Wyatt Park CC Participates in St. Joe Serve

The weather was perfect Sunday, September 27th  as nearly 60 members of Wyatt Park Christian Church joined together with servants from 14 other churches for St. Joe Serve. The intention of St. Joe Serve is that “the church will leave the building” and go into the community to serve in Jesus’ name. This year, more than 400 people from 15 congregations participated, doing home repair and clean-up work in an older residential neighborhood in mid-town St. Joseph. The evening before, volunteers joined together at Wyatt Park’s weekly 5PM Saturday service for praise music, prayer, and communion, and then they left the sanctuary to walk the neighborhood and pray for the people who would serve, and for those who would be served.

After the work day was complete, volunteers and their families joined with neighborhood residents for a “block party” in the parking lots of St. Francis Catholic Church. In addition to Disciples, Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Assemblies of God, Foursquare, and non-denominational congregations were represented.

Story and photos courtesy of Wyatt Park CC pastor
Rev. Scott Killgore.

Four Springfield Churches Recognized for Mission Work

South Street, Central, Brentwood, and National Avenue Christian Churches received the Council of Churches of the Ozarks' Church Collaboration of the Year award for 2015. This is the second year in a row for South Street to receive the honor, which was announced recently at their annual Celebrate Compassion gathering.

 

 

The churches are being recognized for the Wine into Water evening that they presented in February to raise funds for Week of Compassion's efforts to supply clean drinking water in African communities where it is currently unavailable. 

That event included wine and beer tasting as well as a silent auction and other activities. Read all about it here. It was such a success that planners decided to do it annually, so watch our upcoming events for next year's date!

Youth Scholarship Golf Scramble at FCC Edwardsville

On Sunday, October 4th, the First Christian Church Youth Group of Edwardsville, IL held their fourth annual youth scholarship golf scramble.  We were blessed to once again have the Jack H. Enloe Memorial Foundation as the event sponsor.  With the help of our sponsors, donors, and the many volunteers, we have made this event one that golfers look forward to participating in each year.  The youth of First Christian Church raised $10,300 that will be used to help with scholarships for mission trips, camps and activities throughout the year.  Not every family can afford all of the extra curricular activities and expenses throughout the year and we will not leave any youth behind.  We worship as a group, we travel as a group and we have fun as a group!  

 

 

Story and photos courtesy of Jeff Wrigley,
Youth & Children's Minister.

FCC Maryville Member Organizes Faith Run

Having just graduated high school and wanting to help youth like herself focus on everyday faith into the next phase of their lives, FCC's Angie Meyers organized the Faith Run in Maryville.

As reported by the Maryville Daily Forum, Meyers said, "An idea came to me when I was at a meeting for church camp and the guys at the meeting asked everyone how to keep the youth engaged with church," Meyers said. "I was thinking about the fact that kids like to be active. I wanted to find a way to exercise and grow in our faith at the same time." 

More than 50 youth participated in the event, which took place from 10pm to midnight on August 7th, and began with a prayer circle before the 5K of walking/running.

Members of the church helped out by serving at water stations and as crossing guards and 'sweepers' to make sure all were safe. The Maryville Police Department was also on hand to help navigate the crossing of Main Street.

 

 

There is talk of this perhaps becoming an annual event. Way to go, Angie and the active and faithful youth of Maryville!

Read the full Maryville Daily Forum story here.
Thanks to Lisa Smeltzer and Sue Schenkel
for information and photos.

 

The Intersection of Art and Justice at National Avenue CC, Springfield

On a recent Friday night, the Gallery at National Avenue Christian Church in Springfield, Missouri was filled to the brim with beautiful art, delicious food, and more than 300 people. For the past two years, National Avenue has been hosting the monthly meetings of Studio 55 – an art guild for artists who are over 55.  The Guild’s membership has grown dramatically in the past two years and they credit the beautiful meeting space and the hospitality of National Avenue for much of that growth.

 

Studio 55's second annual art exhibit and silent auction on September 4th was a benefit for two of National Avenue’s justice partners: RareBreed, a Springfield organization providing help to street-dependent teenagers; and Crosslines, a ministry of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks that serves families in crisis situations. All the proceeds from the silent auction and 25% of the art which is sold will go to these two agencies. The sales from last year’s event were a little over $1,000.00. Sales from the event this year are currently over $5,000.00 and the exhibit will remain in the Gallery until the end of September.

