Regional Voices
May 29, 2014
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REFLECTIONS
"There is a time for everything and
a season for every activity under the heavens:" Ecclesiastes 3:1
I do believe all things natural have seasons and cycles throughout a lifetime. If we are tuned in, we may notice certain signs that spring is turning to summer, and summer to fall; or that one phase naturally winds down as another new cycle begins. So it is for me in my life right now.
In 2012, my husband, Micheal, and I decided to go dream-home hunting for our retirement "just for the fun of it to see what we can see." Unexpectedly, we found it in Fort Bragg, CA! Things progressed more quickly than we expected, and we moved in May of 2013. I have been sharing our San Ramon home with friends so that I have a place to stay while commuting back and forth to do my regional work. I moved around a lot during my childhood and young adult years. The thought of living bi-residentially for a while seemed completely normal and doable. However, I did not expect this new home to grab my Soul quite so completely! If you have talked to me since my move or follow me on Facebook-you know what I mean! I feel the cycle of one Calling ending and a new one beginning. I feel a deep shift-the change of seasons in my life.
I took this regional position in 2003 as a part-time Interim Associate Regional Minister to help the region consider how it might restructure and operate without two full-time regional ministers. Nine months into this call, Regional Minister Chuck Blaisdell resigned, rather changing the nature of that first call! I filled in as Acting Regional Minister until the new Transitional Interim Regional Minister Ben Bohren was called in Nov. of 2004. When Ben was called as the settled Regional Minister, he asked me to stay on regional staff, which I agreed to do with a new title as Minister of Congregational Care (and keeping Women's Ministries).
The very unusual thing about this for me is that I have always self-identified as a "sprinter" rather than a "marathon runner" (hence my choice of interim ministry). So this 1-year-interim-turned 10+ years has been a unique experience, and a fulfillment of my sense of Call to ministry in so many ways! Yes, and... now I feel that Call coming to its natural conclusion as I move my heart and my residence up north to a new community. Micheal retired in 2006 and has been waiting on me to join him! One season is ending, and a new one is beginning as I retire from active ministry and my regional position as of Dec. 31, 2014. It is time to pursue other callings in my life, perhaps writing more from my dissertation work, and creating a "ministry of hospitality" in our new home for guests to come enjoy.
I make this announcement 6 months in advance, because I need to be transparent with my limited role as we plan regional programs next year, and to help others step into leadership roles in regional ministry. It has been such an incredible privilege to serve this region in ministry! I am grateful to all those who have trusted me, inspired me, mentored me, and served with me.
I thank you all for the opportunity to serve, and look forward to continued relationships in the new season of my life.
With deep love and gratitude,
Paula
With these thoughtful reflections, Paula gives us an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the completion of her ministry on Regional Staff and consider what is next. Your prayers for Paula and the Region (all of us) are sought in the months leading to her retirement.
Thanks to Paula for grounding and guiding us in our process for Holy Conversations at this year's Annual Gathering. The Justice Commission met this week to look at responses and begin work on the Harvest from our conversations. The Justice Commission offers a word of deep gratitude to all who participated in the Holy Conversations. Your willingness to share and the openness with which you shared and listened created a gracious community. We are working on the harvest and will be sharing from that harvest in future Regional Voices as well as taking next steps to support conversations begun.
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 Regional Minister Search Update
Trust in our God with all your heart and do not rely
on your own insight. In all of your ways, acknowledge
God and God will direct your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)
Since our last communication with you, we narrowed the list of candidates for the position of Regional Minister from seven to four. On May 19 the committee met on a conference call with our two Regional Coaches, Rev. Dr. Cathy Myers Wirt and Rev. Don Dewey, to sift through the information of the four top candidates. Learn More
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 Pentecost Offering, Sunday June 8
Our giving to the special day Pentecost offering undergirds support of new churches within the region and across the U.S. and Canada. The New Church Movement strengthens our living witness as we create new opportunities for others to connect with God's ancient love in brand-new ways.
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Regional Reception
Friday, June 20, 7 PM
First Christian Church
3039 Willow Pass Road, Concord
You are invited to come to meet one of our Global Ministries Partners: Rev. Dr. Henriette Hutabarat Lebang ,General Secretary, Christian Conference of Asia
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Dr. Lebang is the first woman to ever serve in this capacity and will be in Northern California before traveling to Atlanta to attend the Quadrennial Assembly as an international sister. Learn More
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 Healthy Boundary Training 101 Saturday, August 23, 2014
Barret Ave CC (DOC)
3701 Barret Ave, Richmond, CA
Healthy Boundary Training 101 is a basic introduction to healthy boundaries for clergy. The course will cover several areas including: The importance of communication, basic professional boundaries, fluid boundaries, sexual boundaries, and self-care. Learn More
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Women's Fall Retreat
Mission Springs Conference Center in Scotts Valley, CA
September 12-14, 2014
"Diverse and NOT Divided"
Keynote Speaker:
Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins serves as General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She is an inspirational preacher, teacher and facilitator who shares her considerable skills in a variety of religious and ecumenical settings.
