Mission Together
Ministry Resources and Ideas for Church Leaders
January | 2022
Going House to House

First Pacific Islanders Christian Church of Bismarck, ND isn't waiting for people to come to church. Instead, they've broken into smaller groups and are taking the church to people.

Pastor Larry Sotam shares about this new effort. "We just started reaching out to the Islanders here in Bismarck. They don't come to our church. We group down in four groups

"Instead of doing our worship service in the building, we are going outside to the people in their homes to have services with them. And then after that, every Wednesday evening we visit house to house and invite them to come join us."

The effort seems to be working, helping to build relationships and introducing people to faith. "Now some of them come to join us every Sunday," Pastor Sotam adds.

How are you connecting with new people? How are you helping them to recognize the spiritual needs in their lives and how faith can offer paths to forgiveness, usefulness, love and peace?
Keep Up with Mission & Ministry in the Upper Midwest

The start of a new year is a great time to make sure you receive all of the resources and news you want. Choose from up to 5 newsletters, including this one. Learn more and sign up here!
Week of Compassion Responses

Shortly before Christmas, Week of Compassion shared this video message detailing some of their responses and efforts in 2021. Rev. Vy Nguyen, Executive Director, invites the church to "Let Compassion Be Our Story."
Each year, the Disciples Peace Fellowship selects three young adults for paid 12-week internships, gaining experience in education and advocacy alongside many Disciples ministries. Applications due by January 31.
Global Ministries Prayer Calendar

Please hold these missionaries and their mission sites in your prayers.

January Weekly Prayers
Jan. 2 – Shelby Perez, Israel/Palestine
Jan. 9 – Ricardo Mayol, Guatemala
Jan. 16 – Andrew Larsen, Philippines
Jan. 23 – Fritz Gerald Joseph, Morocco
Jan. 30 – Karen Campbell-Nelson, Indonesia

Click here for weekly written prayers with an accompanying scripture verse for Global Ministries mission sites.


Regional Calendar of Events

January 6 
Tiff returns from sabbatical

January 24-25
Ministers Institute

January 27
Regional Operations Council Online

February 20 & 27
Week of Compassion Special Offering

May 15, 2022
Installation of Regional Minister
Christian Conference Center, 3pm
Virtual Pilgrimage in January

We can learn a great deal by immersing ourselves in other cultures. The pandemic has made such travel -- which requires significant resources of time and money -- more difficult.

Global Ministries is offering a virtual pilgrimage to Bangladesh in January. This multi-night event will focus on issues the disruptions caused by natural disasters and climate change and the resilience and adaptability people in Bangladesh are exhibiting in the face of such challenges.

Registration is $25 and provides access to pre-recorded videos and live conversations. More details and link to register here.
Climate Ambassador Training

Learn how you can engage others in your congregation and community to seek climate solutions. Green Chalice ministry is cohosting this online event, Saturday, January 22. Learn more and register here.
Week of Compassion Special Offering in February

The annual Week of Compassion Special Offering, which supports the relief, refugee, and development ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is usually collected in February. Get a head start planning with new resources for the special offering from Week of Compassion.
Resources about Volunteers

The most recent magazine of the Insurance Board focuses entirely on church and ministry volunteers. There are many helpful resources in the Fall/Winter 2021 issue of The Steward, including an article on issues with volunteer drivers and how volunteers represent a church and it's ministry, even if they are entirely unpaid. Read more here.
Your financial gifts to the
Christmas Special Offering and
Disciples Mission Fund
support Mission Together and other publications from the
Christian Church in the Upper Midwest.
We Want to Hear about Your Ministry
Is your church doing something new or creative? Are you finding a unique way to serve a need in your community? We want to hear about it and share your story with the rest of the church! Our goal is to share at least one new idea from a congregation each time we publish this newsletter.

Please send your story to Tiff Williams, Associate Regional Minister, and she will get in contact with you about your ministry. Sharing your church's story could spark a new idea in a sister congregation. As Disciples Together, we will be stronger in our ministry to the world when we share what God is doing through us in our communities.
Christian Church in the Upper Midwest | www.uppermidwestcc.org