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April 11^th, 2008	57^th   Weekly Edition                                                      2008 GRR CURRENTS
JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS	Rev. Fred Rohlfs, Pastor of Dentville CC in Hazelhurst, MS and Pastor of Northeast CC in Jackson, MS, had a tree fall into his home during last weekend’s storm in Madison, MS. There were no injuries sustained.  Please keep Pastor Rohlfs and family in your prayers. Rev. Gary Eldridge who is serving a Presbyterian church in New Orleans. Their church was struck by lighting last week and received significant damage.
NEWS	Rev. Jeremiah Lutch will be installed as pastor at St. Luke Christian Church in Port Gibson, MS on Saturday, April 12 at 5:00 pm. From Fred Rolfs, Jackson, MS: THOUGHT FOR TODAY The furniture people were here to pack up our furniture in the damaged rooms. They will clean it – store it and then return it after the contractor has done the repairs. It is amazing how an act of mother nature can bring out the true character of a person. The true test of a person comes out in a crisis. As I travel around the area I see several different personalities.  There were some that felt all was lost and had no hope for the future. There were some that were only worried about themselves and their own loss. There were some who cleaned up their mess and then watched the neighbors around clean up theirs not even offering to help.  There were some who were wondering who was going to pay for a neighbor’s tree damaging their property.  There were some who regardless of their loss were worried about the welfare of everyone around them. And some who even if they had losses were reaching out to others to help them. GUIDELINES FROM GOD Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. Psalm 31:5 Disciples Institute Web Site. We have information about Disciples Institute and some of the course offerings and up-coming events.  Also check out the Bi-Vocational Ministers blog.  Link:  www.disciplesinstitute.org Deitra Blackwell, Executive Director. FREE Webinars on U. S. Religious Landscape Survey and on Spiritual Strategic Journey Process. During the month of April, George Bullard is offering four FREE Webinars on two different subjects. Click here details for each one. Feel free to sign up for your choices. Each is limited to approximately 20 participants.
EVENTS	GRRCC Disciples Women. Please consider this your personal invitation to attend the second Great River Region Disciples Women Spring Workshop to be held at FCC in Monroe, LA on Saturday, April 12.  Registration will begin at 9:30 am.  The workshop will begin at 10 am and end by 3 pm. GRRCC Disciples Women would like to invite you to attend their annual Disciples Women Spring Workshops.  The Workshop schedule is as follows: APRIL April 5                    AR DW Spring Workshop Cross Street CC, Little Rock, AR April 12                  LA DW Spring Workshop FCC, Monroe, LA April 26                  MS DW Spring Workshop Covenant CC,  Byram, MS MAY May 3                    LA DW Spring Workshop FCC, Slidell, LA May 11                  Mother’s Day JUNE June 7                   AR DW Spring Workshop FCC, Fort Smith Don’t forget, we will have limited copies of the new Disciples Women study curriculum available for purchase. GRR Regional Board will be meeting April 18-19, 2008 at FCC Bentonville, AR. F.E.A.S.T.:  This event, designed exclusively for youth ministers/youth workers, will take place at the Lutheran Camp on Petit Jean Mountain over the weekend of May 2-4.  Camp & Conference 2008 brochures have been mailed.  Deadline for Counselor/Steward/Youth Commissioner/Intern applications is April 14th.  Deadline for camper registrations is May 21^st. Plans are being made for the GRR Regional Assembly that will be held on November 7-9, 2008 at FCC Bentonville, AR. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. “Strength for Today; Hope for Tomorrow” Dr. Jay McDaniel. You are invited to hear Dr. Jay McDaniel on Saturday, April 26 at First Christian Church Fort Smith, AR in our main Disciples Hall.  Registration begins at 8:30 and his program will be from 9-2 with lunch break.  Cost is only $10 for the catered meal but we need to know in advance. Dr. McDaniel is chair of the philosophy and religion department at Hendrix College and is well published, particularly in the area of Process Theism.  His lectures will introduce this new theology, address then the question of evil and conclude with a discussion on how this affects our spirituality. Let me know if you'd like to be added. Randy Jay, Pastor. Bill Tenny-Brittian, the Senior Editor of NetResults, will present a free workshop in Little Rock on "Church Transformation and Growth."  The workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at the Pulaski Heights Christian Church, 4724 Hillcrest Ave., Little Rock, AR www.phcc-lr.org. Pastors and lay persons from the Great River Region are invited to participate.  Please register by contacting the church: (501) 663-8149 or phcc-lr@sbcglobal.net no later than April 11. Shari Coote, Pastor. SESSIONS 2008 in Oklahoma City is going to be a huge event for all Disciples Men from around the country.  The event is going to be held July 17-20, 2008 at First Christian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.  Do you ever feel like your life is like a giant puzzle?  Putting together the pieces of life's puzzle can be a daunting task.  But by surrounding yourself with fellow Disciples all trying to figure it out together, you will find the picture coming into focus.  To find out more about this important gathering of Disciples Men and how your life can come into focus go to: http://sessions2008.org/ or contact Rev Tod Iseminger, Minister of Leader Development at 800-346-2631. The 20^th Biennial Session of the National Convocation will be held in Memphis, TN on July 25-28, 2008.  The theme for the Convocation is God, Our Weapon in Spiritual Warfare.  II Corinthians 10:3-5.  GRRCC clergy interested in attending this event are encouraged to contact the Regional office concerning scholarship assistance.  Columbia Theological Seminary Spring Events at Lifelong Learning at CTS. Click here to see the Spring schedule. The Lifelong Learning website has been updated –take a look! Online registration available for most courses. For many events, a housing registration option is provided. For more information contact Pat Roper, Lifelong Learning Registrar at 404.687.4587 or roperp@ctsnet.edu. Disciple Home Mission is planning five area church transformation workshops beginning in September of this year. The one for our area is planned for January 16-18, 2009 at Oklahoma City. Michael Elmore, Regional Pastor is working with the area committee and planning the event for our area. A flyer can be found at the following link http://www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2008/08025.pdf
STAFF UPDATES	From Barbara Jones: After a week in the office to tackle the list of things waiting for my attention, I’m on the road again! This weekend I will be at General Board in Indianapolis. I’ll return to our staff meeting followed by Regional Board at First Christian Church of Bentonville, AR. I’m preaching in Mt. Home on the 20^th. Rick Hamilton: This weekend I will be joining in the celebration of Youth Sunday at FCC Fayetteville, AR then working in Northwest Arkansas in Preparation for Staff and Board Meetings at the end of the week. Search Committees I am currently working with: Lakeshore Drive CC, Hot Springs, AR FCC Jackson, MS FCC Mountain Home, AR (Assoc) FCC Rogers, AR FCC West Memphis, AR FCC Little Rock, AR From Vivian Bryant: I will attend the Great River Region Disciples Women Spring Worship to be held at First Christian Church in Monroe, LA on Saturday, April 12, 2008.  The workshop will begin with registration at 9:30 am and program will begin at 10 am. I will participate in the installation service of Rev. Jeremiah Lutch at St. Luke Christian Church in Port Gibson, MS on Saturday April 12 at 5 pm. I will worship with Christian Chapel Christian Church in Port Gibson, MS on Sunday, April 13. From Michael Elmore: I will be preaching and leading an assessment process at FCC Pineville, LA this Sunday. From Lara Blackwood Pickrel: DEADLINES APPROACHING!!!  Counselor/Steward/Youth Commission Applications are due in the Regional Office on April 14th!  If you (or members of your congregation) are interested in serving as a counselor or steward at camp this summer, please fill out the application and background check form found in the Summer Camping Booklet and mail it back by the deadline.  Also, if you have any sophomores or juniors in high school (or adults who work with youth) who you believe would be strong servant leaders, please encourage them to fill out the Great River Region Youth Commission.  The GRRYC application is also found in the Summer Camping Booklet and the deadline is also April 14th. Registrations for the Youthworker F.E.A.S.T. are due in the regional office by April 18th.  This event, designed for adults who work with middle school and high school youth (youth ministers, youth sponsors, Sunday School teachers, etc.), is intended as a time for youth workers to experience Sabbath rest and a faithful community of peers.  Forms have been mailed to every congregation; if you would like to have a form re-mailed, please call the Regional Office and let us know! Check out the youth page on the regional website www.grrcc.org.  We have added the new youth event calendar, information on a great retreat for adult youth workers and links to many youth ministry resources!