General Assembly News - Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Disciples “Get Dirty for Jesus” at 2013 General AssemblyBy Tanya J. TylerDisciples Volunteering teamed up with the local arrangementscommittee for volunteer opportunities at Second HarvestFood Bank of Central Florida, Wycliffe Bible Headquarters, theHarry P. Leu Gardens and Orlando Healthcare.Mindy Hamm (Indianapolis) said, “Iwas looking forward to doing it againthis year.” She put together shelvesfor the Wycliffe warehouse. StarrEllis, (Arkansas) was using a hammerto pound pieces of the donatedshelves together.The group that went to SecondHarvest was greeted with thankfulenthusiasm. Second Harvest serves500 agencies in six counties anddistribution has increased 75 percentin the past four years.The Disciples were taping labels oncans of corn. Rev. Kathryn Wilson(Ohio), was there with her daughter,Candis Wilson, and grandson KobeHughlett, 14.“We try to do this every time wecome to General Assembly,” Kathrynsaid. “Even when my daughter waslittle, we’d try to go at least one day.”“At Quadrennial I had done somethinglike this, and I absolutely loved it,”MJ Fitch (Illinois) said. “I wanted myhusband to experience it as well, sowe both signed up.”A third group of volunteers fromNaples, Fla. headed to the Harry P.Leu Gardens. Vegetables from thepublic gardens are donated to SecondHarvest.“One of the volunteers was fascinatedby all the tropical vegetation becausehe was from Colorado and it was sodifferent from what he was used to,”said Mary Beth Hodges, who, withhusband, Terry, worked with the localarrangements committee.Josh Baird, director of DisciplesVolunteering, was glad to see theturnout of volunteers despitecompetition from local attractions. Atotal of 60 people helped.“Because local folks have contacts inthe community, they know where togo,” he said. “They really do all thelegwork in terms of establishingcontact with those places. It takes alot of work to make that happen.”Youth did more than ‘party’ and collect pensBy Revs. Michelle Harris-Gloyer and Lee YatesThree hundred forty-sevenregistered middle school andhigh school youth participatedin General Assemblyyouth programming inOrlando. Though brightlycolored balloons marked thegathering space, they didmuch more than play. Theseyouth had their own worshipservices, learning opportunities,and they had a greattime building relationships.Some highlights included:• Exhibit hall scavenger hunt to understand how wedo ministry. Prizes provided by ministries andcolleges including Chapman University scholarships.• The Food Drive Prayer Wall that collected well over1000 food items• The Middle SchoolXP-erience with 92 sixththrough eighth gradersthat included guests fromBrite Divinity School,National Convocation andthe Office of GeneralMinister and President.• Discovery Tracks allowed youth to exploreeverything from Christian vocation to sexuality.• Business session learning and attendance atTuesday’s session followed by small groupconversations• Evening sessions included one sponsored byDisciples Colleges and Universities and another withphoto support from Disciples of Christ HistoricalSociety• “Many Cultures, One World” Disney YouthEducation Series at EPCOT. Follow-up curriculumavailable at www.discipleshare.net10CHRISTIAN CHURCH DISCIPLES OF CHRIST | JULY 13-17, 2013