Messages from our General Minister and President
January 20th Speech
Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), joined ecumenical leaders and fellow Disciples at Healing Cathedral Christian Church in Memphis, TN, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Interfaith Gathering and Moral Mass Meeting, titled “For Such a Time as This,” united participants in powerful worship, prophetic listening, and calls to action. Click here to hear Rev. Owen’s inspiring speech.

Luke 4: Being the Church we say we are
Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), reflects on Luke 4 where Jesus was called to speak good news to the poor, to work for liberty for the captive, to give sight to the blind, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. She encourages the church, in the power of the Spirit, to listen prophetically, to speak firmly and courageously for peace, justice, and mercy, and to pray steadfastly together.  View the video.

Week of Compassion
Resources are available to help churches and communities support their immigrant and refugee neighbors with compassion and care. These tools provide guidance, advocacy, and practical assistance amid changing policies.

Obra Hispana
Rev. Lori Tapia, National Pastor of Obra Hispana, has pinned a letter in response to Executive Actions on Immigration by the Trump Administration. Tapia states, “Each of us has a role to play in this historic moment. Rejecting these actions is not just a matter of civil rights but also a matter of faithfulness to the Gospel.” 

Justice and Advocacy Ministries
Justice and Advocacy Ministries empowers Disciples to use our voices and our actions to promote greater justice and mercy in the world. Disciples Home Missions seeks to bring a coordinated approach to influencing the church’s work for justice with a focus on three key areas: 1) Refugee and Immigration Ministries; 2) Racial Justice; 3) Environmental Justice. Click here for an Executive Orders Resource List.

These resources appeared in the January 29^th issue of Disciples Justice Ministries. Subscribe today to receive the newsletter.

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Disciples Church Extension Fund has named Rev. John Powell, M. Div. its Interim President and CEO.

Rev. Powell has over 30 years of bi-vocational experience in ministry and commercial banking, including strategic planning, lending, and corporate mergers. In his new role, he will guide the organization through transition as the Board works to call the next new President and CEO.

“Rev. John Powell possesses the gifts and graces that will serve the mission of Disciples Church Extension Fund well during this season of transition,” said Board Chair Martha A. Brown. “The expertise that he brings to this ministry and its partners will continue to grow the organization and the whole church.”

Rev. Powell is a past board member and has served as interim pastor and lead pastor in multiple congregations. He has also served as Moderator and Vice Moderator of the Capital Area Region and on several regional committees. He is currently serving as the pastor of Burgin Christian Church (DOC) in Burgin, KY.

“I am honored to be able to serve the Church in this capacity,” said Rev. Powell. “I have witnessed the dedication the staff has to the mission and look forward to guiding their work until a new leader is called.”

Rev. Powell earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Transylvania University, attended Lexington Theological Seminary, and holds a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) from Wesley Theological Seminary.

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Dear Disciples, and dear friends of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),

For more than 300 days, since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, the Palestinian people in Gaza have been crushed in spirit and in body as Israel has pursued a relentless assault that has included the crimes of extermination, murder, forcible transfer, torture, and inhuman treatment, among others, according to a United Nations Commission of Inquiry.  The number of Palestinian deaths has now exceeded 40,000, of whom 10,500 are children. Thousands of others remain unaccounted for, presumed lost and killed under tens of millions of tons of rubble – whole buildings and neighborhoods which have been targeted and destroyed by the onslaught. More than 1.9 million people out of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza of 2.3 million – three-quarters of whom are refugees from 1948 and their descendants – have been displaced from their homes multiple times, almost all are facing food insecurity of emergency levels, and Gaza is now facing a possible polio outbreak. Israel has blocked or denied essential nutritional aid, clean water, as well as medical supplies. What Palestinians are experiencing is nothing less than genocide.

