|
Not your parents' "stewardship" conference
Holy Conversations: Church, Money and Millennials
We've been told and re-told that the millennials - that amorphous group of people born anywhere from the early 1980s to 2000 - think about everything differently than baby boomers, Gen X and others. They tend to have liberal values; don't view institutions in the same way as previous generations; consider mission on the ground most appealing; and assume affluence is not guaranteed.
The Center for Faith and Giving and the Christian Church Foundation are gathering pastors, other faith leaders and even a panel of millennials May 21-23 to learn together about how to align values with money decisions, particularly with this group who have struggled with the economic downturns post 9/11 and 2008. Pastors of a different age group can find help and support in understanding where these young adults are coming from and millennial pastors can share their own personal insights into the generational differences in perspective.
Speakers will include keynoter Nathan Dugan of Share Save Spend, a group specifically to assist people in aligning money and values; Robin Hedgeman, a pastor who sees mentoring and leadership in stewardship as part of her job; Katie Hays, a dynamic speaker and new church start pastor; Warren Carter, a New Testament scholar who views money in the context of culture; Marilyn Fiddmont and Bobby Hawley, CCF staff who see the opportunities of thinking to the future; Bruce Barkhauer, director of the Center for Faith and Giving, who teaches a culture of generosity; and Andra Moran who will lead thoughtful worship and faith exploration.
Registering by April 15 saves nearly a third of the full registration cost. The event will be at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth. For registration and more information, go to the Center for Faith and Giving website.
Congo initiative: Experiencing new life
by Rev. Sandra Gourdet, area executive for Africa, Global Ministries
 How does one talk about new life to a 22 year old who was sexually assaulted at age 14 while working in her parents field near the home? As a result of the rape, she is the mother of 8 year old twin boys. Kyakimwa has become one of the nightmarish statistics of two out of three girls raped in the eastern Congo yearly. For more than two decades the violent conflict raging in the country has attracted very little international attention and yet in one hospital, among many designed to treat women and girls following their assault, an average of 2,000 fistula operations have been performed yearly since 2002. Kyakimwa has chosen not to dwell on what life could have been but rather on what life can be. She, her children and her mother were chased from the home of the mother's family after the death of her father. The family members decided to rent out the homestead as a source of income for the larger family. Kyakimwa managed to find a small space to stay with a family friend. While there she discovered a training program being sponsored by Global Ministries and enrolled in some of the life skills classes. She completed the course and was able to start her own business selling corn flour. She saved money to send her boys to schools and never lost sight of her own dream to get an education and start a new life for herself. After meeting her financial obligations and paying school fees for her boys, she saved until she was able to enter school. Today she is in the 11th grade and continues to run her business to support her boys and herself. She was happy to share her story so that others may be inspired. Her words of wisdom as she thanked Global Ministries are a testimony to new life, "I didn't receive a handout. The assistance was accompanied by concrete training that gave me hope that I could change my life." Kyakimwa gives each one of us hope that new beginnings are possible in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty. For more resources on the lives, successes and struggles of our partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo, join in the Global Ministries' sponsored Congo Initiative. Backup your certificate from the Office of Search and Call in Disciples Home Missions Lack of an ordination certificate can occasionally be problematic when seeking ministry positions beyond congregational ministry, and or fulfilling a request to provide pastoral services in another state than where you live. If you are an ordained clergy person, consider making a photocopy/scan of your ordination certificate, and send the copy to the Office of Search and Call (e-mail That office will file it in your permanent file. If you ever lose the original in a move, or due to some catastrophe, then they can send you a copy of their copy. If you'd prefer, just take a GOOD digital photograph of it, then send the Office of Search and Call the digital file via email or CD. You might also want to keep a digital copy for yourself in your safe deposit box. | 
