Posts by Luke Miles (Page 2)
2022 Young Adult Retreat
Download the form | Register Online | View the schedule
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2022 DWM and CMF Combined Retreat
Cover Letter | Meet the Keynoters | Retreat Itinerary | Flyer for Retreat
Basket Party Flyer | Quilt Raffle Flyer
Disciples Women’s Ministries and Christian Men’s Fellowship Retreat
August 12 – 14, 2022 At Christmount
Dear Disciples Women and Men,
Are your hearts yearning for fellowship? The time to gather is approaching. We are the Church. The season is here to renew old friendships, and opportunities await to make new friends. Can you imagine how wonderful it will be? The rocking chairs at Christmount await our return. Experience. Reignite. Refresh. Relax.
Our keynoters for the combined women’s and men’s retreat are making their plans, and it is time for you to make your plans as well. In our June newsletter, you read about our keynoters for the weekend: Pastor Frank T. Robinson, Jr. (Messiah Community Christian Church) and Pastor Jessica Braxton (Mill Creek Christian Church). Prepare ye the way. Yes, preparations have been going on for months now.
There are some changes this year. Registration will all be online. Please have a friend or someone at your church or church office assist you, if needed, with online registration. It is an easy process. Follow this link to register for the retreat for 2022: https://brushfire.com/christmount/deposits-payments/534835
Individual meals are not available this year. It is a package price. Cafeteria meal plans for the entire weekend are $51.00. Friday evening is a deli buffet in the cafeteria. Saturday meals will be in the cafeteria. Saturday morning is the sunrise breakfast. Saturday lunch is a variety of salads. Saturday dinner is a pasta buffet. Sunday morning will be a light breakfast served in the conference room. If you do not partake of the cafeteria meal plans, you will need to make other arrangements. The cutoff date for registering to include the meal package is Friday, July 29th.
Feel the mountain breeze on your face. Bring someone with you to enjoy the retreat. We are excited! A special thanks to the NC DWM Cabinet for their dedication and work in planning this event. See you at Christmount. Register now!
June 30th ends my tenure as NC DWM President. It has been a pleasure to represent you and to bring good times your way. Join us as we live out our 2022 theme, “Reimagining The Way.”
Blessings Always,
Mary Evans
NC DWM President…
Virtual SERF Gathering
Greetings Sisters!
I pray that you and your families are doing well and staying safe. Covid-19 has caused us not to have our SERF fellowship together in almost 6 years now. In an effort to help encourage, uplift, and commune with each other; I am pleased to cordially invite you to a Virtual SERF Gathering.
This event will be held on March 11, 2022, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. The registration form is attached, and I pray that you are able to attend. The Executive Director of Disciple’s Women, Rev. Angele Johnson, will be our speaker. Please have bread/crackers and juice/wine for communion. I am excited for what God has in store for us at this virtual gathering. Feel free to call, text, or email me with any questions or concerns.
Thank you!
Claudette President, MDIV.
SC Region Disciple’s Women Staff Person and Host
Email: gwepresident27@gmail.com
Cell: (843)781-9419
Register by mail | Register online | Download Flyer
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2022 Boundaries Training
Download the Registration Form
Register for the March 21, 2022 Boundaries Training
Register for the August 11, 2022 Boundaries Training Link
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Racial Equity Training (Spring 2022)
Download the flyer | Register online | Register by mail
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A Day Apart Retreat
Register by Mail | Register Online
Download the Retreat Flyer | Download the Basket Flyer…
Regional Update (12.22.21)
Download Update | Download Search and Call Information
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2021 Christmas Offering
During this season of the year, your gifts to the Region help stir and ignite imagination for how this fellowship of Covenant Churches can continue to fulfill the mission and witness of God’s love.
Checks should be made payable to the Christian Church in NC with a memo: Christmas Offering and mailed to P.O. Box 1568, Wilson, NC 27894 or you may make a donation online at ncdisciples.org by clicking the donate button on the menu bar and selecting Christmas Offering. To view this letter or download it, please visit this Google Drive link.
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Afghan Refugee Response
Afghan Refugee Response
If you were unable to join our Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries (RIM) and Week of Compassion hosted webinar this week as they shared stories from representatives who have resettled Afghan SIVs and the urgent call for our support, the link is provided here, https://vimeo.com/605057976.
Week of Compassion provides congregational support grants to encourage and strengthen Disciples churches in welcoming Afghans to communities across the U.S., in partnership with their local resettlement agencies. This grant can be used for congregational ministries that help with food assistance, rent, or any other essentials. Grants range from $500-$2,000. Apply using this link, https://www.weekofcompassion.org/refugees-and-displaced-people.html.
Additional Resources on Afghan Refugee Resettlement
Shared by Natalie B. Teague, Esq.* (she/her/ella)
Immigration Legal Counsel, Disciples Home Missions
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
P.O. Box 571, Gibsonville, NC 27249
317.289.1407 | natalie@disciplesimmigration.org
Most of the most vulnerable “targets” are still in Afghanistan, and it will take delicate, complicated, and diligent legal representation to get them out under the new Taliban government. Here are the legal service providers doing the work, or organizing volunteer attorneys like my colleagues and me, to help those left behind to get out:
Pangea, which has been in Kabul since 2003
Afghan Legal Support & Resettlement Fund – Fundraiser for government filing fees and legal services by Pars Equality Center
Afghan Diaspora for Equality and Progress, which offers the opportunity to “sponsor” an individual for humanitarian parole into the United States (which has a governmental filing fee of $575 per application)
Human Rights First – where one can volunteer legal services (as an attorney), interpreter services (in Pashto and Dari), advocate on behalf of Afghan refugees, and donate to the work in general
In terms of Afghan refugee response for those who were evacuated, have been on a military base abroad, and will land here in the U.S. as refugees, here are the two national nonprofit groups that have the federal contract to do unaccompanied minor refugee resettlement:
Church World Service and their specific national Afghan site
Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services (LIRS) and their national “how to help” page
Here in North Carolina, both organizations have local offices where they will be doing active refugee resettlement in and around:
Raleigh through Lutheran Services Carolinas and here is their specific “what you can do” page (with a menu of options from materials donations to “Amazon Smile” and wishlist options)
Durham through Church World Service (their site currently lands on the Afghan help page)
Greensboro through Church World Service (their site currently lands on the Afghan help page)
For adults and families, there are nine agencies nationwide; however, not all of these have offices in North Carolina (see the list below for NC affiliates and links):
Raleigh through Lutheran Services Carolinas and here is their specific “what you can do” page (with a menu of options from materials donations to “Amazon Smile” and wishlist options)
Durham through Church World Service (their site currently lands on the Afghan help page)
Greensboro through Church World Service (their site currently lands on the Afghan help page)
Winston Salem & High Point through World Relief Triad
Durham through World Relief Durham
Raleigh through U.S. Committee for Refugees & Immigrants
Additionally, here are some other organizations to consider for donations as well:
Miles4Migrants
Miles4Migrants uses donated frequent flyer miles, credit card points, and cash to help people impacted by war, persecution, or disaster reunite with loved ones and start new beginnings in safe homes.
Women for Women International
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security
Afghan Coalition
No One Left Behind
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