'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
25
– APRIL 2005
To contact us, or
discontinue, write only to worldconv@aol.com -
ChristiaNet uses a send-only
address.
World Convention Office to
Relocate:
Monday April 25th the World
Convention Office will be located at 2704 Greystone Road, Nashville. As we reported earlier in the year, First Christian
Church has sold its property and will begin conducting worship services at
Woodmont Hills Church of Christ from May 1st. The ministry team and
elders at First Christian have graciously invited World Convention to share a
house they have purchased to use as an office. We are most grateful to First
Christian for their generosity. Our phone numbers will not change, but the mailing address is now
P.O. Box
41487 Nashville,
TN
37204 –
1487.
Diamond Celebration:
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the
World Convention. Jesse Moren Bader
was the founding visionary who recognized the need for greater communication,
understanding, fellowship, common purpose and effectiveness within the global
family now known as the Stone-Campbell Movement. Today our churches are active
in more than 178 countries and territories around the globe making the task of
building a world fellowship more important now than it ever was. To mark the Diamond Celebration we are conducting a
special fund raising campaign. Specially prepared 75th Anniversary
gifts will be given to those who donate to the Diamond Campaign. Donors will receive a key ring for gifts
of $75 or above. Those who give a donation of $750 or above will have a choice
between a copy of the Encyclopedia of the
Stone-Campbell Movement or a lovely desk top memento. A free registration to
the 17th Convention will be given for those who donate $1000 or
above. Gifts can be given in increments over the year to suit your budget.
Please join with us in celebrating this significant
occasion.
New book on Alexander Campbell
released:
Alexander Campbell:
Adventure in Freedom, A Literary Biography, Volume One written by Eva Jean Wrather, edited by D. Duane Cummins
has been released. Eva Jean devoted
seventy years to writing an 800,000 word biography of Alexander Campbell. To
order a copy of the book, send a check in the amount of $28.00 US to the Disciples of Christ Historical Society,
1101 19th Avenue,
S., Nashville, TN
37212-2196. (Make the check payable to the Disciples of Christ
Historical Society.)
Terrorist Attack in
Pakistan:
Saleem
Massey
reports: “On Easter Sunday morning March 27,
2005, four fanatic Muslims
attacked at the church while Christians were worshiping in Khambay village,
Lahore. In that attack one person
was martyred and seven persons were badly injured. On Easter day afternoon a
friend of mine called me and informed me about the attack. I was in the
Model
Town
Park with my family. I left the
family there and ran towards the hospital. While I was in the hospital, I tried
to contact influential persons like Dr. Alexander John Malik Bishop of
Lahore, who responded to my call
and came to the hospital and we went to the police station to make sure that a
case was registered against (the) terrorist attack. We put the pressure on the
police to add 7 ATA (anti-terrorism clause) which was very important. The next
day, I had the honor and privilege to bury Irshad Masih, 25 years old. Irshad
left his wife with one little daughter. On April 22, there will be great
gathering in the honor of the martyr, and worship (of) the Lord. We are praying
that the Lord (will) provide funds to hire (the) best lawyer to fight the above
case, so the terrorists should bear the consequences and justice should be done.
Please pray (for) the whole community at Khambay village (who) feel insecure,
hopelessness and helplessness. We will appreciate your
prayers.”
Warsaw Christian Bible Institute Continues to
Grow:
Director Michael
Weremiejewicz reports that 398 men and women took part in a range of CBI
training programs during 2004. Almost 3000 people have now been trained by CBI
since its beginning in 1984. The Institute has also published 62 textbooks over
that time. For those interested a new email newsletter is now available by
sending your email address to chib@onet.pl.
Lexington Theological Seminary
Announces Dean Appointment:
Daisy L. Machado, ordained
Disciples minister, has been appointed vice president for academic affairs and
dean of Lexington Theological Seminary (LTS) in
Lexington, Kentucky. A Cuban native, she
will be the first Latino to serve on the LTS faculty. Machado currently
serves as associate professor of the history of Christianity and Hispanic church
studies for Texas
Christian
University's
Brite
Divinity
School in
Fort
Worth, Texas. She holds a
bachelor's degree from Brooklyn
College, master's degrees in
social work and divinity, as well as a doctoral degree from the University of
Chicago Divinity School. Machado will assume her new position in
August.
Great Job by I.D.E.S.
Executive Director of
I.D.E.S. (International Disaster Emergency Service) Rick Jett, reports that in
the last year they have been able to distribute $1.3 million to 121 different
missionaries, churches and mission organizations around the
world.
Australia Sends New
Workers to Vietnam:
The Australian Churches of
Christ organization, COCOA (Churches of Christ Overseas Aid), has sent two new
workers to Vietnam. June Branford and Seta Munns are to teach
conversational English at a special high school for advanced students in the
south near the border with Cambodia. This is the first time foreign missionaries have been
admitted to this area. COCOA
Vietnam Director John
Dean is currently in Australia undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. John is planning to return to
Vietnam on April 23rd. Please pray for this exciting start in
Vietnam.
Cane Ridge Day Focuses on
Shakers:
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the
arrival of the Shakers to western frontier Kentucky and Ohio. Cane Ridge Day 2005 will draw its theme from their
arrival on the Ridge. The Day is set for Saturday, June 25th,
beginning with registration at 9.30 am.
Noted authority on the Shakers, Stephen Stein will be the speaker in the
morning. After the morning session, there will be time for a picnic on the
grounds of Cane Ridge. William O. (Bill) Paulsell will preach at the worship
service which will complete the day.
Expansion in
India:
Central India Christian Mission reports that four new churches were planted during
March; two churches in the Shahdol area, one church in the
Raipur area and one church in the Bilaspur area. Please pray that these churches will
grow and become strong witnesses for Jesus. They also report that there were 60
baptisms on Easter Sunday in the Basna tribal area and 32 baptisms in
Raipur. In
Delhi there were 23 baptisms and there are currently 41
seekers who are participating in regular Bible studies before their
baptisms. In the Shahdol area there
were 55 baptisms and 6 baptisms in Korba.
In Sagar there were 4 baptisms and there are 22 seekers who are regularly
studying in preparation for their baptism.
We are thankful to God for these victories.
Women’s Ministry Uses Quilting to Demonstrate
Unity:
Quilting was used as a
symbol of women’s stories in the life of the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ) during a recent woman’s meeting at West Street Christian Church in
Tipton,
Indiana. Sylvia Mill, Associate Regional Minister for
Indiana, instructed the women on the “Women’s Ministry
Umbrella” that covers all women’s events, ministries, circles and groups. The
session also included Bible study and testimonies. As each woman told her story,
she illustrated her experience with a scrap of fabric that represented an aspect
of her life. The pieces of fabric will be stitched together to construct a quilt
of the women’s stories.
May 9 –
13
Vanuatu Churches of Christ Annual Conference –
North Ambae Island.
May 15
Global Day of Prayer for Africa
May 24 –
26
North American Christian
Convention at Corona,
California.
June 25
Cane Ridge Day, Cane Ridge, Paris,
Kentucky, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit
through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:3
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 178
countries.
SHARE YOUR NEWS BY MAILING OR EMAILING TO WORLD
CONVENTION
Plan to attend the next World
Convention
July 2008
in
NASHVILLE
USA
World Convention (Christian - Churches of Christ -
Disciples of Christ)
P.O. Box 41487, Nashville TN
37204-1487, USA
Phone +1 (615)
331-1824; Fax +1 (615) 331-1864
worldconv@aol.com
www.worldconvention.org
General
Secretary: Jeff Weston