REGIONAL LIFE 

~Disciple Women

~Stewardship and Giving

~2011 Golf Tournament

~Prayer Summit 

~Camile Grant Process

~Women's Action Web

~ROCH the Loch

~Silver Linings/Old Adult Ministies 

*August 11

*November 12

Mile Marker #25

"Wake Up!"  

 

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:18-20 (NIV)

In July, Don and I travelled to Nashville, Tennessee to join with several thousand other Disciples of Christ at the General Assembly of the Christian Church (along with our PSW folks). This big event happens every two years and each of the five days had its own highlights for us.

PSWR Disciples were well represented, including youth and young adults. Bill Thomas was once again leading music for the Assembly and was joined by Drew Powell and Michael Morton. Madison Oliver was joined by Jasmine Bailey leading the opening worship. Sharon Fronk served on the General Youth Council, Xose Escamilla was speaking at the Antioch Project, Bill Bailey served as the Parliamentarian, Emily Malotte, Kerry and Mike Grogan played in the Guitar Choir, Shane Beamer sang in the Youth Choir, Sherry Cline and Judie Strohaus sang in the Adult choir, Jae Cho and Joy Ja worked with the Youth, and Rich McCullen and  Spencer Burke gave leadership to the Leadership Learning Track on Emergent Church.  

There were so many leaders from our region that had leadership roles in the event and I am sure I have missed many, and I apologize to and thank those I have not named along with those I have for your leadership. Also we welcomed over 100 PSWR folks to the Tuesday night reception.

We celebrated the re-election of our General Minister and President the Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins to a second six year term. Although Disciples are well known for differing opinions, Dr. Watkins on this vote received the support of approximately 98% of written ballots cast.

Special banquets honored the ministries of three great Disciples leaders as they enter their retirement: Church Extension President Jim Powell, President of Global Ministries, David Vargas, and Executive Pastor of the North American Pacific/Asian Disciples Geunhee Yu, each received the affirmation of a grateful church. We celebrated with First Christian Church of North Hollywood at the Christian Church Foundation banquet the receiving of the J.P. Johnson award for outstanding Stewardship on behalf of the whole church!

We celebrated that over 700 new congregations have joined the ranks of Disciples of Christ since 2001. And Rev. Sharon Watkins lifted up over 500 congregations in Transformation.

We heard inspiring messages from Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins our General Minister and President, Rev. Holly McKissok, Brian McLaren, Fred Craddock, Soong Chan Rah and many others.  

I would lift up three things that touched my heart as I gathered together with our brothers and sister across the denomination. Rev. Sharon Watkins in her comments on Re-Election shared that we have many issues to deal with as a church community, we have too many declining and dying congregations, we have a top heaving General Church structure and we have a broken funding system. She went on to say, but the real challenge for us is that too many of our neighbors do not know the love of God, and have not experienced the healing power of Jesus Christ in their lives.   

On Sunday morning, we worshiped at the HIV-AIDS healing service and heard a powerful message from Rev William Lee. He was using the story in Luke 5:17-20 where the 4 friends carry the paralyzed man to Jesus to be healed. He said these friends were willing to use any means necessary to get their friend to Jesus to be healed.  Rev. Lee challenged us to use any means necessary to get our friends and family to Jesus so they can know the healing power of our God though Jesus.
And then, on the last night we heard from Marian Wright Edelman.   

She is one of my hero's and I was sitting right behind her. I could have reached out to touch her, but thought that might have been a little rude.  WAKE UP! She said; WAKE UP to the reality of our children in America. And when she started to speak about how more of our children died on the streets last year alone than we have lost in the whole Middle Eastern Conflict I began to cry.  She told the story of her call, over 30 years ago talking with a young man about his future and his response was that he didn't have a future; he had no hope to even live past 20. Her commitment for 30 years has been to prove him wrong, that there is hope.

