Rev. Dr. Chad McMullin is our next Dedicated Disciple. Rev. McMullin and First Christian Church in Sedalia, MO are featured in an article exploring the impact of the pandemic on congregations, “Pastor’s vision team was key to his church’s 15% growth during COVID”.

McMullin reflects, “That was one of the best things we did. We gave a sacred experience to offer them reflection and rest; conversations that matter, things that were more experiential across the board. We offered a more healing space.”

Read more about Rev. Dr. Chad McMullin and First Christian Church in Sedalia from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research article here.

Dedicated Disciples exemplify what it means to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. If you know of a Dedicated Disciple being recognized in their community that should be featured, please make a submission here.

The post Dedicated Disciple Rev. Dr. Chad McMullin appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Julie Burch is a long-time, active member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Charlotte, and has served the church in several capacities, including Moderator. She is currently serving as an Elder, facilitates a weekly Zoom fellowship and prayer gathering, and assists with church communications. Julie is an enthusiastic volunteer with the Dilworth Soup Kitchen and Project Outpour, non-profit agencies which provide food and mobile showers to the homeless. She has served on the Board of Directors of Chalice Press, a non-profit progressive Christian publishing company, for over 20 years, including a term as Board Chair.

Julie is a retired local government professional with a deep background and experience in managing cities, urban affairs, and citizen engagement. Her career began with internships in Olathe, KS and Estes Park, CO. She was a Management Intern with the City of Phoenix, AZ and rose to the position of Assistant Management & Budget Director. The City of Charlotte, NC recruited her to serve as an Assistant City Manager where she served for over 26 years. During that time, she developed policy recommendations and provided operational oversight for a number of City departments, including neighborhoods, housing, and environment. In early 2013, Julie served as Charlotte’s Interim City Manager, reporting directly to the Mayor and City Council, and overseeing an organization of over 6,000 employees.

Born and raised in the Kansas City area, Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Kansas State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Julie retired from professional life in 2013.

The post Dedicated Disciple Julie Burch appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The post In Memoriam: Rev. Chris Morton appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Dr. Culp, the beloved Dean of Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago, has been named one of 5 Vice – Moderators for the Commission on Faith and Order, a body of the World Council of Churches. Rev. Terri Owens, General Minister and President, reflects “Dean Culp represents the Disciples on this body and is certainly a phenomenal witness for our church as they are focused on the task of constructive theology as part of the global ecumenical movement.”

Kris Culp has been Dean of the Disciples Divinity House since 1991. She is also Associate Professor of Theology in the Divinity School and in the College. An alumna of the Disciples Divinity House and a 1989 PhD graduate of the Divinity School, she earned the Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of General Studies degree from the University of Iowa. From 1985-91, she was a member of the faculty of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri.

She is the author of Vulnerability and Glory: A Theological Account (Westminster John Knox, 2010), one of the first theological works to connect multidisciplinary conversations about environmental and economic vulnerability with theological anthropology and sociality. She is the editor of The Responsibility of the Church for Society and Other Essays by H. Richard Niebuhr (2008).

She represents the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) on the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and serves as one of the commission’s vice moderators. She has served on numerous boards, including, presently, the Board of Stewards of the Week of Compassion; she regularly serves in an advisory capacity to various groups; and she has served as chair of the Council on Theological Education of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and on the denomination’s General Board and Administrative Committee. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors of DisciplesWorld, a journal of news, opinion, and features about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and its chair from 2006-09. She is a former president of the Association of Disciples for Theological Discussion and was a founding member of the Forrest Moss Institute, an association of Disciples women scholars.

The post Dedicated Disciple Dr. Kristine Culp appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Dedicated Disciples exemplify what it means to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. If you know of a Dedicated Disciple being recognized in their community that should be featured, please make a submission here.

Our first Dedicated Disciple is Rev. Faye Vaughn, who retired after 26 years in ministry, and has accepted a new call as the Pastor of First Christian Church in Frankford, MO.

Read more about Rev. Faye Vaughn here.

The post Dedicated Disciples appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

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.

The post OGMP announces Director of Communications appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Disciples of Christ Historical Society announces the retirement next year of DCHS President, the Rev. Dr. Richard H. (Rick) Lowery. Lowery was installed as President of DCHS in November, 2017, and will serve until a successor is chosen in September, 2022.

