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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Around the Conference
 
Get Ready for the
2013 Conference Annual Gathering

in 3 Easy Steps! 

Print your registration form and mail a check to the Conference office or pay online. No matter how you pay - check by mail or online - be sure to complete your registration form and mail it to the Conference office.

2. Pay for your registration!
You have three options to pay. Mail your registration form and a check or credit card form to the Conference office - 483 E. Lockwood, Ste. 15,  
St. Louis, MO 63119 OR click here to pay online.

3. Make plans to bring your own
Conference Annual Gathering materials!
 

In the past attendees have received a packet of information (reports, budget info, Drury info, etc) upon arriving at the Conference Annual Gathering. This year all of the information is available on the Conference website.

It is your responsibility to visit the website and do one of the following:

1. Save the materials to your laptop and
bring the laptop with you to the event.

2. Bring your laptop to the event and access the materials
online using Drury's free wi-fi. (password will be provided later)

3. Download and print the materials and bring them with you to the event.

New information is being added weekly;
please check back frequently. 


Looking forward to seeing all of you at the Conference Annual Gathering, June 7-9 at Drury University!!
  
Are You Looking For a Way to Serve?

 

Shannondale Community Center's Wobus Craft Center is looking for volunteers this summer. The craft center is an outlet for local crafters to sell their creations. This part of the Shannondale ministry is free to the crafters and totally run by volunteers. The volunteers open shop each day, collect money from customers and keep the hummingbird feeders filled. Lodging is supplied, but volunteers are on their own for meals. This opportunity is great for those who have a yearning to serve, but are looking for a less physical opportunity for service. We welcome help for a week or a weekend! If this sounds like the personal ministry for you, please call the Shannondale office at 573-858-3284. Thank you!

 

Photo of the Week

 

The worship team at Eden UCC, Affton used brightly colored paper lanterns to decorate the sanctuary for a beautiful Pentecost Sunday. 

 

Eastern Association Confirmation Retreat to Focus on Mission

 

Save the Date! Saturday, October 19, 2013 ~  9am - 4pm
Eastern Association will host a Confirmation Retreat. We will spend the day focusing on mission - both doing mission work and learning about mission. All EA confirmation groups invited. It will be held at Emmaus Homes in Marthasville. More information coming later in the summer.

 

Contact Donna Curdt 636-634-1150 or [email protected] if you would like to help or have questions.

 

Shannondale Needs Your Help

 

On April 14, Conference members and friends gathered at Shannondale to celebrate the kickoff of Mission 4/1 Earth. Many enjoyed meals and accommodations within Timber Lodge, the main building at Shannondale. Years of weather and wear have ruined the roof of the lodge and a recent assessment has projected that necessary repairs will cost $10,000. If any individuals, groups or congregations are willing to contribute to this need, please direct gifts to the Conference office, designated "Timber Lodge roof replacement".  

 

Thank you for your prayers and support as we work together to maintain the historic ministry of Shannondale.

 

* Due to this recent need, Shannondale Sunday will be delayed until July 14. Promotional materials will be sent at a later date.

 

Upcoming Golf Fundraiser for MoVal 

Save the Date!  

  

Camp MoVal Golf Tournament 
Saturday, August 31st 
1:30 Shotgun Start 
The Landings at Spirit Golf Course 
Golf and dinner - $100 
Dinner ($20)   Golf Ball Drop Raffle 
For more information contact Adam Rustige 
314-699-8948   [email protected]  

 

Can You Help?

Peace UCC would like to borrow a 16-foot metal ramp. If you have one, please contact Rev. Bob Molsberry at 314-968-1727.

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Get the latest news and information from around the Conference and connect with friends on our Facebook page - just click the link below!

 

Upcoming Events
(Please see the latest issue of eHappenings for church events)

 
 
Blessing of the Scarves Celebration to be Held
June 2 at Trinity UCC, St Louis

 

So, have you found your knitting needles? Located your crochet hook or looked up instructions on how to "finger knit" on your computer? Folks at Trinity UCC in Affton have been busy making scarves to send to General Synod this summer. So far this small congregation has well over 50 scarves collected and more are coming in. They are all colors and types. A few are STL Cardinal fleece scarves! We can't help it; we are Cardinal fans here at Trinity.

 

These scarves will be shared with those attending Synod who are willing to take a stand against bullying and violence. It works like this: Take a stand; get a scarf. Ask someone to take a stand; give them a scarf and go get a new one. The goal is to have 3,000 scarves to begin with and give them all away by the end of the gathering.

 

June 2 at 3:00pm you are invited to join with others from the Conference at Trinty UCC( 5200 Hilda Avenue St Louis, MO 63123) for a Blessing of the Scarves and Delegates! Pastor Jan Barnes and Associate Conference Minister Dr. Marc A. Wessels will be leading the event. Please bring your scarves and those who have worked to make them for a time of blessing and celebration. Following worship there will be a simple reception in honor of Trinity's 120th Anniversary. All are welcome to stay for a time of fellowship.

 

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.

Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself."

