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Wednesday, October 30, 2013
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Thank you - This communication is made possible by your contributions to
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The next eHappenings will be shared on Thursday, October 31st.
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30 Days of Being Thankful 
With the month of November right around the corner and Thanksgiving being celebrated on the 28th, it's a perfect time to think of what you are thankful and grateful for in life. Many times a tragedy or unexpected event will force us to pause and reflect for a brief period of time, but what if you were thankful for one thing every single day for 30 days? It's easy to do if you think about it. You woke up today - be thankful! You opened your eyes and could see - be thankful! You took a breath - be thankful! While these examples may seem trivial, these are the things we most often take for granted but are also the most important. A fulfilling and fun project for November is to make a list of 30 things for which you are thankful and each day take a quiet, reflective moment to be appreciative and grateful for that item. A brief 30 seconds in the morning or evening may offer a brand new perspective on what you want, need, dream or wish in life. And share your list with others; you might be surprised with what your best friend, spouse, pastor or co-worker is thankful for. It might even be YOU! Here's a list to get you started (see, you didn't have to make up your own list - be thankful!):
1. Your parents - For giving birth to you. Without them, you wouldn't be here.
2. Your family and friends - For being your closest kin in the world and your chosen companions in life
3. Your heart - For pumping blood through your body every second since you were born
4. Your mind - For the ability to think, to store memories, and to create new solutions
5. Your schools and teachers - For providing environments conducive to learning and the patience and dedication they brought every day
6. Tears - For helping you express your deepest emotions
7. Disappointment - So you know the things that matter to you most
8. Happiness - For you to soak in and appreciate the beauty of life
9. Sunrise - For a beautiful way to start the morning
10. Sunset -For a beautiful way to end the day
11. Oxygen - For making life possible
12. Shoes - For protecting your feet against the elements
13. Pets - For providing unconditional love in your life
14. Books - For giving knowledge and wisdom
15. Love - For letting you feel what it means to truly be alive
You can also share why you're thankful on our conference Facebook page, so be sure to Like Us if you haven't already. I wish you all a happy and THANKFUL November! Renee |
Neighborhood Houses - 100 Years of New Beginnings 
Neighborhood Houses is celebrating 100 years of strengthening children and families! 100 years of faces, stories, families, and dreams -
100 years of new beginnings
The weekend of November 1st-3rd is the culmination of a year-long celebration, so please join us!
Friday, November 1, 2013
Centennial Forum: Raising Up: New Answers for Preparing Our Future WorkforceModerator: Rev. Dr. David Greenhaw (Eden Seminary). Panelists: Dr. Susan Stepleton (Brown School of Social Work at Washington University), Mr. Rich Patton (Vision for Children at Risk), and Teresa Katubig, CEO, Extra Help Inc.
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Location: Wehrli Chapel in the Samuel D. Press Education Center at Eden Seminary
Free and open to the public
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Centennial Celebration Gala
Time: 6:00 - 11:00 p.m.
Location: The Four Seasons Hotel
Tickets start at $175 per person. Click here to buy tickets now!
Honorary Chairs and Presenting Sponsor: Ward and Carol Klein (members at First Congregational in Clayton)
Gala Chairs: Jim and Sheila Schnurbusch (Jim and Sheila are both long-time volunteers)
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Centennial Closing Worship Service
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Wehrli Chapel in the Samuel D. Press Education Center at Eden Seminary
Open to everyone!
For questions about any of the Centennial Events, please contact Ellen Reed-Fox, Vice President of Development, at ereedfox@neighborhoodhouses.org or 314-383-1733, ext. 15.
