'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 38 – June 2006
To contact us, or discontinue, write only to worldconv@aol.com ChristiaNet uses a send-only address. Clint Holloway, Editor
Church Development Fund Approves International Loan
On Friday, May 5 the board of Church Development Fund (Irvine, California) unanimously approved CDF’s first-ever international loan. The loan will allow Churchill Meadows Christian Church in Toronto, Canada to continue effective ministry to the half-million residents in its community. In four years the church has grown from a few families to more than 400 people, and on her fourth anniversary Churchill Meadows also helped create Impact Canada, thought to be the first significant church planting venture in the history of the country. Churchill Meadows will use the funds to buy new property with clear visibility from a major interstate and easy access for traffic. For more information see CDF at www.provision.org and Churchill Meadows at http://www.churchillmeadows.org/.
President of Rwanda Visits Oklahoma Christian University
Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda recently visited Oklahoma Christian University, an a cappella Churches of Christ school in Oklahoma City. The visit was part of an expanding relationship between the school and the African nation. Kagame said he chose the school as a stop during his visit to North America at the invitation of Mike O'Neal, President of OCU, who visited Rwanda in November 2004. Richard Lawson, an Oklahoma Christian graduate and founder of St. Paul, Minn.-based Lawson Software Inc., and his wife, Pat, made initial contact with the Rwandan government. OCU has pledged to provide up to 11 full-tuition scholarships to the best and the brightest young men and women who will study in the US and then return to serve the people of Rwanda (See Rwanda profile).
News Briefs:
Ruth and Keith Skillicorn of South Australia who served 31 years of ministry in India and Bangladesh with Leprosy Mission have published their autobiography “Faith + Action = Miracle.” The book which shares the Skillicorn’s insights into world missions is available in hardcopy or in downloadable text at www.lulu.com/higges
Dr. R.H. (Tex) Williams is retiring as the President of Texas-based World Bible School. Under Williams’ 20 year tenure the World Bible School has gown dramatically reaching dozens of nations around the globe, particularly with the growth of the internet. In 2005 over 1 million students were enrolled in the WBS. It is through the Biblical teaching of WBS that many countries have contact with the Stone-Campbell Movement. John Reese succeeds Williams as President. www.worldbibleschool.net or email info@worldbibleschool.net
On June 1 Mac Ice joined the staff of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Nashville as Public Services Archivist. In addition, Mac is on staff of the Central Church of Christ in downtown Nashville and is serving as a member of the Planning Committee for the 2008 World Convention helping to plan the youth events.
Staff members of the World Convention will be attending several US gatherings in the month of June. Jeff Weston and Clint Holloway will be involved in activities of the Stone-Campbell Dialogue June 11-13. Julia Keith will represent World Convention at the Indianapolis “Mix in 06,” the Disciples’ Women’s conference, June 21-25. Jeff Weston will attend Cane Ridge Day near Lexington, Kentucky on June 24. Clint and Adele Holloway and Jeff and Rosemary Weston will attend the North American Christian Convention in Louisville, Kentucky June 27-30. Former General Secretaries Lyndsay and Lorraine Jacobs along with several World Convention Board Members will also be present at these events. Be sure to stop by the booths and give us your greetings!
Prayer Focus
July 1-July 3 the World Convention Board will gather in Nashville to discuss the future of the Convention and solidify plans for the 2008 Convention. The Board, which gathers every two years, is made up of representatives from several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and Poland. The board meeting will also be highlighted by a dedication of the new office and house. All friends of World Convention are invited to attend on Sunday, July 2 between 2 pm and 5 pm.
Da Vinci Code Hot Topic in Churches
Dan Brown’s best selling book, The Da Vinci Code and the May 19th release of a film based on the book have generated considerable discussion among Churches across the three U.S. streams of the Stone-Campbell Movement and around the world. The June issue of The Christian Chronicle includes several articles detailing events by local churches examining the fictional work (www.christianchronicle.org.) Among many resources available is Solving the Da Vinci Code Mystery by Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) author Brandon Gilvin available at www.chalicepress.com or by calling 800-366-3383.
Coming Events:
Cane Ridge Day 2006 will be Saturday, June 24, 2006. The theme for this year’s annual gathering will be “Cane Ridge Preservation at 75: Preserving the Past, Living in the Present and Visioning the Future.” The Cane Ridge Meeting House outside of Lexington, Kentucky is sacred to the memory of all members of the Stone-Campbell Movement as the site of the Cane Ridge Revival of 1801 and the ministry of Barton W. Stone. Box lunches are available for $9 and can be reserved by contacting the co-curators Robert and Diane Steffer at CANERDGMTG@aol.com.
The North American Christian Convention will be held June 27-30, 2006 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY under the theme “Together in Christ.” Convention President is Dr. David Faust. Visit the World Convention booth while at the Convention. Register at www.nacctheconnectingplace.com
The 36th Annual Caribbean Lectureship will be held July 9-12 on the Commonwealth of Dominica (See Dominica profile). The theme for this year’s Lectureship is “Looking Unto Jesus.” Contact caribbeanlectureship@yahoo.com or 767-445-7898
The 13th National Hispanic and Bilingual Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will held July 13-16, 2006 in Killeen, Texas at the Iglesia Cristiana Monte Sinai. This year’s theme, “Tell My People to March!” is taken from 1 Peter 2: 9-10. Registration can be completed online at www.obrahispana.org/asamlea.htm.
19th Biennial Session of the National Convocation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be held in Dearborn, Michigan July 28, August 1, 2006. The theme is “Reclaiming Prophetic Ministry: Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.” For more information and upcoming events see www.disciples.org/convo/index.htm
8th Annual Pan European Lectureship will be held in Brussels, Belgium August 1-5, 2006. The theme for the lectureship will be taken from 1Timothy 4:16, “How to Save Yourself and Other.” For more information go to www.lectureship.org
August 9-12, 2006 is the date for the 14th Biennial Convocation of the North American Pacific/Asian Disciples of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to be held in San Francisco, California. See www.napad.net for information. The theme is “Reconciled in Christ: to serve, to give to love” taken from 2 Corinthians 5:18.
The National Missionary Convention will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana November 16-19, 2006 under the theme of “Neighbors and Nations - Every One, Every Place, Every Moment.” Information and registration can be found online at www.nmc-windows.org
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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.
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