Connection - August 6, 2008
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Area Board
Packets Mailed
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Quickening
Preview
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Logo
Contest
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Golf
Tournament
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Celebration on September 6, 2008
-
Boundaries
Training in Cameron
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DHM
Updates
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Calendar
of Events
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Week of
Compassion Updates
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Area Board Packets
The area board packets
of information were mailed out today, 8/6/08. If
you get a packet and are no longer the area board
representative for your church, would you please
make sure the packet is given to the correct person
and notify the office so we can update our records.
There are many items in this packet and we hope that
you will look them over before the board meeting on
Saturday morning form 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This
will be a fast paced meeting so we can all adjourn
to the Lifelong Learning Center for the hog roast
and festivities there. There is a poster for the
hog roast and program included in your packet and we
hope that you will see that it is displayed in your
church. There is also a poster for the Quickening
Preview to also be shared. Please contact the
office with the number of family and friends that
will be attending the hog roast so we can prepare
the food. This is a very exciting day for the
Northwest Area. Please plan to attend and be part
of this celebration.
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The
Quickening Preview
The Quickening
Preview on August 31st with internationally
popular Brian Klemmer at the Community Center in
Cameron is filling up. Get your tickets soon.
Order through this office or on-line at:
http://www.klemmer.com/workshop/results.asp?sid=1925
Congregations sending teams thus
far:
King Hill CC
Lathrop FCC
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LOGO CONTEST
GET YOUR ENTRY IN!
Between now and August 15, we are
seeking a logo for the Lifelong Learning Center .
This will be a place where individuals of all ages
and backgrounds, churches, businesses and schools
can come to learn and grow and experience God's
presence through excellent hospitality and great
programs and facilities in a natural prairie
setting. If you have an idea, we would ask that you
sketch it out and mail it in to P.O. Box 353 ,
Cameron , MO 64429 .
We will have artists who can detail
the winning entry.
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GOLF TOURNAMENT
The Property
Management Team is sponsoring a golf tournament to
help pay for the immediate maintenance on the
Lifelong Learning Center so the property can start
to be utilized. The Golf Tournament will be October
4, 2008 in Cameron Missouri at the Cameron Memorial
Golf Course. Cost for a team of 4 is $250.00
Registration will be 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. with
T-off at 10:00 a.m. Plans are being finalized at
this time and much more information will be coming.
Mark your calendar and get your team together. For
further information contact Kathy Gaines wfgaine@solve.net
. Or (816)263-1374
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PRAYER CONCERNS:
Because of the
generous donations from several individuals and
churches that have given above their normal giving
we have been able to meet all of the payroll and the
statements that were due. We are still behind
paying some of the budgeted items i.e. medical
reimbursements, copier fund etc. We give thanks for
the thoughts and prayers and ask that you continue
to pray for the Area Office and the many
ministries. We can see the hand of God at work in
so many ways and know that through Him and with your
continued support we can accomplish great things.
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THERE
IS GOING TO BE A CELEBRATION!!!!
Put a big
X
on your calendar
to mark September 6, 2008 as a very special day in
the Northwest Area. The semi-annual board meeting
will be held at the Lathrop church from 10:00 a.m.
to about noon, while activities are happening for
youth and others at the camp. From 12:00 – 1:00
p.m. there will be tours of the new camp ground
followed by a hog roast from 1-3 p.m. At 3 p.m.,
there will be music, worship and the dedication of
the Life Long Learning Center . Anticipate many
activities and adventures for all. In the coming
weeks there will be posters, and advertisements as
plans are finalized. We want
everyone
to know
that they are invited to take part in this
celebration.
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Boundaries
Training
This training is for all ordained,
licensed and lay ministers who work with people in a
church setting. This is a required course that must
be taken every 5 years to keep standing in the
Disciples of Christ denomination.
Dr. Jeanne Hoeft is an ordained Elder
in the United Methodist Church . She is the
Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at St. Paul
School of Theology, Kansas City, MO. Her specialty
is Pastoral Theology, with interests in feminist
theory, intimate partner violence and parish based
pastoral care.
