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KANSAS-OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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K-O e-NEWS
April 10, 2013 |
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MISSION 4/1 EARTH CONTINUES!! |
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There are a variety of options for planting trees, both domestically and globally:
Here's one fun element: Once you plant a tree, your "thank you" will provides you a graphic that you can share touting that you "just planted a tree in Michigan," for example, or "Peru" or "Palestine." We're, of course, hoping for some friendly competition among states and countries for the most participation and visibility!
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WHITE MEMORIAL CAMP AND
CONFERENCE CENTER |
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IT'S A GIRL THING
GIRLS AND GOD
May 3rd - 5th
All Girls are welcome! Individuals, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Grandmothers, and Friends.
This is a GIRLS only weekend to relax, rejuvenate, and rejoice. Come prepared to have fun!
Early Bird Registration by April 20:
Family Registration $192.00 Per family.
Or Individual Registration:$50.00 Per person
After April 20 Registration:
$200.00 per family group registration. $65.00 per individual.
Activities include:
Labyrinth, Low Ropes Course, Milk Crate Climb, Disc Golf, Hike , Meditation Time, Lake activities, Archery, Hiking, Climb & Zip, Campfire, Tea Party and more.
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND REGISTRATION |
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Rev. Nancy Eggen to be honored at 2013 Equality Gala |
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2013 Equality Gala
Our Gala Chair Kirk Holt and Honorary Chairs Miranda & Philip Kaiser invite you to join over 600 Oklahomans for dinner, a live concert and a program honoring this year's award recipients:
Rev. Nancy Eggen for the
Russell Bennett Spiritual Inclusion Award
Paul Allen for the
Lifetime Achievement Award
TulsaPeople Magazine for the
Media Advocate Award
Saturday, May 4th, 2012 at the
Tulsa Convention Center
Tulsa Ballroom
100 Civic Center
Cocktails and the Silent Auction begin at 6:30 pm
Dinner and Program at 8:00 pm
Concert at 10:00 pm
Eric Himan Band performing the music of Queen
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We are trying to promote awareness and interest in overseas mission trips. If your church has a mission trip scheduled, which is open to others, please let us know so that we can promote it.
Internationally, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ work together. Therefore, we are hoping to promote mission efforts with the UCC and DOC for people and congregations of both denominations. Why should we work together internationally, and not work together in Kansas and Oklahoma?
To promote a trip you can contact Rev.Patrick Nixon who is the coordinator of overseas missions for both denominations; 316-540-6161 x2 patrick@cheney.kscoxmail.com |
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MISSION EXPLORATION TRIP
NICARAGUA |
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Trinity United in Cheney will be sponsoring a mission exploration trip to Nicaragua. Tentative travel dates are July 25 - Aug. 2, 2013.
This trip is designed for people who are considering getting involved with overseas missions. This trip is to match people and churches with sites that need what you can offer. For example, some churches have a passion for building things, but that is not appropriate for each site. We will look at sites that have needs for health, education, environment, women's issues, as well as some churches with their specific needs.
We will spend a couple of days with Trinity's partner village of Santa Emilia, Nicaragua as well as nearby La Flor. The plan is that we also spend a couple of days with our Global Missions missionaries LauraJean Torgerson and Tim Donaghy looking at churches and projects in the north of Nicaragua. Then we will spend a couple of days looking at Just Hope site Chacreseca in central Nicaragua.
The cost is not set yet, but it will probably be $750, plus air fare,
depending upon activities and number of participants.
If you have any questions, please contact Patrick Nixon
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WE ARE THE CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
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The United Church of Christ is an active member of Church World Service and many churches participate in the CROP Walk.
We would like to thank Colonial Congregational UCC, Prairie Village, KS for their participation in the 2012 CROP Walk.
The K-O Conference is looking for an individual (or two) to serve as the UCC Congregational Recruiter(s) who will contact the Kansas congregations, provide information about the 2013 CROP walk,and actively encourage increased participation. CWS would like the name and contact information of this person(s) by May 1, 2013.
