Title: Nebraska gift strengthens New Congregation Establishment program
Date: December 1, 1999
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
99b-80
OMAHA (DNS) -- The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nebraska has made a significant gift to the New Congregation Establishment program of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a ministry of the Board of Church Extension.
The region's gift of just over $71,000 is a tithe of income from the sale of two pieces of property purchased about 20 years ago. The land parcels in Omaha and Lincoln were to have been used for new congregation starts. In both cities, the properties became unsuitable for church development by the nature of surrounding growth.
Nebraska's gift will be used to start new congregations in regions or areas (of the U.S. and Canada) where the growth is -- but where the financial resources are not," said the Rev. Vertie Powers, director, New Congregation Establishment. "We all know that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few," she said. "Nebraska has been one of the workers" and the benefits of its labor will be shared not only in Nebraska, but in the rest of North America.
"It's fair to say that the people of Nebraska are fine and generous people and want to help the rest of the church out of the blessing we've been given," said the Rev. Dawn Stemple. Part of the region's share of the proceeds from the property sales will be used to call a regional minister of new congregation establishment, she said.
The gift came in a period of stressful transition in the Nebraska Region. For the last two-and-a-half years, the region has been reevaluating its ministry under the leadership of Transitional Regional Co-Ministers Dawn and John Stemple. The discussion included various options such as going out of existence, merging with another region, or combining with several regions.
In November 1998, the Nebraska regional assembly decided to become a "modified" region. Nebraska now is working even more closely with the Kansas region and the Nebraska Conference of the United Church of Christ while keeping an identity as a separate region.
"They've (the Stemples) helped the regional leadership maintain the whole church perspective in a time of pretty high stress. I'm really proud of them and Nebraska regional leadership as well," said Disciples General Minister and President Richard L. Hamm.
The circumstances of Nebraska's gift make it unique. Nebraska Disciples however, are not alone in supporting new congregation establishment. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Ohio has consistently tithed from its ongoing new church fund to New Congregation Establishment in the U.S. and Canada, according to the Rev. Jim Powell, president, Board of Church Extension. "That has been a wonderful witness to their belief in both the whole church and the Great Commission," Powell said.
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