Be the New Church
For the past thirteen months, many Disciples living across the United States and Canada have been struggling with social isolation. They’ve stayed away from their various places of worship to protect the health and safety of themselves and others. It has been hard.
How have new church leaders responded? By launching communities of faith in creative and innovative ways. It’s looked like spreading the word about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through Door Dash food deliveries, meeting with folks every week on Zoom to discuss anxiety, and making sure that the spiritual needs of transitioning out of correctional facilities are met. From hospital and prison chaplains to tri-vocational pastors, courageous new church leaders have answered the call to be the new church. To support them and their efforts to continue the new church movement, please contribute to the 2021 Pentecost Offering, collected in most congregations on Sundays, May 16 and May 23.
Each year, half of the gifts made go to our region to support local new church development. The other half goes to New Church Ministry, which trains, equips, assists, and multiplies new church leaders. Through programs such as Leadership Academy, New Church Hacks, and Water the Plants, your gifts make a difference across the life of the Church. By participating in this Special Day Offering, you ensure the viability, vitality and sustainability of unique new church plants in your area and in states, provinces, and territories far away.
Did you know the Christian Church in the Upper Midwest has started 3 congregations in the last 10 years? Downtown Disciples in Des Moines, Iowa is our oldest new church (https://www.downtowndisciples.org/), First Pacific Islanders Christian Church of Bismarck, North Dakota will celebrate their 3rd anniversary in the fall, and River Valley Disciples (https://www.rivervalleydisciples.org/) is currently launching in the Johnston, Iowa area. We have also affiliated one congregation in the last year. The New Church Committee has been revitalized and is working hard to support the efforts of these new communities of faith. Your donation helps us continue to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout our region and to the ends of the earth!
