In this issue:
FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES $8.1 MILLION FOR MINISTRY IN 2007
The Christian Church Foundation distributed $8.1 million for ministry in 2007, including a record $4.3 million from permanent funds alone. Disciples Mission Fund, the general funding system for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), received more than $1.1 million from permanent funds and donor-directed gifts. This figure is the largest distribution to the church's mission funding system in CCF's history. At the end of 2007 the Foundation was responsible for a record $436.7 million of the church's money - up from $407.3 million the year before. This figure includes $110.3 million in permanent funds and $277.9 million owned by Disciples ministries with investment accounts at the Foundation. To read more about the work of the Foundation, go to: www.disciples.org/ccf/news
DISCIPLES PASTOR AND SCHOLAR NAMED PRESIDENT OF UNION THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Union Theological Seminary in New York has appointed Serene Jones to become the 16th and first woman president.
Jones, the Titus Street Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School, has served 17 years on the Yale faculty. She is also presently chair and faculty member of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Yale University and has held faculty appointments at Yale Law School and in the Department of African American Studies and Religious Studies. She is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.
Jones will assume the presidency of the independent, non-denominational seminary on July 1. To read more, visit: www.disciplesworld.com or www.utsnyc.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=913
EASTER SPECIAL OFFERING WILL BE RECEIVED THIS MONTH
In the midst of preparing for Easter, please remember to support the Easter Special Offering that helps Disciples carry out mission in both this country and around the world.
This year's Easter Special Offering will be received on March 16 and on March 23. Your gifts help support 13 ministries of the general church such as Division of Overseas Ministries for Global Ministries, Disciples Home Missions for Disciples Hurricane Recovery Initiative, Disciples Women's Ministries, and Disciples Care for Children, and the Pension Fund for Ministerial Relief and Assistance.
Congregations can take advantage of a number of materials that help explain the many ways the Easter Offering supports Disciples in mission. These resources include a PowerPoint , bulletin inserts and several "Minutes for Mission." To access these resources, go to: www.disciplesmissionfund.org
10TH ANNUAL SPIRITUALITY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY CONFERENCE AT CTS
The tenth annual spirituality and psychotherapy conference will be held at Christian Theological Seminary on March 7-8. The last chance registration deadline has been extended to Thursday, March 6. Jonathan Lear, Ph. D., a psychoanalytically trained philosopher, will offer hopeful reflections for an anxious culture that we in turn can share with others. On Friday night at 7:00 pm Lear will explore how the Crow Nation faced the terrible challenges posed by the onslaught of European–American civilization, and what makes it possible for us to live with the vulnerability that we inherit merely by the fact that we are by nature culturally dependent.
The Saturday lecture at 10:00am will consider the relationship between hope and courage: how does courage express a basically hopeful orientation to the world? Confronted with overwhelming concerns, it is easy to retreat into denial or resignation, anxiety and fear. But none of these responses will provide the resilience we need to meet the world’s new challenges head on, thinking globally but acting locally as we are able. Therapists, chaplains, spiritual directors, ministers and those who have faithfully followed this lecture series into its tenth year will find that courage is the antidote to despair, and we can only save ourselves by saving each other. The conference will conclude with a book signing by Jonathan Lear at 2:30 pm, and his books will be on sale at the CTS bookstore. Cost is $95.00 and includes Saturday lunch. To sign up immediately, register online at www.cts.edu, call 317-931-4224 or e-mail LifeEd@cts.edu.
TEN DAYS LEFT TO APPLY FOR HELM LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM
If you're heading to college in the fall and plan to be a leader in your church - as a pastor or as a layperson - you should consider applying for the HELM Leadership Fellows Program. But you'd better hurry: All application materials must be postmarked by Saturday, March 15. For an application, go to: www.helmdisciples.org/aid/HELM_Leadership_Fellows_application_0809.pdf
For guidelines or more information on the program, visit: www.helmdisciples.org/aid/fellows.htm
LIMITED NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR OGMP PASTOR'S CONFERENCE
Disciples pastors are encouraged to register now for the September Pastor's Conference that is being organized by General Minister and President Sharon E. Watkins. The theme for the Sept. 8-10 event is "Wholeness in a Fragmented World: Body, Mind and Spirit."
To assist pastors in attending the conference, the Office of the General Minister and President has secured 85 scholarships at $250 each. The priorities for the scholarships are new church pastors and pastors of congregations in a transformation process with either their regional transformation team, Disciples Home Missions transformation team or the Church Extension New Beginnings project.
The conference will feature Will Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church and noted preacher Floyd Flake, pastor of Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral in Jamaica, Queens, New York. Clergy will be able to participate in a number of workshops or panel discussions on such topics as worship planning and preparation, stewardship, community involvement and ministering to the five generations of the church.
Sign up now for the conference to take advantage of the early bird registration fee that has been extended to May 15. To learn how to submit your request for a scholarship, visit: www.disciples.org/watkins/pastorsconference/scholarships. To register for the Pastor's conference visit: www.disciples.org/watkins/pastorsconference
LONG-TIME PHILANTHROPIST XENIA MILLER HAS DIED
Xenia Simmons Miller, a major philanthropist and widow of J. Irwin Miller, died in her home in Columbus, Ind., on Feb. 19 at age 90.
The Millers were long-time supporters of Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) in Indianapolis. Their gifts provided for the foundation for the building of the institution CTS has become. Xenia Miller also served as a member of the CTS board of trustees and shared her concern for the aesthetics that have come to identify the seminary's building and grounds.
