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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Greetings, Missouri Mid-South Conference! I bring you greetings from the Exhibit Hall of the National Youth Event, where we had 57 youth and leaders from 11 churches! I wanted to share a bit of the joy that is National Youth Event! Hopefully you can hear the sounds of excitement and energy in the background of the video. we have had a week filled with wonderful worship, music, workshops, mission projects, swimming, Disney World, and God! Thanks to all of the churches, youth, and leaders for committing to this wonderful ministry!
As I made this video on Thursday, I was struck by how many adults and youth I encountered (NOT our conference youth!) who were grumpy, tired, and hot! After passing by a few "meltdowns" to and from my room, I began to think about how this is like our ministries in our local church and the conference. When we first begin a ministry, we arrive with lots of excitement, joy, happiness, and enthusiasm. Then a few days pass and it feels like we've been on a bus for 20 hours and we start to get grumpy with each other. That's where being a church REALLY begins! If we can figure out how to be be honest with one another when we are grumpy, tired, and hot (from anger or anxiousness), then we can figure out how to BE the Church!
As our teenagers teach us how to honestly search for who we are and who God is in our midst, may we BE the Church in our joy and grumpiness of ministry! :)
Blessings, Ginny
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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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Orlando, FL
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7/26-29/16
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National Youth Event
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7/30-31/16
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Ginny Vacation
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8/5/16
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Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
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Houston, TX
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8/6-7/16
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Work from Houston
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Atlanta, GA
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8/9-11/16
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National Church Leadership Initiative 2016 Conference
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| 8/12/16
| Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
| St. Louis, MO
| 8/14/16
| Worship at Mt. Tabor UCC
Ordination Service for Guangyou Lou at Samuel UCC
| Columbia, MO
| 8/15/16
| UCC/Disciples of Christ Regional Staff Mtg.
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| 8/19/16
| Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
| St. Louis, MO
St. Clair, MO
| 8/21/16
| Preach/Worship at Parkway UCC
Installation Service for Rev. Laura Mignerone at St. John UCC
| Houston, TX
| 8/22-24/16
| Work from Houston
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| 8/25/16
| Out/Ginny's Sabbath Day
| Union, MO
| 8/26-27/16
| Conference Council Leadership Retreat
| Kansas City, MO
| 8/28/16
| Worship at Country Club Congregational UCC
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Ginny will be on vacation Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31.
If you need ministerial support or assistance, please contact Rev. Tyler Connoley - 575-956-3316 or tyler@mmsucc.org. For other inquiries, please contact Renee Cordes at the Conference office - 314-918-2602 or renee@mmsucc.org. Ginny will respond to emails and phone messages upon her return to the office, Monday, August 1. Thank you.
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Tyler's Schedule
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Location
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Date
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Description
| Kansas City, MO
Blue Springs, MO
| 7/31/16
| Preach/Worship at Bethel UCC
Blue Springs Terrace Building 305 Dedication
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8/1/16
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Out/Tyler's Sabbath Day
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Troy, MO
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8/7/16
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Worship at Zion UCC
| Columbia, MO
| 8/9/16
| Central Cluster Meeting
| Mt. Vernon, MO
Springfield, MO
| 8/14/16
| Worship at Zion UCC
Dedication of Building Project at St. John's Chapel
| Columbia, MO
| 8/15/16
| UCC/Disciples of Christ Regional Staff Mtg
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Springfield, MO
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8/18/16
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Boundary Training
Ozark Cluster Meeting
| Kansas City, MO
| 8/20/16
| Hands Around the World Mission Festival
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MMSUCC Staff Schedules/Updates
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Jeff Fulk, Minister & Manager of Shannondale, will be on vacation from 8/1 until 8/12. Jeff's son, Nathan, will be covering camp operations. Have fun, Jeff!
Renee Cordes will be out of the office attending the UCCOSSN Annual Gathering in Maryland from 8/3 and return to the office on 8/8. She will bring a laptop, so emails will be checked/answered periodically.
Jeremy Force, Director of Outdoor Ministries-Camp MoVal, will be on vacation from 8/19 until 9/5. Enjoy!
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Missouri Mid-South Conference ROCKS at National Youth Event in Florida!
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 We know our youth rock in the Missouri Mid-South Conference, but now so does everyone else in the UCC! Their presence at the National Youth Event in Florida at Disney World this past week was amazing. The energy, the grace, the prayers, the friendship, the laughter - it was phenomenal because of them! And let's not forget the youth leaders and adults who organized and also attended. Without those folks, our youth would not have been able to enjoy this experience.
