Alex is a database that will be shared by the whole Church. General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens set this as an objective early in her tenure, knowing from her earlier experience in corporate settings that business intelligence (data) is key to making informed decisions. Alex will position Disciples to finally have a real-time directory and picture of churchwide trends that has been impossible with the current yearbook system.

Join us as we CONNECT AND SHARE our faith stories through the spiritual discipline of writing.

We will

• Discuss writing as a spiritual discipline;
• Consider poetry as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Explore short stories as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Hear stories of women in our Region and in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);

SHARE OUR STORIES.

MARCH 4, MARCH 11, MARCH 18 and MARCH 25, 2023

9 – 11 AM CST & 10 AM – Noon EST

Writing Retreat BY ZOOM

COST – $35.00 for four sessions and opportunity to publish your writing in an anthology of faith stories.

Who should attend:

• Beginner and experienced writers.
• Those who are or who are not interested in having their writing included in a

self-published anthology of faith stories.

• Those who can attend one or all four of the sessions.
• Those who want to experience the power of sharing stories.

We have an opportunity. Our two regions (CCIW & Michigan) have been invited to be among the first to participate in the Church Narrative Project with Dr. David Anderson Hooker and his team. The goal is to help our regions and Disciples to shape a shared future story. Here’s the link to the General Church site:  https://disciples.org/churchnarrativeproject/

Many of our pastors met Dr. Hooker at our Clergy Retreat last April. He and his team will be training our leaders in the Transforming Communities Conferencing process. CCIW is investing in this training for our leaders from both regions. Our Reconciliation team sees the importance of story/connection in creating a hope-filled shared future. It fits right in with what we are doing in our partnership.

We have a date of March 10-11 at United Christian Church in Country Club Hills, Illinois near the I 80 corridor (4351 180th St, Country Club Hills, IL 60478). Friday night will be a “Story Hour” facilitated by our own Rev. Rebecca Anderson, of Gilead Chicago and Earshot Stories. On Saturday, Dr. Hooker’s team will lead the TCC process. The two days build upon each other, but it isn’t necessary to be at both.

StoryHour will be livecast to the Youtube and Facebook pages of the Christian Church (DOC).

https://www.facebook.com/christianchurchdoc
https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristianChurchDOC

What we need from you at this time:

1. Put the dates on your calendar.

2. Let Judith Guy Thomas, [email protected] or
Sarah Zuniga, [email protected]  know if you are willing to be a “story-teller” on Friday night. Our theme is “Eureka!”

3. Let Judith or Sarah know if you would like to be trained as a TCC facilitator. (There will be Zoom meetings to prepare for the Saturday, March 11 gathering.)

We will have information on housing later. For now, please join us and pray for this opportunity. (If you have to travel more than four hours for an event/meeting we provide housing and reimburse mileage at the volunteer rate.)

While there is no cost to attend the Narrative Project, to receive Ethics Credit in the CCIW or CCMR there is a registration fee of $30. Payment button is below.

The event will be hosted at:
UCC Country Club Hills Illinois
4351 180th St, Country Club Hills, IL 60478

Schedule
Friday, March 10
5 to 6pm Dinner at church
6 to 7:30 StoryHour – in person and online across the US and Canada
7:30 to 9pm Begin Transformative Community Conference (TCC) with Dr. David Anderson HookerSaturday, March 11
9 to 12noon – Transformative Community Conference (TCC)
12 to 12:30 lunch
12:30 to 3pm

Register Online

For Ethics Credit

Join us as we CONNECT AND SHARE our faith stories through the spiritual discipline of writing.

We will

• Discuss writing as a spiritual discipline;
• Consider poetry as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Explore short stories as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Hear stories of women in our Region and in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);

SHARE OUR STORIES.

MARCH 4, MARCH 11, MARCH 18 and MARCH 25, 2023

9 – 11 AM CST & 10 AM – Noon EST

Writing Retreat BY ZOOM

COST – $35.00 for four sessions and opportunity to publish your writing in an anthology of faith stories.

Who should attend:

• Beginner and experienced writers.
• Those who are or who are not interested in having their writing included in a

self-published anthology of faith stories.

• Those who can attend one or all four of the sessions.
• Those who want to experience the power of sharing stories.

Join us as we CONNECT AND SHARE our faith stories through the spiritual discipline of writing.

We will

• Discuss writing as a spiritual discipline;
• Consider poetry as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Explore short stories as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Hear stories of women in our Region and in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);

SHARE OUR STORIES.

