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Thank you - This communication is made possible by your contributions to
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NOTE: NEXT WEEK'S eCOURIER WILL BE SHARED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 1st.
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Many decades ago, I was an officer of State Pilgrim Fellowship in Connecticut during the era of the uniting that created the UCC. All the state PF's in New England gathered to consider the proposal. We learned about E&R colleges (including Drury) and mission (including Emmaus Homes). This week, after all these years, I finally had the chance to visit Emmaus Homes in Marthasville, to learn its history and mission, and to meet people who are important to its leadership. What a treasure! What sacred ground it is, in the words of Rev. Wendy Jaine Summers, their chaplain (or, I should say, our chaplain there.) What a vibrant mission and ministry Emmaus Homes continues to be!
It seems that everything is in flux in our lives. It's easy to believe that only our generation has faced dramatic change, yet yesterday's visit reminded me that change is perennial and our responsibility is to adapt and discover God's intent for the new day. I had no idea that what is now Eden Seminary was founded on that spot, and that as Eden moved in toward the city, your Evangelical forebears envisioned new mission for its land and buildings. God does indeed move among us, inspiring and coaching us to meet the challenges of new days with vision and determination. Sometimes I think the more things change, the more God guides us!
Most of us take refuge in constancy in the midst of turmoil. We often don't want the church to change because it's our ark of sanity in the midst of all that. But what if what became most important to us was the awareness that without change, the church won't be here for future generations? What if we were to get clear that the church does not exist primarily for us, but rather for God's mission, Christ's ministry, and for future generations?
Your Evangelical forebears banded together to found a seminary, to create a supportive living environment for those with disabilities who could thrive there, to found a health care order of Deaconess sisters whose legacy today is important work in the health and future of young people in greater St. Louis. How will you band together today to strengthen the witness of the church? Building on your tradition of charity and ministry, how will you engage today's world-around-you with passion and conviction and determination? How will you avoid misfiling the past into the future? Building on the past is different than continuing it! You have great opportunities here in MMS for a vibrant witness, for a legacy of your own that others will look back at and admire with a gasp. What will it be? How will you build it?
Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree
Acting Conference Minister
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A Farewell Celebration for Marc Wessels - THIS SUNDAY - Join Us!
Please join us Sunday, July 28th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Robller Vineyard to honor Rev. Dr. Marc Wessels'  service and dedication to our conference for the past 3 years. Let's send him on his way to South Dakota with prayers, laughter and lasting memories of friendship and fellowship.
It is our hope that we will shower him with cards of well wishes and present him with a gift. If you are interested in contributing to his gift, please send to the conference office with a notation "Marc's Farewell Gift".
We will miss his ministry among us but are happy for Marc and his family as they begin this new and exciting journey. Marc was unanimously chosen as the new Conference Minister for the South Dakota Conference on June 9, and his last day with our conference will be July 31. Please come celebrate Marc and his years of service with the MMSUCC!
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Register NOW for the Persons in Ministry Retreat, September 16-18
 Click here for all registration materials for the PIM Retreat on September 16-18 at The Resort at Port Arrowhead, 3080 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Lake Ozark, MO 65049. The theme of the retreat is "Honest to God Prayer: Being Still while in Motion" and will be led by Kent Ira Groff.
All MMSUCC and Mid-America Region clergy are welcome. If you are a lay person, please encourage your church to send your pastor to this worthwhile annual event. It not only promotes spirituality, but also contributes to our continued partnership with the Disciples of Christ.
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. 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.
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Additional Staff Changes at Your Conference - New Position Available!
In the wake of Julie Simmons' resignation as Communications Specialist, we took a new look at the staffing of the administrative and communications functions in the office. After reviewing Renee Cordes' resume and talking with her, I discovered that she has years of experience in communications and marketing! So the Executive Committee has approved, and I have implemented, a shift in job responsibilities. Renee will now be Administrative Coordinator, including communications, and we will soon hire an Office Services Clerk for 18 hours a week (click here for a complete job description and how to apply) to provide essential secretarial and other services to Renee and your staff.
It bears saying, I think, that the staff of your Conference have been under high stress since late May, and that stress will continue for some time to come. None of them has complained about that, but as your Acting Conference Minister, I ask for your understanding as we move into a period in which significant staff changes will occur with Marc Wessels' move to South Dakota and soon the arrival of the new Minister for Strategic Innovation. With declining financial support, we are going to be unable to respond with as much timeliness as we would like to the needs of our churches and will need others among you to step forward from time to time to help. Your ideas and your assistance will be greatly appreciated!
