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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
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Thank you - This communication is made possible by your contributions to
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Allen's Message to You
Dear Covenant Partners,
The final OCWM receipts for 2013 from all of our Missouri Mid-South churches have now been received and counted, and we are really excited! In 2013, OCWM giving from all of our churches exceeded our expectations (and our totals for each of the last two years), reaching $716,809 for basic support of our common life and ministry. Thank you to everyone who helped us achieve this very positive result.
We know that the health of our Conference is not defined only by dollars. Still, the generosity of these  contributions serves as an important indicator of our mutual trust and faithfulness in support of our common ministry in Christ. OCWM support was greatly needed this past year, and this end-of-the-year result is a clear sign that our churches have decided to stand together and support one another in the work God has summoned us to do.
Our thankfulness is deepened by the knowledge that 2013 was not an easy year for us. Our congregations were struggling with difficult budgetary decisions of their own, and the Conference itself was wrestling with the questions and doubts that always come at times of change. It was a year when we stretched ourselves, in dollars, in faith, and in thoughtfulness for one another, and we came to recognize how deeply we love and value this ministry we share.
The good news of positive giving results in 2013 should not make us forget the things we have learned about living in these less prosperous times for Christian Churches everywhere. Our leadership team of officers and council members are working carefully to make sure that we are engaging in a disciplined practice of stewardship, finding new ways to live within our means, listening to all of the voices in our Conference, and encouraging a spirit of involvement in our common life and decision-making.
Still, we are rejoicing that the member churches of our Conference have made a positive statement of commitment through their gifts. These gifts, and your ongoing support through 2014, will be critical as we begin to work on anticipated projects like developing a more effective system to help churches find pastors, providing resources for church development and renewal, reactivating our mission partnerships, seeking a new conference minister and envisioning God's dream for our faith community in the years to come.
Be faithful, be generous, share the good news. May God bless the work we do in Jesus' name.
Allen
Allen M. Fluent, Acting Conference Minister
Attn Pastors: The above message is being mailed to all our conference churches as a letter from Allen for you to share with your congregations.
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Rev. Polly McWilliams Installation
The Eastern Association of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ and Grace United Church of Christ
invite you to a service of worship and installation
Rev. Polly McWilliams as our pastor and teacher
Sunday, 2 February 2014 at 3 p.m.
Grace UCC is located at 8326 Mexico Road
St. Peter's Missouri 63376
Rev. Heather Arcovich, preaching
Clergy are invited to robe with red stoles and
join the procession.
Reception to follow...
For further information, contact Grace UCC
Phone: 636-240-5856
Website: wearegraceucc.org
FaceBook: Grace UCC O'Fallon
Twitter: O'Fallon@WeAreGraceUCC
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Young Adult Service Communities Application
Young adults of Missouri, Tennessee and beyond, ages 21-35 - Excitement is building about the two newest host churches for the UCC Young Adult Service Communities - one near you - St. Peter UCC in Granite City, IL (minutes from downtown St. Louis). and First Parish Church United of Westford, MA. Great community internships are lined up for the right candidate. YASC interns serve both in a community agency and part-time in congregational  service at the church. St. Peter United Church of Christ is a congregation seeking to regenerate its church by working to regenerate its community. You can be part of this life-changing vision. First Parish Church United is a joint UCC-Unitarian Church that loves to make everyone feel welcome. Interns live in intentional community with one another and figure out how to live as 'change-makers' in the world. AmeriCorps education grants are available for interns placed in some community agency positions. Are you looking for a way to make a positive difference in the church and world? Just YASC! Host churches where you might want to serve also are located in Philadelphia, PA; Carlsbad, CA(north San Diego County); and Seattle, WA. The service year is September 2, 2014 - August 2, 2015. February is the month for Applications. Inquire today. UCC Young Adult Service Communities.
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Engaging in Spiritual Practices - to refresh and ground you
Take a peek at a myriad of ways to practice spirituality. Try them out. Watch for a monthly tip starting today.
Spiritual practice can take many directions including a practice that one engages in every day at the same time, perhaps throughout the day, while walking or doing daily tasks, in silence, or meditation. There is not a 'one size fits all' for the what, when or how of spiritual practice in one's life.
Perspective as a spiritual practice......
Locate a picture on the wall, a tree, a view from a window, a book on the shelf.....something in your view. What do  you see of the object from where you are currently? In body or spirit as you are able, move to another part of the room, the area. Change your position, roll over, stretch out, sit up, change chairs, stand, cover one eye or both, turn your head, turn your body, move once more.At the point of each move or change of position notice what you see now from this vantage point, from your current perspective? Each time look at the same object. Do you see the object fully, partially, another part of it, not at all?
How might this spiritual practice inform your life, your day to day living, your communications, your relationships, openness to another perspective? Perhaps you will take some moments to journal about your experience, your learnings.
Susan Ulmer, Spiritual Director
*note: others will contribute inthe coming months
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The Gift of Presence
I have a dear friend from college, living in Iowa who is going through a difficult time because of a number of serious losses in her life recently. I asked her one day what she felt was of most help to her in these days. She said, "What I have found most helpful is knowing that people are praying. It is hard to be social right now and I tire of declining invitations from people who are really trying to be helpful. So when I receive a card or e-mail letting me know that I am being thought about and prayers are being offered I am thankful." My friend's response was insightful to me.
