Welcome to our weekly eblast, the Missouri Mid-South Conference eCourier. We are a collection of 140+ local congregations in the United Church of Christ denomination covering the geographic region of Missouri, Arkansas, and Memphis, TN.
No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.
We believe in extravagant welcome. This is why we insist that God's communion table is open, not closed, and God's gift and cla  im in baptism are irrevocable. We advocate justice for all. Our congregations extend hospitality as a sign of God's inclusive love. We teach that evangelism - offering bread to those in search of it - is God's mission. Our perspective is global, not provincial. We work with - not against - people of other faiths. Why? Because God is still speaking,
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Ginny's Gems
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Ginny shares one of her favorite books and favorite authors: "Psalms of Lament," by Ann Weems. Ms. Weems died a few weeks ago at the wonderfully young age of 81. Ginny learned of this book when she was experiencing her own Dark Night of Her Soul as she was going through a divorce. Everyone would offer nice words, but Ginny could not hear them. And then she read this book filled with psalms of lament -- as angry, raw, and vulnerable as the psalms of lament in our Hebrew Scriptures.
After Ginny completed her pastoral ministry in Texas, she was filled with deep grief at the ending of such a vital and loving ministry with a church she loved. She found herself writing reflections to photographs her friend, Julie, shared with her. Ginny would up publishing these reflections with Julie entitled, "The Nature of Grieving," divided into 3 parts: suffering, hope, and healing. One reflection Ginny wrote to the picture of a squirrel balancing itself says: "When life feels like a balancing act as you heal, may your energy of holding on and letting go be honored as holy."
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Ginny's Schedule
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Location
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Date
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Description
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4/15/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
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Columbia, MO
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4/16/16
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Conference Council Mtg
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St. Louis, MO
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4/17/16
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Worship at Calvary UCC
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New Franklin, MO
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4/23/16
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WA Spring Meeting at Immanuel UCC
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St. Louis, MO
Wentzville, MO
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4/24/16
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Worship at Epiphany UCC
EA Spring Meeting at Faith UCC
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Houston, TX
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4/27-28/16
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Work from Houston
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4/29/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
| St. Louis, MO
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5/1/16
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Worship at Christ Church (Maplewood)
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St. Louis, MO
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5/5/16
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SLA Spring Meeting at Eden Seminary
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5/6/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
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Memphis, TN
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5/8/16
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Worship at Holy Trinity UCC
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Houston, TX
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5/11-12/16
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Work from Houston
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5/13/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
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Jackson, MO
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5/15/16
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Worship at Emanuel UCC
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5/20/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
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Dale's Schedule
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Location
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Date
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Description
| Chicago, IL
| 4/16/16
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Rev. Dr. Dorhauer Installation
| Hermann, MO
Sedalia, MO
| 4/17/16
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Preach at St. Paul's UCC
Installation for Rev. Jurgens
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New Franklin, MO
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4/23/16
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WA Spring Meeting at Immanuel UCC
| Billingsville, MO
| 4/24/16
| St. Johns UCC 150th anniversary
| Higginsville, MO
| 4/28/16
| Lafayette UCC Women's Gathering
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Troy, MO
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5/1/16
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Worship at Zion UCC
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UCC Shares Open Invitation to Three Installation Services for the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer
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Three locations. Three preachers at each service. An extravagant welcome to all who would like to attend.
The Rev. John C. Dorhauer will be formally installed as the United Church of Christ's ninth general minister and president during a three-city worship service in mid-April. The three events, scheduled on April 15 in New York City, April 16 in Chicago (our Associate Conference Minister, the Rev. Dale Parson will be in attendance from our Conference, and the Rev. Dr. Heather Arcovitch, pastor of First Congregational UCC in St. Louis, will deliver one of the sermons in Chicago) and April 17 in Seattle, will include a trio of UCC pastors and leaders who have been invited to offer three brief "vision statements" at each worship location.
But as organizers point out, these three services are not just about the installation of one person; ( continue article)
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The Closing of St. Peter's UCC, Kansas City
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"In the end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see."
These words to the last stanza of the hymn, "In the Bulb There Is a Flower," express an eternal truth for the church-and for our lives. As an Easter people, we believe that life and faith continue in ways that are often beyond human comprehension.
On April 3rd, the members and friends of St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Kansas City gathered for the final worship service of this historic 151-year old community of faith. It was truly a celebration of life and thanksgiving! The Rev. Jody Furnas-Wright led the congregation in a liturgy that acknowledged the church's closing with abundant gratitude for all those-past and present-who faithfully contributed to the legacy of this community. Continue article.
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2016 Conference Annual Gathering, June 9-11th
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Registration for the Conference Annual Gathering will soon be available! Be on the lookout for a special eConnection next week!
