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In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Camps have started
Please be in prayer for our campers, volunteers, and camp grounds as we head into the 2014 summer season. 

We have over 200 people registered for all of camps happening in Mission West. 

Download Camp Forms.  If you are sending in late registrations contact directors for approval.

Events
August 23 at Chalice Abbey in Amarillo, Charlotte Hoppe will lead a class on
Evangelism.


August 23 - Mission West Youth Meeting for decision making and calendar setting for 2014-2015 season. Westmont CC Lubbock, TX.

September 6 at FCC in Abilene Charlotte Hoppe will lead a class on Evangelism. 
 
September 12-13 at Monte Vista CC in Albuquerque, Suzanne Castle will lead a class on Worship
 
October 4 at FCC in Abilene Lee Franklin will lead a class on Pastoral Care.
 
Oct 10-12 a Young Adult Retreat will be held in conjunction with the Jesus Seminar On the Road at the Chalice Abbey.  Young adults and the young at heart are encouraged to attend.
 
Dec 26-30/Jan 2 Mission.Sabbath.Ski "The Gospel According to Frozen" at Glorietta, NM.  Congregation wide event to help us engage in mission, sabbath, and a little skiing. 
 


Join Our Mailing List
July 1, 2014 

This is is the second of a monthly email newsletter sent to all participants in Mission West.   This newsletter will arrive on the first Tuesday of each month.  For those that would like paper copies please call the office at 806.358.9590 and we will mail you a paper version.

One of our goals in Mission West is to help connect churches to one another.  Rather than a model of ministry as a hub of a wheel, Mission West  hopes to work as an interconnected web.  One way to accomplish this goal is by sharing our stories and experiences in ministry.  You can do this through our facebook pages (which are linked on the right) or If you have a ministry that you would like highlighted, please send it to the office, no later than the 25th of each month to be shared in following issues.

Mission West On the Road
The summer is a busy time for the Mission West Rev's Karakay Kovaly and Charlotte Hoppe.  Camp, camp, mission trip, camp is the order of the weeks for Karakay, Youth, Young Adult, and Communications Minister, while Charlotte is visiting, preaching and sharing the news about Mission West in churches from Pampa and Big Spring, TX - through Guymon, OK and in Albuquerque, NM.  If you would like to see where they are and when - check out the Mission West calendar that can be found on our website - here and if you'd like a visit from either - or have a question - phone and e-mail are the best ways to find them.  


News from Congregations
FCC Midland VBS 1
FCC Midland VBS 3
First Christian Church, Midland, TX,  Shares Christ Love Through VBS

 

               The week of June 16-20 at FCC Midland was a week filled with the laughter, joy and excitement of children and adults as we gathered together for an awesome week of Vacation Bible School.

               Weird Animals - Where Jesus' love is one-of-a-kind, helped the children to see that when we feel left out, different, don't understand, do things that are wrong or afraid, Jesus still loves us.  Through Bible stories, crafts, music, recreation and an outreach project our theme for the week was reinforced.

               Each year FCC builds in a Mission/Outreach project for the children to work on in our construction rotation.  This year since our theme was "weird animals" the children built 6 doghouses that were given to a local animal shelter.

               VBS 2014 will long be remembered by those who attended and by FCC.  It was an amazing week! ~Rev. Paula Brooks

FCC Midland VBS 2
hope partnership
What does it mean to be a mystic in the 21st century? 

Bruce Sanguin, contributor to "Living the Questions" will be speaking at the Chalice Abbey, 2717 Stanley St. Ste A, Amarillo, TX on July 11 - 12, 2014.  Bruce who considers himself an "Evolving Christian Mystic", brings an engaging and liberating message that is sure to challenge and inspire thoughtful listeners from every corner of the theological spectrum.   This presentation is part of the ministry of the Chalice Abbey, which sponsors provocative speakers on a regular basis.

Modeled after ancient monasteries which produced goods for their sustenance and were an integral part of the economies of the communities they served, Chalice Abbey is a mission sponsored by the Hi-Plains Area of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest, whose critical ministry (a Fair Trade store) provides the financial resources to sustain itself as well as offering a welcoming space for gathering, worship, teaching and the practice of contemplative disciplines.  The Abbey is an open and affirming place where diverse folk are welcome to ask their deepest questions of faith, encouraged to express their doubts and invited to share their particular experiences of God ion community. 

For more information about The Chalice Abbey, the speaker, Bruce Sanguin, and to register for the event - please follow this link:  http://www.chaliceabbey.org/events/brucesanguinlectures.html 

New Beginnings for First Christian Church, Carlsbad, NM

First Christian Church, Carlsbad, NM is discerning new paths for their future with the help of the Disciples of Christ's Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation assessment and consultation ministry - New Beginnings.  This ministry  was developed directly for congregations and out of Hope Partnership's commitment to serve those congregations in the context of their community, culture and congregational stage of life - from the early stages of their ministry to the later stages of their lifecycle.  To date the New Beginnings Assessment Service has helped more that 150 congregations ask deep questions about their church and community, leading many struggling congregations to invest in fresh, new and much-needed ministries to their neighbors. 

First Christian, Carlsbad has had one visit from an assessing consultant and will receive a report from the consultant along with another visit with a teaching consultant to help them develop new plans for their future.  Area and Regional staff assist each congregation with this consultation as well.  

If your congregation would like to find out more visit  http://www.hopepmt.org/transform/new-beginnings/ or contact Charlotte at choppe@ccsw.org.


