Tuesday, November 24, 2015
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Our Conference office will be closed on Thursday, November 26 and
Friday, November 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday. 
 
The next eHappenings will be sent on Monday, November 30th.
The deadline for submissions is 11/26/15 Email events to [email protected].

Around Your Conference

Allen's Final Message to You...

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?
...  And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
                                                            1 Thessalonians 3:9, 12-13
 
Dear friends and colleagues, 
 
The lectionary Scripture for the First Sunday in Advent has been kind to me today by opening up the message that is already on my heart. In this epistle, Paul reflects upon the thankfulness he feels for the fellowship of spirit among those who wait for God together until the day of Christ's coming in grace and peace.
 
This fellowship is the joy we already know, though we may be unsteady still in our relationship with God. The Spirit summons us, but the body of believers has the power to sustain us in the reality of now, even when the times are hard and evidence of progress draws thin. I do not know what the future holds for the form of our beloved church, but I know I want to pray the gift of congregations into the world God's people will build for themselves in days to come.
 
Today, I want simply to say thank you for sharing the faith and spirit of this community with me these past two years. I have enjoyed the celebrations and the festivals, but I have also valued the privilege of being present when the faith of Christian leaders was tested by great difficulties and the Spirit of Christ prevailed.
 
You've been good for me in this late season of my ministry. I expect to enjoy retiring here again.
 
God bless the church. God bless our Conference. God bless our new Conference Minister.

Allen
Rev. Dr. Allen M. Fluent, Acting Conference Minister
Welcome to Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel - Our New Conference Minister! 
The Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ (MMSCUCC) unanimously elected The Reverend Doctor Geneva "Ginny" Brown Daniel to the office of Conference Minister on Saturday, November 14, 2015 during a special called meeting of delegates to the conference in Columbia, MO at Columbia United Church of Christ.
 
This vote is the culmination of twenty-two months of work by a nine-person Search Team appointed from all three of the Associations that represent the MMSC and cover the state of Missouri, Memphis, TN and Little Rock, AR areas.  
 
The Search Team was tasked with finding a Conference Minister who would help to restore trust, infuse vitality and bring visionary leadership to the position of Conference Minister while also helping to lead the MMSCUCC into the 21st century's ever-changing landscape of church decline.

We believe that the Rev. Dr. Brown Daniel comes with all these gifts and more.   As the founder of Divine Sparks Consulting, a Ministry Consulting company, that provides workshops on Marriage Equality and Stewardship, she developed a model for implementing information to a diverse group of people while also appreciating their theological framework. 

Thank You

Dear fellow members of the Missouri Mid-South Conference,

            During the service recognizing the end of my ministry among you as Acting Conference Minister, I was given a card that said a donation in appreciation of my service was being made to Lemoyne-Owen College, in Memphis, Tennessee. Thank you for that kind gesture to me, and even more for your recognition of the values represented by this important school.

            Lemoyne Owen is one of the historically black colleges related to the United Church of Christ, having been founded as Lemoyne College by the American Missionary Association of the Congregational Churches to provide educational opportunity to persons who had suffered under the institution of slavery. Today, Lemoyne Owen continues to thrive, providing excellent, accredited academic programs to a diversity of persons, but never forgetting the particular needs of those whose academic potential has been restricted by systems of discrimination and barriers of poverty that have been inflicted upon them because of the politics and economics of race.

            Some St Louis Association pastors and church members have begun a conversation about making Lemoyne Owen a more accessible opportunity for students in our metropolitan area. Please look for ways that you can support these ongoing efforts as they emerge.

In thanksgiving for your kindness,

Allen
Emmaus Homes Announcement

Emmaus Homes regretfully announces that Dennis Kramme, Director of Development, will no longer be employed by the non-profit organization, which became effective Friday, November 20, 2015. 

For information regarding church relations, or to schedule a mission moment, please contact Lisa Drier, Executive Director, Emmaus Resident Trust Foundation at (636) 534-5251.
 
Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Program - Tonight
  
The Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Program will be on Tuesday evening, November 24, at 7 p.m., hosted by First Congregational UCC, 10 West Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves, MO 63119.  Representatives of different religions will offer songs and prayers about being thankful. 
 
The program, "Grateful for the Journey Toward a More Compassionate St. Louis,"  will feature musical offerings from the Oikos Ensemble, a jazz ministry featuring Kim Fuller as vocalist.   
 
Faith groups performing are:
  • Students of School of Islamic Sufism, M.T.O Shah Maghsoudi, St.Louis center
  • The Meshorerim - an 8-man Jewish a cappella group
  • Soloists from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • The Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis
The program will be followed by a reception at the church.  Come celebrate and be thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon you!
National Council of Churches - Syrian Refugees
Over many years, the National Council of Churches has often expressed our aspirations and sorrows, our confidence and fears, related to an eventual peace in the Middle East.
At this time,
  • Inter-communal violence is consuming Israel and the Palestinian Territories
  • Terrorism and civil conflict are raining fire upon Syria and Iraq
  • Horrific acts of terrorism have recently taken place in Paris, Beirut and Baghdad and many other cities around the world
  • Afghanistan is sliding back into chaos
  • Refugees are fleeing the region and entering Europe in large numbers with no end of suffering on the horizon
  • Religious minorities are being persecuted, and sectarian strife is affecting Christian, Muslim and Jewish populations
As we approach the celebration of the birth of Christ our hearts are filled with sorrow and fear that peace will remain out of reach in the Middle East for much longer than we could ever have imagined.

We have no illusions that establishing peace will be easy. We lament that the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine is ever more elusive and negotiations are not taking place. We pray for a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. We call upon religious communities to build upon their historic legacies of inter-religious relationships, dialogue and action. When all these are in sight, we can envision peace. And yet such a vision seems hard to fathom today.  Continue article

Act now to welcome Syrian refugees
It's Fall Clean-Up Time

It's that time of year to gather the last of the garden crops and pick the last blooms before the early frosts end the growing season. It's time to take the rake in hand and gather up the fallen leaves or to mow and mulch them to feed the lawn for next year's growing season. It could be the right time to clean up finances to help feed the ministry and mission of your church with needed funds that might be saved with some consolidation of older loans or some new investments.

The Cornerstone Fund of the United Church of Christ would like to be your helper in doing some of those clean up chores. We can't come rake your church yard, but we can help with some financial clean up. Check us out at www.cornerstonefund.org or by emailing our Mission Interpreter for the Midwest region, Rev. David Moyer at 608-630-3177 or [email protected]. He might even bring a rake and gloves and help with those yard chores.
Retirement Celebration for Joan Hensley
 
The Board of Directors of Joint Neighborhood Ministry
invites you to celebrate the ministry of
   
Joan Hensley
 
through a service of worship followed by a reception.
 Sunday, December 6, 2015 at 3:00 p.m.
 
St. Lucas United Church of Christ, 1735 Denny Rd, St. Louis, MO 63126
 
Please RSVP, with regrets only, to Mr. Lorin Cope, Board Chair, by calling St. Paul United Church of Christ: 314-772-4772 or by emailing: [email protected].
 
The Board also invites you to make a financial gift to Joint Neighborhood Ministry in honor of Joan's ministry as she concludes her service and moves into well-earned retirement. The Board's goal is to raise $14,000 honoring her 14 years of service. Please send gifts to Nancy McFadden, Joint Neighborhood Ministry Bookkeeper, at 4823 Holmeswood Court, St. Louis, MO 63128.

Heifer International Newsletter

Here is the latest newsletter from Heifer with information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and more.

 
Camp MoVal 2016 Schedule

Camp MoVal is excited to present you with the dates for our Camp Schedule for the year of 2016. Make sure to  mark your calendars because you won't want to miss all of the fun we will be having exploring "FEARLESS FAITH, courage in community". Contact our office to register early and be on the lookout for our new website!