Don't know what the CROP Walk is?
Click here to learn more.
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JUSTICE AND WITNESS EVENTS
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The Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty will host Sister Helen Prejean author of "Dead Man Walking" on April 17th. |
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Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking," will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday April 17, at the WSU Hughes Metropolitan Complex in Wichita. The event is free and open to the public. The Hughes Metropolitan Complex is at the corner of 29th Street North and Oliver.
Sister Helen Prejean has been instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the death penalty and helping to shape the Catholic Church's newly vigorous opposition to state executions. She travels around the world giving talks about her ministry. She considers herself a southern storyteller.
Sister Helen is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph. She spent her first years with the Sisters teaching religion to junior high school students. Realizing that being on the side of poor people is an essential part of the Gospel she moved into the St. Thomas Housing Project in New Orleans and began working at Hope House from 1981 - 1984.
During this time, she was asked to correspond with a death row inmate Patrick Sonnier at Angola. She agreed and became his spiritual adviser. After witnessing his execution, she wrote a book about the experience. The result was Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States. It became a movie, an opera and a play for high schools and colleges.
Since 1984, Sister Helen has divided her time between educating citizens about the death penalty and counseling individual death row prisoners. She has accompanied six men to their deaths. In doing so, she began to suspect that some of those executed were not guilty. This realization inspired her second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, which was released by Random House in December of 2004.
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Inequality - see a great 6-minute video
The rise in inequality in the U.S. and globally is hugely important. And while the general concept is easy to understand, the magnitude of inequality in the U.S. is difficult to depict. This six-minute video, Wealth Inequality in America, already seen by 5 million people on YouTube, does a great job of it. Please watch it and share it with others.
To learn more including how to reverse the trend, see resources on the UCC web pages (especially A Fair Balance: Reducing Inequality in the U.S. and around the World) and the many items posted on Inequality.com. By the way, Forbes estimates the combined net worth (wealth) of the world's billionaires (all 1,426 of them) hit an all-time high this year of $5.4 trillion, up nearly 20% from $4.6 trillion in 2012.
Thanks to Ann Zerkel and Santiago Leon for sharing the video.
Edith (Edie) Rasell, Ph.D.
Minister for Economic Justice
Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ
700 Prospect Ave., E., Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
Tollfree: 1-866-822-8224, ext. 3709; fax: 216-736-3703
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Church World Service offers
Long Term Recovery Basics Webinars |
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On April 16 and 17, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, the Emergency Response
Specialists of Church World Service will present Long Term Recovery Basics,
a broad overview of important steps to take while recovering from a
disaster. This presentation will discuss: necessary contacts to make;
organizing meetings; collecting information; managing donations, volunteers
and money for the long term, among many other topics.
Each webinar session will be approximately 75 minutes long, with a 15-minute
break.
To register for the series click here:
The sessions are:
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
2:00-3:45 pm Part 1
4:00-5:30 pm Part 2
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
2:00-3:45 pm Part 3
4:00-5:30 pm Part 4
Among those who will find this series of interest are:
- Clergy and lay leaders from houses of worship in disaster affected
communities.
- Persons serving on local Long Term Recovery Groups.
- Disaster Case Managers and the staff of organizations who may provide
disaster case management.
- Local, state, and federal Voluntary Agency Liaisons.
- Emergency Managers.
- Anyone concerned for those affected by recent disasters.
- Anyone planning to mitigate the hazards in their community before a
disaster strikes.
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IN HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION
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Prayers for Rev. Max and Rev. Lillie DaMetz who lost their son Max L. DaMetz
Max L. DaMetz, P.E., P.L.S., Olathe, KS, died peacefully on Friday, March 22, 2013 from complications due to ALS.
