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February 16, 2010
Remember:
Yearbook Forms are DUE no later than February 19. Contact
Leslie
with any questions.
In This Issue:
Conference
Annual Gathering
Mo-Val
Trivia Night
ACM Search
Women’s
Retreat
CYE
Success
Congo
Partnership
Mission
Moments
Staff
Preaching
Calendar
Other News
Yearbook Report Forms
MMS
provides
this
online resource
to help fill out these forms. Due Feb. 19.
Mo-Val Work Day
We’ll work
on the Welcome Center on March 6, 9am-4pm. Please contact
George to help. 314-822-4627 or email to
geoconlee@yahoo.com.
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Conference Annual Gathering June 11-13
The Annual Gathering of the Missouri Mid-South Conference will
be held on the weekend of June 11-13 at Drury University in
Springfield, Missouri. Plans are underway for an exciting and
inspiring time together.
Our keynote speaker on Friday evening will be the Rev. Dr. David
Greenhaw, President of Eden Theological Seminary. We have
invited our partners from Jamaica who will offer a second
keynote during the luncheon on Saturday afternoon. We are
working to secure a third keynote speaker for Saturday
afternoon, who will address the theme of our meeting, Unbinding
the Gospel.
On Saturday evening we will celebrate the ministry of Dr. Jack
Seville, who will complete his interim ACM ministry with us on
July 1 and we will remember the 200th anniversary of the birth
of Rev. Louis Eduard Nollau, one of the early leaders and
founders of the German Evangelical Church.
Although this is a "FaithWorks" type gathering to which everyone
is invited, there will also be an important business meeting on
Saturday morning so we encourage churches to send delegates to
represent your congregation at our business meeting. During the
business meeting, we will vote on the 2011 budget; adopt
amendments to our conference constitution and bylaws; elect the
members of our new Conference Council and our 2011/2013 General
Synod delegates; and vote on the ratification of changes to the
UCC constitution and bylaws.
Registration material will be sent to all churches and pastors
and posted on our conference website in early March. Mark the
dates on your calendar now and plan to join your sisters and
brothers in Christ as we gather at Drury in June.
Mo-Val Trivia Fundraiser
Anyone up for Trivia? There are just a few tables left for the
Trivia Night this Saturday, February 20th! If you
have not reserved your table, do so today by calling Rev. Leah
(Atkinson) Bilinski at 636.239.6176 or by emailing her:
pastorleah@hotmail.com
. If you have expressed interest in a table, but have not sent
your money in yet, call Leah to confirm that you are still
interested. This Trivia Night is fast becoming a hot ticket
item! Make sure you are a part of it—call Leah today!
This Trivia Night is being hosted solely for the benefit of Camp
Mo-Val. All funds raised at this event will be used to enable
our continuing mission and ministry through our Conference
facilities at Camp Mo-Val. This evening is a great time for a
great cause. If you wish to support this mission and ministry
but are unable to make it for Trivia Night, we are accepting
financial donations. If you wish to make a financial
contribution, contact Rev. Leah Bilinski or Rev. Rick Oberle:
rick@bemchurch.com.
(Please make all checks out to MMS-UCC with “Mo-Val” on the memo
line)
If you are attending Trivia Night, there will be an opportunity
during the course of the evening to make an additional financial
donation to the continued operations of Camp Mo-Val as well. We
look forward to seeing you at Trivia Night!
ACM Search
The Missouri Mid-South Conference is seeking an Associate
Conference Minister to share their gifts and skills with us in
Missouri, Arkansas, and Memphis Tennessee. We are looking for a
gifted pastor who will share responsibilities for search and
call in our conference; provide support, guidance, and
consultation with assigned covenanted ministries especially in
the areas of youth, young adults, and Christian Education; and
provide staff support to one Association’s Committee On
Ministry.
Information and application instructions are available here.
(File is large. Allow time for the PDF to load.)
Women’s Retreat
Each year, the Missouri Mid-South Conference offers a women's
retreat. This year, the sponsoring churches are planning an
exciting retreat that will provide opportunities for spiritual
renewal, fellowship, singing, and gaining knowledge of other
faith traditions. Come join us for the Women's Retreat at Camp
Mo-Val.
A
flyer
is available for churches to put on their bulletin boards, and
an
informational brochure
with registration information is available for those interested.
CYE Success
This past weekend, we held a Conference Youth Event (CYE) at
Camp Mo-Val. 90 youth and adult advisors came to the event.
Check out
pictures
from the event!
Our Congo Partnership
Customs of the Democratic Republic of Congo are many. The most
welcoming of all is the giving of a name in the local language.
When the names of the members of my family were chosen, we were
given names of faithful Christians who had passed on. However,
when our youngest son was born he was given the name of a
village catechist, a lay preacher. Ronald, my husband was named
Efekya (ay fake yuh). My name was Bombula (bow mm boo luh).