Friends, we have much to celebrate as a church, we have so many gifts and blessings even amongst our hardships, issues, declines and conflicts. But it is time for us to WAKE UP to the challenge before us as the Body of Christ; our neighbors do not know the love of God, our community is filled with pain and brokenness and needs the healing; both the physical and spiritual healing  relationship which Jesus provides, and too many of our children have no hope.  

It is time for us as the Christian Church Disciples of Christ in the Pacific Southwest Region to WAKE UP and use any means necessary to share the abundant love we know with our neighbors; to WAKE UP and help bring healing to those who need it; to WAKE UP and care for all our children even those whose names we do not yet know; to WAKE UP and answer the call of Jesus to love this world into wholeness!

We've got a wonderful message of love to share, let's WAKE UP and tell it!  

AUGUST 2011 A GATHERING OF WOMEN

Rev. Susan Gonzales Dewey,

What happens when Christian women gather?  Lives are changed! This monthly column is about what's going on with women in the PSW region.

QUADRENNIAL ASSEMBLY 2014  

It has been over a year since the 2010 Quadrennial Assembly. Our women who attended were blessed by the event and are already planning and saving for the next event. It was announced at the Women's Luncheon at the General Assembly that the next Quadrennial Assembly will be held in Atlanta Georgia. The planning team will be selected next year for the QA 2014 Assembly. So -- reserve June 25-29, 2014, to travel to Atlanta, GA and stay in the beautiful Marriott Marquis.

SPEAKERS LIST

This is an updated list complete with e-mail contacts for the following women and men who are ready to come and speak to your women's group or your congregation.  Read more.... 

Blessings,

Susan Gonzales Dewey

PSWR Summer Camp Review

I believe that Summer Camp for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Pacific Southwest is one of the most significant spiritual formation opportunities we have in the life of the region. If a child or youth in your congregation attended Sunday School each week for the 52 weeks of the year, they would still have more time in spiritual formation at one week of summer camp than in a whole year of Sunday School.

Youth and parents will talk about how much fun they had at camp and you might hear about the music and the silly stories, but even if our youth cannot articulate it, what they experience that is life changing, is the presence of God in their midst, the opportunity to not just read the biblical stories but explore what those biblical stories mean for their life, and they have a week living in the community that is the Body of Christ to catch a glimpse of what it means to be loved for who they are, valued for who God has created them to be and, that they can be who God sees them to be.

Don Dewey and I along with your Camp and Conference committee have discussed the importance of having our clergy involved in the camp experience. Their experience, education and training and deep faith are vital to the summer camp experience for our young people. So this year we invited over 40 clergy in the PSWR region to serve as counselor, Chaplain or Keynote speakers at our summer camp program.  The following clergy we able to serve this year:

Elaine Schoepf - FCC Santa Barbara - Mini Camp

Jae Hyung Cho - Sallims Christian Church - Junior Camp

Layne Beamer - FCC Whittier - Junior Camp

Joy Ja -Nanum CC Phelan Jr. Camp

Mildred Butler - United Christian Church - Junior Camp

Brenda Poindexter - Westchester Community of Faith, Regional Ministry Team

VeAnn Clark - Church of the Valley - Chi Rho

Mike Grogan - Wahiawa Christian Church - CYF I

Don Dewey - Regional Minister - CYF II

Susan Gonzales Dewey - Regional Minister - CYF II

Heather Robertson -FCC Las Vegas -CYF II

In addition 60 faithful members of our PSWR congregations served as staff for these camps. All of these servants of God freely offered a week of their time to serve God in this way. I was with a pastor yesterday who shared of the transforming experience she had a camp, and her promise to God that she would pass on that opportunity to others or as long as she was able.  

This year we served 239 Campers up from 225 last year served last year.

89 campers attended for the First Time

42 Congregations were represented by these campers

72 Scholarships were given at a total of $11,898

The scholarship fund is supported by the Regional Golf Tournament (This year's event is Sept. 19^th at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course), North Hollywood Christmas Tree Farm sales, Sunset Park Christian Church, Christian Church Foundation Endowment and Individual Contributions.  