During Dr. Lowery’s tenure, DCHS has expanded its efforts toward digitizing and making its extensive resources accessible online to a global audience through its Digital Commons website. It has launched the online-onlyJournal of Discipliana, a peer-reviewed journal for original scholarship on topics related to the theology, history, and practice of churches in the Disciples and broader Stone-Campbell tradition. On behalf of the Society at the 2019 General Assembly, he helped plan and lead the church’s celebration and commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Merger Agreement between the predominantly African American National Christian Missionary Convention and the International Convention of Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ).

Lowery co-edited and helped write a book about the Design and oversaw the creation of a video about denominational Restructure in the 1950s and 1960s. Lowery conceived, helped write, and edited a book of prayers by the presidents and staff of the general ministries, Wellsprings of Hope: Prayers for a Prophetic New Vision for Disciples (Chalice Press, 2020).

Under his leadership, DCHS has focused on telling stories of historically underrepresented groups in the Disciples/Stone-Campbell tradition and recruiting authors for biographies of significant Disciples leaders such as Preston Taylor and Sarah Lue Bostick.

Dr. Lowery has gathered a diverse group of Disciples and Stone-Campbell scholars and church leaders to plan a DCHS-sponsored academic conference, “Systemic Racism, Antiracism, and ‘Reconciliation’ in Our Shared History and Tradition,” at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 18-19, 2022. Lowery will edit a book centered on the papers and discussions of that conference. 

“Dr. Lowery has brought the Disciples of Christ Historical Society into the modern age by reaching out to patrons and donors across the entire Stone-Campbell movement, including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Churches of Christ, and the Christian Church/Churches of Christ. With his deep knowledge and love of Stone-Campbell history and his ability to convey the importance of our history, he has drawn new enthusiasts into the fold. This has been key to the growth and stability of our ministry,” stated Archie Jenkins, Chairman of the DCHS Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for the energy and experience Rick has brought to DCHS and will miss him greatly. We wish him and his family the best as they step into this new journey.” The DCHS Board has begun the process, following the church’s Executive Search Model, of finding and calling Dr. Lowery’s successor. 

The post Historical society president to retire in 2022 appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

There’s only so much we can do in terms of our intellect, but when the Spirit of God moves, and when we can recognize that, and we walk in that path of righteousness, and when that decision was made peace, peace was given. Yeah, you know we moved forward. There were financial concerns and all of that. At some point, as in all of our lives, we have to release and allow God to be God, and that’s what we did. – Moderator Elect Clyde Hunt speaking of the work of the moderator team and administrative committee

Rev. Terri Hord Owens has a conversation with Clyde Hunt, moderator elect of the General Assembly, about the work of the moderator team and administrative committee as it stewards the work of the church.

Find out more

Covenant Conversation curriculum

Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church

Light of the World Christian Church

The post Imagine With Me: Moderator Elect Clyde Hunt appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

October 14, 2021, Washington, DC – The Governing Board of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) met virtually for its biannual board meeting on October 13, 2021.

For the first time in its 71-year history, the NCC Governing Board elected all women as officers. The officers began their two-year terms effective yesterday as follows: Bishop Teresa Jefferson Snorton, 5th Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, as Chair; Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as Vice Chair; Kimberly Gordon Brooks, 1st Vice President of the 3rd District Lay Organization, African Methodist Episcopal Church, as Secretary, and Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens, General Minister & President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), as Treasurer. Three of the officers are women of color.

The NCC Governing Board also approved the Updated Edition of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSVue) of the Bible, which is considered the most meticulously researched, rigorously reviewed, and faithfully accurate English-language Bible translation. The process began in 2017 when the NCC commissioned the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) to conduct a review and update of the 1989 New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV).

The NRSVue, like the NRSV and the Revised Standard Version (RSV), follows in the tradition of the King James Bible, making changes that were warranted on the basis of accuracy, clarity, euphony, and current English usage. The SBL applied recent scholarship to ancient texts to help readers explore the meanings of these texts in light of the cultures that produced them. The NRSVue is as free as possible from the gender bias inherent in the English language, which can obscure earlier oral and written renditions.

The post General Minister and President part of historic board for National Council of Churches appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

“If we’re if we’re being serious what God is doing in history, then the church has to be a place where folks who find themselves on the margins, when they come to the church, find themselves at the center.” – Rev. Eddie Anderson, McCarty Memorial Christian Church

General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens talks with the Rev. Eddie Anderson, pastor of McCarty Memorial Christian Church in Los Angeles.

