Southeast District News [link removed]

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Aug 19-20 - District Office Closed for Annual Admin Meeting in Columbia
Sept 1 - District Office Closed for Labor Day
Sept 22 - Clergy Benefits Roadshow #Clergy Benefits Roadshow [Find In Newsletter]
Oct 3 - Southeast District Sharefest Drop-off #Sharefest [Find in Newsletter]
Oct 15 - Charge Conference Reports Due #People Portal [Find in Newsletter]
Nov 9 - Charge Conference - 3PM More details to follow.


New for 2025 - The People Portal
Clergy and assigned laity should have received an email granting access to the Missouri Conference People Portal on Monday, July 28, a new password-protected space where essential forms will be delivered. The People Portal is similar to what a clinic's patients might use to view their own medical records, find their next appointment or pay their doctor's bill.
The People Portal will allow church leaders to update personal information, church information, view and submit Charge Conference forms, and more!
View How-To resources by clicking the link below!
[link removed] Click Here! →

Conference Fall Grant Cycle - NOW OPEN
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 to support both big and small, new and existing local ministry projects. Applications are due Oct. 1.
To learn more and to read about the different areas of funding, visit: [link removed] [link removed]

Bishop Farr: "Now is the Time!"

“We have forgotten that the Wesleys and the Methodist Movement got their start in a very similar cultural war and period of change. How the Wesleys responded gave birth to Methodism. I believe there are valuable lessons from the Wesleys that can help us live out our faith in this complex and conflicted world we now inhabit.” Bishop Farr shares a call to action for this new appointive year. [link removed] Read more →


Windows Ending Support for Windows 10
Windows 10 support ends Oct. 2025 which means no more updates or security fixes for computers running that operating system.
If your church needs help determining if your computer can upgrade to Windows 11, GCFA has provided resources through UMC Technology Support to help you stay secure and up-to-date.
UMC Support can check your upgrade eligibility to determine if you can upgrade or if you need a new PC. If your PC is not eligible to upgrade, they offer deep discounts to help you save money.
To watch a video with FAQ and for more resources follow this link: [link removed] [link removed]


Clergy Benefits Roadshow
Join Conference Treasurer Nate Berneking and the Finance and Administrative Ministries staff for a presentation on the new Compass Retirement Plan and clergy benefits. Register by following the link to the session of your choice. Sept. 22 - [link removed] Grace (Cape Girardeau) - 9AM-11AM Grace UMC
521 Caruthers Ave.
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 Sept. 22 - [link removed] First (West Plains) - 3PM-5PM First UMC
503 W Main St.
West Plains, MO 65775

Antiques Appraisal Event
The Cape Girardeau County Historical Society and Old McKendree Chapel Association are partnering to host an antique appraisal event. Antiques will be evaluated for $10/item by auctioneer and appraisal professionals. Evaluations will be auction estimates, not insurance appraisals. Proceeds will be shared between the two sponsors of the event. September 20, 2025
9AM-3PM
New McKendree South Campus
1770 S. Hope Street, Jackson MO 63755

Women's Emmaus Walk Information
Thursday, September 25 - Sunday, September 28
Camp Allen
3104 Wayne Route F
Greenville, MO 63944
[link removed] Click Here for more information and to register.
[link removed] Follow Missouri East Walk to Emmaus on Facebook for more updates.



Lay Education Classes
Wednesdays beginning Sept. 10 - [link removed] Emotionally Healthy Spirituality online via Zoom
Mondays beginning Nov. 3 - [link removed] UMC Polity online via Zoom
Save the date for these lay education classes coming in the fall: Mondays beginning Sept. 8 - BeUMC online via Zoom


Building a Better Budget Webinar
Most churches have a budget, but too many churches have a budget they’ve inherited. If your church has been in the practice of simply tweaking last year’s budget and hoping there will be enough to do mission and ministry, you’re invited to join us for this helpful webinar, as we explore tools to build a better budget. Ken Sloane, Director of Stewardship & Generosity, will welcome Manet Shettle, President of the Heartland Methodist Foundation of Indiana, but just as important a finance leader in her local church. In the webinar, Shettle will focus on developing a detail management budget by engaging leadership in the budget process through ministry action plans. This session will focus on creating a budget process that provides both leadership support of the budget and accountability measurements for each ministry area. Join us for this great opportunity to get new inspiration for your budgeting work!
COST: FREE
Watch the Recording [link removed] HERE.
Creating a Narrative Budget Course
Discipleship Ministries is excited to announce the return of a popular online course for local church leaders: Creating a Narrative Budget – The Story Behind the Numbers.
The course is written and hosted by the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane, Director of Stewardship & Generosity, who introduces the course and sets up each of the sessions in videos. Ken also serves as instructor for the course, interacting with participants through their responses to questions throughout the course, and answering questions that might arise.
Cost: $25
The course is available now! Click [link removed] HERE and register today.


