A Conversation with Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes

Advent begins in the dark. It fits this time of year, which is difficult in some ways. The time change means it is dark by the time we get home, and during Advent the days are the shortest that they get -- and they get shorter until we make it to the longest night. If it weren’t for the twinkle of lights, and the joy of traditions in our families -- in the places where we work, play, and worship -- it might even feel like too much. But as we drive through these dark days, with the promise of new beginnings that come with this new church year, we do have our roots.

Our Interim Regional Minister, Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes, is at work in the midst of her transition to Macon, and as she gets settled, she took a little time to chat with me about some of her thoughts on the Advent season. 

This is a month full of traditions. Would you share your favorite?

Cooking with my mom and siblings, and sharing what we have created with family, friends, and strangers.

Where do you see light in this time, and in the church? 

I see light in the servants' hearts.

In many churches we lit the candle of hope last week. What brings you hope?

I am filled with hope by our biblical story. There are stories throughout the Hebrew and New Testament scriptures that reveal hope. As we began the first Sunday of Advent this year, we are invited over and over again into our Christian heritage in these ancient texts. We see hope emerging out of darkness everywhere. 

One that comes to mind and is actually my favorite -- well, one of my favorites, because I simply love reading this particular text-- is Luke 1:46-55, Mary's Magnificat! It gives me hope that God is God, and God can do the impossible. In this text, Mary is in a dilemma but sings for joy anyhow. Mary, the virgin, has been promised in marriage to Joseph and his family. She finds herself pregnant with a child; and she knows not who, until God speaks to her. She not only accepts the impossible, but she begins to sing praises to God for choosing her to be God's servant! Who does that? Who believes someone you have never met? I believe in things I cannot see everyday. And so do you. We automatically wake up everyday and believe we will walk, talk, move, and have being, without ever questioning it. Why then do we not believe that God is real? 

Why do we not hope in God? As we adventure through Advent this season, I invite you to join me in believing and hoping in God to do the impossible in and through us because God has proven God's self in the scriptures and in me, you and humanity throughout time. The Holy text reveals to us that God can be relied on. 

In Romans 5:1-5, the scriptures reveal:

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained 

access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in 

our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and 

hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

What brings me hope? To answer more fully: I hope in God and the stories revealed to us in scripture and the scriptures we are creating for our future. I hope in you and creation. I hope we will come forward in our communities with exuberance and passion to reveal God's love to those we know and especially to those we do not know, for it is in sharing the love that has been poured into us by God's spirit that we become people of hope. This is our journey in these times of unraveling. These times when right is called wrong and wrong is called right. These times when we fear loving will harm us instead of helping us. I believe and hope in you and me to embody Christ more and more each day. 

And, dear friends in the Christian Church in Georgia, we do have so much to be hopeful for! Our Christmas Offering kicked off on Giving Tuesday, and we are hopeful and grateful for your response. Let's get busy hoping, in this Advent-Christmas season of hope, for "hope does not fail us"!

Shalom,

Rev. Sarah McClelland-Brown 

Secretary, Executive Committee

Christmas Offering: Month of December

We would like to share the opportunity to be a part of this year’s Christmas Offering, which supports the impactful work of regional ministries in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The Christmas Offering is a critical part of the support of the Christian Church in Georgia because 100 percent of your gift remains in the Georgia region, supporting regional camps, conferences, retreats, and programs, and nurturing ministers and congregations.

May we always be reminded that the power of all of us together is more than any one of us on our own. Please consider making a gift today or during December to the 2023 Christmas Offering supporting the ministries and mission of the Christian Church in Georgia. Be sure to indicate “Christmas Special Offering” and the name of your congregation when you fill out the giving form.

RYA Registration Ending December 31

The 2024 Regional Youth Assembly (RYA) at Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons Island, GA will be held Friday January 19 - Sunday January 24, 2024. It will be a time of fellowship, worship, and fun for the Disciples of Christ (DOC) youth of Georgia, and we hope that your middle and high school youth and adult sponsors will be able to join us this year! We can't wait to see you! Please click here for registration and more information on the 2024 RYA.

