March 9^th, 2007	10^th  Weekly Edition                                               2007 GRR CURRENTS
PRAYER CONCERNS	Rev. Tim Colvin, Mission in South Africa and the Wrenchville congregation. Her address in Austin, Texas is 12370 Alameda Trace Circle, #223, Austin, Texas 78727. Her cell phone number is (512) 769-5450. Tim is grateful for our prayers and says it is good to know she is surrounded by loving community. Dumas, AR, A tornado wiped out 2/3 of Dumas, AR February 24. Though we don't have a church in the community, supporting the community through other agencies and prayer will be ways we can help. Evidently, FEMA denied Govenor Beebe’s request for Federal Disaster Designation. This is “not a federal disaster” because the community and the state should take care of the losses. Many people in Arkansas are wondering why comparable damage in other states have received aid and Dumas does not. Just be aware that this is something to be sensitive about.
JOYS	Progress on the Westside Mission and Westside Christian Church is amazing! Thanks to God, to volunteers, to donors, to prayer partners for continued presence and support. Check out the pictures: http://tinyurl.com/388lgx
EVENTS	MS Disciples Women’s Cabinet will meet on Saturday, March 10 at 10:00 at Covenant Christian Church in Jackson, MS. Central Arkansas Ministers will meet Monday, March 12, 11:30 am at Julie’s restaurant, Markham and Shackleford, in Little Rock. Meet in the back room; each person pays their own bill. Central District Ministers will meet Tuesday, March 13, at 10:00 am in Jackson, MS. Meet at University Medical Center, in the New Hospital Chapel, which is in the upper lobby at the main hospital entrance.  Park in Parking Garage "B."  Chaplain Jeff Murphy has passes for free parking there. University Medical Center is located at the corner of Woodrow Wilson Dr. and N. State St.  It is the Woodrow Wilson exit from I-55.  Lunch will be in the cafeteria of Methodist Rehab Center, adjacent to the University Medical Center. Preaching for Transformation Workshop to be held on April 9-11, 2007 at FCC Monroe, LA.  Cost per person will be $100 and includes all meals and program. Nationally recognized Pablo Jimenez will be the keynote speaker.  You will also have a chance to compare the three most popular organizations that are helping Disciple congregations across our denomination to be transformed into thriving, vibrant forces in their communities.  Alan Roxburgh from Allelon Missional Leadership Network will be there via live video and/or audio feed, George Bullard of the Columbia Partnership will be with us and own Michael Elmore will present information about the Jesus Connection.  Barb Jones and Rick Hamilton will lead breakout sessions and Vivian Bryant will participate in a panel on cultural context for transformation issues. Brochure and Registration forms can be obtained online at: http://www.disciplesinstitute.org JUST SAY KNOW: Biblically Based Human Sexuality April 20-21 Park Hill Christian Church, North Little Rock AR Attention all Ministers, Youth Directors, Youth Workers and Parents of teens/tweens: The Great River Region is hosting a two day workshop in coordination with CLER Ministries that will train adults to lead the JUST SAY KNOW biblically-based sexuality course. The 10 hour training event will consist of Richard and Linda Goddard taking participants through the 10-session high school sexuality course. Having completed this training, participants will be qualified, with the help of CLER Ministries' resources to conduct elementary through adult classes at their respective churches and will receive a Certificate of Completion from CLER Ministries. The workshop will take place at Park Hill Christian Church in North Little Rock on April 20-21 (Friday evening through Saturday afternoon). Registration Materials and cost will arrive shortly. Cost TBA. For more information on CLER Ministries, please go to: www.clerministries.org
NEWS AND ACTIVITES	From Barb: This may be the first week all year I’ve been in Little Rock all week! It is amazing how much follow-through there is after a series of meetings and events. Deitra and I have been working on the Preaching for Transformation workshop. I am thrilled that George Bullard will be with us in Monroe for the event April 10-11. I’ve worked with George in several settings over the last 6 years and he has been a real encourager to me through the creation of our region and recovery from hurricanes. This weekend my kids (all adults now) are coming home and we’ll be in church “en masse”. We may fill a pew. How cool is that? This will be our “Easter” as their “other parents” get