Learn more
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Save the Date: Friday, September 19-20 for a Training Retreat for Adult Leaders with Youth at Community of the Great Commission
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Regional Opportunties...General Church Events
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Quadrennial Assembly InvitationQuadrennial Assembly 2014, a women's conference sponsored every four years by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is coming to Atlanta, Georgia, June 25-29, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. In addition to worship, education, service, and social justice opportunities, several special events are planned to highlight important issues of faith. Learn more
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 Asamblea de la Confraternidad Hispanic Biennial Fellowship Assembly
From Wednesday, July 16th
Until Saturday, July 19th
Concluding after the Obra Hispana Banquet and Somos Uno Awards celebration at the Town & Country Resort
Church - Casa de Oración
201 Fir Street
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 23rd Biennial Session
National Convocation of The Christian Church
(Disciples Of Christ)
July 24 - 27, 2014
Crowne Plaza Columbus North
Columbus, Ohio
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Korean Disciples Convocation, August 4-6, Chicago
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 2014 NAPAD Convocation
August 6-9
Disciples Divinity House, University of Chicago
1156 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60634
Learn More
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The Christian Church in Northern California -Nevada in ministry together.
Donate to the Annual Fund to support our common ministry at camps.
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 CCH Annual Fundraising Celebration On Saturday, September 13, 2014, Academy and Golden Globe Award- winning actress and activist, Ms. Rita Moreno, will be the keynote speaker at the CCH Annual Fundraising Celebration to be held at the Marriott City Center in Oakland, California. Learn More
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Concert This Sunday!
We are hosting a concert at First Christian Church in Antioch, June 1st, at 3p.m.
Very well-known names will be here: Karen Barrett, Barbara Hamm are just two of the names. For the donation of $5.00 you will get an exciting afternoon of music and fellowship, and refreshments. This concert is to raise money to repair our beautiful church building.
So come on out and enjoy the show!
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Upcoming concerts:
| June 8: | Dr. Vutu Nguyen (piano) and Christina Knudsen (violin) will perform Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann. | | June 15: | Isabelle Engler will perform a piano recital alongside guest artist Kerry Li (violin) and Yu-Ting Wang (cello) | | June 22: | Colin Brady (piano) Heidi Yoo (violin) and Jennifer Mathers (cello) will perform Schubert Piano Trio No. 2. | | June 29: | The FHC resident quartet Eri Ishigaki (violin) Victor Olmstead (violin) Elyse Ader (viola) and Erin Kelly (cello) will perform Prokofiev & Beethoven. |
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 PLAY BALL!!!
Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd...with First Christian Church of Concord! Join us on Sunday, August 10th as the Oakland A's host the Minnesota Twins at the Coliseum.
This will be a fundraiser for our operating budget. FCC will make 50% on every ticket we sell so put this on your calendar now.
More information on tickets sales and carpooling to come in the next Crossroads.
GO A's!!!
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CHURCHES TO HOLD IN PRAYER
Please consider incorporating these congregations into your congregational prayers each week during worship or in your newsletter, so we can grow together in prayer.
Congregation to pray for this week: First Christian Church, Sparks, NV; Pastor, Steve Wren.
Congregation to pray for next week: Mayfair Christian Church, Stockton, CA; Pastor, Norrie Palmer We feature two congregations in each edition of Regional Voices. Please pray for their vitality, spiritual and numerical growth, their commitment to serving their neighborhood and their openness to the Spirit of God calling them into ministry in the 21st century.
PLEASE PRAY FOR CHURCHES CURRENTLY IN TRANSITION:
First Christian Church, Merced
Visalia Disciples of Christ, Visalia
United Christian Church, Livermore
First Christian Church, San Lorenzo
First Christian Church, Watsonville
Lafayette Christian Church, Lafayette First Christian Church, Redding United Congregational Christian Church, Lodi United Christian Church, Fresno Vacaville Christian Church First Christian Church, Porterville
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JOYS & CONCERNS & PRAYER NEEDS
We seek to update these prayers appropriately, knowing that the region lifts them up to God with great reverence. Please email enews@ccncn.org with any prayers you would like to make sure are included or continued next week and beyond. Particularly, please e-mail the names and addresses of new members so we can celebrate them here and also send them a letter of welcome from the region!
