Mission Statement
| Regional Board of Director's
Mission Statement
We believe God calls the Pacific Southwest Region
to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world:
OUR VISION, to be a faithful, growing church that demonstrates true community,
deep Christian spirituality and passion for justice (Micah 6:8); and
OUR MISSION to be and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ,
witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps to
'the ends of the earth'. (Acts 1:8)
Adopted, Regional Board, November 15, 2003 |
|
| In This Issue | |
REGIONAL LIFE
~Message from
David Downing
Interim Regional Minister
~Christmas Special Offering
~Disciple Women
~Stewardship and Giving
~2012
MLK Celebration
& Scholarship
~Reconcilation Grant Process
~2012 JANboree Camp
~FEB Camp 2012
~The 22nd Biennial Session of the National Convocation
African American Disciples
~Church in Society Articles
~Global Ministries
Nicaragua Work Team 2012
~Silver Linings/Older Adult Ministies
~Boundary Training Sessions
January 11, 2012
~Ecumenical and Interfaith News
♦CONGREGATIONAL LIFE ♦GENERAL CHURCH LIFE |
|
| Regional Ministry Quick Links | |
|
|
|
|
Season's Greetings!
|
|
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
|
Please do not reply to this email. We are unable to respond.
If you need assistance, please contact the Regional Church Office at
(626) 296-0385
Thank you! |
|
REV. DAVID DOWNING
FROM ONE PASTOR TO MANY . . .
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE WITH NEW EYES
Many times we as the Church are the last one's to discover that there are new ways to do ministry. Because of that, we are often left behind and have a difficult time catching up! This becomes truer each year as things change so rapidly!
Not too long ago I read some words by Rev. Jeff Gill, a pastor who raised some very interesting questions. I shared these questions with the Regional Board in their last meeting and now share them with you in hopes that it will raise some different ideas in your minds regarding what we need to be aware of as we move into the future. Have you thought about these kinds of questions and concerns and issues?
1. How will you replace your Church Newsletters when newsletters will no longer be a viable form of communication because of rising postal rates, especially for the kind of mailing that we call a "church newsletter"?
2. How does the offering time during worship need to change as people no longer carry cash or have checkbooks in their pockets or purses?
3. How will it affect your worship services and Church School classes when people read their Bibles on smart phones, tablets or e-readers? I have seen this already happening in several of our Regional congregations just within the last four weeks!
4. Are you ready for a change in communication patterns when most of your members no longer have landlines and do most of their communication through Facebook, Facebook group pages, Twitter or texting? You see, E-mail is already being seen as the "old person" way to communicate!
5. What will you do in your church budgets when federal law says that any employee who works 12 hours or more per week must have health insurance?
6. What happens to your church kitchen when state and county health codes become tighter on "public feeding" guidelines that may even effect "potluck dinners" or providing food for the homeless?
7. What happens to your budget (not to mention your clergy salaries!) if the parsonage allowance and/or housing allowance disappears, and your charitable deductions vanish from the tax codes, and the Church has to start paying property taxes?
These are interesting and challenging questions. They are not meant to be frightening, but are meant to open your minds and consciousness to new kinds of thinking! Each one of these issues is already becoming reality and percolating into our view if we are really honest with ourselves! Rev. Gill says that these issues "will continue to approach us with nuances difficult to anticipate."
What kinds of questions can you think of that need to be asked among ourselves as we begin a new year? What can you add to this list? I challenge you to share these and other ideas among yourselves in your leadership discussions within your own congregations as well as in our Regional gatherings.
Anticipate these and other questions as you prepare yourselves for what lies ahead of us and as you begin "looking toward the future with new eyes!"
Shalom!
David Downing
David Downing's email contact is: ddowning@disciplespswr.org
|
|
Christmas Special Day Offering
Received in most congregations on December 11 and 18.
