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Editor’s note:
In lieu of the Dawn Breaker, the “State of the Region Address", presented
by Don Shelton on October 22 at the Regional Assembly held at Torrey Pines
Christian Church of La Jolla, has been edited for publishing and is printed
for your information.
STATE OF THE REGION ADDRESS
There have always been defining moments in life. Although not totally accurate, we tend to think of the calendar as dating before and after the death of Christ, A.D. and B.C. We mark July 4, 1776 as the celebrative date of the birth of the United States of America. Although errant, we tend to mark December 7, 1941 as the start of our involvement in World War II. There are certain events that are marking points. A most recent marking point for us has been September 11, 2001. It has resulted in our being at war with enemies seen and unseen. In the church, we are living in a post 9/11 time. In the years prior to 9/11, our congregations were not accustomed to praying for people being involved in war, especially their own members. Prior to 9/11, few of us knew people who were Muslim. Today many of our churches have developed relationships with Muslims. Prior to 9/11, people sometimes complained about the cost of insurance for their church. Since 9/11, rising insurance rates have caused some congregations to make decisions between mission giving and paying insurance premiums. Prior to 9/11, our Region had demonstrated annual increases in giving to missions through Basic Mission Finance, now called Disciples Mission Fund. Immediately after 9/11 there was a significant decrease in giving by our congregations to missions. Since 9/11 that downward trend has continued. Although many of the other regions in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have reversed their decrease in giving after 9/11, we have not. This has made it difficult to maintain the level of ministry and service we have had in the past. Since our last Assembly we were both fortunate and unfortunate to have the sale of the old Los Feliz Regional Office property close. This happened before we were prepared. Although the $1.3 million we received enabled us to pay off the mortgage on the present Regional Conference Center, the difference between the payments we were receiving and the interest we are now able to earn has resulted in a $32,000 annual loss of revenue. This caused us to change how some of the ministries of this region are funded. In some cases, funds previously going directly to new church starts are now being used to pay salaries so new church starts can continue to receive needed attention. Another change is the Annual Fund. Most of the other regions have had an annual fund campaign for years. We have not. This is a direct mail appeal to individuals asking them to consider an annual gift to the ministries of the Regional Church. We have been blessed this year. An anonymous donor is matching dollar for dollar the actual gifts given to the annual fund through December 31st of this year. This match is up to $25,000. Think of it. Every dollar you invest in the ministries of the Regional Church is doubled. That is a great investment. If you would like to make a contribution, stop by the Regions booth in the display area and pick up an envelope. I need to be very clear about how to give. This Annual Fund is for individual gifts only. No congregations are asked to give to this. To do so would be to violate our covenantal relationship with the rest of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Because we are a denomination whose polity has been congregational, we are in covenant with each other. The General Church, Regional Church and Local Church agree to share in ministry in supportive ways with each other. We are blessed to have people with us representing the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in mission throughout the United States, Canada and the world. Would you please stand. These people represent the mission dollars you give to help share the love of Christ throughout the world in unique ways. Let us show them our appreciation. We are blessed to have volunteers and paid staff involved in ministries in this region. If you are on staff, on the Regional Board, on a committee of the region, or serve in a Unit recognized, or about to be recognized, by this region please stand. These people represent the mission dollars you give to help share the love of Christ throughout this region. It is because of our covenant to be in ministry and mission together that we are able to be the vibrant region we are today. Time prevents me from naming all the ministries occurring in this region in which you have a part. Some of our partners in ministry will be making reports in our business sessions. Time would prevent me from naming all the rest, but let me name a few. Older Adult Ministries has sponsored spiritual growth opportunities for older adults such as “Springtime in the Mountains at Loch Leven, The Sr. Book Club that read and discussed “The Da Vinci Code. They have offered fellowship events such as a trip to the Santa Barbara Culinary Institute. They have educated us about elder abuse and how to deal with it when suspected or discovered. They did all this in partnership with our partners in ministry, the United Church of Christ. Our Anti-Racism/Pro Reconciliation Team
continues to provide leadership to help us deal with racism.
