wfn.org | November 1997 Digest

[DISCNEWS.parti@ecunet.org (DISCNEWS)]

November 1997

     Disciples meet with Pope John Paul II

       INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Eleven Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
members were among thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square in September for a
general audience with Pope John Paul II. 

       The delegation represented the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative
Council, which fosters the involvement of Disciples churches around the world in
the ecumenical movement. The purpose of the group's visit was to celebrate the
20th anniversary of the Disciples of Christ/Roman Catholic International
Dialogue, said the Rev. Paul A. Crow Jr., president of the Council on Christian
Unity. 

       The pope acknowledged the talks during public comments before the
general audience saying, "I bless this dialogue." Afterward, the delegation met
privately with the world Catholic leader. General Minister and President Richard
L. Hamm, Crow and the Rev. Suzanne Webb, Carbondale, Ill., exchanged gifts
with the pontiff. 

       Crow presented him a silver commemorative chalice bearing the St.
Andrew's cross. On behalf of Disciples worldwide, Crow received the Codex
Vaticanus, a copy of the New Testament in the original languages. Hamm and
Webb were given papal medallions.

                     *****

  Glenn called as Southwest Regional Minister

       INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Rev. Ralph E. Glenn has been called as
regional minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest.
He began the new ministry Sept. 15. 

       For the past four years Glenn has been an area minister with the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ) in Mid-America. Since 1989 Glenn also has worked
as a fund-raising consultant. 

       He previously served as vice president with the Disciples Division of
Higher Education, St. Louis; Phillips University, Enid, Okla.; and Columbia
(Mo.) College. The Alabama native also served congregations in Austin, Texas,
and Kansas City, Mo.  

       Glenn now heads the largest of the 36 regions of the Disciples of Christ.
The Southwest Region comprises 427 congregations in Texas, New Mexico and
parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. He will be based in Fort Worth.

       A graduate of Millsaps College, Jackson, Miss., Glenn earned a bachelor
of arts from the institution in 1962. He has a master of divinity degree from
Lexington (Ky.) Theological Seminary (1966) and has done further graduate work
at Indiana University, Bloomington, and Phillips Theological Seminary.

                      *****
  Disciples produce post-Christmas TV special

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- A post-Christmas special on spirituality is the
third national television program produced in the past 18 months by the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ) Office of Communication. The Disciples produced
the Easter and Christmas television specials in 1996.  

     "Finding God in Our Time" will air Dec. 28 on most ABC affiliates
across the country, said the Rev. Theodore J. Nottingham, producer. He is director
of production and consultation services for the Disciples. Interested viewers are
encouraged to call the Office of Communication or their local ABC station to
confirm the broadcast time and date. This information also will be listed on the
web page (www.disciples.org).  

     A highlight of the December broadcast is the presence of a celebrity host.
Actor John Stamos, a member of Church of the Valley, Van Nuys, Calif., a
Disciples congregation, narrates the program. Stamos starred on the television
comedy series, "Full House."

     The hour-long documentary features four Disciples congregations -- all
new church starts -- as well as congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, the United Church of Canada and The United Methodist Church. The
project seeks to show churches on the "cutting edge of creative, growing
ministries," said Nottingham. 

                     *****
                        
Carpenter listed among top 15 Black women preachers

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Rev. Delores H. Carpenter was
recognized in the November issue of Ebony magazine as one of the 15 top Black
women preachers.

     The senior pastor of Michigan Park Christian Church, Washington, D.C.,
was cited for "powerful preaching with unparalleled spiritual fervor." The
Disciples minister also is a professor of religious education at Howard University
Divinity School and is general editor of the African Heritage Hymnal, scheduled
for publication in 1998.

     Receiving an honorable mention in the "Honor Roll of Great Preachers"
was the Rev. Cynthia L. Hale, senior pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church,
Decatur, Ga.

                      *****

NBA places $2 million investment with Church Extension

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth that
even though the body
had many parts, nevertheless all the parts made up one body.  

     This sense of oneness was demonstrated within the structure of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) recently when one general unit made a
major financial investment with another general unit. 

     A one-year $2 million investment has been placed by the National
Benevolent Association, St.
Louis, with the Board of Church Extension.  The support will help bolster funds
BCE uses to
provide building loans to congregations.

     "This commitment by our sister unit, NBA, is an excellent example of the
partnership we have as general units of the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)," said the Rev. James L. Powell, Church Extension president.  

                      *****
Reconciliation mission funds ongoing work of discernment process

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The most recent round of funding for
Reconciliation highlights the ministry's changed emphasis from "War on Poverty"
type programs to those that directly attack the root cause of racism. That's the
word from the Rev. L. Wayne Stewart, administrative director of the Disciples
ministry to eliminate racism. 

