Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:
Every once in a while, I hear people griping about how much they have to do at church. I get it – at one level, at least. You may have even heard me gripe from time to time. Institutions require a lot of work: property management, personnel matters, financial matters, sound system repairs, plumbing repairs, committee meetings, and all the details that go into various ministries. Whew!
At another level, though, I find myself thinking that if we are griping, or if we are leading institutions in which people are griping, there’s something wrong. The Christian life is meant to be a joy — not necessarily EASY, but joyful. And this is why we invite you to join us for Regional Assembly 2026, “Celebrating our Gifts.”
Our Assembly theme is rooted in the theological idea that the Holy Spirit is alive and blowing through each of us, and that the Spirit gives each of us gifts to be used for the common good. Our focus scripture is 1 Corinthians 12:7, in which Paul says: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. If the Spirit truly gave you the gift of music, then singing in the choir brings you joy, rather being “one more thing to do.” If the Spirit gave you the gift of serving, then staying after a potluck to clean dishes, or coming on Saturday to mow or sweep or vacuum, brings you joy. You feel the deep peace of connecting with what God has gifted you to do.
We hope that Regional Assembly will help you recapture the joy of the Christian life. We hope you will re-connect with the gifts God has given you, that you will seek to align your roles in the church with the ways the Spirit works in your life. Come, and celebrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit which God has given to each of us.
Dios les bendiga!
Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona
