In this issue:

• View An Advent Greeting From General Minister And President
• Register For Upcoming Church Transformation Conference
• Christmas Special Offering Approaches
• Disciples And UCC Urge Captors To Release Peacemakers
• HELM Leadership Fellows See "Behind The Scenes" Of The Church
• Disciples Exhibit The True Meaning Of Christmas Through Live Nativity Ministry
• Reconciliation Mission's Advent Letter Calls Disciples To Help Fulfill The Church's Mission
• An Alternative Holiday Gift Idea -- Gift Certificates To The Mix In '06 Women's Event
• Leadership Conference Prepares Disciples Undergraduates For Service
• Christian Church Foundation Promotes Ocasio
• Disciples Seminary Foundation Announces New Staff Members
  

VIEW AN ADVENT GREETING FROM GENERAL MINISTER AND PRESIDENT
During this season of Advent, Sharon E. Watkins, the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), greets all with a message that speaks with hope for the future God is already revealing among us. View her greeting via video streaming at www.disciples.org

REGISTER FOR UPCOMING CHURCH TRANSFORMATION CONFERENCE
Register online by Dec. 15 for the 2006 Conference on Congregational Transformation, "Journeying the Good News Road." The 2020 Vision called for 1000 revitalized congregations and 1000 new ones. The church has made great strides in the development of new congregations, but only a few existing congregations have begun to turn around. Revitalization or transformation is not easy and too often programs which have offered great promise seem to fail, because they don't fit the needs of individual congregations. This conference is designed for churches of all sizes and leaders with many kinds of experiences. It will offer a great variety of resources and help leaders to design what will work for their congregations. For more information or to register, go to: www.homelandministries.org/ChurchTools/CongregationalTransformation.htm

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL OFFERING APPROACHES
Sustaining pastoral excellence. Hosting spiritual retreats and church camps. Helping churches move past conflict to growth. These are just some the ways the regions of the church work to enhance the vitality of the CC (DOC). The Christmas Special Offering themed "Go Tell It on the Mountain," supports the church's 33 Regional Ministries that provide for the continuing renewal of the life of congregations, members, and ministers. Please support these vital ministries by giving generously to the Christmas Offering on Dec. 18 and 25. Promotional materials are available at: www.churchfinancecouncil.org

DISCIPLES AND UCC URGE CAPTORS TO RELEASE PEACEMAKERS
Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and David Vargas, President, Division of Overseas Ministries have written a joint letter with United Church of Christ (UCC) leaders to urge the release of four human rights workers kidnapped in Iraq. The men are members of the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT), and were kidnapped in Baghdad and are being held hostage in Iraq. CPT is an ecumenical peacemaking agency whose members are deeply committed to non-violent peacemaking and are willing to put their lives on the line to make peace happen. Members of both the CC (DOC) and UCC have participated in CPT activities. Read the full letter at: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2005/051209-GMPLetter.pdf. RCPT also is calling for peace actions, demonstrations, and vigils on Saturday, Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day and on Dec. 11. To read more go to www.cpt.org

HELM LEADERSHIP FELLOWS SEE "BEHIND THE SCENES" OF THE CHURCH
Leaders often learn best from other leaders. That's especially true in the church, and a group of undergraduate students got a chance to learn how the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) works from people who know the lay of the land. The Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) Leadership Fellows gathered to take a behind-the-scenes look at how the church works. See how they were inspired for hope and action by this year's conference at: www.helmdisciples.org/helm/LFconference.htm

DISCIPLES EXHIBIT THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS THROUGH LIVE NATIVITY MINISTRY
Disciples congregations across the United States are celebrating the true meaning of Christmas and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ using dramatic scenes to recreate what Bethlehem may have looked like on the night of Jesus' birth. The living nativity is a great way for Disciples to publicly affirm their faith and joy of the season. Learn more about live nativity programs at Disciples churches in Nebraska, Illinois, Texas and Tennessee by reading the full story at: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2005/0594.html. For photos of nativity scenes at Faith Christian Church of Omaha, Neb. go to: faithomaha.org/nativity/

RECONCILIATION MISSION'S ADVENT LETTER CALLS DISCIPLES TO HELP FULFILL THE CHURCH'S MISSION
Jessica Vazquez, Associate Minister of Reconciliation, reflects on the meaning of Advent and how we witness the reconciling activity of God through the Christ child at this time of year. She calls upon the church to "share the Good News of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth." She also calls for the church's continued support of Reconciliation Mission and its work. For the full text of her letter, go to: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2005/0593.html

AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT IDEA -- GIFT CERTIFICATES TO THE MIX IN '06 WOMEN'S EVENT
Gift certificates are available for a special friend or loved one to help them attend the Mix in '06 Women's Event, June 21-25 in Indianapolis next year. Download a colorful certificate with a Christmas theme from www.dreamonsisters.com and present it with a check for part or all of the registration cost. Also available online is the original "Dream On, Sisters!" CD and devotional booklet. Five thousand Disciples and United Church of Christ women will gather for a great festival of faith at this historic event bringing together the Disciples Quadrennial Assembly and the United Church of Christ National Women's Meeting.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE PREPARES DISCIPLES UNDERGRADUATES FOR SERVICE
Faith-building, fellowship, leadership training, and fun was enjoyed by 28 students during the fourth annual Phillips University Legacy Scholars Leadership Conference Nov. 10-13 at the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, New Braunfels, Texas. The Phillips University Legacy Scholars program grants scholarships of up to $5,000 to full-time undergraduate students pursuing a liberal arts education at any of the 17 colleges or universities affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Scholars learned about the importance of service in the church and community and heard about the cornerstones of effective leadership from panels of successful Phillips University alumni and other Disciples guest speakers.
Read the full release at: www.phillips.edu/news/0506ScholarsAwarded.pdf
View the 2005-06 Phillips University Legacy Scholars at: www.phillips.edu/0506scholars.php

CHRISTIAN CHURCH FOUNDATION PROMOTES OCASIO
The Christian Church Foundation (CCF) has announced the promotion of Enrique Ocasio to the position of Planned Giving Associate for the Great Lakes Zone, effective Jan. 1. Ocasio has worked in the CCF's investment services since October 2004. The full story is at: www.disciples.org/ccf/About_Us/CCFnews.html

DISCIPLES SEMINARY FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF MEMBERS
Husband and wife team, John and Tamara Nichols Rodenberg will begin new positions at the Disciples Seminary Foundation in Claremont, Calif., in March of 2006.  Tamara will become the Dean of Disciples Seminary Foundation. John will become the Director of Development.  Tamara chairs the Regional Committee on Training and Care and this spring will receive a doctorate degree in ecumenical theology and social ethics from Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, Calif.  John has been pastor of Mayfair Christian Church, Stockton, Calif., since 1999.  He is a member of the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served on the recent General Minister and President Search Committee.  Prior to study and ministry in Northern California Tamara and John served on the Common Global Ministries Board for more than five years in Swaziland.  Visit the Disciples Seminary Foundation Web site at: www.dsf.edu

####

DNS Writer:  Kenethia Jackson

For more information and news about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),
please visit our web site at www.disciples.org.