The Gallery at National Avenue was created out of a desire to find the intersection of art and the practice of doing justice in the Springfield community. As part of its mission, the space is used throughout the year as it shares distinctive exhibitions of contemporary fine art by local and regional artists working in a broad range of media and styles. This mission is lived out more fully as each event benefits a charitable organization as part of the gallery's commitment to social justice and community outreach.

 

 

Story and photos courtesy of NACC staff.
This event was covered by the Springfield News-Leader here.

A Case for Smiles in Fulton

Ginger Beasley and others at First Christian Church in Fulton are making a difference with an organization called Ryan's Case for Smiles (formerly ConKerr Cancer). The group's purpose is to make pillowcases for children who have a life-changing illness. The cozy, fun, bright designs are made with love and delivered with kindness, bringing moments of comfort to patients and their families.

It started when Ryan Kerr was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of twelve. He endured five recurrences, 30 months of chemotherapy, 15 surgeries, the amputation of his right leg, and more than 150 days of physical therapy before the disease claimed his life. Through it all he kept his own spirits up and continuously inspired those around him. His mother Cindy was a quilter and decided to put her sewing skills to work to bring a little bit of fun, comfort, and hope to kids dealing with such difficult situations.

September is a special month for Smiles folks as they have a case-making drive called Miles of Pillowcase Smiles. During this month, the goal is to create 44,000 pillowcases to be distributed throughout the rest of the year. This number represents the number of children in the U.S. that are treated each year for some type of cancer.

This September is even more special as each chapter (and there are 115 of them in five countries!) will present a uniquely embroidered case to recognize the fact that they have distributed 1 million pillowcases worldwide.

The local chapter out of Columbia holds sewing workshops at First Christian Church and other locations, provides case kits to be assembled and returned, accepts donations of materials, collects contributions at a number of local businesses, works with several hospitals to get cases to kids, and even directs families to support resources. There are also Missouri chapters in St. Louis and near Branson.

Check out the quick fact sheet here.

Florissant Valley Christian Church Makes a Joyful Noise

Florissant Valley Christian Church decided in 2008 that we would take up a special offering once a month. This offering would be our change that we had in our pockets or purses. The first time we did this it was just a surprise. It was not planned but since then we do it on the second Sunday of each month. We take the pads out of our offering plates so that we truly make a Joyful Noise as we drop in our coins. We have had people bring in their change in both large and small containers. We have one gentleman who wants to see the offering trays so heavy that they cannot be carried out by one person. We have come close but haven't succeeded at this goal just yet. 

My normal place to sit is in the back under the balcony. It is such fun to sit and watch the expressions of the congregation as they drop their coins into the plates and hear the noise they make. There is much joy on the faces of everyone as they give this offering each month. It is a blessing to both the giver and the receiver. 

We now plan ahead and have someplace special each month for this offering. Sometimes it is an outreach offering and sometimes we use it for something special we are working on in our church. People save their change or they hand a check or cash to the treasurer. 

From December 2009 until December 2014 we have collected over $7,500 with our change. We didn't keep track of what we collected for the first year or two. We have helped with our Shoebox shipping expenses, Habitat for Humanity, Loaves and Fishes, Faith in Action, Wheels for the World, TEAM, Our Youth Puppet Ministry, the purchase of a new playground, and many other things that have come up during the years.

These are things that are not in our budget. They are over and above what we normally give to.

We have been truly blessed with this offering. 

 

Story and photos courtesy of Carol Mayer.

Brentwood Christian Church Holds Diaper Drive

For about six weeks this summer Brentwood Christian Church held a diaper drive to benefit Crosslines (previously reported as Diaper Bank of the Ozarks in error).

Crosslines is an organization of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks which keeps as its focus and goal:
No One Goes Hungry. Ever.
Fighting the War on Poverty. TOGETHER.

For many years, Brentwood CC has been collecting canned food and other non-perishables that volunteers deliver to Crosslines and distribute to families the first Monday of every month. Additionally, they run a toy drive every December for the Christmas-shopping store that Crosslines runs for low-income families. Then periodically, they participate in other supply drives as needed, such as the recent diaper drive. 

