ADVENT RESOURCES

 Mission:1 - Tally Board    

 Mission:1 at Brewster Place

Brewster Place Retirement Village, a member of CHHSM (Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, the Healing and Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ) participated in Mission: 1. A combination of 766 cans of food & $736 went to Project Topeka which distributes food & aid to the various agencies such as Doorstep (which was started by Central Congregational Church after the 1966 tornado), Let's Help, Union Rescue Mission, etc. We had good participation from the residents and staff who all came together around a common goal . The goal was 1101 which we exceeded! Total cash & food items was 1502!  

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Because you are a covenantal partner, it is important that you know the financial status of the Conference. Just like many individuals and organizations, this has been a challenging year for the Conference in terms of finances.

As of October 31, 2011 Our Church's Wider Mission giving was $160,888 compared to $181,335 at the same time in the previous year. While we trust that giving will continue through the end of the year it is likely that there will be a $20,000 to $30,000 deficit. 

The Council is being pro-active about this reality and has made a decision to reduce our giving to the ecumenical portion of the budget by 14% (the anticipated shortfall in giving) and to withhold national OCWM basic support at this time. All cuts will be restored if funds become available to meet the amounts budgeted. 

We are also carefully monitoring the operating expenses where currently all categories are at or under budget. These financial realities again raise questions that the Council and the Conference as a whole will need to wrestle with. What is our purpose? What are our priorities? How do we fund what we value? How do we tell the OCWM story so folks will continue to invest in it? 

We sincerely appreciate the support that the congregations have given at this time and if it is within your means to do more for our common cause, we would appreciate that as well. If any additional contributions for 2011 will be made, they will need to be at the office (not just postmarked) by January 9, 2012 when the books for the 2011 year will close.

Blessings on the journey,

Krista Betz, Interim Conference Minister

Jeff Keller, Conference President

WORLD AIDS DAY

DECEMBER 1, 2011 

 National Listening Campaign on

 Christian Faith Formation and Education  

 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST FINANCIAL AID

SAVE THE DATE 

JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 2, 2012

CLERGY RETREAT

Attention Association LayWomen 

Nominations for 2012 Association Honored Lay Women are due by December 31, 2011.  This is your opportunity to recognize the contributions of the women in your local churches.  

A Nomination form can be downloaded here or request a hard copy from the conference office.   

Ladies - get out your calendars!   

Looking ahead in 2012, the following dates should be noted:

FEBRUARY -- Winter Issue of COMMON LOT will present worship materials and daily devotionals for the 2012 WOMEN'S DAY/ WOMEN'S WEEK, which will officially be Sunday, FEBRUARY 5 and FEB. 5-11, 2012. (Materials may be used for any women's worship service.)  Adding a dedication of an annual gathering of women's "Blessing Box Offerings" is a possibility, too.

Please remember to remain in covenant with UCC Women in Ministry through contributions to UCCWM ($34) which bring quarterly COMMON LOT publications as well as the Ecumenical BIBLE Study (spring issue).  Send to:  Local Church Ministries  (UCCW), 700 Prospect Ave E,  Cleveland OH 44115-1100.

Friday, MARCH 2nd, will be the date for World Day of Prayer. "Let Justice Prevail," written by Christian women of Malaysia is a resource available for you.  Materials may be ordered from WDP USA by calling 888.937.8720.

Saturday, APRIL 21st - SPRING CELEBRATION

Central Association Women will host a one-day event for

ALL women of K-O at Trinity United in Cheney, KS.

Fri-Sat-Sun,  AUGUST 17-18-19th - K-O WOMEN'S ASSEMBLY at White Memorial Camp.

All women in KO are encouraged to attend all or part of this retreat session to gain information about women's ministries, learn in Bible study and worship, and enjoy fellowship with other UCC women and explore the church camp grounds while enjoying personal meditation time.

K-O PRAYER CALENDAR 

First Congregational, Russell, KS ~ Pastor Kasey Crosby and Congregation
 

First Congregational, Stockton, KS ~ Rev. Vince Williams and Congregation

Common Global Ministries Board 

appoints nine missionaries

PRAY FOR THEIR MINISTRIES!  

The Common Global Ministries Board has commissioned nine new and reappointed missionaries to serve on behalf of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in ministries of accompaniment and critical presence.

Global Ministries celebrates the Nov. 17 appointment of these individuals as they prepare to serve with partner churches and sisters and brothers worldwide.

Those commissioned at the meeting were:

Elena Huegel, a member of Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer, Los Fresnos, Texas, will serve a four-year term with the Pentecostal Church of Chile (IPC) beginning March 1, 2012. She will work as chaplain and consultant for peace, conflict transformation, environmental education, trauma healing and community development at the Shalom Center and its international program.

Michael Joseph, a member of First Congregational Church, Washington, D.C., began on Nov. 1 a four -year term with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission of the Council of Evangelical Churches (CEDECOL). He is providing pastoral critical presence to church leaders and lay people living in life-threatening situations.

Julianna Nitz, a member of Central Christian Church, Lexington, Ky., will serve a one-year term (with possible extension) as a Global Mission Intern with the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India in Sri Lanka beginning Jan. 1, 2012. She will work as a music teacher at the Uduvil Girls College, Christian Theological Seminary and Jaffna College.

Katie Pickens, a member of Woodmont Christian Church, Nashville, Tenn., will serve a one-year term (with possible extension) as a long-term volunteer with the National Spiritual Council of Churches of Haiti (CONASPEH) beginning Jan. 1, 2012. She will work as a consultant and co-administrator of the Ferdinand Garcia Transformational Center of CONASPEH.

Elizabeth and Douglas Searles, members of Schleswig (Iowa) UCC will serve a six-month term (with possible six-month extension) with the Evangelical Reformed Church of Poland beginning Jan. 1, 2012. They will work as mission workers for church growth and outreach.

Marian Thorpe and James deBoer, members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Spokane, Wash., and Central Congregational Church in Providence, R.I., respectively, will serve a one-year term (with possible extension) as long-term volunteers with the Round Table for Mission Development of the Disciples of Christ Church in Argentina and Paraguay. They will work as consultants for mission development.

Gabrielle Worley, a member of First United Church, Oak Park, Ill., will serve a one-year term (with possible extension) as a Global Mission Intern with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue (FDCD), in Beirut, Lebanon, beginning January 1, 2012. She will work with the MECC and the FDCD on their joint work with Iraqi refugees.

"Elena Huegel is a long-term missionary known for her effective teaching style, and she will expand her reach into other South American countries," said Jan Aerie, UCC executive for mission education and interpretation. " Michael Joseph returns to the war-torn Colombia where his passion for human rights and justice is also his mission in ministry.

"The Searles are life-long missionaries discerning their next steps in mission," said Aerie, "and the new young adults in mission are looking forward to learning and sharing their talents in locations that seem to call for the gifts they have to offer. They also seek a challenge to be flexible and grow in faith."

Link to

the K-0

Calendar 

December 3 - 9:00am - Eastern Association COM

at Plymouth Congregational - Lawrence

December 3 - 11:00am - Foundation Board Mtg at the Conference Office.  

December 23-26 - Conference Office closed for Christmas Holiday.

January 30 - February 2, 2012 - Clergy Retreat 

Krista would be happy to visit your congregation.  Call her  at 316-686-4331 to schedule a date.

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United Church of Christ

Kansas-Oklahoma Conference  

White Memorial Camp and Conference Center