Friday, May 1, 2015
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Around Your Conference

Allen's Message to You... 
  

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us and God's love is perfected in us.... Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers and sisters are liars, for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.

                                                                                          1 John 4:12, 21

 

Dear friends and colleagues in the Gospel,

 

               The lyrics of songs of praise fill our sanctuaries with exuberant declarations about God. "Our God is an awesome God," the worship leader shouts, and elicits in some congregations shouts of praise, in others the clapping of hands, and in still others silent nods and smiles that mean the same thing.

 

               Somewhere in the pews there sits a troubled soul. "How do you know that?" she thinks to herself. "I wish I could believe it's so," he mumbles, wondering if he's really praying, and if he is, to whom.  No one has ever seen God.  Such feelings are not often openly expressed in church; and when they are, they are sometimes shamed or disregarded, and sometimes greeted with anger for being attitudes that spoil the holy jubilation.

 

Scripture knows better. John's first epistle does not dismiss the questions people raise about the truth of God. Here they are taken seriously, as the letter's author approaches the problem by naming the source of disbelief. He knows that the question isn't academic - it's personal. There's just so much evidence that religious people have gotten it wrong, by harboring attitudes rooted in religion's exclusionary past that cause them to reject, exclude, dismiss or diminish the neighbor who looks, acts or thinks in unfamiliar ways. When we get that wrong, it's serious. The image of God that is reflected in all humanity becomes smaller and harder to see, until finally an idol takes the place of God

 

Sometimes people don't notice this. We just go on praising without knowing what. But true religion is not just the expression of praise. It is the work of love; hard work that has integrity and does not lie, that advocates for the other and appreciates the different, and looks for the God who is seen in the fellowship that takes us beyond our narrow worlds and closer to the Realm that is to come.

 

God bless your faithful ministries of grace.

                                                                                                                                                   

Allen
Allen M. Fluent, Acting Conference Minister
Ordination of Kara Nicole Reece

 

The St. Louis Association of the
Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ

and St. John's UCC

Invite you to the the Ordination of
Kara Nicole Reece
on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at 3:00 pm

at St. John's UCC
4136 N. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63107

Clergy are invited to wear robes and red stoles, and gather for the processional at 2:45 pm.
Conference Annual Gathering Registration OPEN!

Our theme is "Rebuild, Restore, Renew."  Please see the CAG schedule here.

Please use the below form to register for the event, which may be completed on your computer.  If the form is not compatible with your computer, please print and complete by hand. 
 
Please read the entire form carefully as we have changed our venue this year, and we are also offering several registration options with various pricing for your convenience. 

Date:  Thursday, June 4 - Saturday, June 6, 2015 
To pay for your CAG registration online with a credit card, please visit our secure website partner - Vanco Services.  This same link may also be found on the homepage of our Conference website.  Click the link in the upper right hand corner - "Click here to Donate or Register for an Event."

To make your hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn Executive Center, please click here.  This link is preset with the discounted group code (don't change or remove it!) and hotel rate of $99.95 per night during CAG.  If you use another website or link to make your reservation, the discounted price cannot be guaranteed. 

If you wish to call the hotel to make your reservation, please use their local number 573-445-8531, and mention UCC.  If you use a toll-free number for the hotel, the discounted rate cannot be guaranteed. 

The registration deadline is Tuesday, May 26th!  Please be respectful of this date as meal counts need to be shared with the Holiday Inn. 

All of the above information may also be found on the 2015 Conference Annual Gathering website page of our Conference website.

We look forward to gathering together in Columbia, MO this June!
Listening Session at Emmaus Homes

Over the past 7 months Emmaus has been sharing a great deal of information with our clients families and guardians about Medicaid's Final Ruling regarding Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), which is the program that pays for most of the services delivered at our Marthasville campus. This rule could potentially impact our services provided in a campus based setting. In addition to the specific concerns about whether or not Marthasville will be considered compliant with the new ruling, we have explored a wide array of questions with families regarding programming, staffing and the changing landscape for people with disabilities. Our Board of  Directors has spent substantially all of their time in this year's Board meetings discussing these issues such as cost for upkeep at the facility, staffing challenges, and many more. 

 

After considering all of the issues surrounding our services at Marthasville, the Emmaus executive team has made the following recommendation to the Emmaus Homes, Inc. Board of Directors: 

 

The Emmaus Home, Inc. Board of Directors adopt a resolution to no longer serve clients on the Marthasville campus. New clients will no longer be able to choose Marthasville as a location, except for short-term emergency situations. Staff will work with clients to relocate to homes of their choosing with a target date for completion by July 2020. 

 

  • Close Administration and Wellness Building in FY 2016
  • Meet individually with the families and clients to determine the desired transition among available options
  • As clients transition, we will relocate residents on the campus to gain efficiency as buildings are closed
  • Ask the Properties Board to consider subdividing 3 or 4, 3 acre lots on the Southwest portion of the Marthasville campus, for purchase by families
  • Continue to work with local builders and investors to locate accessible housing in Warren/Franklin County and surrounding areas
  • Continue to assess the capacity needs of the local community as we establish leases/identify housing
  • Share our transition plan with TEMCO and ask them to create a timeline for their own transition or develop a proposal to assume control of the water/waste systems on the property. 

