January Currents In The Stream

Happy New Year, everyone!  I pray this message finds you well and that your Christmas celebration was filled with warmth and joy.

As we begin this new year, I want to first thank you all for the concern, support and encouragement you gave me throughout 2022 as I dealt with the large number of regional staff transitions and then my own health issues. I feel very thankful for God leading me to come to Kansas some 15 years ago, now.

Next, I want to begin the year by emphasizing upcoming events and meetings I believe you all need to know about so that you can save the dates and make plans to be a part of these things:

1. Clergy remember the Remind and Renew event at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma January 25-27. You need to register now.  This is an easy way to get some continuing education requirements in for Standing.
2. Plans are being made for the next Central District Disciples Men’s Dinner for January 30.  Details will be announced when they are finalized.
3. District Cabinet meetings will be starting up again in January.  The Central District’s meeting will be on Saturday January 21 at 8:30 am and it will be on zoom video conferencing. Likewise, the High Plains District Cabinet meeting will take place on Sunday January 22 at 4:30 pm Central Time.  Since we did not meet either of these groups the last half of 2022 an invite will go to all clergy and one lay leader from each congregation to their respective district meeting.  The agenda will focus on a review the District Guidelines, and a conversation about the future of the district structure and events.
4. Clergy, the second continuing education event is Minister’s Week at TCU/ Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas February 6-8^th.  If you are planning on going, please go to their website to register, then let Tom Stanley or I know and we will talk to you about car pooling down and/or sharing housing costs in Fort Worth.
5. The annual Spiritual Retreat will be  March 9-11 at the Heartland Center for Spirituality in Great Bend, Kansas. The Rev. Dr. Paul Koch, Co-Regional Minister for the Christian Church in Mid-America is our Retreat facilitator.  We will be exploring the Beatitudes as a way of life during this retreat.
6. The annual Rest, Relax, Renew Clergy Retreat will take place April 26-27 at the Disciples Center at Tawakoni.
7. April 29^th at FCC McPherson Kansas the Kansas Regional Board will be meeting and then we will officially have a service of Installation for our new Co-Regional Minister, Tom Stanley.  General Minister and President for the Christian Church in the United States and Canada will be present with us for this event.