NAPAD leader's legacy continues in scholarship recipients
by Lynette Li, director of communications and transformational ministry, NAPAD
 This year marks the 30th anniversary of Rev. David Kagiwada's passing. He played a pivotal role in founding the North American Pacific/Asian Disciples. Kagiwada was Japanese-American himself and served congregations in California and Indiana. His ministry was devoted to reconciliation and healing for those treated as social outcasts. Kagiwada consistently championed for the church to recognize the gifts and ministry of women and people of Asian/ Pacific Islander heritage. NAPAD now serves Disciples who worship in more than a dozen different languages.
Thirty years later, the impact of Kagiwada's ministry lives on throughout the Church. During his ministry, he encouraged more than 10 women to pursue their call to ministry through ordination in times and cultures when that was not the norm. Many of these women have gone on to pastor congregations and serve in various expressions of the Church.
Through the scholarship fund established in his memory, 33 Asian/Pacific Islander Disciples have been named as Kagiwada scholars. These individuals are contributing significantly towards the life of our Church as they continue his legacy of advocating for reconciliation and justice. Some Kagiwada scholars include:
- Rev. Dr. John Dong-Gook Roh, NAPAD Moderator
- Rev. Dr. Timothy Lee, Associate Professor of History and Christianity and Director of Asian Church Studies at Brite Divinity School.
- Rev. Sandhya Jha, Founder and Director of the Oakland Peace Center, anti-racism/anti-oppression trainer with Reconciliation Ministry
- Rev. Vy Nguyen, Executive Director of Week of Compassion
- Rev. April Lewton, Vice-President of Development and Marketing for the National Benevolent Association
- Rev. Paul Tche, President-Elect of the Council on Christian Unity
For the 2015-2016 academic year, the Kagiwada scholarship fund awarded scholarships to four recipients.
In many aspects, Rev. Kagiwada's ministry involved trailblazing and bridge building. While he worked tirelessly in birthing a ministry inclusive of Disciple Asian or Pacific Islanders, he did not do it alone. Much of the heavy lifting was done together with his wife, JoAnne Kagiwada and with many faithful and fearless Disciples such as Luz Bacerra, Janet Casey-Allen, Soongook Choi, Sarasopa Enari, Harold Johnson, Grace Kim, Flor Marcelino, Royal Morales, Rita Nakashima-Brock, Maureen and James Osuga, Joel Santos, Martha and Aki Suzuki, Manny Tamayo, and Geunhee Yu. Their example is a great reminder that ministry is done best when done together, especially when those on the team share a deep passion and commitment. The struggle to cultivate intentional spaces in places that are harsh and uninviting is often an uphill one. Yet, thanks to their example, we have a glimpse of what extending Christ's Table looks like when we seek to welcome, value and include all.
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World Communion Sunday Oct. 4
By Tom Morse, Global Ministries
World Communion Sunday offers congregations a distinctive opportunity to experience Holy Communion in the context of the global community of faith. The first Sunday of October has become a time when Christians in every culture break bread and pour the cup to remember and affirm Christ as the Head of the Church. On that day, they remember that they are part of the whole body of believers. Whether shared in a grand cathedral, a mud hut, outside on a hilltop, in a meetinghouse, or in a storefront, Christians celebrate the communion liturgy in as many ways as there are congregations. World Communion Sunday can be both a profound worship experience and a time for learning more about our wider community of faith.
Worship resources from Global Ministries
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Resources and continuing ed
Events
- Turner Memorial Lectures featuring Christian Piatt, Oct. 5-7, Yakima, WA
- Christmount Clergy Conference featuring Shane Claiborne, Oct. 5-7
- Hope Partnership's New Beginnings Come & See, Oct. 10, Spearman, TX
- Hope Partnership's DARE to Lead, Oct. 11, El Paso, TX
- Hope Partnership's New Beginnings Come & See, Oct. 17, Abilene, TX
- Christmount Week with Frank Thomas, Oct. 20-23
- Soul Repair: Pathways to Hope, Oct. 28-31 , Kansas City
- 2016 Disciples Development Conference, Jan. 20-22, Jacksonville, FL
- Black Ministers Retreat, March 8-10, Jackson, MS
- Center for Faith and Giving's Stepping into Stewardship conference in partnership with the United Church of Christ, March 30-April 1, 2016
- Hispanic Assembly, July14-16, 2016, Coral Gables, FL
- Association of Disciple Musicians 55th Anniversary Conference, July 17-22, 2016, Evansville, IN
- National Convocation Biennial Session, July 21-24, Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)
- National Youth Event with United Church of Christ, July 26-30, Buena Vista, FL
- NAPAD Convocation, Aug. 3-6, Oakland, CA
- For more events, see the calendar hosted by Chalice Press
Resources
- Lexington Theological Seminary offers DMin in adaptive change; application deadline Nov. 26
- DHM clergy education grant application deadline Oct. 31
- Disciples Women endowment fund applications due Oct. 15
- Measuring What Matters stewardship planning materials from Center for Faith and Giving
- Center for Faith and Giving lectionary-based worship resources
- HIPAA guidelines (also linked from the Resources page on disciples.org)
- Hope Partnership archived webinars
- Online giving and payroll services
- Curriculum share site: DiscipleShare
- Chalice Press
Online classes
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