“I consider the sufferings of this present time not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.” Romans 8:18 – 19. NRSV Dear beloved Disciples, We are hurting. We are haunted and outraged by the anguished cries […]
Congregations
Doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly together in Des Moines
by New Church Ministries New Church Ministry met Rev. Debbie Griffin, the Senior Minister of Downtown Disciples, last summer at General Assembly. Since the pastor’s congregation is based in Des Moines, IA, it offered worship services, hosted pre-assembly activities for general ministries, prepared a meal for regional ministers and chaired the local GA mission committee. […]
‘We see ourselves walking with the community, not leading it’
(If you’re looking for the rest of the story on Downtown Disciples, our apologies! Click here.) How new church planters are approaching ministry By New Church Ministry, Pentecost 2020 UrbanMission, a joint congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), lies at the intersection of White Avenue and Ninth […]
Growing stewards
By Bruce Barkhauer, Center for Faith and Giving Most churches expect members to be good stewards. The problem is that most churches neither talk about this expectation nor do they prepare their members to become good practitioners of this spiritual discipline. Faithful stewards do not appear with the morning dew as did manna for Israel […]
Consoling the grieving – at a distance
Many are struggling with grief from the loss of loved ones both from COVID-19 and other causes. For the safety of others, we cannot gather and console one another in the ways to which we were accustomed. This was all too real at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in New York City as Rev. […]
LabOratory Church provides space for health, healing, hope
by New Church Ministry, Pentecost 2020 Rev. Amie Vanderford has experienced trauma. She knows what it’s like to distrust others; how damaging isolation can be to recovery. That’s why she and her husband, Thaddeus Shelton, launched The LabOratory Church. This new church offers safe space for those with mental illness to worship, cultivate strong connections, […]
