“You have to be grateful whenever you get to someplace safe and okay. Even if it turns out it wasn’t quite where you were heading.” – Anne Lamott
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News from this morning’s congregational chat.
Our thanks to Maribeth Yarnell for getting the “Donate” button working on our Facebook page.
Greg Yarnell has agreed to be our song leader during worship.
David Hansen will be our full-time minister beginning September 1. This week he will meet with the Gathered group and the Scattered group to further discuss plans for a new worship format that will start in September.
During our chat time this morning, the congregation expressed an interest in pursuing a deeper theological education, of which we have not had a serious study in many years. David Hansen has ideas for this.
There is also interest in hearing more personal stories from Pine Valley Christian Church’s history.
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Green Chalice: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Green Chalice was mentioned by David Hansen and Maribeth Yarnell during our chat this morning. Green Chalice is a partnership ministry of Disciples Home Missions (DHM) and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Eco-justice ministries in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) grew out of the 1977 General Assembly resolution that called for the development of a Task Force on Ecology.
Green Chalice was called into being in 2007 to help Kentucky Disciples live sustainable lives in harmony with all creation. Kentucky Disciples frame their ministry with one question, “What must we do to live our faith?” For a growing number of Kentucky Disciples that answer includes care for God’s creation through adopting sustainable lifestyles both personally and as a congregation.
Other Disciples churches in many states now participate in Green Chalice. A new effort at environmental stewardship has taken root. General Ministries have recognized their part in caring for creation, for example, by creating programs for congregations to green their buildings (Church Extension) and their grounds (DHM). Christian Board of Publication has committed to using recycled paper stock in their publications. DHM and Week of Compassion have partnered to make Equal Exchange coffee available to Disciples.
A resolution concerning carbon neutrality was passed at the 2017 General Assembly, in which the Christian Church (DOC) committed to reducing our carbon pollution with the goal to become carbon neutral by the year 2030 and climate positive by 2035. From Hawaii and Washington to Ontario and Florida, and everywhere in between, Disciples congregations are caring for creation in unique and inspiring ways.
The purpose of the Green Chalice Program is to encourage and assist local congregations/DOC Offices and Assemblies who wish to live out their faith by caring for creation. With the urgency of climate change impacting our neighbors and world, Green Chalice prioritizes Carbon Neutrality while still inviting congregations to care for creation more generally. This program is designed to recognize congregations for being good stewards of God’s creation. It also aims to empower congregations/assemblies with ideas and resources to enable them to walk gently on the earth.
The program has two tiers. The first level is to become a Green Chalice Congregation/Assembly. The second level is to become a CERTIFIED Green Chalice Congregation or Assembly.
The Green Chalice mission is to connect Christian faith, spiritual practice and creation consciousness in order to demonstrate the fullness of God’s shalom.
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From the PVCC newsletter archives, this week in 1975: Debate on Resolutions at the General Assemblies of the Christian Church is always lively and, in the long run, enlightening. …Resolution No. 55 “Concerning Support of Farmworkers” supports the right of all workers, including farm workers, to organize in the union of their choice and endorses the farmworkers’ boycott of table grapes and iceberg lettuce and Gallo wines. The General Board recommends approval.
— Melanie Naden, PVCC Moderator