Friday, March 13, 2015
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Around Your Conference

Allen's Message to You... 
 

We are what God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works....

                                                            Ephesians 2:10

 

Dear friends and colleagues in the Gospel,

 

               The Letter to the Ephesians is a testimony to the gift of thankfulness the author has discovered in the church. Motivated by an overflowing sense of God's grace in the lives of believers he has known, he celebrates a mysterious feeling of unity that he believes flows naturally through Christian fellowship, to issue in a generous outpouring of good works. There is no individual pride in the thanksgiving that produces such gifts, no feeling of special privilege. Instead, he sees our individual wants and needs being woven into a fabric of mutual care, which he perceives as being rooted in the gift of Christ.

 

               We know that the fellowship of the church is never perfect. Some days, our gatherings are all knees and elbows, as we seek to express our individuality against the attitudes around us. Precisely then may be the moment we are called upon to trust the greater unity of the Realm of God. It is not a time to forsake the bit of wisdom that is ours - we are what God has made us - but to put aside our reluctance to welcome others also to the table, so that all the gifts of God may be revealed in the holy unity that includes and relies upon us all.

 

               May our churches all be welcoming tables where the diversity of God's creation and design is beautifully revealed.

 

               Blessings to you this Lenten Season.

                                                                                                                                                          
Allen
Allen M. Fluent, Acting Conference Minister
Ordination of Dawn L. Martin

The St. Louis Association of the

Missouri Conference of the

United Church of Christ

  and

 Epiphany United Church of Christ

and

St. Anthony's Medical Center

 

Invite you to worship God and participate in the ordination of

 Dawn L. Martin

 

Sunday, March 15, 2015 at Three O'Clock in the Afternoon

 

Epiphany United Church of Christ

2911 McNair Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63118

 

Clergy are invited to wear robes and red stoles and gather for the processional at 2:45 pm.

A reception will follow the service in the church hall.  The offering from the service will be given to Lydia's House.

Yearbook Reports - Monday is the Deadline!

The deadline to submit your yearbook forms is Monday, March 16th to send reports to our Conference office for us to enter your data.   

The information gathered from the yearbook process is used in a variety of ways within the United Church of Christ.  If you are wondering why your church should participate, please read the following article "Eleven Reasons Why Reporting Your Church's Annual Data Is Important." And if your church isn't named on the list in the above paragraph, please encourage your UCC pastor or treasurer to complete the forms so your church can be included in this nationwide process. 

 

Below are the yearbook instructions/forms sent on January 14.  Your church still has time to fill out the reports and send them into our office, or enter directly into the National data hub:  

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.     


Thank you in advance for your cooperation. - Renee 

Ordination of Kristin K. Aardema Faigh

 

 

The Western Association

of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ

and Zion United Church of Christ Mayview

 

cordially invite your presence for the Ordination of

Kristin K. Aardema Faigh

 

to the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament

on Sunday, April 19, 2015, at 3:00pm

at Zion United Church of Christ

105 N. Mary Street

Mayview, MO  64071

 

Kristin serves currently as Licensed pastor at Zion UCC Mayview.  Rev. Dr. Tommy Faris from Salem UCC, Higginsville, MO, will offer the sermon.

 

For clergy:  robes and stoles (red or of multiple color) are encouraged.  Please plan to gather by 2:30pm for procession.

Wedding Bells are Ringing

  

Rev. Holly McKissick, pastor of Peace Christian Church UCC in Kansas City, will be married to Mr. Joe Hatley on April 18, 2015.  Congratulations to the happy couple!  We wish you luck, joy and a lifetime of happiness!!!


 

 


2014 Clergy Information Review Form Sent
 
All authorized clergy, both active and retired, within the Missouri Mid-South Conference should have received their 2014 Information Review form and Minister Code via email on Monday, March 2.  If you do not have an email address a form was snail mailed to you.  The forms are to be returned to our Conference office by Friday, April 10.  
If you did not receive an email containing the form last Monday, please use the below links to find the appropriate form for your Association.  These forms may be completed on your computer:

Below are the Minister Codes for your review:

If you need a form snail mailed to you, please contact Kris Scott, 314-918-2605 or email kris@mmsucc.org. 

Spring Convocation at Eden Theological Seminary

 

 

Eden Theological Seminary's Spring Convocation will take place April 7-8, 2015 on Eden's campus at 475 East Lockwood Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119. Christian faith and practice are centered on the table. This year's convocation speakers and events focus on various dimensions of how growing, eating, and sharing food engage with important theological traditions and issues of social justice.

