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Strength For Today; Hope For Tomorrow *Regional Assembly *November 7-9 *FCC *Bentonville, AR
June 20^th, 2008	65^th   Weekly Edition                                                      2008 GRR CURRENTS
JOYS and PRAYER CONCERNS	Johnny and Deborrah Wray will be returning to Mississippi to live full time at their farm outside of West Point! A search committee is being formed to begin looking for Johnny’s replacement. Click here for announcement. Chaplain Rev. Byron Singleton, Alexandria, LA, reports his father is in St. Joseph Hospital in Clear Lake, TX with heart problems. Mablelee Carney, wife of Rev. Tommy Carney, Pastor of FCC Blytheville, AR underwent a bone marrow test this week at the Cancer Clinic in Blytheville, AR. Rev. Randy Jay, FCC Fort Smith, AR broke his ankle.
NEWS	St. Charles Ave Christian Church, New Orleans, LA. Rev. Frank Sherard will be celebrating his Covenant of Calling with Rev. Dr. Michael Elmore June 22^nd at 3pm in our sanctuary. All are welcome! Ashley Sherard, Secretary scacc@bellsouth,net Greetings from FCC Stuttgart, AR. Just an update from our congregation.  At the moment we have FEMA Disaster Relief Team using our fellowship hall on the first floor to assist people in the community who are seeking help after the tornado.  They are also providing some very good literature.  The members of this team are from all over the country and travel from one disaster area to another.  I was very moved when some asked to use the sanctuary to pray each morning. Day after day they hear sad stories, so we have made a point to nurture them. They plan to be here four weeks. Last Sunday we took in a new member and I've had conversations with others regular visitors, answering questions.  I believe in time they, too, will decide to become a part of us. One of my goals is to build this congregation back up and get them involved more regularly in activities offered by the denomination. Yesterday I visited an older couple who recently moved to Hot Springs to an assisted living facility.  Right after the move, the gentleman was hospitalized and now is in a nursing home.  I not only offered pastoral care but had the chance to see more of your beautiful state. I have registered for several upcoming Disciples events/training and look forward to meeting you at some of those.  Best Regards, Sherry Horton 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. Doctoral Program beginning at Columbia Theological Seminary. Decatur, GA— Beginning in fall 2008, Columbia Theological Seminary will offer required introductory seminars for its Church and Ministry Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program in Atlanta, GA and Montreat, NC. At each location, degree candidates can take the introductory seminar and three elective courses toward the completion of their D.Min. in Church and Ministry. The Doctor of Ministry Degree program is open to experienced pastors of all denominations and backgrounds. For more details and application materials, go to www.ctsnet.edu. Then click Degree Programs, then Advanced Degrees, then Doctor of Ministry. OGMP Announces New Minister of Faith and Giving Position. The Office of the General Minister and President is seeking a Minister of Faith and Giving who will lead the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in creating a stewardship movement and a culture of generosity. The Minister of Faith and Giving will work with regional and general ministry partners to create culturally diverse resources for congregations related to giving, annual stewardship campaigns, personal wealth management, and congregational financial management. To read the full ministry description, please: www.disciples.org/watkins/news/2008/05/20a-mfg.pdf. Interested candidates can contact Dr. Todd Adams, Assoc. General Minister and VP 317-713-2414 or tadams@ogmp.disciples.org. Please submit resumes by July 10, 2008 to: Dr. Todd Adams, c/o Office of the General Minister and President, 130 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204. Just Communities of Central Arkansas. Join us in a 30 minute video from the Unnatural Causes series.  The complete series is provocative and available (through UAMS College of Public Health) for others to show in their own venue.  Contact Kate Stewart [StewartMaryK@uams.edu] or Ruth D. Shepherd, Executive Director, 1400 West Markham, Suite 405, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-372-5129. For more information click on the links. Invitation. Promotion. Christian Church Foundation is responsible for assisting individuals, congregations, regions and other entities of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to discover the joy of sharing their resources to further the work of Jesus Christ in the world. At this time, the Foundation is responsible for over $436 million of the church’s money. Distributions from permanent funds held by the Foundation benefit local congregations, regional ministries and general units of the church. Bobby Hawley, Vice President, CCF, bhawley@ccf.disciples.org  and Marilyn Fiddmont mfiddmon@ccf.disciples.org are available to consult with donors confidentially about ways to make gifts that will benefit themselves, their heirs, and the church causes they care about.  In addition, they are available to preach on the stewardship of accumulated resources and do workshops. Chapman Universities DOC Church Relations Director’s position is still unfilled. The search process has been reopened and will be receiving names through September 1^st. Candidates must be Ordained DOC or UCC with standing. I have two requests: 1.       Please let anyone that you think might be a good candidate for this position to fill out an online application through Chapman’s web site. 2.       Send me names of persons you think might be interested in a one year interim position for this job. Thanks, Don Dewey, Co-Regional Minister-President Christian Church (DOC) Pacific Southwest, 2401 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, CA 91001, (626) 296-0385
