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What's New for Disciples Women?

PLAN NOW TO ATTEND THE WOMEN'S LUNCHEON AT THE OCTOBER REGIONAL ASSEMBLY





regional women's assembly is a success!
     
Annual IDWM Woman-to-Woman Worldwide

Blessing Boxes

Service Projects/Offering Suggestions

Women's Logo

REGIONAL WOMEN'S ASSEMBLY IS A SUCCESS! 

Over two hundred women from Texas and New Mexico experienced an incredible gathering on the beautiful Texas Christian University campus and at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, TX the weekend of June 20-22, 2008.  They met to reclaim their connection with the University and the Church and to be challenged to be "Shapers and Shakers."  Based on the biblical text of Acts 8:4-44, SW Regional Minister Dani Loving Cartwright encouraged the women to break loose and move beyond their current comfort zones, to respond to the Holy Spirit and share the Word.  Charlotte Hoppe, Tres Rios Area Minister, explored the text in Bible Study.

Sheila Spencer, Office of Disciples Women Program Director, brought greetings from that Office and then captivated the group with her faith story.  All were struck by the "God-incidences" of her life.

It was difficult to choose from the many focus groups.  Women flocked to "Shaping Our Children," "Shaping Your Leadership," "Shaping Life's Decisions," "When Life Is Shaken Upside Down," "Many Hats/Many Faces of a Woman," "Impact of Pop Culture on Our Faith," and many, many others.  They marveled at the "Wheel Throwing Demonstration" and learned the history of the chalice becoming the symbol for the Disciples of Christ.

Seated at banquet tables decorated with pineapples, bananas, yams and potatoes,* women listened to Pauline Patterson of Nacogdoches, TX share her initial impressions of the Woman-to-Woman Worldwide experience to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Fascinated by the quilt Pauline constructed to depict her encounters there, the women tied knots in the quilt while praying for the women and chldren Pauline met.

Offerings were beyond expectation!  Women contributed generously to the Blessing Box, Church Women United, the Hispaniola Education Fund and the Regional Women's Program Enrichment Fund.  Tallies of their gifts to Jesus Family/Wildflowers Blooming and Inman Christian Center represented significant commitment to those service projects.

Meaningful worship services midst a backdrop of brightly colored flowing cloths, beautiful plants and pottery creations, inspired women.  The Assembly culminated in worship Sunday morning at TCU/BRite's Robert Carr Chapel.  Many voiced feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit during the weekend.

*The Presbyterian Night Shelter received all the food items used for decoration.

                                               
The Annual IDWM Woman-to-Woman Worldwide trip this October will take Disciple women from the United States and Canada to Israel and palestine.  two women from the southwest region will be going.  patricia bluitt of dallas and ana aquino of round rock are eagerly preparing for this experience.

Blessing Boxes

Sending your gifts directly to Indianapolis allows these valuable funds to reach the point of need much more quickly.  The Office of Disciples Women encourages women to send Blessing Box monies periodically, rather than sending a lump sum at the end of the program year.
(Blessing Box offerings sent to the CCSW office are simply forwarded to Indianapolis.)

     Mail to:
      Blessing Box
      Disciples Mission Fund
      Church Finance Council
      PO Box 1986
      Indianapolis, IN 46206-1986
      Please note: "Blessing Box" on your check


SERVICE PROJECTS/OFFERING SUGGESTIONS:
The Department suggests the following hands on and monetary projects and offerings for 2008-2009. Groups should decide which one or more they would like to support during the year.

Project I:  Social Action Emphasis--Common Action Project
The International Disciples Women's Fellowship previously identified Environmental Concerns as the Social Action Emphasis for 2006-2010. 

Project II:  Hispaniola Education Fund--Monetary Project 
This fund will go to further educational needs for the women and children of Haiti.  There are three areas that our gifts will support.  They are:
CONESPEH:  This houses a school for Pre-K through High School, a Seminary and the Karen School of Nursing.
House of Hope:  This is an education center for children whose parents have given or sold them to people in the city because they cannot care for them.  These children become quasi-slaves with no rights.  This is a day school to teach the children human rights and skills such as cooking and sewing.
Caminante:  This is an area in the Dominican Republic that is known for the sex-trade.  Caminante recruits the street children into programs that teach human rights, give health care (drugs and AIDS are big problems) and has recently opened a vocational school.

For more information on this ministry, go to http://www.globalministries.org/lac/projects/woman-to-woman-worldwide-servi.html.

      Monetary gifts should be sent to:
      Global Ministries
      Office of Resource Development
      P O Box 1986
      Indianapolis, IN  46206
      Please note "Hispaniola Education Fund" on your check.



Project III:  Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries--Hands-on Project
The mission of the Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is to teach the love of Jesus Christ by building a renewed wholeness and dignity in those who are broken, especially in refugees and those who are disenfranchised and displaced.  This Good News of salvation is lived out by addressing spiritual and material needs including emergency food and shelter, clothing, transportation, legal aid, and job referral through a cooperative effort with other agencies and religious organizations.

We will prepare school kits containing the following:
                 SCHOOL KIT:
1 pair of blunt scissors
1 pkg. of ruled notebook paper (1/2”)
1 (30 cm/12 inch) ruler
1 hand-held pencil sharpener
1 box (12) new pencils with erasers
1 large eraser
1 pkg. colored construction paper (12 sheets)
1 box of 24 crayons
1 pkg. of colored pencils
1 (12” X 14”) cloth bag with cloth handles and a closure (Velcro, snap, or button)
PACK ALL THESE ITEMS IN THE CLOTH BAG AND SECURE THE CLOSURE.

Prepared school kits should be packed in a sturdy cardboard box and mailed/shipped to:

     Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries
     27289 Pereira Compassion Road
     Los Fresnos, TX 78566.

If you would rather send financial support, approximately $10 will purchase the items needed for one school kit.  Financial contributions should be mailed to:

     Southwest Good Smaritan Ministries
     P.O. Box 273
     Los Fresnos, TX  78566
    
For more information and a video click on http://www.swgsm.org/about.html