HISTORY

 

The Great River Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was created by the previous regions of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  The new region began September 1, 2002.  

 

The only representation we have found of the three states together was a map created during the Civil War. The three states were shown together as many battles for control of the Mississippi River were waged on either side of the river.  Hence, showing the states together aided the planning and implementation of various campaigns.

 

As we moved toward merging into a new region, all three states invited church members to help name the new region.  Jeanette Odom, 14 years old at the time, submitted “The Great River Region” with the following explanation:  “The Mississippi River runs through all three states, and is one of the features that we all share.  That which once divided us is now a symbol of unity, and the image of the river reminds us of our baptisms.”  Our logo was created by Rev. Bill Mackie (deceased), who was the pastor of First Christian Church in Baton Rouge, LA.

 

Zena McAdams was the interim regional minister for the Christian Church in Louisiana and along with the people of Louisiana, invited Mississippi and Arkansas to the table to discuss the future.  Bill McKnight was the regional minister in Mississippi, and Barbara Jones was the regional minister in Arkansas. 

 

In a matter of 18 months, we moved from dreaming together to merging into the new region.  Jones was charged with moving the work of the transition team through legal and church procedures to effect the creation of the new region.

 

To capture a sense of our life as a region, click here to read the Regional Assembly business items which includes a summary of the 2002-2004 State of the Region address as well as 2004-2006 activities.

 

CHURCH INFORMATION 

 

(Click here to see our list of congregations)

(Click here to see CFC Giving Records)

(Click here to find congregational websites)

 

DEMOGRAPHICS from the 2005 Census

People QuickFacts

USA

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

GRR

Population, 2005 estimate   

296,410,404

2,779,154

4,523,628

2,921,088

10223870

Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005   

5.3%

4.0%

1.2%

2.7%

2.34%

Population, 2000   

281,421,906

2,673,400

4,468,976

2,844,658

9987034

Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000   

13.1%

13.7%

5.9%

10.5%

 

Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2004   

6.8%

6.7%

7.2%

7.2%

 

Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2004   

25.0%

24.6%

25.8%

25.8%

 

Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2004   

12.4%

13.8%

11.7%

12.2%

 

Female persons, percent, 2004   

50.8%

51.0%

51.4%

51.5%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White persons, percent, 2004    (a)

80.4%

81.3%

64.1%

61.3%

 

Black persons, percent, 2004    (a)

12.8%

15.8%

33.0%

36.8%

 

American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2004    (a)

1.0%

0.7%

0.6%

0.5%

 

Asian persons, percent, 2004    (a)

4.2%

0.9%

1.4%

0.7%

 

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2004    (a)

0.2%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

 

Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2004   

1.5%

1.2%

0.8%

0.6%

 

Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2004    (b)

14.1%

4.4%

2.8%

1.7%

 

White persons, not Hispanic, percent, 2004   

67.4%

77.2%

61.8%

59.9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct age 5+, 2000   

54.1%

53.3%

59.0%

58.5%

 

Foreign born persons, percent, 2000   

11.1%

2.8%

2.6%

1.4%

 

Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000   

17.9%

5.0%

9.2%

3.6%

 

High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000   

80.4%

75.3%

74.8%

72.9%

 

Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000   

24.4%

16.7%

18.7%

16.9%

 

Persons with a disability, age 5+, 2000   

49,746,248

576,471

880,047

607,570

 

Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000   

25.5

21.9

25.7

24.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housing units, 2004   

122,671,734

1,233,203

1,919,859

1,221,240

4374302

Homeownership rate, 2000   

66.2%

69.4%

67.9%

72.3%

 

Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2000   

26.4%

13.9%

18.7%

13.3%

 

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000   

$119,600

$72,800

$85,000

$71,400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Households, 2000   

105,480,101

1,042,696

1,656,053

1,046,434

3745183

Persons per household, 2000   

2.59

2.49

2.62

2.63

7.74

Per capita money income, 1999   

$21,587

$16,904

$16,912

$15,853

 

Median household income, 2003   

$43,318

$33,445

$33,792

$32,397

 

Persons below poverty, percent, 2003   

12.5%

16.0%

18.1%

18.3%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business QuickFacts

USA

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

GRR

Private nonfarm establishments, 2003   

7,254,745

64,285

102,245

59,827

226357

Private nonfarm employment, 2003   

113,398,043

988,941

1,603,922

912,157

3505020

Private nonfarm employment, percent change 2000-2003   

-0.6%

-0.2%

0.7%

-4.7%

 

Nonemployer establishments, 2003   

18,649,114

170,696

268,360

153,529

592585

Manufacturers shipments, 2002 ($1000)   

3,916,136,712

46,721,413

89,540,799

38,276,054

 

Retail sales, 2002 ($1000)   

3,056,421,997

25,611,630

41,885,192

25,017,531

92514353

Retail sales per capita, 2002   

$10,615

$9,459

$9,356

$8,724

 

Minority-owned firms, percent of total, 1997   

14.6%

6.7%

14.1%

13.1%

 

Women-owned firms, percent of total, 1997   

26.0%

22.0%

23.9%

22.8%

 

Housing units authorized by building permits, 2004   

2,070,077

15,855

22,989

14,532

53376

Federal spending, 2004 ($1000)   

2,143,781,727

19,488,822

32,954,059

22,337,697

74780578

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geography QuickFacts

USA

Arkansas

Louisiana

Mississippi

GRR

Land area, 2000 (square miles)   

3,537,438

52,068

43,562

46,907

142537

Persons per square mile, 2000   

79.6

51.3

102.6

60.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.<