Online Workshop Available Through MUMF
The Saving Grace Primer will be an opportunity to explore the key elements of the Saving Grace curriculum, and consider how Saving Grace can be an effective financial ministry program for your ministry setting.
Starting August 12th
Learn more and register by clicking this link: [link removed] The Saving Grace Primer | Missouri United Methodist Foundation

Simple Questions to Help Your Church's Brand Pop
You don’t need a full-time designer or a big marketing budget to build a compelling brand for your church. In fact, if your congregation has a handful of people and a staff that can fit in a compact car (or on a motorcycle), this article is for you.
A strong brand isn’t about flashy graphics. It’s about clarity and consistency. That starts by asking the right questions. These questions can help any church, no matter the size or resources, build a clear visual identity that reflects who you are and invites others in.
Let’s get started! Click the link below to read the full article from ResourceUMC.
[link removed] Read the Article →

Operation Christmas Child Information
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization. Their mission is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. They ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease.
National Collection Week for 2025:
November 17-24
If your church is interested in participating or learning more information, you can visit the [link removed] Operation Christmas Child Website or contact Donna Miller at [email protected] or 573-579-1713.


Festival of Sharing 2025 Information Available
Friday, October 3rd, 2025
The 2025 Festival of Sharing Booklet and infographics are now available. Download and print pack and kit lists from the 'Media' tab. The most requested packs are the family food boxes, paper products pack, and personal hygiene pack.
Packs are collected for disbursement in Missouri while kits are disbursed by Church World Service to other areas of the world.
Additional Sharefest details to be published as they become available.
For more information, visit: [link removed] Festival of Sharing


FREE Video Resources Available
The Southeast District Office has free [link removed] Amplify Media accounts available for Pastors and Church Leaders in our district.
Amplify is a video streaming service that offers a collection of thousands of videos and programming suitable for small group Bible studies, children's ministries, sermons, and more.
Free accounts are limited. Please email Allie at [email protected] to request the access code.


BeADisciple Study App
Discover the new app for Christian small-group studies!
The BeADisciple Study App is a new, state-of-the-art digital platform for small-group Christian studies. Imagine who you could reach with app-based small group offerings: frequent travelers, homebound members, online worshippers, worldwide mission partners, and those who can’t regularly attend in-person meetings. All study materials are presented in both text and audio format for on-the-go participants. The app also includes private group discussion boards, integrated Zoom conferencing and note-taking, and personalized meeting guides to build group connection and make attending meetings easy.
The BeADisciple Study App allows small groups of 6-16 people to experience studies together entirely on their smartphone, tablet, or computer.
[link removed] More Information →

Register Now for Modern Worship Course + Cohort
The Institute of Modern Worship is now enrolling for its Course + Cohort for the 2025-2026 school year. The Course + Cohort will continue to focus on a core foundation of worship ministry: Wesleyan theology, worship administration, leadership and worship artistry, with the addition of a new curriculum in the Leadership Module from Development Dimensions, Int'l (DDI), a world leader in leadership development education and resources. This fall there are several registration options, to fit both individuals and church budgets. Along with our Year-Long Course + Cohort, they now also offer semester-long, individual module, and independent study versions as well. To learn more and to register go to [link removed] [link removed].


Curriculum Discounts Available
Missouri Conference NextGen Ministries is excited to offer discounts on curriculum produced by top kids and youth ministry providers. New this year: We've added discounts on Illustrated Ministry curriculum!
This resource is available for any ministry leader working with kids and youth. We hope that providing these discounts will create a little space in ministry budgets and that leaders can use those dollars to do the project or program they’ve been dreaming about. Interested clergy, laity and NextGen leaders should fill out [link removed] the curriculum discount request form to indicate which provider’s materials they’re interested in. Then, NextGen Ministries will send you the steps for redeeming your discount as well as your promo code. [link removed] See the providers and get your discount →


Stay Connected
Stay Connected with the Missouri Conference
Stay informed of the exciting opportunities the Missouri Annual Conference is offering. View our annual stay connected letter to see the many ways you can connect and follow the Missouri Conference: [link removed] [link removed]

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Southeast District of the Missouri Annual Conference
6 North Clark St., Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 63701
(573) 334-8723
southeast.moumethodist.org southeast.moumethodist.org