Christian Church(Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- All members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are being invited to "Come and See!" at the church's 1997 General Assembly in Denver, Colo. The assembly program and arrangements committee's choice of that theme serves as both an open invitation to and a biblical motif for the Disciples' biennial gathering July 25-29, 1997. It's an invitation to experience the church at work, in community, and in vital dialogue. A special assembly event aimed at resourcing congregations will showcase the mission successes of congregations and regions from around North America. This "mission festival" will be coordinated with traditional interest groups to complement discussion of mission with hands-on demonstration of achievements. An opening night event will invite all assembly-goers to renew old acquaintances and open new relationships in a celebrative social setting. And the assembly will dedicate time to the "process of discernment," a new and developing model for Disciples community dialogue on the difficult theological, moral and biblical issues of the day. A magnificent natural setting at the edge of the Rocky Mountains is expected to encourage Disciples vacationers to "Come and See!" Denver and its environs. The closing events of assembly are scheduled for the spectacular Red Rocks natural amphitheatre just outside the city. A key biblical anchor lifted up in the committee's January planning work is found in John 1:46-47, where Philip eagerly invites a skeptical Nathaniel to "come and see" the found Messiah: Jesus. "What we're doing is inviting people to come experience what it is to be the body of Christ in our world in 1997," said the Rev. Linda McKiernan-Allen, staff minister for General Assembly planning and worship. A variety of staff and committee members share the task of fleshing out details of the assembly program, services, logistics and promotion. The assembly worship committee convenes in April. Registration forms for the Denver assembly are expected to be available in early April. Planners decided to make the forms available early to foster registration at the variety of regional assemblies and other churchwide events in 1996. A special effort is already underway to encourage first time assembly registrations. A video invitation featuring stirring highlights of the 1995 assembly in Pittsburgh will be a major tool in that effort. Also, those who are not able to travel to Denver in 1997 will be able to support the assembly with a "non-attending" registration. "The program and arrangements committee sacrificed hours of time, talent, spirituality and creativity in planning an assembly which reaches out to the whole body of Christ," said Vice Moderator Saundra Bryant, Los Angeles, who chaired the planning committee. "Now we have surrendered the fruits of our labor over to God. Come and See!"
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