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August 3rd, 2007 |
25th Weekly Edition 2007 GRR CURRENTS |
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JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS
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NEWS & EVENTS
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Education for Ministry is a new program that will begin in September with groups in Meridian MS and central Arkansas. (Click to see details) This program is perfect for lay leaders and teachers Deitra Blackwell, Executive Director Disciples Institute ================================================================ World Council of Churches: Dear Friends of Christian Unity, I wanted to pass along information, and encouragement, to you about participating in the International Day of Prayer for Peace that is coming up on September 21. The news release (click on link) from the World Council of Churches gives some information about this important event that lifts up the concern for peace in our world as part of its program on the Decade to Overcome Violence, and provides a link to worship resources that can be downloaded to help in planning a local celebration either on September 21 or the Sunday preceding or following that date. With best wishes, Robert =============================================================== Rev. Frank Johnson has resumed interim ministry at FCC, Sulphur, LA. =============================================================== Pastor Bob Parks (Lakeshore Drive CC, Hot Springs ) retired the end
of June and was given a luncheon potluck and many good wishes by the newly
combined congregations. Linda LB Pettigrew resigned as Children and Youth
Ministry Team Leader as of the end of VBS in July after 6 years+ of serving
the Spring Valley and Lakeshore Drive Churches. Her ice cream party will be
Aug 11 at 3pm. They will both be missed. Bob will move to El Dorado where he
is from and has family. LB will still be working in Hot Springs with Ben in
high school there and Marilee going off to college in MO this fall. Rev Susan
Miller is remaining as minister to Lakeshore Drive CC, Hot Springs, AR. Joe M. Wilson after having been retired for more that 28 years, Joe retired on July 15 at the age of 91 from the Antioch Christian Church in Tull, AR. He had been preaching there twice a month for over 7 years. Yes, 555 sermons after his first retirement, he Has RETIRED again. =============================================================== WOMEN’S RETREATS: This weekend is the Arkansas Disciples Women’s Retreat in Ferndale, AR. The Mississippi and Louisiana retreats are coming up in September and October. The Great River Region is now accepting registrations for these events. The registration form is available here, as is an application for the Pickering Scholarship Fund. PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATIONS. =============================================================== GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2007 |
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STAFF UPDATES
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From Barbara Jones: Its great to get back to routines again! Being “Mother of the Bride” is something I have a new appreciation for. Thank you for being patient with me this spring and summer as I lived through that wonderful and crazy time in life. Being “Mother of the Groom” is sooooooooo much easier. I’ll be helping officiate the marriage of my son Kris to Brooke Vining in Austin TX at the end of this month… a role I’m much more familiar with!
From
Vivian Bryant:
I will be attending the Arkansas Disciples women's Retreat held this weekend,
August 3-5, 2007 at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Little Rock, AR. From Rick Hamilton: A note to my dear friends and constituents during a sabbatical leave: Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord! If you are reading these words between the dates of August 1, 2007 and October 31, 2007, then I am on a sabbatical leave. During this time I am not performing the normal duties of a Regional Pastor, but am focused instead on spiritual renewal, writing, and a brief ‘Sabbath’ from my travel schedule.
My primary focus will be to attempt to write a book on stewardship. I say “attempt” because I’ve never written a book before, I’m not really sure how to start, and I am certain I do not know how to finish. But God has put this on my heart as a need for the whole church and I am confident the effort will be blessed, and therefore be a blessing. It is my dream that the fruit of this time away will be two fold: When I return you will have a useful new resource, and you will have a renewed, energetic, passionate pastor.
I will both covet and cherish your prayers during this time. Drawing away is hard for me. I’m a bit of an extrovert. But, because I’m also a bit of an introvert (my Myers-Briggs is actually dead center on the introvert/extrovert scale), I know that the time apart will be good for me.
I look forward to being with many of you who will read these words in early November, when the Region offers the GREAT event for congregational leaders. Look for a review and report on the work of this time. Until then, may God bless you and keep you, may the Lord’s face shine upon you, and give you peace.
Amen, Rick
From Michael Elmore: Please take a look at my reflections on the General Assembly, posted at www.grrcc.org.
From
Lara Blackwood: Looking
back on this summer, I am overwhelmed by the realization that God was so very
present in our camps and conferences! With the help of the Holy Spirit,
adults and youth from around the region were knit together as
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