CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)                                                                      OCTOBER 2013
Don Dewey & Susan Gonzales Dewey
MILE MARKER #47: Come to the Table

  

"For everything there is a season..." Ecclesiastes 3:1a

 

For the last couple years my family and I have been struggling with the declining health of my father John Dewey. For some time now he has been dealing with the slow and ravaging effects of Parkinson's disease. We have watched as his body has shrunk from a robust 175lbs to under 140lbs now. It has been painful to see him becoming more fragile day by day with barely enough energy and strength to go from his lazy boy chair to the table for meals. Oh, his mind has been fine but his inability to get all the words out in a timely fashion has become a daily point of frustration. Just 10 days ago my dad took a very serious fall outside his home on the driveway...READ MORE 


STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE FROM DAN: Opportunities for Following God's Call

Following God's Call can be exhilarating and daunting at the same time.

How many times have you struggled to understand what God was calling you to do with your life?  In my ministry with the Region, I am often in touch with people and congregations struggling to understand their calling. The obstacles that keep us from understanding and responding to God's Call are as varied as the colors in the rainbow.  When confronted honestly, most identify fear as the core obstacle. The conscious and subconscious fear of change, failure, and even finance can cause paralysis.  While there are no easy cures for the fear of change and failure, there are often tangible options for dealing with financial fear...READ MORE


REGIONAL NEWS                                           
 2013 REGIONAL GATHERING: 
A DAY FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
 

 

  

The 2013 Regional Gathering is less than two weeks away! Join us Saturday, October 19 at First Christian Church Orange for a day of corporate worship, fellowship, food and family fun! Ages 18 and under attend FREE! Adults register for only $10. Breakfast and taco truck lunch are included! 

Child Care is available for children under age five. Awesome programming for Kids Assembly will be lead by Kim Perring and the Youth Assembly will be lead by Justin Floyd. 

Workshops offered to adults include:

-How we demonstrate Gods Love in times of need: The DOC Week of Compassion Ministry with Brandon Gilvin
-How we demonstrate Gods love as presence around the world: The DOC Common Global Ministry with John Barnes 
-Loving, Learning, Listening: How we talk to each other in love with Jinsuk Chun
-Loving in Places of Brokenness with Rita Nakashima Brock
-Leadership: Developing, strengthening and empowering leaders for the 21st century with Linda Gardner
-Stewardship: How to understand and make use of the resources available to us with Dan Oliver
-Mission Engagement: Identifying and meeting the needs of those in your community with Rich McCullen
-Building an Audience: Creating a space and a place for people to hear the Good News with Scott Colgalzier
-Developing Transformational Leadership in Your Church: How to redirect the focus from the institutional towards missional church with Rick Morse
  
Special Guest Speakers include General Minister and President of the Christian Church (DOC) Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins and Rev. Jose Morales, Regional Minister of the Central Rocky Mountain Region. 
 
Regional Business session will include the confirmation of the re-election of Susan Gonzales Dewey and Don Dewey for a second term and approving revisions to Regional By-Laws. 

You don't want to miss this event! Register online now!
 
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CONGREGATIONAL & CLERGY NEWS 
 
    


 
Recent congregational anniversaries and 



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2013 PASTORS SUMMIT


The 2013 Pastors Summit is October 18, 8:00 AM-8:30 PM at First Christian Church Fullerton. This day long event is intended to inspire and refresh PSWR pastors currently serving congregations. A schedule of the day is available here. Highlights include conversations with General Church ministry leaders:
 
-Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President

-Sharon Stanley, Refugee and Immigration Director

-Brandon Gilvin, Week of Compassion Ministries

-Jon Barnes, Common Global Ministries 

-Rick Morse, Hope Partnership 


This event will also be a time of genuine fellowship and dialogue with fellow PSWR pastors. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by First Christian Church Fullerton and Casa de Oracion. Register online now! This event costs $20, which will be received at the day on October 18.

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SENIOR ADULT RETREAT
   
The Senior Adult Retreat sponsored by the Older Adult Ministry Committee is coming up quickly. It is October 29-30 at the Mary and Joseph  
Retreat Center in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The deadline for registrations is FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11TH. All registrations need to be sent in to the Regional Office by that time, as a final count must be given to the Retreat Center no later than Monday 10/14, preferably by Friday 10/11.

