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Friday, December 11, 2015
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Thank you - This communication is made possible by your contributions to
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The next eHappenings will be sent on Tuesday, December 15th.
The deadline for submissions has expired. Email future events to kris@mmsucc.org.
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Ginny's Gems
Last Sunday, I worshiped at Bethel, UCC, in Concordia, MO. The Rev. Dr. Alan Gatewood and the wonderful Bethel folks offered me an extremely warm welcome to their church and the Missouri Mid-South Conference. Thank you!  Near the beginning of worship, we began singing our first Advent carol, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." No sooner had the organist started playing the familiar notes of our beloved hymn, than a little girl, sitting with her daddy and baby brother, exited the front row. She moved to the open space right in front of her daddy and all of us, where she proceeded to dance throughout the Advent carol.
This little girl twirled, danced, and performed the best plies I've seen in a while. She smiled and occasionally looked out at the choir members, Rev. Alan, and this new person in a white robe watching her. When I would catch her eye, she had this sparkle - as if to say to me -
Are you getting this?
This joy that can't be contained by a hymn, a pew, or a body?
THIS is joy!
Enjoy it and learn from it!
As the carol ended, I was a bit disappointed that our liturgical dancer returned to her seat. I was hoping for her interpretive dance of joy to continue during the scripture readings, offertory, prayer, and communion. Instead her gift to all of us was her expression of pure joy in this space she calls home and we call worship.
What gives you joy in your life? Children? Art? Literature? Sports? And perhaps here's the harder question for all of us - what gives you joy in your church? What inspires you to move from your seat in the pews of your church to get up and express your passion and faith in God in real and creative ways?
Already I have seen so many expressions of your joy in the Missouri Mid-South Conference: youth ministers discussing upcoming youth events; Shannondale's director discussing his 40 acres of forestry joy, social media lovers discussing Christ and technology; money-crunchers joyfully figuring out ways to provide money to our churches for needed renovations; a conference staff, who take pleasure in being together even when those moments are few and far between.
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| Your Missouri Mid-South Conference Staff - L-R, Rev. Dale Parson, Associate Conference Minister; Jeff Fulk, Minister/Manager Shannondale; Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Conference Minister; Kris Scott, Administrative Assistant/Receptionist; Jeremy Force, Director Camp MoVal; Renee Cordes, Administrative and Communications Manager; Rev. Dr. Allen Fluent, Acting Conference Minister. (not pictured-Lorraine Brooks, Bookkeeper).
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But the reality is that sometimes life wears us out to the point that our joy is dulled. Relationships end, jobs become a source of bill-paying rather than a source of fulfillment, and our bodies begin to ache and creak in ways that prevent us from dancing as carefree as a child.
And our society is no different. Recently our news has been filled with ugliness spewed out of fear that is anything but joyful. We are afraid of being hurt so we lash out at those who are different than ourselves - this week that group happens to be those who are Muslims.
And the Church is no different. Our joy at belonging to a church is replaced by weariness of our spirits. We attend more meetings than we can count. We say things out of fear rather than our joy for being a part of a church. And before we know it, our involvement in the Church slowly drains us of the very energy that inspired us to get involved in the first place. What happens when our joy for Church has been lost?
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
I appreciate this lectionary reading for the third Sunday of Advent because Paul reminds us that at the very places where life has been dulled, there comes a light, a spark, a dance that prepares us for the birth of Christ's inclusive love to be born anew.
What does it mean that we light an Advent candle of Joy? 
Personally, I find comfort in the fact that we light an Advent candle for Joy. This Advent candle tells me it's okay when my joy has been dulled or drained by life - because God is not through with us yet! J We prepare for the coming of Christ's inclusive love to be born at the very places where our joy has been worn thin.
But if we listen closely enough, if we dare to get up from our comfortable pews and express the very joy through dance, art, children, protest, prayer, and yes, even a Church meeting or two, we will remember that Christ's inclusive love is born through spontaneous joy.
Thank you for the opportunity to experience your liturgical dances of joy as well as to share my own. Advent blessings of Joy to you and the Missouri Mid-South Conference!
Ginny
Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Conference Minister
PREACHING SCHEDULE - On Sunday, December 13, Ginny will be preaching at Zion UCC, 5710 North Highway 67, Florissant, MO, 63034. map
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All Conference Email Suspended on Tuesday, December 15
On Tuesday, December 15, our Conference office will be upgrading our email service to allow for better  electronic communication, both internally and externally. Therefore, our email service will be offline for the entire day. We will not be able to receive or send emails during this process. If you do send us an email on Tuesday it will be delivered at some point, but we will not have access to the message until the upgrade is complete. The email addresses that will be inaccessible on 12/15 include all Conference staff - Ginny, Allen, Dale, Renee, Lorraine, Kris, and also the staff at Camp MoVal. Shannondale will not be affected.
