Inside This Issue

Habakkuk Project

Educational  
     Opportunity

General Synod

Name the News

Strengthen the
     Church

Jeff Preaching
     Schedule

Transitions

Mission Moments

Camp Mo-Val

Church News

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HABAKKUK PROJECT

The reports of the Habakkuk project task group are now ready. This group has been engaged in an evaluation of our conference structure and staffing and has been working to discern strategic priorities to guide our conference ministry. You can find the document on the Conference website.  www.mmsucc.org

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY

Shattering the Holy Hush: The Church's Response to Domestic Abuse is an event you will want to attend. Hosted by the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Columbia, MO on Thursday, October 1, 2009 from 9am to 3:30pm, the event costs $65 and includes lunch. The leader is Dr. Nancy Nason-Clark, a Professor of Sociology at the University of North Brunswick (in eastern Canada) and Director of the Lilly funded RAVE Project.  Religious congregations, their leaders and members can help women address the spiritual questions that surface when abuse impacts their relationships and home. The language of the spirit speaks of healing and of connecting with God and with sisters and brothers in God's family. When the resources of the community are brought together with resources of the spiritual world, believers who have suffered abuse are given strength and support to combat even the greatest of fears. Christian women need to hear that abuse is always wrong, never part of God's design for healthy family living.  Additional Information will be available on the Conference Calendar in the near future.

GENERAL SYNOD

UCC Going Green at General Synod

Living into our commitment to preserve our planet means changes in the way we do business at GS 27 in Grand Rapids. In addition to asking General Synod delegates and attendees to print their own meeting materials, the UCC has requested and received documentation of implemented 'green' initiatives from the DeVos Place convention center and Grand Rapids area hotels.  Read more…

NAME THE NEWS

The votes are coming in!  A race is heating up between “eCourier” and “MMS Connections”, with “eCourier” taking the lead!  We will keep voting open until the 30^th of May.  A regularly up-dated graph is available on the website to show progress.  Check it out and VOTE!  www.mmsucc.org

STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH

Faithfully Building the Body of Christ supports church growth and leadership development in the conferences and through the national offices of Local Church Ministries. Received annually on Pentecost Sunday (May 31st).

 Read more…

For more information, contact Kate Huey at (866) 822-8224, ext. 3855.

CONFERENCE MINISTER’S PREACHING SCHEDULE

May 31 – Trinity UCC, Lexington

June 7 – St. Paul UCC, Gerald; 8am

June 14 – Ebenezer UCC, Levasy

June 21 – Ivanhoe UCC, Kansas City; 10:30am

June 23-July 1 – Attending General Synod

TRANSITIONS

Anisa Evans will be Ordained on Saturday, May 30, 2pm, at Evangelical UCC in Webster Groves.

Michael Kasevich will be Installed on Sunday, May 31, 2pm, at St. Paul UCC, Old Monroe.

Judy Fiocco will be Ordained on Sunday, May 31, 3pm, Evangelical UCC in Boonville.

Tim Biesemeier will celebrate a Service of Recognition on Sunday, June 7 at St. John UCC in Emma.

John Attaway will be Installed on Sunday, June 7, 3:30pm, at Good Shepherd UCC in St. Charles.

Ellen Martin will celebrate her Ordination/Installation service on June 14^th, 4pm at the First Congregational Church UCC in Lebanon.

Rick Reidel will be Installed on Sunday, June 14, 3pm at St. Paul UCC in Hermann.

St. Peter’s UCC, Owensville after a verrrrrry lengthy interim time has called Rev. Christopher Ross to be their pastor, beginning August 24.  Christopher is coming from Benson, Minnesota where he began his ministry after graduating from Eden Seminary in 2004.

St. John UCC, Chamois and Chamois United Methodist Church have called Pastor Denise Walker to be their pastor, beginning July 1.   Denise graduated last Friday from Eden Seminary and has been serving 2 United Methodist Churches in northwest Missouri as a licensed pastor for the last five years.

