(Indianapolis, Ind. – DNS – Sept. 5, 2008) – The Mission Alignment Coordinating Council (MACC) met in Indianapolis this week and engaged in prayer, worshipful work and dialogue. The 12-member council spent time reviewing church-wide response to a working document it developed which is aimed at better aligning the ministries of the Church around its stated mission.
The MACC, which is comprised of Disciples lay and clergy leaders, met from Sept. 2-4. It was created earlier this year at the request of the 2008 General Board. At its April meeting, the Board approved the framework for a Plan of Mission Alignment and asked that the MACC be put in place to develop that plan. The General Board also asked the Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the General Minister and President to appoint MACC members.
At its first meeting in June, the MACC created the working document "I See A Church." That document reminded Disciples of the Church’s vision and mission statements and the four priorities of the 2020 vision. The MACC offered one model with three options as one scenario whereby the church might achieve its goals of organizing to further mission. The MACC invited the church to be in conversation in imagining its own scenarios and giving comments. The MACC’s work is being guided by three outcomes approved by the General Board:
- Clarity about the General Board’s responsibility for the mission of the church
- Congregations resourced for mission
- One church embracing diversity
Conversations were held over the summer with general ministry boards, racial/ethnic ministries and the wider church community to get response to the working document. Individuals and groups were encouraged to send in written responses and e-mail comments.
"We appreciate the passionate and articulate responses we received related to the MACC models," said Newell Williams, chair of the MACC and Moderator of the Church. "MACC will continue to seek responses from the Church in preparation for a November meeting of the council."
"The listening and learning process has been especially helpful to us," added General Minister and President Sharon Watkins, who also is a member of the MACC. "Our next step is to share the working document with those attending the Sept. 8-10 Pastor’s Conference in Chicago."
Watkins noted that starting with the Pastor’s Conference, the comment period is being extended to allow more response from congregations.
The MACC will hold its third meeting from Nov. 20-23 in Dallas at which it hopes to further refine the working document, followed by a January 2009 meeting.
Members of the Mission Alignment Coordinating Council include:
Newell Williams, Chair
Moderator, 2007-2009 – Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
President and Professor of Modern and American Church History at Brite Divinity School,
Fort Worth, Texas – (w/m/clergy, age range: 50-59)William "Bill" Lee
Pastor of Loudon Ave. Christian Church
Roanoke, Va. – (b/m/clergy, age range: 50-59)Carolyn Ho
Non-Profit Consultant – Seattle, Wash.
Currently residing in Russia (a/f/lay, age range: 30-39)Mary Jacobs
Pastor
Tempe, Ariz. (w/f/clergy, age range: 50-59)David Vargas
President, Division of Overseas Ministries
Co-Executive, Global Ministries
Indianapolis, Ind. (h/m/clergy, age range, 60 plus)Sotello Long
Regional Pastor, South Carolina
Charleston, S.C. (b/m/clergy, age range: 50-59)Cherilyn Williams
Public Relations Coordinator
Tacoma, Wash. (w/f/lay, age range: 40-49)Darryl Trimiew
Chair, Dept. of Philosophy and Religion
Medgar Evers College
City University of New York, (b/m/clergy, age range: 50-59)
Brooklyn, N.Y.Xose Escamilla
Pastor of Casa de Oracion
San Diego, Calif., (h/m/clergy, age range: 40-49)Kari Kempf
Administrator, Church of the Foothills
Santa Ana, Calif. , (w/f/lay, age range: 30-39)Tim Lee
Assistant Professor of Church History
Brite Divinity School
Fort Worth, Texas (a/m/clergy, age range: 40-49)Sharon Watkins
General Minister and President
Indianapolis, Ind., (w/f/clergy, age range: 50-59)
OGMP Staff Support:
Todd Adams
Associate General Minister and Vice-President
Indianapolis, Ind. (w/m/clergy, age range: 30-40)Beth Sullivan
Executive Assistant to the General Minister and President
Indianapolis, Ind. (w/f/lay, age range: 40-50)
To read the church’s vision, mission statement and four priorities of the 2020 vision, go to www.disciples.org and click on "Learn More About The Disciples."