Alongside its war on Gaza, Israel has intensified its operations in the West Bank, where more than 600 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Settler violence there has increased attacks on Palestinians that Israeli authorities have not constrained. Israel has approved settlement expansion and land annexation, encroaching further on Palestinian rights, and occupied Palestinian land while dehumanizing the Palestinian people. Its brutal assault on Gaza has provided a measure of cover for Israel’s violations in the West Bank and has overshadowed exchanges of artillery along the Israel-Lebanon border that has left tens of thousands of Israelis and Lebanese displaced.

The threat of regional expansion looms following the assassination of leading Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Tehran and Beirut, respectively. Such a widening lens has drawn focus away from the continuing assault on Gaza.

Recent attempts to avoid a wider war and to conclude a cease fire have provided a glimmer of hope, but the death and destruction have continued, despite these efforts. We acknowledge and deplore the United States’ enabling role of providing diplomatic cover and military arms and aid to Israel. We reiterate that there is – and can be – no military solution.

As always, it is the most vulnerable who suffer. The past ten months have amplified the dual imperative of ending the current atrocities and addressing decades of physical and systemic violence, including apartheid, that Palestinians refer to as the “ongoing Nakba.” The Palestinians in Gaza must be relieved of this onslaught, but also of more than half a century of Israeli occupation, 14 years of debilitating Israeli blockade, and several major military campaigns in the last two decades (2006, 2008-9, 2012, 2014, and 2021). This war must end, and further regional expansion avoided. Humanitarian and medical aid must be provided immediately, safely, and in sufficient quantities. All parties must be held to account. The occupation and Israel’s apartheid system must be dismantled. Palestinian refugees must be afforded their rights, and the now-homeless compensated for their material losses with guarantees of reconstruction. The Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees must be released. The United States must end its unquestioning diplomatic and military support for Israel’s violations of American and international law. As long as the core issues are not resolved, Palestinian resistance to oppression will only be strengthened.

As a Christian community of faith, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) seeks wholeness in a fragmented world, upholding the sanctity of life as a highest value. We have
been consistent in our opposition to all forms of violence – physical and structural – that violate the dignity of the people who are their victims. We condemn speech and acts of hate, including against Muslims and antisemitism, even as we clearly distinguish between such attitudes toward communities of faith and criticism of governmental policies. We must name injustice when we see it, and also act to re-center our Christian values of peace with
justice, compassion, and love for all people – the weak as well as the strong, the poor as well as the wealthy, and the powerless as well as the powerful. We cannot succumb to the sin of apathy but must speak truth to power with clarity and with prayer, wisdom, and action.

Echoing Middle Eastern Christians, we affirm and are inspired by biblical principles that “the meaning of our Christian presence and mission lies in building a culture of community and unconditional love among human beings. In this way, we become a sign and instrument of God’s communion with creation.” [1] Such love includes “seeking peace and pursuing it.”

For us, that peace starts with justice and abundant life. What we have seen for too long is the opposite: death and destruction, displacement and famine, desperation and tears. Nothing can return the losses of entire families and communities. But there must be accountability – to international law and institutions like the UN, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court, and to higher principles of justice, morality, and the sanctity of life.

We have striven in our prayers, advocacy, and solidarity with partners since October, and longer, to lift up the dignity of the people in the Middle East and to seek peace. We confess that it has not been enough. We can only pledge to redouble our efforts in that witness to bring an end to the horrific genocide taking place in front of our eyes, and to pursue a peace with justice that chooses life in all its fulness – with dignity and rights – for people everywhere.

Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens
General Minister and President

Rev. LaMarco A. Cable, President
Disciples Overseas Ministries

Rev. Chris Dorsey, President
Disciples Home Missions

Click to download a pdf of the letter.

       

[1] “We Choose Abundant Life – Christians in the Middle East: Towards Renewed Theological, Social, and Political Choices,” Beirut: September 2021, §70.

