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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I have been discussing the Conference Ministry theme, "Living Our Change," in the many churches where I have worship recently. After I worshiped in one church, I received a note with the following message: "Dear Ginny, I'm so glad you were able to lead my congregation in worship. Yes, changes need to be made. I've seen many in my life time, and I want to support the ones we will make in the years ahead. I am enclosing a check for the Missouri Mid-South Conference pastor's discretionary fund." This member's check was for $200! Woohoo! I celebrate her recognition that change has happened in the past and that change will happen in the future for our churches. And I celebrate that this member was willing to give $200 in order to support our ministers as they lead our churches in Living Our Changes! I am excited to share that I will use her $200 gift in order to support ministers so they know they are not alone. This support may come in the form of a $10 gift card to Starbucks, Amazon, or ITunes! Just a simple way to let our clergy know that we support them as we are Living Our Change! How can this member be our teacher in our churches and conferences? How can we celebrate the changes in our past and the changes to come. And how can we give generously of our time, prayers, and money to support our leaders who guide us in Living Our Change? May God continue to inspire us to be generous as the Missouri Mid-South Conference. 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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| 9/16
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Maryland
| 9/17
| Memorial Service for the Rev. Dr. John Deckenback
| Lebanon, MO
| 9/18
| Worship at First Congregational UCC
| Osage Beach, MO
| 9/19-9/21
| Persons in Ministry Retreat
| St. Louis, MO
| 9/22
| 20-30 Clergy Chat
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| 9/23
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Chesterfield, MO
Jackson, MO
| 9/24
| St. Johns UCC, St. Louis Assn. Fall Meeting
Emanuel UCC, Eastern Assn. Fall Meeting
| Chamois, MO
| 9/25
| Worship at St. Johns UCC
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9/26-9/28
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Continuing Education
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Houston, TX
| 9/29 |
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| 9/30
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Houston, TX
| 10/1
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St. Louis, MO
Owensville, MO
| 10/2
| Worship at Grace UCC
CROP Walk
Speak at Gasconade County Bible Society Meeting
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| 10/7
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Columbia, MO
| 10/8
| Committee on Ministry Covenanted Ministry Meeting
| Chesterfield, MO
| 10/9
| Worship at Ivy Chapel UCC
| Houston, TX
| 10/10-10/12
| Work from Houston
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| 10/14
| Out/Sabbath Day
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| 10/15
| Conference Council Meeting
| Cosby, MO
| 10/16
| Worship at Hope UCC
| St. Louis, MO
| 10/17
| Worship/preach at St. Louis Assn. Women's Meeting
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| 10/21
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Raytown, MO
| 10/22
| Eastern Assn. Fall Meeting
| Weldon Spring, MO
| 10/23
| Worship at St. Johns UCC
| Houston, TX
| 10/26-10/28
| Work from Houston
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| 10/29
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Deepwater, MO
| 10/30
| Worship at Valley Center UCC
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Tyler's Schedule
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Location
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Date
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Description
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St. Louis, MO
| 9/18
| Worship/preach at Pilgrim UCC
| Osage Beach, MO
| 9/19-9/21
| Persons in Ministry Retreat
| St. Joseph, MO
| 9/21
| Zion UCC, Speaking at Gay Christian Fellowship
| Levasy, MO
| 9/22
| Ebenezer UCC, Lafayette Area Women's Fellowship
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| 9/23
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Chesterfield, MO
| 9/24
| St. Johns UCC, St. Louis Assn. Fall Meeting
| Raytown, MO
| 9/25
| Worship at Southwood UCC
| Higginsville, MO
| 9/25
| CROP Walk
| Florissant, MO
| 9/27-9/28
| Christ the King UCC Justice Revival
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Raytown, MO
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9/29
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Southwood UCC Boundary Training and Global Ministries Round Table
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| 9/30
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Springfield, MO
| 10/2
| Worship/preach at St. Johns Chapel UCC, World Communion Sunday
| Kansas City, MO
| 10/6-10/7
| Empower Missouri with Justice & Witness Covenanted Ministry
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| 10/7
| Out/Sabbath Day
| Dittmer, MO
| 10/9
| Worship/preach at St. Martins UCC
| Independence, MO
| 10/16
| Preach/lead Workshop at St. Luke's UCC, ONA Kickoff
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20-30 Clergy WebVideo Chat with Ginny
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Thursday, September 22
Noon-1:00 pm
On Thursday, September 22 at noon Ginny will host a noontime WebVideo chat with all authorized ministers in their 20's and 30's to affirm, support, and  empower you in your call to ministry! This 20-30 Chat affirms the 5 Mission Imperatives of the Missouri Mid-South Conference: Cultivating and Nurturing Authentic Covenantal Relationships, Strengthening Congregations, Supporting Authorized Ministers in All Settings, Improving Communication, and Advancing a Mission of Advocacy for Peace and Justice. Please see the below instructions on how to join the meeting. You will need a camera and mic to participate in the video portion, or you may just call in by phone:- Click here for instructions
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Before the meeting - If you do not have the FreeConferenceCall.com Desktop Application, go to www.freeconferencecall.com and click Get Desktop App (under Support) at the very bottom of the page to download or you will be prompted from the Web Viewer window.
