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October 6, 2021
[link removed] District Digest →
#toc2 2021 Consultation Forms - Due Nov. 15
#toc3 Charge Conference Schedule and Forms
#toc4 Blurring Lines: Being Brave and Relevant Webinar - Oct. 11
#toc5 SE District Lay Servant Class: Christian Transformational Leaders
#toc6 Walk Justly Conference - Oct. 22-24
#toc7 Leading Through Sabotage and Resistance With Tod Bolsinger - Oct. 28-29
#toc8 Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis Annual Celebration
#toc9 EMERGE: A Soul Connections Retreat - Oct. 28-30
#toc10 Global Missions Fellow Program

2021 Consultation Forms - Due Nov. 15
The 2021 Consultation Forms are now available for download on the Forms page of the district website.
2021 Pastor Consultation Form (for Lead/Senior Pastors)

2021 Appointed Associate Pastor Consultation Form (Completed by Senior Pastor and PPR for Associate Pastors)

2021 PPR Consultation Form (If you need help with the form, click [link removed] here for a video tutorial)

Every pastor serving under appointment is required to complete a Consultation Form. The PPR at each church is required to complete one as well.

The deadline to submit the forms to the district office is November 15. It is important to meet this deadline to give the DS a chance to review the forms and set up the necessary meetings in preparation for Cabinet meetings in January. As a friendly reminder, if you do not submit your form by the deadline or let us know that the form will be late, we will put you down as a "Move". Please make sure all forms are completed and signed before submitting them to the district office.
[link removed] Forms →

Charge Conference Schedule and Forms
We are taking our fall charge conferences in an exciting new direction this year. Instead of doing them in the fall like usual, we are scheduling them in January. This will give churches additional time to set salaries in better alignment with their 2022 budget; and full time pastors to enroll in health insurance, complete the PSF and Addendum all at the same time. It also means new leaders for the coming year will not have to be nominated 3-4 months in advance of when their leadership role begins. Even though the charge conference dates will be in mid-January, the Pastoral Support Form and new leadership teams will still be effective January 1.
We are offering 3 locations for in person charge conferences in January. Each location will have a suggestion on the area of the district that should attend. However, you are free to attend any location that best fits your schedule. More information on registration for the locations will be sent at a later date. We will not be holding any individual charge conferences this year. All churches must attend one of these.
Sunday, January 9 from 2:00pm-4:00pm - Memorial UMC in Farmington

Saturday, January 15 from 9:30am-11:30am - Hermann UMC

Sunday, January 16 from 2:00pm-4:00pm - SunRise UMC

All of the charge conference forms, including the Pastoral Support Forms, are now available for download on the [link removed] Forms page of the district website. With the change in schedule, there is also a change in the deadline to submit the forms to the district office. All Forms, including the PSF Addendum for Full Time Pastors, will be due to the district office by Wednesday, December 1. We will not accept any forms that do not have the necessary signatures.
[link removed] Forms →

Blurring Lines: Being Brave and Relevant Webinar - Oct. 11
Some popular culture like television show, theater and movies have incredible lessons of faith. However, the language or adult themes caution us against referencing them in worship. How can we be brave and relevant in our sermon prep to blur the line between what the world is watching and what is being heard from the pulpit?

Join two well respected preachers from our Missouri Conference as they share how they have navigated this road and done it well. Rev. Andy Bryan and Rev. Trista Soendker Nicholson will be joining us on October 11, during the lunch hour.

Format: Zoom Webinar
Date: Monday, October 11
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM
[link removed] Register →

SE District Lay Servant Class: Christian Transformational Leaders
Saturday, October 23, 2021 8:30am-4:30pm
In Person Course
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCTOBER 19
We ALL wish our church had more leaders, or that we could develop more leadership skills ourselves. After all, we are to support the church with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness. That’s why we are excited about a great opportunity for YOU to do just that!

