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Thursday, January 29, 2015
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Thank you - This communication is made possible by your contributions to
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The next eHappenings will be sent on Friday, January 30th. Please email your church, organization or agency event to Renee. The deadline for submissions has passed.
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Allen's Message to You... Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that "all of us possess knowledge." 1 Corinthians 8:1a Dear Friends and Partners in the Gospel, One of the things least likeable about religious communities is our conceit about the knowledge we suppose we have. There appears to be something about the religious mind that makes us want to teach more than we know, and to do it with unfathomable confidence in its truth. In this, both conservatives and liberals exhibit the same behavior, and, without it, we might not need the labels "conservative" and "liberal" at all. I think it may be a special form of sinfulness to believe that being religious means thinking we are right, and preferring our inward certainty over attention to the experiences of others.  In his letter to the contentious Corinthian church, Paul doesn't even argue with them about this; he just assumes it. "We all possess knowledge," he says. "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." What Paul is forcefully implying is that, in religious matters, love bears its own witness to what is really true. There is no sentimentality in this. It is not an encouragement to give up knowledge for the sake of feelings. Instead, it raises the conversation to a higher level that is based on a primary Christian commitment: we believe that the truth of the Gospel is validated by a community of mutual care. If our care for one another is violated, whatever we claim to know is a puffed up claim that is irrelevant in the fellowship of Christ. Blessed are those communities of faith where minds are always open to the gifts that others bring, where our many life journeys are respected and received for their unique and special truths, and where we comprehend the future, whatever it brings, as a blessing all of us will share. May all our work advance the fellowship of Christ. Allen Allen M. Fluent, Acting Conference Minister
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Ordination of Matthew D. Frierdich
The St. Louis Association
of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ
and
St. Lucas United Church of Christ
cordially invite your presence for the ordination of
Matthew D. Frierdich
to the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament
on
Saturday, February 7, 2015, at 2:00 PM
St. Lucas United Church of Christ
11735 Denny Road
Saint Louis, Missouri, 63126
Matthew will serve as chaplain at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Rev. Shelly Tilton from Saguaro Christian Church of Tucson, AZ will offer the sermon.
A reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow.
For clergy: robes and stoles are optional, please plan to gather by 1:30 PM for procession.
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Welcome to Our Newest Staff Member!
Among the most important goals of the Missouri Mid-South Conference is providing a welcoming atmosphere for  people who contact us in person or by telephone and offering effective channels for information about Conference happenings, resources and opportunities. In order to expand our capacities in these areas of our common life, the Executive Committee of the Conference Council authorized the development of a new office staff position that is beginning in February. The new position replaces a part-time position with a 32-hour per week employee, serving as our administrative assistant and receptionist.
We are pleased to announce that Kris Scott will be joining our Missouri Mid-South Conference staff in this new position. Kris will begin on Monday, February 2, and have regular office hours from 9 to 4, Monday through Friday. She comes to us with experience in data entry, and customer service, and has worked as an executive assistant and receptionist. Kris is a graduate of Lindbergh High School and has completed coursework at St Louis Community College. We look forward to Kris's presence with us!
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Annual MMSUCC Women's Retreat 
Save the date! The Annual Women's Retreat will be held on May 1-3, 2015, at our own Camp MoVal. This year's theme is "Under the Shelter of God's Wings", with the leaders of Sue Ulmer and Devoree Crist.
More information and registration materials will be shared very soon. Keep watching the eCourier for details!
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Camp MoVal 2015 Summer Brochures
The 2015 Summer Camp Brochure will soon arrive in your mailbox! Over the next week all of our churches, campers and families should receive their 2015 Summer Camp Catalog. This year's theme is "Power Up, Living in the Spirit". Campers will learn how to live as a follower of Christ powered by the Holy Spirit. Camp MoVal  continues to provide quality Christian education and faith formation, in addition to many camp activities, outdoor education and faith building exercises for all who visit and participate.
New programs for the 2015 season include a camp for college students and young adults during the summer season, along with a winter camp experience for junior and middle school age campers. MoVal prides itself on developing new programs to meet the needs of all. If there is an activity you would like to see added to our program schedule, please let us know.
Camp MoVal is an accredited organization of the American Camp Association. This means Camp MoVal maintains the highest level in camping standards and delivers very high quality programming and ministry in a safe and sacred space. For more information, extra brochures/registration forms, or to volunteer, please contact the camp office at 636-583-2730. You can also visit our website www.campmoval.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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Engaging in Spiritual Practices - to refresh and ground you
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.
If Your Soul is Hungry
Quoting one of my poems, "If your soul is hungry, feed it beauty." Revelation and experience of God can take countless forms, but no doubt beauty is one of them. No doubt those experiences feed our souls. 
Thomas Aquinas described heaven as a beatific vision, i.e. experiencing the beauty of God in its fullness. Here on earth, we can practice.
