The General Assembly of the Christian Church (DOC)

The General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) begins Saturday.

Disciples from all over the nation and even the world will gather in Orlando, Florida, for five days of worship, fellowship, discussion and fun.

My first General Assembly was in Louisville in 1960. We boarded busses at Beargrass Christian Church and rode to Freedom Hall which was packed.  The Transylvania University choir sang.

Dad purchased my first Bible there. I still have it.  It was the relatively new Revised Standard Version.

We will hear reports from all the agencies of the church. Cane Ridge, Christian Care Communities, Week of Compassion and many other entities of the church will sponsor booths where we can stop and talk about those ministries, and maybe receive a pencil or pen promoting that particular ministry.

I am proud of the Disciples of Christ. As I look at pictures of those who will lead us I see that our moderator is an African American woman.  Our first Vice Moderator is a white woman and the second Vice-Moderator is an Asian American man. This is somewhat by design. For almost a century and a half women and minorities were systematically excluded from leadership in all denominations. If this means we are trying to be “politically correct,” this would be the finest use of the “PC” terminology. But I would rather understand that we are being spiritually inclusive.

Who else do we need to include into full standing, membership and leadership in the kingdom of God?

Do we have the courage to look around ourselves and not only “welcome all God’s people” but also treasure them, work side by side in ministry with them and value all the gifts each person has to offer?

We’ll see.

Moving to the deeper places,
Jeff