Final episode in anti-racism series tomorrow | | In the summer of 2020 while the pandemic raged, so, too, did God's children. The killings of George Floyd and Breona Taylor along with so many other people of color, the unjust treatment of brown immigrants, the divisive political climate - this was the background for the town hall series, Love is an Action Word sponsored by the Office of General Minister and President and Reconciliation Ministry.
October 22's multicultural session will be the final panel of the series. It will be an exchange between persons that have previously been a part of the series and additional voices to talk about identity, theology, and how we live out the call to faithful care for the community. We will explore what faithful action looks like in different racial contexts, what we've learned during the series, and how Disciples can work together in the future.
Here you will hear the voices of those impacted by the culture, by the systems, by hateful rhetoric. You will hear the human cost of ignoring the issue of racism.
Each episode is about an hour long and hosted on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) YouTube channel. You can find the playlist here.
These would be good 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.
| | Faith on the Ballot sermons available
General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens is one of the preachers for Faith on the Ballot, a weekly sermon series leading up to the 2020 presidential election. Each week prominent pastors and activists lend their voices to issues that intersect with racism—the primary religious issue of this election. Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners, which organized the series, says, “We believe this upcoming election is the most important one in our lifetimes, one of the key crossroads in American history. And we believe that racism is and must be named as a core religious issue in this electoral season, which for us is a confessional season about affirming the image of God in each and every one of us.” All sermons in the series are available at faithontheballot.com. Rev. Owens’ sermon will be streamed at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, Oct. 24. | | The church has left the building How the PPP loan helped one Disciples congregation feed Portland, OR’s houseless
Yes, you read that right… seven tons, every week.
In an effort to address the city’s food insecurity issues, the congregation partners with local non-profit organizations to prepare meals for houseless individuals and low-income senior citizens, communities that have been the hardest hit by Portland’s high housing prices.
But FCC’s commitment to its community isn’t just a recent development; it’s had a sandwich ministry for more than 25 years. Every Wednesday, volunteers would meet in the church’s kitchen, make 100-120 sandwiches, and place them in Ziploc baggies. Then they would load them up in wagons along with clean socks, some toiletries, and personal hygiene supplies. The volunteers would head out downtown with different wagons and routes.
“There were some regulars who always knew Wednesday was sandwich day,” recalls Rev. Cynthia Dobson McBride, First Christian’s Senior Minister, “and they could count on a sandwich from the church volunteers.”
“That shifted and changed a lot with the coming of COVID-19 of course,” she says. | | | | DDH of the University of Chicago dedicates transformed entry with sculpture by renowned artist honoring Jim and Tom Stockdale
A stunning bronze sculpture by Richard Hunt will crown renovations to the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago that symbolize welcome and provide barrier-free access to the historic building. The courtyard and sculpture will be dedicated on October 24 at 1:00 pm, CDT. A magnificent gift in honor of James E. Stockdale funded the courtyard redesign and related renovations to ensure access to the first floor. When University Christian Church in Seattle, Washington, ceased its common life in 2018, the congregation wanted to honor him, their esteemed former minister. The sculpture was commissioned by the family of the late Thomas V. Stockdale, who was Minister Emeritus of Union Avenue Christian Church in St. Louis. One of the most important sculptors of our time, Richard Hunt became the first African American artist to have a major solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1971). Over 150 of his public sculptures are displayed throughout the US, including in the National Museum of African American History and Culture and in a current solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. The dedication will be videocast. RSVP and more information at ddh.uchicago.edu. | | | | Ohio regional pastor and president position open
The Regional Pastor and President provides executive and visionary leadership for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Ohio. The Regional Pastor and President will enhance congregational vitality and mission through a ministry of: authentic connection, presence, process development and creative leadership; spiritual development and practice in personal and communal life; pastoral care and nurture of the congregations and ministers within the Region through quality communication and wise, prayerful counsel; and attention to the development of community by encouraging networking, collaboration and cooperation of congregations and leadership. The Regional Pastor will be affirming and inclusive, creating a space where all Disciples in Ohio are welcome at the Table.
Applications due Nov. 30, 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.
| | How to keep church finances in order without compromising ministry
FREE EVENT offered by the Ohio Region Online - October 24 10:00am – 12:00pm ET Speaker: Belinda R. King, MBA Vice President, Disciples Church Extension Fund
Every pastor has a list of important topics that weren’t covered in a seminary classroom, and overseeing church finances is often at the top of that list. Learn how to build the financial tools needed to handle financial administration in your church. With a focus on financial stewardship and financial administration, this workshop will help you strategize for your church’s financial stability. This event is for Pastors, Treasurers, Trustees, Financial Secretaries, Elders, and anyone in the Ohio region who wants more financial knowledge of church business. Attendees will walk away with basic knowledge in and able to do some hands-on practice with: · Stewardship vs. Financial Administration · Financial Legal Matters · Reading a Financial Statement · Financial Myths · Best Practices · Financial toolbox and more! · After you register online, you will be sent the Zoom link and connection information as well as a list of questions to be answered prior to the workshop so that the event can be more tailored to those persons who will be attending. | | | | Secure a firm financial foundation
Building a budget, eliminating debt, and investing your savings will help your congregation build a solid financial foundation for long-term success. What simple but significant changes could revolutionize giving at your church? In the last New Church Hacks episode of the year, New Church Ministry will: - Discover how vision clarity gives your stewardship life
- Learn how generous leadership draws followers
- Construct pillars for financial success
- Understand the spiritual relationship between scarcity and abundance
- Celebrate what you have, not what you don’t
Join us on Wednesday, October 28 at 3:00 PM EST for the webinar and for a Q&A on Facebook Live with New Church Ministry Assistant Minister Jose Martinez and DCEF Creative Writer/Digital Media Specialist Nadine Compton immediately following.
A link to a recording of the webinar will be emailed to all registrants after it airs, regardless of attendance. | | | | 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! | | | | NBA’s October 2020 Sermon Series: For Such A Time As This The National Benevolent Association presents “For Such a Time as This” our October sermon series by prophetic voices from the Disciples of Christ and NBA community that will inspire you to think critically and act justly while also giving our pastors deserved time off from preaching during Pastoral Appreciation Month! The NBA has a call to address issues of wellness equity. Specifically, we seek to prioritize the equitable sharing of knowledge, resources and support services for communities that are impacted by complex, oppressive systems. Each week, NBA will share sermons that touch on prominent justice issues our society is facing. | | | | From Lexington Theological Seminary's Creating Vital Congregations webinar series
In these unprecedented times, more than ever, we must have the courage to imagine a new church for a new world. We must give ourselves permission to change and also to live in freedom from fear.
On. Nov. 7, Rev. Terri Hord Owens, general minister and president, will deliver a 2-hour session via Lextington Theological Seminary's series. Cost is $10 per sign on. | | | | | Missing piece for 2020 yearbook
The editors of the 2020 Yearbook & Directory apologize for a recently discovered error. The report of the National Benevolent Association, as submitted to the General Board in February of this year, was inadvertenly omitted from the printed yearbook published this summer.
| | 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. | | | | 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.
| | 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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