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Neighboring Resources Available
In September the Rural Missouri Connection highlights and celebrates neighboring while looking forward to Good Neighbor Day on Sept. 28. Check out these free resources and get to know your neighborhood: www.moumethodist.org/resourcedetail/neighboring-resources-16605069
September is National Disaster Preparedness Month
With natural disasters on the rise and hurricane season off to a strong start, the Missouri Conference has set a goal of collecting 250 UMCOR cleaning kits by the end of the month. Cleaning kits (aka flood buckets) provide essential clean-up supplies to people who have experienced a natural disaster. Deploying kits is just one way Missouri United Methodists show up and serve when it matters most. Getting involved is easy: Gather the cleaning kit supplies, assemble the kit and drop it off at your nearest Missouri Disaster Response Hub. The hub for Southeast Missouri is at New McKendree UMC in Jackson.
Putting Your House in Order Workshop
hosted by Reagan's Chapel United Methodist Church
RR 1, Patton, MO 63662
Sunday, November 12, 2023 following the 10:30 am worship service
Lunch and presentation will follow service
A 90 minute workshop that helps individuals gather and record key information, intentions, hopes, and values in order to make your intentions clear for your loved ones if/when you become incapacitated will be presented by Rev. Laura Murphy, with the MO United Methodist Foundation. Attendees will receive a binder filled with information, checklists, and easy to use forms. Topics will include: how to put together a will or trust that reflects your wishes, what you would like your service of remembrance to include, people/memories that have been significant to your life, and how to discern important documents and financial affairs information.
Please register by NOVEMBER 5 by calling 573-518-4363 (Sandy) or 573-866-2417 (Clara) if you would like to attend.
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Discipling Gen Z and Gen Alpha – Nov. 2
How can you disciple and raise up the next generation if you don’t understand them? Join NextGen Ministries for an educational event about generations Z and alpha, aka people ages 26 and younger. Together with experts from Barna and the Great Plains Annual Conference we’ll explore the motivations, mental health and habits of these new generations. You’ll take home strategies for reaching out and engaging with the youngest members of your church. This event is open to anyone dedicated to growing the church younger. Registration is $30, and lunch is included. Learn more at www.moumethodist.org/eventdetail/discipling-gen-z-gen-alpha-17450205
Discerning a Call to Start Something New?
You’re invited to Church Planting Intensive, a three-day crash course on all things planting for those discerning or preparing to reach new people – whether it’s a new ministry or new multi-site. During our time together Nov. 6-8, we’ll cover crafting a vision and purpose, building a launch team, cultivating generosity, and what to do after launching your new ministry.
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Many Grant Programs – Apply Today!
There are grant funds available through the Missouri Conference and its related entities for your new or existing ministry idea. Whether you’re planning a new place for new people, mission project or other ministry project, there’s a grant for that! Missouri United Methodist Churches can apply for funds through several grant programs supporting local ministry projects. We encourage you to apply for multiple grant opportunities. Each program has a different focus and requires a different application. Learn more about each at the links below:
- New Places for New People: The Center for Congregational Excellence is accepting grant applications from now until October 1 from churches that are establishing new places for new people in the six categories of small group, recovery ministry, fresh expression, new worship service, collaborative parish, and new church or multi-site. For more information and to get started on the worksheet go to www.moumethodist.org/newplacesgrants.
- Costner-Fulton: Missional outreach takes many forms, and the Conference Office of Mission, Service and Justice has grant funds to support your new, innovative, or one-time mission program and event. Past recipients have included a community garden project, freedom schools, senior outreach initiatives and more. Learn more and apply by October 1 at www.moumethodist.org/costnerfulton.
- Missouri UM Foundation: The oldest and largest grant program in our Conference, Foundation grants assist a wide variety of ministry projects each year. Learn more and apply at https://mumf.org/churches-organizations/ministry-grants.
Additionally, don’t forget about two grant programs with rolling deadlines, the Library Builder Grant, offering funds for school-church partnerships, and the Cooperative Response Grant, funded through the Festival of Sharing for ecumenical efforts.
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Risograph Available
UMC of St. Clair has a Risograph GR3710 copying machine and supplies that they would like to give to someone who needs it. Contact the church office at 636 629-0350 if you would like more information.
Local United Methodist churches have an opportunity to share what their church is all about with those who are searching for the right church home. Thanks to new, expanded search options on UMC.org’s Find-A-Church online directory, visitors can filter results to identify a church that matches their needs. Find-A-Church now offers churches the capability to post a welcome video, share an events calendar and showcase various ministries. They can also include information about worship styles, online worship links, social media channels, accessibility services and more. The new format is easier to navigate and more mobile-friendly. Learn more at https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/attract-visitors-to-your-church-with-new-find-a-church-updates
Many churches need to update their listings with their new appointment changes. As a reminder, the Conference or District offices do not make changes to Find-A-Church. Local churches must submit their own edits to that directory using the link below:
Share the Story of Sustainable Ministry in Mozambique
Did you know that 65% of United Methodist pastors in Mozambique don’t have electricity in their parsonage? Solar panels can solve this problem. When installed on local church parsonage roofs, the panels provide clean and sustainable energy to the home below and are one of few options for providing power to isolated and rural areas. Share how solar panels are improving lives with your church group using these new resources. Access a one-page info sheet, shareable infographics and more:
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Jumpstart: Generosity Workshop
Ready to help your church take its generosity to the next level? Join us on September 20 for Jumpstart, a new monthly workshop series that reimagines ministry essentials and offers new questions, new thoughts and new scorecards. You’ll leave with practical advice and solutions that can be immediately implemented in your ministry context. Learn more and register at www.moumethodist.org/eventdetail/jumpstart-generosity-workshop-17273265
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Absorb Learning PlatformHave you explored Absorb? Absorb is an on-demand learning platform that offers online lay education courses on your timeline, at a pace that works for you. The goal of this learning platform is to support educational opportunities for those seeking lay certification as well as equip local church leaders on a variety of topics to support their work. Classes include Discipleship Coaching, Discovering Spiritual Gifts, Leading Worship and Public Prayer, and Clergy Taxes. More classes are currently in production!
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Festival of Sharing Southeast Region
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Dexter First Methodist Church
501 South Walnut Street Dexter, MO, 63841
Volunteers are needed on Friday, Oct 6th (9am - 3pm) to help count and record all the items brought in. Many of these jobs can be sit down jobs. If you can help please contact Mary Ann Taylor at [email protected].
Festival of Sharing Announcements
Volunteers: Interested in volunteering at a Sharefest? Please fill out our volunteer interest form ahead of time to help us know who is coming and to save time on Sharefest day! Form available here.
Cooperative Response Grants
Festival of Sharing has funding available to partner with Missouri churches and organizations in their efforts to cooperatively respond to community needs around poverty. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Grants will be awarded up to $1,000. Visit here for more info →
Volunteer Stories
Festival of Sharing has so many great volunteers and supporters across Missouri. We would like to take more opportunities to celebrate their work, dedication and passions. If you or someone you know is a volunteer for Festival of Sharing, please fill out this form so we can recognize them on our website and Facebook page. Fill out form here.
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Southeast District of the Missouri Annual Conference 6 North Clark St., Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 63701 |