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Imagine with Me: Global Ministries

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On this episode of Imagine with Me, General Minister and President, Rev. Terri Hord Owens speaks with Rev. LaMarco Cable, Co-Executive Global Ministries, President, Division of Overseas Ministries, and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Co-Executive Global Ministries, Associate General Minister, Wider Church Ministries and Operations about how Global Ministries is imagining their work in a new world.

Resources

Global Ministries engages with partners around the world. You can learn more about Child and Elder Sponsorship Program, engage in Weekly Prayers or utilize worship resources by visiting Global Ministries.

Transcript

Rev. Terri Hord Owens: Hello Disciples and welcome to another episode of Imagine with Me, an awesome opportunity that I have to talk and listen to innovative leaders from across the life of our church. And today we’re going to listen and have great conversation with the leaders of the ministry, known as Global Ministries. A common witness of the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ and joining me today I have the Reverend Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, who is Associate General Minister for wider Church Ministries, and the Rev. LaMarco Cable who is President of the Division of Overseas Ministries in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and they both serve as Co Executives of Global Ministry. So welcome, Karen George and Marco.

Welcome to you both. It’s good to see you both. I know you have both been literally in other parts of the globe in recent weeks. So, thank you for making this time. I think we were all together at the World Council of Churches and congratulations to Karen Georgia for once again being elected both to the Central Committee and the Executive Committee. And I am now on that body as well in my own right elected fully. So not as A substitute for, for Sharon Watkins, as I have fulfilled her unexpired term, but so good to see both of you and Marco, welcome.

Thanks for both of you sharing this time with me, it’s amazing how much we know or don’t know, right?

What happens in the life of our church and I want to give our church, the opportunity to hear a little bit from both of you about your ministry and perhaps, if you could talk from your each of your perspectives on what it means to be in this shared partner, Worship across the UCC and the Disciples of Christ that we call Global Ministries. So we will start with Karen Georgia.

Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson: Thank you, Terri, and thanks for the invitation to be present with you. I serve as the Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries in the United Church of Christ and also serve as Co-executive along with, with Marco for Global Ministries, which is our joint engagement in mission between the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. And I know we will probably get to it, but we just celebrated 25 years of ministry together and I believe that it is a critical witness to our full communion agreement.

So in the United Church of Christ for me in ministry, I have Global Ministries, but really, the responsibilities for all of our overseas engagement. So Global Ministries I also have our humanitarian and development Ministries, some of which is in your Week of Compassion ministries and then also the United Nations and some other operations related responsibilities.

THO: That’s awesome. A huge portfolio, huge portfolio. And many of us in the disciples knew Karen, because here in Georgia, because she was previously The ecumenical officer before being elected as Associate General Minister.

So Marco, you’re in your first year is the new president of the division of overseas Ministry.

Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your ministry and even previously, with DOM, you have been with stealing for a while and how you feel called to And what’s exciting you about being president of DOM now that you’re in that role?

Rev. LaMarco Cable: Sure. No. Again I want to add my gratitude to you Terri for the invitation for Karen Georgia and I to have an opportunity to share with the church.

So, I am in month ten of serving the church, as the President of the Division of  Overseas Ministries. And I am reminded that my first invitation or my first participation in the DOM and Global Ministries as a seminarian, we had an opportunity to have a cross-cultural experience as part of my theological formation. In my last year of seminary, I traveled to Southern Africa, to explore the church’s response to HIV and AIDS and what ways that African-American churches in the United States, could be an advocate and accompany our communities, and look at partnerships. I was ordained in 2007 really with and when I feel that the time a call to be a local church pastor and said that they’re similar, I thought I will be dedicating babies celebrating the lives of the saints and all of our other celebrations within the life of the church but then just a year after ordination and opportunity presented itself for me to serve as the program associate for advocacy and education and to coordinate Global Marine recruit short-term volunteer program. I did that for a number of years and then I served briefly as the interim Mission Personnel Executives preparing and recruiting people for Mission. I like to say that I was sent as a mission co-worker to Washington, DC for a number of years, to do legislative advocacy from a Christian perspective to end hunger and poverty. But really my desire for being connected to the Disciples to be part of this global work.

We were able to do together with our colleagues is the United Church of Christ kept calling new.

And so, in 2014, I was called to be the area executive for Africa, almost years in that position, nurturing relationships with our partners across the continent and connecting Disciples to that work. And so for 10 months, I have been in this position really have A wonderful opportunity to serve with an incredible group of people, our staff that brings so much energy, talent, innovation to the work.

Also, just have a new perspective on the transforming work that we as disciples and UCC are able to participate in and partnerships across the world and really have an opportunity to shake the witness of the church with Karen Georgia in this capacity.

