Friday, December 4, 2015
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The deadline for submissions is 12/11/15.  Email events to [email protected].

Around Your Conference

Ginny's Gems

I want to thank each and every one of you for your extravagant welcome to me these past few days and weeks. From your emails, flowers, Facebook posts, jar of apple butter, personal prayers, and even early morning singings of the doxology, you have shared your love and support for our ministry with Missouri Mid-South abundance! Thank you!
I have jokingly told some folks that I am the embodiment of Advent this year because I have come to Missouri Mid-South with whatever could fit into my little car and that's it. Each day I seem to add something new: shower curtains, books in my office, a trash can, a new email address, a coffee pot, a pad of paper, and a place to hang my stoles. When you catch me at a good moment, you will hear me say that unpacking this Advent adventure allows me to marvel at each element I don't necessarily need but now acts as a building block for a more meaningful purpose.
When you catch me at my wit's end, you will hear me complain about the chaos in my life due to this slow progression toward...toward what? Completion? Fulfillment? Peace? Wholeness? And there it is. This Advent journey is an intentionally slow progression. Yet, we are adding to what we already had within us so that we can journey toward a spirit of wholeness.
As we prepare for the second Sunday of Advent, we add peace to our journey. The lectionary passages reflect a similar Advent spirit as my own in regards to peace. The Philippians passage reflects Paul's abundant appreciation for the people of Philippi each time he thinks of them. That sounds and feels like peace. But the Lukan passage reflects John the Baptizer's insistent demand that peace must be made in how we return to who we were created to be.
As I write this, I have the recent shootings in San Bernadino as well as the Colorado Planned Parenthood office swirling in my mind and spirit. In 2015 alone, there have been 310 mass shootings in the United States.[1] Not deaths but mass shootings! That's about 25 mass shootings per month.
There are no easy explanations or even warning signs for when and why these mass shootings will occur. When I began my ministry 16 years ago, the mass shooting of Columbine rocked all of us to our core. And in response, as I thought this was a one-time problem, I wrote, preached, and demanded a peace that eradicated this evil violence from occurring again. Sadly, there have been more shootings in more random places since 1999.
Perhaps we, as faith-full people, are called to embody Advent this year in our response to these mass shootings. We come to this moment bringing only our selves to this moral issue of gun violence. Each day and moment, we are called to add something new logically to our understanding about what precipitates gun violence in our country. But we are also called to add an Advent spirit of peace as abundant as honoring those who have died from these mass shootings. If we yearn to add peace to our Advent journey toward wholeness then our peace must be grounded in an appreciation for the lives of each person as well as an insistent demand that we return from our violence through stricter gun laws to a place of living as who the Holy One created us to be.
This is not the reflection I thought I would be writing you for my first week in ministry together. And yet, this is the reflection that speaks to who the Missouri Mid-South Conference is called to be in this moment in kairos time. The birth of Christ's inclusive love will only come when we work together to embody Advent Peace in difficult and unjust places. Thank you for the honor of inviting me on your journey toward Christ's inclusive love! Blessings,

Ginny
Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Conference Minister


[1]                   http://www.gunviolencearchive.org
Ginny's Contact Information   
We are thrilled to finally have Ginny in our Conference office!  If you need to reach her, here are the current options:

Direct Office Phone:  314-918-2604
Email:  [email protected]

We will share Ginny's local cell number once it has been activated, which should be very soon. 

PREACHING - Ginny will be preaching at Bethel UCC, 710 South Gordon, Concordia, MO 64020 on Sunday, December 6.  Service begins at 10:30 am.  Directions to church.

A BIG thank you to the people and churches who shared their singing of the doxology.  What a gift we have in each other and the ability to share our voices instantaneously!  Visit our Facebook page and check out the posts, which you will find on the left side under Visitor Posts.  And keep sharing your song, Amen!
Our Memphis Churches  
Memphis rocks with 3 wonderful UCC churches: Second Congregational UCC, Holy Trinity UCC, and First Congregational UCC. Heritage, creativity, and prophetic hospitality expressed in diverse ways. Woohoo!!!
-Ginny

 



   
Eden Seminary Annual Christmas Concert  
The Eden Theological Seminary Choir will present its Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 in Wehrli Chapel in the Press Building at 10:00 am. The Eden Choir, "Voices of Eden," will share a variety of seasonal music. 
 
