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From the President
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The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through our Green Chalice Ministry [greenchalice.org] is involved in a partnership with Blessed Tomorrow [blessedtomorrow.org]. The mission of Green Chalice is to "connect Christian faith, spiritual practice, and creation consciousness in order to demonstrate the fullness of God's shalom."
Why all the fuss about climate change? Because our faith leads us to act on climate: - We answer God's call for justice for women and children and we must provide our families, and our children a safe, healthy planet to live on.
- We answer God's call for human rights and we know clean energy will promote equality, healthy communities, and more good paying jobs.
- We answer God's call for justice and we know that the burden of pollution and climate change falls unfairly on those of us who cause it less but suffer more.
- We answer God's call to care for the earth and we know that addressing climate change provides clean air and water, and a thriving natural world for all of us.
We Disciples are providing leadership to make climate a core mission and are working together with the United Church of Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to make 2017/2018: The Year of Faith and Climate. Our ministers and congregational leaders throughout the United States and Canada, as well as our global mission partners, are providing guidance to their congregations and congregational ministries, that incorporate ideas about wise energy use, smart transportation, 100% clean energy, and community gardening. Lessening our carbon footprint on the earth will provide good life for many, many generations to come. I invite each one of our ministers and congregational leaders to engage your congregations in conversation about climate change. But do not stop with conversation. As the book of James reminds us:
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? . . . faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead [James 2: 14, 17]. We can make our faith alive by engaging one another within our congregations, engaging our peers, and engaging the communities where our ministries are planted, with practical, hands-on actions that can provide a healthy and positive future for all God's creation. As Christians, we study the word of God; we interpret the word of God; and, we live the word of God. These three are commendable, but they are also incomplete, until we do the word of God. Imagine a safe, healthy planet for all. Imagine clean air and water for all. Imagine a thriving, natural world for all. These are within our reach if we put our faith into action and do the word of God! Putting our faith into action and doing-ly yours,
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Children's Disaster Services
Children's Disaster Services team to work in Orlando following gun massacre
In response to the horrific shooting in Orlando, Fla., the American Red Cross has asked Children's Disaster Services (CDS) to send a team of caregivers. Since 1980, CDS has been meeting the needs of children by setting up child care centers in shelters and disaster assistance centers across the nation. Specially trained to respond to traumatized children, volunteers provide a calm, safe, and reassuring  presence in the midst of the chaos created by natural and human-caused disasters. CDS is administered by the Church of the Brethren and supported by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): Week of Compassion, National Benevolent Association, Disciples Home Missions.
"Our team will be serving families along with mental health and spiritual care providers," said CDS associate director Kathleen Fry-Miller. "Our volunteers will be there to care for children as families are gathered, especially during times when adults are receiving briefings, counseling services, or doing morgue visits.
"Every organization responding was specifically asked if their volunteers would have sensitivity to the lgbt community. We reassured them that our volunteers would be very sensitive," she added.
The CDS team going to Orlando is being led by John Kinsel, Critical Response Child Care administrator and trainer. The Critical Response Child Care program of CDS provides special training to volunteers to respond to mass casualty events in addition to the usual CDS training and certification. The Orlando team also includes CDS Gulf Coast coordinator Tina Christian (pastor of the Edgewood Avenue Christian Church in Jacksonville, FL), and Carol and Norm Waggy, recent Nigeria Crisis volunteers.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families directly affected by this violence, the Orlando community, and those across the country who are weeping with them," Fry-Miller said.
She requested that people of faith "send prayers for this work."
For more information about the ministry of Children's Disaster Services go to www.brethren.org/cds. To offer financial support to the CDS response in Orlando, give to the Church of the Brethren's Emergency Disaster Fund at www.brethren.org/edf.
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Family & Children's Ministries
Light a Candle for Children Prayer Vigil 2016
Children Worship & Wonder Training Story Teller Trainings
July 8-9
Chalice Christian Church - Gilbert, AZ
August 12-13
Ashland Christian Church - Ashland, VA
August 12-13
West Des Moines Christian Church - West Des Moines, IA
August 19-20
First Presbyterian - Shreveport, LA
Interested in hosting a training for your church or community? Contact Jessica Kramer for information.
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National Convocation Pre Event
Pre-Event 24th Biennial Session of the National Convocation
You're invited to an opportunity to be inspired, transformed and changed! Register for the Pre-Convocation Lay and Clergy Leadership Institute - Thursday July 21st- 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.
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Planning for 