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The Disciples of Christ Historical Society is pleased to welcome Tristan Spangler-Dunning this summer as part of the Cannon-Benoit Student Internship. This internship, made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Weldon G. Cannon and Ms. Patty Benoit, is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student to provide short-term training in archival work and research. Several recipients of this internship have gone on to careers as archivists, including our current Associate Archivist, Abby Ayers.

Tristan Spangler-Dunning is a lifelong Disciple from Iowa. A multi-generational Disciple, Tristan has been deeply shaped by his parents Bill and Amy Spangler-Dunning, ordained clergy who instilled in him a love for the church and what it could offer people. Tristan earned his BA from Chapman University in Orange, California, where he wrote his thesis on the history of the Stone-Campbell movement and its relationship to slavery. He earned an MA from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, focusing his master’s thesis on the Stone-Campbell tradition as a form of historical resistance to Christian Nationalism. Tristan is currently working on an MDiv at the University of Chicago Divinity School. He currently resides at the Disciples Divinity House where he is collaborating with other Disciple scholars to work out ways in which to better serve Disciples communities in the modern age. Tristan believes that the history of the Stone-Campbell movement can help us do that very thing.

When reflecting on his upcoming internship with the Society Tristan shared, “I am looking
forward to doing research for my own work while also being a part of the important project that is the Disciples of Christ Historical Society.”

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Obra Hispana’s 22º Biennial Assembly will be held on June 20 – 22, 2024.  The theme for this year’s Assembly is “Generations: Disciple, Serve, and Celebrate”. The Assembly promises to have a program for all ages to be a church that learns, builds community and worships together today and in all generations to come.

Register to attend the 22º Biennial Assembly at the Hilton Kansas City Airport Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Early bird registration ends March 31st!

Click here for more information and to register.

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Ministry Opportunity

The Center for Faith and Giving is seeking the next Minister for Faith and Giving to serve as Executive Director. With Reverend Bruce Barkhauer’s retirement, we are looking for an energetic, passionate, and well-studied biblical stewardship catalyst.

We seek a Minister with a strong personal commitment to biblical stewardship; a wide and impactful ability to articulate, develop, frame, and sustain a culture of giving and generosity across the Church in diverse cultural settings; and extensive communication and collaboration skills. 

We seek an active, ordained Minister with insight, experience, and knowledge of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), who understands the interconnections among congregations, regions, general ministries, and ministries of higher education as they relate to stewardship and generosity. This is a quick-paced, deployed, influential role with senior leadership responsibility and accountability.

The Minister for Faith and Giving reports to the Center for Faith and Giving Board of Stewards and, through the Office of General Minister and President, to the Administrative Committee of the General Board of the Church.

This position requires a proven track record as an administrator and network builder; a curious and committed learner with the ability to teach and share stewardship learnings; and the ability to interact proactively and productively with senior leadership and at all levels of our organization.

We are looking for someone who continues to build biblically based understanding and action around generosity, stewardship, and giving across the organization, virtually and in-person, with an eye not only on the present, but also towards the future.

Ordination with standing, or eligible to seek standing, in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, with an earned Master of Divinity degree (or equivalent) and 5+ years congregational leadership experience is required.

An earned certificate in Philanthropy of Fundraising and/or advanced degree in stewardship or related field is preferred.

To learn more about this exciting, full-time opportunity with the Center for Faith and Giving, please review the job description here. We encourage interested and qualified candidates to apply no later than April 19 by submitting a resume and cover letter to Search Committee Chair, Rev. Jill Cameron Michel, at cfgsearch@disciples.org.

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Angelique previously served as the Regional Director of the Communications Ministry in The Christian Church (DOC) in Illinois and Wisconsin (and Michigan). She is a Disciple from Illinois. She authored the book, “The Phygital Church: Using Social Ministry to Make Disciples,” to assist congregations with being intentional about ministry in the digital space.

