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Our Emerging Future
On October 18 and 19, 2024, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Michigan Region and The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in IL/ WI, met for individual business meetings and shared worship. The business of the Assemblies included consideration of the question of merging the two regions. The question received overwhelming approval and the Disciples in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin were charged at the end of worship to go and begin a year of worshipful work as we emerge as new regional entity.
The Disciples Women Visioning Committee will be meeting on November 1 and 2 to begin our worshipful work. An initial vision team will meet at United Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Country Club Hills to consider a shared ministry agenda for 2025 and to begin to discuss a structure for the Disciples Women in the emerging region. Members of the Visioning Team include Michigan: Marybeth McCormick, Rev. Brenda Etheridge, Angela David, Barbara Dykhuizen, Diana Payton, Nora Shumake, and IL/ WI Ginger Harris, Daphne Hayes, Jacqueline Myers, and Rev. Dr. Beth Rupe.
Sending Forth from Regional Assembly Worship
And now, as people woven together by mutual promises
to work toward becoming one region,
we leave this space to do the work that we have been called to do.
We leave opening our hearts and minds to discern the will of God
as we are led by the Spirit
to emerge as a new creation called and blessed by God.
We leave this space committing ourselves
to embody the good news of Jesus Christ
as we work for justice,
as we care for the poor, the weak, the marginalized,
as we seek to dismantle systems of injustice and oppression,
and as we construct systems of radical equity, inclusion
and welcome.
And now, we go as disciples to make disciples
in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and beyond.
We will work with diligence,
and we will look with hope until we are together again.
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