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KANSAS-OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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K-O e-NEWS
MARCH 14, 2012
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CHURCH OF TREES, BELGIUM
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days | Celebrating 10 Years Advocating for
Global Peace with Justice
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- Ecumenical Advocacy Days is 10 days away! Will you be joining us? Shannon Gorres, who recently shared her experience as a particpate in the Fair Food Fast will be there!
Is THIS the Fast I Seek? Economy, Livelihood and
Our National Priorities (Isaiah 58) March 23 - 26, 2012 | Washington, DC
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012 thru April 4, 2012
11:00 AM central time - 12 Noon
| | | | | | Please join us each Wednesday at NOON EST February 29 -April 4 for Lenten Lectio at Lunch.
In this busy church season give yourself the gift of a mid-day spiritual practice. Gather with people from around the nation to refresh and renew your spirit for the work you do. This lunch time lectio divina service will be led by Kimberly Knight, online pastor and social media coach who has been leading worship online for nearly five years. Gather with us to experience the beauty and mystery of ancient practices in the world of new media.
Cost: FREE
Registration Web Link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/248876977
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Contact For more information contact Gregg Carlson |
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GIVE IT UP! CALENDAR -- CLICK HERE
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- Can you imagine every church in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference sending at least one person to the National Youth Event 2012?
- Can you imagine the enthusiasm and excitement?
- Can you imagine the opportunity for growing leaders in the United Church of Christ?
National Youth Event is held once every four years. It is an incredible opportunity for youth ages 13-18 to gather as one voice within the UCC to worship, celebrate, learn and grow. The 2012 event will be July 10-13 at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Please take a moment to consider who your local church could send. Dream now. We can handle the logistics later.
For more information, please contact:
Nikki Woolsey KO Local Church Commission 
Click on the picture for FAQS link |
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GENEROUS GIVERS
THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT
AS COVENANT PARTNERS!
YAY! YIPPEE! LET'S CELEBRATE!!
We are happy to report that fifty-six (56) of our seventy (70) congregations gave to Our Church's Wider Mission in 2011,
and twenty two (22) of those congregations increased their giving over the previous year.
Thank you to all the churches and individuals that gave so that
we can be the Church in this time and place.
84% of these funds were used here in Kansas-Oklahoma Conference and 16% was used in the national and global settings
of the United Church of Christ.
Check out this website to hear stories of Our Church's Wider Mission at work http://www.ucc.org/changing-lives/ .
Together we are changing lives!
CHURCHES THAT GAVE $50 OR MORE
PER MEMBER TO
OUR CHURCH'S WIDER MISSION
(membership based on 2010 Yearbook)
- Rolling Hills UCC, Salina, KS $200/member for a total of $2,000
- First Congregational UCC, Manhattan, KS $86/member for a total of $18,701
- Bethany UCC, Hiawatha, KS $73/member for a total of $5,400
- Pilgrim UCC, Wichita, KS $71/member for a total of $9,955
- United Parish of Lenora, KS $70/member for a total of $2,600
- Community UCC, Carbondale, KS $58/member for a total of $4,904
- Faith UCC, Wichita, KS $55/member for a total of $2,213
- Midland UCC, Nickerson, KS $53/member for a total of $4,000
- Congregational Church of Carrier, OK $52/member for a total of $1,100
- Puritan UCC, Drummond, OK $52/member for a total of $3,600
- Zion UCC, Kansas City, KS $50/member for a total of $4,000
CHURCHES THAT GAVE $5,000 OR MORE TO
OUR CHURCH'S WIDER MISSION
- Plymouth UCC, Lawrence, KS $27,570
- First Congregational UCC, Manhattan, KS $18,701
- Open Arms UCC, Oklahoma City, OK $16,250
- First Congregational UCC, Topeka, KS $15,285
- Colonial UCC, Prairie Village, KS $15,000
- Fellowship UCC, Tulsa, OK $10,000
- Pilgrim UCC, Wichita, KS $9,955
- Zion UCC, Junction City, KS $6,000
- Central UCC, Topeka, KS $5,496
- Bethany UCC, Hiawatha, KS $5,400
- Evangelical UCC, Marysville, KS $5,003
CHURCHES THAT INCREASED THEIR GIVING
BY $500 OR MORE TO
OUR CHURCH'S WIDER MISSION
- Open Arms UCC, Oklahoma City, OK increase of $4,250
- St. John UCC, Baldwin City, KS increase of $3,000
- United Parish of Lenora, KS increase of $2,600
- Plymouth UCC, Lawrence, KS increase of $2,170
- Midland UCC, Nickerson, KS increase of $1,500
- Zion UCC, Kansas City, KS increase of $1,000
- Immanuel UCC, Ellinwood, KS increase of $978
- Crosswalk UCC, Enid, OK increase of $665
- Church of the Savior, Oklahoma City, OK increase of $550
- Federated Church of Weatherford, OK increase of $517
- Congregational Church of Kiowa, KS increase of $500
- Zion UCC, Junction City, KS increase of $500
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FIVE FOR FIVE CONGREGATIONS
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Being a 5 for 5 congregation is one sign of congregational vitality in the United Church of Christ. 5 for 5 congregations support:
- Our Church's Wider Mission: the basic lifeblood of the United Church of Christ. It encompasses what we use to keep the missions and ministries of the conference as well as the national setting moving forward in faithfulness. Check out the website for more information http://www.ucc.org/ocwm/basic-support.html
- One Great Hour of Sharing Working in more than 80 countries, the offering provides hope to people in more than eighty countries. The UCC works with international partners, and together we provide support to health, education, refugee, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives.