We are a Conference family, and we want to be supportive of each other in so many ways. In fact, the second most frequently mentioned topic in the listening interviews conducted to date was support for churches and clergy, by 73 of the 78 interviewees. Did you know that your Conference staff sends cards to all clergy in times of celebration and loss and churches also receive acknowledgment of anniversaries?
Presence is a visible form of support that is essential for us as a Conference. Historically, churches have been  supported by Conference staff through occasional preaching in worship and attendance at other special church events. Many interviewees expressed the wish to further establish and deepen relationships through dialogue between Conference staff and congregations. Clergy who were interviewed felt a regular phone call a few times each year by Conference staff was very important - especially during times of challenge. Many also spoke with appreciation of the importance of clergy-to-clergy and church-to-church support. The Conference office would like to create a comprehensive list of cluster groups that currently exist in the Conference, and those who are interested in starting a group. Are you a member of a group that is supportive of you?
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Did You Get Your Church Yearbook Reports Yet?
All church yearbook reports have been sent from our Conference office! The majority were emailed on Friday, January 24 and Monday, January 27, and a few were snail mailed on those same dates. If you have not received an email from Colleen Bender with your yearbook attachments, please contact Colleen or myself and we'll be happy to resend to you. Several of you have asked why Form E was not included in the attachments this year. Cleveland did not request this information, so your church has one less form to complete! Consider it a positive. While our Conference may ask you for this later, no need to worry about it now. Only Forms F and G are necessary.
And a big congrats to First Congregational UCC in Webster Groves for being the FIRST church to return their completed yearbook reports to our Conference!!! Way to go First Congo, you rock!!!! Renee
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Eastern Association Pastor's Lunch 
Save the Date - March 4th, noon. All Eastern Association clergy are invited to gather for lunch in celebration of Fat Tuesday. We'll have food, music, and fellowship as we prepare to head into the Lenten season. More details to come next week.
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Benjamin Jealous Lecture
You are invited to attend an upcoming lecture at Webster University, St. Louis, MO. On Monday, February 17 at 7:30pm, recently retired president and CEO of the NAACP, Benjamin Jealous, will speak.
Mr. Jealous will visit Webster University to share his lecture, We Got What We Fought For, But We Lost What We  Had. From Brown v. Board of Education to mass incarceration, Benjamin Jealous recounts a watershed conversation with his almost century-old grandmother about how young Black Americans came to be the most murdered generation in the country and the most incarcerated generation on the planet. He explains the untold risks in the related trends for all Americans, including the hidden connection between skyrocketing public university tuition and swollen prison populations. In closing, he outlines the way forward toward a less incarcerated, better educated, and more prosperous nation. For more information on Benjamin Jealous, please visit http://blogs.webster.edu/mcisa
This event will be held on Monday, February 17 at 7:30pm, with doors opening at 6:30pm. Mr. Jealous will be speaking in the Loretto Hilton Center for the Performing Arts at Webster University, located at 130 Edgar Road. An Evening with Benjamin Jealous is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs at Webster University, the George Herbert Walker School of Business MS in Forensic Accounting Program, and the Student Activity Fee. Visitor parking for this event is located in the Garden Park Plaza located at 568 Garden Avenue.
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Open and Affirming: Blessings on the Way
If you are an Open and Affirming congregation, talking about becoming Open and Affirming or thinking about starting the  conversation, if you want to explore how to be effective allies, this meeting is for you. Come be in conversation with others, learn what it means to be Open and Affirming and how to fully express extravagant welcome to all God's children. If this sounds of interest to you and/or your church, join the Gateway ONA on Saturday, February 22 at First Congregational in Webster Groves at 10 am.
Registration $15 per person/includes lunch or $75 per church with 5 or more attending. The keynote address will be presented by Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson. She is a spiritual leader, pastor, mentor and community builder who currently serves as the Gathering pastor of Extravagance UCC and the Carpenter Pastor and Teacher at Bright Divinity School, Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth Texas.
Also available - Workshops around various issues and concerns including: Initiating ONA Conversations; Biblical Perspectives; the ONA Process; Transgender; Youth, GLBT Legal Issues; Bisexuality; Advocacy...and Featuring Resources; Resource People; Displays, Fellowship, Food, and Fun!
Click here for more information and the registration form. Deadline for registrations is February 20th!
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Debra Harness Ordination & Installation Invitation
The St. Louis Association of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ and St. Johns Evangelical United Church of Christ
cordially invite your presence to the ordination of
Debra A. Harness
to the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament and installation as
Associate Pastor
of St. Johns Evangelical United Church of Christ
Sunday, March 9, 2014
3:00 PM
St. Johns Evangelical United Church of Christ
11333 St. Johns Church Road
Saint Louis, Missouri, 63123
All clergy are asked to arrive by 2:30 to assemble for the processional and are invited to robe
and /or wear red. A reception will follow the service.