                                                                           ---Firestone

For further information: 314.352.6645

  
Zion United Church of Christ to Host Gay Pride Festival

 

 Zion United Church of Christ will serve as the host site for the first ever Pride Festival to be held in St. Joseph, Missouri. The event is June 8th and will feature a sidewalk parade through the downtown area, local musicians, food, community vendors and information booths during the day-long celebration. The parade will begin the festival at 11am, with activities concluding at Zion with an evening drag show in the Fellowship Hall. Zion is an "Open and Affirming" member of the United Church of Christ.

 

"While Pride Festivals have been held in many cities for many years now, this may be the first time one has been staged at the inspiration, coordination and hosted by a church", said Donna Ross, Zion's pastor. St. Joe Pride is the work of the Gay-Straight Christian Fellowship (GCF), comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied peoples from many different denominations, which is an outreach mission of Zion. "Open and Affirming" means we welcome all sexual orientations and gender identities into the full life and ministry of our congregation", said Pastor Ross. "Hosting this historic event in St. Joseph is a natural and appropriate extension of our inclusive congregation", she said.

 

Everyone is welcome to enjoy St. Joe Pride. "This is not a religious event. The day is to bring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, friends, families and allies, together in community and celebration", Pastor Ross said. All Pride activities are free. For up-to-date information, visit the website: http://www.stjoepride.com 

 

National Church Leadership Institute

 

 

August 6-9, 2013

Pre-Conference Intensives, August 6

Atlanta, GA

 

Mark your calendars and start making plans to spend three inspired days with leaders who are reshaping what it means to be church. Prophetic Renewal is the theme for the annual National Church Leadership Institute (NCLI). You will hear from over a dozen leading experts on everything from building a dynamic, volunteer youth ministry to running the "business" of church. Bring a team from your church to take full advantage of the full experience of:     
Innovative presentations - Practical workshops - Engaging conversations - Fun, after-hours events - Sustainable connections

 
During these three days, you will have access to the brightest practitioners and creative experts of our age who are changing the Church as we know it. NCLI will equip you how to birth new churches, innovate your ministry and how to make an impact in your community. If you are entrepreneurial and want to be part of shaping the emerging church, this conference is for you.
 
Click here for more information. 

 

September 16-18 

2013 Persons In Ministry Retreat  

 

Please mark your calendars for the 2013 Persons In Ministry Retreat, September 16-18 at

The Resort at Port Arrowhead, 3080 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Lake Ozark, MO 65049. The theme of the retreat will be "Honest to God Prayer: Being Still while in Motion" and will be led by Kent Ira Groff.

Kent Ira Groff is a spiritual companion for journeyers and leaders, a retreat director and a writer poet living in Denver, Colorado. Honest to God Prayer is his tenth and newest book. Others include Facing East, Praying West, prayer poems from his time in India, What Would I Believe If I Didn't Believe Anything?: A Handbook for Spiritual Orphans, and Writing Tides, which he uses with classes in Denver prisons.Dr. Groff is founding mentor of Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development, Camp Hill, Pa. With experience as a pastor of congregations, a chaplain, and a seminary teacher, he describes his work as one beggar showing other beggars where to find bread. 

 

Stay tuned for more event details!  

Conference
Quick Links
 
 
 
 
Upcoming Conference Minister Preaching


Job Opportunities
 
Nursery Caregiver - St. Johns Evangelical United Church of Christ, St. Louis, MO
(posted 4/10/13)

Applications are being accepted for a Nursery Caregiver. This is a paid position. This person will be responsible for the care of children in the Nursery during both services on Sundays (9am and 10:30am), with help from volunteers and other paid staff.  If you are interested in applying for the position, please send a letter of application, including references, via email to [email protected], or call the church office at 892-0848 by April 22.

 

St. Johns is located in South County at I-55 and Lindbergh.

Our address is 11333 St. Johns Church Rd.

St. Louis, MO 63123


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Conference Deacons
(posted 1/16/13)

 

The Conference Deacon program has been in place since September 2011.

 

The purpose of the Conference Deacon Program is to recruit and commission more than 60 individuals-both lay people and clergy (retired and clergy who are not currently serving in parish positions)-to visit the congregations of the Conference on behalf of the Missouri Mid-South Conference. Our goal is to have the deacons' visit each church assigned in our Conference 2 times a year in order to:

  • bring greetings on behalf of the Conference
  • offer a word of thanks for OCWM participation
  • encourage giving to OCWM and the special offerings of the UCC
  • most importantly, build relationships and strengthen the connection between the local and wider church.

This was an ambitious undertaking. Currently we have recruited approximately 35 deacons. Based on the success of this program and the requests from churches not currently assigned a deacon, we hope you will prayerfully consider the importance of this connection between the local and wider church and consider volunteering. If interested, please contact Joyce Bathke by phone at 314-409-2929 or email [email protected] .

 

Click here to visit the Conference website and read the full Conference Deacon program description. 

 

Contact Us

Missouri Mid-South Conference United Church of Christ
314-962-8740 or 877-877-5884
 
Email [email protected] to submit information for a future issue.