-Davida
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300 People Come Together to Celebrate Nelson Mandela
Click here to read an article from today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper highlighting the incredible celebration held Tuesday night at Centennial Christian Church in St. Louis. Interfaith Partnership played a key role in the festivities and according to David Mehl, Director of Interfaith, the event was 3 hours of prayer, singing and pure joy.
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love." - Nelson Mandela
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Enter the UCC's "My Faith, My World, My Voice" Video Contest 
The "My Faith, My World, My Voice" video contest, introduced at General Synod 2013 in Long Beach, Calif., challenges young adults to be visionaries for the future by creating a video representation of what faith means to them and how it impacts their world. The contest is open to individuals ages 18-35 and the deadline for submissions is Oct. 31, 2013. All entries must be original content and cannot be longer than 60 seconds. The contest seeks creative, high-quality videos that send a dynamic message. Videos must answer the question, "How does your faith transform, connect or touch the world?" in an honest, inspiring way. Click here for further guideline info and to see video examples. What a fabulously engaging project for ALL of the young adults in the MMSUCC. Please be sure to share all of your entries with our conference office so we can post them in the eCourier. Let's see what you've got!
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CWS Disaster Preparedness Webinar, August 6
Join the Emergency Response Team of CWS on Tuesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. EST for "Disaster Preparedness," a webinar that will discuss important details often overlooked while preparing for an emergency.
The Emergency Response Specialists will discuss what to expect when disaster strikes. Individuals and families are often not aware of the important steps during relief and recovery, leaving many hopeless in the wake of a disaster. For this reason it is important to know where to turn in an emergency. From Disaster Case Management (DCM) to Emotional and Spiritual Care, this webinar will inform you of the important details to consider, keeping you from becoming a disaster "victim." Click the link to register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/239650090.
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Global Ministries Update
Disciples and UCC...together in God's global mission at the point of deepest need South Africa - The Stars Aligned Congo Initiative - You spoke and we listened - At General Assembly and General Synod you voted on how Global Ministries should support projects in the Congo $396 went to Water projects, $232 went to Agricultural projects, $464 went to Education projects and $585 to healthcare. To learn more about these projects visit the Congo Initiative's special project page.
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Want To Serve YOUR Conference?
Your conference is seeking your talents and commitment so we can move forward and grow. Please take a moment to complete the online survey and tell us a little about yourself, your skills and how you would like to be involved. By providing your input and information, you will have the opportunity to share your skills and expertise with our Conference community. Maybe you'd like to participate in the newly formed Visioning Team, be a Conference Deacon or offer your services in other ways. All skills are needed! And if you know someone with experience in a certain area, encourage them to complete the survey as well. It's time to earn some bragging rights and show us what you've got!!! Your Conference office will maintain the database of information and may contact you for future projects that relate to your specific interests. Thank you for participating. Let's all Love, Serve and Grow together.
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Sewing the Fabric of Love 
Click here to read a press release of how Festival of Sharing and Church World Service are challenging all congregations to support students in Kenya by bidding on and purchasing quilts. Get your church involved and join the challenge! A great project for summer VBS students to spearhead or for your church's daycare program.
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 | Heather Arcovitch and Rev. Dr. David Beebe
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Rev. Heather Arcovitch's Ordination
The St. Louis Association of the Missouri Mid-South UCC and Zion UCC were proud to host Heather's ordination this past Sunday. With several local clergy in attendance, including Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree and Rev. Dr. Marc Wessels from our Conference office, Heather was proudly ordained as a minister. Rev. John Dorhauer, Conference Minister of the Southwest Conference, preached at the service.  And Heather's reception after was done in true St. Louis style - complete with Gus' famous pretzels in shape of commas (how creatively yummy!) and some good ol' south St. Louis micro-brewed wheat beer! A great time was had by all. Congratulations from everyone within the MMSUCC Conference, Heather. We look forward to your service among us. Peace and blessings.
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The Great Dinner is Open to All.
Widening the Welcome 2013
Inclusion for All
Did you attend our most recent national gathering and want to hear some of the presentations again?
Did you miss our most recent national gathering and really want to experience some of what you missed?
We've got recordings from many of the sessions for you, for free! It's as easy as clicking this link, choosing the presentations you're interested in, and clicking again!
We're working on getting all or most of the presentations from all of our national gatherings available for free too -- we'll let you know as soon as things are ready to go! The movement continues,
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MoVal Golf Fundraiser - Play Golf for a Great Cause! (Or Just Come Enjoy a Great Dinner!)
Camp MoVal Golf Tournament -Saturday, August 31, 1:30 Shotgun Start
The Landings at Spirit Golf Course, 180 North Eatherton, Chesterfield, MO 63005
Don't play golf? That's okay! Come for dinner and other fun activities! Golf and dinner - $100. Dinner - $20. Golf Ball Drop & Raffle. Please help publicize this special event! Donated items are also needed for raffle baskets!