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SLA Ministerium Schedule for 2014
The SLA Ministerium will meet on the following days in 2014 - Wednesdays from 10-11:30am, however May is an evening meeting.
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 - Doorways (host: Justine Craig-Meyer)
For further information about the St. Louis Association Ministerium, please contact Rev. Kevin Cameron at Parkway UCC. 314-872-9330 or kevin@parkwayucc.org.
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Summer at Camp Moval - 2014
The 2014 Outdoor Ministry theme is "Get Real, Finding Your True Self in Jesus". Campers and participants will explore the teachings of Jesus and how Jesus himself what it means to be a true friend and role model. Please click here for the 2014 Outdoor Ministry program brochure. Be sure to use it when planning your summer and the time you would like to spend at Camp MoVal this summer.
The camp brochure has been mailed to our churches and campers who have attended Camp MoVal in the past several years. Camp registration will open on Monday February 3. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to call the camp office. Also, please remember about our new age group bracketing and age relevance for attending programs. Starting in 2014, grade level requirement will be the grade campers are going into. We know that for many years this has been a confusing issue and we want to use 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.
And don't forget that Camp MoVal will be going through the accreditation process with the American Camp Association during the summer of 2014. Camp MoVal is currently taking applications for qualified staff to fill it's summer camp staff positions - the deadline for applications is March 15. If you are interested or need more information, please contact Jeremy Force, Outdoor Ministry Director.
 There are still dates available if you would like to have someone from Camp MoVal visit and share with your church, cluster or association. If you would like to schedule a visit or have any questions, please call the camp office 636-583-2730. You can also find us on the web at www.campmoval.org or follow us on Facebook.
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Cumulative Miracles
Days, weeks, months - we measure many things a year at a time. The results of giving to OCWM in 2013 have just been gathered and counted, and the news is exciting! The amount collected is greater than 2012 and also that of 2011. The miracles these gifts have wrought have accumulated over the year:
More community programs and projects have received funds for area needs such as food, clothing and rent subsidies.
UCC churches in the Philippines are supplying fishing boats to those who lost their livelihood in the November typhoon.
The four UCC national officers have been active in contacting President Obama prior to his State of the Union address calling for him to take the necessary steps to bridge our nation's divided union.
Our Church Works Miracles!
OCWM: creating miracles every day.
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Inner Jazz - A Multi-Faith Meditation 
Please click here to read about the next Inner Jazz performance at Kirkwood UCC on February 9th at 5:00 pm. This month's guest artists: The Steve Schenkel Quartet. Inner Jazz is a monthly, soulful inner journey and each performance is free and open to all!
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Boundary Training at Eden Seminary, 2/14/14
A boundary training workshop, "Creating Healthy Relationships in Ministry," will be facilitated by Ms. Jane Porchey  and Rev. Bruce Moeller on Friday, February 14, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Room 200 in the Press Building on Eden's campus. There will be a lunch break from noon to 1 pm; lunch is on your own. The registration fee is $50.
To register, please contact Ms. Chris Davis at 314-918-2547 or email
cdavis@eden.edu
NOTE: If you decide to take boundary training not sponsored/hosted by the MMSUCC (such as at Eden or another UCC conference) please remember it is your responsibility to send a copy of your completion certificate to our Conference so it may be recorded in our database.
All 2014 dates/locations for the MMSUCC boundary training sessions will be shared next week in the eCourier and on our website.
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Congregational Disaster Readiness Coordinator Training - March 28-29, 2014
The Faith-Based Organization Disaster Initiative Committee of the Governor's Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery, in conjunction with the Northwest Area Office of the Christian Church of Mid-America, would like to invite you and two members of your congregation to take part in a pilot training program for Congregational Disaster Readiness Coordinators (DRC's). 
The pilot training will be held at Broadway Christian Church in Columbia, MO on March 28-29, 2014. Adults and youth willing to help their congregations to take steps to begin or to improve plans for their congregations to survive and serve through a community-wide disaster are encouraged to attend.
Training expenses are being underwritten by grants from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Your only expenses are your travel and lodging (if needed). The training will include information on Community Organizations Active in Disaster, Continuity of Operations Planning, and a tabletop exercise!
To register for this training opportunity, please click here. To download the brochure, please click here.
For more information please contact the NW Area Office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Mid-America at 816.632.2237 or nwareacc@nwareacc.org.
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Quotes for Your Week - Optimism
In spite of unseasonable wind, snow and unexpected weather of all sorts - a gardener still plants. And tends what they have planted ...believing that Spring will come. 
- Mary Anne Radmacher
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
- Winston Churchill
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence.
- Helen Keller
Sow optimism and hard work; reap a harvest of success and joy.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
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Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified.
Secretary, part time, Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries (1/22)
Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries is looking for a secretary to work in the office 20 hours per week, with no benefits. The person must be reliable, trustworthy and self-directed. Duties include data base management, program and board support, along with day to day operations for the agency. Must have excellent written and oral communications, as well as computer skills in various platforms and programs. If interested, please send a resume to Rev. Donna Pupillo, at dsmith-pupillo@eden.edu.
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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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