2015 Area Assembly Sunday, May 3

WindWaves
&
NEWSLETTER OF THE COASTAL PLAINS AREA
APRIL 2015 – VOLUME 13, ISSUE 4
2015 Area Assembly
Sunday, May 3
Coming together with Christ in Common
Acts 2:44
2:30pm Coming Together for Governance (annual
meeting)
meeting)—
—Sanctuary
 4:00pm Coming Together for Worship
Worship—
—Sanctuary)
Followed by Fellowship in the Tent

To Register (Choose One) :
 Mail in names of participants with a check to Coastal Plains
Area, 11750 Memorial Dr, Houston, 77024
 Call or email your names then pay upon arrival:
[email protected] or 713.789.8822
 Register online with a credit card: http://mkt.com/coastal-plainsarea-ccsw/area-assembly
Registration Fees: Adult: $10 ea Youth or Child: $5 ea
Family with children - Max: $25
University Christian Church
3610 Southmore Blvd—Houston
Guest Speaker: Dr. Newell Williams
Upcoming Events
 Apr 18—Stalcup Lecture
 Apr 20—Regional COM
 Apr 20—Early Bird, All Camps
 Apr 28 & 29 Clergy Circles
 May 2—CYF & Chi Rho Service
 May 3—Area Assembly
 May 8—Family Camp Deadline
 May 10—Mother’s Day
 May 13—Wind&Waves Deadline
 May 16—DCCI Board
 May 16—YLT Planning
 May 22-24—Family Camp
 May 25—Memorial Day
Views from the Edge
by Rev. Peggy Edge, Coastal Plains Area Minister
What an eventful Spring we are
having! Church Administration
Workshop, Healthy Boundaries
Seminar, and now Dr. Warren Carter coming to
teach us about Revelation! And soon, very soon, we
will gather at University Christian Church for our
annual Area Assembly which promises to be a great
day for the CPA! Congregations are getting their
children and youth registered for Summer Camp!
Thanks be to God that we have so many ways to
share in programs and enrichment for Disciples!
Thanks to the efforts of Marilyn Duncan, Margaret
Maat, and Heather Tolleson, we are making some
changes on our webpage.
Check it out at
[email protected]. You’ll find calendars for the
youth and Area events. There are pictures, too! We
plan to share financial reports for the Area as well.
We want you to have information at your fingertips!
Do you know about the four new congregations in
formation in the CPA? If not, read on with interest!
The Regional Council voted to recognize them.
Zeteo began four years ago as a special ministry of
First Christian Church, Houston, with Jenni
Fairbanks as pastor. Disciples in the Wilderness in
Conroe has Bible study, bi-weekly worship led by
Darnell Fennell in a recently rented home, and does
outreach ministries with the homeless, hungry, and
poor. Just Love is an inclusive, black church in
Houston, founded by Darnell Fennell.
Centro
Cristiano Discipulos de Criste, nested at Kirkwood
South Christian Church, is a Spanish-speaking
congregation being started by Julio and Lucy
Barquero. We pray God’s blessings on these new
Disciple communities of faith.
As many of you know, the CPA is blessed with some
endowed income that is used for programming and
new church ministries. During the four years prior to
my arrival as Area Minister, the Area built up a
reserve of about $100,000, knowing those funds
would be needed to fund the Area Minister’s work.
We expected those monies, along with the giving
from congregations and from Disciples Mission Fund, to carry
us for two years. As we approach mid-year of the second
year, we see those reserves being depleted as expected.
The Executive Committee recommended to the Ministry
Planning Team that we engage the services of a business
consultant to discern how to plan for 2017 and beyond. Roy
Johnston, an elder of First Christian Church, submitted a
proposal that was approved at the MPT meeting in April. A
special team will be formed to explore ways that we can
adjust our business plan so that we can continue sharing
ministries in the CPA. Michael Dunn has agreed to chair that
team to do this important work. Know that we covet the
prayerful and financial support from all of our congregations.
As I see it, our mission is to support shared ministries that
strengthen local congregations, assist congregations in times
of transition and special needs, encourage and empower new
church ministries, promote reconciliation in ways that honor
and respect all of our differences and provide retreat and
camp experiences for all ages.
We know that mission teams and church boards prayerfully
discern how to share in ministry beyond the local church.
Thank you for being faithful stewards of the resources you
have. The CPA leaders hope that you believe strongly in our
shared ministries and will give as you are able.
Grace and peace,
Peggy
See page 3
for info on all
our camps!
Announcing DiscipleOaksWorkDay May9
Please help spread the
word! (And the work!)