We know that many of you have questions and concerns about the proposed plan. We would like to invite you to a listening session with the Emmaus Homes, Inc. Board members on Thursday, May 7th at 6pm in Fellowship Hall (Administration Building) on the Marthasville campus.

 

This is your opportunity to share your concerns and ask questions. The Emmaus Homes, Inc. Board of Directors will vote on this proposal/recommendation at their Board meeting on May 19, 2015. 

St. Louis Association Spring Program Meeting

The St. Louis Association of the United Church of Christ invites you to the SPRING PROGRAM MEETING at  

First Congregational United Church of Christ, 6501 Wydown Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105, on Thursday, May 7, 2015.  Registration begins at 5:30 pm.  

 

The theme is "Awakening....St. Louis' Racial Heritage and Our Churches."  This will be an interactive, exploratory, educational time of reflection and conversation with each other and our local United Church of Christ history.  Leon Sharpe will be our facilitator. This will be an evening of fellowship, worship and learning. Participants will share in moving liturgy and music, Communion, a lovely meal, and learning through conversation about our denominational and regional racial history. This timely topic was chosen by popular demand through the Fall Meeting evaluation forms. Please spread the word - this will be a sacred conversation unlike others happening elsewhere. Participants will leave with new information and insights and resources to continue learning and reflection in home congregations.

 

Please click here for further information and a registration form.  These same materials may also be found on our Conference website

Nepal Earthquake - How to Donate

 

By now I'm sure you are all aware of the devastating earthquake in Nepal. I wanted to send you a quick update on the UCC response as you may receive calls or e-mail inquiries from our congregations and members. UCC Disaster Ministries has a broad network of trusted and reliable partners that we work with throughout the year with capacity and local presence in hundreds of countries. Through these partnerships we are able to effectively and efficiently respond to both immediate and long-term needs following disasters.  

 

Since the quake our partnership through the ACT Alliance has been responding and working hard to help stabilize the situation through provisions of food, water, medicine and temporary shelter.  UCC Disaster Ministries is requesting financial contributions to the International Emergency Relief fund to support these essential on-the-ground efforts. Donors can designate their gift by noting it is for Nepal Earthquake relief.  

 

To give online visit https://unitedchurchofchrist.nationbuilder.com/international_emergency_relief_fund

 

Thank you for your continued prayers for the survivors, rescue teams and relief workers.  If individuals are seeking more information I can be reached at [email protected] or 410-259-6194.    

 

Zach Wolgemuth    
Executive, UCC Disaster Ministries
Faith-based Disaster Preparedness Workshops

 

The Governor's Faith-Based and Community Service Partnership for Disaster Recovery invites faith organization leaders, emergency management directors, local public health agency (LPHA) representatives and Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) members to attend one of the nine regional workshops in May and June. 

 

Because faith-based organizations face unique challenges in helping their communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, The Partnership, along with the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program has put together a program that will provide insightful and practical advice to help with that mission. We hope you can participate.

 

Please see this flyer for more information and for specific dates in your area.  Registration is recommended and may be completed using the following link:  http://training.dps.mo.gov/sematraining.nsf/TrainingSchedule.

 

These events are provided free of cost to participants. All events are from 1-5 p.m. The dates and locations of each regional workshop are listed on the above flyer.  Please feel free to distribute this information widely.

20 Years, 25 Houses, More than $1 Million Given

 

In 1995, Duane Meyer, pastor of St. Peter's UCC challenged the churches of the St. Louis Association to build affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity. More than 20 churches responded with dollars and labor to build the first house. As we begin our twentieth year, we have an amazing story to celebrate.

 

Once again, we join together to raise the dollars and provide nearly a thousand hours of labor to build affordable housing. The group, in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity, has designated a house to build in a north City of St. Louis neighborhood. Though a date to begin has not been determined, 19 congregations gathered to set the course for 2015 on Easter Monday.

 

The churches contribute money in numerous ways from fundraisers to budgeted giving and special offerings. They provide Saturday work crews from individual churches and Wednesday and Friday crews to work under the direction of Habitat and crew leaders. Some of these workers have been a part of the projects from the beginning.

 

-submitted by Rev. Keith Karau 

Raised Hands Puppet Ministry Team

 

The Raised Hands Puppet Team Ministry from Immanuel UCC in Ferguson visited Grace UCC in O'Fallon on April 12 for Camp Sunday.  The Team brought to life the Bunny song, "The Old Rugged Cross", and "God is Not Dead" with their imaginative interpretation through the puppets.  Young and not so young enjoyed the team's energy and passion for interpreting the Gospel in such a unique way.  

 

Ms. Kathy Kalkbrenner and Mr. Isaiah Jackson-Post are the directors of this ministry. They thanked Grace UCC for inviting them saying: 'Pass the word, we are willing to share this ministry with churches in our Conference."   

 

If your church would like to have the Raised Hands Puppet Team Ministry visit your church just call Immanuel's church office at 314-521-7324.  Your church members will find worship excitement in a whole new way!

