------------------------------------------------------------   Page 4

An Ecumenical Assembly for Clergy and Lay People of All Ages from Across the Region will be held June 7-8, 2002 at the Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center.  There will be music, worship services, keynote addresses, Bible studies, and breakout sessions.  The theme is Together In Christ - A Dakotas Celebration.   Tentative featured speakers and musicians are:  Ken Medema, Dr. Wendy Wright, Bishop Leontine T C Kelly, Dr. Martin Marty, Dr. Joseph Dudley, Dr. Tony Campolo, and Dan Gable.

20 THINGS THAT EVERY PASTOR AND CHURCH MEMBER SHOULD KNOW IN THIS DAY AND AGE (Written by Dr. Gene Miller, United Church of Christ, in The Observer.)

     1. A lukewarm church member shouldn't be one.

     2. Seeking to better understand God is a life-long undertaking.

     3. Going to Church is not an extra-curricular activity. 

     4. Whoever separates what happens on Sunday from what happens on Monday doesn't get it.

     5. Going to church is a time to address weaknesses in one's life, not just a time to be pacified.

     6. The pastor who disturbs you the most may be one of your most important teachers.

     7. What happens in Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Blantyre, Accra, Nairobi, Budapest, Bucharest, Riga, and Kingston is part of what?s happening in your Church.

     8. Sermons are about what you are, not what you did.

     9. Pastors should be colleagues, not competitors.

     10. The Church community is more than pastors and members.

     11. Confirmation just means you?ve begun something and finished nothing.

     12. "Individual Christian" is an oxymoron.

     13. The God who calls us loves us all the same.

     14. "Witnessing" is not a four-letter word.

     15. United Church of Christ, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Disciples, Lutheran are wonderful adjectives, but idolatrous nouns.

     16. You must be part of the Church that is - For the sake of the Church that ought to be.

     17. Being part of the Body of Christ is a gift, not something you?ve earned.

     18. If you think church members are subject to a double standard (that is, expected to be better than those around them), you are right.

     19. Christians don't possess the truth; they are possessed by it.

     20. God is God and we aren't.

We need your feedback.  The ACC/SD is converting its mailing list system from Q&A to Microsoft 2000 Access.  This development will enhance our database functionality to better serve our membership.  To insure accuracy and update efficiency for data maintenance, we are seeking file transfer opportunities from existing denomination computer systems.  Given the issues of confidentially and privacy, we want to obtain only that information which is already in the public domain and available via published directory or document sources.  Once established in our database, the electronic re-distribution of any data element will be strictly controlled by the board of directors.  If you have a means or method to assist us, please contact the ACC/SD office.

Previous|Next