Twenty minutes is all it takes to choose your own adventure in this new Bible-study tool, A Parallel Journey. Different demographic profiles are included that present you, the learner, with a variety of different decisions and what the outcome might be for your chosen profile.
Throughout the journey, you will be presented with Bible verses for reflection and time to absorb how the experience of the character may (or may not) correlate to your own life experience. Each decision point illustrates how the character’s life may be impacted by their demographic profile.
This resource can be used by an individual or by groups. The rich opportunities for discussion by several learners could be either in person or via electronic means.
This is just one of the many ways your gifts to the Reconciliation Ministry Offering can help toward the work of justice. The offering will be received in most congregations Sept. 27 and Oct. 4. You can also give online to support this important work. | | Please note: no printed materials will be mailed for this offering in 2020. | | Virtual Solidarity 7K Challenge
You don’t have to walk, you just have to talk! Reconciliation Ministry Fundraiser
The Virtual Solidarity 7K Challenge invites your family to engage in 7 challenges to learn more about justice and reconciliation ministries as we claim faithfully that the voices of black lives do matter. The Virtual Solidarity 7K Challenge is hosted by Ministries Across Generations to raise funds for the important conversations and work of Reconciliation Ministries.
More information and updates will be posted on Facebook. | | ICYMI - Anti-racism town hall recordings available
The anti-racism town halls, Love is an Action Word, presented over the summer and fall are recorded and collated in a playlist on the Disciples YouTube channel. The next live session is Sept. 24.
These would be great background and discussion starters for your congregation's small group studies, Sunday School or youth group. You could watch together or assign them as homework before your group meets.
| | Note: You can register for each of the remaining town halls by going to the event calendar on disciples.org. Search for "Love is an Action Word" and click on the event to reach the registration link.
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As racial injustices plague the country, the novel coronavirus pandemic rages nearly unchecked, and an economic crisis plunges millions into poverty, we find ourselves at a point from which we can fall into an abyss of further division, destitution, and despair, or from which we can move back from the brink, by faith, to a place of justice, restored hope and healing. In the midst of these simultaneous crises, and as we celebrate NCC’s 70 years of public witness in the fight for justice, we invite you to join us as we explore what churches must do to turn back the tide of chaos and embrace Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of the Beloved Community. | | Disciples Home Missions' Refugee & Immigration Ministry celebrates 40 years
Disciples have responded to welcome refugees for over 75 years, since near the end of WWII. See stories HERE, that have appeared during RIM’s “#40for40” campaign, in honor of the 40 year anniversary of the US Refugee Act of 1980!
Refugee Resettlement Numbers have been reduced by 80 percent in the past three years—and the next year’s resettlement numbers will be decided THIS MONTH! Learn more HERE about what you can do in your own area, as we celebrate how 10 Disciples leaders from six key leadership decision states of Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado, Utah, and Iowa participated this month in National Refugee Virtual Advocacy Days.
Thanks to each one, who raised their voices for compassion for refugees to their legislators who serve in key roles making decisions regarding refugee resettlement: Revs. Alan Dicken, Allison Lanza, Mark Pumphrey, Vinnetta Golphin, Feliberto Pereira, Joan Bell-Haynes, Laurie Anderson, and Debbie Griffin, together with Disciples Immigration Legal Counsel Natalie Teague and RIM Director Rev. Sharon Stanley-Rea.
Please raise your voice by calling your senators and representatives to ask our US Refugee Resettlement numbers be returned to our historic average of 95,000 per year! Go HERE for a sample script and guidance for your calls. And remember, most important is sharing your own faith values and stories of how your life and congregation have been affected by relationships you’ve had with refugees! | | Applications are being accepted to serve on the General Youth Council
If you are a youth or adult who is interested in serving on the General Youth Council please visit the GYC website to get information and fill out an application. Applications are being accepted from now through Sept. 30, 2020, for terms beginning Jan. 1, 2021, and ending Dec. 31, 2022. | | Young Adult Commission applications are being accepted
If you are interested in connecting and empowering Young Adults to engage in the ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), you can fill out an application to serve on the Young Adult Commission. The next term of service begins January of 2021 through December of 2023 and applications are being accepted until October 30, 2020. Go here to see the expectations for those who serve on the committee. Come serve with us! | | | | Light a Candle with Campers - “Love Letters to Camp” September 21 – October 16, 2020
This year's Children's Sabbath celebration will be Sunday October 18, 2020.
The Light a Candle Prayer Vigil uses a different focus scripture each week related to the overall theme as we prepare for Children's Sabbath. You may follow along each day with us online as daily reflections are posted. The devotions began Monday (Sept. 21). | | Join in a do-at-home Christmas project with your kids
Looking for an easy, yet very meaningful hands-on mission project for your children, youth or family to do during this pandemic time of all-too-much time at home or in “virtual reality”?
