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KANSAS-OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
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MCPHERSON SENTINEL ARTICLE
LOCAL CHURCH TAKES ON EARTH MESSAGE
The First Congregational United Church of Christ in McPherson is part of a nationwide effort to offer 1 million hours of caring for the earth, plant more than 100,000 trees and send more than 100,000 advocacy letters on environmental concerns.
The project titled Mission 4/1 Earth, 50 Great Days is a denominational project of the United Church of Christ.
The challenge launched on Easter, April 1, and will continue through Pentecost, May 19.
The local church plans to plant four trees in its Meditation Garden and around the church grounds.
Individuals also are tallying the hours they spend recycling and doing other environmentally conscious activities, Dianna Carter, the McPherson church's moderator, said. Carter said the environment has long been a priority of the congregation. Last year, the church conducted an Earth Day celebration in its Meditation Garden. "Members of The First Congregational United Church of Christ are pitching in to reach that goal and to show that environmental issues are important to our community and to our world," Carter said in a news release. "Water conservation, recycling and soil care are all part of our efforts throughout the year as we feel God has entrusted us to care for the earth to ensure resources for future generations. Join us in our efforts not only during Earth Day and other promoted times, but throughout the year."
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University of Kansas Ecumenical Campus Ministries |
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Rev. Thad Holcombe, Campus Minister at KU ECM has retired.
Congratulations Thad and Best Wishes. Thank you for your ministry to the KU Campus. |
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Welcome the New Campus Minister |
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After a year-long search for a campus minister, the ECM Board has called Rev. Dwight Welch for the next Campus Minister at ECM beginning July 1, 2013. Dwight has accepted the call.
The Search Committee and the Board chose Dwight from among 12 very strong candidates after interviews and a visit to ECM to meet the Board and Leadership Team. We feel very fortunate that Dwight accepted our call.
Welcome to the K-O Conference and ECM Rev. Welch!
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Open and Affirming Churches
Let's get connected with each other. Many of the congregations in the K-O Conference that have adopted O'nA statements lack contact with others that have made the same commitment.
The UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns is interested in working with congregations and conferences "to organize effective regional Open and Affirming networks" that would
- help congregations work together as one movement,
- provide mutual support for ministry and advocacy, and
- build relationships with ecumenical and interfaith partners in the wider movement of welcoming congregations.
This could involve as little as a Facebook Wall or a list serve that would connect us in a loose network of relationships, to get acquainted, to share ideas, to raise consciousness.
If you would consider this level of involvement, please enable us to communicate with each other by emailing geraldhanna11@gmail.com to identify your congregation and to provide email contact information with a person who is committed to your O 'n A covenant.
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Central/Western Cluster Women's Fellowship
Spring Celebration
It's not too late to register or just come on in and join us! |
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A great day is planned for Saturday, May 18, 2013 by the Central/Western Association Women's Fellowship officers and ladies from Immanuel UCC.
We hope women from each church will join us, as the day
promises to be a good one. Dress is casual or dressy whichever you like; jeans and slacks are as welcome as dresses, wear an outrageous Easter Bonnet or Easter Hat.
For more details and registration click HERE .
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| | Tulsa Interfaith Alliance Annual Meeting
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The Tulsa Interfaith Alliance will be hosting Jay Bakker (son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker) for their Annual Meeting Dinner and Keynote Address on Thursday, May 16 at All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S Peoria Ave, Tulsa. The dinner starts at 5:00pm ($25/adult, $10/child--reservations required), and the keynote (FREE) starts at 7:00pm.
Jay will be talking about his latest book, "Faith, Doubt and Other Lines I've Crossed: Walking With the Unknown God." The book provides insight into Jay's journey from the vengeful, limited God of his childhood into a radically inclusive faith based on grace and love.
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Check out the progress of Mission 4/1. If you have been participating, don't forget to log in your hours.
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CWS APPEALS URGENTLY FOR
EMERGENCY CLEANUP BUCKETS
A shipment of 1,008 Church World Service Emergency Cleanup Buckets is scheduled to reach Peoria, Ill., on Tuesday (May 7) for distribution to area households as flood waters recede from their properties.
