Our Global Partnerships

A report from your person in Nicaragua, here. Or, I should say more accurately, your persons almost in Nicaragua. Nathan Wright, associate pastor of First Albany presently serving at Clinton Heights, and I are soon to be on our way to a long weekend visit with our sisters and brothers of Mision Cristiana.

The New York Conference has had an off and on relationship with Mision Cristiana since the early 90's when a group from the Western area under the leadership of Ray Morris entered into a partnership covenant with them on behalf of the Conference. Unfortunately, through changes of leadership on both sides the partnership became dormant. (In fact it is listed as such on the Common Global Ministries website.)

Over the last couple of years the Conference Commission on the Global Church has been investigating the possible reactivation of this covenant. With Clare Price in the lead Margie Price and Nathan Wright have taken charge of reconnecting with the leadership of Mision Cristiana. A draft covenant has been developed. And Nathan and I are traveling to meet with church members and leaders to officially sign the renewed covenant. Over the weekend we will see some church projects, worship with various congregations and meet with the church council for the signing.

Common Global Ministries, a witness of both the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ encourages local churches to become Global Partnership Churches by covenanting with missionaries and/or other partner churches around the world.

The UCCNY Commission on the Global Church is taking up the challenge to become a Global Partnership Conference. We have established a new missionary partnership with Dawn and Jonathan Barnes in East London, Republic of South Africa. And are happy to renew our Global Church partnership with Mision Cristiana. In addition we are overjoyed at the rejuvenated vitality of NY/Help. Another group of 8 persons is preparing to travel to Honduras in mid-August. Plus, the word is getting out to our local churches and they are responding with financial support of this exciting ministry of the Conference in the north central highlands of Honduras.

The Commission is excited to begin work with the Ecumenical Commission in strengthening our new covenant with the Protestant Church of Hesse-Nassau, Germany. Projected combined youth mission trips are on the drawing board.

The Commission is planning another Mission Possible Event November 2-3, at Christ the King in Syracuse. More information will be forthcoming, but we hope to have a delegation from Mision Cristiana present for that event as well as Felix Ortiz-Cota Carribean and South America area executive of Common Global Ministries.

I'll try to get to a computer while in Nicaragua to give some updates of our experiences. In any case we return to the US late on Monday night.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles>