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CURRENT Newsletter of the Trinity-Brazos Area

June 2014

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GO FORWARD

by Rev. Renée G. Hoke, Area Minister of Trinity-Brazos and Bluebonnet Areas of the Christian Church in the Southwest

I was struck recently by these words from Pastor Lee Elcov, writing in The Leadership Journal:

After four months of frenetic labor, the Alignment Task Force delivered a report to our Elders that bewildered us. The goal was to line up our core values, ministries, and future plans to be sure we were aligned and weren't diffusing our efforts. But you know how these things go. They couldn't sort everything out by the deadline we gave them, so they handed us a nearly 40-page hodge-podge of strategic analysis, pet projects, and complicated structures. That set off another four months of long Elder Board meetings. We exchanged pages of responses, charts, and clarifications. We didn't quarrel. We just didn't know how to go forward. We needed a clear imaginative solution.

Can you identify? We gathered our most creative leaders and poured ourselves into strategic conversations but at the end of the day, we didn’t know how to go forward.

One of the benefits of our Shared Leadership Agreement with the Bluebonnet Area is that funding has been freed up to help resource pastors and lay leaders. On Thursday, September 4, we are gathering leaders from across TBA to consider how churches can go

forward. Auxano Ministries has been helping church leaders sort it all out for a while now. In fact, they are working with leaders at First Christian Church in Victoria this summer to discover how to take full advantage of a pastoral transition.

Will Mancini, founder of Auxano, believes that lots of congregations get lost on the way to their own DNA. All too often, he says, church leaders neglect what makes each congregation unique and gravitate instead toward adopting programs and mindsets that work elsewhere. “Like a child who playfully delights in the falling snow, oblivious to the beauty of each flake, church leaders are missing out on the special beauty of what is right in front of them.”

Still wondering how to go forward at your place? I hope you will gather your best leaders and join us Thursday afternoon, September 4. Just $75 for one person to attend, but a better option is to have two attend for a total of $125 (averaging $62.50 per person) and an even better option is to have three attend for $150 total (averaging $50 each). Register online at http://church-unique-sep4.eventbrite.com or call the Trinity-Brazos Area office at 817-831-4442.

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Thanks to South Hills Christian Church for hosting our “Changing Face of Global Ministries” event in May. Pictured here are: Jon Barnes, Executive for Mission Education and Interpretation; Mary Maxine Palmer, South Hills member and former missionary; Laura Jean Torgerson and Timothy Donaghy, Mission Church in Nicaragua.

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Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

by Rob Morrison, Senior Minister at Ridglea Christian Church, Fort Worth

Several congregations in the Trinity-Brazos Area are raising funds to benefit the Trinity Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. The Carters

have engaged in an annual Habitat Build somewhere in the world since 1984, and this year they have chosen Dallas-Fort Worth as their host-site

for October 5 to 11! The Trinity-Brazos Area needs to raise $50,000 by July 15, and here is how you can help and have a good time by doing so.

Ridglea Christian Church: Five Course Five-K on Saturday, June 28, at Z Boaz Park, 3200 Lackland Road. Traditional 5K begins at 9:30 am, the Five Course 5K and Relay starts at 10:30 am and the Awards Ceremony will follow at 11:30 am. Three Race Options to choose from: Traditional 5K; Five Course 5K with five different food companies sponsoring a table at each kilometer, providing small, bite-size samples of their delectable cuisine; Five Course 5K Relay where a team of five people allows each person to complete one leg of the Five Course 5K. Information available online, on Facebook, at Ridglea's website or contact Rob Morris at 817-899-6147.

Giving Update: year to date, we have received pledges totaling over $36,500 toward our goal of $50,000! At the end of May, the Trinity-Brazos Area has received over $9,000 in contributions from churches and individuals. Contributions to the Trinity-Brazos Area for this project will be gratefully accepted, or you can enjoy these special

community-building fundraising events to help raise the needed funds. Thanks for your support in whatever manner you can give! Contact Rob Morris at 817-899-6147 or rob@ridgleachristian.org for more information.

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Christy Drechsel Called to TBA

Youth Minister Position

by Alan Lobaugh, Leadership Chair, Trinity-Brazos Area Board

We are pleased to announce that Rev. Christy Drechsel has accepted the call to be the part-time Area Youth Minister. Our thanks go to the search committee of Megan Ammann, Bill Jeffreys, Will Ryan, Alan Lobaugh and Renée Hoke. They reviewed several resumes, conducted interviews and determined Christy to be the best candidate for the position.

