Reflecting on 2022 as we move into 2023
January. The start of a new year. A time to look to the future, set goals, and make plans.
Our region has faced quite a few changes this last year: new staff, new initiatives, new ways of looking at regional ministry. Amongst all this new are still pieces of the familiar traditions we hold dear.
In the last year, we brought on five new regional staff members. Each of these individuals bringing with them a new set of needed skills, a new perspective to regional ministry, and a new set of goals for the future of our region. (See our Staff page to get to know them a little better.)
Your regional staff is working together in conjunction with your elected Regional Moderator Team to develop leadership training opportunities. We are carefully and prayerfully looking for keynote speakers and workshop leaders who will challenge us and equip us for ministry in the coming years.
Through the Tri-Regional Partnership with the Greater Kansas City Region and the Nebraska Region and New Church ministries, we are looking for ways to strengthen established church ministries and develop new ministries to equip church leaders. These initiatives, funded by your generous gifts to our region and various grant programs, are helping to strengthen our local, regional, and partnership ministries.
So, as we begin our 2023 ministry, here are a few of our plans and goals for the year:
Kansas is a beautiful place to call home but attracting clergy from outside Kansas is not always easy, creating a challenge for our Search and Call system. CCK has reserved booth space at General Assembly in 2023 that will increase our visibility, give us an opportunity to speak with clergy, and attract new clergy to serve in the Kansas region. (See General Assembly article)
We have re-established the Clergy Cluster groups in the Northeast, Southeast, and South Central districts. The first two meetings took place, and we had an excellent turnout at those events. We are having ongoing conversations and opportunities for fellowship and learning.
To help us adequately prepare for your arrival at our regional events, pre-registration a minimum of one week prior to event start date is highly encouraged. Register online through our Events Calendar Page or through ENGAGE. Regional Support staff is also available by phone for assistant. (See Changes to CCK Event Registration article.)
The Disciples Center at Tawakoni financials for 2022 are looking better thanks to the many outside groups we are hosting at our facility. The challenge moving forward is meeting the staff requirements to meet the needs of being a 52-week-a-year facility.
With the changes and shifts in the region over the last year and a half, the New Church team put the search for a Regional Minister for New Church Ministry on hold. However, after consultation with the team and conversations with Tom, the search will resume.
Installation plans for our new Co-Regional Minister and president Rev. Tom Stanley are taking place for April at McPherson FCC. General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens will be joining us for this celebration.
As we look ahead to 2023, we have applied for a continuation grant through the Kansas Leadership Center to continue making progress toward our collective adaptive challenges for the Kansas region. We have 60 spots available through our KLC Partnership Grant to continue this valuable training. (Apply for one of these spots.)
Your Regional Communications Team and Vice Moderator Cal Williams are working to develop a Regional Communications Advocate program. Regional Communications Advocates will be volunteer representatives in each church to receive/send communications to and from the region to inform and advocate for greater involvement by their congregation in regional ministries.