Resources

Ministerial Standing
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia requires that ordained and commissioned Disciples ministers complete an annual standing form each year in order to receive or continue ministerial standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). For more details about ministerial standing, clergy are invited to read the Letter of Invitation from Interim Regional Minister Rev. Joan Bell-Haynes. Clergy are asked to complete the online form below by January 31, 2025. Please note: although the PDF preview of your completed form may have missing information or errors, when you submit the form, you will receive a reply that should be correct.

• Letter of Invitation

• Online Form

Healthy Boundaries

Ordained and commissioned clergy in the Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia are required to complete a Healthy Boundaries training every five years, as stated in Policy and Procedures for Response to and Prevention of Clergy Sexual Misconduct. The regional office typically notifies clergy with standing in Georgia the year they are required to complete Healthy Boundaries to retain their ministerial standing. Inactive retired ministers are exempt from this requirement.

• Learn more

Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism Training

Ordained and commissioned clergy in the Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia are required to complete a Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism training every five years. Contact the regional office to find out more if you have questions about whether you have completed this requirement.

• Learn more

Search and Call
Ministers with standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who are seeking a church or call should consult the Search and Call page of Disciples Home Missions and carefully follow the process outlined. Following the process is the ONLY way you should search for a position in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia or other regions. Access to position listings is only given to ordained or commissioned ministers with standing or those preparing for vocational ministry within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who have been authorized by a Disciples region. Clergy and congregations also are encouraged to access additional resources related to ministerial search and call which are provided by the General Commission on Ministry (GCOM). 

Policy Documents

• Policies and Criteria for the Order of Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia

• Theological Foundations and Policies and Criteria for the Ordering of Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

• Policy and Procedures for Response to and Prevention of Clergy Sexual Misconduct in Georgia

• Ministerial Code of Ethics

Georgia Clergy District Meetings
Georgia Disciples churches are organized into districts, whose clergy gather for regular meetings. All meetings are currently being held via Zoom. Contact district conveners or office@gadisciples.org for information.

• Northwest District
  Held on 3rd Wednesday of every month at 12 pm
  Rev. Byron Wells, convener

Clergy Connection Call - A recurring meeting every 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 12 noon. This is a virtual drop-in get-together to connect with others in ministry in the Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia. Interim Regional Minister Rev. Joan Bell Haynes facilitates these 1-hour gatherings. Contact the regional office at 478 743-8659 for Zoom information.

Thrive in 2025 Monthly Church Growth Zoom Call - Pastor Kyle Ermoian, Director of New Church & Church Development, Christian Church in Georgia, facilitates these 1-hour gatherings every third Thursday at 4 pm. Contact Pastor Kyle here for the Zoom link.

Sabbatical Support
Through the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, administered by the Center for Pastoral Excellence at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Disciples clergy have an opportunity to apply for sabbatical grants. Learn more here.

Pension Fund
The Pension Fund of the Christian Church, which serves Disciples clergy and employees, administers one of the strongest, fully funded pension and retirement systems in the country. Learn more here or contact Sarah Renfro, our Pension Fund regional representative for more information on all the programs Pension Fund has to support you and your ministry, including their new online mental health support program for clergy and families, “Learn to Live.”

Disciples of Christ

There are numerous Disciples resources are available through the website of the General Church, including worship/education, pastoral/leadership, grants/scholarships, history, ecumenical, financial, and publications. Explore these and more here. An adult study curriculum about Disciples, “A Covenant Conversation for Disciples,” which can be presented in-person or virtually, is available here.

Disciples of Christ News

Stay updated with news from the General Church and Disciples congregations across the U.S. and Canada by checking in on Disciples News. You can also sign up to receive news in your inbox.

Disciples Home Missions

Disciples Home Missions (DHM) is a hands-on ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). DHM lives into the Gospel of Jesus Christ by strengthening and developing partnerships, supporting congregational transformation, resourcing leadership development, sustaining faith formation, providing mission opportunities and advocating for justice, fairness, and equality for all of God’s children and creation. This is the Disciples ministry which includes Children Worship and Wonder, Christian Education and Faith Formation, , Green Chalice, Disciples Chaplains, Disciples Interims, Disciples Men, Disciples Women’s Ministries, Disciples Youth, Disciples Young Adults, and Justice and Advocacy Ministries. Learn more about all these ministries and access resources here in an improved website with searchable resource database.

Insurance Board

Insurance Board is a non-profit denominational program that offers a comprehensive church insurance program that protects a congregation’s unique risks and complicated needs of their ministries.  Contact Michael Campbell, who serves as the Georgia Disciples representative with the Insurance Board. 