 

Eden's annual Spring Convocation is an opportunity for pastors and laypeople to listen to and interact with outstanding biblical and theological scholars. We encourage you to attend and reconnect with friends and colleagues while sharing in the community life of Eden Seminary.

 

When we focus on food we attend to God's creation, ecology, the equitable distribution of resources, our relationships with one another, the diversity of human culture, and the gamut of human experience from great banquets to famine. Food grounds us in what it means to be God's creatures and reminds us of God's earth and God's provision for us. Food connects us with how we create community, in either just or unjust ways.

 

To go directly to registration www.eden.edu/springconvocation15 .  Convocation speakers will be featured on Eden's website www.eden.edu in the days and weeks to come.  Please click here for a bulletin insert.   

 

We look forward to seeing you on Eden's campus this spring!

Camp MoVal Spring Work Days

 

Come and join us for our Spring Work Days at Camp MoVal. The first day scheduled is March 14 and the second day is on April 4 from 8am to 2pm.  Work projects on March 14th will include general site cleanup, raking and burning leaves, trail maintenance, burning the dam, opening waterfront and much more. Projects on April 4 will include cleaning pool, recharge sand filters, putting up tents, opening and cleaning Arts & Crafts and Rustic areas, stocking firewood and much more.  

 

All are welcome to come and participate, please make sure that anyone under 18 comes with an adult chaperone (at least 1 adult per 7 youth). We also ask that you please let the MoVal office know in advance of your attendance to make sure we have enough food for all of our volunteers and so we can plan an effective and efficient work day.

 

Thank you in advance for your support of Camp MoVal and our Outdoor Ministry programs. It is your support that makes our ministry possible. To confirm your presence at either work day, please email Jeremy Force or call the Camp Office at 636-583-2730.

A Call for Social Justice Concerns

"He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you:  to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God."  (Micah 6:8, CEB)

 

Eastern and Western Associations:  Do you have a passion for justice?  Do you want to be involved promoting justice in the Missouri Mid-South Conference area?  We are looking to begin a Covenanted Ministry for Social Concerns (Justice and Witness) at the Conference level and need more Eastern and Western Association members.   

 

If you would like to become involved in this important ministry, please contact Josh Gibson at josh@mmsucc.org; or 314.918.2601 (office); or 877.877.5884, extension 72601 (office). 

Annual MMSUCC Men's Retreat & Women's Retreat

The Annual Men's Retreat will be held on May 1-3 at our own Shannondale Community Center.  Please click here to view the brochure and registration form. 

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.  Please click here to view the brochure, which contains a registration form and further information.  Please mail your check/registration to:
MMS-UCC Women's Retreat
Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries
483 East Lockwood Ave, Suite 106, St. Louis, MO 63119
Please make checks payable to MMS-UCC
2015 NGLI Application Process

Hopefully you have heard by now about the investment in young transformational leaders and the church of the future through the Next Generation Leadership Initiative. The Pension Boards is seeking to contribute to the greater good by encouraging, equipping and sustaining young clergy for service in local congregations of the United Church of Christ.

 

Here's a video that tells the NGLI story:  NGLI Target 2030 Initiative Program Video and Article 

 

Below are detailed documents about the training provided and the application process.  Please help the Church by getting these materials in the hands of any eligible clergy you may know-- notice of intention to apply is due March 27-so don't delay!  Spread the word and be a part of the transformation in this way!

 

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at kbetz@pbucc.org or 800-642-6543 x2716.  The website ngli2030.pbucc.org is also a good source of information.  Additional helpful documents:  Application Process   FAQ's   NGLI Flyer 

  

Rev. Krista L. Betz

Director, Ministerial Assistance

The Pension Boards United Church of Christ

Quote for your week... Good Works
 
 
Good works are links that form a chain of love. 
- Mother Teresa 
   
Employment Opportunities
 
Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified. 

 

Choir/Music Director, Good Shepherd UCC, 2/19/2015

Good Shepherd, located at 3115 Elm Street, St. Charles, MO 63301, is seeking a Choir Director.  We are looking for someone comfortable with a small, but dedicated choir.  Our Choir currently practices on Sunday mornings prior to worship.  Salary to be discussed.  Please email interest/questions to Claudia Pohrer: Cpohrer615@aol.com 

Conference Quick Links
 
Conference Website          National UCC Website        Conference Calendar              
      
           2015 Remittance Form        Email Your Conference Office

                        2015 Clergy Compensation Materials

               2014 Commitment to Basic Support/OCWM Form 
           
Contact Us

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.