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June 22^nd,  2007	23^rd    Weekly Edition                                                      2007 GRR CURRENTS
JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS	The GRR Camp and Conference season has begun!  Please pray for all working with and attending camp:  safe travels, deepening faith, renewed relationships with friends across the region. Elm Tree Christian Church in Bentonville, AR has welcomed Paul Elliott as their new pastor.  Paul and Mary have moved from Berryville FCC to Elm Tree, and he will continue his studies at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK Bro. Bob Parks has announced his plans to retire from Lakeshore Drive Christian Church (formerly National Park) at the end of June. Bob has faithfully served the congregation for more than a decade. Jeannie Moore, wife of Rev. Vance Moore is now at home, receiving Hospice care there.  Ministers and volunteers from across the Great River Region joined First Christian Church of Kokomo, IN in a service of dedication on Thursday for the parsonage, mission center and sanctuary.  It was a special moment when Vance gathered all clergy present around Jeannie’s bed and allowed us to pray with her.  A formal service of dedication will be held August 5.  Cards can be sent to PO Box 740423, New Orleans, LA   70174. Stan McDougal, Pastor at FCC Russellville, wife, Linda received word last pm that her mother had fallen and is in Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey Michigan.  Her mother broke her pelvis and several ribs.  Linda is leaving in the am to be with her mother. Rev. Freddie Harris, Pastor at Providence CC of Pattison Mississippi, Mt. Zion CC and the Salem CC as he mourns the loss of his mother. Rev. Brenda Wilson and the FCC Stuttgart, AR family.
EVENTS	SUMMER CAMP AND CONFERENCE (click for details) Completed 6 thru 8 — Chi-Rho Camp  June 20-24 at Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs, AR  Completed 9^thGrade – F.I.S2H. Camp  (Fundamental Intro to Spiritual & Sexual Health)    F.I.S2H. Camp  June 24-30 at Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs, AR Completed 10 thru 12 — Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) Conference July 1-7 at Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs, AR ALL AGES - Magnolia Conference  June 25-30 at Roosevelt State Park in Morton, MS =============================================================== WOMEN’S RETREATS:  The Great River Region is now accepting registrations for Fall Retreats.  The registration form is available here, as is an application for the Pickering Scholarship Fund. PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATIONS. =============================================================== NEW 07 This year's NEW will be a joint venture of the NEA, The Columbia Partnership and the New Church Ministry Team of Church Extension.  It has some top-notch speakers and presenters in three tracks...church growth, coaching, and new church establishment.  Dick Hamm is the coordinator for the event as the President of The Columbia Partnership. The website www.new07.org is the best place for registration information. =============================================================== GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2007 Share the Feast:  Dear Friends, I am writing to invite your congregation to be a part of General Assembly in a unique way.  I hope you have already heard about this - if not – Attached is a letter from the group organizing the Chapel for General Assembly.  They have come up with a great way for every Disciple congregation to be 'present' at Assembly, even if you can't physically come.  I know you get a lot of mail about Assembly - and I hope you will take time to read this and send a chalice.  It is another means for us to connect as part of the Body of Christ and the CC(DoC). Thanks for your attention - I hope you can come to Assembly and send a Chalice. Please share this with any congregation - the more that participate – the more we have to share.  Peace, Dottie Cook General Assembly Bible Study:  This is the link to the GA Bible Study and I am hearing lots of good comments about it.  www.disciples.org/ga/biblestudy
NEWS	A reminder to congregations who send their Disciples Mission Fund checks to Little Rock first:  Please make sure your DMF checks are made out to Great River Region and not CFC.  Thank you so much for your cooperation. ============================================= There is an excellent article about FCC Slidell on the Disciple World web page, http://www.disciplesworld.com/newsArticle.html?wsnID=11505 ===================================================== GMP Sharon Watkins was on CNN’s Situation Room this week as one of a panel of church leaders interviewing Presidential Candidates. Click here for the transcript. ===================================================== Chaplaincy Positions in Mississippi Just FYI - We have several positions for clinically trained chaplains (4 units of CPE) now open in Mississippi - in the Jackson area, in Hattiesburg , and in Gulfport.  Descriptions and contact info are on our website,  www.mschaplains.org   Most of these are newly created or re-created positions.  There are several very good chaplain candidates looking at coming to Mississippi, but I want to make sure that the info reaches any qualified Disciple folks who might be interested.  Thanks, Jeffery Murphy ======================================================= General Youth Council:  Click here for a flier to promote the need for new members of the General Youth Council.  The applications are due July 1, 2007.  The candidates will be elected at General Assembly in Fort Worth, TX.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact Tod Iseminger at  tiseming@dhm.disciples.org
STAFF UPDATES	From Barbara Jones:  I was off last weekend through Tuesday this week to go to Denver to work on wedding plans with Kim and Dave.  This weekend friends from Park Hill CC in NLR will host a shower for Kris and Brooke, so all of Brooke’s family is coming in to meet us.  I’ll be at PHCC on Sunday, and was in the office between.  From Vivian Bryant: At its annual Convention on last week, MCMC elected the following new officers: Rev. Freddie Harris, President Elder Patricia Parker, Vice-President Ms. Willie Jean Odom, Recording/Corresponding Secretary Ms. Helen Hanes, Financial Secretary Ms. Lee Braxton, Treasurer Rev. Renee Baker, Parliamentarian Ms. Josie McClorine, Mr. Ivan Baker, Ms. Pam Dubose, Ms. Yevorne Bridges, Youth Sponsors Ms. Yevorne Bridges, Chair of Christian Education Commission Ms. Ingrid Myers, Vice Chair of Christian Education Commission Rev. Ann Pickett, Chair of Worship Committee Rev. Russell Myers, Chair of Evangelistic Committee Rev. Robert Cox, Chair of Outreach Committee Arkansas State Fellowship officers are: Rev. Robert Palmer, President  therev@aristitle.net Rev. Rita Richardson, Vice-President  ritarich@suddenlink.net Sis. Kim Watters, Secretary  Kimberly.Smith-Watters@alltel.com From Rick Hamilton:  I have spent the week trying to rescue my data from a computer crash.  If you have sent an email in the last 2-3 weeks which did not receive a reply, you may need to re-send.  Also, my address book is not yet rebuilt. I will be in the pews at FCC Fayetteville on Sunday. Search Committees I am working with:  Berryville First Jackson First Little Rock First Ozark First West Point First  All inquiries should be directed to me in confidence:  rick@grrcc.org From Michael Elmore: Vacation From Lara Blackwood:  Currently we have 300 registrations turned in for the 2007 Camp and Conference season!!  Please note that although the deadline has passed, you can still register children/youth for camp. If you have any questions or a special situation that needs to be addressed, please do not hesitate to contact me at lara@grrcc.org or the regional office. It is not too early to begin thinking about International Affairs Seminar 2008.  If you have a youth who will be in 11th or 12th grade next year and you think they would benefit from this amazing experience, encourage them to begin fundraising now.  IAS will occur in March and will cost roughly $1500 per youth.  Exact dates and costs will be announced at a later date.