Wellness Summit seeks to transform culture of leadership

Wellness issues significantly affect Disciples clergy and other church leaders. These issues especially challenge their ability to transform congregational ministry. Many Disciples clergy are facing health and other wellness issues that keep them from providing needed transformational leadership within congregations. Thus, a priority of clergy and church leader wellness must emerge to fully address the transformational possibilities God offers.

Through a partnership between Disciples Home Missions and the Pension Fund of the Christian Church, a Church-wide Health and Wellness summit is scheduled for January 31 to February 2, 2007, in Indianapolis.

"The purpose of this wellness summit is to engage Disciples church leaders in dialogue and conversation around matters of clergy wellness. The goal of this summit is to develop and initiate strategies to enlist, educate and equip clergy to lead a spiritually healthy lifestyle. If we are to have vital, strong and vibrant congregations, we need to empower vital and healthy clergy to be an example of spiritual wellness—emotional, physical, intellectual, vocational, and social/interpersonal," said the Rev. Eugene Fisher, director of Membership for the Pension Fund.

Fisher added that, "… in order for this summit to be most successful, it is critical to have partners and broad representation from throughout the church looking at every aspect of ministry to help create a church-wide movement for pastoral health."

Presentations by nationally renowned experts in the area of holistic wellness will open the event. However, this primarily will be a working summit. Committed participants will strive to give shape to the next steps needed to move the culture of vocational ministry in our denomination toward a reality of healthier lifestyle, witness and leadership.

If you consider yourself to be:

• a leader in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);
• a minister with Standing in our church;
• a person who has influence in the life of any Disciples minister, concerned about the wellness of our denomination‘s clergy,
• or simply value healthy leadership as critical for achieving congregational transformation; then …

… we encourage you to register for the Health and Wellness Summit. Become part of this transformational movement to shape the future reality of ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). For more information and to register, visit: www.discipleshomemissions.org/.

Souper Bowl of Caring goal set for Disciples Youth

America's teens are transforming Super Bowl weekend into the nation's largest youth-led day of giving through Souper Bowl of Caring. More than 300 Disciples youth groups are among the more than 13,000 church groups and others who already have registered to participate in the 2007 Souper Bowl of Caring February 4. To receive a free resource kit that includes a DVD, owner's manual, soup pot label and poster, churches must register their participation at www.souperbowl.org. This is the first year Souper Bowl of Caring has asked groups to pre-register.

"We're encouraging Disciples youth to 'Stir it Up,'" said Rev. Amy Gopp, Week of Compassion Associate, referring to the Souper Bowl of Caring 2007 theme. "Our goal is to help Disciples churches raise $150,000 through Souper Bowl of Caring 2007," added Gopp. Asking for only $1 on one day, young people of many denominations in all 50 states receive donations in soup pots and every dollar raised is given to charities selected by each group.

In 2006, Disciples of Christ youth groups raised more than $92,000 through the Souper Bowl of Caring for anti-hunger initiatives, including Week of Compassion, that help people who are hungry in local communities and around the world. The aggregate total for the over 11,700 groups that reported 2006 participation is approaching $5 million.

"We are called by Jesus to feed the hungry people we see," said Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.) "I encourage Disciples youth to participate in this ecumenical grassroots movement to transform the largest weekend of football into the largest weekend of caring."

The Souper Bowl of Caring has set a nationwide goal of $8 million for 2007. The almost $5 million generated in Souper Bowl of Caring 2006 brings the total to $33 million since the effort began 16 years ago.

Churches can participate by registering at www.souperbowl.org or by calling (800) 358-SOUP. Each registrant receives a free resource kit with all the materials needed to plan and promote their event. Groups are asked to report collection totals on the Souper Bowl of Caring Web site following the event so the nationwide impact of youth helping hungry neighbors can be announced and celebrated.

Diane Lewis is Denominations Relations Director, Souper Bowl of Caring in Washington, D.C.

Get Creative with Souper Bowl of Caring

You've marked February 4, 2007, on your church calendar and you've registered at www.souperbowl.org. It's not too early to begin thinking of creative ways you can make Souper Bowl of Caring come alive for your youth. It's fun to hold the soup pots, see the dollars pile up, count the money and deliver it to charity. Best of all, you're acting on Jesus' call to care for our neighbors.

If you would like to take your Souper Bowl of Caring beyond the soup pot collection, consider volunteering at a charity on the Saturday before the big game. Young people from congregations all over the country will be doing the same thing. It's called Souper Bowl of Caring Service Blitz.

Here's what one Kansas City congregation did

On the Saturday before the Super Bowl, members of Park Hill Christian Church, Kansas City, Mo., served at the City Union Mission Family Center, Kansas City, Mo., by preparing a meal for homeless families who are staying there. On the day of the Super Bowl, we collected an offering to support our mission trip to Toronto at the Center for Student Missions where we will serve the poor by working at food banks and breakfast clubs, assisting with English language tutoring programs for new immigrants, visiting elderly adults in nursing homes, and many other service ministries. The money we collect will go directly to the Center for Student Missions to support their budget in planning these ministries. We praise God for the opportunity to serve and thank the people of our congregation for sharing generously.

Other ideas to get creative through Souper Bowl of Caring:

• Create a Souper Bowl cheer;
• Lead the Children's sermon;*
• Host a soup lunch or chili cook-off;
• Invite your receiving charity to speak;
• Share hunger statistics in worship bulletin;*
• Build your own Souper Bowl trophy;
• Hold a tailgating party with food and games;
• Incorporate skits into worship;*
• Dress in your favorite team colors;
• Sell subs or other game day foods;
• Organize a joint service project with other local groups;
• Perform the Souper Bowl of Caring theme song;*
• Produce a Souper Bowl commercial or movie;
• Observe a fasting period; and
• Teach about hunger in Sunday School.*

*download from www.souperbowl.org