Easter. Imagine that. I now share my boys! ;-) From Vivian Bryant: The 33rd Annual Black Minister’s Retreat was held in Dallas, Texas March 5-8, 2007. I was the guest preacher for the Tuesday, March 6 evening worship service. GRRCC pastors who attended were: Elder Patricia Parker, East Percy Street Christian Church and Rev. Lester Brooks, FCC Moss Point, MS. Rev. Lester Brooks did an awesome job as the morning meditation preacher on Wednesday morning at this event! From Rick Hamilton:  Two Lay People from First Christian Church, Fayetteville Arkansas are attending the dedication and celebration service of Wrenchville CC in South Africa. Wrenchville is the congregational Ministry of our Global Mission Partner, Tim Colvin. Cheryl Sybrant and Tammy Bubniak will be returning in mid March and reports to the congregation and the region will follow. Worshiped with First Christian Church in Fort Smith, AR, where I met with the Church Growth committee. Last week I had the pleasure of touring the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Nashville, TN. It is an amazing place to visit! The archives of the former regions of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are now there. Sunday I will be preaching at Fayetteville, while Pastor Ryan Pfeiffer and Youth Minister Lara Blackwood are both at International Affairs Seminar with our youth. Also last week the Pastoral Staff and Ministry Committee met in Monroe. Congregations in I’m working with in Search and Call: Bentonville AR:  Elm Tree  - Pastor (In Negotiation) Jackson MS:      First – Pastor Weiner AR:         First – Interim Pastor West Point MS:   First – Pastor (Direct any inquiries to me in confidence.) From Michael Elmore: Last Sunday I preached at FCC Greater New Orleans and was part of a meeting with the church and BCE looking at needed improvements to their building. Monday and Tuesday I attended the Louisiana Inter-Church Conference Annual meeting. Also attending the meeting were Rev. Dana Hoover, FCC Sulphur, Sterns Rogers, Elder from FCC Lake Charles and Rev. and Mrs. Neil Early, FCC Leesville. Rev. Diane Keesler, UCC minister and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches was the keynoter. Thursday I attended FCC Hammond to speak at their weekly Lenten Service. Plans are being made between FCC Lake Charles, Rick Morse of Board of Church Extension and myself for BCE to lead the church through their New Beginnings Process. This is a program to help the church develop a vision for its future. From Lara Blackwood: I will travel this week with Rev. Ryan Pfeifer and Hanna Arambel (FCC Fayetteville) along with youth and adults from the Oklahoma and Southwest Regions to Washington D.C. and New York City for the International Affairs Seminar. During this week, high school juniors and seniors will consider the topic of Immigration in light of their faith, prior study and workshops/small groups on the trip. Historically, the Great River Region has sent a large number of youth participants on this trip. If you know of a youth who would gain from this trip next year, please let them know about it and contact Lara Blackwood (the director for IAS 2008). Also consider fundraising for next year's trip as soon as possible!! For more information on this year's trip, please visit: www.brite.tcu.edu/ias First Christian Church Pine Bluff is currently looking for a person to fill the position of Youth Director. This is a part time position requiring at least 20 hours per week. Specific details can be provided by contacting Delene Broeckling by phone at 870-329-7677, email at natman@seark.net or leave a message for Joe Garkovich at 870-718-3585. From Rev. Dan Thornhill: Central Arkansas area Disciples are invited to Parkview Christian Church (9300 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, AR, 501-565-5005) for their study sessions on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. The group will be studying “A Handbook for Today’s Disciples” by Dr. Duane Cummins, and a different area pastor will present each chapter. The schedule is as follows: March 14 – “The Disciples: A Historical Sketch” The Rev. Will Feland March 21 – “Disciples and Church Structure” The Rev. Barb Jones March 28 – “Disciples and the Sacraments” The Rev. Dan Thornhill April 4 – Holy Week. No study session. April 11 – “Disciples at Worship” The Rev. Miles Cook April 18 – “Disciples and Mission” The Rev. Rebecca Frankford April 25 – “Disciples and Moral-Ethical Issues” The Rev. Vivian Bryant May 2 – “Disciples and Christian Thought” The Rev. Bill Hale May 9 – “Disciples as Church Members” The Rev. Holly Patton You are welcome to come with or without the book.