What forms of beauty move your soul? Perhaps it is the ocean, a sunset, the woods, the face of a child or a spouse. Either experience it directly or mediated through painting or photography.
It need not be visual. Consider music and how that can resonate deeply within us and bring us to tears. The practice is simple: notice what is beautiful around you and receive it. Pay attention and soak it in. Like rain or sun to a sunflower, turn yourself, your soul to be nourished by the beautiful of what God has created or co-created with human artists.
Once you have practiced a while, pay attention to what specific forms of beauty affect you most powerfully...and once you discover the answer, give yourself permission to visit frequently.
Clarence Heller, Spiritual Director, Poet, Artist
Sign up for Clarence's monthly email reflection, Connecting New at clarenceheller.com
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The Brown Endowment - Supporting Pastoral Education
If you're a dedicated member of the UCC, active in your local church, and responding to a call to ministry, you may be eligible to become a Brown Scholar. If you're a leader in a regional ministry, your organization may be eligible to receive Brown funds to offer continuing education and ministerial support. If you're preparing for international ministry through Wider Church Ministries of the UCC, you may also be eligible for support from The Brown  Endowment.
In December at the Authorizing Ministry in the 21st Century event (AM21), Nelson Murphy made an announcement about changes in the application process for Brown Scholarships. The intent is to make the funds more widely available and to be consistent with the changes that have taken place in the life of the church related to multiple paths to ordination while honoring the intent of the generous donors, Helen and Richard Brown.
The application process is now open and the deadline for applications is February 15; and all supporting documents must be received by March 2. The Browns were particularly concerned about pastoral leadership from communities of color, so we should be proactive in encouraging all MiDs to apply, but especially persons of color.
The application process is online and can be easily accessed by clicking here, and please click here to view a brochure for further information.
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PET Carts Headed to India
A year ago, Columbia UCC initiated a fund-raising effort to ship a container of PET carts (hand-cranked personal mobility devices) to Drs. Anil & Teresa Henry at Mungeli Hospital in India.
Thanks to the contributions of individuals and church groups across our Missouri Mid-South Conference, and the generosity of PET International (http://petinternational.org/) who provided the carts for free, a shipment of 185 PET carts (for adults and children) was loaded on Monday morning, Jan. 26, and began its journey to the port of Chennai, India. Listed below are the contributors:
David Martin, Columbia MO 
Norma Klemme, Union MO
Alan/Sharon Ten Eyck, Union MO
Rev. Douglas Anders, Houston TX
Zion UCC Women's Fell., Union MO
Lafayette Cluster, c/o Higginsville MO
Joan Bentlage, Columbia MO
St Luke's SS, Grand Pass MO
Ivan/Betty Sander, Columbia MO
Emmanuel UCC, Jackson MO
Femme Osage Mission, Augusta MO
Ebenezer UCC Women's Fell., Levasy MO
Don Dittmer, Concordia MO
Central UCC, Jefferson City MO
David Martin, Columbia MO
Ron/Jessica Jenks, Columbia MO
St. John's UCC, Bem
Clara Wehrli, Valley Park MO
Don/Priscilla Bizer, Saint Peters MO
California UCC, California MO
California UCC, California MO
Missouri Mid-South Conference, UCC (Conference Annual Gathering)
Volunteers from Columbia UCC, Veterans United Home Loans, and the Columbia PET facility loaded a shipping container in less than two hours and received a tour of the facility, which manufactures parts and boxes the carts for shipment all over the world.
Many thanks to all who participated in this great work!
Rev. Steven E. Swope, Pastor
Columbia United Church of Christ
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First Book From FTE and Chalice Press Partnership on Ferguson, Due Out By One-Year Anniversary
The faith-rooted justice work in Ferguson, Missouri, following the tragic shooting death of Michael Brown will be the focus of the first book published in a partnership between Chalice Press and the Forum for Theological  Exploration (FTE). The book is scheduled to be available in July 2015, in time for the one-year anniversary of the event that sparked the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, Associate Dean for Contextual Education and Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, is writing the first book. An active and visible presence in Ferguson and the St. Louis area since the shooting, Gunning Francis is collecting interviews with faith leaders who have been instrumental in the response in the weeks and months following.
"The Michael Brown shooting and the subsequent outrage focused the world's attention on the systematic injustices in American society and the racism lurking just beneath the surface," says Chalice Press president and publisher Brad Lyons. "As a company based in St. Louis for more than a century, the people of Ferguson are literally our neighbors. When this tragedy happened, we were right in the midst of it. We knew we wanted to find a way to respond appropriately and to make a positive contribution, and we're honored to be working with Dr. Leah Gunning Francis and our partners at FTE to do just that." Click here to continue.