Organized by the congregation's Lydia Circle, the drive focused on newborn size diapers, baby wipes, and gently used 100% cotton T-shirts for recycling into cloth diapers. They also collected monetary donations for the purchase of these items. This is the second such drive that the congregation has held to help the parents and families of their community.

 

 

 

Wyatt Park Christian Church Junior Mission Trip

This  was the 5th year that Wyatt Park Christian Church has taken the 4th-6th graders on a "junior mission trip" during VBS. Each evening they serve in Jesus' name somewhere in St. Joseph. This year, the first 2 nights were spent working with Inter-Serv, doing a variety of tasks at 2 of their facilities. The third night was at the YWCA and then the last night was spent clearing 2 trailer loads of brush and overgrown weeds from around the home of an elderly church member.

At the YWCA they volunteered at the shelter for abused women and children. After another group from the congregation had volunteered there the month before, the church received this letter from the YWCA's Training and Outreach Coordinator:

Dear Wyatt Park Congregation,

Thank you so much for including the YWCA in your outreach for the youth mission work during VBS. The young people that represented your church are outstanding! The children were so excited to have a group come in and "hang out" and just make life simple for them if even for a little while. One of our moms said, "My boys were so excited to be able to hang out with quality men that didn't hit them. It made me realize how important it is for me to continue my process, leaving my situation." I hope your youth realize that they can make a difference with God's love and that your church has touched a family's life!

We thank you for all that you do for the YWCA!!

The congregation also purposely took the VBS program out of the church building and met in local parks with the intention of reaching neighborhood children who don't have a church home.

Thanks to Scott Killgore for the
story and photos.

FCC in Mexico Visits the Heifer Ranch

by Christian Education & Youth Director Sara Bright

We had a great experience at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR.  I had heard about the ranch through another church that has gone in the past.  However, I liked the idea of the ranch because it was something different than our usual mission trips that take us into a city.  Most of our kids are from our small town but do not have much experience with a working farm or ranch so we thought it would be a good chance for them to have a completely new experience. 

We had 17 people total go on the trip,  3 of us were adults while all but one where middle school students.  

We are very lucky in our church that the congregations supports us very well.  We do all of our fundraising in the church building.  We have put on all church dinners, bake sales, and other small events to earn the money for our trips.  We are very lucky.

While we were at the ranch there were times when the youth did not seem to be understanding the purpose of what we were doing.  They just thought of the jobs as tasks that needed to be accomplished and that our global village experience was just a game to win.  When we returned home I was amazed with what they wanted to share with the church.  They had realized that they are very fortunate to have what they have while others have nothing.  They realized how important it is for everyone to work together.  Unfortunately we have not been able to get together yet since our trip to start after trip projects or discussions.  I am hoping we can do that soon and put some of the things that we learned into action.

I would recommend this trip to any group that is thinking about a new experience for a mission trip.  

Wonderful Wednesdays in Kennett

First Christian Church in Kennett invited the First Presbyterian Church and the newly constructed Community Kitchen to partner for five weeks of Wonderful Wednesdays this summer. Children in grades 1-8 have engaged in active games, art activities, cooking nutritious foods, learning about healthy snacks, and harvesting produce at the Community Garden. The idea grew from last summer's afternoon open recreation for children in the church, who suggested to Pastor Doug that the events be expanded to include more children. This year the church partnered with two other groups to expand the activities and to rotate locations between the organizations. Wonderful Wednesdays have tied into the Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities initiative that strives to get kids more active and become aware of what they eat.

General Assembly Mission Opportunities

The local arrangements team has identified several mission opportunities that will be available during General Assembly in Columbus this July.

There's knitting scarves or donating knitting supplies for a local shelter, restoring homes with Habitat for Humanity, helping with the local food bank run, donating blood, and learning about how to participate in and even organize a CROP Hunger Walk. Find all the information about how to get involved here.

 

 

There are also three opportunities for youth to get involved in mission on their way home from Assembly. Projects are available in Indiana, Kentucky, and  Ohio. Check out the details here.

And don't forget the mission project for everyone... you can help by donating your old used plastic grocery bags. The Disciples Women and Disciples Youth are crocheting them into sleeping mats for the homeless. Learn about this unique project and get involved today!

