From the KANSAS MESSENGER, Volume 125, edition 2, February 10, 2021
2021 Camp Schedule and Registration Now Available: Registration for the 2021 camp season is now open. Children, youth and adults are invited to join us at the Disciples Center at Tawakoni for another great year of camps. Camp sessions in June and July offer seven events for grades K-12 and three specialty camps. A complete schedule and online registration can be found at www.kansasdisciples.org/summer-camp. Registration for 2021 is a bit different. There is no early bird deadline as in the past. The schedule includes two fee columns. The first, larger amount, reflects the real expense for each camper. The second, the “Reduced fee,” applies an automatic 30% scholarship from the Camp Scholarship Fund to help make the fee more affordable. A full week, which costs $350, will be reduced to $245 for 2021 only. Additional scholarship help is available for families who have a need and complete an application by April 1. Typically this fund pays about 25% of the fee. Registration for specific camp events will be closed seven days before the opening of the camp session.
Camp Volunteers are needed for a Successful Season: It takes the dedication of our camp volunteers and staff like you to make each and every camp season possible. Following are the roles we seek to fill within the next few weeks:
- Summer Interns
- Directors
- Counselors
- Nurses
- Maintenance Volunteers
A volunteer form can be found at www.tawakoni.org. These forms are very important as it helps directors to know those who might volunteer.
COVID-19 Precautions during Summer Camp: The camp and all its personnel will do everything possible to ensure a safe environment for everyone: campers, staff, and volunteers. Temperature checks, face masks, social-distancing as much as possible, and sanitization of the sleeping cabins are just a few ways we plan to do this. We also plan to use only half of the available beds to maintain social distancing guidelines even while sleeping. A waitlist will be kept during registration. If spots open up, a call will be made in the order of the waitlist to see if campers remain interested in participation.
Week of Compassion Special Offering: Each year in February, congregations across the United States and Canada collect a special offering for Week of Compassion. Week of Compassion is the relief, refugee, and development mission fund of the Christian Church (DOC).Funds received through this special offering provides grants for urgent needs like emergency supplies, water and food when disaster occurs. When you give to Week of Compassion Special Offering, you deploy resources to people in need all around the world. So that more communities can experience this new life, please give generously through your local church, ENGAGE account or online at www.weekofcompassion.org, and let love flow.
“Truth is the first casualty of war” Thoughts From Your Regional MinisterBy Ken Marston, Regional Minister
Have you noticed how often our political leaders, when faced with a serious issue that they feel we, as a nation, need to solve declare war on that problem? There is a truism about declaring war that perhaps we too often forget: “Truth is the first casualty of war.” Perhaps part of the problem with declaring war on social issues is the language of war and the mind set the language calls us to adopt. If this is true, and if truth is the first casualty of war then in declaring war, we lose the ability to see the truth of the challenge before us. Maybe, if we stopped using the language of war to address our challenges, we might see the humanity in others who think differently and live differently than us. Who knows, we might even begin to love each other as God already loves us. Read the full article at www.kansasdisciples.org/news.
Improve Your Church’s Communication at the 2021 AOCC Workshops: Join Communications Specialist, Jessica Marston for this five-week workshop series taught Wednesday mornings, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in March. Registration deadline in February 12; registration closes one week prior to each workshop. Individual cost is $30 per workshop or $120 for all five workshops. Church groups of three or more from the same church can register for $100 per person when they sign-up to attend all five workshops. Register online at www.kansasdisciples.org/events or through your ENGAGE account.
Stress and How it Impacts Your Ministry: 2021 Boundaries Training – Healthy LifestylesTwo 2021 Boundaries Training sessions remain open. The first on Saturday, May 22, at Tawakoni, and the final session on Tuesday, October 19, at Great Bend, FCC. The cost for ministers is $35, $10 for church leaders, and clergy spouses are free. Register online at www.kansasdisciples.org/events or through your ENGAGE account.
Disciples Men Invited to Odyssey Retreat: Join the next, Disciples Men’s Odyssey Project beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 17, at Tawakoni. All men and boys, 10 years and older, are encouraged to attend. Register online at www.kansasdisciples.org/events or through your ENGAGE account.
Annual R3 Clergy Retreat to Feature Dr. Joe Bessler: The 2021 Relax, Refresh, Renew Clergy Retreat will be Tuesday, April 27, through Thursday, April 29, at Tawakoni. The retreat begins with dinner around 6 p.m. on Tuesday and goes through mid-morning on Thursday. The cost is $70 for overnight lodging at our camp and four meals (lunch on Wednesday is not provided). The cost is $50 if a participant is not staying overnight at the camp. Register online at www.kansasdisciples.org/events or through your ENGAGE account.
Remember to submit yearbook information to ALEX Database: From January through March 15, you will be able to enter all your Yearbook data using the new ALEX: Data for Disciples system. The Alex database will enable us to connect congregations more effectively, as well as indicate the places where general or regional ministries might be able to assist. The Yearbook & Directory is a snapshot in time of our church, collectively. Each congregation listed is covered under our church-wide 501(c)3 designation in lieu of each listed congregation filling out quarterly reports.
Sign-up for the CCK Text Alert System: To sign up, text KSMESSENGER to 474747 or fill out the sign-up form at https://kansasdisciples.org/cck-introduces-text-alerts. Click and submit. That’s all you need to do!
Connect with Engage: Engage goes beyond online giving to also provide you a way to connect with others. To get started, go to www.engage.suran.com/cck. Mobile users will be prompted to add engage.suran.com as a shortcut app.