Rev. Drechsel will continue with her full-time work as the Associate Minister of First Christian of Fort Worth. This new part-time position follows the creation of the Disciples Crossing Program Director position where our Area is partnering with the Northeast Area and the North Texas Area. Several responsibilities from our previous Area Youth Ministry position have been transferred to the work in Athens, but there continue to be significant tasks to be done within our Area. Christy brings excitement, experience and energy in coordinating with the youth ministers and children's ministers of our various churches as well as supporting the work of our youth ministry council and our outdoor education committee. Christy has already started her work with the Area. Take a moment to congratulate her and pray for this new step in our Area's ministry.

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Ordination Anniversaries

Alice Hupp, Senior Minister of Park Place Christian Church in Wichita Falls,

celebrated her 30th anniversary of her ordination

last month.

J. Lynn White, Senior Minister of Trinity Christian

Church in Arlington, celebrated his 40th

anniversary of his ordination this month.

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TBA/BBA CONGREGATIONS IN SEARCH AND CALL

Alamo Heights Christian Church, San Antonio - Working on congregational profile

Bethany Christian Church, Austin - Seeking pulpit supply

Central Christian Church, Austin - Call extended, voting soon

Central Christian Church, Corpus Christi - Candidate interviews

Central Christian Church, Killeen - Candidate interviews

First Christian Church, Burnet - Interim extended, search resumes soon

First Christian Church, Burleson - Mike Kearns called as Senior Minister

First Christian Church, Victoria - Vision planning, search resumes soon

Church at Horseshoe Bay - Candidate interviews

Marbach Christian Church, San Antonio - Darnell Dotson called as Senior Minister

Richland Hills Christian Church - Paul Klaus called as Senior Minister

Round Rock Christian Church - Leader meeting June 6

South Shore Christian Church, Corpus Christi - Call extended, voting soon

Willow Park Christian Church, San Antonio - Pulpit supply

Western Hills Christian Church, San Antonio - Pulpit supply, completing congregational profile

WestWind Church, Keller - Leader meeting June 12

For more information on these churches, contact Rev. Renee Hoke at rhoke@ccsw.org.

COMING EVENTS IN TBA: SAVE THE DATE!

Jun 16-21 (Mon-Sat) - Chi Rho I

Jun 16-21 (Mon-Sat) - TBA CYF Conference

June 22 (Sun) - WestWind Christian Church Barbecue Benefiting Habitat Project

Jun 23-28 (Mon-Sat) - Niner's

Jun 30-Jul 4 (Mon-Fri) - JYF I

Jul 7-12 (Sun-Sat) - Eighter's

Jul 7-12 (Mon-Sat) - Chi Rho II

Jul 12 (Sat) - grant application deadline (New Church, Reconciliation, Transformation); considered by TBA Board on Aug 23

Jul 15 (Tues) - contributions due toward $50,000 goal earmarked for Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work

Project

Jul 21-25 (Mon-Fri) - JYF II

Aug 1 (Sat) - Volunteer names to be submitted to Chris Wilson for Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

for background checks to be completed

Aug 1-3 (Sat-Mon) - Grand Camp II

Aug 9 (Sat), 10 am - TBA Administrative Council

Aug 23 (Sat), 10 am - TBA Board

Sep 4 (Thurs), 1-7 pm - Church Unique Workshop at University Christian Church

Sep 13 (Sat) - grant application deadline (New Church, Reconciliation, Transformation); considered by TBA Board on Oct 25

Oct 5 (Sun) - Opening Ceremony for Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

Oct 5-11 (Sun-Sat) - Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

Oct 11 (Sat) - Closing Ceremony for Habitat for Humanity Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

Oct 11 (Sat), 10 am - TBA Administrative Council

Oct 25 (Sat), 10 am - TBA Board

RDMC = Riverside Disciples Ministry Center, 1000 Bonnie Brae Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76111

For more information on upcoming events, contact the Trinity-Brazos Area at 817-831-4442 or tba@ccsw.org.

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Trinity-Brazos Area of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest 1000 Bonnie Brae Avenue Fort Worth TX 76111-4301

817-831-4442 / 817-831-4446 Fax www.tbaccsw.org / tba@ccsw.org

Trinity-Brazos Area Assembly:

Faithful to Our Unity, Our Future, Our Friendship as We Worship the God Who Is Faithful