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MMS Conference Gathering at Bem UCC
Fried Fish and/or Chicken - a great meal is being prepared at St. John's Bem Church in Owensville! The occasion? A  listening visit by our Acting Conference Minister, Rev. Allen Fluent! Allen will be here on Tuesday evening, November 19, for a listening visit to hear our concerns and questions about the direction and future of the Missouri Mid-South Conference. Our Conference, as you know, is in a time of transition and restructure; Allen is interested in hearing what your concerns are as we move into the future. Many folks will be coming from other churches to this listening visit, and Bem is the host - so the Church Council will be feeding all who are coming with a fried chicken and/or fish dinner, like the ones we served during lent! Come eat, and stick around for discussion with our Acting Conference Minister. A free will offering will be collected during the dinner, with all proceeds going to fund Our Church's Wider Mission! St. John's Bem UCC is located at 1944 Bem Church Rd, Owensville, MO 65066. We hope to see you there. |
Have You Registered for the Conference Middle School Event?
This year's awesome retreat will be November 22 - 23. CMSE is a tool for enhancing Middle School youth ministry in local congregations by helping youth connect with their peers from around the Missouri Mid-South Conference. The retreat will be full of games, discussion groups, hang time, an awesome guest speaker, and all the great camp activities MoVal has to offer. Check in will start at 7 pm on Friday, November 22 and the event will end at approximately 5:00 pm on Saturday, November 23. Get your registration forms in now!
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2013-2014 Clergy Compensation - REVISED
Back in August the clergy compensation information for 2013-2014 was posted on our conference website.  Thanks to the careful eyes of a few of you out there errors were discovered. I contacted Nylin Bathke, who was present at the Covenanted Committee on Ministry meeting where the compensation discussion/vote took place, and he confirmed a 2% salary increase was passed. The original document which was received by our conference and subsequently posted on our site unfortunately did not reflect this increase. So thanks to Lorraine, our bookkeeper, she changed the figures which now include the 2% increase. To see the corrected version (also available on our website) click here. A big thank you to Nylin and Lorraine for taking the time to proofread and make the necessary changes so the correct figures could be shared with our conference. Our clergy are worth every penny and the increase is definitely deserved!
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Annual Interfaith Dinner & Celebration
Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis is delighted to announce this year's Annual Interfaith Dinner & Celebration will be held on Wednesday, November 6th, at the St. Louis Marriott West, near Maryville University. Each year, a different faith group takes the reins and plans the dinner, and in 2013, the Muslim Community of St. Louis is putting together a magnificent evening of celebration, support and honoring our interfaith relationships, old and new. The program will be:
- Invocation by Archbishop Robert Carlson, Archdiocese of St. Louis
- Keynote speaker Michael Wolfe, on how Islam has partnered with other faiths historically
- Presentation of award to Bishop Howard Nelson, for his service to the interfaith community
- Staff presentation
- Interfaith trivia
- Display tables about many faiths
- Full sit-down dinner including kosher and halal meal choices
Tickets cost $75 each ($35 for students) and are available at www.interfaithstl.org or by calling Interfaith Partnership at 314-918-2541. Please register by October 31, which is next week.
Michael Wolfe, Keynote Speaker
Michael Wolfe, an author and filmmaker, is President and Executive Producer of Unity Productions Foundation, a nonprofit documentary and media organization. UPF has produced nine award-winning television documentaries on Muslim themes, mostly broadcast on PBS. Wolfe's work as a journalist with Ted Koppel's ABC Nightline and with CNN International has been nominated for Peabody, Emmy, George Polk, and National Press Club Awards and has won awards from the Society for American Travel Writers and the Wilbur Prize for Best Book on a Religious Theme.
Bishop Howard Nelson, Honoree
Bishop Howard Nelson, a lawyer who worked 32 years at Ralston Purina Company, has been a leader in St. Louis' interfaith community for over three decades. He has been Secretary-Treasurer of the Ferguson Ministerial Alliance (1982-present), a board member of IP (1991-2010, Secretary 1992-2008, President 2009-2010), and Secretary of the Cabinet (1992-present). He now practices law pro bono, and spends time with his wife of 52 years, 13 children, 56 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren.
