The major push for increasing giving to the ODO Suggested Goals for 2006 has been through our Mission Advocates with whom a meeting was held in April. The Mission Advocates are in the process of visiting congregations throughout the region. Earlier this year Sharon Watkins said in an article in the Disciples World magazine that it will be through "telling the stories," that we increase giving. We hope to have a majority of visits completed by September 30^th. As well as sharing information about ODO, we are also listening to what congregations are doing in local mission and their needs from the Region.

We were unable to have a mission trip to Chili in 2006 due to a change in leadership of that project. With the recommendation to the Regional Board that we rollover budgeted money into 2007, we will be able to further help those with mission trip expenses.

At the upcoming Regional Assembly, we are going to have a mission fair in which all the congregations in Ohio have been invited to have a display about their local missions. This is one way for churches to network. There will be an ODO workshop led by Duncan Draper and myself. Our mission project for regional assembly is in support of the Cleveland Christian Home. This has been promoted in the Minister's Monthly Mailing and the Buckeye Disciple.

CLEVELAND CHRISTIAN HOME

MISSION PROJECT

The Ohio Disciples Outreach Ministry Team is sponsoring a mission project during Regional Assembly (October 13-14). We are doing a collection of items needed by the Cleveland Christian Home. These items can be turned in at the Cleveland Christian Home display. Items needed are: gift cards (McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Wal-Mart, Kmart & Target); boxed cake mixes and cans of icing; boxer shorts sizes 10-18, 32-40; tube sox sizes 7-9, 10-13; duffel bags; towels and twin size sheets. Thank you for making this project a success.

Howard Ratcliff and I attended a meeting on giving at First Community Church (UCC) in Dublin. Along with regional staff there was a follow-up meeting on large gifts with Deb Wray from the Christian Church Foundation. Deb had suggested a book on letters to givers. I purchased that and have read it. It is our hope that with better-written letters we will be able to get larger contributions to the Leadership Fund and endowment funds for the Region.

Robert Faulkner, Carol Richards and Don Barnes have been added to the membership of the ODO Ministry Team.

Missionaries Tim and Diane Fonderlin from Singapore will be home and available for visits, January 16 to March 11 and March 17 to April 9, 2007.

Respectfully submitted,

Rev. Philip H. Hunt,

Chairperson of the Ohio Disciples Outreach Ministry Team