Information and Assessment Webinar

Before we start… Thank you for coming today! For sound: – Turn on your computer speakers Slides and a recording of this session will be available at Ask your questions any time using the question tool; we will answer as many as we can today Context for the information seminary and the survey

Opening  Introduction of Presenters  Opening Prayer  Purpose of the Information Session  Provide an update regarding Proposals 1-8  Provide information related to the research and work for Proposal 9  Test via online survey the work of the Proposal 9 working group.  The feedback via the survey will be used by MACC and the Proposal 9 working group.

History of MACC  2008 General Board adopted “Principles for Mission Alignment” and the “Desired Outcomes of Mission Alignment”  Authorized GMP and Moderator to appoint MACC  MACC met with general, regional, racial / ethnic and congregational representatives  MACC worked with Gil Rendle, consultant  MACC members are:  Lay and clergy; male and female; ages 35 and up; general and regional ministry staff, youth workers, Elders, black, white, Hispanic and Asian.  The 2009 General Board approved the 9 MACC proposals

Principles for Mission Alignment  Priority Focused  Design Guided  Future leaning  Promote true community by embracing diversity  Practice good stewardship  Empower and enhance the networks of the church  Encourage partnerships

Desired Outcomes  Clarity about the General Board’s responsibility for the mission of the church  Congregations resourced for mission  A focus on the mission priorities  Networking and Partnership  Streamlined General Church Administration  Attention to ongoing ministries  One church embracing our diversity

Proposals 1 and 2 Proposal 1 Creation of a Covenantal Dialogue process for General Ministries Proposal 2 The General Minister and President’s Pastoral Table

Proposals 3 and 4 Proposal 3 The missional alignment of North American Pacific Asian Disciples in like manner to the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries Proposal 4 The permanent allocation the General Ministries escrow fund

Proposals 5 and 6 Proposal 7 A conversation regarding the role, future, placement and representation of Disciples Women in the life of the church Proposal 6 Networking the justice and advocacy associations of the church

Proposal 7 and 8 Proposal 7 Enhanced conversations between the Council on Christian Unity and the Office of the General Minister and President Proposal 8 Convening a table to enhance the partnership between regions, racial / ethnic ministries and new church ministries of Church Extension

Proposal 9  Goal is to fulfill our imperative to resource congregations for mission  Purpose is to convene leaders of General, Regional, Racial / Ethnic and Congregational ministries to discover how the church can best accomplish its imperative (to resource congregations for mission); and to enhance the collaborative opportunities for shared partnership within the church

Proposal 9 Outcomes  Identified a new apostolic era, marked by four landscapes for ministry in the 21 st Century  Eight Habits of transformed/transforming congregations  Eight ways forward

Desired Outcomes  Education and information to and from congregational members  Identify understandings and misunderstandings regarding the nature and purpose of regional and general ministries  Provide insight to regional and general ministries as to the contextual needs of congregations and how we might form partnership for mission  Test the work of MACC Proposal Nine group related to how congregations are resourced for mission

Participation and Representation  HELM, DHM, DOM, CE  Racial / Ethnic Ministries: National Convocation, National Christian Missionary Convention, National Hispanic and Bi-Lingual Fellowship, and North American Pacific Asian Disciples  Specialized Ministries: ODW  Regional Ministries  Congregational Representatives  Members of MACC

Landscapes for Ministry  New Apostolic Era defined by four landscapes:  Mission and the Margins  Evangelism and Witness  The Gift of Diversity  Technological Revolution

New Apostolic Era  An Apostolic era is defined as the church:  Making a witness in a culture that does not know it  Offering a witness across cultural, racial, or ethnic lines  In an era of new technology  1 st century Christianity spread along Roman roads  16 th century Christianity spread through the advent of the printing press  21 st century social technology and digital media are new technologies available to the Christian community

New Apostolic Era Continued  We are in a new “apostolic era” of growing secularism and growing racial / cultural / ethnic diversity; coupled with the possibilities for communication (technological)  We are living in an era where the church is de- centered from community

Mission and the Margins  Congregations founded in the “center square” of the community have a unique opportunity to revision ministry  The church founded as the “Center of Community” (mainline) does not have the voice it once had  The theology of marginalized communities often provides avenues for claiming voice and place in the midst of dominant community  We have an opportunity to partner with people who are globally and domestically on the margins  Technology is an avenue to connect with our global partners

Setting for Evangelism and Witness  The church has a rich opportunity to name our faith in a culture that is multi-cultural, spiritual but not religious, and inter-faith  In order to be effective for evangelism and witness:  Congregations need resources to talk about what it means to be the church and Christians given the current context  The church needs to reclaim an evangelical witness  The church must gain clarity about how to articulate that witness in both word and deed  The church has to reclaim and re-teach foundational theological language and concepts

Gift of Diversity  Diversity is inclusive of theology, social location, race, culture, language, and experience.  Christian unity is strengthened by diversity  Our deepest strength emerges in conversation and dialogue with one another  Wholeness (unity) requires respectful engagement within our diversity  Living into our diversity is an opportunity for evangelism and witness given the changing face of the US and Canada.

Technological Revolution  Technology  Has the potential to unite and divide the church  Makes us aware that the world is already on our doorstep  The church has a new missional opportunity to be church via social networking / digital media  Key Observations:  A challenge is to integrate the place of “The Table” and the concept of relationship ministry within the technological revolution  Technologically based ministry redefines relational ministry  Congregations, Regions and General Ministries have an opportunity to connect in new and innovative ways

Eight Habits of Faithful and Fruit-bearing Congregations  Live as a joyful, spiritual community  Engage in God’s transforming mission  Develop gifts, vision and competence in leaders  Create intentional processes which invite people in congregations to identify and use their gifts and passions  Articulate and share the good news with evangelical fervor  Recognize and learn from the diversity of the Body of Christ  Try new things and regularly evaluate our ministries  Deepen relationships with the wider and global church

Habits and Best Practices of General and Regional Ministries (8 Ways Forward)  Hosting inclusive decision-making and strategy tables  Collaboration in leadership development/training  Transparency in communication  Utilize Common Evaluation Norms for services, resources, and ministries  Find ways to streamline communication  Build relationships  Strengthen resources and seminary education for racial/ethnic Disciples to match the context of ministry  Practice humility and openness to new organizational models with an eye toward providing geographical proximity of support to congregations

Question and Answer Time  Please use the question feature to pose questions to the presenter.  Please watch your for a survey link. Thank you for participating in the MACC Proposal 9 Webinar.