News From The Assembly

State Of The Church Message 
July 23, 2007 - Disciples News Service - Fort Worth, Texas

Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President. Watch a 20 minute video clip of the State-of-the-Church message.

General Minister and President Sharon E. Watkins exhorted listeners to “Choose Life” in her State-of-the-Church message on Sunday night during the 2007 General Assembly.

In an hour-long presentation and sermon that included scripture, video, and messages from those who help the Church live out its mission each day, Watkins opened holding a Bible and reading the passage from Matthew 14 where Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 is detailed.  She then used video to evoke images of the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes and talked about the overwhelming response shown by Disciples, who, during one of the country’s worst natural disasters, found countless ways to “feed” those in need.

“When the storms hit, individuals and congregations, regions and the general church joined together – one whole church,” said Watkins.  We joined with ecumenical and interfaith neighbors to respond to Jesus’ urging:  ‘You give them something to eat.’ ”

Disciples showed their concern in a number of ways, Watkins noted.  Ann Pickett of Moss Point, Miss. cancelled her wedding to cook food for those in need.  Others, such as ministry presidents and division leaders, responded in their own unique ways. Johnny Wray, Director of Week of Compassion; James Hamlett, President of the Pension Fund; and James Powell, President of Church Extension came to the stage to talk briefly about  ways their ministries assisted. 

They were followed on the stage by Arnold Nelson, President of Disciples Home Missions; Carl Zerweck, Director of Disciples Volunteering, Herb Lynskey, Coastal Plains Area Minister for the Southwest Region, based in Houston, Texas; Barbara Jones, Regional Minister for the Great River Region that includes Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, Susan Lassalle, from Slidell, La., and later the church’s regional ministers.

“In the aftermath of a hurricane’s destruction, where death appears to have the upper hand, ‘life’ isn’t necessarily an easy choice.  And yet, community after community, congregation after congregation, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina did choose life,” Watkins noted.

She also spoke of the partnerships between ecumenical groups such as Church World Service (CWS), the United Church of Christ (UCC), and one of our newest partners, the Alliance of Baptists.  Watkins stressed that our ecumenical partnerships extend around the globe, and include the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico, the Christian Council of Mozambique, The United Church of Christ in the Philippines and the Middle East Council of Churches, among others.

Despite hardship and challenging circumstances, our global partners understand fully what it means to choose life when death seems to often have the upper hand, said Watkins. 

“Our international partners have placed themselves into Jesus’ hands and found something to give.  They are daily choosing life,” she said.

Cally Rogers-Witte and David Vargas, Co-Executives of Global Ministries, speak during the State-of-the-Church message.

The General Minister and President invited David Vargas and Cally Rogers-Witte, co-executives of Global Ministries, to commission 11 missionaries as part of the service.  Watkins called the missionaries, “the human face representing the rest of us to the world.”

Watkins closing comments included the retelling of a Cherokee fable that examines the internal battle that each person faces.  “There are two wolves inside each of us,” says the old Cherokee to his grandson.  One wolf is evil, vengeful, angry, and full of self-pity.  The other wolf is good.  It represents love, hope, truth, and compassion.

“Which wolf wins, Grandfather?” asks the grandson.

The old Cherokee replies, “The one you feed.”

“I’ve seen just how hard it is sometimes for us Disciples to feed the good wolf of hope, compassion, and joy,” said Watkins.  “How hard it is for us to choose life. But I come tonight to bear witness that more often than we know, we do choose life, and that is the part of the story that we must learn to tell.”

By: Wanda Bryant Wills, Executive Director of Communication Ministries