December 2009:  text only or pdf or español
January 2010:     text only

Download the WEEKLY PRAYER for Sunday Worship, click here:  Angola

Order you 2010 Global Ministries Wall Calendar today: GM Calendar

Christmas Shopping made easy! GM Alternative Christmas Gifts

Make Plans to Log-on to GM Webinar Advent in the Middle East on December 15
Peter Makari, GM area executive for the Middle East and Europe, will lead a webinar presentation after a group pilgrimage to the Middle East with Disciples Regional staff. The group will visit partners in Lebanon, Syria and Israel & Palestine. Mark your calendars and plan to log-on to the webinar on Tuesday, December 15 at 7pm Eastern. You can watch the webinar on your computer at home by yourself. Why not think about gathering your mission committee or small group for an Advent webinar party? If your congregation has internet access and an LCD projector in the sanctuary, why not open the church and invite people to view the webinar on a large screen? The webinar will share who our partners are in these three countries and their hopes and projects during this time of Advent. For more information and to view the log-on instructions, click here: http://globalministries.org/news/advent-in-the-middle-east.html

Webinar Save the Date: Missionary Live! – Mark Behle: Lesotho – Thursday January 7, 2010 at 7pm Eastern

Countdown to Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change
From December 7-18 government leaders from around the world will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark, to seek a new global agreement that addresses the causes and consequences of climate change.  Hopes for finalizing a new agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol during the Copenhagen conference have been greatly diminished due to disagreement among the U.S. and other major carbon polluters about targets and strategies for reducing emissions. But setting the stage for a new treaty to reduce global warming and remedy its effects remains an urgent goal for world leaders. Find out more and how you and your church can advocate at: http://globalministries.org/get-involved/justice-and-advocacy/climate-change/

Disciples Regional Staff Travel to Middle East to Visit Partners
On November 30th, six Regional Staff (Bill Allen, Beth Dobyns, Katheryn Graham, Ken Hall, Sandy Messick, and Ken Moore) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and two Global Ministries staff (Peter Makari and Bob Shebeck) will meet in Newark, NJ for a time of Orientation and Ministries and Mission Interpreters (MMI) training in preparation for their pilgrimage to Lebanon, Syria, and Israel & Palestine. On December 1st the group will travel to Lebanon on the first leg of their journey. They will return to the U.S. on December 11. Thanks for your prayers during this Be a Global Mission Region pilgrimage to the Middle East. To follow the regular postings on the group's pilgrimage blog, click here: http://bagmrmep.blogspot.com/ 

Global Ministries Partner, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Wins International Award for Work on Climate Change
At the November 2-4, 2009, meeting of faith leaders from around the world, United Nations sponsored program on Climate Change presented an International Award to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana. The event was hosted in London by HRH the Prince Philip and attended by the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon. The aim was to launch and discuss our long term initiatives meant to protect the living planet. The many religious leaders, faith organizations and others present were given the opportunity to announce their plans locally for specific periods in the years ahead. The Celebration came just over a month before the Copenhagen Climate Change talks in December.  To read more, click here: http://globalministries.org/news/africa/evangelical-presbyterian.html

GM Middle East and Europe Area Executive Shares Thought Provoking Paper
Realism is an inadequate paradigm to describe the myriad relationships that exist within and across state boundaries, relationships that include mission partnerships and interfaith relations.  There are advantages and disadvantages to conflating international and interfaith relations, and it is in framing the two that the challenge arises.  The main assertion of this paper is that perspectives—indeed framing—comprise essential aspects of the links between international relations and interfaith relations.  Peter Makari explores these questions in this paper, "Framing I[F]R: International and Interfaith Relations."  To find the link to download the paper, click here: http://globalministries.org/news/mee/framing-ifr.html

If you would like to receive directly to your inbox these weekly Global Ministries updates, please send your name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number, and home church to: bshebeck@dom.disciples.org

Upcoming Ministries and Mission Interpreters (MMI) Training Events:

• Enid, Oklahoma: April 22-23, 2010 in conjunction with the Oklahoma Regional Assembly. More information coming…
• Greensboro, North Carolina: Monday June 21, 2010 @ 6:30pm to Wednesday June 23, 2010 @ 1:30pm, before the Disciples Women's Quadrennial Assembly. To see more details and download the registration form, click here: http://globalministries.org/calendar/quadrennial-2010-mmi-training.html 
• Cleveland, Ohio: October 7-10, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Cleveland, OH: Missionworks with an MMI training. More information to come…

Find a Missionary Visit in your State:
KY: January 10 – February 28, 2010, Emily Christmas (South Africa) Contact: Ed Ball eball40601@gmail.com
AZ: January 11 - March 6, 2010, Mark Behle (Lesotho) Contact: Barbara Decker bdecker@uccswc.com
MA: March 14, 2010, Mark Behle (Lesotho) Contact: Cheryl Hempen cahempen@comcast.net
MA: March 15-19, 2010 Mark Behle (Lesotho) Contact: Andrew Gustafson gustafsona@MACUCC.org
MA: March 20-21, 2010, Mark Behle (Lesotho) Contact: Marilyn Crosby marilyncrosby@yahoo.com
WI: April 11 – May 16, 2010, Mark Behle (Lesotho) Contact: William Kesting wkesting@excel.net