EVENTS	GRRCC Disciples Women Retreat applications are available on-line or at your request! Retreat Dates for this year are: Arkansas, August 1-3; Mississippi, September 6-7 (Cabinet to meet on 9/6); and Louisiana, November 1-2 (Cabinet to meet on Oct. 31).  Looking to see you there! Join us at the MCMC Education Pre-Event in Greenwood, MS, on July 9!  If you need to take the Clergy Sexual Ethics class for your standing this year, it will be offered here.  Also, there will be classes in: 1.  Writing, Revising, and Updating Constitutions and By-Laws – Barb Jones 2.  Eldership and Deaconship in Disciple Congregations – Vivian Bryant 3.  Who Are Disciples Today? – Michael Elmore 4.  Westside Mission Station – Vance Moore 5.  Music Traditions in the African-American Church – Ann Pickett-Parker and Pernella Shortie You will get ideas and inspiration for changing lives in your congregation.  Bring your best ideas to share! A brochure, registration form and suggested hotels are attached. Blessings, Deitra Blackwell, Executive Director Disciples Institute, 501-517-2474 deitra.d.blackwell@comcast.net, www.disciplesinstitute.org. Youth Worker F.E.A.S.T. (Originally scheduled for May 2-4, 2008) has been moved to September 26-28.  This new date will allow more GRR youth workers and youth ministry teams to sign up for a time of Sabbath rest and renewal and will also make it possible for many of our brothers and sisters in the Oklahoma Region to join us for the event.  The Fall event will take place at the Lutheran Camp on Petit Jean Mountain (outside Morrilton, AR) and will cost $95.  Registrations are due with payment by September 10th. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Lara Blackwood Pickrel at 479-236-8295. 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. Our theme this year is “Strength for Today; Hope for Tomorrow”. 2008 Ecumenical Women’s Gathering sponsored by Church Women United will be held this week June 19-22 at Community of Christ International Headquarters in Independence, Missouri. The State Fellowship of Christian Churches will meet at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, June 29th at Central Christian Church, 224 South Independence Avenue in Russellville, AR. The church is located at the corner of West Second and South Independence Avenue in Russellville. Rev. Robert Brown, Pastor of Mt. Beulah Christian Church, will be the speaker.  Each choir is asked to provide an A and B selection. As always, dinner will be served prior to the program. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 479-968-1413 or at 479-498-4316. We look forward to seeing you for this wonderful time of fellowship! Blessings, Rev. Rita Richardson, 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.  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. 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 http://www.disciples.org/dns/Releases2008/08025.pdf. 2009 General Assembly July 29^th – August 2^nd, 2009. Revision: Attached is your “Resource Group Application,” which we invite you to fill out and return if you are interested in offering a Resource Group, as well as criteria upon which your submissions will be selected for use. You will note that General Assembly Resource Groups are scheduled for 2 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Friday, July 31, and Saturday, August 1, 2009. Presentations may be either 1.5 hours or 3 hours in length. As you may know, Resource Groups must be sponsored by a General Ministry, Region, or Institution of Higher Education. Proposals must be submitted on the attached form NO LATER THAN July 1, 2008. The Resource Group Committee, based on the criteria attached, will select the proposals. We will notify applicants of the decisions of the committee by July 7, 2008. In addition, more learning opportunities including resource groups will be developed based on a survey of Assembly registrants. Workshop Criteria and Application. The Assembly’s theme is “for the healing of the nations,” based on Revelation 22:2. Cindy Meilink, CBP, Facilitator cmeilink@cbp21.com; 314-231-8500, ext. 1326. Patricia Case, GA Program Coordinator., pcase@ogmp.disciples.org; 317-713-2410.
STAFF UPDATES	From Barbara Jones: A letter was sent out with new pastoral care assignments of our regional pastors and clergy / congregations, which will not be strictly by district. For details, click here. We are also sending out STANDING renewal forms. And finally, I’m sending each of our senior or solo pastors a book “Every congregation needs a little conflict” by George Bullard. These were purchased using a memorial fund and we’ll also be able to participate in Webinars with George on this topic. Look for it in your mail! I’m working with FCC Little Rock with their search and call. From Rick Hamilton: This week, I will be visiting our camping programs at Camp Couchdale outside Hot Springs, AR. Please continue to pray for this vital ministry and the young people it touches. Search Committees I am currently supporting: Lakeshore Drive CC, Hot Springs, AR Parkview CC Little Rock, AR FCC Mountain Home, AR (Sr. and Assoc.) FCC Rogers, AR FCC Russellville, AR Please contact me directly and in confidence to inquire about any of these ministry opportunities. From Vivian Bryant: Attending the 2008 Ecumenical Women’s Gathering in Independence, Missouri this week.  Be Blessed! Search Committees I am currently supporting: FCC Mammoth Spring, AR From Michael Elmore:  Sunday I will be at St. Charles CC in New Orleans, LA to install their new Pastor Frank Sherard. Search Committees I am working with: FCC Jackson, MS FCC Leesville, LA From Lara Blackwood Pickrel: 2008 Summer Camp Dates/Locations/Directors: Discovery Camp             June 21-22         Camp Couchdale           Brian & Wendi Phillips             JYF Camp                     June 22-25         Camp Couchdale           Marilyn Pickrel                      ChiRho Camp                June 25-29         Camp Couchdale         Loy Hoskins & Chuck Pickrel     FISSH Camp                  July 6-12            Ferncliff Camp              Carol Renee Eakin GRR SUMMER INTERNS SELECTED!!  This year we had a number of excited and qualified candidates for our two Regional Summer Intern positions.  Thanks to cooperation between the Region and First Christian Church in Sherwood, AR, we were able to place three applicants rather than two!  The GRR Summer Interns for 2008 are Jacob Wilson from FCC Bentonville, AR and Leah Vest from FCC Sherwood.  FCC Sherwood will enjoy the service of Katie Taylor (FCC Baton Rouge, LA) as their first-ever summer intern.  While Jacob and Leah will spend 8 weeks of the summer helping with our regional camping program, Katie will spend 8 weeks working with the children and youth at FCC Sherwood.  Many thanks to FCC Sherwood and Will Feland for being so willing to partner with the region!  Next summer, if your congregation needs to find a summer intern, please contact the Regional Youth Coordinator to see if we can partner in similar ways!! 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!