Click here for MS Word document
September 14^th, 2007	31^st   Weekly Edition                                                      2007 GRR CURRENTS
JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS	Bonnie Gearlds, Administrative Assistant in the Office of Disciples Women in Indianapolis, IN.  She is receiving treatment for recurring lymphoma with multiple nodules on lymph nodes (cancer).  Cards may be sent to her at 4911 Young Avenue; Indianapolis, IN 46201.  Her email address is bleebunny@sbcglobal.net. Please pray for the upcoming Mississippi Disciples Women’s Retreat.  The event is scheduled for September 22-23, 2007 at Duncan Gray Retreat Center in Canton, MS. Jo Durrett, long time long time secretary at FCC, West Point and huge force in the regional CWF as well as having served several terms at critical times on the Regional Board, passed away Wed night in West Point, MS.  Her visitation was Friday night at Calvert Funeral Home (phone #662-494-2833) and her funeral service was at 11AM on Saturday at FCC, West Point.
NEWS	Rev. Steve Wallace, Little Rock AR, is the recipient of a grant to enable him to spend this program year (9/1/07-8/31/08) serving our region as a consultant and resource specialist. His hope is to create a ministry of coaching and resourcing congregations beyond the GRR after this year, and the grant allows him time to explore this new kind of ministry and gives us another valuable resources for congregations which is in addition to our usual ministry with congregations. Look for a mailing from him and a link from our webpage to his in the near future. Rev. Bob Hill, Senior Pastor of Community Christian Church in Kansas City, MO, shared reflections on their recent trip to the gulf coast. Click here to read "19 things we learned in New Orleans" http://www.weekofcompassion.org/pages/updates/BobHillmissionreport.html FCC Slidell, LA, Rev. Susan Lassalle, has taken a group of volunteers to Greensburg, Kansas to help with the recovery work there following tornadoes that hit them in May. There is an article in the September issue of Disciples World about their trip. Disciples Women New Day Curriculum and materials for 2008-2009 are now available.  Download your order form now! (click on link)
EVENTS	Mississippi Disciples Women’s Retreat will be held on September 22-23, 2007 at Duncan Gray Retreat Center in Canton, MS.  Letters have been mailed to Disciples Women presidents, GRRDW cabinet, and pastors with registration forms, Pickering Scholarship applications, wish list for Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth (SCSCY) as well as reminders for the retreat.  Applications and registration forms can also be downloaded at www.grrcc.org.  Keynote speaker for this retreat will be Deitra Blackwell, Executive Director of Disciples Institute in Little Rock, AR.  Artistic presentations will be performed on Saturday by Greg Johnson and Dasha Teelin-Johnson of Oxford, MS.  There is still time to register and there are no part-time registrations this year. Louisiana Disciples Women’s Retreat will be October 20-21, 2007 at Tall Timbers Conference Center in Woodworth, LA. Keynote speaker for the Louisiana Retreat is Rev. Lucy Maier, former minister at FCC, Lake Charles.  This will also be the retirement celebration for Bettie Duhon. Registration forms and Pickering scholarship application may be downloaded at www.grrcc.org. Registration deadline is October 10, 2007! Disciples Men Retreat is being planned for January 25-26, 2008 at Duncan Gray Conference Center, more information later. Also, the SESSIONS 2008 brochure can be downloaded. Spiritual Life Retreat for Ministers will be held at St. Mary of the Pines Retreat Center at Chatawa, MS September 17-19. The theme Compassion Fatigue: Seeking Spiritual and Emotional Renewal. Leaders are Dan Moseley and Bernie Lyon from Christian Theological Seminary. Please contact Michael Elmore (michael@grrcc.org) if you would like to attend. 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 Welsh 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. Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth is now planning for their annual benefit dinner—BottomLine for Kids.  Tickets can be purchased through SCSCY.  The Event will be held on Thursday Sept. 20, 2007 at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, MS. For more information, please contact SCSCY at 601-354-0983. Arkansas Disciples Women Cabinet will be meeting September 28-29, 2007 at the Regional Office.  Cabinet please watch your mail for your letter and reply card.  We look forward to hearing from you! Jesus Connection Seminar for Ministers in Kansas City, October 12-13, 2007. If interested contact Michael Elmore at michael@grrcc.org The Office of Disciples Women is sponsoring the first ever Women’s Blitz Build.  Partnering with the Office of Disciples Volunteering and Habitat for Humanity the women of CCDOC will help build a house in Beaumont Texas. Click here for Flyer and application.  The dates for this event are January 20-24, 2008 in Beaumont, TX.  The event is open to any woman interested in attending. SESSIONS 2008. Disciples Men…don’t forget to plan now for next year’s SESSIONS 2008 event to be held July 17-20, 2008 in Oklahoma City, OK.  Our General Minister and President, Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, Rev. Dr. Rick Lowery, Mark Briley and Rev. Bill Lee will be the featured speakers.  What a wonderful Christmas/birthday gift for the man in your life.  There is also a discounted registration fee for young adult men.  Check out the brochure!
STAFF UPDATES	From Barbara Jones: This has been a busy week! I’ve been to both congregations in Hot Springs AR for different meetings, and will be preaching at Pulaski Heights CC in Little Rock this Sunday. Next week I will be in Chatawa, MS, for the Minister’s Spiritual Life retreat with our clergy. From Vivian Bryant:  Today I gave a Disciples Women presentation at Park Hill Christian Church in Little Rock, AR on the Peoples Republic of South Korea.  South Korea is the country studied by Disciples Women groups for this year.  I will be preaching at Parkview Christian Church in Little Rock, AR Sunday September 16, 2007.  The worship service will begin at 10:45 a.m. From Michael Elmore: I will be preaching at FCC Baton Rouge, LA this Sunday and then attending our Ministers Spiritual Life Retreat Sept.17-19 at St. Mary of the Pines Retreat Center at Chatawa, MS. From Lara Blackwood Pickrel: Please take a look at the two attached documents (flyer and registration form) and circulate them widely with your 7th-9th grade youth.  Fall Fandango will take place at Camp Couchdale on October 6th & 7th and will focus on the following theme:  "Fruit of God's Loom: Bearing Good Fruit in a Rotten World."  The central scriptures for this retreat are John 15: 16-17 and Galatians 5: 22-23.  The event will be a wonderful opportunity for our young people to come together in faith, fellowship, worship and study and I hope to greet a large group of people on the 6th! Please note as you promote this event that all registration forms are due in the Regional Office by Wednesday, September 26th.  Though registrations can be accepted a few days after that date, they will require a late fee of $55 (on top of the $55 registration fee).  We discourage late registrations because we need to know a solid number of participants in advance so that t-shirts and food can be ordered ahead of time!  If you know that your registrations are going to arrive late, please call the regional office and give us your numbers so that we at least know they are coming (and be sure to include your late fees!). If you have any questions regarding this or any other Regional Youth Event, please do not hesitate to contact me!  I hope to see you and your 7th-9th grade youth in October! If you know of any youth (juniors and seniors) who are interested (or should be interested) in International Affairs Seminar 2008, please direct them to www.iasdisciples.com where they can find more information on this exciting learning opportunity!  The dates for IAS 2008 are March 15-22, 2008 and the initial deposit of $500 is due on November 1, 2007. Rick Hamilton is on Sabbatical through October.