Find out more:

• McCarty Memorial Christian Church
• California Poor People’s Campaign Facebook page
• Redlining (Wikipedia)
• Rev. James H. Cone (Wikipedia)
• Rev. James Lawson (King Institute)
• Rev. Kelly Brown Douglas (National Cathedral)
• Black Lives Matter – LA

The post Imagine With Me: Justice work with Rev. Eddie Anderson appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Rev. Monique Crain Spells has been called as the new Director of Christian Education/Faith Formation -Merger Staff for Disciples Home Missions and the National Convocation. Over the last eight years, her primary ministry has been theological education administration. She has served two Disciples Seminaries – Christian Theological Seminary and Brite Divinity School.

Rev. Sheila P. Spencer, Disciples Home Missions Interim President shares “We are grateful for the gifts, commitment and passion that she will bring to this role. These qualities were crystal clear to the Search Committee during our conversation with her. Disciples Home Missions and the National Convocation have partnered together in this important ministry call. She has demonstrated leadership in Local, Regional and General levels of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her multiple gifts prepare her for this role. Her commitment to Christian Education spans more than twenty years. From designing curricula to conference planning, playwriting to grant writing and devotionals, designing resources for faith and community partners has been her life’s work.“

Rev. Yvonne Gilmore, Interim Administrative Secretary of the National Convocation reflects, “Rev. Crain Spells is the current president of the Fellowship of Black Disciples Clergy Women, and an experienced servant leader of the National Convocation. She has served with creativity and excellence as a church planter, playwright, and leader in theological education. During this moment of spirit led innovation and greater connectivity, the National Convocation is gratefully excited and looking forward to partnering with her to strengthen and develop new models to support the wholeness and flourishing of Black Disciples congregations and the Christian education ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.

As Disciples Home Missions and the National Convocation continue to live into the historic merger of 1969, a structural commitment to collaboration and transformation that established three merger positions in education, evangelism and women’s ministries, we are confident that Rev. Crain Spells is uniquely prepared to equip our national, regional, and local ministries to grow and adapt to meet current and future education ministry needs.”

Rev. Monique shares, “My commitment to Christian Education has been lifelong. Rightly, I am overjoyed and ready to accept this call. The season requires transplanted innovation—an innovation that draws from our unique communal assets to empower prophetic ministry across the church. It is my aim to shine liberating light on the gospel in creative ways that it might be experienced equitably as good news. Serving as Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation, I have the opportunity to share tools that magnify our nonconforming Jesus through intentional learning designs. As they did with Mary and her son, let angels attend to my path.”

She will officially begin on November 1, 2021.

The post Christian education/faith formation merger position call is answered appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

contributed by the editors of The Oldtimer’s Grapevine

This continues to be a great 30th Anniversary year for The Oldtimers’ Grapevine. Our readership has grown, enabling many who were unfamiliar with this “hidden treasure” led by independent volunteers to experience its delights. Thanks to the generosity of new and faithful donors, our first major fund drive, “I Love The Grapevine” has raised over $12,000! Our goal to upgrade technology, develop a social media presence, add support staff, and grow our endowment is starting to be realized.

At the midpoint of the fund drive, we invite those who don’t know the Grapevine, to get to know us. There is no subscription fee – all you need to do is contact us to receive three issues of the newsletter throughout the year.

We are entering a new phase of the fund drive, the Disciples’ Legacy Phase, to give our supporters the opportunity to celebrate special events and to honor trailblazers and servant leaders in the life of the church. We invite you to place a Disciples’ Legacy Tribute in the next issue of the Newsletter, in support of the fund drive.  Our collective tributes will continue the 30-year mission of the Grapevine: to provide a testimony to our collective rich legacy as Disciples of Christ.

To become a Grapevine subscriber, to join the celebration; and to share your rich Disciples’ legacy contact us at:

oldtimers.grapevine@gmail.com

The post Oldtimer’s Grapevine celebrates 30 years appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The Board of Directors of Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) is pleased to announce that it has named Belinda R. King, MBA, as the next President of the general ministry. With nearly two decades of experience in business banking, commercial lending, investment management, and client service, King is the first African American and first woman to serve as President of DCEF. She will begin her role as President Elect on November 15, 2021, following Erick D. Reisinger who will retire as President on December 31, 2021.

“I am overjoyed with Belinda becoming the next President of DCEF,” said Rev. Laurie Pound Feille, DCEF Board chair. “She has the experience, gifts, and talents to lead DCEF into the future. The Board of Directors is looking forward to working with her and to all that she will bring to the position.”