So when you see a youth or youth leader at your church this weekend, whether they attended NYE or not, give them a big smile and hug! They are our future and we need to appreciate them on all levels. The gifts they bring to our congregations and conference are vital, and we are here to say, "YOU ROCK AND WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!"
Check out some of the great pics from the event, courtesy of Gina Pona, Kevin Cameron and Ginny Brown Daniel.
Below are just a few quotes from the youth at St. John's UCC in Chesterfield who attended NYE: Everyone's hyped, the energy is like nothing I've seen before. - Emily Smith NYE is lit and its staying. - Logan Potts Thank you for bringing us here. - Josh Hawkinson I enjoy the energy at NYE and hearing what the speakers have to say. - Morgan Arnold NYE has been a super great experience for me and the speakers are very inspiring. - Sara Pisoni NYE was a great place to find God and rare Pokemon #toomanyratatas #neverenoughJesus. - Anna Arnold I'm thankful for this opportunity to get to come to Disney. Special thanks to Betty Swag for buying the cakes in our fundraiser! #realMVP - Kara Potts You never know what might happen next at NYE. - Mackenzie Duvall
We'll share more pics and quotes next week from NYE, stayed tuned.
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Persons In Ministry (PIM) Retreat - Register Now
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September 19-21, 2016
The Inn at Grand Glaize, Osage Beach, MO 
Theme: Many Paths, One Mountain
The World's Religions: Primary Perspectives and a Closer Look
Local church pastors, retired clergy, chaplains, youth ministers/directors, Christian educators, and music directors are all invited to this year's PIM! Our journey will begin with an overview that groups religions into three families with similar traits and vastly different ways of approaching the central questions of faith. Then we will spend time exploring Islam, Daoism and Hinduism in more detail. How can we better understand our neighbors? How can really seeing them help us better understand ourselves and our own faith?
Our presenter will be Brian Carwana, Director of the Encounter World Religions Centre in Toronto. His presentation comes highly recommended by our clergy colleagues, Michael Stephens and Karen Aitkens. Enjoy time for fellowship, rest, and renewal, as well. Spouses/partners are welcome!
The cost of registration is $125 until 9/8/16; $135 after that date. Registration is now OPEN. 2016 PIM brochure. Contact Kris at the Conference office with any questions about registration. All hotel reservations must be made directly with The Inn at Grand Glaize by calling 800-348-4731 or visit their website. Be sure to use the code MMS16 when making your reservation to receive the discounted price of $89 per night for a king bed or $99 per night for two double beds, plus tax.
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MMS Heritage Cluster Pulpit Exchange
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July 31
The Heritage Cluster in our Conference is shaking things up this Sunday as each church will host a pastor from one of the other churches in the Cluster for Sunday worship. The pulpit exchange is one of the  many ways the Heritage Cluster churches collaborate to support one another and to reach out into our communities. They also work together on service projects, community education events, Cantata programs, and youth programs.
All are welcome to attend any of our services. Participating in the exchange are: 
Ebenezer UCC, Augusta, 9:00 - Rev. Shari Maddox
Emmaus Chapel, Marthasville, 10:00 - Rev. Karen Eck
Faith UCC, Wentzville, 8:30 & 10:30 - Rev. Kevin Weaver
Femme Osage UCC, Augusta, 10:00 - Pastor Don Frandsen
Friedens Peace UCC, New Melle, 10:00 - Pastor Austin McCandless
Immanuels UCC, Holstein, 10:00 - Rev. Don Bizer
St. John's UCC, Cappeln, 10:15 - Rev. Jeanne Lischer
St. Paul's UCC, Defiance, 9:00 - Rev. Donna Kendrick-Phillips
This is a great opportunity to hear a different pastor or to visit a different church!
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Conference Annual Planning Event (CAPE)
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September 10
10am-3pm
Columbia UCC
Save the date! On September 10 at Columbia UCC, we will gather for our second Conference Annual Planning Event (CAPE). 
Please mark your calendars for this important planning event. All clergy, church leaders, association members, and committee and covenanted ministry chairs/members are invited and NEEDED to help us move forward with the implementation of the Vision Team's recommendations for our Conference.
This is your opportunity to - Take Action. Join the conversation. Be part of the plan. Be part of the vision. Listen to new ideas. Have your voice heard. Make things happen. Establish our future!
