Early in her term of office as Disciples' General Minister and President, Sharon Watkins, created a visioning team of representatives from throughout our church to explore the nature and purpose of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) "for a time such as this." The work of that team is summarized in this statement,"Disciples are a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world."

It is pretty hard for even the most optimistic of persons to deny that we are living in a very fragmented world today. The good news is that God's Spirit is already here among us, dwelling in the lives of all the people, moving in the midst of all the fragmentation, awaiting the people of God known as Disciples to join God there, in their neighborhoods and communities, to fulfill our call as "a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world."

Your Regional Board felt called to accept this challenge. In May of 2009 the Regional Board voted to partner with author and church consultant, Alan Roxburgh, to develop a region-wide transformation process that will help us respond to the changing face of our church and society and reclaim our unique place and voice within God's movement for wholeness once again. Being true to our Disciples' heritage, we believe that the epicenter of transformation for the Christian Church In Kentucky is among our congregations.

This site will track our efforts. "Surfing the Edge: Cultivating Missional Congregations" is the 18 month pilot phase that includes fourteen CCK congregations journeying together to create a new missional imagination among themselves for joining God in God's mission in their neighborhoods and communities. Soon, invitations will be extended to other congregations to make this journey.

"Surfing the Edge: Missional Conversation Events" is where members of the Regional Staff and Board come to your congregations to tell the story of the Re-invention process AND to invite all Disciples into the conversation. These events are designed to give voice to all Disciples in Kentucky in the re-invention process.

These streams of information, and others, will converge at the 2010 Regional Assembly as this year's Assembly becomes a "future directions event" for CCK.

What can you do to be part of this journey? Several things.

1)Pray for CCK's Board and Staff as they lead this process.
2)Pray for our Surfing the Edge pilot congregations.
3)Get involved when asked to do so. Everyone will have an opportunity to be part of this process.
4) Support the journey financially with your over and above contributions to CCK.
5) Volunteer to be part of one of the leadership teams (Mission Action Teams) that design and implement the future directional ministries of the region, ministries designed to support and strengthen congregational witness and mission in the neighborhoods and communities where Disciples live and worship.