And in you participate in this ministry through your support of the Disciples Mission Fund offerings and the Regional Annual Fund drive. There are so many more children and youth that are seeking to know God in this deep and spiritual way whose families were not able to fund the cost, and the region did not have the funds to cover.  Please consider in this next year funding all the youth from your congregations and if you have no youth, contributing to the regional scholarship fund for the youth who might grow up to be your pastor.  

Blessings,

Susan Gonzales Dewey and Michel Johnson, Camp Registrar

 2011 PSWR GOLF CLASSIC

San Dimas Golf Course

Monday, September 19th.

View San Dimas Golf Course - Click here! 

Here's your update about this year's PSWR Golf Classic for the month of August  

ATTN: Churches of the PSWR

Even if you cannot play Golf at the Golf Classic on September 19 at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course, you can still support the organizations for which we are raising funds.  Attached is a copy of the Opportunity Tickets that you can sell to your members.  Click the link below that says "Raffle Tickets". 

RAFFLE TICKETS! 

Feel free to make as many  copies as you need.   As you will see, there are some great prizes and you do not have to be present to win.  Winning tickets will be drawn at the dinner after the Golf Classic and winners will be called.  All we need is your name and phone number on the ticket stub.   

Please send all monies and stubs to Donna Woodbridge c/o First Christian Church, 109 E Wilshire Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832 before Wednesday, September 14.

Thank you for your support of these very worthy organizations.

For complete information, click here! 

The Application materials for the 2011-2012 Camile Christian Church grants are now available.   

The Church in Society Committee of the Pacific Southwest Region is requesting congregations and community groups  apply for funding for projects and programs that meet the criteria for Camile Christian Church funding (see "Criteria, Procedures and Guidelines" Form).  Applications and time lines are available in English, Spanish and Korean.  Please call if you require help in Spanish or Korean with the "Criteria, Procedures and Guidelines."  

The purpose of the Camile Grant is to provide funding (in part) to special projects and programs that address and deal with the root causes of injustice, poverty, and promote Christian Growth.  All project and program applications are given consideration in the selection process.  Please note, because of limited funding, seldom can a project be granted funding in excess of $4000.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  August 31, 2011

For complete details and procedures, Click here!

Also available on our website: www.disciplespswr.org 

Look under "RESOURCES AND FORMS!" 

August 14-20 

 
(Young Women's Action Web) - YWAWA

This spiritual and experiential event will provide a travel experience that will introduce participants to mission work in San Diego County.

As a participate, you will be visiting sites and experiencing ministries, that address issues of hunger, homelessness, poverty, mental health, the socio-economic issues of migrant workers and their families, and programs that address seniors and families impacted by violence and children at risk.

For complete details,

or contact  

Leah Dewey 

(805) 907 - 1311    

Thank you!

$5 for children and $10 for adults. There will be tickets online soon. If anyone is interested now they can email us on facebook or 

[email protected]

or contact  

Leah Dewey 

(805) 907 - 1311    

Thank you!

Church In Society Committee

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Pacific Southwest Region

Co-Chairs: David Downing, Mildred Butler

THE FUTURE OF DENOMINATIONS 

A YEAR WITH MICHAEL KINNAMON  

Each month the newsletter will include a short reading from something Michael Kinnamon has written or co-authored about Disciples.  This month we look at a few comments from Kinnamon on something that concerns many of us:  the "future" of denominations.  We look at numbers, they indicate decline.  What is the future of denominations? This is the ninth reading.

  Read more...  

The Church in Society Committee has endorsed and invites you to the

Brave New Planet Conference

featuring Bill McKibben
Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth, will be in Claremont for a conference sponsored by Progressive Christians Uniting, Soka Gakkai International, and the Center for Process Studies.

October 28-29, 2011

Claremont, California

.Please check out the website for details, or google "Brave New Planet"

the conference website.

