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A
reprinted email sent to Disciples from Dr. David C. Mindel,
Chair, NBA Board of Trustees; Senior Minister, First Christian
Church, Odessa, Texas
Nov. 25, 2003
Dear
Friends in Christ,
I send
this message to you today to make you aware of three key
efforts aimed at continuing the National Benevolent Association
of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)'s 117-year
tradition of caring:
* The
first effort is a corporate-wide restructure and development
of a new business plan;
* The
second effort is an initiative to reach more Disciples with
"Good News" about the daily miracles that occur
as a result of NBA's ministry across the nation; and
* The
third effort is an initiative to reach more Disciples with
news about the first two.
Many
Disciples like you have heard something about the restructure
activities begun in June 2003. Others have not. I appreciate
the fact that you -- whether you received this e-mail directly
from me or as a result of another Disciple forwarding it
to you at my request -- are taking time out of your schedule
to read it.
Key
to the success of the restructuring will be the success
of communicating NBA's "good news" ministry. That's
why, earlier this month, we launched the It's Our Mission!
initiative via which we hope to communicate with you and
other Disciples on a regular basis.
With
the full support of NBA President Cindy Dougherty and NBA's
management team, I've asked Dr. Ben Bohren, NBA's director
of Church Relations, to shepherd this initiative from birth
to maturity. It's my hope that, under Ben's leadership and
with support from the rest of the NBA team, the It's Our
Mission! effort will expand to include actions and ideas
submitted by Disciples like you.
The
initial It's Our Mission! effort took the form of talk-back
sessions that members of the NBA Board of Trustees and management
staff held with residents and area Disciples at five of
our largest senior living facilities. Future steps include
adding a section about NBA's ongoing restructure efforts
to the NBA web site - www.NBAcares.org.
Our
goal, through these and future efforts, is to direct new
energy into our covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ). Through good times and bad, we hope to equip
our spiritual partners across the country with as much information
as possible so that they can fashion the NBA portion of
their prayer lives accordingly.
In closing,
I thank you for all you've done, are doing, and will do
on behalf of NBA as we live out our faithful future.
In shalom,
Dr.
David C. Mindel, Chair, NBA Board of Trustees
Senior Minister, First Christian Church, Odessa, Texas
P.S.
Please forward this message to other Disciples with whom
you have regular contact and ask them to forward their e-mail
address to us via e-mail [NBAToday@NBAcares.org]
if they would like to receive future e-mails directly from
NBA.
Also
a copy of our latest news release appears below:
NEWS
RELEASE
CONTACT:
Bob McCarty
National Benevolent Association
(314) 812-1712 bmccarty@NBAcares.org
It's
Our Mission!
NBA Launches Initiative to Reach More Disciples
(Saint
Louis, Nov. 25, 2003) - The National Benevolent Association
announced today the launch of a plan designed to increase
the level and effectiveness of its communication with members
of local Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) churches.
"Our goal is to direct new energy into our Covenant
with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)," said
Rev. David C. Mindel, chair of the NBA Board of Trustees
and senior minister of First Christian Church in Odessa,
Texas.
Dr. Ben Bohren, NBA's director of church relations, will
shepherd this initiative - dubbed It's Our Mission! - from
birth to maturity, Mindel said, noting that NBA President
Cindy Dougherty and members of the NBA management team stand
solid in support this effort.
"The initial step in our plan involves asking all Disciples
in leadership positions to forward an e-mail message from
Reverend Mindel to Disciples with whom they have regular
contact," Bohren said.
In Mindel's e-mail message, he invites Disciples who want
to receive up-to-date news and information about NBA to
submit their e-mail address to NBA by sending an e-mail
to NBAToday@NBAcares.org with the subject as "Subscribe."
In turn, this information can be published in local and
regional church publications to ensure even wider distribution.
Some initiatives in the area of communications have already
taken place. For instance, talk-back sessions were held
with residents and area Disciples at five of NBA's largest
senior living facilities during the month of November. These
sessions involved several members of the NBA Board of Trustees
and management staff.
Future initiatives include adding a section about NBA's
ongoing restructure efforts to the NBA web site at www.NBAcares.org
and sending periodic e-mail updates about NBA, including
news about ongoing efforts to restructure the organization
and develop a new business plan for the future. These updates
will also provide regular "Good News" stories
of NBA's daily ministry with seniors, at-risk children and
people with disabilities.
Learn more about NBA by visiting www.NBAcares.org.
To Unsubscribe: If you would prefer not to receive e-mails
from NBA, please send an e-mail message to NBAToday@NBAcares.org
and place the word "Unsubscribe" in the
subject line.
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