Printable flyer
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Annual Clergy Information Review Forms
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Today the annual Information Review 2015 forms will be sent to all authorized clergy within our Conference. The majority will receive the form via email, which can easily be completed on your computer. For those without an active email address, the  form will be mailed to your home/church.
You may also find your respective Association form below:
Eastern Association IR form
St. Louis Association IR form
Western Association IR form
The Minister Codes for your review:
Ordained
Licensed
Commissioned
As you are aware, "All Authorized Ministers are expected to participate in....Information Reviews in order to maintain their authorization" (United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry, Section 8, page 9). This instrument is a means for ministers to not only participate in the Information Review process, but to update your personal contact information, and to remain in touch with each of you.
If you have any questions regarding the form or code, please contact your Committee on Ministry. Your annual Information Review form is due to our Conference office by Monday, May 16, 2016.
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UCC Advocates for Children at Rally in Jeff City
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The well being of children took center stage in Missouri last week, with United Church of Christ advocates leading the charge. Deaconess Foundation, a UCC ministry in St. Louis, loaded buses with 175 church members, clergy, community leaders, parents, and young people and headed to Jefferson City for a march, rally, and conversations with legislators on the 34th Annual Missouri Child Advocacy Day.
Deaconess Foundation, which has been participating in this event for several years, began inviting UCC congregations along for the ride last year. The partnership aims to influence for lawmakers to focus on Missouri's children as a top priority for the state. 
"Deaconess' hope is to see the 220 congregations and more than 50,000 congregants in the Missouri Mid-South and Illinois South Conferences become strong advocates for children in their communities," said the Rev. Starsky Wilson, Deaconess president and C.E.O., and pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ Church in St. Louis. "We believe you get stronger policy and legislation when you listen deeply to people affected by it. Our faith and community partners have prioritized investments in early childhood education, economic mobility for families, access to comprehensive health care and equity for you in the justice system."
Several UCC churches were represented at the 2016 rally on April 6, with more than a half-dozen pastors making the trip. The Missouri Mid-South Conference was well represented, including Conference Minister, the Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, Rev. Wendy Bruner, pastor of Peace UCC in Webster Groves, Rev. Scott Lohse, pastor of St. Martin's UCC in Dittmer, Rev. Larissa Forsythe, pastor of St. Philip's UCC in Affton, Rev. Mary Albert, pastor of Epiphany UCC in South St. Louis. Continue article.
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The following letter was written by the Justice and Witness Ministry of the MMS.
The Honorable Todd Richardson, Speaker
MO House of Representatives
Dear Speaker Richardson,
We are clergy and lay people within the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the United Church of Christ. We write to urge you to halt SJR 39 that attempts to write discrimination against a whole class of Missouri citizens into the constitution of our state.
As people of faith we believe this bill does not protect religious freedom, but quite the opposite, attempts to place one particular theological perspective above others and into law.
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UCC Culture of Giving Survey
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In 2015, the UCC Board of Directors formed the Task Force on Giving to review giving across the denomination and to recommend ways to improve and enhance giving throughout the UCC.
To that end, they are seeking your wisdom, ideas, thoughts, and general feedback on giving patterns in the UCC. Your responses to the survey will remain anonymous; however, at the end of the survey, you will have the option to provide your contact information in order to enter a drawing for a chance to win an iPad or to opt-in to participate in this process in other ways. Your contact information will not be used in any other way beyond the purpose(s) you indicate.
Click here to complete the survey:
The survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete. Please provide us with your feedback no later than Friday, April 22, 2016.
Your time and effort in completing this survey is greatly appreciated!
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Break the Silence, 4/24/2016
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In the United States, every 107 seconds someone is sexually assaulted.
The survivors of those assaults are our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and members of our congregation. They need us to help them speak out, to create a place where they can share their stories without fear, and without judgment.
Join us for Break The Silence Sunday on April 24, 2016 at two locations in the St. Louis area:
St. Louis City
St. Paul UCC, 3510 Giles Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63116
10:15 AM
West County
Parkway UCC, 2841 North Ballas Rd, Town and Country, MO 63131
11:00 AM 
In worship we will acknowledge the painful reality of rape and sexual violence. We will hear the stories of survivors, trusting in the good news of God's love, and we will commit ourselves to being a listening people, and a people dedicated to changing the reality of violence in the world.
This service may be difficult and challenging.
Some parents may not want their young children to be present.
Please take time to prepare yourself. Ask God for the strength to open your heart and mind, that we might support all the survivors who are part of our church, our community, and the world.