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The award honoring the Rev. T.A. Abbott is presented to: (1) A professor who by the strength of his or her teaching and personal example, inspires the student toward excellence; and whose underlying educational philosophy, irrespective of academic discipline, is wholeness of person; (2) A professor who continues to grow and learn in his or her academic discipline; and (3) A professor who manifests a personal faith. 

The Board of Directors of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) meeting in Indianapolis, IN, April 21-23, 2023, by unanimous consent presents the distinguished 2023 T.A. Abbott Award for Faculty Excellence to Dr. Sarah Riskind, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Chorale at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. 

According to Dr. Ann Fulop, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Eureka College, Dr. Riskind “exemplifies the spirit of the award. Dr. Riskind’s goals for her students includes programming repertoire in a variety of styles with significant representation of women, Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) composers, teaching students to read music, teaching students to use their voices more effectively, and fostering warm close-knit community.”  Dr. Fulop continues: “Dr. Riskind’s curation of the repertoire also inspires students because they see themselves represented in the composers . . . Dr. Riskind teaches students to recognize, accept, and celebrate the diversity amongst humanity . . . She specializes in Judeo-Spanish and Sephardic music. She has recently discovered a prolific 16th century convent composer, Raphael Aleotti.” 

Students of Dr. Riskind “have performed music written by women, Black American composers, Robert A. Harris and Adolphus Hailstork, and Latin American music from the colonial period to the 20th century. She has also included Irish and French-Canadian fiddle music in concerts.”

One statement stands out among all others: “As she shares her faith with students, she is opening the door for them to explore and share their own faiths and spiritual lives through their music.”

The entire Disciples academic community extends its congratulations to Dr. Sarah Riskind by honoring her with the T.A. Abbott Award for Faculty Excellence. The award comes with a stipend of $1,000 and an engraved plaque to be presented during a public ceremony at Eureka College at a time yet to be determined.

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Rev. Frederick-Gray currently serves in a part-time capacity as Director of Mission Support & The Peace Intern Program with Disciples Peace Fellowship, where he has been responsible for strengthening connections with the church, while equipping young adults as ambassadors for peace and justice. Prior to his current role, he served for seven years as Senior Minister at First Christian Church in Scottsdale, AZ, where he was a transformational leader who helped revitalize the congregation. Rev. Frederick-Gray has had extensive experience participating with, and providing leadership to, numerous organizations that do justice and advocacy work. He is a co-facilitator for the Disciples Justice Ministries cohort group; he previously served as part of the Arizona Faith Leaders Public Policy Working Group; and was president of the founding board of Arizona Interfaith Power and Light. He also served as a political fellow with the Center for Progressive Leadership.

This is a critical time for DHM as the ministry continues to undergo creative and strategic transformation, to meet the needs of a rapidly changing wider church environment. Part of that transformation includes a process of developing a strategic approach to coordinating DHM’s engagement around a variety of justice issues; promoting and supporting advocacy efforts by congregations, regions, and ministry partners; and providing ongoing informational and educational content regarding critical social justice issues. As the Director for Justice and Advocacy Ministries, Rev. Frederick-Gray will lead this effort within DHM. His portfolio of responsibilities will include coordinating DHM’s work in the key areas of refugee and immigration ministry; climate change and environmental justice; and racial justice initiatives.

Rev. Frederick-Gray is a graduate of Texas Christian University, where he majored in religious studies and psychology. He also received his Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, TN and is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He currently resides in Cambridge, MA with his wife, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, who serves as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and their son, Henry. He will continue his work with Disciples Peace Fellowship.

Disciples Home Missions is building the future and is excited to have Rev. Frederick-Gray join its dynamic staff. As a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), DHM continues to prioritize mission, advocacy and programs, as we work alongside congregations, regions, other general ministries and the wider society. For more information, please contact Disciple Home Missions at info@dhm.disciples.org.

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On this episode of Imagine with Me, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Rev. Terri Hord Owens welcomes Rev. Jose Martinez, Minister for New Church Strategies, at New Church Ministry. In this episode, Rev. Martinez talks about how New Church Ministry is imagining a church model for a new world.

