomona, CA.   The city sits just north of a men's prison, which drops off newly released prisoners at a bus stop a couple of miles away. South Pomona’s inhabitants include gang members and people fighting addiction.   None of that was a deal-breaker for Rev. Al Lopez, the congregation’s Lead Pastor. He felt called to plant a new church where folks could be themselves and still belong.   In this New Church Ministry interview he shares how UrbanMission reframes church in the 21st Century.   What is UrbanMission?   We are a church without walls. We have several ministries that are interconnected and interdependent… plus we get together and worship.   In our Open Table gatherings, people from all walks of life create a sense of belonging and provide a free meal.   Rev. Nora Jacob, our Restorative Justice Minister, goes inside Chino State Prison every week and facilitates several groups. She also heads up the Reentry Coalition, which assists, and provides a place for, people coming out of incarceration.   In 2014, we founded UrbanMission Community Partners (a non-profit organization) with a vision and purpose that really aligns with that of the church, although it's an independent entity.   So UrbanMission has been kind of like a seed planter. UrbanMission Community Partners takes those seeds and helps them grow.   What was the impetus for you to plant UrbanMission? A few years before starting seminary, my theology began to change. As it expanded from the faith that I had grown up with, I found myself feeling less and less part of my community because of our different insights and interpretations of scripture. There's a very dualistic way of understanding who's in and who's out.   When I received the call to start a church, I began meeting with Rev. Dr. Felix Villanueva, the Southern California Nevada Conference of the UCC, Conference minister. I indicated I felt the call to plant a church, but one where I belonged. I couldn't find a community that I felt a part of, where I could be myself. The Southern California Nevada Conference really offered me the opportunity.  Read full interview Invitation to join in prayer Jesus, you have come to us in so many varied ways. We thank you for your children in the region of Tennessee as they continue to be your hands and feet in spite of tornadoes and pandemic. We pray that your Holy Spirit will infuse them with hope and peace as they serve from their doorsteps out into their communities. Amen Celebrating 1,000 new churches ... and counting! In 2001, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) embraced a bold vision: to start 1,000 new churches in 1,000 different ways by the year 2020. Today, we have welcomed 1,034+ new places of worship into the Church. The Table around which we gather has grown in language, diversity, and life experience. Courageous leaders have answered the call to grow the denomination through the new church movement. They have reached the underserved, welcomed new neighbors, and created communities of faith. And we, as Disciples, have committed to supporting them. Support the 2020 Pentecost Offering. Each year, half of this offering stays in your Region to support and sustain new churches. The second half helps leaders across the United States and Canada through New Church Ministry programs. Make a gift to the Pentecost offering 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. Click on the logo to the right to see her video message. Future planning by governments, nonprofits and others for emergencies is directly affected by the numbers from this census. Fill out the quick form at 2020census.gov to make a difference for your community for the next 10 years! Watch video Other News National Convocation search for interim administrative secretary extended until June 1 Lexington Theological Seminary opens search for director of admissions Submit news You are invited, Disciples! According to the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, before the COVID-19 pandemic, almost 700 people were dying every day in the U.S. because of the crisis of poverty. And because of this nation’s high tolerance for these deaths, the national response to this pandemic has only further exposed the country’s distorted morality. You can join the Mass (Digital) Assembly on Saturday, June 20, and speak up. Register now Growing stewards By Bruce Barkhauer, Center for Faith and Giving Most churches expect members to be good stewards. The problem is that most churches neither talk about this expectation nor do they prepare their members to become good practitioners of this spiritual discipline. Faithful stewards do not appear with the morning dew as did manna for Israel in the Sinai Desert! Faithful stewards are grown in the soil of discipleship and they bear the spiritual fruit of generosity that is developed through nurture and intentional practice.  In other words, if you look around and don’t see a harvest of good stewards in your congregation, you have to ask yourself if you remembered to plant any seeds! Our stewardship conversations are ineffective when we narrowly focus on tithing and/or being generous with our money without ever having laid a foundation about how the bible makes the case that to be a steward is our very nature – a faithful manager of all things. We have conflated the concepts of stewardship and money so as to equate them as being synonymous; when in fact, financial management is only one part of the life of a steward. At the Center for Faith and Giving our word to the wise is that nothing replaces education and well modeled practice when it comes to the formation of faith, which includes stewardship. You can find a number of educational resources on our website, many of which are adaptable for on-line learning as we adjust to our new physical distancing circumstances. Now would be a great time to have a meaningful discussion about what it means to have been created as a steward. People are shifting their priorities and taking stock of what matters which make this a perfect time to have this discussion in your faith community. Bruce Barkhauer is the Director of the Center for Faith and Giving and serves as the Minister for Faith and Giving for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. He can be contacted at bbarkhauer@disciples.org or by calling 317-713-2404. Leader applications sought The Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance – AllianceQ is seeking leaders to serve as a part of this transforming, expanding ministry. Qualified candidates will understand the history of and vision for our ministry. A demonstrated commitment to justice for vulnerable groups will enhance how we can live into our mission to build a just, inclusive church. AllianceQ is taking another road; we are examining our identity and practices so that we can imagine deeper and wider ministry. With a new Executive Director + Minister and a General Minister and President who is invested in this work, AllianceQ has the potential to build upon a great foundation. See this joint reflection of faith from Melissa Guthrie Loy and Terri Hord Owens. To former council members, regional O&A team members, volunteers, members and friends, and in honor of the 1987 Coordinating Committee and all those who dreamed of and paved the way for this work, THANK YOU. Will you make referrals for leadership in this season? Complete this form. If you are personally interested in leadership with the Alliance, complete the form about yourself. If you would like to refer someone for leadership, complete the sections to the best of your ability. Application Bring the world to your church! As we continue to worship with care, there are many ways to bring the world to you congregation! Global Ministries mission co-workers are available to join you virtually – either live or with pre-recorded presentations: to preach in a Sunday service to share in gatherings during the week to lead a Sunday school classes Looking for engaging Sunday school ideas? Consider planning four Sundays of live presentations, pre-recorded presentations, or a mixture of both. Have an exciting month of learning about God’s work in the world! Mission co-workers who have served in places like Kenya, the Dominican Republic, East Timor, and Greece are available. For questions or to invite someone to share their story, please contact Cathy Nichols.  Additional resources and opportunities Update or place order for free Special Day Offering materials Register for Chaplains Retreat, Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Christmount  Find resources for treasurers and worship leaders from Disciples Mission Fund Center for Faith and Giving offers resources for congregations' annual campaigns Save the date for 2022! More opportunities to put ministry into action Discover your congregation's calling with Hope Partnership Services  Plan a short term volunteer experience with Global Ministries Poor Peoples' Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival updates Disciples News Service (DNS) is distributed by Communication Ministries, in the Office of the General Minister and President, and is supported by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund. To change your subscription, or submit news for consideration in DNS, visit our website. Make a gift Online store Calendar Advertise in DNS View as Webpage Connect with us! #CCDOC ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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