We rejoice in the ministry that will be shared together as Marty Williams and the Lafayette CC begin an interim ministry together on June 1.With a Prayerful Heart: We hold Jon Smith, pastor at Palo Alto, FCC, in our care following the recent death of his brother Al. We remember Gene Hill and First Christian Church, Merced as they complete their ministry together on June 22. Gene has been called to serve as Senior Minister of Parkview Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Meridian, Idaho,
Let us hold in God's care the families of the shooting and stabbing victims in Santa Barbara, the parents of the Elliot Rodger who acted violently, and for all parents' hearts that hurt with such acts of violence.
Let us remember the school girls kidnapped in Nigeria and their parents and hold them in hopeful prayer.
NEW MEMBERS WELCOMED: Fruitridge CC, Sacramento, one new member Cottage Way CC-Sacramento, one new member And FCC, Sacramento, one new member.
Blessings on these new relationships among the CCNC-N.
REMINDER: Pastors and church secretaries, the region wishes to acknowledge and congratulate those children, youth and adults who make the decision to join a church by transfer or baptism, as well as the names of any child and the parents' names of a dedicated child. Please send names, addresses, type of membership, child, youth or adult and church name to Cliff Cole (23mcc24x@comcast.net) whenever this occurs.
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REGIONAL CALENDAR
Per requests around the region, here is a listing of regional meetings and events over the next 30 days or so.
We do not put the dates of local church events here as we never could get them all and we would always miss some!
Friday, June 20, 7 PM Reception for Rev. Dr. Henriette Lebang,FCC, Concord
Summer Camps:
- June 5-8 - Young Adult .... Adult Camp
- June 14-18 - South San Joaquin at Camp Timber Mountain,
- June 22-28 - Junior and Chi Rho Camps
- June 28-30 Grandparents and Me Camp
- June 29-July 5 - CYF Camp
June 25-29 - International Quadrennial Assembly of Women in Atlanta, GA
August 23 - Healthy Boundary Training, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Richmond, CA
July 16-19 - Hispanic Biennial Fellowship Assembly, San Diego, CA July 24-27 - 23rd Biennial Session, National Convocation, Columbus, Ohio August 4-6 - Korean Disciples Convocation, Chicago
August 23 - Healthy Boundary Training, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Richmond, CA
Sept. 12-14 - Women's Fall Retreat at Mission Springs with Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, GMP of Disciples
Sept. 19-20 - Training Event for Adult Leaders of Youth, Community of the Great Commission
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Partnering to #Bringbackourgirls
As has been widely reported, more than four weeks ago, over 200 girls were kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Nigeria, by Boko Haram, a radical sect in northern Nigeria violently seeking to establish a 'pure' fundamentalist Islamic state. Many of the 200 girls were members of the Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigerian (EYN), an independent Nigerian denomination with roots in the Church of the Brethren, a longtime ecumenical partner of Week of Compassion and fellow member of Church World Service.
As part of our commitment to respond to human need all over the world and to work ecumenically, Week of Compassion has responded through the EYN Compassion Fund.
The EYN Compassion Fund supports Nigerian Brethren who have lost a family member, home or property due to the on-going violence in Nigeria. The fund was started by Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria as a mechanism for Nigerian Brethren to demonstrate mutuality and support. This fund is being used to support the families of the kidnapped girls.
Our ecumenical commitment makes a real difference all over the world. Your generosity-no matter the season-makes an impact in even the most dire of situations.
 PSR Changemaker Fellowship Application
Period Reopened through June 16
PSR has reopened the application period for their 2014-15 Changemaker Fellows. They are hoping once again to identify talented individuals who have demonstrated the potential to be transformative leaders and who want to further explore the intersection between spirituality and social transformation. While this opportunity is certainly open to those with ministerial vocations, they're particularly interested in attracting people seeking to live out their callings as spiritually-rooted changemakers in non-parish settings.
The 2014-15 Changemaker Fellowship will provide full-tuition scholarships for PSR's Certificate of Spirituality and Social Change, an immersive course of study, integrating theological reflection and spiritual formation with leadership for social change. It also covers expenses for exciting immersion opportunities, leadership retreats, spiritual formation, and faculty mentoring. Learn more
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PUBLISHING INFORMATION
This newsletter is published bi-weekly on Thursdays.
Please send short text only articles only...
No flyers or pdf documents which require rewriting will be accepted.
JPG or other images and links should be submitted as a separate attached file and
not embedded in the body of a document.
ALL news articles should be sent to enews@ccncn.org no later than the
Tuesday before publication.
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This communication is made possible by generosity expressed
through giving to Disciples Mission Fund!
Christian Church of Northern CA-NV
The CCNC-N is the presence of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the northern half of the states of California and Nevada.
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