 

-submitted by Rev. Polly McWilliams

Eden Seminary Commencement at Pilgrim UCC

Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor will give the address at Eden Seminary's Commencement Service on May 15 at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in St. Louis. Dr. Taylor is a New York Times best-selling author, professor and Episcopal priest.
 
Leaving Church, her first memoir, won a 2006 Author of the Year award from the Georgia Writers Association. Her most recent book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, was featured in TIME Magazine. Her book, The Preaching Life, is often used in classes at Eden.

The Commencement Service will take place at 7:30 pm on Friday, May 15 at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ, 826 Union Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108. Everyone is invited to join the Eden Community as we celebrate with our 2015 graduates! 
Mexico Mission Trip

The Mexico Mission Team is organizing another Mission Immersion Experience (Mission Trip) to Chiapas, Mexico this fall- and you are invited to participate! The event will take place over 9 days in late September, and will be a chance to interact with our Global Ministries Mission Partners at INESIN, and become immersed in the culture of the region. The total cost (including airfare, 9 days of food and lodging and in-country expenses) will be $1200. More information can be found by contacting Rev. Rick Oberle (573.241.2027 or [email protected]) or Ken Schlottach (573.437.4308).  

  

Everyone is welcome, but the experience will be geared toward adults (16 years old and up). Recent trips have included several people in their 60s and 70s! This will be the third Mission Immersion Experience from the Missouri Mid-South Conference to take place in as many years, and each trip has had a wide variety of participants ranging in age from 16-76 and from 7 different Missouri Mid-South Conference United Church of Christ Congregations.  Click here for further information about this exciting opportunity.  

New to Position Clergy Seminar 

This seminar is a collaborative effort on the part of religious and mental health professionals to support and coach leaders making a transition from one employment setting to another. The seminar is a pilot project aimed at professional congregational leaders who are on average 3 to 24 months into a new setting and who have had previous congregational experience. Full event flyer. 

 

What are the Goals of Seminar?

-        Increase your leadership success

-        Develop and enhance professional leadership strategies

-        Sharpen your skills to assess congregational systems

-        Build supportive collegial relationships

 

Details:

-        Cost: Total of $150 for 6 sessions (includes lunch)

-        First Meeting: 10AM, Thursday May 14, at Care and Counseling, 12141 Ladue Rd., 63141

-        CEU's available

-        Contact: Rev. Dale R. Kuhn, LCSW, 314.336.1096, [email protected] or visit

        www.careandcounseling.org.

National ONA Gathering in Cleveland

There's still time for early-bird registration for the biggest and best National ONA Gathering in the 30-year history of our the Open and Affirming movement, June 24-25 in Cleveland, Ohio!  Registration is open at www.openandaffirming.org/ona-gathering

This Gathering marks two milestones: the historic Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage (due shortly before or during the Gathering) and the 30th anniversary of the General Synod resolution that launched the ONA movement--today the largest and fastest-growing network of LGBT-affirming churches in the world! Join our growing ONA family throughout the United Church of Christ for the biggest and most-exciting National ONA Gathering ever!

Sponsored by the UCC Open and Affirming Coalition, Gathering 2015 will include: inspiring preaching, worship, music, keynotes! Workshops to feed your mind and spirit! Fellowship, fun, food!

National ONA Gathering is a unique opportunity to see the big picture of the ONA movement--the largest and fastest-growing LGBT-affirming church movement in the world! If your church is already ONA, you'll learn new ways your congregation can have an impact in your community. If your church is beginning to explore the possibility of an ONA covenant, our workshops will help you design an ONA process that builds consensus and reduces conflict.

We can't wait to welcome you to Cleveland! For more information, and to register, please visit the Coalition's website at www.openandaffirming.org/ona-gathering, or contact Rod Mundy at [email protected]. Discounted early-bird registration continues until May 30.
Quote for your week... Faith
 
Faith: 
When you walk to the edge of all the light you have 
and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, 
you must believe that one of two things will happen: 
... 
There will be something solid for you to stand upon, 
or, you will be taught how to fly.

- Patrick Overton - from his book of poems: The Leaning Tree, 1975   
Employment Opportunities
 
Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified. 

 

Youth Ministry Coordinator, 4/17/15

First Congregational Church of Webster Groves invites applications for an enthusiastic, progressive-minded coordinator of Youth Ministry.  This is a paid part-time position, 15 hours per week.  For further information or to send a resume, please contact [email protected].   

 

Choir Director and Organist, 4/17/15 

Peace United Church of Christ, a progressive Protestant congregation of 350 persons, seeks a director for adult chancel choir and instrumental ensemble, as well as organist. This position is about 10 hours/week. If interested, submit a letter of intent, professional resume, and a recording (tape or MP3) of your accompaniment and choir conducting skills, by Friday, May 1, to Darcy Swanson at [email protected] or please mail to: 204 E. Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves, MO 63119.  

Conference Quick Links
 
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           2015 Remittance Form        Email Your Conference Office

                        2015 Clergy Compensation Materials 
           
Contact Us

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.