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| December 2009 |
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest | |
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Propinquity with God
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 Have you ever experienced one of those life moments in which you have a deep sense of happiness and focused purpose? Those moments that as they begin your body shudders from deep within itself and a wave of unstoppable muscle contractions ripples from the center of your gut up to just behind your eyes. A Moment when life is exactly what it is supposed to be and what God intended for all life to know. And even if it only lasts for a few minutes it is a blessing to have experienced it. We know those moments because even those of us who are trained not to cry find it impossible to hold the wave back from our outward tears of great joy!
That is what Advent is preparing us to experience. That is why I take this point of privilege in my role as pastor for the pastor's and ask every member of the church to take care of your pastor during this advent season. When they are busy planning worship services, attending multiple Christmas parties and working longer hours to make sure that everyone in the church has the best chance to experience these kinds of life-giving moments - take time to say thank you to them for all they do in this season and beyond.
Happy Advent and Merry Christmas
Blessings . . . BSD
Thank you for supporting the ministries of the Upper Mid-West Region and your Regional Staff.
Bert Burns, Connie Derby-Dicks, Don Hiscox, Melanie Van Welden, and Bill Spangler-Dunning
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Quick Links to Information News, and Resources
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2010 Ministers Retreat
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"Preaching: That Thing in the Middle."
Jan. 25-26 at the Christian Conference Center
Click here to download the 2010 Ministers Retreat Registration Form Registration Deadline is January 19.
Dr. Chris tine Smith, Professor of Preaching at United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, Minnesota will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Smith begins her preaching classes by talking to the students about the fact that every sermon has to have a beginning and an ending but what about the "thing" in the middle. The registration fee is only $45 for participants and $40 for spouses. Contact Connie to inquire about available scholarships.
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Advent Attitudes
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The title above was taken from FCC, Ottumwa newsletter article, and the seasonal ideas below were taken from Your newsletters!
- Collecting items for homeless shelters.
- Collecting items for food pantries.
- Angel Trees - purchasing gifts for specific needy children.
- Warm Fuzzy Tree (United Protestant Church, Silver Bay, MN) - collecting mittens, scarves, ear muffs, or headbands & caps for local Salvation Army baskets.
- Caroling to nursing homes, shut-ins, or church neighbors.
- "Hanging of the Greens" or "Go Green" as Disciples Together.
- Candlelight services.
- "Elves" collecting items for local nursing home residents (FCC, Hampton).
- Christmas Cantatas.
- Giving Tree - pick a sticker from the tree and help the church stock up on essential office, cleaning, communion, and kitchen supplies. Wrap them up and put them under the tree and the kids will have a great time unwrapping them! (Ankeny CC)
- "We Care" packages to college students prior to final exams.
(FCC, Cedar Falls). - Gift wrapping in the mall - donations go for Kids Against Hunger
(FCC, Burlington)
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A Sense of Wonder
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By Dave Clark, Ankeny CC
At Christmas we are invited to step out of that hard shell and expose the softer and better side of our spirits. Some people have "Christmas Eyes" - They tear-up at old movies, snowflakes, cherished Christmas memories, twinkling lights, and carols beautifully sung. Others remember to be generous. Some welcome the opportunity to believe in miracles again, to believe in the goodness of the universe and their fellow human beings. Jesus came to make the world and each of us better people. What would it mean for you to step out of your shell and regain a sense of wonder, and allow the more flexible and gracious part of you rule for a season?
Grace and Peace.
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Spencer Congregation Reaching Out to Meet Infant Needs
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 For
over a year First Christian Church in Spencer has been meeting the
needs of families in their community by participating in Angel Food
Ministry. This summer they decided to help out even more. Using Angel
Food as a model, they began an infant needs ministry, called: Kids
First. Once a month families from the community can come and purchase
diapers, wipes, and other baby items for about half the store cost.
The sale proceeds go to replenish the supplies, which are also
underwritten by local outreach funds. If you'd like to learn more
about how your congregation can begin a similar ministry there will be
a web conference on Dec. 15. With access to a webcam, simply click the
link for the "Sharing the Same Spirit" Video room on the Region's website. For direct questions about the Kids First ministry contact Michele Mayes at 712-270-0005.
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Blessing Banner Reminds Worshipers to Give Thanks
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By Jim Caughron, Sr.
Displayed in the left front corner of the sanctuary at Center Point, Iowa's, First Christian Church is a big, red banner which holds symbols of recent blessings as recognized by worshipers.