Disciples of Christ lead in the growing partnership between emergency services and the faith based community

Tammy Clough - deacon at First Christian Church, Cameron, is pictured here with Cameron Fire Chief Mike O'Donnell and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Walser.  Tammy serves as the Deputy Emergency Management Director for Clinton County.  She recently participated in the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Annual Conference in Branson along with Roger Latham, member at Savannah First Christian Church and Andrew County Emergency Management Director who also attended with his wife Alice.

Emergency Management Directors oversee the formulation of comprehensive emergency plans for their jurisdiction and participate in leadership during responses to large scale emergencies.

Disciples have compiled a very helpful handbook called Help and Hope available at Chalice Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darren Day, member of Broadway Christian Church, is pictured here at SEMA headquarters in Jefferson City, with Deb Hendrick - Statewide Volunteer Coordinator and Susamma Seely - President of the Missouri Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (MOVOAD).  Darren is representing Mid-America Disciples of Christ in MOVAOD and in the Missouri Interfaith Disaster Response Organization (MIDRO) which is currently chaired by Regional Minister Team member Bill Rose-Heim.  Darren is a Boone County volunteer firefighter, an on-line business instructor at Central Methodist University and a stay-at home dad who has prior experience with emergency management at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia.

Disciples of Christ congregations wanting to connect with free resources to help them prepare to survive and serve during and after community-wide emergencies can check out www.midrodrc247.weebly.com/resources.html.  

Church Extension Fund is also preparing new resources and services for Disciples congregations preparing for or recovering from disasters. They plan to launch the new service during the 2015 General Assembly.

National Avenue Christian Church Supports Teens with Shoes - and so much more!

This year, we celebrated God’s wild, moving, living Spirit with shoes all around us on Pentecost Sunday. One of our partners, the Rare Breed drop in center, invited us to return this year with the Converse shoe project which we had enacted during the Lenten season last year. Teens at the Breed go to the center for various reasons: some teens are street dependent; others need access to resources such as GED classes or medical help; some need a quiet place they can be themselves; and 40% of the teens especially need to know they are loved after being kicked out of their homes when they came out to their parents as LGBTQ+. 

We went to the Breed and took shoe orders on three separate evenings.  Teens were given an opportunity to choose the color and type of shoe they wanted, as well as give us the size they needed.  We asked for two choices and explained to the teens that we would work hard to find their shoes. On the third night, we had collected orders for 90 pairs of shoes.  

Our community of faith at National Avenue Christian Church was invited to make donations to purchase shoes.  Each pair cost approximately $40.00 and we also invited community members to purchase the shoes in honor of a person who had guided them in their understanding of faith and exemplified the Spirit of the Church. Funds were also raised in other ways – one of our favorite pie makers Benny Ellis, a retired teacher, baked custom-made pies offered with over five delicious toppings. The $10.00 fee charged for each pie, allowed Benny to make a sizeable donation towards the purchase of shoes.

As part of our celebration of the church, we blessed the shoes on Pentecost morning in worship. During the Children’s Conversation, our children took boxes of shoes into the congregation so that everyone could have the opportunity to be part of the blessing. Those in attendance that morning were asked to look at the name of the teen who would be receiving the shoes written on the box. As they held the shoes during worship, they were invited to pray for the teen and the feet that would be wearing these shoes later in the week. 

Following worship, the congregation was invited to come into our Gallery and write a note of love and support for their teen and then, place that note in the box along with a new pair of socks and place a colorful ribbon around these wonderful new shoes.  It was amazing to watch how joyfully these tasks were carried out.

 

Beginning that day, and in the week following, we heard so many stories of how members of our faith community felt they had been blessed by the opportunity to pray for the feet that would be wearing these shoes. There was a realization that it is one thing to talk about Street Dependent teens as a group of young people, and an entirely different feeling to pray for one individual young person who lives on the street day-in and day-out.