The DuPage County, Ill., Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management received and quickly distributed 500 at the end of April, and the Red Cross in Rolling Meadows, Ill., received 992 buckets for distribution Saturday (May 4).
Church World Service, a global humanitarian agency and sponsor of CROP Hunger Walks, emphasizes the importance of faith community involvement in long-term recovery from disaster. The agency enlists congregations in supplying tens of thousands of CWS Blankets, CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets and other CWS Kits for shipment to disaster survivors every year.
In addition, it helps flood survivors access the material, emotional, spiritual and human resources they need to get back on their feet and go on with their lives by helping communities to start their own long-term recovery groups.
As the 2,500th CWS Emergency Cleanup Bucket arrives today (May 7) in flood-ravaged Illinois, Church World Service is appealing urgently for people to replenish its rapidly dwindling supply.
Heavy precipitation from early 2013 storms and floods has resulted in widespread and severe flooding in Illinois and other states.
"The CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets are giving hope and help to survivors," said Barry Shade, CWS associate director for U.S.
disaster response. "With needs assessment ongoing, CWS expects to respond to additional requests from Illinois and other states for buckets. When we do, we hope to be able to respond without delay."
Only about 2,600 CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets remain in the agency's warehouse in New Windsor, Md., Shade said.
CWS Emergency Cleanup Bucket contents and instructions:
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JUSTICE AND WITNESS ACTIONS |
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Christian Churches Together
A Response to
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s
"Letter from Birmingham Jail"
Link to Document
50th Anniversary of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Letter from Birmingham Jail
April 16th, marked the 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's letter. Two days before April 16, more than 100 hundred Christian leaders met at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Birmingham to commemorate and revisit this historic document. Speakers representing the major Christian traditions in our country addressed those present, raising new questions, challenging with old ones, and making clear to all that Dr. King's call is still appealing to the soul of America.
CCT intends to continue these conversations on racial and economic justice and reconciliation, but more importantly CCT will seek ways to partner with others to address the real issues that affect millions of disenfranchised Americans.
Soon we will have streaming videos of the presentations at Birmingham available on our website; a study guide on CCT's Response Letter to Dr. King is on the works.
Christian Churches Together Response to Dr. King Letter from Birmingham Jail can be access HERE
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*New Basel UCC - Abilene, KS - Pastor Erik Graefe & Congregation
*First Congregational UCC - Centralia, KS
Pastor Scott Caulley, Interim & Congregation
*Galeda & 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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ink to
the K-0
Calendar |
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May 18, 2013
~ 9:30am - Central/Western Cluster Women's Fellowship Spring Celebration - Ellinwood, KS
~ 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.
June 8, 2013 - 10:30 K-O Conference Council Meeting. Wichita |
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K-O CONFERENCE MINISTER'S SCHEDULE
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May 16th
COM Committee D
May 17th
Ordination Review , Tulsa
May 19th
Garden City
May 21st
North Central Clergy Gathering
May 30th
Finance and Asset Commission
June 1
Friedens Church, Bern
40th anniversary Celebration for Ken Tubessing
June 9th
Ordination for Nikki Woolsey
Colonial Church Prairie Village
(pending positive call vote on June 1st)
June 11th
Oklahoma Council of Communion Leaders
Clergy Cluster Conversations in the Oklahoma Area 3:00 (Place to be determined)
June 13th
Clergy Cluster Conversations 10:00am Plymouth Church
June 14th
COM Subcommittee A (Authorization)
June 15th
Community Congregational Gaylord, KS
June 18th
North Central Clergy Gathering 10:00am First Cong Manhattan
Events Commission 5:30 Conf Office
June 23rd
Worship at Church of the Open Arms; Kathie McCallie's last Sunday
Clergy cluster Conversations Enid, OKlahoma
June 26th
Leave for General Synod
June 28-July 2nd General Synod Long Beach, CA
Join us as the General Synod is live streamed at www.ucc.org
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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. |
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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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