Current Disciples News

From Disciples News Service - Jan. 7, 2009

In this issue:

  • Well-Known Recording Artist To Lead Assembly Youth Choir
  • Micah Ministry Reaches Out To The Needy In Kansas City
  • Disciples Invited To Celebrate New Ecumenical Center In Berkeley
  • Sermons On Presidential Inauguration May Be Included In Library Of Congress Collection
  • Church Extension Announces New Board Composition
  • Deadline Approaches For Submission Of General Assembly Items Of Business
  • Disciples Pastor Selected For Leadership Program At Wabash College
  • Church Extension Gets Grant For Green Building Pilot Studies
  • Disciples Urged To 'Green' Assembly By Offsetting Travel Miles
  • Disciples Minister To Teach University Classes On Mediation
  • Campus Ministries At Northwest Christian Hold 'Soup Nights'
  • Disciples Minister To Address Students At Missouri College

 

WELL-KNOWN RECORDING ARTIST TO LEAD ASSEMBLY YOUTH CHOIR

20081217-AndraMoran.jpgNoted recording artist Andra Moran will serve as youth choir director during the 2009 General Assembly, which takes place July 29-Aug. 2. The youth choir will be featured during the Assembly's Friday night worship service in Indianapolis, when General Minister and President Sharon Watkins is scheduled to preach on "Wholeness in a Fragmented World."

Moran is the daughter of two Disciples ministers. Her faith plays a central role in her song writing. She has lived all over the world as the daughter of an Army chaplain. The youth of the Assembly will rehearse with Moran to prepare for the worship service. To get more, go to:
www.disciples.org/tabid/58/itemid/161/Andra-Moran-at-2009-GA.aspx

MICAH MINISTRY REACHES OUT TO THE NEEDY IN KANSAS CITY

20090107-ServingFood.jpgDozens of people gather each week in a downtown Kansas City, Mo. church to reflect the face of Christ by helping those most in need. They are part of Micah Ministry, a seven-year old program that takes place at Independence Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Each Monday night, these workers greet the homeless and the needy with a warm welcome, a hot meal, and friendship.

Darrell Cantrell, a Disciple lay leader, is the chief chef at Micah Ministry. Cantrell racks up a 14 to16 hour work day on Mondays, as he collects food, cooks it and later cleans up after the 500 or so people who find their way to Independence Boulevard for a meal and clothing. But Cantrell, a railroad consultant, says his work at Micah is typically the most gratifying part of his week. To read more about Micah Ministry, founder Lee Chiaramonte, chef Darrell Cantrell and others who help carry out this important outreach, visit:
www.disciples.org/tabid/58/itemid/162/Kansas-City-Food-Ministry.aspx

DISCIPLES INVITED TO CELEBRATE NEW ECUMENICAL CENTER IN BERKELEY

The Disciples Seminary Foundation (DSF) has invited Disciples to a celebration at the new Ecumenical Center in Berkeley on Feb. 7. The Disciples Seminary Foundation in partnership with the Pacific School of Religion has purchased University Christian Church in Berkeley. The building is now officially called the Ecumenical Center in Berkeley. DSF has moved their Berkeley office into the facility and they are already ministering to students in the new space.

On Feb. 7, DSF will host a celebration "Roots and Wings-Celebrating Partners in the Journey." They will be honoring the legacy of University Christian Church and lifting up the future ministry of Disciples Seminary Foundation in Berkeley. For more information, contact DSF at info@dsf.edu or call 909-624-0712. DSF seeks to serve God through the formation and support of emerging theological leaders. It is very excited about the new possibilities for ministry in Berkeley.

SERMONS ON PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION MAY BE INCLUDED IN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COLLECTION

Sermons, reflections or meditations offered by Disciples pastors that highlight the inauguration of Barack Obama, the country's first African American President, may soon find their way to the collections of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Reconciliation Ministry recently issued a call for sermons that will be preached on Jan 18, on the eve of the celebration of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and two days before Obama's inauguration. Reconciliation Ministry hopes to compile the materials into a church-wide resource for congregational and small group study. The resource is not meant to be a political commentary. It is intended to equip churches with models and ideas that acknowledge the Church's history while uncovering new ways of living into unity, reconciliation and an anti-racist identity. Submissions or questions should be directed to April Johnson, Minister of Reconciliation at ajohnson@ogmp.disciples.org. Submissions will be considered through Friday, January 30.

The American Folklife Center has expressed interest in securing some of the works from Reconciliation Ministry as part of its attempt to get as wide a representation of oration as possible. The collection will become one of many oral history and spoken-word collections at the center that preserve American's accounts of, and reactions to, important cultural events. To learn more, go to: www.loc.gov/folklife/inaugural or contact April Johnson.