http://www.ucc.org/oghs/
- Neighbors in Need is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. http://www.ucc.org/nin/
- The Christmas Fund. Your gift to the Christmas Fund will provide for the Supplementation of Small Annuities, Supplementation of Health Premiums and provide Emergency Grants to active and retired clergy and lay employees. The mission of the Christmas Fund is to provide assistance dollars in situations of critical need, while preserving the dignity of those who receive the aid. http://www.pbucc.org/interior_default.asp
Here are the 5 for 5 congregations for 2011
in the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference:
- Colonial UCC, Prairie Village, KS
- Community Church of Carbondale, KS
- Community Church of Garden City, KS
- Community Church of Gaylord, KS
- Congregational Church of Carrier, OK
- Crosswalk UCC, Enid, OK
- Evangelical UCC, Marysville, KS
- Fairmount UCC, Wichita, KS
- Faith UCC, Wichita, KS
- Fellowship UCC, Tulsa, OK
- First Congregational UCC, Great Bend, KS
- First Congregational UCC, Manhattan, KS
- First Congregational UCC, Topeka, KS
- Grace UCC, Abilene, KS
- Midland UCC, Nickerson, KS
- Open Arms UCC, Oklahoma City, OK
- Open Table UCC, Owasso, OK
- Peace UCC, Alma, KS
- Pilgrim UCC, Wichita, KS
- Plymouth UCC, Lawrence, KS
- Rolling Hills UCC, Salina, KS
- St. John UCC, Baldwin City, KS
- St. John UCC, Okeene, OK
- St Peter UCC, Inman, KS
- Welborn UCC, Kansas City, KS
- Zion UCC, Kansas City, KS
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2012 K-O Conference Directory
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The 2012 Conference Directories were mailed to all the churches and KO Council members this past week. If you would like to receive a copy, please email Judy at jvincent@kocucc.com or call 316-686-4331 and she will send you a PDF file so you may print your own copy. If you are not able to receive PDF files, please let Judy know and we will accommodate that as well.
Also, if after receiving your directory you notice any inaccurate or incomplete information, please let Judy know so that we can update the database. Thanks so much!!
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National Workshop on Christian Unity
Equipping Church Leaders in the Quest for Christian Unity
Sponsored by the National Ecumenical Officers Association
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National Workshop on Christian Unity
"The Hope of Our Calling"
April 16-19, 2012
Oklahoma City
Held at the historic Skirvin Hilton!
This national event celebrates the spirit of ecumenism by:
- providing meeting seminars for all who are concerned with the ministry of Christian unity: laity, clergy, ecumenical officers, theologians, staff of ecumenical organizations;
- stimulating an exchange of ideas and experiences among people concerned with Christian unity and the bodies they represent;
- being a resource and balance between national planning and local responsibility, general ecumenical discussions and particular interchurch conversations, and regional leadership efforts and local realities,
- encouraging denominational networks to develop and serve as a framework within which they can interact;
- celebrating the unity which already exists among Christians and searching for ways to overcome the divisions that remain.
Featured speakers include:
Archbishop Paul Coakley, Dr. John Borelli,
Bishop Steven Charleston, Bishop Teresa Snorton, and
Bishop John White.
A complete schedule, seminar details, registration and payment options are available at http://www.nwcu.org/.
Please register and join us for this exciting event!
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Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
"One City, One Nation, One Resolve"
The National Workshop is offering a special event on Wednesday evening, April 19 at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. Starting at 6:00 p.m. we will spend time at the reflecting pool and memorial visiting the former site of the Alfred P. Murray Building. During a brief time of prayer and reflection, we will pause and remember victims of terrorism and violence, including the 168 adults and children who lost their lives on April 19, 1995. This will be followed by a tour of the museum dedicated to informing visitors about the impact of violence, and inspiring hope for peace through the lessons learned by those affected by the horrific bombing experienced by the people of Oklahoma City.
The evening includes heavy hors-d'oevres and Seminar #9
"Christian Response to Peace and Non-Violence"
which will be held in the museum's Conference Room.
See www.nwcu.org to register!