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Church Yearbook Update
All churches have received their yearbook documents via email or snail mail. If your church has NOT received yearbook information, please see the below documents:
IMPORTANT: Several of you have questioned the second page on Form G - Local Church Report regarding the Expenditures section. After sending your inquiries to Cleveland, I was informed yesterday that the Local Church Report should not have had the "Total OCWM (A+B+C)" field listed, therefore, please ignore this one particular entry. All of your church's contributions will be provided to National by our office, which we do each year. So any monies your church has sent to our Conference, whether it be for OCWM, NiN, Strengthen the Church, Christmas Fund, etc., have all been recorded by Lorraine and will be uploaded into the National data hub for you. I hope this helps to clarify your questions, and thank you to those who have been proactive in the yearbook process thus far!
The other question I am being asked is "How do I log into the data hub?" Your User Name is our Conference number, which is 38, followed by your church or pin number. You can find your church/pin number in the MMS Conference directory or UCC Yearbook. The Password is password if you are logging in for the first time, and you will be asked to change it for future log in's. Please refer to the above Church Instructions link to further assist you. And remember there are many great video tutorials available from Cleveland to help you with every step of the yearbook process.
Churches have until March 9th to enter yearbook info into the data hub. If you need our Conference to enter your yearbook information online, your reports must arrive at our office no later than February 27th, which will give me time to enter all of the information.
We hope to see all of our churches participate in this annual reporting process. The National office uses this data to create a variety of statistical documents which are shared across the entire UCC. Thank you in advance for your cooperation - Renee
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Boundary Training at Eden Seminary
Eden Theological Seminary will host a boundary training session on Friday, February 6, 9am-3pm. The cost is  $50 and Rev. Bruce Moeller will be facilitating. If you wish to participate, please register with Chris Davis at Eden: cdavis@eden.edu or call her directly at 314-918-2547. Please remember that if you attend a boundary training session outside of our Conference, it is your responsibility to send a copy of your certificate to our office so it can be recorded. Boundary training dates have yet to be determined for our Conference. Once the dates, locations and facilitators have been decided, the information will be posted in the eCourier and on our website. We anticipate an announcement by late February.
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"Black Lives Matter" Banners 
LAST CALL - We still have a few banners available to share. If you would like to obtain a banner to display at your church, please email Renee at the Conference office or call her directly at 314-918-2602. The banners are free and being shared on a first come, first served basis - one per church, please.
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Quote for your week... false knowledge
Beware of false knowledge;
it is more dangerous than ignorance.
- George Bernard Shaw
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Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified.
Church Accompanist/Pianist, Kirkwood UCC, 1/29/2015
The Accompanist will play piano to support ensembles, soloists, and congregational singing during worship; and provide musical interludes throughout the worship service, as needed. S/he will play for all choir rehearsals, and rehearsals with small ensembles and soloists. This individual will prepare music for musical elements of worship services to include the prelude, postlude, offertory, and distribution of elements during communion.
Qualifications:
Experience as a church accompanist; College degree in music is desired.
Proficient in playing the piano and sight reading music.
Proficient in playing choral parts in open score format for rehearsal/teaching purposes.
Ability to work effectively on a team.
Ability to play the organ, a plus.
Ability to transpose or write music, a plus.
Experience working with Directors of Music in a church setting. Please send all inquiries to Donna Bay at donna@kirkwooducc.org. Deadline for submitting resumes is February 3rd.
Chaplain, Cape Albeon, 1/15/2015 For more information, please contact Carol DiSanza, Executive Director at cdisanza@standrews1.com or 636-431-2010.
Administrative Assistant, St. John's UCC, Chesterfield, 1/15/2015
This is a part-time 25-30 hour a week position. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter and go-getter who works effectively on their own as well as part of a team. Great typing, filing, written and verbal communication skills,
along with attention to detail and the ability to multi-task, while remaining calm in varied situations. Experience with Microsoft Office, Planning Center Online and Pro Presenter computer experience highly preferred. Past experience in a church environment preferred. Other duties: Prepare weekly church bulletin. Prepare reports, correspondence, fliers, announcements, and other materials. Maintain membership directory and various email lists. Manage office and order office supplies. Coordinate and schedule volunteers for office and Sunday service. Facilitate Vendor and maintenance personnel for property, equipment repairs, installations, and special events (i.e. wedding parties, picnic and course workshops, retreats and special events.) Other duties as needed.
Resumes only, no calls please. Please submit a job specific cover letter and application to:
stjuccccareers@yahoo.com For more information on St. John's U.C.C. visit us at www.stjohnsuccchesterfield.org
Church Music Director, Friedens UCC, 1/5/2015
Friedens United Church of Christ in St. Charles, MO, is seeking a part-time choir director/organist, and/or contemporary worship leader. Candidate should have a varied music background and experience in both traditional/contemporary worship, but job may be split into two positions. Preferable skills include pipe organ, piano, keyboard. Approximately 10-12 hours per week; salary commensurate with experience. If interested, please e-mail resume to churchadministrator@friedens-ucc.org, or mail to 1703 Old Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63303.
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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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