Workshop on Vocational Reflection and Concert with Carrie Newcome

Performer and song-writer, Carrie Newcomer, who will be performing at this summer's General Assembly in Indianapolis, will be leading a workshop on vocational reflection entitled "Soul's Great Joy Meets the World's Deep Needs: Exploring, Vocation, Calling, and Authentic Work" at Central Christian Church in Marshalltown, IA on April 4 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

This workshop explores the idea that our lives are more than our work, and our work is more than our jobs. Carrie welcomes anyone who is looking to pursue work with purpose and heart. This workshop introduces writing, Quaker clearness method, discussion and other tools.

Cost is $30 in advance per person with lunch included.

Tickets are available by mail or in person. By mail - please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope or send payment and tickets will be held at the door in your name on the morning of the workshop:

Central Christian Church
300 West Main Street
Marshalltown, IA 50158
641-753-3129
chalice@centraldoc.org
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

On the same day, April 4, Carrie will perform in concert at 7:30 pm at Miller Middle School, 125 South 11th Street, in Marshalltown. Tickets for the concert are only $15 in advance and can also be obtained from Central Christian.

Questions? Contact Janet Lott jalott@isunet.net or call the church.

The Gospel According to Mark: The Story of Jesus

Robbinsdale United Church of Christ (Robbinsdale, MN) invites all to come for a FREE performance of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK: THE STORY OF JESUS on Friday, April 3rd at 7:00pm. Performers from Robbinsdale UCC will be reading the Gospel from beginning to end as a way to mediate on the life and ministry of Jesus and prepare our souls for the dramatic journey of Holy Week. All are welcome. We are and Open and Affirming, Peace with Justice, and Accessible to All Congregation. See the linked flyer for more information or visit us on the web.

Scott Stillwell in Concert

Dear Disciples,
Elkhart Christian Church invites you to join us as we welcome Scott Stilwell, Director of Music and Fine Arts at West Des Moines Christian Church, to a concert of his original music. Scott's new CD will be available for purchase as well.

When: Saturday, November 8

What time: 7:00 p.m.

Where: Elkhart Christian Church, 124 S. Washington, Elkhart, Iowa (17 miles north of Des Moines)

Why: Thanks be to God! Scott's words are deeply prayerful and thoughtful, and his melodies lyrical.

$$$$: An offering will be taken for S.H.A.R.E. (Self-help and Resource Exchange) Iowa.

The Sleep Out 2008

On November 15th, Plymouth Creek Christian Church (Plymouth, MN) will again be hosting a sleep out location for the Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners annual fundraiser. (IOCP is the social service organization that serves the cities of Hamel, Long Lake, Medina, Medicine Lake, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Plymouth and Wayzata.)

IOCP has been very pro-active in helping individuals/families stay in their homes as well as working with CommonBond Communities, Habitat for Humanity, and Outreach Development Corporation to increase the number of affordable housing units in the area.

Pick up a pledge sheet from the Mission Corner of the Welcome Table at Church or online from http://www.plymouthcreek.org/ or http://www.iocp.org/ then start collecting your sponsors!
You will need to supply your own sleep shelter (large cardboard box or tent). More information on what to bring and what to wear will be available at the Mission Corner or on the IOCP website.

We will have breakfast together (everyone is welcome for a free will offering) before attending Sunday service.

For more information about joining us or making a donation, call or email Laurie Leonhardt (763 546-1525 or lleonhardt@comcast.net).

Two Minneapolis Churches Host Picnic

Lake Harriet Christian Church and First Christian Church of Minneapolis Family Picnic
Date: Sunday, August 3, 2008
Time: 12:00 Noon
Contact person: Paul Rottschaefer at 612-861-7523

Oak Hill Park
3201 Rhode Island Ave. South
St. Louis Park, MN

Potluck. Paper products furnished. Bring your favorite picnic food to share.

35W Bridge Memorial Service

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and the Minnesota Council of Churches Invite the community to gather to remember the victims and survivors of the 35W bridge collapse and honor the rescue workers and others who responded with courage that day.

Your attendance is kindly requested on Friday, August 1, 2008 Interfaith Service 11:00-12:00 PM - Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis. Governor Pawlenty, Mayor Rybak and Methodist Bishop Sally Dyck, President of the Minnesota Council of Churches, will offer brief reflections. Prayers and songs will be presented from many faith traditions, reflecting the diverse faith traditions of the victims.