On the first Sunday of each month, the banner is presented front and center during the worship celebration, and those who have recognized recent blessings come forward to attach small symbols of those blessings and to share the particulars for which they are thankful. The Blessing Banner gives the congregation a perfect opportunity to "rejoice with those who rejoice."
Each banner holds a year's worth of blessing symbols, and after the January presentation, it is taken to a display rack where it is displayed alongside the banners of the previous several years.
Annabel Mollenhauer has crafted the felt banners each year for the past 16 years. The year appears at the top, and the rest of the 3x4 foot banner is available to receive symbols and mementos of all the blessings being acknowledged by thankful people.
A brief report of those blessings appears in the church's monthly newsletter so that absent and distant friends may learn of the good things happening among the congregation.
The banner reminds us that God is always at work, whether we recognize that or not. In fact, a motto for the monthly banner report is, "The blessings are always there for those who are aware."
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Scholarship Recipients for Fall 2009
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The following persons are under Entrance Care with the Upper Midwest Region; this means they are heading toward the ministry. Your financial support of the Region gave each ministry student a scholarship this fall.
Seminarians
Anjeanette Perkins, from FCC Ames, Christian Theological Seminary.
Jason Grow from Waukee CC, Lexington Theological Seminary.
Dianna Clark from Bloomfield CC, & Davis Street CC-Ottumwa,
Phillips Theological Seminary.
Jayme Harvey from Park Avenue CC-Des Moines, Brite Divinity School.
Kate Carlson from Central CC, Boone, Brite Divinity School.
Kim Zarley from Wakonda CC, Des Moines, Brite Divinity School.
Lynda Lee from Spirit of Joy CC, Lakeville, MN, United Theological Seminary.
Stasia Krivanek Fine from Noelridge CC-Cedar Rapids,
Wesley Theological Seminary.
Undergraduates
Aaron Bjornsen from Vinton CC, Culver-Stockton College.
Danial Scheid from FCC, Nevada, University of Dubuque.
Sara Manning from FCC, Burlington, Culver-Stockton College.
William Ryan from FCC, Des Moines, Culver-Stockton College.
William Smalley from Plymouth Creek CC-Plymouth, MN, Eureka College.
Northeast Region Scholarships to needy students.
Thank You Notes Received
Dear Upper Midwest Region,
Thanks again for your generous financial support of my theological education and formation. The time I am spending in Kentucky at LTS is advantageous in discerning my call to ministry. The timing of receiving these gifts always amazes me. This gift came as I was finishing a challenging paper. As Lindsay and I sifted through footnotes and proper citation methods, this check helped empower me to finish. It assured me of the confidence and faith you, as the Upper Midwest Region, have placed in me. Thanks again for all your support. Both Lindsay and I appreciate it.
Jason Grow
(excerpts from a letter received from Anjeanette Perkins)
Dear Upper-Midwest Region,
Scholarship support from the Upper-Midwest is one of the many blessings I am grateful for this Thanksgiving season. Christian Theological Seminary provides me with a generous tuition scholarship, for which I am grateful, but the scholarship does not cover my living expenses. Thank you for your support of my preparation for ministry through the Commission on Ministry and through generous scholarships from the endowment.
Sincerely, Anjeanette Perkins
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DOC Speak . . .
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 It is good to be a Disciple
By Mark Young, Senior Pastor, First Christian Church, Newton IA
One day my oldest son smiled and said, "Dad, a few year s ago you preached against women in church leadership and now you are married to a United Methodist minister!" You see, I grew up in the "Restoration" churches, attended Dakota Bible College and for 26 years served in Independent Christian churches. After a solid 19 year ministry at the Clarion Church of Christ I answered God's call to be pastor at Clear Lake Christian Church - Disciples of Christ.
It was a huge step in my spiritual journey. I'll never forget arriving late to my first DOC Cluster meeting, taking the only seat available...you guessed it... next to a clergywoman. Her name was Liz Woodward, pastor at Cedar Falls. God must have smiled in that moment, knowing Liz would be the person who would provide the most help to me in this transitional time. Through our relationship as friends I have come to understand that being a Disciple is about building relationships with one another. Being a Disciple is about building on the common ground we have in Christ instead of dividing over our differences.
I'm having the time of my life serving First Christian Church in Newton. We have a rich Disciple's history which gives a solid foundation for the outreach and growth of the present congregation. For the past three years we have focused on relationships with one another and reaching out to the community as God blesses us with growth. It is good to be a Disciple.
