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General Assembly July 18-22, 2015 Columbus, Ohio |
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From the President
I was reading the Letter of Paul to the Colossians early this week and ran across the passage:
"And when you were dead in trespasses and the un-circumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with God, when God forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. God set this aside nailing it to the cross."
[Colossians 2:13,14]
It spurred in my mind that definition of forgiveness I memorized as a teenager. It goes something like this: "Forgiveness is primarily the act of God by which God graciously takes away all the obstacles and barriers that separate us from God, thus opening the way to reconciliation. It is also the way we extend mercy to our neighbor, restoring a right relationship between us."
And then I started thinking about those two other scriptures that I took to memory as a youth: (1) ". . . as far as the east is from the west, so far God removes our transgressions from us" [Psalm 103:12]
and (2) " . . . though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool [Isaiah 1:18].
It then dawned on me that God is the great eraser, the One who stands in stark contrast to all those other gods who never lose track of our shortcomings. God erases our sins offering limitless, universal, and blanket forgiveness to all.
One of my colleagues in ministry asked me: "Isn't there just too much forgiveness?" She had made a judgment call somewhere along the way that the church was too forgiving, that God was too forgiving, and that people are just too forgiving." I tell you exactly what I told her: There is never too much forgiveness!
How can God forgive us? Through Jesus' death on the cross. Why does God forgive us? Because God is forgiveness. What can God forgive? Anything without exception. When can God forgive? Anytime. Where can God forgive? Anywhere. Who can God forgive? You and me and anybody.
Imagine if you will: anytime, anywhere, anyone, anything. All because God is a God of forgiveness and has nailed our trespasses to the cross. Glory be to God!
Forgivingly yours,
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Disciples Women
Just Women is holding a "Comic Strip Art Contest"
strip idea by July 1st. The winner will be announced  at GA! For details email odw@dhm.disciples.org. If you know an artist, share this opportunity with them. #dwsoar
Disciples Women's Ministries is pleased to announced that the Just Women magazine has a digital option! Joomag.com is the host site for  our magazine. The 2015 Just Women Bible study is the first single issue e-version offering. Summer 2015 will be arriving soon.The Bible study alone is available for $6.99. A subscription is available for $18.99
DW @ GA2015 - #DWSoar - plarn, cranes, and more
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Christian Graphic Arts
Christian Graphic Arts, LLC, owned by the Rev. Robert L. Whiteley Certificates for Baptism, Dedication to New Life, Christian Marriage, Servant Leadership, Membership, Thank You Notes, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Name Badges are available. The certificates are high quality cover stock for the embossed covers, and high quality stock for the printed text. The certificates are boxed 12 per box with envelopes. The price per box of 12 certificates is $20.00. Visitor Badges come 100 to a packet for $6.00 each package. Note cards are 25 cards to a box for $8.00 per box. Or you can get a Visitor Folder with a sampling of 10 items for $8.00 per folder.
To order contact: Christian Graphic Arts, LLC. by Fax at (772) 569-9769 or e-mail christiangraphicarts@yahoo.com. Christian Graphic Arts, LLC is located at: 1906 33rd Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32960. For more information call (772) 569-9769.
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Refugee & Immigration Ministries
Don't Deport My Dad! 2015 Father's Day Toolkit
Available for Churches and Individuals to Learn about Prosecutorial Discretion and Help Disciples Immigrants and Other Families Being Separated Ramon and his family have been Disciples church leaders for many years. Indeed, "he and his wife would be our church's Associate Pastors" says his Pastor, Lori Tapia, at Iglesia Alas de Salvacion in Gilbert, Arizona. They would, if only Ramon could be released from immigration detention. Instead, the family's future remains uncertain, after Ramon was detained last November after being pulled over and arrested after his car broke down.
Ramon's story is just one among others of families whose dads have been separated from their families due to minor infractions which, under recent immigration laws, now have become felonies. See his and other stories in our newest faith community resource-due out just as we head towards Father's Day. Find some Disciples stories included here, along with the link to the full toolkit.
Show Your Support for the Farm Workers!: Join the vigil at General Assembly in Columbus
After weeks of preparation and building excitement, scores of allies from the Ohio Fair Food organizing network made good on their promise to  stand alongside Florida's farmworkers this past Monday at Wendy's annual shareholder meeting at the Wendy's headquarters office in Dublin, Ohio. They delivered a message, "We want to know that the food we consume does not come at the cost of another person's dignity..." Read the full article.
Disciples can show their support for farm workers at our upcoming 2015 General Assembly in Columbus, Ohio. Join the Disciples Refugee and Immigration Ministries of Disciples Home Missions, in partnership with Disciples Justice Action Network, Disciples Peace Fellowship, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Alliance for Fair Food and the Ohio Fair Food for a vigil to help support the rights of farm workers. We will start at the convention center and walk or ride to the local Wendy's to encourage them to join the Fair Food Campaign. This event will be held on Sunday, July 19, during the Assembly from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
If you are interested in participating, please register. If you are willing to assist with the event as a volunteer or have any musical or artistic skills you would like to offer, please let us know when you register. If your congregation is located in Ohio, and would be interested to schedule or attend a "pre-event" to learn more about the Ohio Fair Food Program, and/or to help prepare signs for the event, please contact Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea.
For information on other RIM events at General Assembly
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Gifts to the Disciples Home Missions Annual Fund  are directed to our most valuable asset - congregations and their leaders!
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