We will be determining our priorities for the upcoming year and determining how we can go about achieving the work we are being called to do in our communities. Your input is vital. We hope you attend - YOU ARE THE CONFERENCE.
More details to follow soon in the eCourier and Conference website!
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Justice Witness Ministry - Prayer Vigil by Phone
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August 9
Noon-1:00pm
Yesterday, members of the Kansas City community commemorated the three-year anniversary of the killing of Ryan Stokes. On August 9th, members of the St. Louis community will commemorate the two-year anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown. People from the United Church of Christ will be part of both these events. 
In the past three years, we've found ourselves in ever-spiraling cycles of violence, particularly between our siblings who work in law enforcement and our siblings who are black.
Our hearts cry out in fear and anguish at the bloodshed, wondering where the violence will erupt next, and who among our family will be killed. In the midst of this fear and anguish, the JWM of the MMSC invites us to fast and pray for racial justice and for peace, that we might receive a spirit of power, love, and sound judgement.
You are invited to join together in Prayer Vigil and Mid-Day Fast by calling into the prayer line number listed below from Noon to 1:00 pm on Tuesday, August 9th. Prayers and liturgy will be led by MMS clergy and lay members.
We come together to bear prophetic witness, to grieve, and to connect to God's heart in prayer. We fast to acknowledge the suffering of the victims of violence and their loved ones, and in the hopes that we can end the cycles of violence in our communities.
Dial: 1-605-475-4000
Enter 765125# at the prompt
For information on related, continuing efforts in the KC area contact the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at 816.547.0719 or St. Mark Union UCC at 816.842.5454
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Ginny's Top 5 Suggestions for Celebrating Generosity in Our Churches!!!
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- Say Thank You!!!
- When it's time to pass out the quarterly statements - celebrate it, say thank you, and tell folks what 3 things the church has been able to do because of their generosity!
- Have a Generosity Moment every Sunday and invite diverse people to say why they want to give to your church and/or thank them for their financial generosity which allowed a certain ministry to happen!
- Stop posting the income and budgeted income because many churches don't make their budgeted income until December. We should be transparent and share our information
 in appropriate ways in the church office and at congregational meetings but celebrate and invite people to continue to give! - Show pictures of your ministries!!! Non-profits never send letters saying they aren't going to pay the bills without our money. They show pictures of how our money has made a difference in people's lives!
Ginny offered a Generosity Ministry presentation at the Western and Eastern Association Spring meetings. Many asked Ginny for a copy of her information, and here is a link containing her presentation outline. As our local churches prepare for their Generosity Campaign this fall, Ginny hopes this information will inspire you to celebrate the generosity of your church and the Missouri Mid-South Conference!
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What is a Narrative Budget?
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Everyone loves a good story. Telling your church's will actually inspire giving.
Looking for fresh ways to motivate members to be generous with their pledges? Have you considered creating a narrative budget to tell your church's story? The Cornerstone Fund shares some suggestions for why you should. . . 
Telling your church's story with pictures and text (in addition to presenting the necessary page-of-numbers documents) hits home for church members and inspires generosity.
As stated above, presenting your church with financial information is a necessity, but it doesn't have to be the only way to communicate the budget.
This type of budget divides costs across ministry areas, which ultimately reflects the true cost of ministry more accurately.
A narrative budget allows your church to celebrate and highlight a special outreach program or ministry, with photos and words, to inspire giving.
Learn more about narrative budgets >>
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Communications Consultant Position
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The Missouri Mid-South Conference, upon recommendation of the Communications Covenanted Ministry of the Missouri Mid-South Conference, is soliciting candidates for a part time Communications Consultant. This Consultant would work with the  Communications Covenanted Ministry to develop an infrastructure for communications in the Missouri Mid-South Conference, including but not limited to digital media and social networking. This Consultant would report directly to the Conference Minister of the Missouri Mid-South Conference.
The focus of this position is to plan, develop and produce a variety of materials and publications including print, visual, web-based, multimedia and video materials to convey information about the Missouri Mid-South Conference to a variety of stakeholders. This consultant would help to further develop and enhance the Missouri Mid-South Conference's internet and social media accounts. This Consultant would coordinate with the Conference Minister and the Communications Covenanted Ministry to determine styles of communications and interactions for various stakeholders. This Consultant would conceptualize and implement, administer and monitor a variety of projects using images, graphics, layout, design and devices to disseminate information and materials. One aspect of the job will be to continually experiment with new efforts to increase ease of navigation for the user, maximizing usefulness of information and revising sites based on external and internal feedback. To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, salary requirements to
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CIIMS Annual Summer Retreat
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Time is fast approaching for the CIIMS Annual Summer Retreat which will be at the Mercy Center on Tuesday, August 16. 