Remembrance 4:30-6:30 PM—Gold Medal Park, West River Road, Minneapolis Artists from different cultures will perform until 5:30 pm when a procession led by first responders and community leaders will walk to the Stone Arch Bridge (or viewing area on West River Parkway for shorter walk). The public is invited to join in the procession. At 6:05 pm – the time that the bridge collapsed –a moment of silence will be observed, ending with the ringing of bells across the city and state.

Please RSVP to 612-673-3277 for information on reserved seating and procession line up information.

Johnny Wray @ Noleridge Christian

IMPORTANT-- Please announce this event at your July 27th and August 3rd Worship Services. It would also be appreciated if you could include it in your next church newsletter.--Thank you.

JOHNNY WRAY, ADMINSTRATIVE DIRECTOR-WEEK OF COMPASSION
August 9-10
Noelridge Christian Church 7111 C Ave. NECedar Rapids, IA

Mark your calendars for this very important event! It is a rare opportunity for us .
Johnny Wray, Administrative Director of the Week of Compassion, the relief, refugee and development ministry fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), will be at Noelridge Christian Church on Saturday, August 9th at 7 P.M. for an evening of relaxed conversation. What a great opportunity to get to know more about Week of Compassion and the impact we can make in the world! Johnny will also be preaching at both services on Sunday, August 10th @ 8:30 and 10: 30 A.M. and will host a conversation during the Fellowship Hour between the services.

Thank you for helping us get the word out on this important function.

The Noelridge Christian Church Outreach Committee

Pie Auction @ Howard Street Christian

Date: Sunday, August 3 @ Noon
Location: Howard Street Christian Church, 101 Locust Street, Colfax, IA

Menu: Fried Chicken, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Baked Beans

Pies will be auctioned off right after lunch. Lunch is a freewill donation and please pay for your pies (cash or check) before going home.

Workshop on Congregational Renewal Expanded

RE:IMAGE, a one day conference produced and presented by Iowa Religious Media Services is pleased to announce that Rev. Larry Graves will be presenting breakout sessions on congregational renewal at the August 16 conference in Des Moines.

Graves serves on the national staff of the American Baptist Churches ­USA. He serves the American Baptist Extension Corporation as a field representative assisting churches with acquisition, renovation and construction of property for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Graves is just one of many exciting and stimulating speakers who will provide insights at this unique one day event.

Iowa Religious Media Services (IRMS) is a media center supported by the Mid-American Baptist Region and six other covenanting denominations in Iowa and the upper midwest.
Thanks for helping spread the word about this conference to those who would want to attend.

Peace,
Judith Jaastad
RE:IMAGE Chair

You can register for the conference by going here.

DOC friends who have interest in FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN!!

From Alison Robuck, a Disciples pastor in the Twin Cities:

Dear DOC Friends, I was strangely and powerfully moved by the tragedy in Myanmar. Perhaps it was because of several acquaintances I've made with Burmese refugees in the Twin Cities...but for whatever reason, I became deeply moved by the helplessness and loss of tens of thousands of lives! I felt myself so physically affected by the events -and the "stubborness" of their government - for lack of a better word - that I simply had to DO something!

I have started participating in the "walk-in" nights/days at Feed My Starving Children. They have been able to get more than 1 million meals into Myanmar through a "trusted" agency and are working towards sending more. What I learned yesterday I wanted to pass along to all of you who have participated and/or are interested in the ministry of Feed My Starving Children. For the past 5 years, they have been able to hold their costs to 15 cents per meal.

With the recent food crisis, their cost for rice has about doubled - and by August, the projected cost for rice will be nearly triple of what it has been. Currently, the cost of rice increase - paired with increases in transportation costs - has raised their cost per meal to 17 cents. An increase of 2 cents per meal doesn't sound like much, but multiply by millions and it is substantial!!

There are several funds needing our monetary support at the moment, and I do not advocate competing for funds that would otherwise be donated to either the "Prindle Family Fund" - in response to the Hugo tornado that caused personal, tragic loss for the Prindle family - or the Week of Compassion, which continues to offer aid throughout the world. What I would like to suggest, though, is that we somehow find a way of collecting our loose change to direct towards the ministry of Feeding God's children in Myanmar, Haiti, and other devastated areas of the world.

