July 8, 2015

Refugee & Immigration Ministries invites all to celebrate a month of freedom

 

In an effort to urge the United States to end family detention, activists for refugee families across the nation are instituting the #freefamilies handle for social media. The goal of this campaign is to provide a human face to the injustice of family detention.

 

The idea is simple: for families to take selfies of themselves holding a sign calling on the administration to end family detention that includes the hashtag #FreeFamilies. Families can also explain why they want to end family detention on the sign.

 

Refugee & Immigration Ministries along with other partners will collect the selfies and make a collage using storyboard that will be presented to government officials urging an end to family detention.

 

For more information on the campaign and other refugee advocacy efforts for the month of July, go to the Disciples Home Missions' Refugee & Immigration Ministries page.

 

You can help spread the word

 

Sample Facebook posts

 

1, Send us your Selfie!

July 8-23 Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries is joining with other faith communities and doing a social media campaign this July to raise awareness about family detention.  And-- we NEED YOU!!!!

 

2. Send us a photo of your family expressing why we should end family detention! You can tweet it to us (@StanleyRea) or post it on our Facebook page or email Sharon Stanley-Rea at:  [email protected]   Please also use the hashtag #freefamilies

 

Sample Tweets

 

Tweet us selfies of your families holding a sign explaining why family detention is wrong with #FreeFamilies and we will RT you!

 

We believe family detention violates human rights. Tweet us selfies of your family telling us why we must #FreeFamilies

 

(Attach image of organization office holding signs)

 

Tweet us selfies of your family holding a sign explaining why you oppose family detention! #FreeFamilies

 

Help show your support for all families by sending us a picture of your family with a sign explaining why you say #FreeFamilies



Mission First!

 

You will want to make sure you are in attendance at the first business session on Monday afternoon of General Assembly. General Minister and President Sharon Watkins will present a two-year pilot program known as Mission First! The General Board has approved this project for the next biennium, suspending its 2016 meeting to make room for the process.

 

Even if you are not going to be present at the assembly, you will want to sign up to participate in one of the mission gatherings that form the foundation for the effort. More info will be available after the Monday afternoon introduction.

 
________

 

Praying to Columbus

July 11- July 17, 2015


 

In the next week, many Disciples will be travelling to General Assembly to be equipped for God's mission and to join in worship and community for the journey. Please make time in your devotions to pray with and for our church gathering in Assembly. The suggested prompts below grow out the Assembly theme text of Isaiah 40 and two Gospel texts calling us to Mission First! Let us pray together. Link to daily prompts (These prompts will also be distributed via Facebook and Twitter.)


 

News in the Church                                     Other News

It's not too late

You can still register for General Assembly. Where else can you ...

  • view a television pilot on Sunday afternoon and chat with the producers, 
  • march for farm worker rights later Sunday afternoon, 
  • help feed the hungry Monday morning, 
  • hear about Mission First! Monday afternoon, 
  • encounter dancers from Bhutan in a refugee workshop on Tuesday,
  • meet global missionaries in the exhibit hall,
  • hear phenomenal preaching such as Adam Hamilton on Wednesday
  • celebrate 25 years of partnership with the United Church of Christ, 
  • take a selfie in the NBA ball pit, 
  • and worship God with several thousand Disciples? 
Register today and we'll see you next week in Columbus!

In Memoriam

 

Ron Parker

________

 

MidAmerica seeks regional minister team member; application deadline Aug. 31 

                                ________


Two North Carolina Disciple congregations honor Mother Emanuel dead with service

National Council of Churches shares interfaith letter on drones

 

NAPAD adds director for communication and transformational ministries to staff

 

Midway College becomes Midway University

 

Kentucky church models rain garden

 

Christian Church Homes, Leading Age California advocate at California capitol

 

Early Ohio Disciple elder history shared

 

 

 

Other News and Resources
Events

General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Columbus, Ohio, July 18-22

 

Christmount Mission Camp July 26-31

 


Worship and Wonder Training Lexington, KY
Aug. 21-22

Biblical Storytelling for Pastors, Christmount, Sept. 15 - 17 

 

Hope Partnership Leadership Academy, Sept. 21-24

 

Gateway to Hope lecture on returning veterans sponsored by Mid-America Center for Ministry, Columbia, MO, Sept. 22

 

Christmount Clergy Conference Oc. 5-7

  

Drury University Conference "Subverting the Norm III", Springfield, MO Nov. 5-7

 

Find more events on the calendar hosted by Chalice Press

Resources

July #FreeFamilies refugee campaign

 

Online pastoral care class begins Aug. 18

 

Mid-America Center for Ministry intro ministry course begins 

Aug. 18 

 

Just Women 2015 Bible study available in e-version

 

Refugee resettlement sign-up information 

 

Disciple Women offer flyer on human trafficking 

 

Center for Faith and Giving Measuring What Matters stewardship program available

 

Disciples Peace Fellowship offers weekly worship resource 

 

People-to-People Guides for Leaders and Participants 

Ministry in Action

Follow a People-to-People Pilgrimage to Guatemala through July 11

 

Christian Church Homes, National Benevolent Association partner on Texas project

 

Kansas church joins coalition to bring people out of poverty

 

St. Louis opera announces next season's performances at church

 

Tennessee pastor writes message re: marriage

 

Atlanta church chimes in to support runners

 

Tennessee church hosts brass concert

 

You can find ways to plug into mission and more through these ministries.....

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
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