Disciples Women’s Ministries empowers each woman to find her voice and live out her call. Kansas Disciples Women (KDW) provides leadership and resources for all local Christian Women’s Fellowship and Disciples Women’s Fellowship groups.
KDW NewsBytes
KDW NEWS BYTES is the monthly newsletter geared towards Disciples women in the Kansas region. This free publication is emailed to all women who attend one of our Spirit Fest or fall retreats. It is emailed to all women who have signed up for it or who attend one of our retreats or Spirit Fests. Contact Carla Pearson to be added to the mailing list.
Fall Retreat
The 2024 Disciples Women Fall Retreat took place October 2-4 (Midweek) and October 4-6 (Weekend) at Disciples Center at Tawakoni. The theme was “Strength for Today, Bold Hope for Tomorrow,” and Rev. Katie Sexton Wood, Executive Director of the Arizona Faith Network, was the keynote speaker.
The KDW Cabinet administers a scholarship fund to assist women interested in attending the annual retreat called the Helen Schwab Scholarship. The scholarship is available to any woman and will pay up to one-half of the registration cost if approved.
Blessing Boxes
For 60 years, Disciple Women ministries have expressed their gratitude to God through the Blessing Box ministry. For those who participate, it is a spiritual discipline more than a financial one. It helps keep a focus on gratitude to God and on the responsibility to share blessings with others.
Spirit Fest 2025
Plans are coming together for the 2025 Spirit Fest event. You will notice significant changes to the April 2025 event. Only one event will be held in 2025 on April 12 at First Christian Church Newton. In addition, we are inviting Kansas Disciples Men to join us! Workshops that are of interest to men are being added for this event during the morning, and then in the afternoon, our worship service will include a message from our keynote speaker, Major Owen Chandler.
If you attended the 2023 General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky, Maj. Chandler gave the keynote address during the first evening gathering. Major Chandler is a Disciples minister and is currently stationed at Ft. Riley as Chaplain. Owen speaks candidly about the struggle to hold onto faith and hope amid the brutalities of war and the isolation of being deployed. His honest stories build bridges of compassion and care to those who serve our country. This is a keynote you won’t want to miss and we are grateful for Owen’s willingness to share with us.
We challenge congregations to register at least five from every congregation to attend Spirit Fest. Bring a spouse, a son or daughter, a friend or neighbor. Registration is $20 and includes a morning reception and a boxed lunch from the Breadbasket in Newton.
Registration can be completed online at www.kansasdisciples.org, or you can complete a registration form and mail it in with a check made out to the Christian Church in Kansas. Click on the following link to download a copy of the registration form.
Heartland Interregional Conference
Heartland Interregional Conference, held every four years, brings together Disciples Women for fellowship, renewal, and worship. Disciples Women from Indiana, Illinois-Wisconsin, Upper Midwest,
Mid- American, Nebraska, Kansas, Greater Kansas City Regions along with members of NAPAD, Convention, and Convocation attend.
The next conference will be in 2026. Stay tuned for more details.
Kansas Christian Home
DWF groups across the region are supportive of Kansas Christian Home, providing crafts for the annual fall bazaar, and giving gifts to residents.
KDW Cabinet
Carla Pearson, Park Place Christian Church, Hutchinson, is the KDW Coordinator. A lifelong Disciple, Carla grew up in the McPherson First CC where her mother introduced her to Christian Women’s Fellowship.
The KDW Coordinator in partnership with the cabinet president assists with the planning of regional retreats and events and keeps us connected with the happenings in the General Church through attendance at annual meetings and the Interregional event every 4 years.
Email Carla Pearson here.
KDW Cabinet is led by a team of elected officers and each officer is elected for a two-year term and may succeed herself once. Each of the five districts in the region sends two representatives. Other members of the cabinet include an ecumenical representative, a young women’s representative, a Church Women United representative, a communications coordinator, a clergy representative, and Retreat & Spirit Fest coordinators.