MARCH 4, MARCH 11, MARCH 18 and MARCH 25, 2023

9 – 11 AM CST & 10 AM – Noon EST

Writing Retreat BY ZOOM

COST – $35.00 for four sessions and opportunity to publish your writing in an anthology of faith stories.

Who should attend:

• Beginner and experienced writers.
• Those who are or who are not interested in having their writing included in a

self-published anthology of faith stories.

• Those who can attend one or all four of the sessions.
• Those who want to experience the power of sharing stories.

Healthy Boundaries 201 – Saturday March 18, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM CST, virtually.

Join us as we CONNECT AND SHARE our faith stories through the spiritual discipline of writing.

We will

• Discuss writing as a spiritual discipline;
• Consider poetry as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Explore short stories as a potential form for sharing your stories;
• Hear stories of women in our Region and in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);

SHARE OUR STORIES.

MARCH 4, MARCH 11, MARCH 18 and MARCH 25, 2023

9 – 11 AM CST & 10 AM – Noon EST

Writing Retreat BY ZOOM

COST – $35.00 for four sessions and opportunity to publish your writing in an anthology of faith stories.

Who should attend:

• Beginner and experienced writers.
• Those who are or who are not interested in having their writing included in a

self-published anthology of faith stories.

• Those who can attend one or all four of the sessions.
• Those who want to experience the power of sharing stories.

Mark your calendars!
Plan to join us for the 2023 CCIW & CCMR Clergy Retreat at the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan.

JOIN US for the  2023 Spring Gathering.

We will meet Friday evening April 21 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM by Zoom Meeting only for Bible study, business meeting, and closing prayer. Saturday April 22 there will be three options for participation: 1) in person at our host site, 2) at one of the watch party sites by Zoom meeting, or 3) from your home by Zoom Meeting.  First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Pontiac will be our host site with Rev. Hannah Fitch there.

Our keynote speaker Rev. Hannah Fitch volunteers as co-leader of Great Lakes Green Chalice, a ministry of CCIW and CC in MI devoted to the care of Creation through our faith communities. Taking cues from Green Chalice, a ministry of Disciples Home Mission, Great Lakes Green Chalice helps churches develop and strengthen their Green Teams, explore Creation Care theologically and ritually, and proactively engage the climate crisis to protect the community of Creation. Hannah will be sharing about Creation Care and Sustainable Living.

HOST CHURCH –
First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), 1314 East Indiana Avenue, Pontiac, IL

WATCH PARTY SITES —1) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 801 63rd St, 2) Downers Grove, IL; Park Manor
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 600 E. 73rd St., Chicago, IL; 3) Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 2507
W. Newman Pkwy, Peoria, IL; 4) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 101 North Church St., Virden, IL

JOIN US for the  2023 Spring Gathering.

We will meet Friday evening April 21 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM by Zoom Meeting only for Bible study, business meeting, and closing prayer. Saturday April 22 there will be three options for participation: 1) in person at our host site, 2) at one of the watch party sites by Zoom meeting, or 3) from your home by Zoom Meeting.  First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Pontiac will be our host site with Rev. Hannah Fitch there.

Our keynote speaker Rev. Hannah Fitch volunteers as co-leader of Great Lakes Green Chalice, a ministry of CCIW and CC in MI devoted to the care of Creation through our faith communities. Taking cues from Green Chalice, a ministry of Disciples Home Mission, Great Lakes Green Chalice helps churches develop and strengthen their Green Teams, explore Creation Care theologically and ritually, and proactively engage the climate crisis to protect the community of Creation. Hannah will be sharing about Creation Care and Sustainable Living.

HOST CHURCH –
First Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), 1314 East Indiana Avenue, Pontiac, IL

WATCH PARTY SITES —1) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 801 63rd St, 2) Downers Grove, IL; Park Manor
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 600 E. 73rd St., Chicago, IL; 3) Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 2507
W. Newman Pkwy, Peoria, IL; 4) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 101 North Church St., Virden, IL

Healthy Boundaries – Self Care/Spirituality will tentatively be Thursday, June 1.

Location TDB Peoria.

Alex Ruth and Al Keeney will be the facilitators.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023

Louisville, Kentucky

JULY 29-AUGUST 1, 2023

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada is excited to announce the 2023 General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, July 29-August 1! It will be the first time in four years the church as a whole has gathered.

Save the date to join Disciples across the church as we gather in person and digitally.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2023

Louisville, Kentucky

JULY 29-AUGUST 1, 2023

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada is excited to announce the 2023 General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, July 29-August 1! It will be the first time in four years the church as a whole has gathered.

Save the date to join Disciples across the church as we gather in person and digitally.

• Angelique Byrd
• Tom Yang
• Katherine Ball