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January 2019

January 2019

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Features

A Big Year for Old McKendree

January 07, 2019

A Big Year for Old McKendree

As far as birthdays go, 2019 is a big year for McKendree Chapel. Missouri’s only Heritage Landmark of the United Methodist Church is celebrating its 200th birthday.       Several other churches in the Missouri Conference can trace their origins back 200 years, but McKendree is unique in ...

Check

January 07, 2019

Check

Last June Rev. Sheila Bouie-Sledge left Annual Conference Session inspired by the urging of Conference leaders for local churches to partner with neighboring schools. She was newly appointed to North Park United Methodist Church in St. Louis, and Earl Nance Senior elementary school is ...

The Chaplaincy Connection

January 07, 2019

The Chaplaincy Connection

A sense of excitement and joy fills the air as uniformed officers file into the church gym. Red and green clothed tables fill the room, and families with plates full of homecooked food gather around them. This isn’t the scene of an emergency or crime; in fact, the only person breaking and ...

Trying Something New

January 07, 2019

Trying Something New

First UMC in Rolla has accepted that if they want to involve new people in the church, they are going to have to try doing something new. They’re approaching that in several different ways, including a new mid-week worship service, and have received one of the first rounds of grants from ...

News and Updates

Beer and Bible

January 07, 2019

Beer and Bible

First UMC in Rolla is trying several different approaches to reach out to new people, including small groups that are outside the norm of what many people expect at church. The Beer and Bible small group meets at 6 p.m. at the Public House in Rolla, a microbrewery located in a former ...

Congregational Excellence Provides Funds to Kick Start New Places

January 07, 2019

To encourage and support innovative ways to create New Places for New People, the Office of Congregational Excellence is offering grant opportunities to all Missouri churches. Grants are available for each of the five kinds of New Places. Grants will be awarded twice a year. Deadlines for ...

Missouri Deaconesses Participate in National Gathering

January 07, 2019

Missouri Deaconesses Participate in National Gathering

They’ve been around in the Methodist Church for quite a while, these women called Deaconess. With roots traced to Phoebe in Romans 16:1, in our Methodist tradition the office of Deaconess was officially recognized as an office in 1888. It was in 2004 that the office of Home Missioner, ...

MOAC Announces Staffing Change

January 07, 2019

The Office of Mission, Service and Justice has named Rev. Lucas Endicott as Senior Mission Strategist. In this redefined role, Endicott will provide daily management for the Mozambique Initiative, Global Connect (formerly V.I.M.) and the Conference’s short-term recovery project in Puerto ...

Laity Voices

Witnessing in Our Daily Life

January 07, 2019

Witnessing in Our Daily Life

By Amy Thompson A couple of months ago I was serving in the Welcome Center at my church on a Sunday morning. I entered into a conversation with a church friend. She mentioned that she would like to read something about witnessing in your daily life. By the end of our brief conversation, I...

Letters from the Editor

Reaching Others In The New Year

January 07, 2019

Fred Koenig

Reaching Others In The New Year

By Fred Koenig “I’m not sure how I feel about the Christmas Experience tour...” So opined one of my fellow coworkers here at the Conference office, and I didn’t disagree – I too had mixed feelings about it.      For the past two years, United Methodist Communications has taken out a truck...

From Bishop Farr

We Need a GPS Reroute

January 07, 2019

We Need a GPS Reroute

By Bishop Farr Last fall I heard Australian evangelist Christine Caine speak at the New Room Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Caine is a popular international speaker.  She and her husband, Nick, founded a global anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign, and the Propel ...

Now Read This

40 Days of Doubt: Devotions for the Skeptic

January 07, 2019

Have you ever questioned whether everything you believe in as a Christian is false? 40 Days of Doubt explores questions readers may be asking about their faith in 41 (with bonus day) devotions. Why would God care what I have to say? Why choose Christianity over other religions? Will God ...

Missouri United Methodist Foundation

Foundation Scholarships

January 07, 2019

Growing Resources for Missouri Students Ah, the new year … spring is just around the corner, and a young  student’s thoughts turn to … SCHOLARSHIPS!   For many students and parents, the search for scholarships is a necessary obsession. A scholarship can be the difference between getting ...

Music Matters

Background and Harmony Vocals

January 07, 2019

Background and Harmony Vocals

In the last few installments, we’ve discussed the practical role of instruments in the contemporary worship ensemble. So far we’ve discussed keyboard, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums. This month we’ll conclude by talking about background and harmony vocals.  Here ...

Wesley in the World Today

Divisions in Our Denomination: Maintaining Unity and Theological Integrity

January 07, 2019

Divisions in Our Denomination: Maintaining Unity and Theological Integrity

By Hal Knight We are approaching a called General Conference in February to address deep divisions in our denomination. There is disagreement over the best way to maintain our unity and theological integrity. It is only natural we feel anxious about the future.      What is most ...

Parting Shot

Parting Shot

January 07, 2019

Parting Shot

By Eric Mattson The joy of serving others witnessed by this person’s face captured my attention. The joy of the Holy Spirit alive within produces a glowing radiance in you and me. In Philippians 4:13, the apostle Paul writes “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Does ...

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