THO: That’s awesome and exciting to see how your early experiences, right stimulated a call for you to serve in this area and I know that certainly goal of Global Ministries and one of the exciting parts of that ministry is Global Ministry Interns and other programs that invite young people or newer ministers on to learn more about this mission. Karen Georgia, you mentioned earlier that we just celebrated 25 Five years of Global Ministries and you have been involved for a while. Give us some perspective on what the history means, and, and perhaps the opportunities and challenges that we have moving forward as Global Ministries with these two, communions so committed to this work.

KGT: Thank you, Terri the partnership began well before it was formalized throughout the 1960s, there were conversations and shared ministry opportunities between our two denominations around staffing of particularly the regions that we serve and having mutual staff person to serve our partners, some of whom were common partners that moved to what became the formalized relationship that happened in January 1st of 1996. And so over these 25 years it’s really been an opportunity I believe to live out our full communion are full communion agreement that the intentionality I believe around doing mission together. And there are those who would point to the fact that at the Global Ministries partnership, predated the full communion agreement but the fact that we are living into this in this kind of joint witness, I believe enhances the work that we do together in ministry. So for me it’s been watching how this has developed. As you mentioned, I served as the ecumenical officer for the United Church of Christ for eight years and in those eight years worked closely with our with are with us at the table as partners. 

I would also note that the partnership is unique. There is nowhere to other denominations who are engaged in mission In this way. So I think there’s a lot of value to that because I think the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. Both value unity as an essential part of who we are as Christians and so, you know, it’s the Lund principle, you know, you know, let us do together, the things that we can, you know, rather than doing them separately. And so having not just a full community agreement, which is great, but living out the Lund principle, living out this expression of Christian Unity having shared resources, being together in ministry our staff, is we identify as one staff.

We don’t have two people one in each area doing things. We don’t have redundant places in the system. We have five area, Executives located across the two denominations, and they equally serve in both of those places.

And, so I think it’s a wonderful model. It’s a wonderful opportunity as we look towards the next 25 years to think about how we will do this together to better serve not just our partners but to live out this Christian witness.

THO: Amen. I couldn’t have put it any better. I think one of the things that I have appreciated and now having traveled as GMP with Global Ministries to several places in the world is that intentionality and the level to which all of our area executives are committed to the region of the world that were they serve and make connections and ensure that throughout the church that we’re educated on what’s really happening on the ground and what the positions of the church should be on various issues. And even the relationships when we travel together that we build with one another and the greater understanding that we have of the work that we’re doing together.

That intentionality to be the church, we say we are right to be in full communion and to both really believe in the work of visible, basically, unity.

Let us talk a little bit about maybe some stories that you could share about examples of how you have seen Global Ministries, transform lives. I can think of a few myself, but love to hear from you as both of. You have been literally spending your ministry traveling around the world and engaged in so many different spaces, accompanying so many different people. What are a couple of stores that you would share to each of you that lets us know that Global Ministries, this is important work. This is God’s work.

KGT: I will go ahead.

THO: Okay, I wasn’t sure who I am sorry, I should have designated.

KGT: Okay, thank you. So many stories come to mind, and we don’t have enough time. So I want to talk about Bangladesh. Terri you and I were in Bangladesh.  In fact, it was the last trip the last international trip that we took before the pandemic really hit. And I want to talk about the work of the Christian Community, the Christian commission for development in Bangladesh, and the work that they’re doing, I want to say that in Global Ministries, we work with partners, all right? That we don’t start projects, we don’t exercise initiatives of our own accord, we work with partners in the ministries that they’re doing locally and in Bangladesh, just briefly they are working on sustainable development, particularly in communities that are being affected severely by climate change. So things like rising sea waters are actually causing the soil to Sal innate in a lot of these places.

And as a result, the crops that they would traditionally plant, they can’t plant anymore. And so CCDB is working with local farmers is working with people and communities, helping them to learn new ways of planting crops. I mean, things like, vegetables can no longer go in the soil, so they’re planting things above ground. Things that we take for, for granted things like milk crates. They’re using to, to plant, they’re looking at ways to reclaim the soil. And they’re also experimenting with new crops that can Actually grow in this newly salinated ground. So I just want to put that one out there because that one is like really close to my heart. And we saw a lot when we were in, Bangladesh around the soil erosion, and things like that. So it’s really a very comprehensive way of coming at the issues but again, I know we have some limitations on time, right.

THO: That’s a perfect example because it was a very visible for people, moving back because of your erosion on the coast line and all the exciting new ways of farming that if we’re not careful we will also need to adopt. So that’s a great example, and I was there with you to see that. Marco, great example from you.