The theme for the annual concert is "Promise! Praise!" The Voices of Eden will explore the amazing and varied imagery of the Christmas promise with selections like "O Holy Night," "Lo How a Rose," and "Issay, Issay." Continuing with long-standing tradition, Eden alumni will be invited to join with the choir in singing the Christmas spiritual, "Jesus, Jesus, What a Wonderful Child".
 
"This promise which keeps opening and opening, and weaving and morphing and emerging simply leads us to praise," said Donita Bauer, Director of Music at Eden. "With solos and soloists added in, we're hoping you will come and be a part of our Christmas celebration."
 
The annual concert is an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and friends of Eden to gather together to celebrate the hope and joy of Christmas as a community. All are invited to the reception following the concert. We hope you will come and join in the festivities!
Conference Youth Event 
Calling all Youth!  Are you attending CYE?  If you are currently in the 9th-12th grade, you need to witness
"The Power of Presence" as presented by keynote speaker, Marcus Engel.  "Best-selling author and speaker Marcus Engel inspires and empowers audiences nationwide. His extraordinary story of recovery after being blinded and catastrophically injured by a drunk driver challenges individuals to achieve success by making intelligent choices." Marcus Engel is a speaker with a message, a story, you will never forget! 

DATE:  February 13th-15th, 2016
LOCATION:  Camp MoVal - Union, MO
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE:  Check-In: Saturday, February 13th, 9:30-10:30am.  Departure: Monday, February 15th at noon

COST:  The registration fee is $120 per person for each youth and adult participant. You are not registered until ALL of your forms and complete payment is submitted. Registrations must be in the MoVal office by Wednesday, January 27th to ensure space availability and t-shirt. We cannot guarantee a t-shirt if you register after the deadline.  Further info on our Conference website.

CYE Registration Materials

And don't forget about the National Youth Event (NYE) in July, 2016 at Disney World!.  Check out the UCC national website for the latest information.  

Gift to LeMoyne-Owen College
 
We are still collecting donations on behalf of Allen Fluent's service to our Conference the past two years.  All monies collected will be presented to LeMoyne-Owen College in Allen's name.  If you wish to contribute, please send a check to MMSUCC, 483 E. Lockwood Ave, #15, St. Louis, MO 63119, and write "gift for Allen" on memo line.  Or you may contribute online via our website.  Please use the Special Offering field and indicate the donation is for Allen or Lemoyne-Owen.  The deadline for contributions is Thursday, December 31, 2015.  Thank you.

We are immensely grateful for Allen and his continued service to our entire Conference! 
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
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.
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
Eden Seminary Bookstore - New Hours

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

The Bookstore's new hours: 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].

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.
 
eHappenings Corrections

Witnessing Whiteness
All over the country, especially in St. Louis (including several local UCC congregations) and at Peace UCC,  many people are willing to work on our own internalized, perhaps subconscious, racism.  Do you want to be part of such a group that is open to both Peace UCC and the local community?
 
Each WW group meets 10 times-particular dates are sometimes rescheduled for holidays, weather, etc.  That is usually worked out at the first session.  The YWCA facilitator doesn't expect participants will make every session or read every word of the WW book. The work in the WW groups is related to but separate from the text. 
 
The YWCA has a supply of books because ordering takes a while (the publisher prints when it has an order) and are $23.  An e-book is also available from online sources.
 
Beyond the Book's goal is to commit to sponsoring a group by the end of December so that in January the YWCA will begin to coordinate groups that will start in March/April timeframe.  If Peace UCC wants to have a group, the target number of participants is 25 and the Y will provide facilitators. 
 
Do you want to go Beyond the Book? Please contact Janet Rundquist if you'd like to participate or have questions -  [email protected].
   
December 12, Cookie Sale & Mini Christmas Bazaar, 9 am-1 pm

Mount Tabor UCC and Watson Terrace Christian Church, 4205 Watson Rd.  Cookies $8.50 per pound.  Many varieties plus sweet breads & candy.  For more information, call 314-645-9025.
 
Please send your church/agency/organization events to [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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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.