Thank you Don. Men’s ministries in this region are gaining momentum. Congregations are beginning to re-establish men’s groups for prayer, study, service, and fellowship. We have had men’s retreats in the spring each of the past two years at Loch Leven. We will be having another men’s retreat in 2005, April 29th-May 1st. Come and see Joe and me at our booth in the display area and win a prize. Thank you Dan. The Committee on Ministry has enabled 260 people to receive boundary training to help protect our ministers and congregants against sexual abuse in the church. The Committee on Ministry currently has over fifty ministerial candidates under care of this region. These are people seeking ordination and/or standing as a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Outdoor Ministries and Camp and Conference Ministries have made it possible for over 400 youth and children to know Christ better through summer and winter camps and conferences. They have also served many local congregations by providing Loch Leven for us year round. The Hispanic Convencion has made Bethany Pines available for retreats and spiritual growth. New Church Development continues to grow. We currently have 29 congregations “under care” as developing congregations. If you are in one of those congregations or are on the New Church Development Committee, please stand and be recognized. These people are reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ who existing congregations would probably be unable to reach. Let’s show our appreciation. I would also like you to give yourselves a hand. The contributions you have given to Basic Mission Finance, now Disciples Mission Fund, and the Pentecost Special Day Offering, have made it possible for this region to grow from 112 congregations 9 years ago to 134 today. I have heard some say the Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) is a dying denomination. Don’t listen to those nay Sayers. They have not kept up. Their corner of the world may be dying. The corner in which naysayers live usually is dying. In nine years, we have a net gain of 22 congregations in this region alone. In the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, we have started over 263 congregations since 2001. At our current rate of expansion we will start over 1,700 congregations by 2020. In 2020, one third of our congregations will be less than twenty years old. So what about our existing congregations? Yes, some have had to shut their doors or merge. We have had 10 congregations close or transition. They were State Street, Eastside, Torrance Korean, Glendale Korean, Bakersfield Hispanic, Early Christian Church, Tierrasanta Christian Church, South Gate Christian Church, Fellowship Christian Church and Wilshire Hispanic. We don’t like to see this happen. However, reality is that nearly all congregations will close or transition one day. If that were not true, we could go visit all the churches started by the Apostle Paul today. Because this is true, the Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) has committed to revitalize 1,000 existing congregations by the year 2020. To carry our fair share of that responsibility, we have developed a new Congregation Revitalization Committee. Don Dewey is the Chair of this new committee. If you wish to speak with Don about revitalization, this event is an opportunity for you. This is going to be a new model in revitalization for the PSWR. In keeping with Church Extension’s New Church Development mantra, “We will revitalize a thousand churches a thousand different ways.” One of our revitalization plans under consideration will be that a congregation will enter into a five-year evaluation and ministry plan with the region. If you have a serious interest in making a commitment with the region to revitalize your congregation, contact Don Dewey or phone the regional church office. When you speak with us, we will explain what it means to us to be committed to revitalization. We are blessed to have in this region a significant ministry with and for women. This is happening, in part, because of Susan Gonzales Dewey, who is serving on the Regional Church Staff as Director of Women’s Ministries. I have asked Susan to present, for the next eight minutes, some of the ministries of the women in this region. State of the Church Address
April 10, 1874 was a day that changed Caroline Neville Pearres’ life and impacted our church in a significant way. The American Christian Missionary Society had existed for 25 years, but it was struggling to meet it’s commitments to the missionary effort in Jerusalem and Liberia and Jamaica, and was inviting the women of the Christian Church to become involved in the ministry. April 10th was the day that Caroline went down on her knees to pray for the organization of women in the missionary work of her church. She prayed for God to send a leader to take on this important ministry. What she heard was, “Why can’t you do it?” She rose from prayer and said, “I will.” At 43, she began laying the groundwork for what would ultimately become a $1.5 million enterprise, organized and managed exclusively by the women of our church. “I will”. That is what Christian Women’s Fellowship and Disciples Women are about, empowering women to say, “Yes” to God, to answer God’s call to ministry with an, “I will”. The purpose statement of
the Christian Women’s Fellowship is:
Women of our churches have been saying yes to God for 150 years. They began with egg money, one penny, one nickel, one dime at a time and they fulfilled their mission commitment. These days’ women are still making something out of nothing to serve God and make a difference in the world, through Bazaars, and Bargain Bashes, and any number of other creative plans. Disciple women in the Pacific Southwest Region endeavor to accomplish their purpose through several regular events, and through curriculum and other study materials. “Body and Soul” is the study material for this year focusing us on healing and wholeness. Next year: Spring Training Event: “Searching for God’s Direction” a challenging study to help us speak as Christians to the difficult international issues of our day. Next year’s event will be held on April 16, 2005 at Claremont United Church of Christ. Convocation is an event that provides opportunities for women to be inspired, enriched and educated by worship and wisdom in large plenary sessions and small group seminars. Next year we are doing a new thing. We have heard from so many women for the last 6 years that they cannot take off work for a Friday event, so this year we will move from a Fri /Sat. to Sat /Sun. We are exited to see what we hope will be 500 women gathered at this event, and will be looking to see how our churches do for a week when 500 women are not in worship. Our men are superbly capable of caring for the Sunday morning ministry for one Sunday. Every fall, we provide a Spiritual Growth Retreat for the women of our churches. This event is created to provide healing, rest, and renewal for our women to give them opportunities to focus on their relationship with God and listen to Christ’s call. How does this ministry touch lives? Linda Houston and Judy Row went some years ago to the first WAW (Women’s Action Web) event and were charged to come home and create a similar experience for the women of this region. We held our event in 2001 and another event for the General Church in 2002. Twenty one women from our region attended this event designed to help the women learn to see their world with new eyes, to see the needs of the people in their own communities, and learn ways to identify places to meet those needs. They were asked, “If you had all the money in the world and all the time you needed, and you new you couldn’t fail, what would you do?” and then they were sent home with commitments and tools to meet those commitments. Diane Cripe went on the first
PSW trip and I have asked her to speak about what she is doing today.