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Introducing Rev. Nia Chandler
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The Missouri Mid-South Conference is pleased to introduce Rev. Nia Chandler,  our new Communications Consultant! We welcome Nia and the gifts she will bring to our organization. Consultant Rev. Nia Chandler has looked for innovative ways to be more efficient and effective in communications. With 20 years of experience in sales and marketing; visualizing and developing branding statements designed to capture the very essence and work of ministry partners, Nia goes beyond the development of communication plans, as she realizes individuals and ministry partners need support in not only identifying their brand, creating support materials, designing logos, and developing web-sites - which ultimately contributes to a comprehensive communications infrastructure and strategy. "It is my goal to work with a forward thinking Missouri Mid-South Conference Minister, Communications Covenanted Ministry, and various stakeholders to ensure that every person who desires to receive communication about this growing MMS Conference, has access to the communication vehicle that is most suitable for the message, messenger, and receiver! With a heart for God and God's people - together we will get there! I look forward to advancing the work that God has called me to do for the Missouri Mid-South Conference!"
Welcome aboard! We look forward to Nia guiding us into a dynamic communications partnership with our lay people, ministers and congregations.
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Invitation from Deaconess Foundation
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Member in Discernment Gathering Reflection
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- submitted by Bethany Meier, Western Association
Member of Country Club Congregational UCC, Kansas City
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the Member in Discernment Gathering at the national UCC headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. Over the course of the three days, I learned more about both the United Church of Christ and  the ordination process. I loved having the chance to explore the national offices, and to meet many of the people who do ministry there. We were blessed to hear Rev. Dr. Traci Blackmon shared an inspirational sermon about never losing the reason why we do ministry. General Minister and President Rev. John C. Dorhauer also spent some time with us, answering our questions and expressing his hopes for the future of the UCC.
The highlight of the gathering was the connections that I made while I was there. It was incredible to be able to spend time networking and fellowshipping with other MIDs from across the country. The diversity present at the conference was inspiring. We represented a multiplicity of ages, races, genders, gender identities, and sexual orientations. We are chaplains, ministers, activists, and musicians. We are called to many different ways of doing ministry, but all of us are passionate about doing it within the United Church of Christ.
 
I am very thankful for the time I spent in Cleveland. It helped to clarify some the questions I have had about both the ordination process and the UCC. Meeting other people who are on similar journeys gave me hope for the future of this beautiful faith tradition which we are all a part of. I look forward to continuing to foster these connections and grow within my relationship to the UCC as my MID journey continues!
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UCC Youth Video Contest
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Calling All UCC Youth (Grades 9-12)! Help Refugees - Win Scholarships - Share your Creativity!
ENTER the SYRIAN REFUGEE ACCOMPANIMENT VIDEO CONTEST
Show your awareness of the response to the Syrian refugee crisis and highlight your local community's plan of action for awareness-raising and welcoming.
Submit videos between October 1 and November 11, 2016. Three scholarships ($2,000, $1,000 and $500) will be awarded.  Give a boost to the visibility of a UCC extravagant welcome. Join other congregations in opening hearts and communities to refugees. First Federated Church, North Jackson, OH and Sylvania UCC share their mission trip experience via video walking "Hand in Hand" with Syrian Refugees resettling in Toledo, OH. Questions? Contact Mary Schaller Blaufuss, UCC Global Sharing of Resources Team Leader, blaufusm@ucc.org or 216-736-3214.
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National Church Leaders Institute Event Reflection
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submitted by Rev. Scott Lohse,
Pastor at St. Martins, Dittmer, MO
Our Conference recently sent fifteen delegates (the largest group which was present) to the National Church Leaders Institute (NCLI) presented by the Center for Progressive Renewal in Atlanta, Georgia. Each month those who were in attendance are being asked to write a note to share something of value which we brought home with us (and we brought home plenty!).
One of the most quotable quotes, which I have been repeating a lot since I returned home from NCLI, was a lesson which Doug Pagitt (Pastor of Solomon's Porch and the presenter at our MMSUCC Vitality Day two years ago) taught. Doug said, "When we are talking about 'change' - change in the world, change in the Church, change in our own individual lives - we shouldn't begin by assuming that everyone dislikes change." Actually we really seem to like change. Why else would marketers spend so much energy telling us that everything they want us to purchase is 'NEW' and 'IMPROVED'? What we don't like, and what we do tend to want to avoid, is loss - and 'change' always implies a loss of some type. For example the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17f - (and I like the way that the Message Bible translates the words) "...anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!" Note the excitement of the 'burgeoning' (exclamation point)! But, don't miss the news that "the old life is gone."
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Helping the UCC Mental Health Network
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It has taken some time to put together a process to respond to those interested in the work and ministry of the UCC Mental Health Network. The UCC Mental Health Network is seeking people who are involved in, committ ed to and passionate about mental health ministry.
Here you will find the form for the next step in this conversation.
There are at least these 3 ways to participate, as the form indicates:
- First, you could join in particular projects and programs of the UCC MHN, some which will be on-going.
