Mile Marker #95: God is our Refuge

by Revs. Don Dewey and Susan Gonzales Dewey, Co-Regional Ministers

There have been lots of things recently that have caused us to stop and pause and wonder ‘what’s going on?’ in our world. We have seen hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and fires that call up images of “last days." We have seen mass shootings, divisive politics, rampant fear and trouble in the White House. Perhaps this all seems more overwhelming because of the instant access these days to all the media but it does shake us.

A scripture that continues to ground us in these uncertain and troubling times is Psalm 46. In the first three verses we hear the palmist words:

God is our shelter and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not be afraid,
even if the earth is shaken
and the mountains fall
into the ocean depths;
even if the seas roar and rage,
and the hills are shaken by the violence.

As God’s beloved, we are those who know where our hope lies because we know who we are and whose we are. It is in this knowledge that we receive our courage to stand with those who are living in fear and bring hope; with those who are weak and offer strength; with those who are vulnerable and bring comfort; with those who are marginalized and forgotten and offer love and belonging.

The psalmist goes on to say that the Lord Almighty is with us and reminds us again in verse 7 that God is our refuge. Then the psalmist points us in a new direction in verse 8. Here we are invited to not be caught up in all the destructive and fear laden things around us but to look to what God IS doing in the world.

Come and see what the Lord has done.
See what amazing things God
has done on earth.

Reflecting on some of the ways God is working in our Region gives us hope and encouragement. Here are just a few of the amazing things God is doing through our Region:

·      Launching new congregations

·      Ordaining new pastors

·      Growing new leaders from our youth and young adults

·      Training and empowering leaders to address the sin of racism

·      Supporting and investing in leaders who walk with those caught in our broken immigration system

·      Resourcing and guiding congregations through transformation

Most recently we experienced God moving in and through our Region at our Gathering. With nearly 400 Disciples representing the wide diversity of this wonderful Region in attendance, there was a positive spirit and a beautiful fellowship as we worshipped, studied, and shared in community.

In the midst of all that is swirling around our world today we took time to be reminded that God is our strength and our refuge. We paused to lift our voices in prayer and praise to our gracious and loving God. We turned our eyes away from all the chaos that can seem overwhelming to refocus on the One who brings order out of chaos. Yes, we again opened ourselves to God’s healing and hope-filled Spirit that we might be agents of Gods redemptive work in the world.

Dear friends, let us stand firm in our faith and in our love for one another and for all God’s beloved. Let us not lose hope or be trapped in fear but remind one another and ourselves that “The Lord Almighty is with us” and that God IS our refuge!

Together on the journey,
Don and Susan
Your Co-Regional Ministers

Recruitment of Response Team Members

Response teams are those who work in partnership with our Region’s Committee on Ministry and assist in a variety of ways when there is a concern for a Pastors fitness for ministry or an allegation of misconduct is brought to our Regional Ministers or Committee on Ministry’s attention.
 

The Role of Response Teams

Most Regions have established and trained response teams to collect information about a situation and then report that information to the Regional Minister(s) and/or the Committee on the Ministry for its deliberation. Some Regions also train pastoral care teams from which pastoral support persons can be drawn. These trained teams of persons supplement the work of the Region’s Committee on the Ministry by fulfilling specified roles without becoming involved in the deliberation and decision-making process of the Fitness Review.

The Committee on Ministry is again needing to recruit new Response Team Members and will be offering a Training for those wishing to help with Pastoral support or serve as Investigators who gather information. The Training will be held early in January 2018 (date TBA).

Please contact the Regional Church Office, 626-296-0385, if you are interested in being a part of a Response Team.

Church Innovation is a Team Effort

By Spencer Burke, Hatchery LA

The week of October 16th was a big one for church innovators in the PSWR. Two of our innovators emerged on the national scene, joining a team of multi-faith leaders for a deeper dive into what it means to be spiritual entrepreneurs. Over the past year, Hatchery LA – an initiative of PSWR – has developed relationships with other groups interested in advancing spiritual innovation, including a Jewish incubator called Glean and the Columbia University School of Business. Our dialogue came to life as we realized we had common interests and needs. We all believe that people have not “left” their faith, but have moved to other forms of expressing it. Together, we want to support those spiritual sojourners trying to find and experience God in the 21st century.

