A NEW CCCA

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

A Message from the Regional Moderator, Rev. Dr. Delores Carpenter

Dear Disciple Friends, 

It has been a joy and an honor to serve the Christian Church Capital Area (CCCA) over the past several years—first as Moderator-elect and, since January 2025, as Moderator. These have been rebuilding years, coming on the heels of COVID and the disruptions it brought to our congregations and our shared life. I am deeply grateful to all who have prayed, served, and encouraged me and one another during this time. This week, we are beginning a 10‑week season of reimagining a new CCCA.  

Like many regions, general units, and local congregations, CCCA cannot continue to operate as it has in the past. Our financial realities have shifted, and we need to pause and ask: Who are we now, and what is God calling us to be and to do in the coming years? We have assets and strengths, but they no longer align with the mission and budget we once envisioned. For example, the Disciples Mission Fund, from which we receive 40% of the amount that congregations contribute to the Fund, has declined more quickly and more sharply than we anticipated, and further decreases are expected. This calls for faithful adjustment, not fear. 

At the same time, we face limitations in our own capacity. We are blessed with gifted, faithful leaders across CCCA, but many already carry full plates, and we have struggled to fill some of our existing leadership roles. It did not seem wise or fair to ask this already-stretched group to take on a complex, time-sensitive restructuring process alone. We also recognize the value of having an outside, objective perspective, someone who could help us assess our situation, share what similar organizations have done, and lay out realistic options for us to consider. 

For these reasons, after Board approval, I began seeking a partner to walk with us. Several individuals within our wider Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) church family were understandably unavailable due to illness, sabbaticals, and prior commitments. Early on, one of our CCCA pastors recommended Lisa Morgan Solutions, an organizational management firm. Ms. Morgan has been wonderfully responsive and brings both professional expertise and a personal connection to our tradition; she was baptized at National City Christian Church and has served there as an elder. I am grateful to the Administrative Committee and the Regional Board for approving her work with us from May through August, giving us a strong and thoughtful start. 

Let me emphasize we are not rushing decisions about CCCA’s future. The consultant’s role is to help us clarify our options, understand their implications, and frame a process that is manageable and transparent. We need clearer direction as we look further ahead, especially with the Regional Assembly coming in October; significant changes will unfold over time, not overnight. 

Also in January 2025, I asked our Lead Trustee, Ramona Crawford, to form a Restructure Task Force, and she has faithfully done so. This Task Force, with input from across the Region, similar regions, the general church, and the consultant, will bring to the Regional Assembly a focused, participatory decision-making process for your consideration. I envision the Task Force continuing its work well beyond the Assembly so that all CCCA constituencies—large and small churches, rural and urban, diverse in race, language, and theology—can be heard. Our goal is not simply to design a new structure on paper, but to reach as much consensus as possible on who we will be together and how this new CCCA will be resourced. To do this, we must come together with a focus upon strengthening congregations.  The region can only be as strong as the congregations and individuals that support it. That’s why it is time for all of us to come together.

You are an essential part of this work. I invite you to visit the CCCA website for updates and background materials, and to respond if you are contacted for surveys, listening sessions, or conversations. Your perspective matters. This process will be strongest, and truest to the Spirit’s leading, when it includes the voices and experiences of congregations across our Region. 

Most of all, I ask you to pray. In this newsletter, you will find a prayer written by Rev. Lois Artis. Please include it in your worship services, share it in your leadership gatherings, and use it in your personal devotions. We are seeking not only a sustainable structure, but a faithful future—one that reflects the love of Christ, the guidance of the Spirit, and the hope of the gospel in a hurting world. 

I truly believe that CCCA can become an even brighter witness to the love of Christ in this broken world. Thank you for walking together, in trust and hope, as we discern the shape of the new thing God is doing among us. 

With the Love of Christ,

Delores Carpenter
May 2026