PSWR Disciples,
May the peace of God be with you.
Last month, our Regional Leadership, Staff, and Volunteers helped to host a heartfelt Clergy Summit and vibrant Regional Gathering at the Disciples Ministry Center and First Christian Church, Fullerton, CA, October 16th – 18th, 2025. As a region, we gathered and celebrated the beauty of our unity.
Also, we were visited by the Western Regions in Ministry Regional Ministers and Week of Compassion’s Staff and Board of Stewards in San Diego, CA between October 27th – November 1st, 2025. With help from the Border Dignity Project Staff, a new ministry in partnership with University Christian Church, Week of Compassion, the Southern California Nevada Conference, United Church of Christ and our Region. Each had wonderful opportunities to meet, learn, fellowship, and gratefulness for the natural beauty from our brand of community. As well as engagement with the real difficulties of life brought on by a manufactured border (between San Diego, CA and Tijuana, MX), built walls, and the beaming of possibilities. WRIM Regional Ministers learned about the efforts of a Mural Artist Enrique Chiu to change the image of the Border Wall into a mural of Art (photos below).
Collectively, we were all inspired by partnered effort/s to bring about change, a different narrative, and transformation. In my humble opinion, our goals in partnership are “to create a community of kinship” across manufactured borders whether concrete, imagined, and / or otherwise. Truly, “it’s about us.”
“You don’t go to the margins to make a difference. Then it’s about you. But you go to the margins so that the folks at the margins make you different. Then it’s about us. And so the goal is to create a community of kinship such that God might recognize it where there is no us and them, there’s just us.” – Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ., MDiv. ’84 Boston College Facebook post, 10/2/2025
More to come. Pray Always. Speak Out on behalf of the Voiceless. Do the difficult work of common good.
As I travel the region, I often wish for you to journey with me and see what I see across our geographical territory. Here are some photos highlighting a place or two of where I have been and amazing ministry is happening.
On October 5, 2025, United Church of the Valley, Murrieta, CA, I had an invitation to visit and worship with this faithful congregation (photo below). They honor both traditions, as Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ.
On October 10th, 2025, Fish Interfaith Center, held an Interfaith Service for the Inauguration of Matthew J. Parlow as the Fourteenth President of Chapman University. Pictured below are clergy from both, the United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ. I am sure you will recognize our very own Rev. Nancy Brink, Rev. Jack Veatch, and Rev. Terri Hord Owens (CC DOC in the US and Canada General Minister and President).
On October 28, 2025, WRIM Regional Ministers visit of the Border Wall with Mural Artist Enrique Chiu and the California Museum in Cultural Center of Tjuana, MX (photos below).
On October 31, 2025, Week of Compassion Board of Steward and Staff visit of the Border Wall and Border Dignity Project partners in Tijuana, MX (photos below).
On November 15, 2025, General Church, Regional Church leaders, and local leaders connected to the Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries, Los Fresnos, Texas visited and celebrated its 40th Anniversary. We were invited to visit their board meeting, meet with partners about the possibilities of future work nationally, and more (photos below).
Blessings,
Richie