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In this issue:
- Disciples Have Added Nearly 100 New Churches So Far This Year
- General Minister And President To Visit The Middle East
- Gulf Region Mission Station Hosts Switch Role, Gain New Outlook
- Tennessee Church Launches Ministry For Families Who Lost Loved Ones In Military Service
- Children's Home In East Africa Provides Hope For HIV-Positive Youth
- Future Church Leaders To Gather At Transylvania University
- UCC Insurance Board Predicts More Prosperous Days Ahead
- NCC Urges People To Observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Brite Divinity School To Sponsor Black Preaching Forum
- Yale Divinity School Scholars Warmly Embrace Open Letter From Muslim Clerics, Scholars And Intellectuals
- Disciples Church Seeks Support For Burmese Congregation In Texas
- Bethany College Buys Vacant Public School; Turns It Into Education Center
- Transylvania Sets Up Scholarship With $1 Million Gift
- Florida Church And Police Give School Backpacks To Low-Income Families
DISCIPLES HAVE ADDED NEARLY 100 NEW CHURCHES SO FAR THIS YEAR
 The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is continuing to add new church starts at a rapid pace. New Church Ministry reports that 96 new congregations have joined the Church since the beginning of 2007. Among the new congregations is Liberation Christian Church in St. Louis, Mo., Sojourner Christian Church in Ashville, N.C., and Primera Iglesia Cristiana in Laredo, Texas.
"God is doing great things," commented Church Extension President James L. Powell. "This is an excellent opportunity for Disciples. We celebrate because it represents 96 additional mission fields opening doors to serve communities around the nation." Thirty-three new churches have joined the Church just since the General Assembly in July. To get more details, see: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07160.pdf (PDF)
GENERAL MINISTER AND PRESIDENT TO VISIT THE MIDDLE EAST
 General Minister and President Sharon E. Watkins will leave this weekend on her first trip to the Middle East. During her Oct. 21-26 visit, Watkins will have an opportunity to meet with Global Ministry partners and view the current climate in the region. Peter Makari, Global Ministries area executive for the Middle East and Europe will accompany Watkins on the visit, which will include conversations with the Middle East Council of Churches, as well as visits to schools, a peacemaker team and interfaith programs.
"As we meet with our ecumenical partners, please pray that we approach our conversation with a listening ear to what is being offered to us as witness of God's presence in the region," said Watkins. "Please pray that we may join with our brothers and sisters in the unity that comes from our shared passion for peace with justice."
From Oct. 27-30, Watkins will be in Damascus, Syria attending the Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration for the World Council of Churches (WCC). The committee provides a forum for the Protestant and Orthodox members of WCC to further explore their relationship. To read more about Global Ministries work in the Middle East, visit:
www.globalministries.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=13&Itemid=36
GULF REGION MISSION STATION HOSTS SWITCH ROLE, GAIN NEW OUTLOOK
 Members of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Slidell, La., who are more accustomed to playing host to hundreds of volunteers coming to the Gulf region to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina devastated their community in 2005, reversed roles recently when they took to the road to assist tornado victims in Greensburg, Kan.
First Christian of Slidell has served as a mission station for Week of Compassion and the Office of Disciples Volunteers. The Louisiana congregation has hosted almost 400 people who have spent time in the Gulf region helping rebuild over the past year.
In May, eleven members of the Slidell congregation were able to return some of the generous outpouring of help that has been provided to their region by taking a mission trip to Greensburg, where they helped that community rebuild several structures. For more, visit: www.disasternews.net/news/article.php?articleid=3475
TENNESSEE CHURCH LAUNCHES MINISTRY FOR FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES IN MILITARY SERVICE
 Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Murfreesboro, Tenn. has begun a ministry offering sympathy to families who have lost loved ones in military service. The "Fallen Heroes" ministry lists the names of soldiers who have died in the war zones and encourages Disciples and others to send cards and letters of sympathy and support to their survivors. Fallen Heroes was initiated by two members of Central Christian, Janet L. Mills and her husband Russell H. Mills, after protestors showed up at a funeral they attended of a soldier in nearby Woodbury, Tenn.