Youth News
The camping season is off to a great start!  
  • CEA CYF met at Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat Center with 61 campers and 12 adults participating.  

2014 CEA CYF  

  • TRA Jr Camp met at Black River Center for Learning with 8 campers and 4 adults participating.

2014 TRA JYF Large 

  • HPTRA CYF met at Ceta Glen with 33 campers and 10 adults participating. You can also view a youtube video created by the historian, Emily Gelhar.

2014 HPTRA CYF  

  • Mission West Chi Rho met at Black River Center for Learning with 39 campers and 21 adults participating.  

2014 MW Chi Rho

Mission West is going to Disciples Crossing for 8ers or "Created to be Me" camp from July 6-12.  If you need help in getting campers to this event there are buses leaving from Spearman, Brownfield, and Midland.  Please contact us to make arrangements. 

 

CEA JYF will meet at 4pm LBCR on July 7  and conclude at 10am on July 11.  Please contact the director, Tammie Hicks, for any questions or late registrations.

 

The week of July 14 - 18 First Christian Church Lubbock and Westmont in Lubbock are engaging in local mission work.

 

CYLS will be held at Ceta Glen.  Registrations were due on June 26.  Visit the regional youth page for more information.

 

HPA JYF will meet at Ceta Glen at 3pm on July 28 and conclude at 10 am on July 31st.  Please contact the director, Alex Smith, for any questions and late registrations.

MW Youth Meeting August 23rd
On May 10th youth leaders met in Amarillo to hear about camps from other regions and other denominations for Area Committees & Mission West Youth to consider for 2015 and beyond.  To find a copy of the agenda, notes from this meeting, and a worksheet to help guide your congregation in a discussion about their youth ministry goals and dreams, follow this link. All youth workers are invited to attend the follow up meeting to make decisions and set the MW 2014-2015 calendar at Westmont Christian Church, 4808 Utica Avenue, Lubbock, Tx 79414 on August 23rd from 10 am to 2pm.  Please Register for this event so we can order lunch and have enough copies of materials available. Area Youth, Children, and Outdoor Ministry Committees and Sub Committees should meet before this date to have reports from this season's events & recommendations to bring to the Mission West Youth Committee. 
DSM14 Logo
Disciple Summer Mission
On Monday, over 330 youth and adults from 29 different congregations and 4 regions arrived in Oklahoma to engage in mission work, fellowship, and worship.  Mission West congregations participating are:
  1. FCC Abilene
  2. FCC Brownfield
  3. FCC El Paso
  4. FCC Fritch
  5. FCC Lubbock
  6. FCC Midland
  7. FCC Odessa
  8. FCC San Angelo
  9. FCC Spearman
  10. FCC Stratford
  11. Westmont CC Lubbock

Mission West also has representation in the planning of this event through Regina Erwin, Associate Pastor of Education from FCC Odessa and Karakay S. Kovaly, Mission West Associate Minister.  Please lift these folks in prayer for traveling mercies, good weather, and positive impacts in lives of all involved. Link

Mission West Prayer Requests
  
Please include Rev. John Givens, Pastor of Community Christian Church in Lubbock, and his family in your prayers. Outpatient surgery, tissue samples and treatment plans are happening in July.  However, he hopes to be back in the pulpit by July 13.  Well wishes can be sent to the church:
Community Christian Church
3417 96th St.
Lubbock, TX  79423
or

Condolences and prayers for peace for Rev. Frankie Jarrell, former Associate Minister, First Christian Church in Ruidoso, NM, and her family at the passing of her husband, Bud Jarrell.  They were in route, moving from Ruidoso to Austin, TX to live with their daughter, when Bud passed.  Bud was a dedicated member and faithful worker at FCC, Ruidoso.  Services are planned for Saturday, August 9 at First Presbyterian Church, Ruidoso.  Notes and expressions of sympathy can be sent to Frankie:
c/o Catherine Hanna
10900 Spicewood Club Dr.
Austin, TX  78750
or
We hope you have enjoyed the second edition of the Mission West Newsletter.  Remember, we can do more together than we can do alone.  You additions are welcomed by the 25th of each month to be included in future newsletters.
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Future Newsletters
Calendar
The Mission West calendar is being added to daily.  Please email if you would like your event added to this calendar. Calendar

Tell us about your ministry
Please submit your ministry stories and experiences by the 25th of each month to be included in future newsletters.  submit your story

CCSW

Southwest Region Deadlines & Dates 

 
July 21-26 (Mon-Sat) - Christian Youth Leadership Symposium (CYLS)
 
August 17-18 (Sun-Mon) - Regional Council at Northway Christian Church in Dallas
 
September 15-17 (Mon-Wed) - Regional Committee on Ministry at University Christian Church in Fort Worth (RCOM)
 
July 15 (Tues) - Documentation
deadline for candidates wishing to be considered for a September interview with Regional Committee on Ministry (RCOM)
 
October 25-26 (Sat-Sun) - Southwest Regional Assembly at Cypress Creek Christian Church in Spring, Texas.
 
November 26 (Wed) - Documentation deadline for candidates wishing to be considered for a January interview with Regional Committee on Ministry (RCOM)
 
January 26-28 (Mon-Wed) - Regional Committee on Ministry at University Christian Church in Fort Worth (RCOM)
 
Mission West | missionwest@ccsw.org | www.missionwestccsw.org
2717 Stanley St. Ste A
Amarillo, TX 79109

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