This course is offered to all
Northwest Area ordained, licensed and lay people on:
September 27
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
with a light lunch at noon
First Christian Church, Fourth and
Pine Streets, Cameron , MO.
You may
register for this course by going to :
KrystalMSR@earthlink.net or
www.msr-crm.org
,calling 573-635-1187 or by writing Missouri School
of Religion Center for Rural Ministry at PO Box
04658, Jefferson City, Missouri 65110
Cost: $50.00 per person.
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DHM
Updates
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Greetings!
Doris Rose, a lay member of
First Christian Church, Antioch
, Calif. , taught me an
unintended lesson in church
growth. That lesson has served
the churches where I have been
pastor since 1969. I had been
called to serve as the pastor of
a congregation that had dwindled
to 25 in worship. I was young
and looking forward to the
challenge of growth in a time
when the church already had
started a significant decline.
Doris was determined that there
were going to be more than 25
people in church on my first
Sunday. She was the head
secretary at a school and asked
the music teacher if the junior
high choir could sing on my
first Sunday. The choir director
said she could not require it,
but that she would invite any
who wanted to participate to do
so. One hundred twenty five
people were in church on my
first Sunday! The next Sunday we
were back to 25 and the work
began. But those 25 were still
on a high from having 125 people
in church the previous Sunday.
With that, Doris (the worship
chair) and I decided that we
would invite the same choir to
sing on my anniversary Sunday
every year thereafter.
Even though I was going to
seminary and working part-time
jobs while serving a 40-hour
work week as pastor of the
congregation, we were blessed to
grow. Some of that growth came
from families who were connected
to the school choir. Because of
Church and State issues and not
wanting to appear manipulative,
we only sent a thank you letter
to each of the choir families
for attending our church. We did
not personally call them or
encourage them to return. Yet,
there were some who did. Now, we
did not receive new members
every year. At best it was every
other year. As good as that was,
each year's improvement of self
image for a small church was a
bi-product of the choir's
presence, and that was
invaluable.
The two congregations where I
served following Antioch had
special days for invited guests
annually, all of which brought
members to the congregations, as
well as helping improve the self
image of those congregations.
Special Days can include, but
are not limited to:
-
inviting a school choir
(junior high choirs do not
get a lot of invitations);
-
50 year and up
wedding/commitment
anniversaries;
-
service club 'go to church'
Sunday (invite the same
Shrine, Kiwanis, or other
service club each year); or
-
prayers for families of
those who have died since
the last Memorial Day
(personal invitations to all
who have been touched by
death, whom the pastor
assisted, since the last
Memorial Day.)
Creative people can come up with
many more great ideas. The key
to this is making events an
annual event, as long as they
are mutually helpful.
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Recursos en Español
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Spanish
Resources
¿Cuál es la definición
de transformación? ¿Qué
son las mejores
prácticas? ¿Y como se
llega a tener consenso
en el proceso de
transformación
congregacional?
Hay nuevos recursos en
español para los
Discípulos.
Mas ...
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Refugee and Immigration
Ministries
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Your help
needed NOW for Burmese,
Bhutanese, and Iraqi
Refugees
The U.S. government has
been slow in processing
refugees for
resettlement into the
United States this year.
Now that the Fiscal Year
is ending September 30,
government staff is in a
hurry to get refugees
into the country before
that deadline. Disciples
Refugee and Immigration
Ministries (RIM) is
working with the Church
World Service (CWS)
resettlement affiliates
across the United States
to provide for the needs
for the overwhelming
number of refugees now
coming into the country.
Most of these refugees
are coming from Burma (
Myanmar ), Bhutan , and
Iraq . Many Burmese and
Iraqis are Christians
and many Iraqis speak
English.
You help
is needed in the process
of responding to the
needs of these refugees.
Check to see if you are
near a CWS affiliate at
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/rim/Manual.asp.
If so, RIM could use
your help! Help includes
being the co-sponsor of
a refugee family along
with the CWS affiliate
and/or providing some of
what the refugee family
will need, such as rent
money, furniture,
household goods, school
supplies/backpacks/uniforms,
and more. If your
congregation can help
with any of these
things, please contact
Linda
Williamson,
Program Assistant for
Resettlement, Refugee
and Immigration
Ministries, phone (888)
346-2631.
If your congregation is
far away from one of
these CWS affiliates you
can still help by
sending rent money,
school kits, household
kits, and more. Contact
Linda Williamson
(contact information
above) for details.
Learn
more about how to help.
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Disciples
Volunteering
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Join us
in new disaster response
efforts
Iowa
Recovery
Disciples
will begin arriving to
help with the recovery
efforts in Iowa
beginning August 3. We
are currently accepting
registrations for groups
who want to travel to
Iowa to assist with this
recovery. If you would
like to register please
contact Anne Marie
Moyars at (888) 346-2631
or register online at
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/Volunteer/DisasterResponse/Register.htm.
Hurricane
Recovery Initiative
Phase II
The Phase
II initiative begins
September 1, 2008, and
will continue through
December 31, 2009. We
have mission stations in
Lake Charles , La. ;
Metairie , La. ; Slidell
, La. ; Algiers , La;
Gulfport , Miss. ; and
Beaumont/Port Arthur,
Texas . If you would
like to register a trip
during this initiative,
please contact Anne
Marie Moyars at (888)
346-2631 or register
online at
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/Volunteer/DisasterResponse/Register.htm.
Check the
DHM Web site for more
updates.
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Youth
Ministry Commission
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August 1
(tomorrow) is your
deadline!
The Youth
Ministry Commission (YMC)
is looking for adults
who want to work with
youth ministry
volunteers at the
General Church level.
Applications are being
accepted through August
1, 2008.
The
application is available
online at
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/YouthNews/index.html.
For more information,
contact
Tod Iseminger
at (888)
346-2631.
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Young
Adult Commission
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Application deadline
The Young
Adult Commission is
currently accepting
applications for the
term beginning January
2009. The deadline to
submit your application
is October 1, 2008.
The
application is available
online at
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/index.htm.
For more information,
contact
Tod Iseminger
at (888)
346-2631.
Apply
today.
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Disciples
Women
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Leadership Apprentice
Program: apply by August
5
Leadership Apprentice
Program is accepting
nominations for the LAP
Class of 2008. Deadline
is August 5, 2008.
The
purpose of the
Leadership Apprentice
Program (formerly
Enablers) is to provide
leadership training and
development for women of
color by enhancing
leadership skills
through training that
will allow them to then
share these skills with
other women in their
congregations and
regions. It will also
acquaint the
participants with the
structures, and
resources for women's
ministries and help them
use them effectively.
There will also be time
to look at the history
of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
and General Church .
More information about
LAP, along with the
guidelines and
nomination form, is
available online.
Information ... form ...
guidelines
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Make a donation
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Please consider making a
donation to Disciples
Mission Fund. Your
donation will benefit
the work and ministries
of the entire church,
including Disciples Home
Missions.
Donate to
DMF
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Be sure to look for the
latest issue of the
Home Mission Advocate
online and/or in your mailbox soon.
Also, check out the
Disciples Home Missions
Web site
for more congregational resources.
Blessings,
Rev. Don Shelton,
Interim President
Disciples Home Missions
of the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)
Email:
dshelton@dhm.disciples.org
Phone: (317) 713-2684 or
(888) 346-2631
Fax: (317) 635-4426
Web:
http://www.discipleshomemissions.org
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Calendar of Events
-
Saturday,
September 6, Area Board meeting and dedication
celebration for the new Lifelong Learning Center
with a hog roast!!!
September 27
Boundaries training Cameron First Christian
Church
Regional
Assembly October 10-12
Information on
three online Certificates in Pastoral Ministry
Courses thru MSR.