MC: Sure, I want to share a recent conversation I had about the Pringle Home for Children which is a child sponsorship site in Jamaica that’s operated by the United Church of Jamaica and Cayman Islands. And so through Global Ministries Child and Elder Sponsorship Program, members of the Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ can sponsor a child and assist in a variety of ways and supporting the young person’s education. The young women at this home have experienced trauma from different ways in, they experienced trauma and as a result of home situations, they have been removed by the Child Development agency. And so there was a wonderful story recently of sharing of the young women of how a sense of mattering that they are experiencing through the child sponsorship program. So part of the program is not just a sending funds to support the young women in this home but it is an exchange sharing of letters, sponsors remembering their birthdays, remembering special events, asking about school. And so as these young women are trying to navigate life being away from home, being away from parents being away from that which is familiar. They have an opportunity to connect with members of our church who share their lives with them. And as they are healing, as they are going through counseling, as they’re learning life skills, they know that they’re not alone that they, in many ways have churches in the US and Canada praying for them. And they have that they have a real sense of mattering with and that’s just one small bit, you know. It’s you know, there’s a lot of transformative work but it is an opportunity through our Child Sponsorship Program to make an impact. On the life of a young person that we only know that we’re planting seeds and may never be able to see the fruits of those seeds but know that we’re making a difference.

THO: Amen, thanks for that Marco. As we come to the end of our time, we have been talking a lot about as Disciples imagine with me the title of this series. But thinking about using our prophetic imagination to imagine this alternative world that we believe God is calling us to and who we must be is a church in the new world. I would like each of you as we close to maybe offer some thoughts about how you think Global Ministries is being called to participate in being that new church and what God’s prophetic imagination might see fornGlobal Ministries in the future. I will start with Marco, I will start with you.

MC: Sure. As Global Ministers we have an opportunity, a to remind us in the United States and Canada that we are not alone. The first and foremost, that we are connected to a narrative, a faith Journey with people across the world through Global Ministries. We relate to some 290 partner 290 Partners in 90 countries across the world, and we have an opportunity to share and gleaned from their expertise. Often times we hear these studies about a decline in the church, but that is, I would say a misnomer. In fact, the church is vibrant, the church is seeking in many different ways to be relevant, and we have an opportunity to Global Ministries to learn, from our partners to share our expertise. But also more than that, to work for movements of justice and to In you to remind the church that were called to be post-colonial and to speak against the injustice has that’s impacting God’s people around the world.

THO: Thanks, Marco. And I will leave this last word to you, Karen Georgia. Imagine what’s Global Ministries being called to do? And how can we continue that transform word of transformative impact?

KGT: You know, I think that the covid-19 pandemic has been a very Mining moment for the world and for the church and as we emerge, whatever emerge looks like from this moment or through this moment, I believe that we have a renewed call to mission. The pandemic has shown that there are so many inequities and disparities and that it is going to take a united commitment, common commitments to Global advocacy and the ability to be present together in ministry in order to reshape, and to rethink what it is for us to be present together as church because mission is who we are. It’s the way that we live out what it means to be church.

THO: Amen. And I think in the spirit of not only partnership and ecumenism, I say this a lot in different places for me, this kind of partnership is not just about sitting at tables having conversations or writing documents. It’s about joining not only our voices, but our resources to ensure that the advocacy work, the education, but also the accompaniment that happens on the ground in places like Bangladesh and South Africa and Venezuelan other parts of the world, Israel-palestine, the Middle East. We’re hoping the Global Ministries will finally be able to take a trip to that part of the world, and if you’re after Easter, so, thank you both.

I feel like we are it’s not, I don’t think of global ministering because this person is Disciple and this person is UCC, and we’re all working together. The area Executives that we have in each of our houses are, as familiar to the other half as they are to their home base. And so I am grateful for those visible of working together in collaboration.

And to the two of you for your collaboration, this doesn’t work unless the co executives are able to work together and build relationship. And our two churches are very different even though we’re in full communion.

And, so I appreciate the work that you do and I appreciate also the collaboration of my counterpart, John Dorhauer, the General Minister and President, United Church of Christ. It’s been great to accompany you all with him as we go together to see what is happening in the world. So, thank you so much for the work that you’re doing and I hope that this gives both of our church has a little glimpse into just the global impact that we are having together through Global Ministries as the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. So, thank you so much for being here today. I appreciate it.

Well, Disciples, I hope this has given you a little glimpse into all the wonderful things that are happening within this joint witness Global Ministries shared by the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. I am sure there will be a link where you can go to the Global Ministries website. Learn more about the initiatives, the Ministries that are happening there. Learn more about the internship programs that are available. Will also support this kind of work financially as well.

So remember, we always want you to be thinking about who we are as a new church in this new world by using our prophetic imagination. And remember, God loves you and so do I. And I look forward to being with you again on our next episode of Imagine with Me, God bless you.
 

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