Also, be sure to notice, MoVal is bringing you a new Winter Camp Retreat over Martin Luther King Day weekend for 5th- 8th graders. You will not want to miss this exciting retreat. The camp brochure will be coming out at the beginning of the year and all pricing information will be included.

See you soon!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Force and Mariah Newell
Free Evergreen Swags

Peace UCC freely offers the artificial evergreen swags that have been used for many years as sanctuary decor during Advent. Please contact the church office at 314-968-1727 for a description/further information and also to arrange a pick-up time in Webster Groves, MO.
 
Eden Seminary Bookstore - New Hours

Bookstore hours have been changed temporarily until the appointment of a new Bookstore Director.

The Bookstore's new hours are:
Monday - Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Free Church Pew Cushions Available

St. John UCC in Manchester has the following free cushions: 30 (120x15), 7 (100x15), 2 (81x15), 2 (40x15) and 1 (71x15). They are made of a soft velvet.
 
Whoever would like the cushions will need to pick them up. If you are interested, please contact Rev. Kevin Gregory at 636-391-6655 or [email protected].


Employment Opportunities
 
Employment postings will run for one month, unless otherwise specified.

Joint Neighborhood Ministry, St. Louis - Transitional Executive Director, 11/24/15
Joint Neighborhood Ministry seeks a Transitional Executive Director for a term of three to five years. The position requires a person who has a demonstrated ability to bring about organizational change within non-profit organizations. The person will lead the Board, staff, volunteers and neighbors in the following transitional tasks:
  • Create a new setting of extravagant hospitality and respect for the dignity of each individual. Welcoming neighbors and offering assistance that assures each person a safe place for them to find the help they need.
  • Expand our services to go beyond charity to create programs that empower people and change lives.
  • Expand our utilization of all forms of technology for office operation, fund raising and providing resources needed by our neighbors
  • Address the issue of space and location of JNM - so the space enhances the ministry and does not restrict or limit JNM's ability to provide assistance
For complete job description and how to apply, click here

Samuel UCC, St. Louis - Temporary Office Administrator, 11/24/15 
Samuel UCC's Office Administrator, Anna Muhm and her husband, Jason, will be welcoming their first child in March 2016.  Samuel UCC is looking for someone to work as an office assistant while Anna is on her maternity leave. This will be approximately a 6 week, 20 hr/wk, paid position; Mon to Fri 9am to 1pm.  Estimated start date will be around the week of March 16; however this is variable due to the baby's arrival.  If you know someone whose experience makes them a good candidate and who would be interested in a temporary position, please ask them to call Samuel Church at 314-727-9540 or email [email protected].   

St. Peter's UCC, Washington - Part-time Youth/Children's and Family Ministry Coordinator, 11/13/15
Needs to be pro-active, upbeat and a committed Christian to help develop programs, train volunteers and work directly with youth. This is a part time position with an estimated 20 hours per week expectation.  It's a great church with wonderful volunteers and children and youth.  Call the church office for a job description and an application. 636-239-6176.  If you have questions, contact Rev. Sue Leary, Interim Pastor at that same number.  
 
Immanuel UCC, Ferguson - Full-time Director of Music, 11/13/15
Seeking a dedicated and creative individual for the position of Director of Music. Full-time preferred. The position oversees and provides leadership for the total music ministry of a 450-member church with a new senior pastor. Current responsibilities include playing the Wicks pipe organ and/or the piano for two Sunday services, directing a volunteer adult choir and an adult handbell choir, overseeing a children's choir, preparing music for seasonal services, etc.  Previous church music experience is required, and a degree in music is preferred. Previous experience requirements will be reviewed on an individual basis. Salary is competitive and commensurate with the experience. 
 
All interested individuals please submit a resume, salary requirements and references to [email protected] 
The church office can be reached at 314-521-7324 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
To view the job description go to our website: www.immanuelucc.org the home page, go to the About Us tab and Overview drop down tab. 
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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.