'ChristiaNet'

Monthly Global News and Information for members and friends of the
Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ family of churches around the world from 'World Convention'

Number 19 - October 2004
To contact us, or discontinue, write only to worldconv@aol.com -
ChristiaNet uses a send-only address.

World Christian
The post-convention issue of World Christian has been printed and is on the way.  USA copies are with the US Postal Service and overseas copies with our international mailing agent.  If you are not on the mailing list and would like a copy, please email us your postal address.  We had hoped to double the size of this issue but unfortunately the pressure on the World Convention budget made this impossible.

Arrived safely
Australian Jeff Weston, General-Secretary elect of World Convention, and his wife Rosemary, arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, home of the World Convention office, on Monday (October 11).  The next seven weeks provide a time of overlap when the current vision of the ministry of World Convention, as well as many details, can be shared with the current Executives, Lorraine and Lyndsay Jacobs.  Jeff will make a further appointment later in 2005.  Please remember this vital transition in your prayers.  Jeff will be attending the Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tennessee on Saturday (October 16) and the eastern area convention of the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in Johnson City, Tennessee (and Milligan College and Emmanuel School of Religion) mid November.  (Lorraine and Lyndsay leave the office on November 30.)

Model Farm part of outreach in Romania
'Mission Connect', a Christian Church/Churches of Christ mission work in Romania sponsors thirteen preachers in Romania and conducts a medical mission in the thirteen churches every May.  It also has a model farm through which it is able to focus on evangelism.  Mission connect also gives scholarships to ministerial students.  (jerrySweitzer@shelbyonline.net)

Family Invitation
The Council on Christian Unity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has arranged the 22nd Peter Ainslie Lecture on Christian Unity to be held at National City Christian Church on October 30, at 7.00 pm.  Dr Peter Morgan will speak on "Life After the Last Will and Testament': Stories of Two Faithful Executors."  The Council hopes many people from all 'Stone-Campbell' churches will attend.  (Dinner 5.30 pm: rwelsh@ccu.disciples.org)

Universities
Both Kentucky Christian College (Kentucky Christian University) and Cinncinati Bible College and Seminary (Cincinnati Christian University) have recently become universities.

Vietnam Projects to Begin
Australian Churches of Christ Overseas Aid (COCOA) has received official registration to operate in Vietnam.  Director John Dean is recruiting English conversational language teachers for the first project.

Hurricane Devastation
Caribbean/North American hurricanes have recently affected our churches in many countries.  Our information is very incomplete but comments include: "Ivan has destroyed much of the island (Jamaica).  Many churches, schools and houses are badly damaged" (Richmond Nelson, former World Convention President.)  (We have since learned 52 churches of the United Church in which Disciples share were damaged; 27 with major damage.) "The island of Grenada ... has been totally destroyed by Ivan ... 90% of all houses and buildings have been destroyed ... The Caribbean International Christian Mission will be sending a team to help with rebuilding." (Dave & Ruth Case; Christian Churches /Churches of Christ.)  "Hurricane Jeanne hit Gonaives, Haiti and destroyed the city ... we support forty preachers (one of the preachers wrote, 'We as a city have lost everything') in this area and the Jesus Loves Me children's home in Gonaives.  (White Fields Evangelism; CC/CC)  Week of Compassion (CC/DOC) has assisted in Florida ecumenically and to 28 Disciples congregations with needs following 'Ivan' & 'Frances'.  Help has also gone to Caribbean agencies and direct grants to partners in countries including Cuba, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.  Christian Church/Churches of Christ were organising individual and combined assistance.  At least one hundred members of our churches died in Haiti.  Churches of Christ Disaster relief shipped US$1.7 million worth of relief supplies.  We urge all members and churches who can, to help through their regular agencies. 

Ninety National Profiles
There are now profiles giving descriptions and current contacts for the Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ witness in ninety countries available for you to read on the World Convention web site.  (www.worldconvention.org)  Please send corrections and updates for these, and information for those not yet written, to Clint Holloway at worldconvclint@aol.com

Global News Briefs
Dr Raymond Cuthbert, minister of the Broadway Disciples-United Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was installed as Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada at their August 'All Canada' convention.  Churches of Christ in the Philippines enrolled 10,000 students in World Bible School in August and a further 11,000 in September bringing the 2004 total to 84,000.  Dhakka Christian Church in the capital city of Bangladesh continues to grow with about 100 attending.  A new congregation has been planted in Raimatam.  Phillips Theological Seminary (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA), affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), has a record autumn enrolment of 238 from at least twelve denominations.  There are 77 new students.  Most are studying for a Master of Divinity degree.  George and Pauline Langford, Directors of Church Development for the Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand, have been touring churches, organising workshops and preparing a five year vision paper.  The Annual Church of Christ Mission Conference in South Africa was held at the end of September.  Early this month 100 pastors and church leaders in Papua New Guinea attended a leadership training course led by a team from the Subiaco Church in Western Australia.  New classrooms and an administration block are under construction at Ranwadi Churches of Christ High School in Vanuatu.  Grove Park (Church of Christ) Home in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, celebrated the grand opening of an expanded and revitalised home, part of CAN$14 million multi-year project on September 12.

Events for prayer:
- Restoration Forum.  October 15-17.  Rochester Hills (Detroit area) Michigan, USA.  For all Christian Church - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ members.  tbalk@rc.edu or Tammy Balk at (248) 218-2013
- Fellowship of Churches of Christ in the United Kingdom.  Task Group Vision and Sharing Day.  October 16 - Birmingham.  chrisworkman@beeb.net
- Ministry Impact '04.  October 27-29.  Conference of leaders of Churches of Christ and Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.  www.TogetherConference.com
- Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand.  National Convention, November 12-13, Auckland.  Ministers: 12th.  jfulford@xtra.co.nz
- Brazil Christian Churches/Churches of Christ Convention, Goiania, November 12-14.  (rim_fifes@hotmail.com)
- European Mid-Winter Rally.  December 27-31, Hermeskeil, Germany.  Organised  by Christian Churches/Churches of Christ members from the USA & Germany and open to all.  www.midwinterrally.com or info@midwinterrally.com

World Convention special need
We try to keep requests for support to once per year in ChristiaNet.  In 2003 World Convention received US$56,000 in vital gifts from Friends.  In this special year of transition and increased programming, US$90,000 is needed.  With just three months to go till the end of the year $50,000 more than we usually receive in this final quarter is needed.  If you can help, please do.

World Convention seeks to build up fellowship, understanding and common purpose within the Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ family of churches, now serving and witnessing as part of Christ's church in no less than 168 countries.

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Christ is like a single body, which has many parts ... In the same way all of us ... have been baptised into the one body by the same Spirit.  I Cor 12: 12-13

World Convention (Christian - Churches of Christ - Disciples of Christ)
4800 B Franklin Road, Nashville TN 37220-1199, USA
Phone +1 (615) 331-1824; Fax  +1 (615) 331-1864
worldconv@aol.com    www.worldconvention.org
Lyndsay Jacobs - General Secretary; Lorraine Jacobs - Associate General Secretary
General Secretary Elect: Jeff Weston