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General Minister and President Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens with Rev. LaMarco Cable, President of Division of Overseas Ministries, and Rev. Chis Dorsey, President of Disciples Home Missions, join their voices with other leaders across the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to denounce the rising violence against LGBTQIA persons, the communities that hold them dear, and any legislation that causes harm to trans youth and LGBTQIA persons across the United States. 

There have been 461 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures this year. 119 of these bills ban gender-affirming healthcare for trans and non-binary youth. This places more than 54,000 trans youth receiving life-saving medical care at risk. Upon the release of this pastoral letter, that number continues to grow. This is not entirely new: at the 2019 General Assembly, GA-1929 noted the increase in legislation aiming to “devalue, punish, and erase transgender and gender-diverse identities in the recent past.” The current climate confirms those concerns. We have witnessed an increase in violent rhetoric and actions aimed at trans youth, their families, and the communities that support them, including many congregations across the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States. 

The work of GA-1929 is not new but an extension of GA-1327, which celebrates its 10^th Anniversary this year. At the 2013 General Assembly, GA-1327 called “upon the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to recognize itself as striving to become a people of grace and welcome to all God’s children though differing in race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, physical or mental ability, political stance or theological perspective.” 

Violence in any form – physical, rhetorical, legislative – is antithetical to the gospel of Jesus Christ, which calls us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. There is no exception or caveat, no room to cultivate hatred or distrust of the neighbor. Prejudice has no place in the kindom of God. Trans youth and their families deserve the human dignity to seek medical care and build lives of joy and thriving. 

The 2019 General Assembly, by adopting GA-1929, called on all expressions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) “to grow in the embodiment of God’s generous welcome for transgender and gender-diverse people and their families through education, shifts in institutional language and practice, and the cultivation of trusting relationships with transgender and gender-diverse people and their families.” The invitation to educate, shift and cultivate trust is a call to recognize the beloved status of all of God’s creation, continue to allow our faith to be informed by science, as well as imagine a path towards greater understanding and full inclusion. As followers of Jesus Christ and as part of the one body of Christ we welcome all to the Lord’s table as God has welcomed us. 

As leaders across the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we encourage the church not only to take increased steps towards education, welcome and cultivating trust but to consider the ways in which the church can be a force for wholeness in communities across the United States, decrying violence and encouraging the full inclusivity and thriving of all of God’s beloved children. 

Signed,

Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada

Rev. Chris B. Dorsey, President and CEO, Disciples Home Missions

Rev. LaMarco Cable, Co-Executive Global Ministries, President, Division of Overseas Ministries

Rev. Dr. Todd Adams, President, CEO, Pension Fund of the Christian Church

Mark D. Anderson, President and CEO, National Benevolent Association

Belinda R. King, President and CEO, Disciples Church Extension Fund

Joel Brown, Ph.D., President, Disciples of Christ Historical Society

Gary W. Kidwell, President, Christian Church Foundation

Rev. Chung Seong Kim, Executive Pastor, North American Pacific/Asian Disciples Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Brad Lyons, President and Publisher, Chalice Media Group

Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson, Executive Director, Disciples Women’s Ministries

Tamara Rodenberg, President, Higher Education & Leadership Ministries

Rev. Paul S. Tché, President, Christian Unity and Interfaith Ministry

Valerie Melvin, Regional Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in North Carolina

Rev. Dr. Teresa Dulyea-Parker, Regional Minister and President Illinois/Wisconsin and Michigan

Rev. Bill Robey, Interim Regional Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Northern Lights Region

Rev. Dr. Rick Spleth, Regional Minister, Region of Indiana 

Rev. Bill Rose-Heim, Regional Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Greater Kansas City

Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes, Executive Regional Minister, Central Rocky Mountain Region

