Connection - 12/06/2007
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Operation Holiday Thanks
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Year End Giving
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The Christmas Gift That Keeps On Giving
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Elders Honored at Brookfield
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Women’s Mini Retreat
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Get Connected for Youth 6th-12th Grades
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Advent Day Book Available for you
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CAMP 2008 is on Its Way! Photo Request and
Dates
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Ecumenical Legislative Breakfast Forum
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Calendar of Events
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Week of Compassion Update
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Operation Holiday Thanks ( for the troops /
sponsored by FOX News and Fox newscaster Miss E.D. Hill)
http://www.foxnews.com/americaspulse/
Operation Holiday Thanks
Show your appreciation and share your season's
greetings with a recovering service member. Simply send your
holiday cards to:
Operation Holiday Thanks
c/o E.D. Hill
FOX News Channel
1211 6th Ave.
17th floor
New York , NY 10036
We'll make sure your cards are distributed to a number of
military hospitals.
There is also information about sending
Christmas Trees to Military Families . . .
Bye for now!
Rodney
Pastor Rodney Hopper
First Christian Church
501 S. Market Street
Rock Port, MO 64482
(660) 744-2486
Parsonage
(660) 744-2787
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Year End Giving
Hello, regional and area colleagues! Attached
are two articles which encourage IRA Rollover gifts to charity.
Many churches are utilizing the information provided by CCF,
Church Extension and Pension Fund about this soon-to-expire
opportunity. Please feel free to use this information with your
constituents. While the hope is that Congress will extend this
into 2008, chances are we are only looking at a one-month window
of time for these types of gifts to be made. Please let me know
if you have any questions.
I hope have a blessed Advent Season.
See Attached flyer
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The Christmas Gift that keeps on giving
If you are looking for a Christmas gift to
honor someone you love, we encourage you to make a donation of
$10 or more to the Northwest Area Life Long Learning Center .
Sharon Pulliam, gave us a gracious gift of 160 acres near
Lathrop. It is now our opportunity to raise funds to prepare to
build buildings, activity centers, trails and much more that
will be used by generations to come to grow closer to God.
A Special Christmas card will be sent to the
recipient with your name acknowledging the gift. Please be sure
to include the person(s)' name and address as well as your own.
You can send the donations to the Northwest Area Office, P.O.
Box 353 , Cameron , MO 64429 . If you have questions, please
contact the office (816)632-2237 or nwareacc@nwareacc.org
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Elders Honored at Brookfield
We received the attached update from First Christian Church,
Brookfield . We're passing it along to those who may know these
friends who were recently honored for their service to Christ.
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Women’s Mini Retreat
The Women’s Mini Retreat will meet at Missouri
Western State University on July 11, 12, 13, 2008. Please
reserve this date on your calendar. The theme is “Spiritually
Hungry? Why Wait?”
Please share this information with other
women. For more information contact: (816)233-0769
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NORTHWEST AREA CHURCH CAMPS PRESENT
GET CONNECTED
Featuring the new Area Youth Praise Team
Saturday, February 16, 2008 for all 6th
-12th grade youth will be a 1 day retreat at the
First Christian Church in Gower , MO. Registration will begin at
10:00 AM. The event runs from 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM with lunch
included. Early bird cost is $7.00 if registered by Friday,
February 8, 2008. After February 8 the cost is $10.00. For more
information call the Area Office (816)632-2237, email
nwareacc@nwareacc.org or check out the web site
www.nwareacc.org Flyers and
registration forms were mailed to each church several weeks ago.
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Alternative Spring Break
November 28, 2007
Dear Disciples Volunteering Partner:
You will find attached with this note a flyer and registration
form for our 2008 Alternative Spring Break Mission
Opportunities. Note the major effort that Disciples’ are
leading in the ongoing recovery and rebuilding effort in
Greensburg , Kansas following its devastation this past May from
a tornado.
Please publicize this opportunity for
Alternative Spring Break Mission Projects in any way that you
feel is appropriate.
Thank you for your support of and partnership
with Disciples Volunteering! If I, or the Office of Disciples
Volunteering, may be of service to you in other ways, please be
in contact with me.
Peace,
Carl E. Zerweck, III
Director, Office of Disciples Volunteering
Sent by:
Brenda Tyler, Administrative Assistant
Office of Disciples Volunteering
Minister's Directory Office
E-mail: btyler@dhm.disciples.org
Phone: (317) 713-2642 or toll free (888)
346-2631
Web site:
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org
"Getting Dirty for Jesus" will transform your
congregation. Call us, let's talk!
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ADVENT DAY BOOK AVAILABLE FOR YOU
Just to let you know of an Advent devotional
that is available for your own personal use, and the use of
congregations and church members. This Advent Daybook comes as a
free gift from several Disciples clergy and two congregations in
the N.W. Region through a partnership with Disciples Home
Missions. You can locate a link to this downloadable PDF file
at:
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/index.htm
On this main DHM web page the link for the
Advent Daybook file is near the top center under the “What’s
new...” section and immediately beneath the “Two Advent
resources...” sub-header.
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CAMP 2008
We are looking for pictures to use on camp
promotional materials. The theme is “Listen! God is Calling.” If
you have a picture of kids at camp that you think would
exemplify this theme, please send a copy to the office
nwareacc@nwareacc.org.
Thank you so much for your help
The dates for the camps are as follows:
(All camps begin and end at 10 a.m.)
1,2,3 – Go!