King joined DCEF in 2012 as Assistant Treasurer for Loan Services. She has served as Assistant Vice President (2014) and Vice President (2019). In her role on the DCEF Advisors team, King works directly with congregations, relates to Regional Ministers, other Disciples of Christ ministers, denominational Bishops, and a host of church partners. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration & Labor Relations from Indiana University and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan. She also holds the FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.

King currently serves as Treasurer for the National Convocation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) board. She has held the offices of Director of Finance with Transitional Life Connection Inc. (TLC), finance committee member and member-at-large for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana Regional Board, and Treasurer and Financial Secretary of Light of the World Christian Church, Indianapolis. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

She resides in Fishers, Ind., with her husband Roderick (Rod), and their children Brittany, Gregory, and Kyra (KC).

King believes that successful ministry is a combination of vision, people, and process. “DCEF is called to be a change agent for what comes next for the Church,” she said. “We are on the cusp of change, and I feel called by God to be the bridge for DCEF’s future.”

Through investments, loans, and a holistic suite of services, DCEF connects with congregations to discern the best path forward for meaningful ministry. It is also the home of the denomination-wide program, New Church Ministry (NCM). Offering relevant resources and innovative solutions, DCEF helps congregations thrive and transform communities.

King will be the ninth president of the 138-year-old ministry. “I am very pleased that Belinda has been named the next president of DCEF,” said Reisinger. “Her love for the Church paired with her extensive background in the financial sector makes Belinda the ideal person to lead DCEF into its next chapter of ministry.”

King’s appointment concludes an extensive search that followed the executive search model as approved by the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). “Our process was one of spiritual discernment,” said search committee chair Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez. “Our task as the search committee was to identify who God had already called.”

The post Disciples Church Extension Fund names new president appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson has been called as the new Executive Director of Disciples Women. As an ordained Minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), she brings experience, passion, and expertise to this role.  Most recently, Rev. Johnson served as the Minister of Discipleship and Outreach for Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee . Her prior experience includes faith-based community organizing, executive pastoral leadership, and Serving as Director of Christian Education for New Covenant Christian Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

The IDWM (International Disciples Women’s Ministries) Search Committee Chair, Claretta Witherspoon, shares that the team prayed and deliberated for months to find the woman that God had ordained to fill the position of IDWM Executive Director. “We unanimously and joyfully selected Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson. With great excitement we welcome her as the new leader for Disciples Women’s Ministries in the United States and Canada. We look forward to working with her and her vision for the women in our denomination.”

Wanona Redd, IDWM President, shares, “It is a pleasure and an honor to have the opportunity to welcome to the Disciples Women Ministry Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson. I believe that Rev. Johnson will work diligently to fulfill our purpose statement, “.…to be a conduit for diverse connections empowering each woman to find her voice and live out her call.” Her road to Executive Director of Disciples Women has been, I believe, paved with obstacles of many shapes and sizes which have built character and fortitude that will be exemplary of a “Disciple Woman”. I, as president of the International Disciple Women Ministry, send a call to my Sisters in Christ. I urge you to welcome, assist, pray for and encourage Rev. Johnson as she represents us, the Disciples Women Ministry, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and most of all, God. 

Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson shares, “For over one hundred years, the Disciples Women’s Ministries has aimed to be a source of empowerment for women as they seek to live out their call. As Executive Director, I look forward to co-laboring with an amazing body of women across this denomination and reimagining this ministry into a relevant vehicle of transformation for all women, both clergy and lay. At its best, Disciples Women’s Ministry will have an indelible impact that transcends any imaginable boundary creating pathways for women to restore, retool, and reclaim that which is rightfully hers: the audacity to manifest her divine call in the world in holistically healthy ways, ultimately advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Rev. Angéle Saunders Johnson will officially begin her call on August 16, 2021. Rev. Sheila P. Spencer, Interim President of Disciples Home Missions shares, “We are grateful that Rev. Johnson has answered this call and we are thankful for the multiple gifts and talents that she will be able to share with Disciples Women and the Body of Christ.”

The post Disciples Women names new leader appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Disciples Tech Corp needs you! If you have skills in information technology, video editing, lighting, sound & audio engineering, worship service production & livestreaming, or website & graphic design, and if you are willing to share your gifts with the church, please sign up today.  Disciples Tech Corps will provide tech support and resources to Disciples congregations. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your gifts and talents.  Visit www.DISCIPLES.TECH to learn more and to complete the tech application form.

