Disciples Christian Church S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N - T E R E S T Anticipation!!! School Supplies Mission First Green Chalice Program I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E What do you think? Anticipation 1 THE LINK J u l y 3 0, 2 0 1 5 What do you think? Wouldn t this be a GREAT SUNDAY TO BRING A GUEST??!!...what Sunday isn t? Prayer Requests Plano Food Pantry 2 Anticipation!!! Be Uplifted 3 School Supplies Mission First 4 Green Chalice 5 Oh those cuddly animals 6 I m ready for my close-up Advent in August! 7 A Warm Thank You August! August 3-14 Spirit of Math Summer Camp August 16 Adam s Animals Sunday! August 20 Young at Heart August 20-30 Pastor Dee on vaca on August 25 Women s Book Club September! September 17 Young at Heart September 20 Movie Night September 22 Book Club September 27 Potluck And more!
P A G E 2 August 2, 2015 O T Scripture Reading: Exodus 16: 9-18 N T Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4: 1-16 16 Sermon: Enough!...but enough of what? Prayer Requests Lord, Prayers of gratitude that Laura is back with us and doing so well. Hear Our Jan Mueller lifts up the busboy at Country burger who asks for prayers. Prayers Wendy Gray s daughter is in Critical Care at Plano Presby in uncontrolled pain. Jan lifts up her father who is now being treated for bone cancer. Laura B rejoices that: A pregnancy is going well. That her son has bought a home and is in the process of moving. And that her pain in her hip and back is gone. Diane F. lifts her brother Danny who has had back surgery. Prayers for Alice Dillard s husband who is recovering from a Brown Recluse spider bite Joy celebrates that her sister Amber is now staying with her parents and asks for pa- tience and understanding on both sides. Jennifer J. lifts her mother, Beverly, recovering from a stroke and other neurological is- sues. Prayer requests in The Link each week are recent updates. A list of ongoing prayer requests ap- pears in our worship bulletin each Sunday. Plano Food Pantry The Plano Food Pantry thanks everyone at DCC who continues to generously support this community ministry! For the month of July DCC donated 52 containers of small containers of condiments. For the month of August the Pantry needs pouches of instant potatoes and/or boxed rice mixes. Once again, THANKS!! T H E L I N K
P A G E 3 God, we thank you; we thank you because you are near. Psalm 75: 1 God is the God who follows. I wonder...have you sensed him following you? We often miss him. We don t know our Helper when he is near. But he comes. Through the kindness of a stranger. The majesty of a sunset. Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed his presence? From Everyday Blessings by Max Lucado School Supplies! Let s help out Bright Beginnings again this year! Last year we were able to supply every child with so many needed supplies, and I am betting we can do it again. The list has changed some, but everything can still be purchased from your local big store. Here is the list: Crayons (8 count chubby) 10 boxes Crayola Brand Wide tip washable parkers 10 box Elmer s Glue (small bottles) 20 Glue sticks (large) 50 Pencils (large) 10 Black Sharpies (for the teachers) 10 Dry Erase Markers (for the teachers) 5 large color sets Clear letter sized envelopes 20 Sleeping Mats 10 Pencil boxes (plastic) 10 Crayons (16 count) 15 Watercolor sets 15 The registration and supply fees paid to Bright Beginnings help pay for all of the training, supplies, extras and equipment that Bright Beginnings needs for operation. If we were to donate some of the regular supply needs, then more money can be available for teaching tables, playground equipment and other things. If you can do so, please pick up some of these supplies and bring them with you before the 20th of August. A sign-up sheet will be on the Welcome Table. Thanks
P A G E 4 Mission First was brought to our attention during the General Assembly by Sharon Watkins. It asks us to put the focus of the church on mission before self (which I believe is sort of what Jesus asked of us also ). What is Mission First? It s likely your faith community has done some visioning in the last few years. The general expression of the Church is doing the same. As the year 2020 nears, it is time to listen for God s continuing call and to seek together where God is calling Disciples next in our shared mission and ministry. Addressing the 2014 General Board, General Minister and President Sharon Watkins set out a challenge: The time has come to lighten our load and tighten our focus on mission! I am inviting our church, in all its expressions, to join in a conversation on God s mission for Disciples today. (audio of address) (2014 Communique PDF) Since General Board, a group of Disciples from many professional and cultural backgrounds has been meeting about just how to find this new focus. They will present a proposal called Mission First! to the General Board in April 2015. The proposal will include a call to mission and a pilot model for helping us identify a common direction in mission. If the General Board approves the process outlined, we will discuss it further in Columbus at the General Assembly. Mission First! addresses the need to find a new shared focus in mission. We are not setting aside pro-reconciliation/anti-racism, new and transforming churches or leadership development. Mission First! seeks to help Disciples identify the next mission priorities God has for us as we move toward the year 2020 and beyond. At the heart of this process are Mission Gatherings where we hope you and your leaders will participate in sharing what your congregation is passionate about doing in the mission field. These gatherings may take place at your 2016 regional or racial/ethnic assemblies or at camp or other places where Disciples gather. A Church-wide Mission Council will receive the information from the gatherings and identify a mission focus for a specified time. Moving forward in this way would call for reorganization of our general church governance structures, so Watkins is asking for a provisional try a trial run up until 2017. Based on what we learn, we would anticipate making some permanent changes at the 2017 assembly If you want to find out more, go to www.disciples.org and click on Mission First! There you will find the steps, more information and what the Church s goal is. Remember, mission is simply a way for us to give back to God what was so freely given to us. Mission should come first for the church, if we are to BE the church. T H E L I N K
