November 17, 2019
The Saints are Still Speaking
Over the past several months, the remaining members of Williamsburg Christian Church in Brooklyn, New York, made the difficult but faithful decision that it was time to change the visible ministry of the congregation. Together they took guidance and sought the counsel of neighboring congregations, general ministry partners, the Northeastern Region’s Commission on Ministry, and the regional minister. Ultimately, the congregation looked to the regional board to affirm their desires and decisions for providing a new way for the Williamsburg assets to exist, grow, and provide for the ministry of Jesus Christ on Earth.
With the full blessing and support of the Northeastern Region, and after important prayer and deliberation, the remaining elder and one trustee executed significant financial decisions that will bless the whole church for many years to come. Some may say that the congregation closed its visible ministry, but we know their visible ministry was transformed. Three congregations, two general ministries, and the Northeastern Region received legacy gifts from Williamsburg Christian Church in October 2019.
Our region made the faithful decision to establish an All Saints Fund bearing the name of Williamsburg Christian Church. The All Saints Fund will: remember those who have gone before, provide income for the church in perpetuity, protect those assets for the best long-term interest of our region, and have our funds managed with excellence by experts whose interests are aligned with ours. The Christian Church Foundation manages our All Saints Funds and distributes income for our budgeted use. The Christian Church Foundation is an expert at this, and our mission is one.
The Saints of the Williamsburg Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have spoken and so has the board of the Northeastern Region. We now have an All Saints Fund that remembers the past and provides for the future. We are grateful for the voices that still speak and give great thanks and praise for the ministry of this beloved congregation. The ministry of the congregation looks different, but it lives on nonetheless. It is a beautiful sign of life and life eternal for us to witness.
The Saints are still speaking from Brooklyn, New York. The Saints are speaking across time and space. The Saints are speaking from their doorsteps to the ends of the earth. They are speaking now and they are speaking forever. The Saints are still speaking!
Written By: Rev. Thad Allen, Regional Minister of the Northeastern Region, Pennsylvania, & West Virginia