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Webinar: The UCC Health Plan in 2014
The UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan provides UCC clergy and lay employees and their covered dependents with comprehensive benefits, focusing on preventive care and wellness. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act and health insurance marketplace will have little to no impact on participants in the UCC Plan, which will continue to operate in much the same way as it always has, offering participants peace of mind in 2014 and beyond. While there will be no increase in contribution rates for the 2014 Plan Year, important enhancements will be added to your coverage.
To learn more, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, November 13, at Noon (ET) for a Member Education webinar on the topic, The UCC Health Plan in 2014. The webinar will be conducted using WebEx online conferencing technology. To participate, you will need:
1. a computer with Internet access*, and
2. a telephone (for the audio portion of the presentation).
Following a brief presentation, you will have an opportunity to have your questions answered by Health Plan staff using WebEx online chat function.
CLICK HERE to register.
If you are unable to join us, a recording of the webinar will be available on the Pension Boards; website at http://bit.ly/PBRecordings.
* If you do not have Internet access, you may listen to the presentation by dialing one of the toll-free meeting numbers: 1.866.699.3239 or 1.877.668.4490. When prompted, enter the Meeting Number: 687 181 734, followed by the # sign.
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Installation of Rev. Dr. Tommy Faris  The Western Association of the Missouri Mid-South Conference United Church of Christ and Salem UCC in Higginsville, MO will install as pastor the Rev. Dr. Tommy L. Faris on November 17th at 3:00 pm. Click here for a printable invite.
Your friends and colleagues of the UCC wish Tommy and Salem UCC peace and joy!
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The United Church of Christ: A Statistical Profile
On behalf of the Center for Analytics, Research and Data (CARD) department of the UCC, the following document  provides an interesting statistical profile of UCC churches across the United States. Click here to see the profile in its entirety. A few interesting facts to share: - Did you know that at the end of 2012, there were 5,154 active UCC congregations with a total of 998,906 members?
- Did you know as of August 31, 2013, there were 7,578 active, authorized ministers in the UCC?
- Did you know the number of active, ordained female ministers increased significantly over the last decade from 27.1% in 2002 to 46.3% in 2012 (way to go, ladies!)
We hope you find the statistics not only interesting but informative as well. And most importantly, the information is drawn primarily from the data reported to the national offices annually for the production of the UCC Yearbook. So if your church doesn't participate in the annual yearbook reporting, this is a perfect reason to start. Stand up and be counted - show your UCC pride! The yearbook data you provide to our conference, which is then shared with Cleveland, is vital and relevant to such statistics. And if your church does complete the annual yearbook forms, thank you! You'll be hearing from us soon regarding the church yearbook reports, so now is a great time to start thinking about where your reports from last year are located, who will handle which portion of the forms, what facts and figures do you, the council president or treasurer need to gather, etc? Some forecasting now will help you later in November.
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November St. Louis Ministerium Meeting and Future Meeting Dates
The SLA Ministerium is a group for all St. Louis UCC clergy who are licensed, commissioned or ordained and serving in the local church or elsewhere. Whether you are active or retired, you are always welcome at the SLA Ministerium.