Telling Our Stories

You're invited to join us at First Christian Church in Macon for our 2024 Christian Church in Georgia Regional Assembly. We begin Thursday evening, April 25, with a pre-clergy gathering Friday will be the Transforming Community Conference, concluding with dinner, a story hour, and worship service. Saturday will be our business meeting and worship. We will be celebrating our diversity through our stories by participating in the Church Narrative Project. Save the dates on your calendars and keep an eye out for more information.

News from Georgia Disciples Churches 

Blue Christmas Service on December 12 at Ray of Hope CC



The Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, GA, will hold an in-person and virtual service of remembrance and hope Tuesday, December 12, at 7 pm. This service acknowledges that due to various losses, some of us are sad and grieving during this holiday season. This time together is for those who may find themselves in this place and need to feel the hope, peace, joy, and love that Christ came to give us. For a virtual link, visit the ROH website here.

Guyton CC Hosts Thanksgiving Dinner



Guyton Christian Church joined alongside other churches to sponsor a "Love One Another" Thanksgiving Dinner for the community. "Love One Another Fellowship" (LOAF) is an ecumenical gathering of clergy, church leaders, and community leaders from throughout Effingham County. They strive to be racially and denominationally diverse. The group meets monthly at The Guyton Depot. God's greater beloved community in action!

News & Reminders

• Just Women Bible Study: Order your copy or copies of the 2024 Just Women Bible Study by December 20 to receive free shipping. The theme, "Through the Looking Glass: Seeing the World Through the Eyes of Faith," will be unpacked in 12 lessons written by amazing writers. Learn more and order here.
• Disciples History Updated: Here's an idea for a Christmas gift for your favorite Disciple -- an updated edition of the Disciples history book, The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation, by noted Disciples historian D. Duane Cummins. The book, which debuted at July’s General Assembly in Louisville, includes the initial term of General Minister and President Teresa Hord Owens, and how congregations tackled the brutal challenge of 21st century COVID. Order your copy here. 
• Regional Clergy Gatherings: There are many opportunities for Georgia Disciples clergy to gather for conversation, support, and learning in the Region. Every Tuesday, clergy are invited to stop by for an hour of conversation and idea-sharing at 12 pm. For more information and a Zoom link to any of these virtual meetings, contact Kyle Ermoian, Director of New Church and Church Development. 
• Job Posting: Disciples Church Extension Fund is seeking a Chief Administrative Officer and a Chief Relationship Officer.
• Regional Office Holiday Schedule: The Regional Office will close on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, and will re-open on January 4, 2024, in observance of the Christmas holiday. If there is an emergency, please contact executive@gadisciples.org, and someone will respond in a timely manner. 

Learning Opportunities

• Averting Sexual Trauma In The Church: Resources and Resilience: All clergy and congregants are invited to join Amplify Christian Church (3955 Centerville Hwy, Snellville, GA 30039) on December 9, from 10 am to 1 pm, for a workshop aimed to provide basic information on sexual trauma. Attendees will learn how to identify sexual trauma, as well as ways to address it, tools to protect against it, and ways to foster resilience within the church if someone has been assaulted. The conversation will be facilitated by Rev. Kevin McNeil, founder of The Twelve Project. Download flier here.
• The Proclamation Project: The Proclamation Project is launching a new program: cohort groups for preachers, starting in early 2024. These groups will provide an opportunity for Disciples preachers to connect with other preachers on a regular basis, support each other, and grow in their own preaching. There will be three types of cohort groups offered in this cycle, each with a different focus and commitment level. Applications are open now and are due January 20, 2024. Learn more and apply here.

Prayers & Celebrations

Prayers 

• Prayers for those of us and among us who are grieving and remembering losses during the Advent season; may our prayers let us see and bring light in the darkness. 
• Continued prayers for those suffering from war, winter, hunger, and untold hardships in Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine. 

Celebrations



• Thankful prayers for the one-year extension of the Farm Bill, which was passed by the US Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in mid-November. The extension means that more than 41 million participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will continue to receive benefits through Sept. 30. Learn more here.