     "We want to move from awarding  spot' grants toward funding projects
that have as their primary goal, eliminating racism," he said. Yet the ministry
continues to receive appeals to support "1960s-type" projects addressing hunger,
unemployment, etc. While all of these are worthy causes, they do not directly
address the primary cause of racism.

     General Reconciliation Committee members recently granted the Office
of General Minister and President $48,000 to continue its work with "racism in
North America." A forum and a series of exercises on the topic during the Denver
General Assembly "focused on step one of the discernment process by issuing a
 call to faithfulness,' " Stewart said. 

     The General Reconciliation Committee also approved $12,000 in funding
for additional projects aimed at identifying anti-Indian bias in local schools
($5,000); confronting racism and bigotry in county and local governments and
local schools ($2,000); and moving the Ohio region's reconciliation program to a
clear focus on racism ($5,000).  

                     *****

Kidwell named vice president of Christian Church Foundation

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Rev. Gary W. Kidwell, currently vice
president for field services with the Board of Church Extension, will become vice 
president of the Midwest Zone of the Christian Church Foundation on  Jan. 1,
1998. 

     "We are pleased to welcome Gary to our development  staff," said the
Rev. James P. Johnson, foundation president. "He brings many valuable years of
experience as a leader and a deep love for all of  the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ).

     In his new position, Kidwell will work with congregations and individual
members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as they seek to be good
stewards of their accumulated resources through bequests, gifts and trusts.

     His office will be in Indianapolis, and he will serve the regions of
Illinois-Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky. 

                      *****
Disciples racially ethnic church leaders advise fund-raising changes

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Fund-raising models need to be designed to fit
the various cultures of Disciples ethnic and European-American congregations if
capital campaigns are to become more effective, a conference of Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) leaders concluded recently.

     Suggestions made by conference participants called for the Board of
Church Extension to look more closely at developing fund-raising resources that
place even more emphasis upon stewardship, prayer and spirituality. They
suggested that in many churches, especially racially ethnic congregations, the
pastor tends to be more prominent in any fund-raising leadership role. 

     BCE staff also was told that in many congregations fewer special
committees may be necessary since church leaders already are looked upon as the
stewards and leaders. Consequently, these persons would be expected to lead the
fund-raising efforts.

     "One message from this conference for BCE will be to find new ways to
help congregations grow beyond their current expectations in giving, while not
overloading them with additional structures and limited approaches that don't fit
their culture," noted the Rev. Eugene Randall, II, Church Extension consultant
and meeting organizer.

                      *****
Nashville church cited in Southern Living magazine

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- Woodmont Christian Church, Nashville, was
cited in the November issue of Southern Living for its Christmas gift to the
community.

     That gift is an annual "Walk Thru Bethelem" display. The focus of the
free event is on the birth of Jesus. "We're trying to educate people on the true
meaning of the holiday," said volunteer Debbie Baird in the article. 

     "Walk Thru Bethlehem" started in 1982 when a youth group prepared a
small outdoor version which attracted a few parents. Last year's event attracted
8,000 persons.

                     *****

LTS faculty member receives Disciples teaching award

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Rev. Paul H. Jones of Lexington (Ky.)
Theological Seminary has received the T.A. Abbott Award for Faculty
Excellence, presented by the Division of Higher Education.

     Jones has taught at LTS for 11 years and currently is dean of the chapel
and associate professor of religion. He has been especially active in the "Transy &
Team" program, which encourages high school students to consider ministry
vocations.

     For his efforts, Jones received an engraved plaque and a $1,000 cash gift.

                      *****
Disciples ministers named to Jarvis Hall of Fame

     INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The Revs. Effie L. Burford, Indianapolis;
Milton A. Curry, Chicago; and James O. Griffin, Dallas, were inducted into Jarvis
Christian College's Hall of Fame, Hawkins, Texas. They were among 12 persons
to receive this honor during the Pioneer Hall of Fame banquet Oct. 12.

     Burford is a retired public school teacher and a former Division of
Overseas Ministries volunteer. Curry is president and chief executive officer of
Chicago Youth and Community Services and pastor of Parkway Gardens
Christian Church. Griffin is vice president of the National Convocation of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

     Presenting the keynote address for the occasion was U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts,
R-Okla.

                     *****

DISCNEWS - inbox for Disciples News Service, Office of Communication, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), PO Box 1986 Indianapolis, IN 46206, tele. (317) 635-3100, (DISCNEWS@ecunet.org) Wilma Shuffitt, News and Information Assistant; (CWILLIS@oc.disciples.org) Cliff Willis, Director of News and Information; (CMILLER@oc.disciples.org) Executive Director