The post Disciples Tech Corps launches appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

“And you know, we came to this idea that DMF is us. It’s who we are. It’s all of the the churches that we’re in covenant with. It’s our home base.” – Rev. Chad McMullin, First Christian Church, Sedalia, MO

Rev. Terri Hord Owens speaks with Mid America pastor Rev. Chad McMullin about the changes in his congregation when they began to focus on the theological reasons for giving.

DMF Day is June 24. More information | Be an ambassador

The post Imagine With Me: Disciples Mission Fund appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The pandemic presented significant challenges for communities affected by disasters–including shortages of supplies and restrictions on volunteering.  But through it all, Week of Compassion partners have found ways to continue serving survivors. Now, Disciples have the opportunity to serve at some of these mission sites. As gathering becomes possible again, disaster recovery volunteers are needed more than ever!

One of the opportunities to serve is in Pamlico County, North Carolina. Hundreds of houses in the area were devastated by Hurricane Florence in 2018 (with some subsequently damaged by Hurricane Dorian in 2019). Soon after Hurricane Florence, a partnership emerged between the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Pamlico County Disaster Recovery Coalition, in order to assist with housing repairs across the county. The project prioritized serving some of the most vulnerable households: low-income, elderly, veterans, disabled people, and/or families with children in the home.

“Ms. Gloria’s home was hit hard during Hurricane Florence,” Week of Compassion partners recently shared. “Her roof was damaged, which let water into the home, causing further damage. Some generous friends helped to repair the roof and prevent further problems with leaks, but Ms. Gloria had been unable to re-enter her home for over two years, since the storm also destroyed the wheelchair ramps that made her house accessible. Through a collaboration between Week of Compassion and several local partners, volunteers repaired damaged siding, replaced flooring, and began reconfiguring the interior of her home to make it more wheelchair friendly (such as widening the door to her bathroom). With a few more weeks of work, Ms. Gloria’s home will be ready for her to move back in.”

Camp Caroline, the Disciples of Christ church camp in Pamlico County, serves as one of the volunteer host sites in the county. The flexibility and quality of volunteer housing, the broad coalition of partners, and the commitment to volunteer and survivor wellbeing, helped enable work to continue throughout the pandemic. Still, support is needed for ongoing recovery.

As vaccines become increasingly available, and as ecumenical partners have growing success with COVID-19 protocols for volunteer teams, Week of Compassion has identified several volunteer opportunities for disaster recovery, including hurricane recovery in Louisiana and tornado recovery in Ohio, in addition to the recovery in North Carolina.

The pandemic remains a fluid situation, with regional spikes in cases, new variants, and continued risks and uncertainties, so in-person volunteer opportunities may not be suitable for everyone at this time. Currently, Week of Compassion requires that all volunteers who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine do so before serving.  Those who are able to volunteer safely can make a significant contribution to the important work of disaster recovery, supported by our wider Church.

For more Information about current and potential volunteer opportunities, visit the Week of Compassion website: www.weekofcompassion.org/volunteer

The post Calling for volunteers appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

LEXINGON, KY – Rev. Dr. Donald K. Gillett II has been called as the new regional minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kentucky. The regional board voted unanimously on Saturday, May 22, to approve the Regional Minister Search Team’s recommendation that Rev. Dr. Gillett be called to this position. He will start in this position on Aug. 1.

Rev. Dr. Gillett has deep roots in the Kentucky region, having served the last 22 years as senior pastor of East Second Street Christian Church in Lexington. Since June 2017, he has been the Executive Director of the Kentucky Council of Churches and has served as an adjunct lecturer at Lexington Theological Seminary.

Rev. Dr. Gillett stated, “I am honored and privileged to have been called to regional ministry in Kentucky. I am truly excited and feel called to this ministry at this moment in time and look forward to working with all who make up the Christian Church in Kentucky.”

“After an extensive search, the team felt that Rev. Dr. Gillett was the person God was calling to this position,” said Rev. Kory Wilcoxson, chair of the Regional Minister Search Team. “His relational nature, his dynamic presence, and his commitment to the health of the region will be a blessing to Kentucky as we move forward.”

Rev. Dr. Gillett holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Tex.; a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago; a Master of Business Administration Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Ind.; and a Doctorate of Ministry Degree from Lexington Theological Seminary.