We ask for your patience on Tuesday while this upgrade is taking place. If there is an emergency and you need to reach any of us, please call. Otherwise your email inquiry will be handled after Tuesday. Thank you.
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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: ginny@mmsucc.orgWe will share Ginny's local cell number once it has been activated, which should be early next week.
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UCC Christmas Fund Offering
Since 1902, the Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and Emergency Fund -- today one of four UCC Special  Mission Offerings -- has provided assistance to clergy and lay employees who, after years of service to others, now find themselves facing unexpected needs. In addition to pension supplementation, Christmas "thank you" gift checks and emergency grants, the Pension Boards-administered program also grants quarterly health premium supplementation to individuals and families in need.
"The theme of the 2015 Christmas Fund Offering is 'Love Shines Through,' with a giving goal of $1.7 million," said Brian R. Bodager, president and CEO of The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ. "In the spirit of love, I invite and encourage you to prayerfully consider and support this year's appeal, and to spread the word so that others will join in this essential ministry."
In 2014, more than $1.4 million was provided in pension supplementation, almost $496,000 in health premium supplementation, $203,000 in "thank you" gift checks, and about $91,000 in emergency grants.
Donate to the UCC Christmas Fund and download promotional resources.
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MoVal Winter Camp Retreat 
This is going to be a weekend exploring how our faith helps us to build community and understanding when discussing race. Drop off will be Saturday January 16th at 4pm and pick up will be Monday January 18th at 9am over Martin Luther King Day weekend. Winter Camp Retreat will be a mixture of fun and serious and all around, a wonderful adventure!
Winter Camp Retreat is open to 5th-8th graders. To register please contact Mariah Newell at mariah.moval@mmsucc.org
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Stepping into Stewardship 
The United Church of Christ Office of Philanthropy and Stewardship and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Center for Faith and Giving are pleased to announce "Stepping into Stewardship." This event represents a developing partnership with the UCC and DOC in areas of stewardship education and generosity. The event takes place on March 30, 31 and April 1, 2016 at the Doubletree by Hilton Orlando at Sea World in Orlando, FL. Speakers will include Dr. Clif Christopher, CEO, Horizons Stewardship Company; Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, General Minister/President, UCC; Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister/President, DOC; and Dr. William Enright, Senior Fellow, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, Indiana U Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. For more details, including workshop leaders, housing and meal arrangements visit the UCC website. Event brochure.
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Annual UCCOSSN Fundraiser
The Annual UCCOSSN Fundraiser (United Church of Christ Office Support Staff Network) is up and running - all you need is a shopping list and a keyboard and you're ready to go! The dollars you spend assist the UCCOSSN in a variety of ways... everything from providing scholarships to those who can't afford to attend the yearly meeting to helping pay for our keynote speakers, meals, goody bags, workshop leaders, etc. All money raised remains within the UCCOSSN.
Here's how it works - for every purchase you make from the available items, a percentage of the sale  is then donated back to the UCCOSSN. The percentages range from 20% to 60% - so the more you buy, the more you support the network. Also the percentage made on each sale is the amount that you can take as a personal tax deduction, so it's a win-win for everyone!
And you do not need to be a member of the UCC or UCCOSSN to take advantage of the fabulous items offered, so please share this information with your friends, family, co-workers and church members. The more the merrier! Would you like to learn more about the UCCOSSN? Please contact Renee, visit/like/follow our Facebook page and sign up for our newsletters via our website. Thank you in advance for supporting our network and the women and men who keep the UCC functioning on a daily basis. Renee G. CordesUCCOSSN Vice Chair
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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, 2016LOCATION: Camp MoVal - Union, MOARRIVAL & 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.
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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!
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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
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Clergy Robes/Stole - FREE 
A retired clergy person (male) is donating 2 robes (one white/one blue) as well as a stole. Please contact Rev. Todd Bean or Julie at St. John's UCC, Weldon Spring for further information, 636-926-8995.
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Two Stoves - FREE 
2 - 36 inch "commercial grade" flat top stoves available from St. Lucas UCC in St. Louis! Stoves are in working condition despite their age (35 + years). Stoves are 208 Volt, 3-phase electric and will be available for pick up sometime in early January 2016. Please contact John Weber, St. Lucas UCC Church Council at 314-504-1150 if you are interested in the re-purposing of one or both of these ranges, or would like more information.
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Eden Seminary Bookstore Hours 
Bookstore hours have been changed temporarily until the appointment of a new Bookstore Director.
The Bookstore's hours: Monday - Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
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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.
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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 secretary@samuelucc.org.
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 info@immanuelucc.org 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
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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. |
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