Utilizing the participant’s book Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders, this course will engage lay servants with fresh perspectives on the definition of transformational leadership, congregational vitality and practical steps to take in this current milieu. The work of Tod Bolsinger and Spiritual Leadership Inc (SLI) will also be utilized during this fruitful day together. Facilitator for the course will be Rev. Bruce Baxter, Southeast District Superintendent.
[link removed] Learn More →

Walk Justly Conference - Oct. 22-24
Building on our rich Wesleyan heritage of social holiness, [link removed] Manchester UMC will host Methodists from across the connection in a two-day conference Oct. 22-24 dedicated to the topic of “Just Missions.” The Walk Justly Conference is a NEW annual gathering of Methodist pastors, ministry leaders, and congregants who are dedicated to creating change in their local communities.
Conference Experience includes:
Conference and District led networking lunches

Workshops for pastors and laity

Daily Worship

Interactive Worship Arts and Prayer Opportunities

Keynote Panel on conditions of poverty that highlight similarities and differences between urban, suburban, and rural Poverty

Workshops include (but are not limited to):
Ministry Highlights (Rural, Urban, Suburban),

Introduction to Race and Poverty,

Preaching to a Diverse Context,

Faith and Social Engagement,

Starting a Social Justice Ministry,

Upgrading Your Little Food Pantry

[link removed] Click Here for the promotional flyer.
[link removed] Register →

Leading Through Sabotage and Resistance With Tod Bolsinger - Oct. 28-29
Most leaders assume that navigating the challenges of a changing world, while trying to lead wisely and well, will be the most difficult thing they face. Yet, oftentimes the most important obstacle isn’t the one faced outside the church: It’s the resistance – including sabotage – encountered inside and among a body of believers. In this two-part workshop, Tod Bolsinger will help shape you into the kind of wise, resilient leader who can lead through the external challenges and internal resistance at the same time.

Join us from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on October 28 and 29 for this two-part, virtual experience.
Cost: $25 for supporting conference members (Missouri, Louisiana and Oklahoma), $40 for other conferences
[link removed] Learn More →

Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis Annual Celebration
The Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis is hosting their 2021 Annual Celebration on Thursday, October 28 at 7:00pm at the Educational and Cultural Center of the Hindu Temple of St. Louis. This year’s event is generously hosted by the Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh communities. A portion of the event will be livestreamed to allow for people to participate from the comfort of their home.
This year’s celebration will include a Langar dinner (communal meal) prepared by the Sikh community and a lively and educational program highlighting cultural and religious aspects of our three host communities. We will also be honoring Maryl Walters, CSB, of the Church of Christ, Scientist and Swami Chetananada of the Vedanta Society of St. Louis with the Interfaith Lifetime Achievement Award for their years of service and activism in the St. Louis interfaith community.
[link removed] Learn More →

EMERGE: A Soul Connections Retreat - Oct. 28-30
EMERGE invites you to rest and renew your sense of connection and community as we emerge together from this difficult season. Using the story of Lazarus as our guide, we’ll reflect on the challenges we’ve faced, explore what inhibits us from moving forward, and claim the hope and promise of renewed faith and life together. Both laity and clergy are encouraged to engage in this retreat opportunity.
[link removed] Learn More →

Global Missions Fellow Program
The [link removed] Global Mission Fellows program of The United Methodist Church places young adults, ages 20–30, in social justice ministries for two years of service. The program offers the opportunity for service in the United States (US-2 track) and around the world (international track). The application for the 2022-24 cohort of Global Mission Fellows US-2 track launches Friday, October 1.
Fellows serving on the US-2 track address the deep-rooted systems of injustice in the U.S., working in a variety of areas, including food insecurity, migration/immigration, education and poverty. Fellows leave their home state to serve in a new community, gaining a fresh perspective on systems preventing social change. They form meaningful relationships with their host community as they are mentored by organizations meeting immediate needs and working toward lasting transformation.
[link removed] Learn More →

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Gateway Regional District of the Missouri Annual Conference | 301 Sovereign Court, Suite 100 Ballwin, Missouri, 63011-4435 | (636) 891-8004 ext. 21 | www.gatewayregional.moumethodist.org