wfn.org | Division of Homeland Ministries Sets Ministry Priorities

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Date: November 20, 2001
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Curt Miller
E-mail: cmiller@cm.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

01a-55

	
	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- The board of the Division of Homeland
Ministries (DHM)  of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
unanimously approved the final report of the DHM Vision Team at
its November meeting here. The team concluded that DHM would
develop partnerships to carry out its work and would focus on
two priorities: leadership development and congregational life
and vitality.  The board also adopted a new DHM mission
statement. 

	After reviewing comments from more than a hundred sources,
including groups served by and in partnership with the division
and ecumenical groups, the team cited the following reasons for
narrowing DHM's priorities to two: 

	Leadership Development - Because of the anticipated decline in
the pool of pastors by 2020, when nearly two thirds of Disciples
pastors will have retired, the team emphasized a need to enter
into partnerships which will facilitate recruitment and
development of lay and clergy leaders who can start new
congregations and revitalize current ones.
	Congregational Life and Vitality - The team sees congregations
as mission outposts for Christ's church. Without leadership,
congregational vitality is compromised. So the team suggests a
coordinated and collaborative network of support and resources
to help congregations become vital in ministries of worship,
discipleship, outreach, evangelism, and witness through
covenanting or recovenanting with constituency groups. 

	The board adopted the following new mission statement:
"Homeland Ministries commits to connecting people to the
life-changing love of God by developing partnerships throughout
the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that strengthen
congregations and leaders to make a difference in the world by
revealing the light of Christ." 

	"I think the new vision brings much needed clarity to the
mission of the Division of Homeland Ministries," said Don
Tuttle, DHM board chair and pastor of First Christian Church,
Corpus Christi, Texas.  "I also think it will resonate with our
congregations. They have long recognized the need for more
quality leadership and help in maintaining their vitality."

	The Vision Team recommended that the implementation of the
priorities begin in Sept., 2002. The board also approved a plan
for calling a new DHM president.  It follows an executive search
model approved by the General Board of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) and calls for a new president to be in
place by Sept. of next year. 

	The board named the following persons to the search committee:
Sarah Draper, retired regional staff and lay leader, Alabama
region; Rex Horne, former DHM board chair and North Carolina
regional minister; Paul Park, congregational lay leader, Pacific
Southwest region; Richard Petty, congregational lay leader,
Southwest region; Arlene Pimentel, congregational lay leader,
Pacific Southwest region; and Donald Tuttle, ex-officio as board
chair, and pastor, Southwest region. 

	In other action, the board:
	gave its approval for DHM Interim President Raymond E. Brown
to conduct a ministry assessment and audit of DHM's work in
preparation for the arrival of a new president
	approved a proposed balanced 2002 budget of $3.3 million, down
from $3.4 million in 2001.

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