Christian Church(Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
96b-42
May 31, 1996
INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- A 12-member "task team" has been
appointed by General Minister and President Richard L. Hamm to
discuss future directions for the denomination's new congregation
establishment program. The team began its work with an initial
meeting here May 15-16.
The special task force, chaired by the Rev. R. Robert Cueni, Kansas
City, Mo., is particularly concerned with identifying funding alternatives
for the mission imperative to "share the good news" through
"establishing new congregations." Cueni is senior minister of Country
Club Christian Church.
"We see our task not merely as a means by which to fund an existing
program but to help Disciples of Christ enter the 21st century as a
renewed missionary movement," said Cueni. "We need to cast before
our churches a compelling vision for ministry in a mission field which
has moved to our doorstep."
Hamm called the task team together in response to a 1995 General
Assembly action directing the church "to explore additional funding
alternatives for new congregation establishment." The team meets
here again Oct. 28-29 to finalize recommendations to be forwarded
to the Administrative Committee, General Board, General Assembly
and the Commission on Mission Funding.
The 12-member task team includes three laypersons, two pastors,
two regional ministers, two general unit presidents, and two ethnic
constituency executives. In addition to Cueni and Hamm, members
include Rebecca Cruz, layperson, Chicago, Ill.; Sarah Draper,
layperson, Birmingham, Ala.; (Mrs.) Eddie Griffin, layperson,
Chicago, Ill.; and the Rev. Rick Spleth, minister of Creekwood
Christian Church, Lewisville, Texas.
Also on the task team are: the Rev. David Alexander, regional minister,
Christian Church in Georgia, Macon; the Rev. Howard Ratcliff, regional
minister, Christian Church in Ohio, Elyria; and the Rev. James L. Powell,
president, Board of Church Extension, Indianapolis, Ind.
Rounding out the task team are the Rev. Ann Updegraff Spleth,
president, Homeland Ministries; the Rev. Lucas Torres, national Hispanic
pastor; and the Rev. Geunhee Yu, executive pastor, American Asian
Ministries of Homeland Ministries, all of Indianapolis, Ind.
The Rev. Deborah R. Thompson, director of new congregation
establishment for BCE, and the Rev. Robert Welsh, associate
general minister and president of Church Finance Council, serve as
ex-officio participants. The Rev. Jim R. Keown, recently retired
BCE vice-president, serves on the committee as staff consultant.
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