P A G E 5 There is a wonderful program in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) called the Green Chalice Program. The purpose of the Green Chalice Program is to encourage and assist local congregations/doc Offices and Assemblies who wish to live out their faith by caring for creation. This program is designed to recognize congregations for being good stewards of God s creation. It also aims to empower congregations/assemblies with ideas and resources to enable them to walk gently on the earth. It is simple, helpful, brings us to a place of living in stewardship of God s creation and is a pretty important act of living faith. Below are the three very simple steps to becoming a Green Chalice Congregation. I would very much like to do this. If you are interested on being on the Green Team, let me know and we will start working this. Step 1: Form a Green Team The first step simply requires someone to gather other church members who are passionate for creation who will commit to meeting regularly to examine the church s practices and to facilitate change. Step 2: Sign the Green Chalice Covenant The second step requires that your green team reads and signs the Green Chalice Covenant as a sign of your commitment. Step 3: Make three changes The third step puts your commitment into action. Make three changes that will move your congregation toward better caring for God s creation. First Step Examples: Get an Energy Audit, Start or Enhance a Recycling Program, Use Real Dishware, Stop using Styrofoam and disposable dishes, Changing to efficient light bulbs, Install programmable thermostats, Start a community garden, Serving local foods, Plant Native Species plants, Plant Trees in the community, Participate in the Disciples Coffee Program, Purchase Eco-Palms for Palm Sunday, Weave Creation into worship in prayers, hymns, liturgy and sermons, Use Eco- Friendly cleaning products, Provide Eco-Tips in Newsletters, Install Rain Barrels for watering, Host a Farmer s Market, Have a Green VBS theme, Partner with Local Organizations for Advocacy, Do a creation care study series, Observe the Sabbath. Pretty simple, isn t it? Just think, with just a little bit of effort on our part, we to can hear: Congratulations: You are a Green Chalice Ministry!
P A G E 6 Oh those cuddly animals! Yes, it is getting close to the annual Kick Off for Adams Animals! This year that date is August 16th. For our new members and guests, please go to www.adamsanimals.org and learn about Adam and his continuing gift to the sick children of the area. Find out about the frog on his shoulder and the hope in his heart. And then plan on going shopping! I encourage each of you to look at groups that you are a part of who might be willing to participate in this collection of stuffed animals. Do you play Bridge? Belong to a car club or play golf? Do you have friends who belong to another church? Please, share this opportunity to bring a smile to a sick child s heart. Remember, the kick off date for Adams Animals is August 16th, but the collection process goes on throughout the month of October. Please bring your stuffed animals to church on August 16th, but continue collecting them throughout the next few months. Let s set the collection box to overflowing, again, and again, and again! I m ready for my close-up...well not quite! I believe I mentioned that I am taking some classes on making videos for the church. Right now the objective is to write scripts for five of them. These videos can be used in service, on the web, posted on YouTube or in any other way we see fit. They can each be as individual as our church is, as community oriented as our hearts are, or as solid in gospel as the Bible. Our choice. What are your ideas? Will you share with me? Thank you much! T H E L I N K
P A G E 7 Advent in August! Let s start the conversation now. What would we like to do as a Christmas pro- ject? Do we want to adopt a family or two? Have kids Angel Tree or maybe a Senior one? Adopt a nursing home? How about granting a Microloan to someone far away? Heifer International and buy some livestock? The possibilities are only lim- ited by your willingness and ability to share. Email me your ideas and we will start planning now. Christmas will be here before you know it! A Warm Thank You Dear Friends, I want to thank all of you for the cards, food, visits, and calls. Each helped me through this process, and mostly, I want to thank you the prayers you sent up for me. Your prayers helped greatly in the healing process. I miss you all and hope to be with you soon. Love, Laura
P A G E 8 In order to follow Jesus and worship God: We will live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ in all we do; we will serve our neighbors; and we will minister to our fellow Christians. Disciples Christian Church 2001 Independence Pkwy. Disciples Christian Church Staff Plano, TX 75075 Rev. DeAnna Golsan, Sr. Pastor Phone: 972-398-2240 Wendy Gray, Preschool Director Fax: 972-769-1295 Jan Carter, Administrative Assistant Email: theoffice@dccplano.com John Dysart, Pianist Audry Goodwin, Nursery Attendant T H E L I N K