Special Offerings

Disciples congregations have the opportunity to participate in four Special Day Offerings that support ministries across the life of the church. The Easter Offering supports all the ministries of the General Church. The Pentecost Offering supports Disciples new church development. The Thanksgiving Offering supports Disciples colleges, universities, and theological institutions. The Christmas Offering supports regional ministry; 100% of gifts given by Georgia Disciples and congregations stays in the Region, supporting vital programs and ministries. An annual Week of Compassion offering in February supports Disciples relief, refugee and development work. An annual Reconciliation offering in September/October supports pro-reconciliation/ anti-racism programs through education, camp and conference, and relationship-building in congregations, our Region, and in the General Church.

Treasurer

If you are serving as Church Treasurer learn more about Disciples Mission Fund, find a Treasurer’s Handbook, and download remittance forms or complete online.

Treasury Services

Treasury Services of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) provide financial and accounting services for offices of the General Church and numerous Regions, including Georgia. It also receives and distributes Disciples Mission Fund (DMF) throughout the whole church. 

Disciples Men is a cooperative effort between the Office of Disciples Men and the Men’s Discipleship Council (formerly the General Conference of Disciples Men). The ministry is led by a council comprised of Disciples men from across the U.S. and Canada. Its mission is to empower men to discover and fulfill their potential as servants of God, to strengthen the witness of the total ministry of the church.  Learn more, access study resources, and sign up for a newsletter here.

Disciples Women in Georgia are supported in their ministry by the national organization Disciples Women, a general ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of the United States and Canada that creates avenues for clergy and lay women to seek renewal and ministry opportunities by and for women worldwide. The Disciples Women’s Ministry is a collaborative effort between the Office of Disciples Women and the International Disciples Women’s Ministries (IDWM). Some of the resources and experiences provided include an annual Bible study called “Just Women,” the Woman-to-Woman Worldwide trip, and Women’s Action Web (WAW).

Children’s Ministry

Disciples Home Ministries offers many resources for children and youth faith formation. Ministries Across Generations is a ministry that curates tools and resources for children, families, and church leaders within all covenantal ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Children Worship and Wonder is a Montessori-influenced program that offers an exciting way to approach faith formation with children. The mission of Disciples Youth is to cultivate an intergenerational community committed to living out the radical love of Jesus Christ in today’s world. 

The Christian Church in Georgia archives videos used in a variety of programs, including the Church Narrative Project, Upgrade Thursdays, and other educational programs and resources. Access videos through this link CCinGA Videos (Vimeo Page).

The Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia uniquely partnered with the Disciples’ National Benevolent Association (NBA) in 2016 to launch the Georgia Mental Health Initiative, which provides mental health resources (see below) to congregations and individuals. 

• Mental Health Resource List

• Mental Illness: The Church’s Response

• Domestic Violence 101

• Clergy Visitation Guide

Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries
The Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries helps facilitate, enable, promote, undergird and coordinate the work of Hispanic Ministries within the total mission of the General Church.

National Convocation
National Convocation supports and strengthens the partnership of African American DOC congregations within the total mission of the General Church. 

North American Pacific/Asian Disciples
North American Pacific/Asian Disciples (NAPAD) ministries serve the growing number of American Asian and Pacific Islands churches as part of the total mission of the General Church.

Reconciliation Ministry is the national Disciples ministry which invites the church to listen to the once silenced voices of its racial and ethnic communities, and to make visible God’s beloved community. 

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Georgia sends out a regional news blast on the first Friday of each month. Past newsletters can be found here. Sign up to receive regional news in your inbox here.

Upgrade Thursdays was a creative experience using a virtual platform to inform, inspire, and encourage the Christian Church in Georgia family. These workshops emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic as the use of virtual learning tools increased and Georgia Disciples sought new ways to interact. Drawing from expertise throughout our region and denomination, presenters offered hour-long, Assembly-style workshops on Thursday evenings. If you couldn’t be with us, you’re invited to check out the recordings and resources from many of these events here.

Disciples on Campus

Disciples on Campus, the campus/collegiate ministry of the Christian Church in Georgia, has joined with the Table (formerly Presbyterian Student Center). The Table is an inclusive Christian campus ministry in Athens, GA, that affirms the full participation and dignity of all people in all aspects of Christian life and ministry regardless of race, ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Open to students of any religious background, The Table is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and local congregations of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Learn more here and stay connected on Facebook and Instagram.

Young Adult Kinections

This ministry of Disciples Home Missions is a diverse community of young adults within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) who are committed to building inclusive spaces, deconstructing harmful narratives and transforming the world through radical compassion and relentless advocacy. Learn more about this ministry here.

The mission of Disciples Youth is to cultivate an intergenerational community committed to living out the radical love of Jesus Christ in today’s world. https://www.discipleshomemissions.org/ministry-programs/disciples-youth/. This ministry works with the General Church and Regions to provide resources, experiences, and connections that impact faith formation. A new resource is a curriculum called “Social Emotional Learning and Faith Formation” which seeks to empower youth to engage deeply with their spirituality while developing the emotional and social skills they need for life’s transitions.