Evangelism in Your
Local Context – Dr. Bill Tenny-Brittian
History and Polity
of the Disciples of Christ – Dr. Ken Watson
Introduction to
Christian Thought – Dr. Christine Isham-Walsh
Please contact me if
you have any questions, or would like a registration
form sent to you. Feel free to forward this on to
anyone who may be interested. Information is also
available at our website:
www.missourischoolofreligion.org.
For more information
on MSR courses email:
KrystalMSR@earthlink.net or
www.msr-crm.org
*********************************
Week of Compassion Update
Hurricane
Dolly Relief Efforts Underway
Week of Compassion continues to work with Southwest
Good Samaritan Ministries to respond to humanitarian
needs in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in the
aftermath of Hurricane Dolly. SWGSM staff is
completing assessments in several Disciples
congregations in the Valley and providing emergency
funds to some 30 impacted families on behalf of WOC.
SWGSM's facilities at Bayview were also damaged and
initial repairs have begun. Fortunately, damage to
the homes in the WOC/SWGSM "La Casita" project was
light. Work groups scheduled for the week have
arrived and are working! Additional groups are
needed to help with repairs and to build las
casitas. For more information on Southwest Good
Samaritan Ministries and details on scheduling a
work group, please visit their website at http://www.swgsm.org.
WOC work trip grants are available.
WOC
Work Trip Grant Application
New
Appeal Issued for Iraqi Displaced
Action by Churches Together - the global alliance of
some 175 churches and church-based humanitarian
response agencies, including WOC/Disciples and
Church World Service - has issued a new appeal to
provide assistance to some of the estimated 5
million Iraqis who have been uprooted and displaced
by the war. About half of those displaced have
sought refuge outside the country, mostly in Syria
and Jordan . Another 2.5 million are displaced
internally within Iraq . There is a critical need
for water, food, housing, medical care and education
for children.
C WS
has asked its member communions to provide at least
$100,000 toward the larger ACT appeal. WOC has
responded with an initial grant of $10,000. CWS will
channel this support toward two of its partners,
International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
and the Middle East Counsel of Churches (MECC), who
are part of the coordinated ACT response. IOCC is
targeting some 4,500 vulnerable households within
Baghdad with family food parcels and hygiene kits.
MECC is targeting 1500 refugee families in Syria
with family hygiene kits, vocational training, and
women's health assistance.
For
more information on the ACT/CWS response, click on
the link below.
ACT
Launches Appeal for Iraqi Displaced
Global Food Crisis Hits
Ethiopia
The
east African country of Ethiopia is one of a growing
number of nations throughout the world impacted and
imperiled by the escalating food crisis. In Ethiopia
the rising cost of staple food prices and the impact
of a prolonged dry spell have caused food shortages
for as many as 15 million people, including some 4.6
million who require immediate relief assistance.
In
response to a major appeal by members of ACT in
Ethiopia, Church World Service has requested
$300,000 from its U.S. member communions to support
the efforts of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the
Ethiopian Evangelical Church, who are working
together to provide both emergency food aid and food
security assistance to thousands of at-risk people.
Their efforts include emergency food parcels to more
than 56,000 people; nutritional supplements to more
than 18,000 children, lactating and pregnant
mothers; and seed packets to more than 12,000
households.
WOC
is responding to the CWS appeal with an initial
grant of $6000 as the WOC Committee considers a
larger response. We do anticipate this being just
one of several appeals forthcoming in response to
the global food crisis. Because of the unusual
number of disasters and emergencies both here and
abroad in recent months, WOC resources have been
stretched and strained significantly. Designated
contributions, especially to the Compassion Response
Fund and the Global Food Crisis Fund, are needed and
greatly appreciated and can be made online by
clicking on the link below or sent by regular mail
to WOC, attn: Elaine Cleveland, PO Box 1986, Indpls,
IN 46206. We will be grateful. Many, many more will
be grateful. Thanks.
Make an online donation
WOC
Map/Poster
Have a Blessed Day,
Jan Shrewsbury
Northwest Area Administrative
Assistant816-632-2237
www.nwareacc.org
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