Please download the MONTHLY MISSION STORY for your church bulletin or newsletter: 
            August 2008:  pdf or text only or espanol

 To download the WEEKLY PRAYER for Sunday, click here: Zambia

Come to ¡Missionworks! / MMI in Cleveland October 2-5, 2008.  Celebrate God's mission and be encouraged and strengthened for ministry!  Register by August 29, 2008.  Click here for more information and registration material: http://globalministries.org/calendar/missionworks.html

Interfaith Leaders Ask Presidential Candidates To Address Poverty
High ranking Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Protestant leaders have called on the presidential candidates of both major parties to use their primetime slots at the nominating conventions to offer plans for combating poverty.  "As people of faith, we believe that it is immoral to ignore our nation's most vulnerable populations," the leaders said in letters to Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona and Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.  The National Council of Churches, Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary - among the signers of the letter, has called poverty a "scourge" that "enslaves and breaks the spirits of tens of millions of Americans." The council's long-standing policy is to "look toward a measurable reduction of poverty in America and a greater potential for all persons to live the lives for which they were created."  For the full text of the letter and a complete list of the signers, visit:  http://globalministries.org/news/mee/interfaith-leaders-ask.html

Congregational Church Of Amherst, NH Holds U2charist
On May 31, 2008, the walls of the 234 year old Congregational Church of Amherst, New Hampshire rocked in worship at a U2charist.  This service helped to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals of Global Ministries and featured the music of the Irish rock band, U2, throughout the service.   Approximately 100 people attended this service, which included a sermon by Pastor Catriona Grant, communion accompanied by live Haitian drumming, and a special offering to support Global Ministries House of Hope program, which educates some of the poorest children Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  To learn more about the event, visit: http://globalministries.org/news/lac/congregational-church-of.html

Marina Peter Says "Peace in Sudan May Take A Long Time"
Juan Michel, World Council of Churches media relations officer, interviewed Marina Peter, European coordinator of the Sudan Ecumenical Forum with more than 20 years of advocacy work for Sudan.  Sudan Ecumenical Forum, an umbrella advocacy group for Sudanese churches and their international partners sponsored by the World Council of Churches, promotes a "whole Sudan approach".  Peter says, "Sudan is such a big country, with so many ethnic groups, cultures, peace agreements and conflict situations, that people find it difficult to see the country as a whole. Some focus on the south, others on the centre, and with the Darfur crisis everybody talks about Darfur almost as if it was a separate country. Any contribution to a better future for the people needs to be based on an understanding of the complexity and interdependence of the country."  For more of the interview, visit:  http://globalministries.org/news/africa/sudan-peace-may-take-a-long.html 

For the July 29th Darfur Legislative Update, visit: http://globalministries.org/news/jobs/darfur-update-072908.html

High-Level Multi-Religious Dialogues In Madrid And At Yale
Religious leaders of different faiths from Religions for Peace, the world's largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, took lead roles at two historic inter-faith dialogues: the "Common Word" dialogue, July 24 – 31, 2008 at Yale University, and the meeting hosted by the Muslim World League on July 16 – 17, 2008 in Madrid.  The Muslim World League meeting follows an unprecedented initiative by Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in bringing nearly 300 religious, political, and cultural leaders together from 50 countries.   The "Common Word" gathering responds to the call for dialogue issued in an open letter, A Common Word Between Us and You, written by major Islamic leaders—to which Yale scholars responded with a statement that garnered over 500 signatures.  For more about these gatherings, visit: http://globalministries.org/news/mee/leadership-engage-in.html

A Bright Future For The Church
Through an initiative of David Vargas, Co-Executive of Global Ministries, Global Ministries has been served by three "College of Mission" summer interns in the Indianapolis office.  Aaron Smith, a student at the University of Chicago – Disciples Divinity House, has been serving in the Africa office with Sandra Gourdet and Luis Gierbolini, a student at Christian Theological Seminary, with Felix Ortiz in the Latin America and Caribbean office.  Tracy Siegman, a Lexington Theological Seminary student, has served in the Mission Interpretation and Constituency Relationship office with Bob Shebeck.  Read the interns' reflections on their time and travels as members of the Global Ministries family at: http://globalministries.org/news/news/bright-future.html

If you would like to receive directly to your inbox these weekly Global Ministries updates, please send your name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number, and home church to: bshebeck@dom.disciples.org

Connect with Global Ministries Staff at Disciples and UCC Events:
Disciples NAPAD, Stony Point, NY: August 6 – 9, 2008 – Xiaoling Zhu Zhux@ucc.org
Upper Midwest Region's School for Congregational Learning, Des Moines, IA:  August 23, 2008 - Bob Shebeck bshebeck@dom.disciples.org
Kentucky Regional Assembly, Owensboro, KY: September 4 – 6, 2008 – Sarah Riester sriester@dom.disciples.org
Northeast Regional Assembly, Poestenkill, New York: September 13, 2008 – LaMarco Cable lcable@dom.disciples.org

Find a Missionary Visit in your State:
IN: July 28 – August 10, 2008, Alex Morse (Caminantes in the Dominican Republic) Contact: Cheryl Cloar: cheryl@ccindiana.org
Penn Central: August 24 to October 10, 2008, Steve and Lisa Smith (EKU in Germany) Contact: mcoons-torn@pccucc.org
CT: September 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009, Tim Rose (Reformed Church of France) Contact: Cecile Gilson cecileg@ctucc.org
FL: January 17 – February 28, 2009, Scott Couper and Susan Valiquette Couper (South Africa) Contact: Candy Younglove cyyounglove@ucc.fla.org
NC: May 1 – June 30, 2009, Tim Rose (Reformed Church of France) Contact: Janelle Bunn janellebunn@soc-ucc.org
OH: May 1 – June 30, 2009, Scott Couper and Susan Valiquette Couper (South Africa) Contact: Bob Molsberry bobm@ocucc.org
MO: June 1 – July 15, 2009, Anil Henry (India) Contact: Danny Stewart danny-ccma@socket.net