"The response from the families of fallen heroes to the cards and letters has been remarkable," said Russell Mills. "They have sent us copies of their loved one's obituary, high school graduation photo, personal notes and other family treasures. They have really put a face on these lists of fallen soldiers. Almost every little town in the country has a fallen hero." The Mills, with the blessings of Central Christian's pastor, Steven Odom, have placed a link to the Fallen Heroes ministry on the church's website: www.borodisciples.org. To read more, see: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07161.html
CHILDREN'S HOME IN EAST AFRICA PROVIDES HOPE FOR HIV-POSITIVE YOUTH
 Global Ministries recently led A People-to-People Pilgrimage to Kenya and Zanzibar. The 13-people on the trip were able to see ways Global Ministries is partnering with groups to bring a message of hope and social justice to people abroad. Among their stops was the Tumaini Children's Home, which is located about 20 kilometers from Kenya's capital city of Nairobi.
The home was started seven years ago by the Women's Guild of St. Andrew's Church in Nairobi, part of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), and a long-time partner of Global Ministries. Tumaini is the Swahili word for "hope," which is exactly what the six children, ages 5-12, at the home got when they were chosen to live there. Kenya has about 102,000 children under 14 who are HIV-positive. For more, go to: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07162.html
FUTURE CHURCH LEADERS TO GATHER AT TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY
 Transy & TEAM (Totally Excited About Ministry), the national Disciples program specifically designed for high school youth who are considering ordained leadership in the church, will take place Nov. 9-11 at Transylvania University. Transy & Team is sponsored by the university, in association with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kentucky.
Disciples congregations are being urged to help the Transy & TEAM program locate high school students who have expressed an interest in ministry and have them complete and return the TEAM sign-up form no later than Nov. 2. The weekend is cost free with the exception of travel. General Minister and President Sharon E. Watkins is scheduled to be the keynote speaker during the gathering. Transylvania University is associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and located in Lexington, Ky. To get more information, go to: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07165.pdf
UCC INSURANCE BOARD PREDICTS MORE PROSPEROUS DAYS AHEAD
 The United Church of Christ Insurance Board focused on future growth, strategic plans and a positive financial outlook when the board met in Indianapolis last week. Dale Cable, chief financial officer of the United Church of Christ Insurance Board (UCCIB), said the risk management service provider expected to end the 2007 fiscal year in the black and it projects a stronger cash flow for our current year.
"I am very confident that we have the right people in place to provide efficient customer service to the churches and the IB agents," said Cathy Green, chief executive officer and president of the UCCIB. The Insurance Board provides risk management services and educational resources through property and liability insurance programs for church entities of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). To learn more about the UCCIB meeting, see: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07163.pdf (PDF)
NCC URGES PEOPLE TO OBSERVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH
 Disciples and other people of faith are being encouraged by the National Council of Churches' Justice for Women Working Group to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed in October 1987. Although progress has been made in reducing incidences of domestic violence, much work still remains to be done.
"October is the month to break the silence that isolates God's children who are caught in the pain of domestic violence," said Ann Tiemeyer, NCC program director for Women's Ministry. "It's about the misuse of power to dominate the other." For more, go to: www.ncccusa.org/news/071015domesticviolence.html
BRITE DIVINITY SCHOOL TO SPONSOR BLACK PREACHING FORUM
 Bright Divinity School at Texas Christian University is sponsoring the third annual Power of Black Preaching Forum, which will take place Nov. 1-3 at Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas. Church scholars, advocates, preachers, churchgoers and students are expected to attend the forum at Friendship-West, where Frederick Haynes III is pastor. Three noted presenters are scheduled to speak at this year's preaching forum. Proceeds from the event will help the Black Church Studies Program at Brite Divinity School.
The Nov. 1 speaker will be Brad R. Braxton, associate professor of homiletics and New Testament at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, Tenn. Stacy L. Spencer, senior pastor of the New Direction Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Memphis, Tenn., will preach Nov. 2, and Teresa Fry Brown, associate professor of homiletics at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta will give the closing sermon on Nov. 3. For more information, call 817-257-7513.
