XPLOR Intern in PSWR to develop response to food insecurity issues

Meet Blessing Song, one of four XPLOR interns who have come to participate in the XPLOR mission house sponsored by the National Benevolent Association and North Hollywood Christian Church. Blessing will be serving at All Peoples Community Center and the Pacific Southwest Regional Office.

In this capacity she will be working in the PSWR Office one day per week collecting information for PSWR congregations about ministries addressing food insecurity and how congregations in the region are responding to this need. We have a large number of congregations that serve their communities with food banks, meal distributions, community gardens and other ministries. At the end of Blessing's 10 month internship with the region she will have produced a document of resources on models for responding to the concern of food insecurity for PSWR congregations. 

Blessing was born in South Korea, but moved to the United States when her parents (both pastors) heard a call to the mission field of the U.S. and moved their family to California. 

Blessing is a graduate of South Pasadena High School, South Pasadena and College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.

Blessing comes to this internship from Las Vegas where she was working in a doctors office and serving at Joyful Church working with young people and as a worship leader/musician. 

Blessing will be contacting each congregation on behalf of the PSWR as part of her internship and research. Please welcome her when she does and offer her the great stories of your feeding ministries. 

Disciples & UCC connection at Chapman featured in Orange County Register

The Orange County Register recently joined Rev. Nancy Brink, Director of Office of Church Relations, on campus at Chapman University for an interview about the school's 153 year old Disciples connection and how this connection makes Chapman unique. Click to read the online article. The full, print version is found here. 

Rev. Nancy Brink is director of Office of Church Relations, the link between Chapman University and Disciples of Christ, which founded Chapman in 1861. The school's Fish Interfaith Center holds worship and events for several religious faiths. Photos by Ana Venegas, OC Register Staff Photographer

Church In Society now accepting 2015 Disciple of the Year Nominations

The Regional Church In Society Committee, a standing committee of the Region, is currently soliciting nominees for the DISCIPLE OF THE YEAR award to be given at the January 11, 2015 Martin Luther King Celebration. Please read the guidelines below and recommend an individual(s), congregation or unit who meet those criteria whom you feel ought to be considered for this honor. 

GUIDELINES

The nominee shall be an active member of a Disciple congregation and shall have demonstrated his/her commitment as a laborer and witness on behalf of justice and peace. The activity may have been solely as a representative of the congregation in the immediate community served by that congregation, or may have been manifested in work with initiatives and organizations beyond congregational life, in
surrounding communities, municipalities, state-wide, throughout the nation or globally. The individual recommended need not have been a formally designated officer of an organization, but should have demonstrated steady, prophetic leadership in the spirit of scripture:

He has told you, 0 mortal, what is good:
and what does God require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk
humbly with your God   Micah 6:8

The Spirit of God is upon me,
because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,
and has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,
To let the oppressed go free,
To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Luke 4:18

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS

The deadline for receiving names to be considered for this round is OCT 15, 2014 

Only one person or entity is named each year, but the names of others nominated will be carried over for subsequent consideration.

120 Years of Ministry at First Christian Church Honolulu

We join our sisters and brothers at First Christian Church Honolulu in celebrating 120 years of ministry! Check out FCC Honolulu's Vimeo channel for more "Island Beats", great video updates on the life of our PSWR family across the ocean!

Island Beats Special 120 Anniversary Edition from FCC Honolulu on Vimeo.

Due September 4 - Camile Christian Church Grant Applications

PSWR’s Church in Society Committee is currently accepting applications for the Camile Christian Church Grant and the deadline for applying is September 4, 2014.

Both the requirements for the grant and application can be found on the PSWR website.

This grant is available due to the generosity and foresight of Camile Christian Church which provided a permanent fund through the sale of property for “special projects and outreach”. This grant is available to projects and programs that deal with the “root causes of injustice, poverty and promote Christian growth”. This can be an ongoing program or something new that needs some seed money to come to fruition.

Do you have a mission project or passion for a program that you would like to discuss with someone for brainstorming, resources or help in completing the Camile Grant application? CIS’s Mission Project Consultant, Cheri Metier is available to help! For more information about the Camile Grant, project assistance or what CIS is doing contact Cheri at CIS@disciplespswr.org .