We have lots of work to do to get
ready for summer camp!
Although we have completed many
new projects around the camp there
is still lots of work to do to get ready
for summer camp. We welcome
groups and individuals. Lunch will be
provided on Saturday afternoon.
Enjoy one night stay free! Please
RSVP with date of stay, contact
name and # of guests.
Here are just some of the projects
we have available. Let us know if
your group would like to tackle one
of these so that we will have
materials and supplies available. Or,
if you have ideas for other projects,
please let me know.
 Complete purple trail around lake
 install chalkboard/whiteboard
outside each lodge room
 paint house exterior
 paint activity center down stairs
bathrooms
 Complete disc golf course
 metal recycling
 install flower beds at y's
 clean up around lake
 remove dead trees
 install signs (Eagle Scout project)
 build boating dock
 stain/repair docks
 Trim hedges in front of activity
center
 landscape hill/amphitheater
 plant flowerbeds behind lodge
Thanks for your support of Disciple
Oaks Camp & Retreat!
 replace rubber tips on chairs in
lodge
 install towel rods/hooks in lodge
rooms
Carol Cabbiness
(830) 437-2900
Summer Camp 2015
DATES
CAMP
GRADE
EARLY-BIRD FEES
Deadline May 8
May 22—24
FAMILY CAMP
families with children
Call CPA for info
713.789.8822
REGULAR FEES
 12 & up—$145 ea
 4-12—$110 ea
 3 & under—FREE
Max per family $399
June 7—13
CYF by CPA
completed 9-12
$339 to CPA by 4/20
$375 to CPA by 5/24
June 14—20
CYF by BBA
completed 9-12
$339 to BBA by 4/20
$375 to BBA by 5/31
June 21—27
Eighter's Camp
completed 8
$400 to CPA by 4/20
$440 to CPA by 6/7
July 7—11
Junior Camp *
completed 4 or 5
$275 to CPA by 4/20
$315 to CPA by 6/23
July 7—11
Beginners Camp *
completed 2 or 3
$275 to CPA by 4/20
$315 to CPA by 6/23
Jul 26—Aug 1
Chi Rho Camp
completed 6 or 7
$339 to CPA by 4/20
$375 to CPA by 7/12
see the website for forms and information: http://www.cpadisciples.org/groups/youth/summer-camp-2015/
On the Move: Ministry Coordinator Report
by Rev. Margaret Morgan Maat
Avoiding the Slippery Slope
On March 28th, representatives from seven Coastal Plains Area churches gathered at Memorial Drive Christian Church
for a workshop on Church Governance. Led by Micah James of AdminIsMinistry, the Avoiding the Slippery Slope
workshop covered the top 5 reasons why churches end up in court – and how to keep that from happening.
Topics included:
 Child abuse awareness
● Safety and liability on church grounds
 Job descriptions and employment law
● Financial Accountability
 Social Media and Technology
● Stewardship
One of the issues covered was how to create a safe environment for children at church. This includes:
 Creating space that is open and accessible so that children can be monitored
 Creating space that is closed and unavailable to potential sexual predators
 Making sure every classroom has two adults – a teacher and an aide (but not a husband and wife team)
 Designating someone to review background checks and appropriately respond to the information it contains
 Responding appropriately when informed of inappropriate conduct, either between children or between adults
and children
 The legal obligations when an adult suspects or a child reports sexual or physical abuse
Creating safe space for children is a priority for all of our congregations. If you would like more information, please feel
free to contact Micah at [email protected].
Those who attended the workshop were very appreciative of all that was shared and felt it very much worth their time.
We plan to have Micah back to conduct the workshop for those who were not able to attend.
We are making a concerted effort to keep
you informed! Have you checked out our
website lately? It’s chock-full of info! Go to
http://www.cpadisciples.org/
Also, look for our facebook pages:
 CPA Youth www.facebook.com/pages/CPAYouth/213261012022342
 Women of the Coastal Plains Area
www.facebook.com/WomenOfTheCoastalPlainsArea
 Coastal Plains Area of the Christian
Church
www.facebook.com/pages/Coastal-Plains-Area-ofthe-Christian-Church/281484032008943
If you don’t find the information you’re
looking for, give us a call and let us know!
713.789.8822
The following new congregations YOUTH—it’s time to register for
have been approved for
Service Rally!
Congregation in Formation status!
Centro Cristiano Discipulos de Cristo
Disciples in the Wilderness
Just Love
Zeteo
EVERYONE—Check out the front
page of this newsletter and/or our
website to learn how to register
for the 2015 Coastal Plains Area
Assembly!
http://www.cpadisciples.org/