In addition to his current work, he has extensive experience at the local, regional, and denominational level. He currently serves as the chair of the UCMS Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is the immediate past President of the National Convocation Board of Directors for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He has served as Chair/Co-Chair of the Division of Overseas Ministries Board of Directors of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Co-Chair of Global Ministries of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ. He is a former Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in KY and President of the Kentucky Christian Missionary Convention.

“I live by the passage in Ephesians,” said Rev. Dr. Gillett. “’The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.’”

Reverend Dr. Gillett has four children, Jeremy, Liyah, Tasia, and Donald, III (Trey) and one grandchild, Jayda. He is married to Dr. Charisse L. Gillett, President of the Lexington Theological Seminary.

The post Kentucky calls regional minister appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

“Many times we say about the covenant, only covenant for the denomination or something, but we have to remember that we have a covenant as a Christian and we have a covenant as a brother and sister in Christ. That’s the first thing. People feel that and when they find that important aspect in our in our church, people will come.” – Rev. Chung Seong Kim, executive pastor for North American Pacific/Asian Disciples 

Rev. Terri Hord Owens talks with the executive pastor for North American Pacific/Asian Disciples (NAPAD), Rev. Chung Seong Kim about the ways congregations in his community are living out the Pentecost story of inclusiveness and growth.

Find out more

• NAPAD
• New Church Ministry
• Pentecost offering
• Small group study Covenant Conversations
• March statement on anti-Asian violence

The post Imagine With Me: North American Pacific/Asian Disciples appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Rev. Dr. Louis Threatt never thought he’d be a pastor.  

But that changed when he became a prison chaplain in North Carolina, where he noticed a disconnect between church and prison.

In a recent video call with New Church Ministry, Rev. Louis tells us that there’s both a lack of prison ministries and congregations doing prison ministry well.

“In Matthew 25, Jesus asks ‘did you visit me?’ Churches will use that text to check this box off, even if they do little more than stop by,” Rev. Louis says. “Others will come into the prison and preach fire and brimstone.”

Attitudes toward those who have been incarcerated are not much better after they’re released.

According to Rev. Louis, when someone is released from prison and enters into a church, a simple introduction of who they are can be very uncomfortable for some, as they struggle between revealing if they’ve been incarcerated and having their past exposed or waiting until somebody finds out and then being treated differently.

So he asked himself, why not have a place of worship that welcomes everybody?

In February 2020, after several discussions with God and confirmation through friends, Rev. Louis and others pressed forward with planting a faith community for those impacted by incarceration, including those that served time, are currently serving time, and their families, as well as those that work inside these institutions. The pastor counts himself as part of this community, as one of his best friends and several of his immediate family members have been incarcerated. For example, his sister spent 17 years behind bars, but is out now and doing very well.

 “I know what it’s like writing to somebody who’s locked up, visiting them, talking to someone through a glass window, wondering when you can see them on the outside,” he says, “and I know what it is like beholding the joy when they’re released.”

Rev. Louis’s prison coworkers would say that he was doing time just like the inmates, but he knew the difference was that he could leave when he wanted to.

“I can never fully understand the experience of somebody who has been incarcerated,” he clarifies.

Being on the other side though hasn’t exactly been easy for Rev. Louis. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and it’s continuing to rise. The rates for African American males have gone from one in 12, to one in eight, to one in three.

“Seeing that increase, and witnessing the vast number of persons of color inside, especially as an African American man, has been challenging,” he admits. “So have the conversations with people that served their time, were released, and then returned. Some of them informed me that they recommitted just to get back in for a peace of mind and less responsibility. Unfortunately, this is a challenge for many who do not receive the support that is needed, especially the kind that can come from the church.”

So in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rev. Louis and others made started developing a community of faith focused on incarceration. He knew that he could wait until he had more funds, and more planning, but that this need was too great and urgent. So in June 2020, Cities of Refuge Christian Church (DOC) was started.

“I have pastored other congregations and I’m not big on starting a church just for starting a church,” says Rev. Louis. “I feel called to this particular ministry, and in this particular fashion. Our mission is to share Jesus Christ’s goodness, words, and teachings. We are open to and for  those that are left out, abandoned, and forgotten.”

When we inquire about his involvement with New Church Ministry, he gives high praise for Pastor Terrell L McTyer, Minister of New Church Strategies.

“Pastor Terrell has helped extend some of this vision that God has put on me,” remarks Rev. Louis, “and been able to help formulate some of my radical ideas.”