If you have questions or concerns about the service, please contact:
Rev. Tom Ressler, Pastor St. Paul UCC, 314-772-4772
Rev. Kevin Cameron, Pastor Parkway UCC, 314-872-9330
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Before you know it, summer will be upon us and that means Vacation Bible School. If your church or school is looking for exciting and entertaining curriculum, UCC Resources is your one-stop-shop!  Based on the award-winning Deep Blue Kids Bible, the Deep Blue Kids curriculum is an awe-inspiring resource for children that includes exciting stories, science experiments, arts and crafts, animated video storytelling, and active games-all combined into a faith experience that helps children discover what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ today.
Shine: Living in God's Light is a dynamic Sunday school curriculum that engages Christian communities and families in their life together. For children age 3 through grade 8.
The Shine materials:
Teaches kids how to shine God's light in the world Nurtures trust in God and invites children to follow Jesus Encourages imaginative, interactive biblical storytelling Explores the meaning of the Bible within the gathered community Cultivates the inner life of the Spirit through spiritual practices Expresses faith through lives of compassionate peacemaking and service You can find the above items and more at the UCC Resources website. Happy VBS!
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Take the UCC HIV Ministries Survey Now
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We are eager to hear from local churches who are part of the United Church of Christ (UCC)! 
The 2016 UCC HIV Ministries Survey is your opportunity to share with the Leadership Team of the UCC HIV & AIDS Network (aka, UCAN) about the HIV ministries happening in and through your local church.
You will also have the opportunity to tell us how you think UCAN is doing and what you need from us to better serve you.
Your input is very important to us as we make plans and work in partnership with you and others in response to the HIV epidemic.
This survey is for UCC local churches - one survey per church, please!
Link to survey
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MoVal Counselor Training
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Are you thinking about summer 2016 yet? It is coming up quick! We are looking for male and female counselors for all age ranges of campers. Our camp sessions that need  counselors start May 31st through August 6th, so there are plenty of opportunities for you to come serve at MoVal! The training dates for NEW counselors:
On April 9th and April 23rd, refresher courses will be held for counselors who served in 2015. Please contact mariah.moval@mmsucc.org if you are interested in counseling and to sign up for a training date. You must attend a training date in order to volunteer with MoVal campers. We look forward to seeing you this summer at Camp MoVal!
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ONA Rainbow Contest
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More and more ONA churches are showing their pride by displaying rainbow signs,  flags or banners outside their church. ONA churches that are visible in their community are churches that can grow!
Look at the entries so far in our churchwide ONA Rainbow Sign Contest if you want to be inspired, and download our Evangelism tools for ideas that will help your church connect with your LGBTQ neighbors!
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2016 National Youth Event Transportation
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The Missouri Mid-South Conference has chartered a bus for the National Youth Event (NYE) 2016, which will be held at Walt Disney World in Florida. NYE  participants that would like to ride with the conference should email Alysha Petry at apetry@zionunion.org by May 27 to ensure your space is saved. Even if you have already rented vehicles for transportation, please consider this option. There are several benefits to riding down as a group, including getting to know one another as a conference. If we have less than 40 riders, vans may be substituted for the charter bus. Youth and their adult leaders/chaperons will have first priority as riders. The bus departs on Monday, July 25 and will return to the St. Louis area on Sunday, July 31. At this time we expect the price per person to be $200. We are seeking monetary support from our associations and individuals in the conference to help lower the price. Please contact one of the following for questions or more information:
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Standing Rules for 2016 CAG
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The 2016 Conference Annual Gathering (CAG) will once again be held at the Holiday  Inn Executive Center in Columbia, MO, June 9-11. Below are the Standing Rules and Rules for the Introduction of New Business that have been approved by the MMS Conference Council at our previous CAG. Please reference these if you have any new business that you would like us to consider in June. This same information was mailed to all churches back in September along with a letter from Joyce Bathke, Conference Moderator. Another letter was mailed to all churches again, along with the two below documents. Please review the documents explaining the procedures and deadline dates:
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Contact Us
|  Missouri Mid-South Conference United Church of Christ
483 E. Lockwood Avenue, Suite 15, St. Louis, MO 63119-3168
877-877-5884 / 314-962-8740 / 314-918-2160 fax
www.missourimidsouth.org
Email Renee Cordes for future submissions. Not all submissions may be shared in future eCouriers, eConnections or eHappenings.
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In This Issue - 4/15/2016
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The Rev. Catherine Jurgens Installation Service
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Conference Council Meeting, 4/16/2016
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2016 Spring Association Meeting Dates
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Annual Women's & Men's Retreats
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Supporting Families at Life's End Seminar
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Juried Paper Winner,
Christi Tennyson
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Conference Staff Birthdays
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