In the next few e-news, you will hear from folks who attended General Assembly from CCNC-N. I've asked them  to reflect on that experience of being church and share it with those who could not attend.

Each Assembly is different. A unique flavor and personality emerges as the time together unfolds. Indianapolis GA 1989 is different than Indianapolis 2009 is different than Nashville 2011 is different than Saint Louis 1993...Tulsa 1991 or Portland 2005, and so on. The invitation, the mood, the worshipful work, the preachers, the musicians, the staging and communion vary, yet one thing remains deep and sustaining, the relationships formed nourish us. The Spirit shows up, and we have moments that arouse in us the desire to be the Jesus people we can be.

There is so much about this GA that will tug at our imagination and spirits for a long time. Some of those for me were:

• Walking, walking and walking some more to get from one place to another in the large convention center as well as from hotels...improved my metabolism;
• Missing a dear friend who couldn't come because of cancer treatments...produced a sense of tender concern;
• Being with my family in worship and hearing their love and support as I participated in worship as part of the Regional Ministers group...renewed my soul;
• Having Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, visit the NAACP Convention, which was meeting at the same time in the Orlando Convention Center, as a sign of Disciples solidarity following the verdict in the Zimmerman trial, and to have their leadership stand with us in our Assembly hall...accentuated the call to live evermore fully into being a pro-reconciling-anti-racist/anti-oppression church as God's agents of justice and peace; (Sharon spoke on MSNBC on July 19th; this link will take you to that broadcast; don't give up there's some ads and pre-items before she speaks: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/thomas-roberts/52520953
• Weeping after we voted for Resolution 1327, Becoming a People of Grace and Welcome to All, as I thought of persons in that hall and elsewhere who had longed for years to hear a positive and clear welcome from their church and as I wished for an opportunity to pass the peace of Christ to my brothers and sisters who struggled with or could not affirm that welcome...stirred my spirit and humbled me.
• Dancing down the aisle, singing enthusiastically, worshiping with the youth and young adults, placing ourselves in connection with the holy, breaking the bread of life again and again...permeated my spirit.
• Eating lunch with 500 women and being reminded again of the power of women in mission as Disciples...jazzed my tired body and mind.

Now, as when any worshipful experience ends, the service begins. Let it be so.

In grateful partnership,

Mary

Learn More & Download Printable Copy of Registration Form   

Follow this link for Online Registration 

Disciples Seminary Foundation Position

DSF seeks to hire a staff member for the Berkeley office.  This staff would work closely with DSF's Dean, Mary Donovan Turner, to provide care and organize gatherings for DSF students at Pacific School of Religion and other parts of the Graduate Theological Union.  We are looking for an ordained minister with standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), with a heart for encouraging others toward ministry, as well as with organizational ability to work effectively and cooperatively with DSF, our partner schools, the CCNCN, and other expressions of the church.  We anticipate a part-time position for about one day or two half-days per week, to start as early as August 2013.  To express interest or nominate someone, please contact DSF President Jon Berquist (jberquist@dsf.edu).  

This summer, Pacific South West Region has pulled together a series of experts with "boots-on-the ground," practical examples of four working church models that will inspire you. It's our way of supporting the movement: 1,000 churches... 1,000 ways! Each of the four models will be taught by the leaders of these movements who have experience putting the model in place, and coaching hundreds of others on their path from church inception to launch.

PSWR Online (Four 6 hour interactive webcasts)

This 4-week summer series is for anyone considering developing a new church. Using four 6-hour interactive webcasts, it will help participants explore a variety of new church models with practical and proven operations. You can view the webcasts from your office or home, individually or with your team. Engage live with the experts. Ask your questions without having the expense of travel. Miss a webcast? No problem, these password-protected webcasts will be available for 30 days after the event (all webcasts are Fridays, 10am - 4pm PST).

Week 1: Parish Collective - Dr. Dwight Friesen - http://dwightfriesen.com - Aug. 2

Week 2: Entrepreneurial Industry Model - Chad Salstrom - http://origincoffee.org - Aug. 9

Week 3: Interdependent Home-based Church - Neil Cole - http://www.cmaresources.org - Aug. 16

Week 4: Vision Integration - Will Mancini - http://www.willmancini.com - Aug. 23

Cost is $40 for all four webcasts, with a 20% discount for Disciples. Register online at http://PSWRonline.com - Enter code: DOC.

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Pat Donahoo  

Disciples Women  

Oficina de Mujeres Discípulos