A special ceremony was held at the church where they first had
an eonza (ay oh nn zuh) or gift-giving. People arrived with
oranges, bananas, eggs, sweet manioc, pineapples, chickens
(alive and squawking), sugar cane and breadfruit. These items
were presented and we expressed our appreciation. Then they gave
us our Congolese names which was a welcoming into the family of
the church. We truly felt honored.
Very soon we knew that my name, when translated, meant a
“windstorm”. I often joked that I was glad they named me before
they knew me. We were in Congo for almost 20 years and it took
us that long to finally learn the meaning of my husband’s name.
People, when asked, usually said they did not know the meaning
or sidestepped the question in some way. We finally learned
that it meant “the one who makes wise decisions around the
campfire”.
Our youngest son was named after Betoko (bay toe koe). When we
were nearing our time to leave Congo, Betoko walked 60
kilometers, without shoes, in the hope of meeting his namesake.
Unfortunately, our son was 1000 miles away in school in
Kinshasa. However, for the parents who were nearing burnout, the
visit came as a time of refreshment and renewal. Betoko brought
such a fine, sweet spirit and so generously shared with us about
his life, his work as a village preacher and his challenges that
we were nourished and our lives enriched. Betoko left with shoes
for walking, a drawing done by our son (an artist being one of
his talents), a new hymnal and a new Bible. Nzakomba (nn zah
comb bah), God was and is at work through dedicated Christians
whose names we share.
Mission Moments
This summer we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the
birth of Louis Edward Nollau, one of the founders of the
Evangelical Synod of North America and thus one of the founding
figures of what is today our UCC. The Wisconsin Conference is
sending a delegation to the birthday festivities in Reichenbach
and Goerlitz, Germany, July 1-8. To learn more about this
delegation, please contact Rev.
David
Moyer,
Conference Minister of Wisconsin. Brochures about the Germany
event are available in the Conference office.
The UCC’s 2030 Clergy Network, a network of UCC pastors in their
20s and 30s, is offering an event for professional connection,
renewal and worship. “Shepherding
the Shepherd”
will be held June 1-3 at Chicago Theological Seminary.
Staff Preaching
March 7 Jeff Whitman at Ivy Chapel
March 21 Jeff Whitman at Bethany, Berger
March 21 Jeff Whitman at St. Johns, Berger
March 28 Jeff Whitman at St. Johns, Casco
March 28 Jeff Whitman at St. Johns, Mantels
Community & Agencies Calendar
Calendar available with details on
MMS
website.
Feb. 17
Soup/Chili Supper at St. Martins, Dittmer
Feb. 19 Yearbook Forms Due to Conference office
Feb. 19 CoffeeHaus at Evangelical, Webster Groves
Feb. 20 Ravioli Dinner at Bethel – Florissant
Feb. 20 Chili Supper at Ivy Chapel
Feb. 20 Camp Mo-Val Trivia Night at St. Peter’s,
Washington
Feb. 21 “Bad Boys of the Classics” at St. Lucas, St.
Louis
Feb. 21 Sausage Dinner at St. Luke’s, Imperial
Feb. 21 Spirituals Concert at Pilgrim, St. Louis
Feb. 21 Chili Cook-Off at Friedens Peace, New Melle
Feb. 24 Lenten Services begin at Friedens Peace, New
Melle
Feb. 27 Trivia Night at Zion UCC – Florissant
Feb. 27 Eastern Association Confirmation Retreat
Feb. 28 Jim Hogue’s 4-way Covenant at California
Feb. 28 Lynn Bohlmann’s Ordination at Hope, St. Louis
Feb. 28 Sausage Dinner at St. Pauls, Marthasville
Feb. 28 Movie Night at Country Club Cong, Kansas City
Mar. 5 World Day of Prayer
Mar. 5 Fish Fry at St. John’s Evangelical
Mar. 6 Welcome Center Workday at Mo-Val
Mar. 6 Trivia Night at Hope Church
Mar. 7 Kenyon College Choral Concert at Hope Church
Mar. 10 St. Louis Ministerium
Mar. 11 Fish Fry at Immanuels Holstein
Mar. 12-13 Committees on Ministry Retreat in Jefferson City
Mar. 13-14 Sacred Harp Convention at St. Johns Pinckney
Mar. 14 Sausage Supper at Calvary, St. Louis
Mar. 14 Brad Urban’s Installation at Carondelet
Mar. 14 Sausage Dinner at Femme Osage
Mar. 19 Fish Fry at St. John’s Evangelical
Mar. 20 & 21 New Melle Passion Play
Mar. 21 Sausage & Beef Dinner at Friedens Peace, New
Melle
Mar. 21 Sausage Dinner at St. Martin’s Dittmer
Mar. 25 Jeff. Co UCC Communion & Brunch
Mar. 27 Lenten Workday at Camp Mo-Val
Mar. 27 & 28 New Melle Passion Play
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