First Christian Church1101- 15th Street
Bedford, IN 47421
812-275-4497
firstccbedford@gmail.com
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| June 29, 2011 | |
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In this issue:
GLOBAL MINISTRIES SUMMIT ENCOURAGES RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN MISSION GENERAL MINISTER AND PRESIDENT WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SPECIAL VIDEO; SPEAKS OF IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICES PENSION FUND ACCOUNT HOLDERS TO RECEIVE INTEREST RATE BOOST The new rates were approved by the board at its June 16-17 meeting, and take effect July 1. The new rates are higher than the current rates that have been in effect since Jan. 1, 2011. For more, see: www.pensionfund.org/files/News/Interest%20Rate%20News%20Release%20Julne%202011.pdf DON'T MISS OUT ON SPECIAL MEAL FUNCTIONS AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY Numerous luncheons will be offered by the Church's colleges, universities, seminaries and divinity houses. Disciples Women, Disciples Men, and NAPAD also will sponsor luncheons. But that's not all. You can choose from eight dinners, most sponsored by General Ministries of the Church, which will feature well-known speakers, special recognition moments and celebrations. Not to be missed also is the Week of Compassion reception at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday night, July 10 and the General Minister and President and Moderators reception following evening worship on Monday night, July 11. Although some tickets to meal events will be sold onsite, you are encouraged to order your tickets online at: http://bit.ly/ga11tickets WATCH WORSHIP AT THE 2011 GENERAL ASSEMBLY VIA WEBCASTS The webcast will allow Disciples everywhere to also participate in discussion through Facebook, Twitter or a hosted chat discussion. To learn more about ways to participate in the Assembly through Facebook, Twitter or chats, or to see the schedule of the webcasts from the General Assembly, visit: http://bit.ly/ga11live CHALICE PRESS BOOK AWARDS GIVEN TO OUTSTANDING SEMINARIANS The recipients of 2011 Chalice Press Book Awards are from 28 schools located from Toronto, Canada to Claremont, Calif. The seminarians chosen for the award receive a voucher allowing them to select Chalice Press books for their personal libraries. Chalice Press books often pertain to aspects of congregational leadership and faithful living, as well as textbooks in theology, Biblical studies, homiletics/preaching, and pastoral ministry. To see a list of the award recipients and their schools, go to: THINKING THEOLOGICALLY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY: UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY LAUNCHES 'NEW MEDIA PROJECT' WEBSITE The New Media Project, funded by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., explores how pastors and lay leaders might employ new technologies to strengthen their communities in the midst of the massive shifts occurring in digital communication today. The new website and blog will feature the work of five research fellows – as well as the work of Project Director Verity A. Jones, former publisher and editor of DisciplesWorld Magazine – in assisting pastors and others with a broad theologically-grounded reflection on the lasting effect these technologies will have on the church and its global ministries. CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN KENTUCKY PARTNERS WITH DISCIPLES HOME MISSIONS ON CREATION CARE Answering a call from Kentucky General Minister J. Gregory Alexander four years ago, the Kentucky Region formed a Green Chalice ministry that established community gardens ranging from plots for refugee families in Owensboro to five acres that produces food for shut-in's in Harrison County. Rev. Carol Devine, pastor of Republican Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Cynthiana, Ky., will work with DHM as the new Green Chalice minister. She also will produce a monthly e-newsletter about the project and join DHM in promoting it at next month's General Assembly in Nashville. To read a story about the Green Chalice program, go to: www.disciples.org/tabid/58/itemid/947/Disciples-Home-Missions-partners-with-Kentucky.aspx ONCE AGAIN, IT'S THE NATIONAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION "How we will carry out this mission will look different from our founding foremothers, but we will keep with their spirit of helping the helpless – to give a home to the homeless, to provide care for the sick and comfort for the distressed," said Mark D. Anderson, who was called to serve as NBA's president and CEO in January. The organization was originally started by six women in a St. Louis-based prayer circle. To find our more, see: GLAD ALLIANCE LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE "The new website features a bold, new look for GLAD and is filled with great resources to help individuals, congregations and the larger church struggle more faithfully with the questions of hospitality and justice," said Wes Jamison, who chairs the Open & Affirming Ministries program for GLAD and who designed the site. To view the site, go to: www.gladalliance.org or to learn more, see: www.disciples.org/Portals/0/PDF/DNS/2011/20110629-GLADAllianceWebsite.pdf FORMER EXCHANGE STUDENT CALLED TO SERVE REFUGEE AND IMMIGRATION MINISTRIES Walters has international experience as an exchange student, an intern, or a language instructor in numerous countries. Walters speaks Spanish and some Korean. Most recently he served as a graduate research associate in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He is the son of two Disciples clergy and will be a first-year student at Christian Theological Seminary this fall. For more, go to: GENERAL MINISTER AND PRESIDENT IDENTIFIES PROPHESY AS OUR ECUMENICAL CALLING "Prophecy is less about predicting future events and naming the end days and is more about having eyes to see the world of God's desiring," said Watkins. "If we would live as one, the world would become as one." She challenged her listeners to become followers, not fans, of Jesus. The biennial lectureship is sponsored by the Council on Christian Unity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Stalcup School of Theology for the Laity at Brite Divinity School. For more, see: www.disciples.org/ccu/PDF/Prophesy_News_Article_RevC.pdf To listen to Watkins' lecture, go to www.brite.edu/stalcup/2011_lecture.asp CONGREGATIONS THAT ENGAGE IN INTERFAITH RELATIONS SOUGHT FOR RECOGNITION The deadline for submission of the nomination form and a two page essay is Sept. 1. To learn how to nominate a congregation or to get more information, go to: TENNESSEE DISCIPLES CHURCH TO BE SITE OF DISASTER RECOVERY TRAINING "Six decades of experience working with the most vulnerable tells us that, after disasters of this scope, poor families and individuals are least able to repair their homes or to find a new home, without assistance that falls outside the established structures and resources," said Brian Crousore, CWS emergency response specialist. The training sessions will feature workshops, lunch and training materials open to anyone dedicated to helping rebuild homes and lives. For more, see www.churchworldservice.