100% of the Christmas Offering
will stay in our Region
The deadline for gifts is: January 8th, 2012
Individual donations can be sent directly to:
Disciple Mission Fund, Treasury Services
P.O. Box 1986
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
For congregations:
Checks can be made payable to "Disciples Mission Fund." Send your completed form and check to:
OGMP-Treasury Services
P.O. Box 1986
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206
Remittance forms may be downloaded at the following link: http://www.disciplesmissionfund.org/RemittanceForms/tabid/681/Default.aspx
Make your 2011 Christmas offering today. Your generous gift will sing God's praise. And the many ways it strengthens.
For resources for your local congregation or online giving,
|
|
PSW Region - E-Newsletter December/January 2012
Stewardship Message from Dan Oliver.
IT is Upon Us!
Each year, with the arrival of Advent, I experience a sense of nostalgia. Advent is more than just a time of waiting. It is also a time of deep spiritual awareness. The kind where you know something new is just about to happen. In many ways I compare it to an anticipated epiphany. You don't quite know what is coming, but you know IT is right there on the horizon. You can feel IT in the weather, see IT in the lights, hear IT on the radio, taste IT in the eggnog and almost touch IT, but still, you can't quite grasp what IT is. Read more...
|
|
 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2012 A GATHERING OF WOMEN
Pat Messenger & Carol Warsaw
The Disciples Women of the Pacific Southwest Region are on the move for God. We are growing spiritually and allowing the gifts that God placed within us to be a blessing to others. I would like to share with you some avenues of blessings that have gone forth so far:
The Women's Action Web, on July, 2011 went to San Diego to do mission work. There were 3 young women who went on this mission trip and they were under the leadership of Leah Dewey, Kel Henderson and Susan Richardson. What an awesome learning experience for these young women. Read more..
|
2011 PSWR GOLF CLASSIC
Review
From Ed Linberg
The 2011 PSWR Golf Classic set a RECORD for profit! After all bills were paid, the net profit was $20,500.00! A total of $4,100.00 was sent to each of the five units of the Regional Church than benefit from this event. Those receiving funds were All Peoples Christian Center, Disciples Seminary Foundation, Eastmont Community Center, Project IMPACT and the Camp and Conference Scholarship Fund.
Read more..
|
Lights!...Camera's!....ACTION!
 Here are some photos from our
Regional Gathering 2011 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration and Scholarship
2012 MLK Scholarship Service
Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 at 4 pm.
First Christian Church, Orange
1130 E. Walnut Avenue
Orange, CA
Guest Speaker, Rita Nakashima Brock, Ph.D.
Rev. Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock is an award-winning author, most recently of Saving Paradise, and theologian. A professor for 20 years, she was a Fellow at the Harvard Divinity School Center for Values in Public Life in 2001. She is the founding co-director of Faith Voices for the Common Good. Her work continues to interweave religious questions with issues of justice in the U.S. and international contexts.
The purpose of the Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship is to offer financial assistance to college students who are committed to ministry in: (1) inner city (urban) settings and/or (2) social action through peace and justice.
FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND APPLICATION, Click Here!
Deadline for submitting completed applications is:
January 5, 2012.
|
 Reconcilation Grant Process and Application Deadline January 31, 2012
More information?, Click Here!
|
 Jr. High JANboree Camp
January 13-16, 2012 - Loch Leven
FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION, HEALTH FORMS
Click Here!
|
 FEB CAMP
Feb. 17-20, 2012
Pilgrim Pines
Camp and Conference Center
Yucaipa, CAFOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND REGISTRATION, HEALTH FORMS |
The 22nd Biennial Session of the National Convocation
This national event convenes African American Disciples members
for business, worship, fellowship and study.
