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Ash Wednesday - February 18, 2015
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Pension Fund awarded Lilly Grant to research clergy financial literacy, economic stress
 Lilly Endowment has awarded a $50,000 planning grant to Pension Fund of the Christian Church in order to study the financial knowledge and economic stresses facing pastors. The results of the planning process could lead to an implementation grant request of up to $1 million to support programs that enhance financial skills for effective leadership, and establish a grant program for student and consumer debt of pastors. TheEndowment has also awarded a related planninggrant to theChristian Church in Indiana. Pension Fund expects to collaborate extensively with the Indiana projectin the development of programs and to develop a jointimplementation strategy.
The Rev. Dr. Robert Lee Hill, Senior Minister of Community Christian Church in Kansas City, Mo., will direct the planning process. Pension Fund staff members will provide significant support in the planning process. Read full article
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Minister's Tax Guide available now
Pension Fund offers a free Minister's Guide for 2014 Income Tax booklet for ministers (and their tax preparers) that covers:
- Filing your income tax return
- Parsonage and housing allowances
- How to calculate and report self-employment tax
- How to calculate deductions
- Retirement planning
...and more! To access this handy, easy-to-use tax guide, just visit:
www.pensionfund.org/ministers-tax-guide
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Week of Compassion
offering received in most congregations
Feb. 22
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Please note: The General Assembly docket will be distributed to churches by electronic download rather than on CD-ROMs. A forthcoming USPS letter will have order instructions for paper copies as well as information about your congregation's number of voting representatives.
Watch the General Assembly Facebook page, Twitter and Disciples News Service for everything Columbus!
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| News in the Church Other News |
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Seminarians conference
March 12-15 in Tennessee
 Disciples Seminarians Conference is scheduled for March 12-15, 2015 at the Scarritt Bennett Center
in Nashville, TN. The conference is open to every ministerial student affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who has completed at least one year of Master of Divinity Study. The conference will begin with dinner on Thursday ends after lunch on Sunday. The cost is nominal with opportunities for travel subsidies.
Register online. If you have any questions, please contact Janice Woods.
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Young Adult Commission application deadline extended
If you are interested in connecting and empowering Young Adults to engage in the ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), you can fill out an application to serve on the Young Adult Commission. The next of service for which applications are being accepted began January of 2015 and will go through December of 2016. The applications process has been extended until March 15, 2015.Go here to see the expectations for those who serve on the committee. Come serve with us!
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Leadership Fellow applications due April 16
Higher Education and Leadership Ministries is now taking applications to join the 15th class of HELM Leadership Fellows in fall 2015. The Leadership Fellows program is a unique opportunity for Disciples students to be in closer relationship Church, to network with each other, to encounter innovative and inspiring leaders, to prepare themselves for leadership in a rapidly and radically changing religious environment and to add additional value to their undergraduate educations.
Graduating high school seniors or entering first year college students who plan on attending an accredited college or university are encouraged to apply. While this reflects a change from the previous practice of accepting current first year college students, this year, the program will accept applications from students who have completed their first year of college or university work.
More information online. If you have any questions, please contact Hollie Woodruff, Director of Undergraduate Student Programs.
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2015 Call for Programs
The Parliament of the World's Religions, an interfaith event, is calling for programs on the theme "Reclaiming the heart of our humanity, working together for a world of compassion with peace, justice and sustainability." An estimated 10,000 participants from 80 nations and 50 faiths will gather in Salt Lake City Oct. 15-19. Among the speakers scheduled are the Dalai Lama, Dr. Karen Armstrong and Jim Wallis. |
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 Events |
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JumpStart! Indiana, Feb. 21
Dare to Lead events, Central Rocky Mountain Region, Feb. 21-22,
Church Leadership: Best Practices, Buffalo Seminary of Bethany College (WV), Feb. 24
Black Ministers Retreat, Montgomery, AL, March 3-5, - register by Feb. 20
Christmount/Lexington Theological Seminary Annual Elders and Deacons Workshop, March 6 - 7 (Register by Feb. 25)
Children Worship & Wonder Story Teller Training, Germantown TN, March 6-8
Dare to Lead, Kansas City, March 7 or 8
Children Worship & Wonder Story Teller Training, Guyton GA, March 13-15
Exploring Resurrection in the Synoptic Gospels, Buffalo Seminary at Bethany (WV), March 16-17
Progressive Youth Ministry conference, Chicago,
March 19-21
Pacific School of Religion "Come & See! Prospective Student Event", Berkeley, CA, March 20-21
Buildings for a New Tomorrow; An Annual Ecumenical Symposium, Raleigh, NC, April 13-15
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Events, cont'd.
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 Ministry in Action |
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Lent & Easter Resources from Children & Family Ministries
Check out our website for a compilation of Lent & Easter ideas. You can also follow our Lent & Easter board on Pinterest.
Lenten resources from Disciples Home Missions
Summer Is Coming!
Week of Compassion partner Society of St. Andrew offers hunger-themed VBS resources and mission trip opportunities
Disciples Peace Fellowship offers weekly worship resource
People-to-People Guides for Leaders and Participants
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If you are interested in advertising in future issues of the Disciples News Service, please contact Fred Jones |
 The Disciples News Service, also known as The DiscipleŽ, is distributed weekly or as needed by Communication Ministries. For changes to your subscription options or to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit: disciples.org/dns/subscribe-to-dns/
If you are interested in submitting news for distribution in the Disciples News Service, please review our "Guidelines for Submitting News and Information to Disciples News Service": disciples.org/dns/submitting-news/ The next deadline to submit news for consideration
in the Disciples News Service: Friday, February 20, 2015 |
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Organizers of the Black Ministers Retreat March 3-5 in Montgomery, AL, want to invite all Disciples to their event. Included this year will be an afternoon retracing the history of the Selma-Montgomery march that occurred 50 years ago. 
