2023 General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky has come and gone… as we reunited with Disciples from across the US and Canada. There were a number of business items and resolutions voted upon. Below are those items for your access and knowledge! If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Regional Office.
Recognition of a Truth and Healing Council to Honor Our Covenantal Relationship with Indigenous Peoples and to Discern Ways of Reparations for a Path to Reconciliation
WHEREAS, as justice is an essential part of God’s nature, manifesting itself as a method of restoration and healing;[1] and
WHEREAS, as people of faith we recognize reconciliation as a biblical principle and a tenet of our faith tradition, understanding that reconciliation is based upon relationships that are reciprocal and respectful, where all parties in the relationship are valued as equal and beloved by God; and…
Compelled to Witness: Answering the Cry of our Palestinian Siblings
WHEREAS the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada sent its first missionary to Palestine in 1851 and, through more than a dozen Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) mission partners in Israel and Palestine, Disciples have worked alongside the people there with appointed mission workers and financial support; and
WHEREAS the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a history of commitment to racial, economic and social justice; and has spoken clearly and participated actively in movements for civil rights and anti-racism in the US and Canada and for human rights and the just resolution of conflict around the world; and between 1973 and 2019, our General Assembly has articulated clear positions in support of justice and peace for Palestinians and Israelis[1]; and…
Calling the Church to Oppose Christian Nationalism
WHEREAS Christian Nationalism is a cultural framework that fuses a radically exclusionary form of Christian supremacist identity with the political and civic participation of a nation’s citizens through the appropriation of Christian language and imagery to amass political power; and
WHEREAS Christian Nationalism, while present in varying degrees throughout modern history, has taken on more aggressive and overt form in contemporary United States and Canadian public life; and…
Concerning Food Waste, Food Insecurity, and Environmental Justice
WHEREAS, the stories of Creation in Genesis teach us that all of Creation is good, that food is provided for all living things, and that human beings are put in the Garden to till and keep it; and
WHEREAS, Earth is a delicate ecosystem that requires the balance and sacrifice of all living creatures to sustain life, yet human actions have tipped the balance to rapidly accelerate climate change to the point of creating unhealthy and unsustainable living conditions for all creatures, including humans; and…
Building on Our Church’s Commitment to Faith-Based Investing
WHEREAS, our biblical, theological, and historical heritage calls us to responsibility in all areas of our lives, including the management of money; and
WHEREAS, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada calls for ministries of the church to engage in a theology of justice, kindness and walking humbly with our God; and
WHEREAS, the Christian Church Foundation, Disciples Church Extension Fund, and the Pension Fund of the Christian Church (our “Financial Ministries”) are stewards with a fiduciary and covenantal responsibility to manage resources responsibly; and
WHEREAS, all expressions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)—congregations, regions, general ministries, and affiliated organizations—have covenantal responsibility to manage their resources responsibly; and…
Dissolution of the Pastoral Commission of the Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
WHEREAS In 1992, when the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries was established, the Pastoral Commission was formed as the entity that serves as the liaison between the Obra Hispana and the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada to accompany, advise and affirm programming and the operational budget of the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries; and…
Amendments to the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
WHEREAS, the Standing Rules of the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada require that the Governance Committee of the General Board “. . . shall review The Design and other governance documents for suggested changes and modifications;”1 and,
WHEREAS, the Governance Committee, having discerned a need for the Church to reexamine our understanding of God’s covenant with us and Disciples’ covenant with one another considering unprecedented challenges facing the whole Church; and,
WHEREAS the whole Church has been given important work to do: we are called by God to make disciples of Jesus Christ, equip disciples to work from their spiritual gifts, coordinate that work more effectively, and be faithful stewards of our resources; and,
WHEREAS, we are committed to being a “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world,” even as the landscape of the church is changing; and…