This week we would like to introduce Michael Bone who was called to serve Zion UCC in Union beginning on March 1, 2009.  He graduated with a BA in Christian Studies from Campbellsville College in 1983, and earned his M.Div. from Northeastern Baptist School of Ministry in 1990, and his Ph.D. in Religious Studies at Boston University in 2001. Michael comes to us most recently from First Congregational Church in Greeley, Colorado.  Prior to that he has served churches in New Hampshire and Vermont. Michael enjoys browsing second-hand bookstores for books on theology and philosophy.  Please welcome Michael to the Missouri Mid-South Conference.

MISSION MOMENTS
 

During this season of graduations and commencements, your Missouri Mid-South CUE Committee invites the congregations of our conference to lift up in prayer and celebration the graduates of the CUE Seminaries of Chicago, United and Eden.  This year the three seminaries together are returning 109 women and men to the church who are prepared to answer God’s call for leadership and service.  We pray that God will guide them in their discernment and search for their future ministries. Thanks be to God!

Your Global Ministries Update: May 26, 2009

Disciples and UCC… together in God’s global mission - Visit us at: http://www.globalministries.org/

Please download the MONTHLY MISSION STORY for your church bulletin or newsletter:  

          May 2009:  text only or pdf or espanol

          June 2009: text only or pdf or espanol

To download the WEEKLY PRAYER for Sunday Worship, click here: Colombia

Check out Global Ministries at General Synod: GM at General Synod

From Eden Seminary

There will be no confirmation day this fall.  Instead Eden is going to have an older high school event on Saturday November 14. (juniors and seniors). Mark your calendar now.

CAMP MO-VAL
Male Counselors needed for Adventures in Community, our camp for adults with developmental disabilities, from June 6-12.  The minimum age is 18 and our most senior counselor is 81.  The slower pace of the camp session makes it a good option for retired church members who are looking for a significant service opportunity.  Training and lots of support are provided and most of the campers are fairly high functioning.  For more information, contact Rev. Sue Leary at 314-843-5100 or pastorsue@stphilipsucc.com  or Rev. Bruce Moeller at (636) 228-4586 or revbrumoe@hotmail.com.

Fun in the sun!!   Sign-up for summer camp!!  There is still time to sign-up for summer sessions at Camp Mo-Val.  A couple camps are now full, but most still have openings.  Contact the Camp Office at 636.583.2730 or 1-877-344-2267 toll free or moval@mmsucc.org to receive a brochure or check on a specific camp.  General information is also available on the camp web site at www.campmoval.org   MAKING MEMORIES THAT LAST A LIFETIME!

For more information please call 636-583-2730 or toll free 877-344-2267; email: moval@mmsucc.org or check the website.

LOCAL CHURCH & AFFILIATED AGENCIES NEWS

(For more details check here….)

May 30, CROP Walk Hunger Day at the "K"- the KC Royals vs. the Chicago White Sox

May 30, Neighborhood Houses Family Fun Fair in Fairgrounds Park.

May 30, Social Security Disability Workshop at Christ The King UCC.

May 31, St. Peter’s Evangelical UCC in Ferguson Golf Tournament

May 31, Sheltered Reality drum performance at Columbia UCC

June 6, Tailgate Sale at Christ The King UCC, Florissant

June 6, LIFE program one-day retreat at First Congregational Church, Webster Groves. 

June 6, St Martin’s UCC, Dittmer Annual Chicken Supper

June 7, Prep for General Synod at St. Lucas UCC, Sunset Hills

June 12, Christian Family Night with the River City Rascals

June 14, Labyrinth Festival and Picnic at Zion UCC, Florissant

June 14, St. Philip's UCC, South County, hosts an Appraisal Tea

June 20, Habakkuk Meeting at St. Luke’s UCC, Independence.

June 26-June 30, General Synod at Grand Rapids, Michigan

June 27, Habakkuk Meeting at Evangelical UCC, Cape Girardeau

This email newsletter is published to promote the mission and ministry of the Missouri Mid-South Conference, United Church of Christ, its congregations, and other settings of the United Church of Christ.

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