CHURCH EXTENSION ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD COMPOSITION

Church Extension has added Yolanda F. Smith to its board of directors. Smith serves as the chief financial officer for New Direction Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Memphis, Tenn. She has a bachelor's degree from LeMoyne-Owen College and a master's in Business Administration from University of Phoenix. In addition, Barbara Albert and Linda Gardner will serve a second term on the CE board. For more on Smith, Albert and Gardner, see: http://bceweb1.ddi.org/about/upload/Yolanda-Smith.pdf (PDF)

Church Extension also appointed Nancy Brink as chair of the board for 2009. Brink earned a bachelor of arts degree from Texas Christian University and a masters of divinity degree from the Vanderbilt Divinity School. Departing from the board are Don Houk and Gary Straub. To find out more, go to: http://bceweb1.ddi.org/about/upload/Nancy-Brink.pdf (PDF)

DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR SUBMISSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY ITEMS OF BUSINESS

January 28 is the deadline for submission of business items to be considered by the 2009 General Assembly. The General Board will review all items of business that may be forwarded to the Assembly at the Board's April meeting. Items of business may be filed with the General Board by any congregation, region, institution of higher education, general ministry, or organization with recognized relationships with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) or by the governing board of any such body. All items must be filed through the office of the General Minister and President at least 180 days prior to the meeting of the General Assembly. To read more about the criteria for filing business items, refer to Sections 15 and 44 of the Design by going to: www.disciples.org/AboutTheDisciples/TheDesignoftheChristianChurch/tabid/228/Default.aspx

DISCIPLES PASTOR SELECTED FOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AT WABASH COLLEGE

20090107-NathanWilson.jpgDisciples minister Nathan D. Wilson has been selected to participate in the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program. Wilson is senior minister at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Shelbyville, Ind. He earned an undergraduate degree from Asbury College and a master's degree in divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary.

Pastors chosen for the leadership program will gather on the Wabash College campus 10 times over a two-year period. There they will meet with civic, government, business, and religious leaders to discuss issues that affect local Indiana communities. In addition, the pastors will be part of a study tour in North America during the first year of the program and an international study tour in the second year. The program is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. For more, see:
www.disciples.org/Portals/0/PDF/DNS/2009/20090107-NathanWilsonWabash.pdf (PDF)

CHURCH EXTENSION GETS GRANT FOR GREEN BUILDING PILOT STUDIES

logo-ce125.gifChurch Extension has been awarded a $15,000 grant that will be used to support Church Extension's Green Building assessment service. The grant was awarded by the Shumaker Family Foundation in Lawrence, Kan., which promotes social and environmental justice, education, spirituality and the arts.

The grant will help with various phases involving the congregational service pilot studies and the launch of the national effort. The assessment services were initiated by consultants from the congregational services team at Church Extension to evaluate Disciples congregations' existing facilities based on their design, use, geography, ministry, and finances. To learn more, go to: bceweb1.ddi.org/about/upload/Shumaker-Grant.pdf (PDF)

DISCIPLES URGED TO 'GREEN' ASSEMBLY BY OFFSETTING TRAVEL MILES

ga09-GreenLeaf.gifDisciples congregations are being urged to support efforts to help "green" the 2009 General Assembly and offset travel mileage to Indianapolis. Those who plan to participate in the program should calculate their roundtrip mileage from their residence to the Assembly. Then ask others to bank Assembly mileage offsets by walking, biking, carpooling or busing.

Each new mile that is accrued by traveling through alternative means, or not traveled due to carpooling counts toward the offset. Disciples may keep track of their traveled miles on a spreadsheet or post it in a visible location to mark the congregation's progress. For more information, download the "Offset Your Travel To The Assembly" guide by visiting www.disciples.org/ga and clicking on the "Keeping it 'Green'" link.

DISCIPLES MINISTER TO TEACH UNIVERSITY CLASSES ON MEDIATION

A Disciples minister and chaplain will teach a series of classes in mediation beginning at the end of January and running to August. Ralph Steele, an ordained Disciples minister and a chaplain with the Waco, Texas Police Department, will teach the classes at the University of Texas at Arlington beginning Jan. 30. Steele was formerly the pastor at churches in Hopkinsville and Mayfield, Ky.

Steele will teach a total of three courses entitled "Basic Mediation Training," "Advanced Family Mediation Training," and "Workplace Conflict: Mediation in the Employment Sector." He holds a doctorate degree in mediation from Oxford University in England. For more information, contact Cassandra Smith at 817-272-2581 or casssm@uta.edu or visit www.uta.edu/ced and click on Career Development, and then click on Mediation & Alternate Dispute Resolution.

CAMPUS MINISTRIES AT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN HOLD 'SOUP NIGHTS'

logo-nwchristiancollege.gifNorthwest Christian University's campus ministries program recently came up with a novel way of connecting with students in its evening program. Tobyn Bower, a NCU student and a member of campus ministries, ran a project called "Soup Nights" for professional studies program students last semester.

Using recipes he gathered on the Internet, Bower was able to serve soup twice a week to students taking evening courses during a break in their classes. "The main goal was just to make connections," Bower explained. To learn more, see: www.disciples.org/tabid/58/itemid/163/Soup-Nights-for-Northwest.aspx

DISCIPLES MINISTER TO ADDRESS STUDENTS AT MISSOURI COLLEGE

William Woods University has invited an Oklahoma Disciples minister to address its students as part of the school's Alumni Speaker's Series. Romney Nesbitt, an ordained Disciples minister and author of "Secrets from a Creativity Coach," will speak to the William Woods students on Jan. 23. William Woods is a liberal arts university located in Fulton, Mo.

Nesbitt will participate in a speaker's series entitled "It's not a Job, It's a Career!" The lectures are designed to let alumni share their often unique professional careers with undergraduates. Nesbitt, who is also an artist and teacher, will speak to honors, fine arts and general studies students. To learn more about him, visit: http://www.romneynesbitt.com/