REFLECTIONS ON THE JOURNEY…

Youth Ministries
One of our named priorities for this year has been ministry to and with the youth of our region. This includes both the camping program and the Regional Youth Council. We have been blessed by wonderful volunteer leadership to make sure our Winter Retreats and Summer Camps are life-giving, faith-full, safe, and enjoyable events for our youth. Elsewhere in this newsletter you will find information about the Winter Retreats to be held in March, and later this month we will be training our Camp Directors as they prepare for the summer camping season. These events couldn’t happen without faithful, committed volunteers who serve in the planning process, offer leadership as adult sponsors or counselors, or volunteer to direct or keynote our winter retreats and camps. We are also blessed with quality leadership from our youth members on the Regional Youth Council. These 9 high school students give up 3-4 weekends/year in order to plan the Winter Retreats, in addition to the time spent leading the retreats and participating in summer camps. The RYC provides not only an opportunity for high school youth to develop their leadership and ministry skills, but is also a gift for all of us in the region as we receive their leadership and insights.

Even as planning is taking place for 2010 though, longer range work is being done to address our ongoing issues and challenges surrounding camps and retreats. Declining attendance at camps, rising costs, and the challenge of securing and training quality adult leadership has led us to look seriously at how we will do camps in the future. Even more, with the increasing ethnic diversity within the region and within our congregations, we want to ensure a welcoming, hospitable atmosphere that encourages participation from our ethnic congregations. An additional consideration is our relationships with our Regional Campgrounds, Zephyr and Gwinwood. We have a unique situation in the Northwest Region in that our campgrounds are owned not by the region, but by the congregations within our region. We are aware and sensitive, therefore, that decisions we make regarding the camping program may impact Zephyr and Gwinwood and we are seeking input from their governing boards as we continue to gather information and explore possibilities.

Many ideas have been put forth about different kinds of camps that could be offered that may draw in diverse groups of young people, and it has been exciting to dream about the possibilities. However, one of the main challenges, and one of the next the long range team will have to consider, is how to provide oversight to the Youth Ministries program when our regional budget does not provide resources for a salaried staff person. This is where creative thinking will need to take place as we consider different models for overseeing and structuring the camping and youth programs and consider different ways to financially support this important ministry.

I invite your conversation about this Regional Priority, and as always, I covet your prayers for me, for Debbie Little and Dixie Carringer, co-facilitators, and for the rest of the Youth Ministries Team.

Blessings,
Sandy

You are cordially invited to attend our next Common Table gathering on Saturday, March 20 from 12:30-3pm at Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum. As a reminder, the Common Table is open to all clergy and members of congregations in the Northwest Region.  We will be sharing lunch together, hearing a presentation from our Regional Minister, Sandy Messick, about her recent trip to the Middle East, and having opportunity for conversation and worship celebrating what’s happening in the life of the Northwest Region. The CYF winter retreat is occurring simultaneously, so we will be able to enjoy the high school youth of our congregations as well.

In addition, the Mission Council will be meeting Friday night from 6-9 pm, and the Regional Board will meet Saturday morning from 9-12:00. 

To make traveling and planning easier for any of the three meetings, meals and sleeping accommodations are available for minimal costs:  Dinner is $8.25; breakfast and lunch on Saturday are $7.25.  Overnight stay is $27.25.  To adequately plan, please RSVP  by returning the form found on the regional website:  http://www.disciplesnw.org/ourwork/commontable.html  or contact the Regional office.  RSVP can be handled by mail with the form, by email with the requested information or by phone.  We are also able to take credit card payments for lodging and/or meals by phone.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

SAVE THE DATE!
May 21-23, 2010
North Hill Christian Church
Spokane, WA

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Here is a sampling of what’s going on around our regional Community of Communities. To add your congregation’s story to this list, go to the website, www.disciplesnw.org and click on the Connections tab. Please limit your news item to 2-3 sentences.

Opportunity CC, Spokane Valley – The Holy Spirit has been moving at Opportunity in January as they welcomed 8 new members, celebrated a wedding, baptism, and funeral.

Country Homes and North Hill, Spokane – It’s women against the men as the two congregations work together to fight hunger by collecting canned food for the local food bank. The competition between the genders is happening at both churches and results will be announced Feb. 28.

First Christian, Kent – Recently initiated a “new and improved” Welcome Ministry to welcome visitors to worship.

First Christian, Tacoma – Enjoyed shared evenings of worship in January with the Orchard Street Church of Christ, celebrating the shared heritage of the Stone-Campbell churches.

University Christian, Seattle – held a Congregational Retreat on Feb. 12-13 at Gwinwood. Noted church transformation coach, Anthony Robinson, was the resource leader.

First Christian, Longview  – will celebrate the ministry of pastor Ron Naff on Sunday, Feb. 28 after worship. Ron will be ending his ministry with Longview as the congregation is seeking a New Church planter to start a new Disciples congregation in the community.

Now you can donate to the Northwest Region with a credit card and a click of a button! In response to the request of many, we are now providing the opportunity to donate online. It’s fast, secure, and an easy way to support the work of the Northwest Region, and as always is a tax deductible donation.

To donate online please visit:
http://www.disciplesnw.org/ourwork/annualfund.html, click on the “Make a Donation” button at the bottom of the page to be directed to a secure webpage.

Support from individuals through the Annual Fund is one of the ways we underwrite the ministry of the Northwest Region. Thank you for your ongoing and generous support.

Hope Avenue. Easy Street. Jesus Boulevard. Interstate 4I-Believe. Seeking Railroad. Grace Road. Faith Boulevard... Names you’ll encounter on the journey that is life! Do you need directions? What if you loose your way? The message is clear: no matter what direction you pick, good times or bad, the path is never lonely. Explore your journey at Winter Retreat and leave with a spirit-filled map.

Chi Rho (6th, 7th, 8th Graders) March 5-7, 2010 @ Double K, Easton, WA
CYF (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Graders) March 19-21, 2010 @ Koinonia, Cle Elum, WA

Disciples Peace Fellowship will host its first ever Young Adult Peacekeepers Conference.  Held at Community Christian Church in Kansas City on March 11-14, this young adult event will be like no other.  Designed with the specific purpose of young adults energizing one another, it will be a hands on “how to” for making lasting change in the work of peace and social justice – lead by young adults themselves.  The keynoter is our own Janetta Cravens-Boyd, pastor of University Christian Church, Seattle.

An event that is designed for those 18-30, its leadership is comprised almost exclusively of those under the age of 40.  This is not a “come get your name on our mailing list – here is your button – check out our web site – pat on the head because young people are so refreshing” event!  DPF is looking for young adults ready to be the church NOW, not just in the future, who want to know the “how to” as well as the “why” and who are willing to spend the weekend formulating a real action plan of their own design.

Registration is $100 (with an early bird cost of $75 if you register before March 1) More information about the event, including featured speakers and workshop leaders, as well as on-line registration can be found at http://www.dpfweb.org/