As we did last week in our report at Conference Annual Gathering in Columbia, we bring you up to date on the Conference Minister search process as of early June.  

Our Conference profile went "live" on January 15. After a 60-day run, we placed a "hold on profiles" in mid-March to determine where we sensed God was calling us. By then, we had received seventeen profiles. Over the next sixty days, several applicants chose other paths. We eliminated some profiles, and we met with a number of candidates - both via GotoMeeting technology as well as in person. We checked phone references and used numerous other means to learn about each applicant to discern a possible "match" to bring to the Conference Council and, ultimately, to you.  

After careful, prayerful discernment, your CM Search Team will reopen the search and receive more profiles through a continuing, nation-wide quest - reaching out to persons of faith interested in the life and future of Missouri Mid-South Conference. We will start June 15, and do another 60-day run to mid-August, and then see where we are. As profiles arrive and candidates emerge, we'll move forward deliberately and eagerly.

Our Team is very dedicated, determined and hope-filled. We are curious, careful and united. Our recommendation to you will be a unanimous one.  

We are eager about God's vision for the future of this Conference and we see tremendous gifts and opportunities stretching before us.  There is energy and spirit moving across the churches. Our Team believes the Conference as a whole is in a different, more healthy and positive place due in large measure to the excellent work of our Conference staff - lay and ordained - and through the gratifying, inspiring efforts of many people across the Conference who've stepped up to participate in healing, listening and renewing.  

So we journey forward!   Four of us will be a General Synod in late June - using this bi-annual national gathering to promote our Conference and to connect with potential candidates. We will keep you posted as it is appropriate to do so. We can't set a ticking clock on something of this importance, but we believe God is at work - guiding us and growing us for the future of God's mission in this time and place. Keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours!

David Mehl, chair   Laura Mignerone, vice chair                                                                                           

Lorin Cope, Wayne Hoffman, Elaine Hudson, Linda Stenger, Sonya Vann, Lloyd Viehland, Karen Watson

Parkway United Church of Christ (PUCC) will host a discussion entitled LGBTQIA...& U: A Christian Experience of Inclusion and Diversity on Sunday, June 14, 6:00-7:30 pm.  

The public is invited to this interactive discussion, addressing questions such as:

• LGBTQIA... What do all those letters mean?
• What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
• Why should churches embrace diversity?

Laurie LaFramboise, Masters of Divinity Candidate at Eden Theological Seminary, will lead the discussion

Pastor Dale Bartels is celebrating 40 years of ministry and service to the Glory of God!  He will also be retiring later in June from St. John's United Church of Christ - Chesterfield. 

We welcome and encourage you to share your well wishes by sending cards to Pastor Dale and Marti, c/o St. John's UCC, 15370 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, MO  63017. 

The eCourier is an important communication vehicle for the Missouri Mid-South Conference.

It is our most efficient way to let you know about Conference-wide events, like the Conference Annual Gathering, the Persons in Ministry Retreat, the Conference Youth Event, and all the activities of our camps and conferences.  

It helps us maintain a feeling of openness and trust within the Conference by making news, ministry team actions and decisions of the Conference Council available to you every week, as soon as they happen.

Through the eCourier, eHappenings and eConnections, worship, fellowship and fundraising events of our congregations are advertised throughout the entire Conference.  

And the eCourier is where we can let you know about valuable resources that you can use in your local church, like continuing education events for clergy, lectures and seminars at Eden Seminary, and webinars on church vitality from the Center for Progressive Renewal.

But none of that matters if we don't get the eCourier into the hands of as many of our members as possible.  So here's how you can help us expand our readership in three easy ways:

• First, just forward the eCourier that is sent to your church office or pastor to the full email list of your church every week. It's as simple as that. In less than two minutes a week, you can do this, and together we will have expanded our coverage to thousands of UCC members.
• Second, we know that some people in each of our churches prefer to read our eCourier in paper form. We think they should be able to do this, and there is no reason why they can't. All it takes is for someone in each of our congregations to copy and paste from their email, print it, and then make a few copies and place them weekly in the narthex of their church. It's good information for visitors too, when they come for worship and want to take something home about the larger church.
• And third, since the eCourier is also posted to Facebook, you can easily share the information with everyone you know. 

So help us please. Communication is an important job. We'll try to keep it current if you'll help us share it.

Thanks,

Allen and Renee

The Eastern Association of the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ invites all Confirmation students and their adult leaders to a Confirmation Retreat at the Urban Mission Experience (UME).   

The event will be held on Friday September 11, 7:00 pm and Saturday, September 12, 4:00 pm.  Hurry, registration ends on July 19th! 

Please visit the Conference website for the event flyer, information sheet, and registration form.

To our ecumenical church family and partners:

Mary Lammermeier joined the Insurance Board on November 11, 2014, as Manager of Loss Control.  Mary's position replaces the former position held by Carl Kotheimer who retired at the beginning of July.   Mary brings to the IB a solid background in insurance and loss control.  Her career includes jobs at Aetna, Continental Insurance Company (now CNA), AIG, and most recently at Sherwin Williams where she instituted a number of safety and loss control best practices.  Mary received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from the University of Akron.  In addition to having a strong technical background, Mary spent a year abroad in the Czech Republic during the mid-1990's teaching English as a second language to Czech students at both the junior and senior high levels.   Mary comes to the Insurance Board with glowing references, and is already enhancing and building upon the robust loss control offerings we provide to the church community.

Nichole 'Nikki' Della Vella started at the Insurance Board on April 13, 2015, as Vice President of Marketing and Sales.  Nikki comes to us from AIG where she was a Sr. Business Development Manager responsible for managing broker relationships, and driving the value proposition and growth for over 50 individual profit centers across several lines of coverage.  She brings a strong insurance background to the IB, combining both insurance company experience with 2 major commercial insurance carriers (AIG and Liberty Mutual), as well as large broker experience.  Nichole has held positions of increasing responsibility within insurance over the past 11 years, from front-line sales at Liberty Mutual, to Senior Business Development Manager.  Nichole earned her Bachelors of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University, and a Masters in Education and Allied Professions from the University of Dayton.  She also holds the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. 

Blessings,

Timothy Harris, CPCU

President & CEO