Disciples Racial Ethnic Ministries Gather in Indy to Go Deeper in Global Mission
Thirty-two members from the Disciples Racial Ethnic Ministries (National Convocation, NAPAD and Hispanic Ministries) gathered in Indianapolis for a Global Mission Summit event from June 16 to 18 sponsored by Global Ministries. The meeting was a follow-up initiative to the Pilgrimage to India in which the three Racial Ethnic leaders, Timothy James, Geunhee Yu and Huberto Pimentel, participated in March of 2010. It was designed to work on strategies for strengthening the partnership between Global Ministries and Disciples Racial Ethnic congregations.
During the opening night, participants listened to a plenary address by David Vargas on Critical Presence. They learned the importance of walking with and praying with our Global Partners. A time of group discussion enabled the participants to share what their congregations were already doing in global mission. The following day the group listened to Julia Brown Karimu share about doing God’s mission today and the need to keep the Prophet Micah’s exhortation to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with God at the forefront of our mission theology and strategy. Throughtout the day, participants took a visual pilgrimage around the world as they watched PowerPoint presentations sharing Critical Presence updates from the five Global Ministries area executives.
The gathering was punctuated with times of worship and singing lead by various participants. The group also had an opportunity to attend pratical workshops on doing a People-to-People pilgrimage, Global Advocacy, Special Giving and Serving as a Person in Mission. Throughout the event small group discussions and large group sharing gave the participants an opportunity to share what they were learning and to make commitments to take back a passion for God’s global mission to their local congregations. Before the closing worship and commissioning service, each ministry gathered in their caucus group to brainstorm next steps for engaging in God’s global mission with Global Ministries. Each individual also prepared an action plan which was presented during the commissioning service as an offering to God.
Obra Hispana’s reflection on the Global Mission Summit