As we listened for the Spirit through the liturgy, music, and message that day, we were reminded that we are constantly being swept out of the Church to love and care for a world that is waiting for the marvelous Good News of the Gospel. And we felt certain that the Spirit walking around among us on this Pentecost Sunday – was wearing a pair of pink Chuck Taylors and celebrating with all of us.  

story and photos courtesy of National Avenue CC's Rev. Jenn Simmons

33 Years of Making Pies for Mission in Neosho

For several years the Neosho Christian Women’s Fellowship had a fall bazaar to raise funds for national and state outreach projects. When flea markets and craft shows became so numerous, it seemed time to make other plans. A church in Springfield, Missouri, had a very successful apple pie program. It was decided to give it a try in Neosho.

The first year 78 pies were made. They sold well but rolling the crusts slowed production. A few years later a man in the church bought a used pizza roller. Production quickly increased. It became a total church project as the men came to help. Sixty bushels of apples were purchased from an orchard and the production goal grew to 1000 pies. They were sold “as made” or frozen.

Dough makers come on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Ladies weigh dough for each crust. Others make it into 4 inch “biscuits”, ready for the pizza machine. While dough is being made, sugar and spices are mixed. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, men come in at 6 am and start peeling apples. Women come in and cut them into slices. Two or three women take pie crusts from the roller and check them for proper size and shape. The kitchen crew weighs the apple slices, adds spices, and puts the apple mixture in the crust. Toppers add the upper crust. The pies are then bagged and taken to the freezers.  Time is taken for coffee break and fellowship. Women other than church members have come to help, and some have started coming to church.

People buy from one to 10, 15 or more pies. They have their pies for the year. Sugar-free pies are made on order. Due to demand, cherry pies are made twice during the year. Top pie production has been 1108 apple pies and 400 cherry pies.

It is amazing how the pies sell, as well as how some of the pies are sold. One man, a non-member of the church, who mows lawns and does odd jobs for the elderly in town, has bought as many as 100 pies at a time and then delivered them to his customers. Some who have moved away, still come back to buy pies.

Proceeds from sales are used mainly for various outreach projects, such as, “Goats for Mozambique”, “Windmills and Wells”, and other mission activities. The first batch of pies was made in 1982, so this ministry will celebrate 33 years in 2015.

by Margaret Coulter, who has been part of this ministry since the beginning

Webster Groves Christian Church Hosts Girl Scouts April Showers

On Saturday, April 25, Webster Groves Christian Church served as the collection point for local Girl Scouts and their families and leaders as they organized over 30,000 personal care items to be used by neighbors in need in the St. Louis area. The items will be distributed through WGCC mission partner Webster-Rock Hill Ministries. WGCC members, along with many other volunteers, served as organizers and sorters for the thousands of items that were donated on April 25.

 

Improving a Park in the Northwest Area

Shelter Blitz Build On Weather Permitting!

On Saturday, May 9th NW Area Disciples will bring power tools and prayers to finish work on a roof for the park shelter being reconstructed in Orrick.  Posts were set and braced and concrete poured Monday.  Art Endsley ran an auger to drill the post holes and hauled lumber for bracing.  Dale Pontius, Dan Kercher and Bill Rose-Heim helped to finish preparations for the work that will start at 9 am.  Orrick Christian Church is providing lunch.  Volunteers should bring work gloves and other personal protective clothing and gear.  Those with ladders, cordless drills, and hammers can bring them.  We anticipate the work to be complete by 3 pm.  For more information call Bill Rose-Heim at 816.617.7020.

Mid-America Moderator Travels with Broadway CC Team to El Salvador

My wife, Martha Jolly and I are back from an amazing mission trip to El Salvador during the last week in March.

Broadway Christian Church (Columbia) has been a U.S. church partner with Enlace (El Salvador) for five years, and has sent a mission team there each year during that time.  Enlace has been working in country in El Salvador for 22 years.  The cumulative developments, all done in partnership with local churches, according to the priorities established in those communities, are truly impressive.  Check out their website.

Broadway member, Dave McGee is Enlace’s Communications and Partnership Development Director.  More below on their excellent process of networking many partners around locally-determined, sustainable projects that make a real difference in peoples’ lives over time.

Broadway has walked together (“caminando juntos”) with two churches during those years, and our team visited both. The first was in the rural community of El Espino, Pastor Santos Carpio’s Tabernaculo Biblico Salem Church. 