Join us on Wednesday, November 13 from 6-8:30pm for dinner, worship and program hosted by Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries. Please RSVP today! We will gather in the Commons at Eden Seminary. Dinner will be at 6 pm. Worship 6:45 pm. Program at 7 pm. Jeanette Mott Oxford, Executive Director of Missouri Association for Social Welfare, will be presenting the program - on Medicaid and the State of Missouri Health care needs. Please RSVP for dinner to Donna Pupillo by November 8th - 314-918-2596 or dsmith-pupillo@eden.edu. Please let her know of any dietary needs (gluten free or vegan or vegetarian). Spouses/partners are invited! Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries is the heart of parish nursing movement, acting locally and inspiring globally. We seek to foster physical, emotional, spiritual, and social harmony leading to healthy and healing relationships with God, family, faith communities, culture and creation. The mission is accomplished in two ways: in the United States and abroad, through education, consultation, and research to support the growth and development of parish nursing and in the St Louis area, through support of high quality parish nurse ministries. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Future SLA Ministerium meetings... please put these Wednesday's from 10-11:30am on your calendar: December 11 - Emmaus Homes, St Charles (host: Cindy Bumb) January 8 - Faith Aloud, Christ Church UCC (host: Becky Turner) February 12 - 'Love's Moral Framework', Prince of Peace UCC (host: Lois Yatzeck) March 12 - Every Child's Hope (host: Julie Jennings) April 9 - Joint Neighborhood Ministries, Epiphany UCC(host:Mary Albert) May 14 (evening) - Neighborhood Houses at Caroline Mission (host: Darlene Sowell) June 11 - St John's Community Services (host: Johnniest Henry) July 9 - Isaiah 58 (host: Brenda Booth) August 13 - Lydia's House (host: Carolyn Held)
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"Follow That Star: A Jazz Nativity"
Follow That Star: A Jazz Nativity returns this December for its third season with an all-new production. Reimagining the Christmas story through the artistry of jazz and the magic of storytelling, this year's program will feature new jazz arrangements of Christmas music and dramatic twists that will creatively bring an ancient story to life for today's audience.
The Oîkos Ensemble under the direction of saxophonist, Rev.Cliff Aerie, will return as our musical hosts.This year we welcome one of St. Louis' great jazz vocalists, Ms. Kim Fuller, as our special guest artist.
Three United Church of Christ congregations will be hosting this year's Jazz Nativity:
- Saturday, December 7th at First Congregational UCC, Webster Groves -7:00pm
- Sunday, December 8th at Parkway UCC, St.Louis County - 2:00pm
- Saturday, December 14th at St.Peter's UCC, Washington - 7:00 pm
Please print and share this poster with your congregation, friends, family and coworkers. Jazz Nativity is pleased to announce its partnership with the Deaconess Foundation. Providing support to many local organizations, the Deaconess Foundation helps to ensure essential services to children and youth in need. Through the generous support of Deaconess and the financial sponsorship of our three host churches, all performances of Follow That Star: A Jazz Nativity are free to the public. An offering will be received to benefit local charities. Keep watching the eCourier, the Conference website and Facebook for further updates. We hope you will attend one of the performances and please spread the word among your congregation about this fabulous, free musical journey!
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Go Cardinal Nation!
The 6th game of the World Series is tonight and our St. Louis Redbirds must win to force a game 7. They'll need all of our support since the final games will be played in Boston against those pesky (and very hairy) Red Sox. How have you been showing your Cardinal spirit? Maybe dressing in your favorite player's jersey or saying "Wacha, Wacha, Wacha" every chance you get? Well check out the sign at Parkway UCC and their spirited take on acceptance. I guess the UCC really does welcome everyone! If your church has a creative sign, email it to us and share the fun.  |
"Get Real, Finding Your True Self in Jesus" at Camp MoVal
The theme for the 2014 Outdoor Ministry season at Camp MoVal is "Get Real, Finding Your True Self in Jesus". Campers and participants will explore the teachings of Jesus and how this impacts each of us as individuals, and as a  community of Christ. A few changes will be happening at Camp MoVal for the upcoming 2014 camping season. The first is our age group bracketing and age relevance for attending programs. Moving forward in 2014 and beyond, the grade level requirement will be the grade campers will be entering. We know that for many years this has been a confusing issue and we want to use a standard approach to grade levels. There will also be a transition in the summer of 2014 for high school seniors as we create new programs for college students and young adults.
The second new item for Camp MoVal is that during the summer of 2014, Camp MoVal will be going through the accreditation process with the American Camp Association. This means for all of us is that Camp MoVal will be recognized and accredited to the highest camping standard, which translates to a very high-quality program and ministry. Preview the 2014 camp schedule here!