This project is simple but very meaningful because it will provide some 5000 asylum seekers (many of whom are children) in detainment at Eloy Detention Center in Eloy, Arizona with the only Christmas present they are going to receive.
This project is undertaken in partnership with the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project which provides free legal and social services for adults and children in immigration. FIRRP hopes that every detainee will receive a greeting! They successfully achieved their goal last year. We are blessed to be able to help them make their goal this year! | | | | Bilingual devotional features Obra Hispana pastor
Bread for the World is offering a bilingual (Spanish/English) devotional this Hispanic Heritage Month. One of the featured writers is National Pastor Lori Tapia of Obra Hispana.
You can download this free resource for your own personal devotional time and pray for those who do not have enough since hunger knows no borders, color or language. | | Church the new way
Leadership Academy gathers Disciples every fall to share leadership experiences, wisdom, and training. This year, they can still expect to learn together, and for the first time, register core teams of up to five people for $500. (We encourage the lead pastor to register for everyone.) From Sept. 29 to Oct.1 (11AM to 6PM EST), New Church Ministry will host a virtual Academy featuring Start and Sustain Tracks to empower leaders, DOCTalks to address missional transformation, and LEADLabs to help leaders with missional concepts. Speakers include: - Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is sought after as a preacher, speaker, and workshop facilitator.
- Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, Founding Director of TryTank, a laboratory for church growth and innovation. He speaks to groups about development, community involvement, the arts, business strategy, and marketing.
- Christiana Rice, Director of the Parish Collective. She is a trainer, writer, and convener, helping to reorganize the church around God’s dreams in the neighborhood.
- Tim Soerens, pastor, social entrepreneur, and co-founding Director of the Parish Collective. He is the author of Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church, Right Where You Are, and the co-author of The New Parish.
| | Additional resources and opportunities
Disciples Family Faith at Home We are giving you a chance to reorder the Faith at Home parables to use this fall with your families at home. Each story is $10. Extra printouts can be found here. Each story will include cut-outs, felt, and printouts for families to engage in story, scripture, prayer, wondering questions, and worship at home. (As you prepare for Advent, we will be offering at home faith stories too!) The Good Shepherd The Good Shepherd and the Lost Sheep The Mustard Seed The Sower The Great Feast The Good Samaritan The Prodigal Son
| | | | Apply for a grant with the National Benevolent Association
The National Benevolent Association is currently running two grant programs. We invite disciples-affiliated organizations whose ministries have been detrimentally impacted by COVID-19 to apply for a COVID-19 NBA Response Grant. This grant was created to support new and changing projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic. Applications for this grant are rolling. | | | | 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!
| | | | Help get out the vote!
On Aug. 13, Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner did a Disciple-specific webinar to support efforts for TurnOut Sunday. The National African American Clergy Network and Lawyers and Collars teamed up to provide the resources.
| | 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.
| | Give your pastor a break for Week of the Ministry in October! Phillips offers ready-to-stream worship service
Phillips Theological Seminary is providing churches meeting online an opportunity to take a break from the weekly creation of worship by providing a ready-to-stream downloadable service.
The seminary has created the complete digital service as a gift to pastors, congregational leaders and musicians needing a break after months of being out of their church buildings.
“The Advancement Office staff felt that our friends and colleagues across the nation might need a respite from the weekly work of crafting remote worship,” said Phillips Vice President of Advancement Terry Ewing. “When we shared this idea with others at the seminary, they were eager to contribute to the digital service.”
Members of the Phillips community contributed to the service, with President Nancy Claire Pittman preaching the sermon on Ecclesiastes 2:18-26.
In addition to offering the full service, each component of worship is available for download as its own file. This means congregations in need of a specific part of worship can pick and choose what they need.
The worship components include: Welcome and Introduction, Prelude Music, Morning Prayer, Words of Confession and Assurance, Special Music, Scripture Reading, Sermon, Mission Moment & Offering, Prayers of the People, Communion, Doxology, Benediction, and Postlude.
Registration to receive a link to the worship service download is available now on the Phillips website. A link to the files will be sent Sept. 17 to everyone who signs up. Technical questions about the video files or downloading should be emailed to Kurt Gwartney, senior director of communications at Phillips.
CLICK HERE to register for the worship files download. CLICK HERE for technical questions or download issues. | | Advocacy Toolkit from Disciples Justice Ministries
Hopefully you found a justice ministry this summer that piqued your interest. (Review stories linked from this page.) Well, there's something more you can do and do it right now! Many legislators are listening more closely to their constituents in this election season so it's your opportunity to bring up what matters to you in a virtual legislative visit. You can find out how to make effective visits with this advocacy tool kit that includes a video from our Disciples in Washington who are well-practiced. | | More opportunities to put ministry into action
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