Rev. Ken Marston, Co-Regional Minister, Christian Church in Kansas

Rev. Tom Stanley, Co-Regional Minister, Christian Church in Kansas

Rev. Dean Phelps, Interim Regional Minister, Christian Church Capital Area

Rev. Bill Spangler-Dunning, Regional Minister for the Christian Church in Virginia 

Rev. Dr. Jay R. Hartley, Regional Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

Rev. Dr. Christal L. Williams, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tennessee

Rev. Christopher B. Morton, Regional Minister, Christian Church in Nebraska

Rev. Allen V. Harris, Regional Pastor & President, Christian Church in Ohio

Rev. Sandy Messick, Regional Minister, Florida Disciples Regional Church

Rev. Dr. Andy Mangum, Regional Minister, Christian Church in the Southwest

Rev. Joshua J. Patty, Regional Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest

Rev. Dale Braxton, Interim Regional Minister, Christian Church in Alabama and North Florida

Rev. Dr. Paul Koch, Regional Minister, Mid-America Region

Rev. Dr. Nadine Burton, Executive Regional Minister, Great River Region

Rev Dr. Don Gillette, Regional Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kentucky

Rev. Dr. Cathy Myers Wirt,  Regional Co-Minister, Christian Church in Oregon and Southwest Idaho

Rev. Dr. La Taunya Bynum, Regional Minister, Christian Church of Northern California/Nevada

Rev. Pamela Holt, Regional Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma

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The highlight of the meeting was a Monday evening presentation by Rev. Vy Nguyen, Executive Director of Week of Compassion. Rev. Nguyen shared stories of his travels with Week of Compassion and the multitude of ministries and missions Week of Compassion works with around the globe. Rev. Nguyen focused his discussion on some of the most vulnerable communities around the world, including women and children and people who have been displaced or otherwise affected by long-term disasters. He shared that the partnership between Week of Compassion and the Christian Church Foundation has a strong, positive impact on these vulnerable communities as a large portion of the Week of Compassion undesignated funds come from gifts given through the Christian Church Foundation. The Board was humbled and inspired by the difference Week of Compassion makes around the world through their partnership with the Christian Church Foundation.

After Rev. Nguyen’s presentation, the Board and staff honored Sue Hansen, Vice President, Gift Administration. Sue will retire August 31, 2023, after 19 years of faithful and dedicated service with the Christian Church Foundation. Christy Stratton, who joined the Foundation staff in 2002 and has been a part of Sue’s team for 19 years, will assume more responsibility in her new position of Manager, Gift Administration. Bobbi Wesner, a member of Sue’s team since 2006, will also be promoted to a new role of Supervisor, Gift Administration and Accounts Payable.

The Board of Directors elected Rev. Kara Foster and Ms. Patice Holland as the newest members of the Board with terms beginning January 1, 2024. Rev. Foster is the Senior Minister of First Christian Church, Madisonville, Kentucky. Ms. Holland is a partner at the law firm Woods Rogers and is a member of Loudon Avenue Christian Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Finally, at President Kidwell’s recommendation, the Board initiated a process that will ultimately lead to the calling of the Foundation’s President-elect.

The Board’s next meeting will be November 10-12, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona.

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The Board of Directors of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is excited to share with the larger church the election of the Rev. Dr. Tamara Nichols Rodenberg as the newly elected President of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 

The Rev. Dr. Rodenberg served as the 20th President of Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia (2016-2022). From 2011-2016, Dr. Rodenberg served as Vice President for Advancement at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX. Prior to Brite, Dr. Rodenberg served as a two-year intentional interim President at the Disciples Seminary Foundation in Claremont, CA (2009-2011). 

In addition to her academic administrative work, Dr. Rodenberg is an ethicist, earning her PHD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She earned her Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary and was ordained by the Christian Church in Kentucky in 1992. Her call to be the President of HELM is historic, as she is the first woman to serve in this capacity. 