For more information about Brite Divinity School, visit: www.brite.tcu.edu
YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL SCHOLARS WARMLY EMBRACE OPEN LETTER FROM MUSLIM CLERICS, SCHOLARS AND INTELLECTUALS
Scholars at Yale Divinity School have released a statement that warmly embraces the open letter, "A Common Word between Us and You," which was released Oct. 11 and signed by 138 Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals. The Yale statement commenting on the letter was entitled "Loving God and Neighbor Together: A Christian Response to A Common Word between Us and You." It was released by four Yale Divinity School scholars, including the dean and the president-elect of the American Academy of Religion. Adding their names to the statement, among others, were the president of Princeton Theological Seminary and the dean of Harvard Divinity School.
"We are persuaded that our next step should be for our leaders at every level to meet together and begin the earnest work of determining how God would have us fulfill the requirement that we love God and one another," the Yale scholars' statement said. "It is with humility and hope that we receive your generous letter, and we commit ourselves to labor together in heart, soul, mind and strength for the objectives you so appropriately propose." To get more, see: www.yale.edu/divinity/news/press.shtml#scholars
DISCIPLES CHURCH SEEKS SUPPORT FOR BURMESE CONGREGATION IN TEXAS
The pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Lewisville, Texas, Debbie Chisolm, has sponsored refugees who have fled conflict-torn Myanmar (Burma) and relocated in her community. For the past two years her congregation has nested an American Baptist congregation from the state of Chin (in Burma) which averages 85 people in worship. Unlike the Hispanic congregation the church also nests, 99 percent of the Chins do not speak English, not even the children.
The pastors of the three congregations worshiping at First Christian in Lewisville meet every month to resolve problems and support each other. Recently Chisolm contacted Global Ministries suggesting that Disciples and United Church of Christ congregations might send cards and letters letting this Chin congregation know that prayers are being offered for their friends and families in Myanmar. Cards and letters of support may be sent to: First Christian Church, Attn: Chin Congregation, 880 West Fox Ave, Lewisville, Texas 75067.
For more information about Global Ministries, visit: www.globalministries.org
BETHANY COLLEGE BUYS VACANT PUBLIC SCHOOL; TURNS IT INTO EDUCATION CENTER
 Bethany College has purchased a vacant school building from the Brooke County school district and will use it to house the college's education department. The new building will be known as the Judith R. Hurl Education Center. It was named after the wife of Rodney Hurl, a 1952 graduate of Bethany. Rodney Hurl provided the funds for the purchase of the building. The school building was formerly the Bethany Primary School, which closed after the 2005-2006 school year.
"Our students will have access to two 21st century classrooms, a state-of-the-art science lab for science and math education majors and a soon-to-be renovated children's library," said Keely Camden, chair of Bethany's education department. Bethany College is associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and located in Bethany, W. Va. For more, go to: www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2007/07164.html
TRANSYLVANIA SETS UP SCHOLARSHIP WITH $1 MILLION GIFT
A scholarship program has been established at Transylvania University in honor of James G. Kenan III, a Transylvania University Board of Trustees member. The JGK III scholarship was established with a $1 million gift by Kenan's sisters, Clay Kirk of New York City and Sarah Kennedy of Atlanta, Ga. The gift will fund full tuition for two entering first-year students every four years.
"Jim has been exceptionally committed to Transylvania, said Transylvania President Charles L. Shearer. "As vice chair of Transylvania's Board of Trustees and chair of the Investment Committee, he has overseen management of the University's endowment for the past 20 years." For more, see:
www.transy.edu/news/arch_story.asp-id-362-storyDate-9/24/2007-obj-index
FLORIDA CHURCH AND POLICE GIVE SCHOOL BACKPACKS TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
 Iglesia Cristina Hispana del Norte de Orlando (Discipulos de Cristo), a Disciples congregation in North Orlando, Fla., handed out school supplies to low-income families on a recent evening in central Florida. The church, working with the Casselberry (Fla.) Police Department, gave out the supplies to families from a nearby community, many of whom showed up to receive the backpacks even though temperature and humidity levels were in the 90s.
Several members of the church joined police officers in distributing 80 donated backpacks, which were all filled with school supplies for students in grades K-6.
The police volunteers were led by Officer Zack Hudson, who had initially approached the church's pastor, Hector Santiago, with the idea of providing school supplies to needy families in the area. To learn more about the church, visit www.discipulosdelnorte.org. The website is in Spanish.
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Editor: Wanda Bryant Wills
E-mail: news@cm.disciples.org
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