- Second, you could be available to offer your skills/gifts in response to a specific need.
- Third, there a couple spaces open for a board member. The work of the board consists of a monthly conference call which means leading a workshop at General Synod, writing resources for Mental Health Sunday, developing new programs for congregations in mental health, writing grant proposals, responding to local congregations' questions about WISE, and more. Many of these tasks need to be carried out by those who are not on the board. As you might have read before, we are wanting to expand the reach of the UCC MHN beyond the board.
Thank you again for your interest,
Alan Johnson
UCC MHN BOD
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Peace Pole Ceremony at St. Luke's UCC
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On Sunday, September 11, 2016, St. Luke's UCC, Independence, dedicated a Peace Pole. The children, after receiving a treasure map from Pastor Paul Emily during Children's Moment, led the congregation out of the sanctuary to the east entrance of the church. The Peace Pole was the culmination of the three month Summer Fun Series study focused on "Blessed are the Peacemakers". The Peace Pole shares the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in four languages: English; German, the original language spoken at St. Lukes; Samoan, the language of St. Luke's sister congregation; and Spanish, to represe  nt St. Luke's work in Guatemala. The dedication ceremony was concluded with the singing of "Let There Be Peace on Earth".
St. Luke's UCC's prayer is that now and in the days to come, the Peace Pole stands:
- As a reminder of our call to be Peacemakers.
- As a reminder of our task as a congregation to teach peace, to proclaim peace and to live together with all of our brothers and sisters in peace.
- As a simple monument, marking this sanctuary as a place of peace for all of God's children.
- As a constant reminder to continue to seek and to share God's peace even in times of fear, tragedy and in the midst of ongoing war.
- As a reminder of God's unchanging presence with us in the midst of all of the world's uncertainty.
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National Voter Registration Day, September 27
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For people of faith, the public arena we know as "politics" represents much more than the partisan politicking we see on the news. It is a means by which we live out the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.  In 2008, six million Americans didn't vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn't know how to register.
Through the Our Faith Our Vote campaign we are working to ensure that all the people in our pews are empowered to lift their voices this November. Will you commit to making sure that everyone in you congregation is registered and ready to vote? Learn more: Read more here about Our Faith, Our Vote.
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World Communion Sunday, October 2, Neighbors in Need Special Offering
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Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry(CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Funding is provided through donations to the Neighbors in Need offering.Most UCC congregations will receive the NIN offering on October 2, 2016 as part of their World Communion Sunday observance. however, some local churches select another date. NIN contributions can be made on-line at any time here.
The 2016 theme for NIN is "This we believe" and connects the issue of child hunger to the work that UCC congregations are doing to serve their community and address this injustice.
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Deaconess and Local Churches Help Children Read
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On the 50th Anniversary of International Literacy Day, September 8, 2016, Deaconess Foundation announced small grants totaling more than $21,000 to 20 United Church of Christ congregations in the St. Louis area, spanning Missouri and Illinois. International Literacy Day seeks innovative solutions to further boost literacy in the future. Churches received funding for an array of projects from "Free Little Libraries" to efforts to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The 50th anniversary of International Literacy Day is celebrated under the banner "Reading the Past, Writing the Future."  Deaconess Foundation's grants align with the United Church of Christ commitment to children's literacy. The denomination recognizes that literacy is a critical component to improving the lives of children and reducing the number of Americans living in poverty.
"Literacy levels are notable indicators of the future outcomes for our children," said Reverend Starsky Wilson, president and CEO. "It is of utmost importance that children be provided with the best possible building blocks for success. We are pleased that these congregations are strengthening our children and community."
Congregations receiving funding include: Bethany-Peace UCC in St. Louis, MO; Bethel UCC in Cahokia, IL; Eden UCC in Affton, MO; Evangelical UCC in Highland, IL; First Congregational UCC in St. Louis, MO; Friedens UCC in Marissa, IL; Friedens Peace UCC in New Melle, MO; Glory to Glory Christian Church UCC in St. Louis, MO; continue article.
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Border Convergence Event with John Dorhauer
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October 7-10, 2016
with the Southwest Conference
You are invited to join the Southwest Conference, Oct. 7-10, 2016 in Nogales, AZ/Sonora, Mexico for Border Convergence. This partnership event between the Southwest Conference UCC, School of the Americas Watch, and the UCC national setting will call for the demilitarization of border communities, call out immigration policy injustice, and imagine a future that builds bridges not walls. A flier about the event for you to share with your congregations is attached. The schedule on Saturday, Oct. 8 includes a UCC gathering in the morning and an interfaith prayer vigil that evening; John Dorhauer will be with us that day.
We are calling on all settings of the UCC who are unable to travel to the border to send a cross (2'x1') of witness, support and remembrance. We will deliver the crosses to the wall as part of the UCC actions at the event. Crosses have already begun arriving at our office.
Thank you for promoting this important justice action among your congregations!
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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 - 9/16/2016
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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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Persons in Ministry Retreat Event
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MMSUCC Fall Association Meetings
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Rev. Tyler Connoley at Zion UCC in St. Joseph
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Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society Event
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African American Women in Ministry Event
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