The Rev. Dr. Rodenberg comes to HELM as an accomplished administrator, collaboration-builder, and gifted leader of our church. The HELM Board of Directors congratulates the Rev. Dr. Tamara Nichols Rodenberg and welcomes her to the HELM family. We also honor her husband, the Rev. John Rodenberg, and two adult children, Heather and Matthew. Dr. Rodenberg will begin her ministry with HELM on May 1, 2023.

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On this episode of Imagine with Me, General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens speaks with Rev. Caroline Hamilton Arnold of Week of Compassion and Rev. Carol Divine of Green Chalice about the impacts of climate change and what congregations can do to be climate ready.

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Ms. Hernandez is a graduate of Christian Theological Seminary and brings a wealth of experience in the area of program leadership, cross-cultural engagement, as well as pastoral care and counseling. She recently served as the Director for the Division of Overseas Ministries/Global Ministries People to People Program and as Acting Executive for the Mission Personnel Office during a leadership transition at DOM/Global Ministries. Lorna is no stranger to DHM, having worked with DHM from 2009 to 2011. She is certainly well-known and highly respected by many across the life of the church, and will undoubtedly do a great job as an interim in this role. Lorna began her time with DHM on March 1, and there is a month of overlap between when Lorna begins and Warren Lynn concludes his work with DHM on March 31, 2023. We certainly pray for blessings for Warren and his family, and we pray for Lorna as she begins this important work.

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This position requires a proven track record of effectively keeping several simultaneous projects moving forward to completion, knowledge of human resources laws and regulations, and the ability to interact proactively and constructively with senior leadership as well as members at all levels of our organization. We are looking for someone who builds bridges across the organization, with an eye not only on the present, but also towards the future, and who effectively gets into the administrative weeds when needed.

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources management, or theology, and 10+ years of experience managing non-profit, religious organizations is required (Master’s degree preferred). To learn more about this exciting opportunity with the OGMP, please read the job description linked below. Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply no later than the March 15^st deadline by submitting a resume and cover letter to Shannon Pope, Executive Assistant to the General Minister and President.

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The Board of Directors of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries (HELM) seeks a President who will work with HELM’s board and higher education constituents to:

• Enrich the current mission and programs of HELM, while strategically looking to the future of HELM’s ministry.
• Consult and network with other persons and entities within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that include leadership development in their core missions, especially for young adults;
• Develop collaborative relationships that strengthen HELM’s capacity to enact its core mission;
• Develop and begin to implement a plan for economic equilibrium and a sustainable funding formula to enable HELM’s ministry long-term.

Our 2023 Context

HELM represents the continuation of over a century of organized Disciples commitment to the ministries of higher education as manifested in colleges and universities, campus ministries, and graduate theological education. Identifying, cultivating, equipping and supporting transformative leaders is HELM’s core work.

We live in an age of ongoing disruption of patterns of religious affiliation and participation, a disruption that has been underlined by the Covid-19 pandemic. These new and different ways of understanding and participating with “church” markedly affect congregations, regional and general expressions of church, and institutions of church-related higher education — both undergraduate educationand graduate theological education. HELM, concerned with the development of spiritual leaders (especially Christian, and particularly Disciples of Christ), must continually assess what is needed now and in the times to come.

The President will face a combination of opportunities and challenges in helping HELM enact its mission, relationships, and programs. Here are a few that the Board has identified:

• God is at work in the world calling forth and equipping leaders to serve the future needs of God’s mission. This is HELM’s central opportunity and challenge. HELM seeks to join God in the work of calling and equipping leaders for a changing world, especially among those persons in Disciples- related institutions of higher education.
• Many expressions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are either engaged in or talking about the work of leadership development. How might HELM take a more active role in networking and amplifying this work?
• HELM’s leadership programs, especially the HELM Leadership Fellows Program, are critical components of HELM’s ministry and have important and impressive outcomes. How will these programs be sustained and improved?
• Funding the mission is a critical issue. Some endowed funds support HELM’s programs. Operating money from Disciples Mission Fund will continue to decrease. What does economic equilibrium look like for HELM?
•  Relationships with the HELM’s core ministry partners – the fifteen colleges and universities, and the seven graduate theological institutions affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – need continued development and deepening.