July 26-29, 2012
The Houston (Texas) Hilton North Hotel
Registration: 1 p.m. July 26
Opening worship: 7 p.m., July 26
Closing worship: 8-10 a.m. July 29
The Rev. Dr. Timothy James, (317) 713-2407 
Twitter Button |
Global Ministries Presents: Nicaragua Work Team January 4-13, 2012 Need more details? Please contact: Larry Hixon (626) 485-7679 or by email: larrywhixon@gmail.com |
 Older Adult Ministries Newsletter
(December/January 2012)
by- Ed Linberg
SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT AGING AND SPIRITUALITY
Your Editor attended "The Spiritual Journey of Aging" workshop held at the Center for Spirituality and Aging in Anaheim on October 19th. Barbara Fenters, a member of the Regional Church's OAM Committee with me, was also present. It was led by Nancy Gordon, Director of the Center, and Don Koepke, the founding and now retired Director of the Center.
Read more...
|
SAVE THE DATE!
2012 REGIONAL ASSEMBLY
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
OCTOBER 19th - 20th
Stay tuned for the location and more developments.
|
|
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
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Church of the Foothills
19211 Dodge Avenue; Santa Ana, CA 92705
Boundary Training Sessions 2011/2012
Click Here!
|
Clergy Captions
 Corey Moore covered Wilshire Christian Church on Public Radio's KPCC which aired on Nov. 24th, 2011 entitled, "ICONIC WILSHIRE CHRISTIAN CHURCH UP FOR SALE; A SMALL CONGREGATION GIVES THANKS FOR WHAT MONEY CAN'T BUY". You can hear this radio show at KPCC 89.3 radio or on the web at: http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/11/24/30038/iconic-church-sale-small-congregation-gives-thanks/ You can also read and hear the show on their blog at: http://wilshirechristianchurch.blogspot.com/ 
William Backstrom, Interim Pastor along with choir in front of the Wilshire Christian Church on Thanksgiving Day.  Rev. Dr. Geunhee Yu celebrated his retirement on December 2nd as the Executive Pastor of NAPAD ministries. Junsik "John" Chun has been called to fill this position. Congratulations!
  Debra and Aaron Todd had a baby boy, Zachary , November 10 at 6:47p.m. He weighed 8 lbs, 10.2 oz and was 21.5 inches long. Debra is the new associate pastor at First Christian Church, Fullerton and Aaron is the pastor at Pasadena Christian Church. Congratulations!
 Stan Smith has been called to be the interim pastor at First Christian Church, Las Vegas beginning January 16th. Congratulations!
 
The Reverend Doctors David and Ginger Jarman were honored for 40 years of ministry during a retirement celebration hosted on November 22nd at First Christian Church, Las Vegas. Congratulations! 
Prayer Concerns David Putney, pastor of Ramona Ave. Christian Church, LaVerne. William (Bill) Bynum, husband of JoAnn Bynum of the Regional Ministry Team. 
In Memoriam Rev. Denton Roberts, peacefully passed away 12/12/11, at the home of his niece in Colorado. Denton served as pastor to All Peoples Christian Church in 1969-1982. Executive Director of All Peoples Christian Center from 1982-1985 as well as Director of Development at All Peoples Christian Center in 1985-1987.
A memorial service is being planned and details will follow. Blessings to all who will be grieving the passing of this special man. May we be comforted by each other and our wonderful memories.
The CaringBridge website has supplied a webpage for Denton's journey at:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/DentonLRoberts
"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1) |
| | Sharon's Video Blog: Gathering at the Table |
_____________________________________
 Registration is now open for the 2012 General Minister and President's Pastors Conference! This time of rejuvenation, relaxation and revival will be held at the Hilton at the Ballpark in downtown St. Louis, Mo. Click Here!
|
|
2012 LAITY SUNDAY RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Week of the Laity, January 22-28, will continue the 2011 General Assembly "Tell It" theme. Resources include a Bible story library, music library, worship models and video examples.
Laity Sunday celebrates the diverse gifts laypeople bring to ministry both within and outside the walls of the church. To download Laity Sunday resources from Disciples Home Missions, see:
www.discipleshomemissions.org/pages/CE-LaitySunday
|
|
|
|
Sincerely,
David Downing Interim Regional Minister
Christian Church (DOC) PSW Region |
|
|