Please review the Reservation Form and the Agenda. Cost is $30 which includes lunch and snacks. Deadline for registration is today - July 29!
See you Tuesday, August 16th!
-submitted by Felicia Scott
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Hands Around the World Mission Festival Event
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Learn about the behind-the-scenes, on-the-ground realities of mission.
Hear from three spokespeople who have or now reside in the Middle East.
Dig deeper into the meaning of "mission" and what mission involvement means.
Join with your friends in Christ to network and explore actions in our global communities around the world. 
Seven missionaries will visit across four states in UCC and Disciples congregations, then gather in a host church near you for a day of discovery and learning about our Global Ministries.
You have the opportunity for a face-to-face discussion with people who have committed their lives to mission outside of the US, outside of their comfort zone, in challenging situations. Many of these are twenty-something years of age. They are all gifted workers and spokespeople for human rights, development and positive change in our world. Join us.
Saturday August 20, 9:30 - 3:00 pm
Webster Groves Christian Church in St Louis, St Pauls Marthasville, Zion Higginsville, Camdenton Christian Church and
Colonial UCC Prairie Village KS
Who will your church send? Is this YOUR call to mission?
Or Call the MMS Conference office 877.877.5884
Downloading Site:
Webster Groves Christian Church, or St Pauls Marthasville,
or Zion, Higginsville, MO, or Camdenton Christian Church
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2016 UCC Habitat Build
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In our 21st year with more than 24 houses built and over a million dollars donated, our St. Louis area UCC churches are about to begin still another partnership build with Habitat for Humanity.
On August 6 and 13, Church Coordinators and friends will complete demolition of a basement area in preparation for a complete rehab of a house on Norwich in the Riverview Garden's area. Over the course of the next three months, about 24 individual churches,  sometimes in pairs, will be sending Saturday volunteers to work alongside of the future homeowners to make dreams come true. It's exciting to watch first-class affordable housing make dreams come true for families who have often never had a chance to own their own home.
If you have never participated in our UCC Build, contact your local church leaders or speak with Bob Steen or Keith Karau about the possibility of working. You could get a taste for Habitat by working with the demolition crews on August 6 and 13. If you cannot work but would like to make a gift, your check may be sent to Dale Drape at Samuel UCC, 320 N. Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, MO 63105. Please make your check payable to UCC Habitat Build.
We change the world in small ways and with little steps as we work alongside of Christ. God still has need of a few carpenters and a lot of others to help. Workers must be 16 years of age to help (18 is using power tools). We hope you are able to help in some way to continue this wonderful effort.
-submitted by Rev. Keith Karau
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Member In Discernment Event
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August 17-19, 2016
Cleveland, OHThe Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Ministry Team of the United Church of Christ invites Members in Discernment (MIDs) to gather in the Church House in Cleveland, Ohio for networking, mutual support, sharing  resources and information, and inspiring worship. The Gathering is for anyone who is officially a MID with a local association for any form of authorized ministry - licensed, commissioned, and ordained. The purpose of the experience is to introduce MIDs within the UCC to the national setting of the Church and to build a foundation for vital relationships with lifelong partners in ministry. The event begins with worship in the Amistad Chapel at noon on Wednesday and concludes with lunch on Friday.
The majority of the costs of this event are underwritten by contributions to the United Church of Christ. Individual MIDs and their Associations are asked to contribute $100 each (for a total of $200) toward the cost of the event.Since space is limited to 50 MIDs per year, an individual MID may only participate in this gathering once during their process of discernment.
Be watching the website (http://www.ucc.org/ministers_considering-ministry) for more information and for the Registration Link, which will be available in Spring 2016.
Questions? Please contact Rev. Kathy Clark, Minister for Members in Discernment at clarkk@ucc.org. Event flyer.
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Rev. Dale Parson is on Sabbatical from July 1 to October 31, 2016 |
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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 - 7/29/2016
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Ordination & Installation for Guangyou Lou
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Installation for the Rev. Laura Mignerone
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2016-17 Worship & Preach Schedule for Ginny
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Weekly Podcast by the Rev. John Dorhauer
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MMSUCC Fall Association Meetings
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Blue Springs Open House & Re-dedication Event
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National Church Leadership Initiative Event
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Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society Event
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African American Women in Ministry Event
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