The second church, Fe y Gracia Church, in the nearby rural community of La Labor was where our team worked on building chicken coops for families, who were chosen by the local partnership.  Our team of fifteen divided into five teams, and worked alongside church members, community members, Enlace staff, and the homeowner.  Our team worked with two families.

On our last day, we celebrated in Pastor Jose Molina’s church in La Labor.  Some of the women treated us all to a delicious lunch of “pupusas.”

Our Broadway gift to Pastor Jose and his wife was a handmade altar cloth.

We were fortunate enough to be in El Salvador on the 35th anniversary of assassination of Oscar Romero, Catholic Bishop of El Salvador, who will be beatified next month.  March 26 was a national holiday in his honor, and 500,000 Salvadorans all in white shirts marched from all corners of the capital to a central square to celebrate a national day of peace.

Salvadorans are beautiful, happy, hard-working, loving and deeply Christian people; it was a privilege to get to know some of them.  They taught me (and all of us) a lot about ourselves, about our relationships with Jesus, and about how to partner in community for the long term.  As for us, we worked with them to make some progress on some chicken coops!

 For more on the Enlace process and how Broadway has participated, follow this link to Senior Minister Tim Carson’s article here.

by Mid-America Moderator Guy Adams

The Words and Images of Good Friday: Through the Eyes of Youth From Rare Breed

How can we provide a meaningful way for people to connect with their faith and the community on Good Friday?  This was the guiding question as ministers from Brentwood, National Avenue, and South Street Christian Churches met to plan our Good Friday activities.  We’ve been hosting an ecumenical Good Friday service for several years, but we wanted to do something in addition to our service.  We realized that Good Friday fell on First Friday Art Walk, an event where people flock downtown to check out the newest galleries and stores, which are very close to South Street Christian Church.  How serendipitous that Good Friday and Art Walk would fall on the same day!  We knew that there had to be a way to communicate the poignancy of Good Friday through art.  After some brainstorming, we came up with the idea of asking the homeless, runaway, or at-risk youth from Rare Breed Youth Services to produce art for the evening and Rev. Jenn Simmons made the contact.  Creating an art exhibit would be a way for the youth to give voice to their struggles, as well as, help our faith communities encounter Christ in the midst of those who are leading very difficult lives.

We decided to give the youth words associated with Good Friday around which they could create their art.  They used cinder blocks, representing the weight of their struggles, complete with phrases and pictures that they had cut from magazines and newspapers.  The art was striking.  It gave us a window into their lives, which had been filled with hurt and brokenness.  In addition to the art, there were candles laid out to form the shape of a cross, where people could light a flame to represent a prayer.  People could also write a prayer, roll it up, and place it with others.  Perhaps the most heart-breaking, yet hopeful part of the exhibit, however, was a short statement that the youth had written.  The statement was placed next to several small stones in a basket with words like “crying,” “hungry,” and “tender” on them.  Their statement, which encouraged us to take a stone with us, read:

Please take a stone with these words of reflection on them.  Remember us, our journeys, our thoughts, hopes and dreams.  Though our paths may not cross, we are sharing this life now.  Our souls are experiencing the same love, the same pain, the same energy.  Think of us often.  We need to be loved.  We need to be valued.  We need to be worthy.  We need you.  All. Lives. Matter.

Indeed, all lives matter.  It is in the faces, or in this case the art, of those on the margins that we encounter the living Christ, even on Good Friday…or perhaps, especially on Good Friday.  Their lives call us to stand in solidarity with all those who are hurting. The exhibit drew around 150 people from local congregations, the First Friday Art Walk crowd, and loyal supporters of Rare Breed.  We raised $636.05 for Rare Breed and we are grateful that were able to walk with them on their journeys.

Rev. Caleb J. Lines
South Street Christian Church

Hamilton Christian Church Donates Assets

 
 

Hamilton Christian Church in St. Louis will hold a final celebration of worship on Thursday, April 9th as they have closed and now sold their building. The service will take place at noon in the Commons at Eden Theological Seminary. 

Their legacy will continue, however, with the many gifts they are bestowing on their mission partners including Caring Solutions, Heifer International, Memorial Boulevard Christian Church Food Pantry. and St. Monica Preschool in Creve Coeur. They have also made a very generous financial contribution to the Southeast Gateway Area and donated their organ to the seminary.

Read more here.