Advent Devotions Ready for Print or Subscription

The second annual publication of Prayerscapes for Advent, the daily devotions prepared by our region’s ministers (and mission partners) is ready for email subscription at the Prayerscapes site, and now also for downloading on our Publications page.

Individuals and congregations wanting to use a convenient full-season booklet which may be freely distributed, will find instructions there (booklet prints on 4 sheets of letter-size paper, 2-sided).  A weekly version is available, as well, for those who wish to feature each week’s collection on 1 sheet of letter-size paper (2-sided) as a bulletin insert, or to print for personal reading.  Visit the site for full details and download links.

If we can be of any help in this process of sharing this gift with your congregation (including printing assistance for congregations who may not be well-equipped for that), please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Some space remains for Tuesday Stewardship Webinar

We are pleased to announce a Stewardship Bible Study to be offered this Tuesday at 7 p.m., led by the Associate General Minister, Rev. Dr. Todd Adams.   Some space remains.  Reserve your seat.   A confirmation email will follow with instructions on how to join the meeting.   We hope you’ll join us.

 

Regional Minister Reflects on Ecumenism in the Region

And still today we see as our unique calling the quest for Christian Unity.  The signs are evident and we continue the legacy given to us by our founders.  A few of the regional signs of our ecumenical work are:

• The well deserved honor that Betty Beeson (of United Disciples of Christ in Charleston) received last week at the annual assembly of our West Virginia Council of Churches. She was awarded the 2009 Mary Virginia DeRoo Service award for Ecumenism. Betty is the third member of our regional church to share this honor (Bonnie Thurston and William Allen being the other two.) Because of her life, work and Christian witness the unity of the church is made evident.
• At the same assembly mentioned above, I believe that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was the most represented communion at the Council of Churches event. We were present indeed.
• On October 4, 2009 several of our flock gathered in Washington, Pennsylvania for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address. Several of our ministers participated here and in Bethany the day before.
• This month the region received several gifts for the William B. Allen Fund for Ecumenical Ministry. Honoring two years of the fund’s existence and the ministry its namesake, members of the church committed precious resources to this invested fund in order that the ecumenical witness would be made possible into the future. 5% of the fund is used annually for ecumenical ministry.

The signs are evident.   Christian Unity remains our polar star.   May our Regional Church be a leader on this journey.

Thaddaeus B. Allen

 

Reconciliation Team to Meet

The work of becoming and Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation church continues in the life of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in West Virginia.  To that end, the Reconciliation Team will be meeting this Saturday at the Regional Center in Parkersburg. 

The 18-member team – which is designed to help team members, congregations, and the Regional Church deal effectively with the sin of racism and the call of Christ to reconciliation – meets periodically to explore creative ways in which to do their work.  A portion of the church’s Reconciliation Offering is retained within the region to facilitate their work.  The group will be convened by Rev. Chafin.

 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Resources Available

Many of our communities are looking forward to celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25, 2010. 

The Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute offers many resources for this observance.  Orders must be placed before Dec. 15 for guaranteed delivery in time for your use.  Visit their page to view and order materials.

Please advise us of unique ways in which your congregation celebrates the unity of the faith and works to live the prayer of Jesus, “that they all be one…”   We will share that information with others in the region, as space and time allows.

 

Stewardship Webinar for WV Region

We are pleased to announce a Stewardship Bible Study to be offered as a webinar on Tues., Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., led by the Associate General Minister, Rev. Dr. Todd Adams.   Space is limited.  Reserve your seat.   A confirmation email will follow with instructions on how to join the meeting.   We hope you’ll join us.

System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

 

Reconciliation Offering Supports Priority Ministry

This Sunday marks the end of the week lifting up the offering for Reconcilation Mission, a priority ministry of our church. 

As we celebrate the diversity of God’s creation and of Christ’s church, we also are called to accept the work of God’s reconciling love at the Table, and in our whole community life. 

Read more of one great way that the Reconciliation Mission of the church is going to touch the life of people in the West Virginia Region, and plan now to give as generously as you can. 

50% of your giving to this offering will remain in the Region to support our regional Reconcilation efforts.

 

New Edition of Legacies Online Now

Click here to read browser version of the current issue of Legacies our Planned Giving Magazine created in cooperation with the Christian Church Foundation.  This issue focuses on end-of-year ways to extend our stewardship, and offers a helpful article on congregational planning for receiving planned gifts.

Order a master copy (11×17 pdf format) or easy-print (8.5×11 pdf format) of Legacies to duplicate for your church (delivered to your email address), or order paper copies of Legacies for yourself or your congregation (indicate number needed).  Just email David Chafin at the Regional Office or call 304-428-1681.

 

More Men’s Photos Online

We’re grateful for an added batch of photos from the Men’s Retreat, courtesy of Jimmy Ford.  You can see them on our Flick’r site.

 

Reconciliation Grant for Seminar Received

The seven Northeastern Inter-Regional Fellowship (“NIRF”) Regions, which includes West Virginia, announce that the Reconciliation Program of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has approved a ten thousand ($10.000.00) dollar grant for the Regions to hold a Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism High School Seminar in Washington, DC at the National City Christian Church, July 3-11, 2010. 

The seminar will offer training for high school students in reconciliation work, living with diversity, how to affect the legislative process and what the current cultural diversity issues are and how they are being dealt with in urban centers.  Participants will be asked to return to their home congregation and Region and share what they have learned and help other youth begin to address these issues.

 The annual Reconciliation Offering for Disciples is to be received September 27 and October 4.  Fifty percent of the Reconciliation Offering remains in the Region of origin and assist in the reconciliation work of that Region.  Many of the NIRF Regions will use some of these funds to help provide the seminar.  We hope that you will be able to be generous with your support of your Regional Reconciliation efforts.