Upcoming Lay Education Courses

Fall Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Online Course-begins Sept. 11
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is based on the premise that emotional health and spiritual health are inseparable and that many of us get stuck spiritually because we haven't done the hard work of becoming emotionally healthy. This eight-week online course will be taught by the incoming Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Melissa Dodd.  Learn more at www.moumethodist.org/eventdetail/emotionally-healthy-spirituality-online-18356984

Building a NextGen Ministry That Lasts-Multiple Training Dates Starting Sept. 14
Make plans to join us for Building a NextGen Ministry That Lasts at one of four training dates in September. Stephanie Caro, lead consultant and small church specialist at Ministry Architects, will serve as your guide for this one-day training. She has over 15 years of experience working with church leaders to build their children’s and youth ministries and will provide your team with the tools to build a ministry that lasts beyond the initial burst of excitement. Learn more and register at https://www.moumethodist.org/eventdetail/nextgen-ministries-training-farmington-18384154
 
Upcoming Online courses: 

• Laity as Christian Transformational Leaders - Beginning on Sept. 30
• UMC Polity - Beginning on Oct. 28

• Ministry of All Believers - In Monett on Sept. 14
• Transforming Evangelism – How to Reach Out - In Monett on Sept. 14
• Spiritual Gifts - In Monett on Sept. 14
• Jump Start: Talking Faith and Politics - In Columbia on Sept 18

Questions?

Please contact Lisa Conley, SE Lay Education Coordinator at

[email protected]

 Get Up Conference

How would you describe your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Register for the Get Up Conference on Saturday, August 24 from 10:00am-3:00pm with guest speaker, Charity Goodwin, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Groups at The Gathering. She will help you discover your purpose by addressing things in your life to cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit and more. 

Cost is $30 per person and includes lunch & book! Childcare provided.

To see the flyer, click HERE.

Deadline to sign up is August 9, 2024.

Festival of Sharing Update

The SHAREFEST date for the Southeast District is October 4-5, 2024 at the Global Methodist Church in Dexter, MO. This ministry is non-denominational. There are a few kit changes for 2024.

• Shop with Individual kit lists. Download them at: festivalofsharing.org/kits

• Donate quilted items by Aug. 23. Learn more at: festivalofsharing.org/quilt-auction

Calling all Youth Groups: Help is needed to pack Backpacks of Love. If your group is interested, please contact Mary Ann Taylor at 573-820-3018

 Grace Worship Festival

Food Trucks, Christian Vendors, Fun Activities, Music and MORE!

Bring shelf-stable food donations for Blessing Boxes and the CMA Pantry.

August 30-31
Ash St. Greenway, Piedmont MO, 63957 

View the flyer HERE and stay up to date by following the event on Facebook.

MOAC Offers Fall Ministry Grants

New this fall: One Missouri Conference grant application for all your ministry ideas! Missouri United Methodist Churches can apply for funds to support both big and small local ministry projects. Applications are due Oct. 1.

Learn more about each grant at www.moumethodist.org/newsdetail/ministry-grant-applications-now-open-18534818

Talking to Strangers with Joe Keohane

While we strive for a diverse and inclusive culture, many of us struggle to engage with those who are different from us. We've been ingrained with the notion of avoiding strangers, which has left us ill-equipped to view each other as fellow humans. Join Joe Keohane, author of The Power of Strangers, for a relatable presentation and interactive dialogue on mastering the art of talking to strangers. Learn more and register →

The Small Church Gatherings are an event designed with the small church in mind! Church teams can choose from a selection of tracks that are relevant to small churches without any need for translation from big church ideas.  The Four Track Options Include: The Small Church Worship Advantage: Practices that Work Best in Small Settings Simplifying Ministries in the Small Church An Effective Approach to Cooperative Parishes Transformation is Not Optional: Discipleship for the Small Church   Check out the event website SmallChurchGathering.org for details on the tracks, the track leaders, lunch & learn opportunities, Branson registration links, and more!   The date and location is: September 21st 2024 in Branson, MO at Branson United Methodist Church. There is also a Friday Night Bonus Session with Regional Partnerships with Rev. R Paul Klepees from 7:00pm to 8:30pm on September 20th, 2024.   Flight 2 Freedom Retreat Be transformed and renewed at the first ever Flight 2 Freedom retreat at Eagle Sky of the Ozarks. This three-day, two-night retreat is designed to help you find true freedom and embrace a new beginning. Hear powerful testimonies and transformative messages from speakers Jeff Stulz, John Eklund, and Cathy Hinklin. Engage with activities such as hatchet-throwing, pickleball, and fishing and get inspired by Grammy-nominated artist, Joseph Habedank. Retreat Dates: November 15-17, 2024 Click Here for More Information & Register → Missouri United Methodist Foundation Generosity Cohorts Learning Project Move your church from a culture of scarcity to a culture of generosity! A culture of generosity in a church has to do with more than church generosity of money. It’s also about the generosity of time, hospitality, care, connection, prayers, and praise! Join a Year-round Generosity learning project to discover new ways of creating a culture of generosity that can impact all areas of your church’s ministry.  Learn more about both daytime and evening cohort opportunities that start in September by clicking on the links:   Daytime https://mumf.org/event/year-round-generosity-cohort-daytime-meetings-2024/   Evening https://mumf.org/event/year-round-generosity-cohort-evening-meetings-2024/ Love Unites Campaign At our Missouri Annual Conference session in June, Bishop Farr shared about his vision for the Love Unites campaign and the potential it has for a United Methodist witness against hate in Missouri. Starting in August, Love Unites billboards will be on display at the Lake of the Ozarks, Jefferson City, Joplin, O’Fallon, and Sikeston. "I see this as one more opportunity to witness to the Good News found in Christ Jesus," Bishop Bob Farr said. "Missouri is committed to helping our churches grow in our ability to talk about racial injustice, so we can better condemn racism and evil in our world." The Love Unites campaign kit includes print-ready files for download, so you can produce yard signs, banners and T-shirts if your church would like to promote a message of love over hate. The Missouri Conference wants to become a brave, empowering place for people from diverse cultures and generations so that we can become a Church for all God’s people. We seek to do this by equipping Conference leaders and local churches for multicultural leadership, cross-cultural connection and healing justice. Part of that work includes facilitating courageous conversations regarding the dismantling of racist theologies and practices within our midst. If churches or individuals wish to donate money: make donations out to Missouri Annual Conference (memo line: Love Unites campaign), 3601 Amron Ct., Columbia, MO 65201. Once there is enough money donated, they will work with advertising companies to erect a Love Unites billboard in the Southeast District. If a church wants to purchase a billboard on their own: ask the vendor for the production specs to send to their design company for re-sizing. These specs should be sent to Kim Jenne ([email protected]) with the deadline for production to meet their media window. The Annual Conference will re-size the art to the appropriate size for the board and send it to the outdoor company for final production.    Get Discounts on NextGen Curriculum Missouri Conference NextGen Ministries is offering a reduced rate on curriculum produced by top kids and youth ministry providers. This resource is available for any ministry leader working with kids and youth. Currently the discount covers Cokesbury, Grow, Orange Kids and Students, and Sparkhouse Digital curriculums. Read more about each of these providers and request your discount at www.moumethodist.org/curriculum-discounts