For more information, please go to FMSC.org. In addition to contributing our change, I would like to suggest getting a DOC group to volunteer for another FMSC volunteer event! If you have volunteered before, you know how fun & rewarding it is to work side-by-side with other "Disciples" for the common goal of feeding God's children. If you haven't yet participated in this ministry, then now is your chance!! What I need - in order to set a date and sign us up - is simply a response from everyone receiving this e-mail. If you would please send a simple reply to this e-mail (either "interested" or "not interested" would be just fine), I would certainly appreciate it. As soon as I have received at least 10 "interested" responses, then I will work towards securing a date and time. (With summer being a crazy time for coordinating schedules, if you want to send along "not available" times with your e-mail, that would be helpful, but not completely necessary.) I simply would like to make certain that there is enough interest to make it happen!

Hoping that you all are enjoying a meaningful summer with family & friends!

Peace to all,
Alison Robuck

If you live in teh Twin Cities Area and would like to participate, please email Alison at alisonrobuck@yahoo.com.

Association of Disciples Musicians to Meet In Tulsa

Please share this with your church musican and/or worship leaders.

2008 Annual National Conference- Association of Disciples Musicians
July 19-24, 2008

Theme: What is God Doing? Searching for Emerging Worship in a Changing Culture

Where: First Christian Church & Doubletree Hotel Tulsa, Oklahoma

Featuring:

• David Cherwien- Organ: Renown Church Organist, Director and Composer
• Phyllis Kirk-Handbells: Minister of Music, Grace Christian Church Helena, Alabama
• John Thornburg-Worship: Innovative Worship Leader Teacher and Inspiring Preacher
• Don Studebaker-Choral: Director, Choral Activities, Northeastern State University
• Jennie Churchman-Emerging Worship: Minister of The Way, Northway Christian Church, Dallas, Texas

Also Including:

• Music and Equipment Vendor Displays
• 3 Additional Options per Day including Youth, Children & Liturgical Dance, Visual and Graphic Resources
• Daily Worship Seminar
• Sunday Evening Hymn Fest at Boston Avenue Methodist Church featuring David Cherwien
• Dinner and Tour at the Oklahoma Aquarium
• ADM Follies Thursday Evening Closing Concert

For more information on the event, please go to the Association of Disciples Musicans website.

A Tragic Loss

From Associate Regional Minister, Don Hiscox:

There has been a most tragic loss in the extended Disciples of Christ family, as reported to us by Tammy Rottschaefer, Minister of Spiritual Formation at Lake Harriet Christian Church in Minneapolis, MN. Please see her note below, and please hold this entire family in your thoughts and prayers.

In the aftermath of the tornado in Hugo MN last evening (5/25), Bob and Barb Rhea called and requested prayers for their daughter Christy (facial injuries...treated and released though remaining at hospital with Jerry and Annika), son-in-law Jerry (hospitalized with a broken femur), injured 4-year-old granddaughter Annika, and upon the loss of life of their 2-year-old grandson Nathaniel.

Christy, Jerry, and 4-year-old Annika were taken to Regions Hospital (Annika is the child referred to as six years old in the Star Tribune newspaper.)

At this time, Bob and Barb simply ask for prayers for Christy, Jerry, and Annika in recovery, and prayers for the entire family in the great sadness at the loss of little Nate.

God of mercy, touch the unspeakable pain of this day for Bob and Barb's family with your abiding presence in life and death.

Enfold the days of healing and grief yet to come with your abiding presence. Hear the prayers of people for this family....

Held together in prayer,
Tammy Rottschaefer
Lake Harriet Christian Church

Note: A full account of the tornado in Hugo, MN can be found at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune website.

United Seminary Offers Courses in Spirituality and the Arts

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
Summer Institute in Spirituality and the Arts
Explorations in Creativity, Worship, and Faith

June 9-13, 2008

Do something creative this summer!


Morning WorkshopS
1) Music and the Arts: The Starting Point for Worship Design – Art Clyde
or
2) Transformation & the Story: A Writing Workshop – Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew

Afternoon WorkshopS
3) Sacred Time: Living in the Rhythms of Nature and the Liturgical Year – Robin Jensen
or
4) Spirituality of Icons – Debra Korluka

$270.00 for full-day attendance. Half-day attendance is $195.00.

SPECIAL!!!! Mention this e-mail by Friday, May 23, and pay the early registration rates of $220 (full day) or $170 (half day). Call 651.255.6138 for this special offering.

For more details, visit our Web site: www.unitedseminary.edu/summerinstitute.