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Global Ministries to
offer new-church planters INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 18, 2002 -- As Disciples work to start new churches and nurture the pastors who lead them, the overseas mission unit of the church plans to help. The Division of Overseas Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Global Ministries, the common witness of Disciples and the United Church of Christ, will offer new-church planters in North America the opportunity to meet and learn alongside new-church planters of partner organizations in other countries. Patricia Tucker, DOM president, announced the program at a late fall training event for 64 Disciples new church pastors and trainers. Attendees welcomed the plan with enthusiastic applause. "We have secured a gift from an anonymous donor couple to fund a program that sends 15 to 20 new-church pastors overseas each of the next three to five years," Tucker said. "This couple had the experience of being part of a new church start that was global from the outset," Tucker said. "They are deeply committed to being sure Disciples start churches with a global consciousness from the beginning." "My experience as a pastor in a congregation was that when global mission is part of the character of the community it has more of an opportunity to be lasting," Tucker noted. "That kind of character is built early in the life of a congregation." The program will begin in March by sending New Church Ministry staff to Haiti and Venezuela to experience the ministries of new-church planters of partner churches in those contexts. Ruth Chavez Wallace, Program Associate for Latin America and the Caribbean, will resource the first trip. This initial trip will be offered jointly for both Disciples and UCC new-church staffs. "One of the gifts Global Ministries has given to other parts of the church is that it nurtures the ecumenical commitments of the two denominations," she said. "After the staff teams return," Tucker added, "There will be at least one trip each year, during which we hope about 25 percent of new-church planters will be able to travel, meeting with partner churches -- sharing and learning what it means to be part of a global church." "Disciples have named our common mission, 'to be and to share the good news of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth,'" said Tucker. "DOM/Global Ministries has plenty to share with regard to the 'ends of the earth.' More pointedly, the churches around the world have a contagious passion for the gospel. They find great joy in sharing it with us." Global Ministries is a common witness of the Division of Overseas Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Wider Church Ministries, the United Church of Christ. -- End -- 02-90 Contact: |