If you would like to have a presence from Camp MoVal visit your church and share our ministry, or if you have any questions please call the office 636-583-2730. Be sure to check us out at www.campmoval.org or on our Facebook page. We are already looking forward to a great 2014 season at Camp MoVal!
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LIFE Retreat at EdenJoin Eden's upcoming LIFE retreat November 15-16! LIFE provides opportunities for enrichment and growth to clergy and lay women and men through participation in this two-day retreat. Return to your own congregations  ready to begin the Advent season refreshed and renewed after a weekend of learning and interacting together. Choose between two compelling courses taught by Eden faculty members. Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, Assistant Professor of Christian Education will teach the certificate course titled "What Is the Church". This course offering may be particularly appealing to clergy as Dr. Gunning Francis explores this timeless topic. Rev. Dr. Kristen Leslie, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Care will teach the elective course titled "Living and Thriving in Life's Transitions". Please note that online registration is no longer available at this time. You may register by downloading the registration form at www.lifeateden.com. Or you may contact Jill Schantz by email at jschantz@eden.edu or by phone at 314-853-4865.
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Happy Halloween
Since Halloween is tomorrow, remember to drive a bit more slowly at night and watch out for those trick or treater's. If you're dressing up in costumes at your church or work, email us your pictures to share. Let's see who has the best costume in the MMS! Have a very happy and safe Halloween.
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A Special Meeting of the St. Louis Association has been called by the Association Council. The purpose of the meeting is to consider and act upon on the Proposed Association Bylaws and, if approved, to elect persons to service in positions created by their adoption. A formal call to the meeting with the actions to be taken and registration forms will be emailed to all churches, authorized ministers, and members of the Association Council before November 1. The meeting will be held on November 23 at St. Lucas United Church of Christ. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. and the meeting will end at 11:00 a.m.
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Free Folding Chairs and Fans  Parkway UCC in St. Louis has 75 metal folding chairs and 2 fans (each 7 feet tall) that they would like to pass along to anyone that can use them, as well as a rolling chair rack and rolling table rack. If you can use any of the items described, please contact Mona at the church: 314-872-9330 or mona@parkwayucc.org.
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Quotes for your Week - Being Thankful
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, 
sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.
Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it.
Ralph Marston
I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.
US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
Albert Schweitzer
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
Eric Hoffer
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Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified.
Director, Community Engagement - The Deaconess Foundation (10/30/13)
The Director stewards community engagement strategy for the foundation. The position's primary responsibility is for the foundation's community capacity building program and participation in systems-level collaboration. The Director will establish and maintain relationships with diverse communities, organizations and neighborhoods. S/he will cultivate a culture that is responsive to the needs of children and youth in partnership with constituents through close coordination and collaboration. To apply for this position, visit The Rome Group website - www.theromegroup.com.
Director, Administration - The Deaconess Foundation (10/30/13)
The Director manages day-to-day operations of the organization, including supervising support staff, coordinating work of consultants and maintaining systems platforms. The Director manages relationships for outsourced financial, investment and information technology services. S/he supports the CEO in development and oversight of the annual operating budget and implementation of the organization's communications plan. To apply for this position, visit The Rome Group website - www.theromegroup.com
Office Manager - full time, St. Paul's UCC, Oakville (10/2/13)
St. Paul's United Church of Christ is seeking a full time Monday-Friday Office Manager. Interpersonal skills: Friendly, reliable, professional image, excellent communication and phone skills, open to transition and change; and a team player. Technical skills: Ability to implement and manage Church Integrated Software (experience in Shelby preferred); Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook and in calendar/meeting management. Accounting Experience: handling payroll, invoicing, accounts payable/receivable and receipts. We are located on 5508 Telegraph Road in St. Louis (Oakville), MO. The deadline for resumes is Tuesday, October 15. Email resumes to spjsc@stpauloakville.org.
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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 renee@mmsucc.org to submit information for a future issue. Not all submissions may be used in future eCouriers. |
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