The HELM board is ,overall, an active and committed group. That said, board development and achieving full engagement will be a priority. Over the past three decades, HELM’s staff has been reduced. The President will need to assess the staff—employed and volunteer— HELM needs in order to accomplish its mission. Currently, there is a half-time program coordinator, and two part-time administrative support staff.

We invite interested and qualified persons to join us in this journey!

We hope that you will be thoughtful and intentional in your consideration of this job announcement, and make your application before the February 22, 2023 deadline. Or, if you know someone who would be a great candidate, please share this invitation and our job description. The information about how to apply is located at the end of the job description.

We are committed that HELM will be a ministry that continues to make a difference in the world, and we hope you will join us!

The post Higher Education and Leadership Ministry launches search for next President appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

On this episode of Imagine with Me, General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens is joined by Chaplain (MAJ) Owen Chandler, 1st Infantry Division as the Brigade Chaplain for the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team. Chaplain Chandler will be preaching at the 2023 General Assembly in Louisville, KY, and shares a bit about his work as a military chaplain.

“Like these are stories where Jesus along the way he encounters situations of hopelessness and helps transform those moments through the very real presence of God. And so like military chaplaincy is a lot like that.” -Chaplain (MAJ) Owen Chandler

The post Imagine with Me: Chaplain (MAJ) Owen Chandler appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Dr. Delesslyn Audra Kennebrew, J.D., M.Div. is a Visionary Strategist, Faithful Innovator, Inspirational Essayist, and Energizing Preacher. For 16 years, she has worked to give life to the vision and mission of local churches and is currently intrigued by conversations that consider the intersection of faith, innovation, design thinking, and social transformation. Dr. Kennebrew has a passion for helping churches to discern, discover, and develop what’s next. She is founder of The WOVEN Network and co-founder of The Orchid Project, a 501(c)3 non-profit which exists to invest in the lives of girls in Africa by meeting a basic need to promote healthy personal hygiene and cultivate positive self-esteem. She is the founder of The Living Room Christian Fellowship – an online ministry gathering on Facebook Live every Thursday evening and hosted Kids Korner Radio program every Sunday evening for the last ten years. Dr. Kennebrew has also learned the value of rest and has embarked upon a social entrepreneurship endeavor, Morning Glory Retreat, a place for clergy to rest. She hopes to welcome and host faith leaders into this sacred space beginning in Spring 2023.  

She currently serves as the Regional Minister for Ministry Innovation in the Greater Kansas City Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where she gives leadership to church planting, congregational transformation, ministry innovation, and church affiliation. Dr. Kennebrew is now looking forward to leading within the National Convocation as the Administrative Secretary and Associate General Minister. In this new role, she is determined to ensure that the issues, priorities, and constituency of all who make up the National Convocation are represented. She understands that she will lead as an inspiring visionary/advocate, strategic administrator, creative innovator, and faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  

Dr. Kennebrew is an avid writer and has written over 400 blog posts for her blog, Salvation and Stilettos hosted at www.SpiritedConcepts.net. She is also the author of two books: Step Out of the Boat: An Invitation to Walk on Water and The Power to be PERFECT: A Collection of Reflections on Spiritual Perfection. She is a proud graduate of Loyola University New Orleans (B.A. Mass Communications), the University of Arkansas School of Law (J.D.), Emory University – Candler School of Theology (M.Div.), and Columbia Theological School (D.Ed.Min., Doctor of Educational Ministry). Her ministry motto is Colossians 3:17 – And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  

Dr. Kennebrew will begin her ministry with the National Convocation March 1, 2023. 

The post National Convocation Calls Administrative Secretary appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).