So, it was very existing for PSWR’s Al Lopez, Nora Jacobs, and Stephen Patten from Urban Mission of Pomona, and Jason and Janell Coker of First Christian Church Oceanside, to join with Hatchery for Columbia Business School’s “Ventures for All.” Several of us traveled to New York to kick off a 6-month course that will help our innovators hone their vision, and develop a plan to implement, communicate and sustain that vision. After the 2-day, onsite intensive at Columbia Business School, our teams have moved into an online learning phase with class instruction, coaching, and multi-faith cohorts.

At the end of the 2-day gathering, Jack McGourty, the leader from Columbia University closed with the insight, “This CBS classroom is now a sacred space.” He understands there is a movement afoot. It is a movement of spiritual renewal, innovation, and change. It is reverberating across multiple faiths and I’m excited for PSWR to be a part of it. Stay tuned for future reports as we see how our churches work together to love and serve our generation and those to come.

Disciples Volunteering: Recovery Response to Hurricane Harvey

This fall, major disasters have been in the news continuously. We know that there is strong interest in supporting the Hurricane Harvey response. If you are able to take a mission team to help with the muck and gut work before the end of November, please email Josh Baird (jbaird@dhm.disciples.org) – include the name of your church, how many people you expect to have, and the dates you are available. Details for a long-term response are coming together and a calendar for scheduling teams will be available soon.

In the meantime, a number of other places are ready today to receive your team and put them to work. Over the past two years, a significant number of disasters did not make lasting headlines. Help is desperately needed – please consider sending a team to one of these communities.

Also remember to support our disaster recovery ministries through Week of Compassion.  At this time Puerto Rico needs all the support that we can send them through WoC.  As you have seen in the news their situation is desperate. 

Other information is available at https://www.discipleshomemissions.org/missions-advocacy/disciples-volunteering/

We have not received any requests for support from Northern California yet but we expect calls for support once the fires are completely contained.  If you have any questions contact:

Rev. Dr. Norman L. Williams
PSWR Disaster Recovery Ministry
ChNorm@msn.com

A Special Word From Our Co-Regional Ministers

By Revs. Don Dewey and Susan Gonzales Dewey, Co-Regional Ministers

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give wayand the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foamand the mountains quake with their surging...The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Psalm 46)

Dear Disciple Brothers and Sisters, 

As most of you know, a few nights ago in Las Vegas, we experienced the largest mass shooting in the history of the United States. We offer our deepest prayers and condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this senseless attack. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy and we reaffirm, as people of faith, our commitment to a peaceful and compassionate world and to our God who is our refuge and strength.

We have been in contact with Rev. Steve Willis, pastor of FCC Las Vegas, and no one from their congregation was directly affected. However, friends and others were, as well as the whole of the Las Vegas community. We pray for our Pastors and churches as they offer care and compassion to their community. The long-term effects of this terrible tragedy are yet to be fully known, but our continued prayers are desperately needed. 

We also know, that our wider world has been rocked by recent hurricanes that have devastated Puerto Rico, as well as damage done in Texas, Louisiana and Florida, a 7.1 earthquake that hit Mexico causing massive destruction, deaths and injury and serious flooding in Southeast Asia. These and other crises challenge us as faithful people in the midst of climate changes, to offer prayers and support for our sisters and brothers who are reeling from the affects of these natural disasters.

Already our Regional Board made the unanimous decision to designate $50,000 to our General Church's disaster relief arm, Week of Compassion, to go toward hurricane relief efforts. However, our concern and support does not end there. On a personal note, our Disciples of Christ denomination has a seminary, 160 churches, and 21,000 Disciple members in Puerto Rico who are deeply affected as well. The effects of the natural disasters will be a long time in recovery and our continued prayers and support are requested.

What can you do to help bring Christ's comfort, compassion and love to those suffering in these situations? You can make a donation to Week of Compassion, which is our hands and feet on the ground in addressing these natural disasters, by going to: https://docgeneralassembly.webconnex.com/weekofcompassion.

Blessings,
Don and Susan