Your Global Ministries Update: March 20, 2008

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

To download the WEEKLY PRAYER for Sunday worship, click here: Chile

Please support Global Ministries by giving to the Disciples Easter Offering on March 16 and 23.

GM Receives Easter Messages from Partners in Israel/Palestine to Share in Worship
The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem write: "...To our friends across the world we wish the peace and joy of the Risen Lord. Thank you for your prayerful support but please we would ask that you recall that your faith in Christ has its origin in this Holy Land. You have to assume your responsibilities here. You too are responsible with us for restoring in it the joy of the Resurrection so as to lift the burdens of death, hatred, Occupation, Security Walls and the fear of taking the risk of peace. Do whatever you can and please involve your Governments too to assume their responsibilities for the peace of this Land. Pray for us as well as for a just and comprehensive peace in this Land ; pray that fear, the main obstacle for peace, will disappear. Pray that people recognize and accept each other, so that the right ways be open before the glory of the Resurrection so that this Land of the resurrection may enjoy the new life to which God has called it..." To read the entire message, click here: Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem writes: "...Christ is risen. Indeed he is risen! I pray and ask God to fill your hearts with the joy and hope of the Resurrection. We all live in a holy Land, the land of Revelation, Redemption and reconciliation between the peoples and reconciliation with God, the compassionate and forgiving. Unfortunately, this land remains a land of bloodshed, ignoring its own vocation and incapable of accepting it..." To read the entire message, click here: Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem

Dr. Bernard Sabella writes: ...Resurrection is a cyclical process from winter to spring; from death to life; from war to peace. In its simplest message, the process is reassuring that death, entombment and conflict are not the end of all things and that life has meaning over and above individual lives and particular attachments. That resurrection is both a divine and natural scheme cannot be disputed. One thing, though, remains disputed is whether we mortals can contribute to the process of resurrection, particularly in our case in the long protracted conflict that has sown suffering throughout the land we all refer to as holy..." To read the entire message, click here: Dr. Bernard Sabella

Four Regional Ministers and a WCM/GM Board Member go to China with their Spouses
The People-to-People trip participants gathered in Detroit on March 13 and 14 to begin their two week journey with the Ministries and Mission Interpreters training and a time of orientation on China. Sent out by God's grace during their commissioning service the group included: Carole and Thomas Brooke (GM board member), Emily and Richard Guentart (Upper Midwest Region), Wendy and Ray Miles (Georgia Region), Susan and Ken Moore (Nebraska Region), Nina and Danny Stewart (Mid-America Region), Maria Cruzado (GM People-to-People coordinator), and Xiaoling Zhu (GM East Asia and Pacific area executive). During their stay in China, they will visit congregations, pastors and leaders from the China Christian Council, Global Ministries' main partner in China, and celebrate Holy Week and Easter in the Chinese church. Please pray for their ministry of encouragement and discovery. To read the rest of the story, click her: China Trip

Michael Kinnamon Condemns Murder of Iraqi Archbishop
"The Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, has condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the murder of Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho in Mosul, Iraq. The archbishop was seized by gunmen as he left Mass on Feb. 29. His three companions were killed in the attack. Despite appeals for his safe release, the archbishop's body was found yesterday just outside Mosul in northern Iraq. "The kidnapping and murder of this man of peace is yet another appalling incident in the ongoing cycle of violence in Iraq," Kinnamon said. "It is so obvious that violent acts do not achieve political goals. They only spawn more violence as one side or the other seeks reprisal and retribution. Nothing is solved by violence." The Middle East Council of Churches also expressed "great sorrow and condemnation" at the kidnapping and death of Archbishop Rahho..."

To read the full statement of Michael Kinnamon, click here: NCC USA Statement
To read the statement from the Middle East Council of Churches, click here: MECC Statement
To read the statement of the leaders of different faiths in Religions for Peace, click here: Religions for Peace Statement

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

Find a Missionary Visit in your State:
WA: February 1 to March 31, 2008, Doug and Liz Searles (English teachers with the Sichuan TV and Radio University in Chengdu, China) Contact: Mary Margaret Pruitt marympaul@foxinternet.com
IL: February 1 to March 31, 2008, Linda and Bruce Hanson (The Christian Development Commission (CCD) and The Theological Community of Honduras (CTEH) Contact: Lois Whitaker JandLWhit@consolidated.net
Penn NE: March 21-31 and April 6 to 30, 2008, Jeffrey Mensendiek (Council on Cooperative Mission, assigned to the Emmaus Center in Sendai, Japan) Contact: Alan Miller alanm@pnec.org
Penn SE: April 6 to May 31, 2008, Dale and Bethsaba Nafziger (National Churches Fellowship of Nepal) Contact: Geneva Butz butz@psec.org
IA: May 1 to June 30, 2008, Linda and Bruce Hanson (The Christian Development Commission (CCD) and The Theological Community of Honduras (CTEH) Contact: Selva Lehman selvarl@mchsi.com
Southern CA: May 1 to June 30, 2008, Jeffrey Mensendiek (Council on Cooperative Mission, assigned to the Emmaus Center in Sendai, Japan) Contact: Virginia Arroyo arroyo@scncucc.org
WV: May 1-31, 2008, Krista Johnson (Sabeel in Jerusalem) Contact: Thad Allen tallen@wvdisciples.org
WA: May 10 to June 30, 2008, Ana and Tod Gobledale (Churches of Christ Theological College in Melbourne, Australia) Contact: Marvin Eckfeldt marveck@comcast.net
TN: June 8-30 and July 13-20, 2008, Krista Johnson (Sabeel in Jerusalem) Contact: Glen Stewart glenjstewart@bellsouth.net
CT: September 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009, Tim Rose (Reformed Church of France) Contact: Cecile Gilson cecileg@ctucc.org