In addition, he is grateful for the spiritual guidance through others such as, his pastor, Bishop William J. Barber II and NC Regional Minister Bishop Valerie Melvin. (Watch Cities of Refuge Church’s video that was shown at the recent Regional assembly.)

Participants gather on Zoom and there are plans to explore sites in the area between Durham and Hillsborough once COVID-19 restrictions ease. As for the name, Rev. Louis turned to the Old Testament, when the Israelites were crossing over the Jordan River. In Joshua 20, God tells Joshua to set up cities of refuge. Those that have committed a crime can flee to one of these cities and be received without judgement, and protected and loved.

“There’s a lot of cities of refuge that focus on refugees, those that have been pushed to the margins, those in the LGBTQ community,” Rev. Louis says. “But you rarely see any that particularly serve who the scripture talks about.”

People tend to point out that these cities of refuge are for those who have committed a crime unknowingly. Rev. Louis counters this argument with Matthew 5. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.” He goes on to say, “My father rains on the just and the unjust,” and to greet everybody even the least of these. Rev. Louis then presents the case of Barabbas, who was serving a life sentence for murder until he was released by Jesus.

“How can we pick and choose who we invite into the church?” Rev. Louis questions. “I don’t believe that’s the God we serve. That’s not Jesus. In fact, many forget that Jesus was an inmate.”

So Cities of Refuge Church’s congregants include people who have been incarcerated, those who have been impacted by incarceration, and others who are passionate about the work that is happening. Their worship services are like any other services – they have music, invocation, prayer, and scripture reading. Every Sunday, Rev. Louis intentionally sets time aside for testimony to hear celebrations. In our ministry’s interview with him, he offers two examples. One of a worshiper who sang in the prison choir, was released, and now continues his passion for music with Cities of Refuge. He shared with the church that he was able to get his ankle bracelet removed and is no longer on curfew. Another is of a member who was serving a life sentence and was released after 29 years. This individual shared the joy of receiving his driver’s license and insurance.

“These brothers are putting everything on the table, keeping us on track with what they are doing,” explains Rev. Louis. “So we stopped and put our hands together to celebrate these wonderful accomplishments. This might seem like a small achievement to get a driver license to a lot of people, but this is huge for him and for us.”

Rev. Louis tells us that for his brothers and sisters at Cities of Refuge (COR) and elsewhere across the country, finding somebody after they get out—other than a judge or a probation officer—to hold them accountable, to check on their spirit and peace of mind, and see how things are going and offer support, is essential. That’s why he and his associate ministers and other members build relationships with individuals before and when they come out. Rev. Louis believes that strong support systems, like families and religious groups such as his, will decrease the recidivism rate.

In addition to worship, COR visits homeless shelters and transitional homes at least four times a year, but supports them on a monthly basis. Rev. Louis shares with us an experience of a trip to one such transitional home that he and others at COR had previously been to. On their second visit, an employee there informed them that a neighbor was shot and killed the night before, so he and his staff were hesitant about letting COR return. In the end they let them visit and serve.

“I’m glad that they did,” divulges Rev. Louis. “We were setting up to do a fish fry and community give away, when a woman approached us and said that people living nearby sad and heartbroken over the killing of the young man, but our congregation’s presence was bringing them life. So we prayed, gave out food, and blasted music. It was a great joy to help this transitional home and neighborhood in the midst of pain.”

He and his colleagues anticipate making more consistent visits this year as well as providing educational and partnership opportunities to those who have been impacted by incarceration. Additionally, the congregation has a faith team with the Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham and Rev. Louis is one of the facilitators that helps mitigate sentencing and reduce recidivism.

He hopes that COR can lead by example and change the narrative when it comes to the church supporting those impacted by incarceration, helping them to reintegrate back into society without feeling ashamed, nor scrutinized but supported in every way. If other congregations can see that returning citizens and those who have been convicted of a crime have done their time, guilty or not, can  further help strengthen the church, as part of the body, then maybe they’ll consider forming a prison ministry, reevaluate the one that they have, and/or how they’re currently doing ministry as a whole.

“These people coming out are not just inmates,” he emphasizes, “they’re our brothers and sisters.”

To support churches like COR, make a gift to the Pentecost Offering, collected in most congregations on May 16 and 23. This Special Day Offering is divided between New Church Ministry and local Regions.

The post Impacts of incarceration and how church can welcome all appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).