#DOCjustsummer: Disciples Peace Fellowship | |
When you have the title of oldest existing peace fellowship of any denomination in the United States, you best believe God has placed a hand on the justice work you are doing. Disciples Peace Fellowship has engaged with the work of peace and justice through equipping, connecting, and advocating. These key actions of DPF’s mission statement drive DPF to work alongside other justice centered organizations in the denomination. With a parent organization like Fellowship of Reconciliation, DPF continues to hold itself to a high caliber of institutional values and morals in a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.
So, it just makes sense that DPF would batten down the hatches on the aforementioned values and enjoy “hanging out” with other denominational justice partners during the time of COVID-19. In this power move of intersectionality, DPF strives to provide a faithful response to the intertwined injustices happening right now. As Disciple Peace Fellowship Director, Rev. Brian Fredrick-Gray said, “We knew in theory but, COVID allows us to pin point the connectivity.”
This summer all three DPF interns are working alongside the Disciples News Service to write articles on DOC justice organizations and the work that they are doing. Interns are also working within some of these organizations like AllianceQ, Reconciliation Ministry, and Green Chalice. The interns are also partnering with virtual summer camps in many regions to speak to middle and high school students about social justice. The youth are the embodiment of the church today. When asked where he sees hope, Fredrick-Gray quickly pointed out the peace intern program and how “the passion and enthusiasm for justice and peace” has connected the interns to the community. There are “so many places peace interns are not welcome due to race and gender identification,” the director noted while subtly mentioning the militarism that comes when a world that is at war with itself especially over the racial injustice of today. | Thursday, July 16 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT. | #DOCjustsummer
This summer, each issue of Disciples News Service is featuring one of our many justice-oriented ministries and invite you to learn more about them. We hope you will find a place to put your passion to work!
| | Mission and Ministry grant application period open
Serving as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)’s health and social service general ministry, the National Benevolent Association partners with Disciples-related ministries, regions, and local congregations to create communities of compassion and care. NBA’s Mission & Ministry Grants program utilizes purpose-restricted funds to provide grant funding for projects serving older adults and educating disenfranchised youth and young adults.
Due to the purpose-restriction of these funds, grant applications must clearly demonstrate their funding needs as being related to older adults or at-risk youth in order to be approved.
Mission & Ministry Grants are available for congregations, programs, and ministries affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. American projects must have a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status through the church and/or the state in which the ministry operates. Canadian projects must be registered charities through the CRA. | | | | NBA invites social entrepreneurs to register for its virtual SENT Seminar NBA invites social entrepreneurs and Disciples who want to learn more about the world of Social Enterprise to our virtual SENT Seminar. Participants will experience online education on the importance of impactful work in our communities and lessons on how to plant and grow new faith-rooted social enterprises. Join us online for the Virtual SENT Seminar, Sept. 16–18, 2020 | | | | Apply for a COVID-19 NBA Response Grant - Cycle 2 now open!
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. | | | | National Convocation schedules online business session for Aug. 15 The National Convocation has opened registration for its 26th Biennial Session virtual business meeting on Saturday, August 15. Business items for the two-hour online meeting are: a. Install new Officers; b. Install new At-Large Members; c. Receive the Strategic Plan and Vision Statement; d. Approve the Amendments to the Articles of Operation; e. Receive the Advisory Committee report; f. Receive the Nominating Committee report; g. and receive the Time & Place Report. | | | | You count!
Future planning by governments, nonprofits and others is directly affected by the numbers from the census, so in spite of the pandemic and because of the inequities in how communities are resourced, 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!
| | | | 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.
| | Bring the world to your church!
As we continue to worship with care, there are many ways to bring the world to you congregation!
- 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
| | | | Chalice Press anti-racism titles available
“If we say that we are a pro-reconciliation, anti-racism church, we must choose every day to be who we say we are. That means not only standing up, but speaking up and acting in solidarity without fear.” —Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
As disciples of Christ and Disciples of Christ, we share a common goal – creating an anti-racist, pro-reconciling church. We also know there are as many ways to reach that goal as there are Disciples congregations. - It starts with honest, heartfelt conversations that ask the question, “where do we get started?”
- That leads to effective sermons that help your entire congregation ask, “what can we do about this?”
- Next come the small-group discussions where friends who trust each other can ask, “what do I need to change about myself?”
- And then, our churches reach into their communities, asking, “how can we be part of the solution?”
For every step along the journey, Chalice Press can help. Our authors speak from their personal experience and education to help us learn more about the history and impact of racism on the church and our country at this critical moment. Whichever conversation you need to have, the most important piece is to make this learning and conversation a priority in your congregation and to do the work together. | | | | More opportunities to put ministry into action
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