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Boundary Training at Eden Seminary, September 6 
Eden has added a boundary training session on Friday, September 6, 2013, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in room 201 in the Press Building on campus. This session is sponsored by Eden Seminary, not our conference, therefore all registrations must be made directly with Eden. If you choose to attend this session, or any other boundary training session NOT sponsored by our conference, it is your responsibility to send a copy of your completion certificate to the MMSUCC conference office so your record can be updated in our database.
The boundary training workshop will be led by Jane Porchey and Bruce Moeller of the MMSUCC. Registration fee is $50, lunch will not be provided. To register please contact Chris Davis at Eden, [email protected] / 314.918.2547.
If you need to fulfill your boundary training requirement, please click here for the 2013 MMSUCC sponsored sessions. Hurry, only 3 dates remaining!
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From the "Heritage Files" 
The July issue of PastPorts, a newsletter published by the Special Collections Department of the St. Louis County Library, has ten pages of interesting information about St. Louis area UCC churches and the unique denominational roots of each church. Many of these churches were founded as part of the German Evangelical Synod of North America and a smaller number were Congregational. A few were founded as Reformed or independent German Evangelical. Most of the UCC churches that were founded in the 1940's and 50's began as Evangelical and Reformed. The youngest churches began as UCC.
Some of the information for the newsletter comes from the Eden Seminary Archives, which is the home of the archives for the German Evangelical Synod of North America.We're fortunate to have that resource inside of our conference. Click here to see more about our local UCC church history in the PastPorts newsletter.
Contributed by Joy Dressel
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Change of Date - Eastern Association Confirmation Retreat!!! 
Due to conflicts with Festival of Sharing, the date for Eastern Association Confirmation Retreat is changed to September 14, 9am -4pm.
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. Emmaus has offered 24 dormitory style beds (free of charge) for groups who are traveling a distance to the retreat. You can request these facilities on your registration form (coming soon).
For more information contact Donna Curdt 636-634-1150 or [email protected] or Rev. Karen Eck 636-828-5980 or [email protected].
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Quotes For Your Week
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
- John F. Kennedy
Change always comes bearing gifts.
- Price Pritchett
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.
- Anonymous
If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
- Rabindranath Tagore
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Facility and Technology Administrator - part time - St. John UCC, St. Charles (7/24/13)
St. John United Church of Christ, St. Charles, MO is seeking to hire a part-time (30 hours) Facility and Technology Administrator who is passionate about working in a church environment. This individual would work 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Primary responsibilities will include facility and technology management, along with overall computer and office skills. To view full job description go to http://www.stjohnucc.org/ and follow the menu links for Extra>Downloads>Facility and Technology Administrator. To apply send cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Resumes only, no calls please.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Congregational Life & Mission Associate Pastor - part time - Webster Groves Christian Church (7/9/13)
Interested candidates may contact Dr. Penny Ross-Corona, Southeast Gateway Area of the Christian Church of Mid-America, at 314-918-2515 for further information or click here for the full job description.
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Director of Youth Ministries - full time - St. John UCC, St. Charles (7/9/13)
Summary of Position: This position offers the opportunity to work with an active and vibrant youth ministry with the intention of continuing to build a spirit of discipleship among youth by developing and implementing a comprehensive approach to youth ministry and intentional faith development (in areas of small groups, worship, discipleship, mission, fellowship and church connection) while serving as a spiritual leader and role model. This is a full time position with benefits.
A successful candidate will recognize all programming will be based on an understanding of the primary task of youth ministry:
-love and value youth where they are
-encourage youth in developing a personal relationship to God
-provide them with opportunities for spiritual nurture and growth
-challenge them to respond to God's call to serve in their communities and world.
Resumes only, no calls please. Please submit a job specific cover letter and application to: [email protected]. by August 1, 2013. For complete job description go to www.stjohnucc.org and follow the menu links for Extra > Downloads > Youth Director Job Description.
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Director of Music Ministry - part time - Pilgrim Congregational Church UCC (7/2/13)
826 Union Blvd., St. Louis, is seeking a talented and passionate director to lead its choir and music program. The director works with a volunteer choir and the pastor to provide an inspiring worship experience. Pilgrim has a diverse, multicultural congregation that appreciates a wide range of musical styles, as well as an 81-rank Aeolian Skinner organ. Duties will include performing/playing the organ and/or piano on Sunday mornings,arranging for substitute musicians, and administering the music budget. Degree in music required; 3-5 years in a comparable position. Salary commensurate with experience. For a full job description, please inquire by calling 314.367.8173 or by email to [email protected]. For full consideration, applications should be received by August 7.
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Contact Us
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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. Not all submissions may be used in future eCouriers. |
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