Click to download a flier and registration form. 

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 REGIONAL NEWSLETTER UPDATES 

 

Older Adult Ministries

Silver Linings

 

Ecumenical & Interfaith

 What Can We Learn From Billy Graham?


 Pro-Reconciliation

Church in Society
(by David Downing)

Disciples Men Ministry

Disciples Women
A Gathering Of Women

GLAD PSWR

Young Adult Ministries

 
MORE REGIONAL NEWS AND EVENTS
RESULTS OF THE GOLF CLASSIC

 

Curious about the results of the 2013 Golf Classic? Click here to read the full report on the event!

 

 

 

 




DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS EVENT

   

 

In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month Lisa Tunstall Ministries, Inc. is hosting a Domestic Violence Community Awareness Event on Friday,  October 25th &  Saturday, October 25th at the Westchester Community Christian Church at 8740 LaTijera, Los Angeles, Calif. There is worship and candlelight prayer on Friday beginning at 7PM and on Saturday, from 9AM-12PM an informational fair will be held.

 

This event is made possible from funding through the PSWR Legacy Fund.

 

 
NBA IS HIRING! 
  
 
The National Benevolent Association is hiring a Stewardship Manager. Please forward this listing to anyone who is interested. Click for more information.
 
 
 
 


  
NAPAD GRANT
We are so glad to announce that NAPAD begins accepting 2014 applications for the Geunhee Yu Covenant Fund Grant! The Fund aims to provide grants to new churches having great potential to become strong NAPAD congregations. There may be one or more grants each year, and each grant's value will range between $2,500 and $10,000. For 2014, the total amount of the grant(s) that will be distributed will not exceed $10,000.  
 
 
Applications are due by November 15, 2013.

  
TRYING TO EXPLAIN DMF TO YOUR BUDGET TEAM?
How Your Offerings to DMF Support Mission in the Church
Want to know how your offerings support mission around the globe? This video will give you a small glimpse of how your gifts to the Disciples Mission Fund support ministries of wholeness from your doorstep to the ends of the earth.
 
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS WANTED

 

Hope Partnership's Rick Morse will be presenting a workshop aimed at Developing Transformational Leadership at our Regional Gathering in Orange on Saturday, October 19. This workshop is a teaser for two larger DARE to Lead events on Saturday, November 23 at Church of the Valley in Van Nuys, and Sunday, November 24, at Harbor Christian Church. For more information call the Regional Office: 626.296.0385
 
Your PSWR Congregational Transformation Committee strongly encourages anyone with interest to attend this workshop, to hold the future dates, and look toward being part of one of the events on November 23 & 24. 
GENERAL NEWS AND RESOURCES
General Church
 

Deep Bible study for everyday people.

Week of Compassion responds to Oklahoma tornadoes.

Bread for the World gathering.

Association of Disciple Musicians 2013 National Conference.

Joining the conversation about immigration. 
Online registration for General Assembly July 2013 is now available.   

Start a local growing project with Foods Resource Bank.
Free Resources

Pastors and lay leaders can check out Dewitt Jones' DVD "Celebrate What's Right With the World" from the PSWR Office. Contact Janna Gould for details.



The Ministerial Code of Ethics has been updated and is now available in English, Spanish and Korean.
Other Events


Reunion de Convencion Noviembre 2, 9AM-12PM

 
Antioch Christian Church in Los Angeles is hosting the 2013 Annual Prayer Summit Saturday, November 16 from 12PM-3PM. Guest speakers include Charlotte Harris and a representative from the LAPD. More information and a flier for the event is available here.
 
Asamblea Nacional Hispana 2014 en Iglesia Casa de Oracion  

 

 

 
Quick Links









 

Pension Fund


Sincerely,

 

 

 

Don Dewey and Susan Gonzales Dewey
Co-Regional Ministers
Christian Church (DOC) PSW Region
 
 
We believe God calls the Pacific Southwest Region
to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.

OUR VISION, to be a faithful, growing church that demonstrates true community,
deep Christian spirituality and passion for justice (Micah 6:8); and,   

OUR MISSION, to be and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and
serving from our doorsteps "to the ends of the earth". (Acts 1:8)

---Pacific Southwest Regional Church Mission Statement
Regional Board of Directors; Adopted September 15, 2003