 We Are Encouraged
By William Mitchell, First Christian Church, Keokuk IA
I am a fourth generation Disciple from Kentucky. My family's roots even track back to the Cane Ridge, KY, a place significant to one of our founders, Barton Stone, and our beginnings as the first new faith movement in the United States. What enamored me to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as a child is what endears me as an adult pastor. We are encouraged to develop our individual faith as Christians. I was encouraged to find my faith through worship, Sunday School and vital youth groups and church camp. I prayed, studied the Bible and served others while being surrounded by adults doing the same. There was no herd mentality nor a standard other than faithfulness to God and Jesus. This process molded me as a person and as a Christian.
Today, I see people seeking God and Christ drawn to First Christian Church in Keokuk, Iowa where I now serve. Here, they are encouraged to find their faith, much like they did at Cane Ridge. As lives are changed and enriched by faith, I rejoice that I belong to a church that encourages people to to do more than know about God and Jesus. We are encouraged to take the time to know God and Jesus.
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New Church Planters Offer to Speak @ Your Congregation
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 Hello everyone! Stephen and I are excited to be moving to Rochester, MN soon to start the new church. We are also excited to be able to involve the whole region in this process. As a part of that, we are setting aside Sundays to come visit with churches in the region to share what is happening in Rochester and how we all can work together. We look forward to hearing from you to set this up! Our email address is opensourcerochester@gmail.com. See you all in January!
Rebecca and Stephen Haney
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Youth Matters -- Everything Youth in the Upper Midwest
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 On an brisk fall weekend in November 95 high school students and adult sponsors, came together to share in a time of fellowship, celebration, and learning at the Christian Conference Center in Newton, IA. The theme of this year's CYF Assembly was "LIFE - What To Do With The Cards You're Dealt". The young people talked about the ups and downs they had experienced in their lives, where they find God in good times and bad, and then got to take part in an extensive poverty simulation game. Keynote speaker Adam Frieberg talked with the students about poverty that exists in the world and challenged them to take action in their own communities. The Upper Midwest Youth Council served as wonderfully inspiring leaders for the entire weekend.
What Did Assembly Mean to You?
"CYF assembly was a great weekend to relax, rejuvenate, and re-energize for the school year. It is always a great time to reconnect with all the wonderful people you grow close to over the summer. Retreat is one of my favorite weekends during the school year because for those 2 and a half days, everything else disappears and you're able to just be with your friends and family of God." - Amy C.
"It meant an opp ortunity to spend time with the kids. Enjoy them and share with them. To be able to tell and show the kids the passion a few adults have about the youth and display an "I believe in you" spirit. To encourage them to be strong Christians and strong Disciples. To laugh, talk, play, and pray with them." - Jim W.
"That was amazing! I'm so sad I'll never get to do that again, but what a great way to go out!" - Hayden K.
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Communications Person to be Called
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| We are excited to announce that we are seeking a part-time regional minister for communications. As the ministry we do, as Disciples Together as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest, continues to expand and grow stronger there is a great need for better communications. If this great challenge is something you feel called to consider please send an email to bsd@uppermidwestcc.org and attach a resume and/or a brief description of your skills and why you feel called to this position. We will choose someone by January 1, 2010. |
Highlights from the Regional Board Meeting - Nov. 7
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What a great time to be serving in the Upper Midwest Region! When asked at the end of the board meeting, to summarize highlights of the meeting for this newsletter, one member succinctly stated: We are Disciples Together! The following are a few highlights from the Regional Board, demonstrating Disciples working Together:
2009 Financial reports show that the Region is operating in the black. There was joy over an increase in DMF giving and wonder at how this occurs during an economic down time! $60,000 has been paid back to the bank on the line of credit! Investments are improving as markets are coming back! The prospect looks good for finishing 2009 on target with the budget. Thank the Good Lord and the faithful Disciples of the Upper Midwest! Details of the financial reports are posted on the Region's website.
Christmas Offering: "Everyone Gives a Gift"
Jim Cord presented a challenge for the Christmas offering, "Everyone Gives a Gift". By encouraging the participation of all members, every person in the congregation is involved & blessed, everyone contributes toward on a common goal, and the combined gifts afford greater ministry together in the Region. Jim also encourages all pastors to work diligently to encourage the Christmas offering, stating that having the pastor behind the Christmas offering can make all the difference in the world! Merry Christmas!