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=12597&news_iv_ctrl=1361 CONGREGATIONS ARE ASKED TO SHARE 9/11 RESOURCE MATERIALS A special evening worship will culminate with a large concert involving several different choirs, that will end with statements of hope about service in the world. To find out more about UCC's activities, visit www.universitychristianchurch.org. If your congregation is involved in planning resources for Sept. 11 observances, please send those resources to: news@cm.disciples.org so that they may be shared with the larger church. * * * Please note: Disciples News Service will not be distributed on July 13, as staff will be attending the 2011 General Assembly in Nashville, Tenn. However, we encourage you to visit www.disciples.org for news and information about the Assembly as well as general news about the Church. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/christianchurchdoc and our Twitter account @DisciplesNews. #### The next deadline to submit news for consideration Stay Connected:
Editor: Wanda Bryant Wills
If you are interested in submitting news for distribution in the Disciples News Service, please review our "Guidelines for Submitting News and Information to Disciples News Service": |
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| The Disciples News Service, also known as The Disciple®, is distributed semi-monthly or as needed by Communication Ministries. For changes to your subscription options or to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit: www.disciples.org/Default.aspx?tabid=76 |
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Thirty-two members from the Disciples Racial Ethnic Ministries (National Convocation, NAPAD and Hispanic Ministries) gathered in Indianapolis for a Global Mission Summit event from June 16 to 18 sponsored by Global Ministries. The meeting was a follow-up initiative to the Pilgrimage to India in which the three Racial Ethnic leaders, Timothy James, Geunhee Yu and Huberto Pimentel, participated in March of 2010. It was designed to work on strategies for strengthening the partnership between Global Ministries and Disciples Racial Ethnic congregations. To learn more and see photos from the event, go to
With only 10 days left before the start of the 2011 General Assembly, General Minister and President Sharon Watkins reminds all Disciples in a special video that there is still time to register for the July 9-13 event in Nashville, Tenn. She also reflects on her time as GMP and the church's journey to fulfill its vision of being a faithful growing church that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality and a passion for justice. But Watkins reminds viewers that fulfilling our vision is first of all a spiritual practice. She shares some of her spiritual practices in the video and encourages Disciples to find their own unique practices that can be used in fulfilling God's vision for the Church. To view the video, go to: 
The Pension Fund Board of Directors has approved an increase in interest rates for Tax Deferred Retirement Account (TDRA) and Benefit Accumulation Account (BAA) holders. Effective July 1, TDRA's will receive an increased rate of return from 3.50 percent to 3.75 percent during the third and fourth quarters of 2011. BAAs will receive an increased rate of return from 3.0 percent to 3.25 percent during the third quarter of 2011.
Disciples will gather at tables of all sorts for a variety of meals at General Assembly. Breakfast options include the Ministers and Mates event, sponsored by the Pension Fund, a free Reconciliation Ministry breakfast and the Disciples Peace Fellowship function.
Trends in modern communication vehicles are happening so rapidly, one can hardly stay abreast. What with the emergence of the Internet, e-mail, and social media such as Facebook and Twitter, the communications revolution often outpaces the church's ability to fully understand these electronic tools. Union Theological Seminary in New York City has launched 
The National Benevolent Association, a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since 1887, recently announced that it is restoring the use of the NBA name. The NBA began using the name Disciples Benevolent Services in 2007 to emphasize its new role in partnering with other faith-based organizations within the Disciples network and beyond. However, the ministry's board of trustees has decided to restore the NBA name and launched a new mission for the organization – creating communities of compassion and care.
Matthew Walters has been called as the Refugee and Immigration Ministries (RIM) intern. Walters will serve in the position part time from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, 2011. His calling follows the retirements of RIM Director Jennifer Riggs and Program Assistant for Resettlement Linda Williamson at the end of July. During Walters service, the search for the next director of RIM will continue.
During her recent address at the 2011 Joe A and Nancy Vaughn Stalcup Lecture on Christian Unity in Dallas, Texas, General Minister and President Sharon E. Watkins highlighted prophesy and the biblical vision of the church in Acts 2 for understanding God's vision for the world. Watkins noted the significance of her address falling on Pentecost Sunday, a sacred Christian anniversary where the birth of the church was itself a movement for wholeness and a witness for unity. 