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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 WEBINAR
March 21, 2012
10:00AM and 2PM Central Time
Building Trust, Preventing Disaster 2.0
Financial Controls and Other Insights
Review related elements of church by-laws and basic principles of financial control: separation of duties and audit. Added insights from claim experience and work with Churches. (Especially valuable for newly elected leaders.) Register HERE
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K-O PRAYER CALENDAR
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*Community Church - Partridge, KS
Rev Sam Askew & Congregation *Pilgrim Congregational - Wichita, KS Rev. Ruth Bradshaw & Congregation *Mark VanDorn - Vice President Kansas Oklahoma Conference |
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UCC CALENDAR OF PRAYER
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LOCAL CHURCHES, ASSOCIATIONS AND CONFERENCE COMING EVENTS
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Link to
the K-0
Calendar
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March 24 ~ Oklahoma Association
Ecclesiastical Council for Lori Walke
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April 15, 3:30 pm
Installation Service for Rev. Constance Lunn
at First Congregational UCC in McPherson KS.
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April 16-19, 2012
Oklahoma City
National Workshop on Christian Unity
"The Hope of Our Calling"
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June 22-25, 2012 -- Kansas City, Missouri
Renew, Refresh, Re-imagine
A National Music, Worship, and Arts Conference
Stay tuned for details or click here now.
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July 28 to August 5 ~ Community of Hope UCC, Tulsa, invites you to join the team going to Nicaragua. The cost of the trip will be approximately $1,400 depending on airfare. If you are thinking about going, have questions, or need more information, please contact the Mission Team Coordinator, David Hoot, at 918-747-8928 or davidhoot@hotmail.com. All are welcome! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
K-O Conference Council Meetings
May 5, 2012 - Wichita
July 20-21 at White Memorial Camp |
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SAVE THESE DATES FOR
ASSOCIATION SPRING MEETINGS!
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April 14 ~~ Oklahoma Association Annual Meeting
Church of the Open Arms, Oklahoma City, OK
April 21 ~~ Central and Western Association Annual Meeting at
Community Church, Garden City, KS
April 28 ~~ North Central Association Annual Meeting at
Venue change -- First Congregational, Manhattan, KS
April 28 ~~ Eastern Association Annual Meeting
St. Paul UCC, Eudora, KS
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| K-O INTERIM CONFERENCE MINISTER'S SCHEDULE |
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March 18 ~ Immanuel UCC, Ellinwood, KS
March 26-27 ~ Mark Van Dorn, Jeff Keller and I will be in Cleveland, OH to meet with Geoffrey Black, UCC General Minister and President
March 29- April 11 ~ vacation
April 14 ~ Oklahoma Association meeting at Church of the Open Arms UCC, Oklahoma City, OK
April 15-18 ~ UCC Council of Conference Ministers meeting in Chicago, Illinois
April 21 ~ Central and Western Association meeting at Community Church of Garden City, KS
April 22 ~ Community Church of Garden City, KS
April 28 ~ Eastern Association meeting at St. Paul UCC, Eudora, KS
April 29 ~ Mayflower UCC, Oklahoma City, OK
Krista would be happy to visit your congregation. Call her at 316-686-4331 to schedule a date.
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| K-O CHURCHES IN TRANSITION |
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Central Congregational UCC, Topeka, KS ~ Rev. Scott Kenefake is interim pastor
Carrier Congregational UCC, Carrier, OK ~ Rev. Gordon Epps is interim pastor.
Community Congregational UCC, Gaylord, KS ~ Rev. Linda Kemp is interim pastor
Community of Hope, Tulsa, OK
First Congregational UCC, Anthony, KS
First Congregational UCC, Great Bend, KS ~ Rev. Stan Crawford is interim pastor
First Congregational UCC, Goltry, OK
First Congregational UCC, Manhattan, KS ~ Rev. Victor Force is interim pastor
First Salem UCC, Wichita, KS ~ Pastor Myra Sorrell is serving as supply pastor.
Highland Trinity UCC, Newton, KS ~ Rev. Bill Hickerson is supply pastor
Immanuel UCC, Ellinwood, KS ~ Rev. Katrina Palan is interim pastor
Open Table UCC, Owasso, OK ~ Rev. Melinda Foster has announced her resignation and her last day leading worship is May 19, 2012.
Puritan Congregational Christian Church, Drummond, OK. ~Rev. Matt Perkins is supply pastor
St John UCC, Baldwin City, KS ~ Rev Lewis Hinshaw is supply pastor
St. Peter's UCC, Inman, KS~ Rev Christine Edwards is the interim pastor
United Church of Norman, Norman, OK ~ Rev. Warren Jensen is interim pastor
Zion UCC, Junction City, KS. ~ Rev. Patty Brown-Barnett is interim pastor
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| QUICK LINKS |
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
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Rev. Krista Betz, Interim Conference Minister
Kansas-Oklahoma Conference 1245 Fabrique
Wichita, KS 67218
800-880-6466
Sara Shaw, Camp Director
620-767-5165 (Camp Office)
620-202-0311(Cell)
620-767-7244 (Fax)
1271 South 1050 Road
Council Grove KS 66846-8520
wmcucc@tctelco.net
Nancy A. Wolfe, Conference Communications Coordinator
3020 SE Virgo Ave
Topeka, KS 66605
785-806-4580
Our Church's Wider Mission is the lifeblood of ministry and mission in the United Church of Christ. Your contributions to this offering make this weekly e-communication and much, much more possible. Thank you for your generous support! Our covenant as local churches, associations, conferences and the national setting of our denomination is made evident through this mission together. |
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