Disciples Together
November 3, 2014

Christmas offering benefits regions

by Rev. Paxton Jones, Kansas

 

The heart of the 19th Century Reformation led by Thomas and Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone was a call to create congregations modeled after the simple essentials of the church formed by the apostles. Early Disciples soon discovered that cooperation was necessary for congregations to get their starts, to survive in times of need, and to minister effectively.  Soon State Evangelists were appointed and charged with forming numerous congregations and uniform preaching points (like the Five Finger Exercise). As mission societies developed, State Evangelists became State Secretaries responsible for coordinating the mission of the church; with the adoption of The Design, these became our regional ministers and their staffs.

 

The task of these servants of the Church remains largely the same-working toward fulfilling the mission of the church and providing for the continuous renewal of the lives of congregations, members and ministers-though the means by which this gets accomplished has changed dramatically!  It involves planning, visioning, pastoral care and conflict management; empowering leaders through resources and networking; strengthening ministry by calling new members; commissioning, ordaining and maintaining current ministers; growing faithful disciples through camps, conferences, youth ministries and ministries to women and men; and facilitating outreach and mission efforts among congregations and with our ecumenical partners.

 

Your Christmas Offering, all of which stays in your Region, helps make all of these ministries possible. The 2014 offering will be collected in most congregations on Dec. 14 and 21. Customized bulletin inserts for several Regions as well as generic materials and logos are available on the DMF website.

 

"What gifts will you bring?" to share in the Name of our King?

 
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Recipe for justice
by Steve Knight, Chalice Press

 

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II is the pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, and the architect of what's known as the "Forward Together Moral Movement." The movement is a broad-based fusion coalition of groups fighting for social justice.

 

In his new book Forward Together: A Moral Message for the Nation published by Chalice Press, Rev. Barber gives an overview of the movement that has already begun to move beyond North Carolina to other states around the country.

 

To understand the Forward Together Moral Movement, here are its core principles and practices (excerpted from pp.161-162 of the book):

  • Engage in indigenously led grassroots organizing across the state and nation.
  • Use moral language to frame and critique public policy, based on our deepest moral and constitutional values, regardless of who is in power.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to civil disobedience that follows the steps of the movement and that is designed to change the public conversation and consciousness.
  • Build a stage from which to lift the voices of everyday people affected by immoral, extremist policies-not a stage for partisan politics.
  • Build a coalition of moral and religious leaders of all faiths.
  • Intentionally diversify the movement with the goal of winning unlikely allies.
  • Build transformative, long-term coalition relationships rooted in a clear agenda that doesn't measure success just by electoral outcomes and that destroys the myth of extremism.
  • Make a serious commitment to academic and empirical analysis of policy.
  •  Use social media coordination in all forms: video, text, Twitter, Facebook, cultural arts, etc.
  • Engage in voter registration and education.
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Thanksgiving offering received Nov. 9 & 16

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July 18-22, 2015


Form available for nominations for moderators and at-large board members  
 

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General Ministries

  
Racial/Ethnic Ministries
  
Other resources

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Challenged by trying to explain Disciples Mission Fund?
 
You can download this video and get other information at www.disciplesmissionfund.org

How Your Offerings to DMF Support Mission in the Church
How Your Offerings to DMF Support Mission in the Church