The 2004 Regional Assembly approved a resolution calling for clergy participation in training for the prevention of sexual misconduct. Attendance at a sexual ethics course is required once every five years for every minister in the PSWR desiring to maintain their standing. The Assembly resolution charged the Committee on Ministry with providing this continuing education opportunity and tracking compliance with the requirement. Exceptions are made for retired ministers who are no longer in "active" ministry. Note that weddings and  pulpit supply opportunities are considered "active" ministry.    

The current offering is a workshop addressing Boundary Training and is built upon the work of FaithTrust Institute in Seattle Washington. The day long course shared with clergy/members of the Southern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ is based upon the series, A Sacred Trust: Boundary Issues for Clergy and Spiritual Teachers

Thursday, August 11, 2011

(Focus on Retired Clergy)

 

Torrey Pines Christian Church

8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive North, La Jolla, CA 92037

Boundary Training Sessions 2011

Click Here!  

Last Sunday at South Pasadena Christian Church

~Stephen Calendar celebrates with South Pasadena Christian Church on his last Sunday with the congregation. Stephen and wife Maggie begin a new adventure in Argentina  

 ~Ed Linberg is currently serving as Interim/Interim at  

Pasadena Christian Church.  Congratulations!

~Aaron Todd will begin as the pastor of Pasadena Christian Church effective August 1st.  Congratulations!

 

~Mary Jo Bradshaw welcomes her new grandson Isaac Antonio Azua, born July 7, 2011  Congratulations!

Prayer Concerns  

  The Lopez Family  

Lillian Del Pilar  

Sung Do Ee  

Ginger Bradfield  

Young Sook Kim 

In Memoriam

Carmen Lopez, wife of Alfredo Lopez, lost her mother  

Berta Tobias Patino on June, 30th.  Services were held in
Guadalajara, Jalisco, MX  

Expressions of support may be sent to Carmen Lopez & Family

7000 Duchess Dr.
Whittier, CA 90606-1830  

ONLY 37 LEFT!

Only 37 copies of The Disciples in the Pacific Southwest Region, 1955-2009,  by Dr. Edwin C. Linberg, long-time pastor in our Region, are left from the original order supply when the book was published in November 2009. Once these books are sold the author has no plans to order more of them  If this book is not in your library, or your church's library, time is running short for you to be sure you have access to this book.

In addition, there is a companion, supplemental volume, Disciples in Ministry in the Pacific Southwest Region, that provides an overview of All Peoples Christian Center, Bethany Towers, Chapman University, Disciples Seminary Foundation, Eastmont Community Center, GLAD and Project IMPACT, plus information about two units no longer affiliated with the PSWR--Avalon-Carver Community Center and California Christian Home. This volume, which was first available during the 2010 Regional Assembly, is printed locally and will be available for some time, though there are only 10 copies currently on hand.

Prices, plus shipping charges, for these two books are as follows:

            The Disciples in the Pacific Southwest Region, 1995-2009 costs $42.95 with shipping and handling charges of $7.00 for a combined total of $49.95.

            Disicples in Ministry in the Pacific Southwest Region costs $25.00 with shipping and handling charges of $5.00 for a combined total of $30.00.

Both books together, plus shipping and handling charges, cost $79.95.

If you would like to purchase one, or both, of these books for yourself and/or your church's library, please download the attached order form and send it, along with your check, to: Dr. Ed Linberg, 2417 Bowdoin Street, LaVerne, CA 91750.  For more information about these books, please call Dr. Linberg at: 909-392-6688.

World Council of Churches Convenes Meeting on Peace

The highest expression of the striving for church unity is represented by the World Council of Churches (WCC), a union of nearly 200 church bodies from most of the countries of the world.  The work of the WCC is often invisible to people in grass roots congregations, but it is a very important witness and has significant long-term effects.  Kingston, Jamaica was the host city in May for the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, whose guiding theme was Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."

Read more...

More Disciples News