CTS President Edward L. Wheeler extended sympathy to the Miller family. "We pray that God will comfort you in your sorrow and provide joy in knowing that Mrs. Miller's life was full and rich. She was a blessing to many and her gracious, generous spirit will live on in the persons and institutions she touched." To read more visit:
www.cts.edu/news/FullStory.cfm?details=1336&ref=News
TENNESSEE DISCIPLE WINS CHURCH WORLD SERVICE ADVOCACY AWARD
An active Disciples church leader in Tennessee is a winner of an advocacy award to attend the nation's largest annual gathering of U.S. and international Christian peace and justice activists at Ecumenical Advocacy Days. Alison Lanza, a member of Vine Street Christian Church in Nashville, will attend the events in Washington, D.C., from March 7-10.
She is one of 10 persons chosen by the humanitarian agency, Church World Service (CWS). The awards are bestowed upon local poverty and hunger activists who have shown exceptional leadership in the global humanitarian agency's poverty and hunger fighting campaigns. For the past two years Lanza has worked on the planning committee for the Nashville CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk and serves as the 2008 Nashville hunger walk administrator. CROP walks raise money and awareness for local hunger fighting efforts and to support the overall work of CWS. To read more about Lanza and Ecumenical Advocacy Days, go to: www.churchworldservice.org/news/archives/2008/02/862.html
SCOTT LECTURES TO BE HELD AT BETHANY COLLEGE
Bethany College will host the 53rd Oreon E. Scott lectures March 31-April 1. This year's lecturer, Marvin Meyer, will speak on Disciples and Gospels - Lost and Found. Meyer is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies and Co-Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Chapman University.
A prolific author, Meyer teaches courses on religion and values, the New Testament and early Christianity, Greco-Roman and Egyptian religion and culture, the life and thought of Albert Schweitzer and peace studies.
Bethany College, based in Bethany W. Va., offers opportunities such as the Scott lectures for the strengthening of church leaders. Bethany is a private four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). To learn more about the Scott Lectures and Bethany College, visit: www.bethanywv.edu
GREAT RIVER REGION TO HOST SPRING CONTINUING EDUCATION WORKSHOP
Disciples Institute, a school of continuing education for ministers, church musicians and congregational leaders in the Great River Region, will present the Partners in Ministry '08 workshop on April 5.
The one-day workshop will help participants learn to use the arts to infuse worship with new energy and deeper meaning in their congregation.
"The partners in the title refers to ministers, musicians, dramatists, and visual artists, - all people who contribute to our worship experiences, or could if we would just ask them," said Deitra Blackwell, executive director of the institute.
The workshop will include preaching, music and drama, but will focus on including the visual art in worship. The cost for the workshop, which will be held at First Christian Church in El Dorado, Ark., is $60. A limited number of scholarships is available. The Great River Region includes Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. To learn more visit: www.disciplesinstitute.org
"MEN IN MISSION" RETREAT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
The "Men In Mission" retreat scheduled for Community Christian Church in Kansas City, Mo. on April 6th has been cancelled due to low registration. For more information contact Tod Iseminger of Disciples Home Ministries at 888-346-2631.
CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY TO HOST ALUMNI REUNION
Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) alumni are invited to return to campus on Friday, April 11 for the "Blossoms of Blessings Feast." Included in the program of worship and fellowship is a "state of the seminary" address by CTS President Edward L. Wheeler, a worship service, inspirational speakers, dinner and dessert and opportunities to renew old friendships and build new ones. The event will occur from 6-9 p.m. in the Common Room at the seminary. Alumni and their spouses or significant others should RSVP no later than March 31 to Donna Brugh at dbrugh@cts.edu or 317-931-2319 or 1-800-585-0108, ext 2319.
ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR SOUPER BOWL OF CARING
Food banks, soup kitchens and thousands of other charities were the big winners of the "Souper Bowl of Caring" on Super Bowl Sunday.
Souper Bowl of Caring 2008 totals are still coming in and contributions to charities already have exceeded last year's total. Over 14,000 groups around the country have reported using Souper Bowl of Caring as a resource to fight hunger and poverty, collecting than more $9 million for charities.
More than 300 Disciples congregation have reported their collection amount and the charity to which they donated their collections. Disciples totals are nearly $120,000. If your congregation would like to be counted in the national totals, you may do so by going to: www.souperbowl.org or by calling 800-358-SOUP (7687).
FORMER MISSIONARY VIOLET VACA DIES
Violet (Groth) Vaca, a former missionary, has died. Vaca was born in 1918 in Braham, Minn. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1950, she began her long career as a missionary. She was originally assigned to Ecuador by the Evangelical Covenant Church of America. During her service in Ecuador, she married Victor Vaca, and in 1970, the couple was assigned to Friendship Mission in Paraguay through the Disciples' Division of Overseas Ministries where she also worked as a teacher at Colegio Internacional.
From 1977 to 1982, Vaca was assigned to the International Office of the YMCA in Geneva, Switzerland, returning to Ecuador where she and her husband served with the Ecuadorian Pastoral Ministry (PRE), the Evangelical United Church of Ecuador, and the Ecumenical Foundation for Integral Development, Training and Education (FEDICE) based in Quito. After 22 years of missionary work, Vaca retired from full-time employment in 1992, but continued to serve in a volunteer capacity until 2005. The Division of Overseas Ministries/Global Ministries is grateful for her service. To read more about her life go to: www.globalministries.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2163&Itemid=1
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