Mission excitement is spreading as the Region plans the coordination of mission trips across congregational lines! Plans are just beginning for a mission trip to Poland including a visit to the Searles.
John Campbell-Nelson completed a very successful mission visit in the Region. Please remember to pray for John and his wife Karen in Indonesia! A special thank you goes to Hal and Donna Rusk in their coordination of this visit.
Congratulations to four new people accepted under Entrance Care and two new graduates of LMEP! The Commission on Ministry has been very busy this fall, interviewing eleven people at their last meeting. Those new persons recognized under Entrance Care as working towards ordained ministry are: Dan Adolphson (Lake Harriett CC, Minneapolis), William Brown (FCC, Ames), Diana Clark (Davis Street CC, Ottumwa), and Melanie VanWeelen (Marion CC, Marion). Those persons completing the Licensed Ministry Education Program are Elizabeth Klein (FCC, Coralville) and Art Sathoff (FCC, Packwood).
2010 Regional Assembly plans bring smiles!
Karen Fausch brought smiles to the Regional Board as she shared the excitement of the Regional Assembly Planning Task Force: The setting is the Christian Conference Center. The cost of the event itself is free, camping onsite is free, workshops and displays are free. The event will be set up as a variety of TV channels reflecting the activities, i.e., food channels, kids channels, music channels, news channels, movie channels, etc.! Food may be brought in by individuals or purchased from booths on site. Congregations, Youth Groups, CWF Groups, etc. are invited to set up food booths to offer a variety of taste treats! The income from these booths will help congregations as a fundraiser, and help the Regional Assembly by offering prepared food choices for participants. Watch future publications for more fun details!!!
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Disciples Together in the Region
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Opportunities to Connect
January 4-6 - Young Adult Retreat @ the Christian Conference Center
Theme: God's Hand, Our Hands
Visit the Conference Center website to learn more.
March 20 - Come Sample Simply Stories: No Bragging, No Complaining.
Stories of the Spirit Simply Moving in Our Congregations!
Pastors and members of Disciples' congregations are invited to a day of honest sharing about the joys and struggles of our life together in communities of faith seeking to be faithful to the Spirit of God at work in our midst. Leading our time together will be Tex Sample, who will share his insights and stories in order to inspire and open us to tell our own stories. See you at FCC, Ames (9:30-4:30) March 20.
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Beyond the Region
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Week of Compassion
Phillips Theological Seminary New Online Classes
contact linda.ford@pstulsa.edu or call 918-270-6463
The Intersection; Disciples World
Where Faith Meets Life, an online place for Disciples Together!
March 1-4 - Black Minister's Conference
The
office of Black Ministries is happy and excited to announce that the
Black Ministers Retreat of 2010 will be held March 1-4, 2010 in
Goldsboro, North Carolina. Our host for this event will be Bishop
Chester L. Aycock, Presiding Prelate of The Goldsboro-Raleigh District
Assembly of The Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ International.
This will be a historical moment for the office of Black Ministries,
Disciples Home Missions, the Black Ministers Fellowship and National
Convocation. In the thirty-five year history of Black Ministers
Retreat, this will be the first time that this event has been hosted by
one of the Assembly Churches. The Black Ministers Retreat is a national
church event and is open to all clergy of the Christian Church,
Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ.
March 3-5 - Disciples Youth Ministry Network (DYMN)
A
gathering of persons serving full-time (licensed or ordained) in youth
ministry in our denomination. The keynote speaker is Mark DeVries,
founder of Youth Ministry Architects. The Registration fee is $275 pp
and registration is still open. Space is limited.
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BRINGING "DISCIPLES TOGETHER" TO LIFE!
Two Final Items; Your mission, should you choose to accept it:
1. PLEASE SHARE STORIES ABOUT YOUR CONGREGATION!!, This is your Regional newsletter; it is hoped that this paper will bring us together through sharing our stories. What is happening, how is God moving, what is working, what are you celebrating, new ideas, great programs, etc. If available, please attach pictures, links, YouTube URL's, etc. that can used to share the story!
2. PLEASE TAKE A PHOTO OF YOU AS "DISCIPLES TOGETHER"!!; (See photo at top of page as example) The picture could be in front of your church sign, at a significant event, in your sanctuary, on a mission trip, etc. These will be posted in each newsletter and be maintained on a webpage on our regional website: http://uppermidwestcc.org
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