While participating in
the Women’s Action Web trip in Nov 2001, I experienced a call to minister
to the poor. I felt overwhelmed and inadequate. The next day
we met Mary McAnena, a 98-year-old Irish Catholic woman, who was operating
a soup kitchen for the homeless in Orange Country. I had no idea
that when I offered to get a few sleeping bags for her “boys”, I was starting
my own ministry to the homeless. Looking back, I am surprised at
the clear path God laid before me for the next 3 years.
Linda Houston is not here this weekend because she is leading the 2004 WAW in West Virginia for our national church. And a young woman from the Harbor Christian church, who has been at the SGR for the last few years looking for healing and opportunities to serve her God, went with Linda. Denise and Diane will lead the next WAW experience for our region some time next year. Start looking now for the women who are ready to hear God’s call, so you can send them on the most excellent trip. Every year, International Christian Women’s Fellowship chooses a new area of the world to study so that we are informed about the issues of the world and can find ways to serve God beyond our borders. This year we are sending Andi Sanders on the Women to Women Worldwide Mission to Kenya, so that she can come home and be a resource for us next year as we study about Kenya. A few years ago, we helped Sheila Spencer attend the ‘Women to Women’ trip to Cuba. The women of our region, primarily the laywomen of our region, plan all of these events. The way I have seen my job is to support, guide, encourage, train, and recruit these talented women in our region to grow in their faith and in their skill, so that they can take personal responsibility for the mission of Jesus Christ in the world, and believe me, they do a magnificent job. Thank you, Susan. I am pleased to announce at this time that Susan has accepted a three-month position serving the General Church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This will require her to spend a significant amount of time in Indiana between December 15th and the end of March. We are proud of you Susan, and we are pleased to give you a leave of absence during this time. All of these things and more are only possible through the gifts you give to Disciples Mission Fund and the Special Day Offerings. Just to remind you, the special day offerings support the following ministries: Week of Compassion Offering, Disaster and Emergency aid; Easter Offering, General Church ministries and missions; Pentecost Offering, New Church Starts – 50% of which helps start churches in this region; Reconciliation Offering, helps to combat racism in our churches and in the United States and Canada; Thanksgiving Offering, supports higher education; and the Christmas Offering is for regional ministries, such as you have seen illustrated today. Give generously to these special day offerings. The life of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is dependent upon them. I want to thank all of you for the gifts you give to Disciples Mission Fund that make ministry and mission in your behalf possible. Just look at all you have done. Today I want to recognize some of the top-giving congregations to Disciples Mission Fund. There are nine congregations who, so far this year, have given between $5,000.00 and $10,000.00, and ten congregations who have given over $10,000.00. As I call the name of your congregation, please stand and be recognized where you are. Please hold your applause until all have been recognized. Lastly, before I begin this recognition, you will receive an envelope with a certificate of appreciation and a check as a small token of appreciation. Please use the check in a fund in your congregation to help someone. It could be a youth to attend camp, a meal for someone who is homeless or some other way you will choose. 19. First Christian Church, Garden Grove
- $5,036
Thank you for all your support that has
made these, and many more ministries, possible for the Body of Christ.
May God Bless you as you seek to be effective members of the Body of Christ.
Don
"There are a number of
guidelines I try to follow in life and ministry. I find that when I follow
them, situations sometimes become like the rising of the sun. There
is a luminous glow turning to great light, and occasionally, inspiration.
When I don't follow these adopted guidelines, they sometimes become Don
breakers, making life frustrating at best. I do not suggest
you should live by all the principles I choose for my life. If they
are helpful for you, make them your own. They work for me."
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