(Completed Grades K-2)
July 16-18 or July 24-26
Jr. Camp
(CompletedGrades 3-5)
June 30-July 4 or July 11-15
Chi Rho
(Completed Grades 6-8)
July 6-10 or July 19-23
CYF
(Completed Grades 9-12)
June 24-29
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Ecumenical Legislative Breakfast Forum: An
Invitation
Missouri church leaders and state legislators
will engage in dialogue on tax justice as they examine Missouri
’s income tax structure at an ecumenical Legislative Breakfast
Forum on January 23, 2008, 7:30 - 9:30 a.m., at the Capitol
Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City . The event is co-sponsored by
Missouri Christians Against Racism and Poverty (MOCARP) and
Missouri Churches Uniting in Christ (MOCUIC). “Our purpose is to
explore issues related to tax justice as seen from differing
legislative voices and from a biblical and theological
perspective”, states MOCARP co-chair, Rev. John Bennett.
The Forum legislative panel will be: Senator
Maida Coleman (D-5), Senator Michael Gibbons, (R-15),
Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford (D-59) and Representative
Bryan Pratt (R-55). Rev. James Morris, pastor, Lane Tabernacle
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Louis, and Barbara
Ross, Director, Office of Social Concerns, Diocese of Jefferson
City (Roman Catholic), will provide theological reflection on
the tax justice issue. Rev. Patrice Rosner, Director, Churches
Uniting in Christ, and moderator of the panel states, “while
some people question what faith has to do with politics, I
believe that our faith informs everything ; from the way we
think to the way we act - and vote. This Legislative Breakfast
Forum offers an opportunity for critical, thoughtful, informed
reflection from a faith perspective on the tax justice issue and
other important issues before the Missouri Legislature, issues
which directly affect all Missouri residents.”
Bishop Paul Stewart, Third Episcopal District,
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Louis, said, “the CME
Church wholeheartedly supports the Legislative Breakfast Forum
focusing on tax justice. We are proud to be a part of this great
ecumenical effort as we strive to work together to bring about
justice, peace and equality for all.” Dr. Jim Hill, Executive
Director, Baptist General Convention of Missouri , also endorsed
the event saying, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to
participate in this Legislative Forum because it is vitally
important for genuine dialogue to occur between religious
leaders and our legislative leaders regarding matters of social
and economic justice.”
To register for the event send $10 ($15 after
Dec. 15) to: Baptist General Convention of Missouri, 1900 North
Providence, Suite 301, Columbia, (checks payable to Baptist
General Convention of Missouri; notation: Legislative
Breakfast). Members of denominational commissions,
congregations, local clergy, and interested citizens are urged
to join with the judicatory leaders in this important event. All
Missouri Legislators will be guests of MOCARP/MOCUIC but should
make reservation by sending an email to: vkramer@baptistgcm.org
Contact: John Bennett, jhbennett65109@peoplepc.com
, 573-635-2743; Patrice Rosner, prosner@eden.edu, 314-252-3160
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Christian Education in the Small
Congregation
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Elders Institute January 25 & 26, 2008
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Unbinding the Gospel January 25, 2008
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Women’s Mini Retreat July 11-13, 2008
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Sessions for Men July 17-2, 2008
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WEEK OF COMPASSION UPDATE
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Needs from Cyclone Sidr Larger Than
First Thought
Members of the global alliance, Action
by Churches Together, continue to provide emergency
assistance in Bangladesh to more than 35,000 survivors
of Cyclone Sidr. The humanitarian crisis from the
powerful storm that ripped into the southern part of the
country three weeks ago is proving to be much worse than
previously thought. Some 2.6 million people are in need
of emergency assistance. Nearly 1.5 million homes have
been damaged or destroyed, more than 2 million acres of
cropland have been devastated, and livestock losses have
grown to at least 1.25 million. The official death toll
from the storm is now 3,268.
Altogether, nine ACT members,
including long-time Disciples and Church World Service
partner, Christian Commission for Development in
Bangladesh (CCDB), are coordinating their efforts to
respond with emergency water, food, medicines, shelter
and other basic relief items throughout the
cyclone-stricken region. On behalf of the Disciples,
Week of Compassion has provided an emergency grant to
CCDB to support their relief operations and is
anticipating receiving a larger appeal from ACT in the
coming days for ongoing relief and long-term recovery
work of all the ACT partners. Click below to read
personal stories of cyclone survivors.
Stories: Bangladesh, Cyclone Sidr
Zimbabwe on the Edge
7000% inflation. It is difficult for
most North Americans to imagine such an economic
statistic, much less the debilitating impact it would
have on the ordinary lives of people or a nation's
overall security and stability. Earlier this fall, the
official inflation rate in Zimbabwe actually exceeded
7000%. The results: a poverty rate of more than 80%; a
massive unemployment rate; dwindling food supplies; a
country and a populace literally on the edge.
In the midst of this growing crisis,
two Zimbabwean members of Action by Churches Together -
including long-time Disciples and Church World Service
partner, Christian Care - are working together to
provide immediate food relief to more than 50,000 of
some of the poorest and most vulnerable Zimbabweans. In
addition, seeds, fertilizers, small livestock and
training will be offered to more than 6400 households to
revive sustainable farming activities and thus, hope,
for some form of long-term food security for those
families.
Week of Compassion recently provided a
grant of $12,000 to a CWS/ACT appeal in support of
Christian Care's activities.
WOC Map/Poster
Click below for the latest additions
to the WOC interactive map/poster. For a complimentary
copy of the map/poster for your congregation, call the
office at 317.713.2442 or send an e-mail to ecleveland@woc.disciples.org.
Map for Congregations |
Have a Blessed Day,
Jan Shrewsbury
Northwest Area Administrative Assistant
816-632-2237
www.nwareacc.org
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