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Disciples Mission Fund Easter Offering March 29, April 5
 It's simple, really. Gifts to the Easter Offering travel as far and wide as a tweet. Stories of mission partnerships that go around the world, around the corner and around the Church illustrate the reach of the Easter Offering dollars. Learn about the partnerships National Benevolent Association is forming with congregations and other ministries. Discover the story of Global Ministries personnel in Guadeloupe. See how Communication Ministries serve the Church.
These stories are available on the Disciples Mission Fund (DMF) web page along with other supporting materials, such as a six-session Bible study, Minute for Mission text, logos and more.
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Good news for Pension Fund members
The board of directors of Pension Fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) approved a 3.5% Special Apportionment for all U.S. and Puerto Rico Pension Plan participants (active, inactive and retired), effective July 1, 2015, as well as Good Experience Credits, effective March 31, 2015:
- Tax-Deferred Retirement Account (TDRA): 3.5%
- Benefit Accumulation Account: 4%
- Roth IRA Account: 2%
- Legacy IRA Account: 2.5%
The board also approved a Special Apportionment for Additional Benefit Annuities of 3.5%, to be applied July 1, 2015. Read more about what this means.
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New resource for pro-reconciliation conversation
by Chalice Press staff
Pastors can learn how to respond when racial tensions erupt in their community thanks to a new book being published this summer by Chalice Press. Faith leaders from the community of Ferguson, MO, are sharing their experiences and lessons in Ferguson and Faith: Sparking Leadership and Awakening Community, by Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, Associate Dean for Contextual Education at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
In Ferguson and Faith, these leaders share the lessons that the aftermath of the tragic shooting death of Michael Brown has taught them and what is relevant for pastors in other communities where systemic racism and other issues are also at work. (See the pastoral letter from the General Cabinet of the Christian Church on their journey to Ferguson)
"It is an honor to listen to these sacred stories of courage and hope, and glean from them the seeds of possibilities that, if nurtured, could serve us well into the future," Dr. Gunning Francis says. "These are the stories that were rarely imaged on television, yet they are integral to the fight for justice in Ferguson and resonate with the struggle for human dignity around the country. They remind us why #blacklivesmatter to God, and why they should matter to us all."
This is the first book published in a partnership between Chalice Press and the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). The book is scheduled to be available in July 2015, in time for the one-year anniversary of the event that sparked the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
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