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Oklahoma's drought continues with no foreseeable end. Oklahomans of all faiths are asked to join us on three specific dates to pray for rain for our state:
May 1
June 26
September 18
A press conference at the State Capitol
(2nd Floor Rotunda) will be held on
Earth Day, April 22, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. to publicize this prayer campaign. Please join us!
Oklahoma Interfaith Days of Prayer for Rain Goals:
- To provide examples of scripture that discuss stewardship, conservation, creation and/or the environment.
- To educate members of the faith community about steps they can take to become better stewards of natural resources.
- To provide a framework for individuals and communities to host three days of prayer and fellowship throughout the year.
- To connect people of faith and their communities with local conservation districts and provide opportunities to participate in conservation activities at the individual and local level.
- To build a long-lasting relationship between the faith community and the conservation community for the benefit of our natural resources.
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Kansans can join Oklahoma in this prayer, we need the rain too! |
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- New Basel UCC - Abilene, KS - Pastor Erik Graefe & Congregation
- First Congregational UCC - Centralia, KS - Pastor Scott Caulley & Congregation
- Galeda and Montie Jones, Campus Ministry - Cameron University, Lawton, OK
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UCC CALENDAR OF PRAYER
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K-O CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Link to
the K-0
Calendar
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Apr 11, 2013 The UCC Clergy of the Tulsa Area of the K-O Conference will gather at 11:30 at Phillips Theological Seminary in support of the seminary UCC students.
Apr 19 - 20, 2013 - Brueggemann Lectures 9:00a.m.-12:30 p.m. Host Church: First Christian Church, 220 South Webster, Norman, OK
May 5, 2013 - 4:00pm - Installation of Pastor Dennis Ureche at
St. Peter's UCC, Inman, KS
May 18, 2013 - 11:00am - The 2013 graduation service for Phillips Theological Seminary at First Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tracy Megli and Lonnie Snyder are the UCC scheduled graduates.
June 2, 2013 -- 2:00 - 4:00 - Reception in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the ordination of Reverend Ken Tubbesing
, Details will follow. |
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We know there is a lot of things going on around the Conference. Let us
know. If you have something you want to share, please send it to us at kofocus@yahoo.com
Additionally, if you have a committee meeting coming up, please let us know.
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K-O CONFERENCE MINISTER'S SCHEDULE
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April 11 - Finance and Asset Commission
April 12 - COM Subcommittee A (Authorization) Conference Call
April 14 - Preaching at Fairmount UCC, Wichita
April 19 - COM Subcommittee C (Churches)
April 20 - Missouri Mid-South Western Association Meeting
April 21 - Preaching at Plymouth UCC, Lawrence
April 25 - COM Executive Committee April 26 - Personnel Committee Meeting
May 5 - Dennis Ureche Installation at Inman
May 10 - Foundation Board Meeting
May 11 - Conference Council
May 19 - Rosedale UCC |
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K-O CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
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Central Congregational UCC, Topeka, KS Carrier Congregational UCC, Carrier, OK Crosswalk United Church, Enid, OK First Congregational UCC, Great Bend, KS First Congregational UCC, Manhattan, KS First Congregational UCC, McPherson, KS First Congregational UCC, Stockton, KS Open Table UCC, Owasso, OK Zion UCC, Junction City, KS. |
| QUICK LINKS |
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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Edith Guffey, Conference Minister
Kansas-Oklahoma Conference
1245 Fabrique
Wichita, KS 67218
800-880-6466
Sara Shaw, Camp Director
1271 South 1050 Road
Council Grove, KS 66846-8520
620-767-5165 (Camp Office)
620-202-0311(Cell)
Nancy A. Wolfe, Conference Communications Coordinator
Our Church's Wider Mission is the lifeblood of ministry and mission in the United Church of Christ. Your contributions to this offering make this weekly e-communication and much, much more possible. Thank you for your generous support! Our covenant as local churches, associations, conferences and the national setting of our denomination is made evident through this mission together.
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