GriefShare at West Lake Christian Church

Over the past year, West Lake Christian Church has been reaching out and serving those struggling through grief by offering a ministry called GriefShare. Lay leadership has recognized the grief present throughout the community and have been reaching out to try and offer Biblical ways of journeying through grief. They have had 66 people impacted by the ministry, 27 of which are not members of the church. We celebrate the effective ministry of Jesus Christ and pray for those have partnered with people as they journey through the valley of the shadow of death.
Learn more about this ministry on the congregation’s website here>

Thank you to pastor Chance McMullin for this information.

St. Charles Christian Church Started 2023 with a SPLASH! 

The Faith Family at St. Charles Christian Church in St. Charles, MO frequently partners with their friends and neighbors in the Orchard Farm School District to serve and play. Again this year, SCCC jumped in to sponsor the New Town Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day. 

Following Sunday services, their new Pastor, Matthew Ricks, several of the church member families, and hundreds of neighbors gathered at the neighborhood beach to plunge into the New Year and raise funds for Special Olympics. 

The temperature was nearly 60 degrees, so there were large crowds of supporters cheering on over 70 “Plungers” who scurried into the still icy waters. Local first responders suited up in their dive gear and joined those in the water - and monitored the event from the shore - to ensure that the fun and frivolity went smoothly. In all, over $1,400 was raised for Special Olympics.  

The congregation sends a huge thanks to the Robbers family who champion this event and invite them to play a little role in this annual activity. 

Thank you to SCCC’s Susie Pundmann and Matthew Ricks for this information and photos.

Outreach of FCC in Savannah

Savannah FCC's Women ReJoyce has a ministry called Campus Cupboards where they fix and freeze casseroles, soup, burritos or other meals for high school kids/families that are food insecure. Recently they made over 40 quarts of chili to stock the freezer. The ground beef for the cook-off was on hand from a donation of 50 pounds of ground beef by the Missouri Cattlewomen, thanks to one of their members.

 

Also their Sew Time group, in conjunction with the outreach team and the entire SFCC congregation, made quilts and blankets for high school and middle school children, as well as making "stockings" filled with personal care items. These were gifted to students just before their holiday break.

 

Savannah Christian Church is proud to be 175 years old, and going strong!

Thank you to Rev. Kate Titsworth, FCC pastor for this information and photos.

How Do We Plan A Ministry with Older Adults?

This question is asked of our Older Adult Ministries Coordinator Jan Aerie more than any other, so she put together a booklet containing her answer!

The tool kit she created will take your church group through a step-by-step process for beginning or advancing in ministry with older adults. The process focuses on four A words: building awareness, assessing assets, exploring alternatives, and taking action. Spending time on each step will help your church better understand your mission, your community, and its needs. Using these tools will lead to a more vital, growing, and active congregation.

Now is the time. This is the place. You are the one.

Download it today!

FCC Republic Feeding the Hungry

Thanks to FCC pastor Rev. Lee Young for this information and photos.

In partnership with Crosslines of Springfield’s mobile food pantry on Saturday, September 24, volunteers from First Christian Church in Republic were able to help 99 families (200 individuals) in their community to fill their cabinets. Each family received a dry goods box (with pasta, peanut butter, canned vegetables), a box of fruit and veggies, eggs, milk and a pork roast along with Twinkies and donuts!

Centennial Christian Church Annual Back to School Party 2022

Centennial Christian Church and its Outreach Ministry sponsored their Annual Back to School Party on August 13, 2022 in the Fountain Park Community of St. Louis. This event brought the church, Centennial neighbors, community organizations and resources together all for the purpose of preparing young people to return to school inspired, empowered, and loved. This year’s festivities included music, food, refreshments, a magician, horseback riding, Fire Department activities, the Magic House, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Polar Express, eye exams and medical screenings for children and adults, community resource vendors and more.

Forty families, totaling 100+ individuals were in attendance, enjoying a fun-filled afternoon.  During this festive celebration, children were able to receive bookbags, school supplies and more. In addition, each child was able to receive swag bags, loaded with hygiene products (soap, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, hairbrushes and combs, face towels, deodorant) face masks, hand sanitizers, winter hat and gloves set, and new packages of underwear (t-shirts, socks, and underpants).  There was something for all ages to enjoy.  One of the highlights of the back-to-school event is always raffling off four new bicycles for children and Walmart gift cards for adults. Putting a smile on the face of families is the goal of the raffle!

This year’s event was full of fun, joy and excitement as Centennial sought to be neighbors to their friends. Centennial’s Outreach Ministry continues to ensure that Centennial is at the forefront of partnering, serving, leading, and resourcing the Fountain Park and Lewis Place community. As we hear often, “This is what community looks like!”  For more information or volunteer opportunities for Centennial’s outreach effort, please contact Pastor Perkins or Deacon Clint Potts at Centennial at 314.367.1818.

Thank you to Rev. Derrick Perkins for this story and photos.

Faith Adventures Camp Supports Ukrainian Relief

Faith Adventures Camp had an incredible week at camp! We had 105 registered campers, 31 volunteer staff members, 16 churches that participated, and more fun than you can put a number on! To top it off, we collected $1,078.40 in offerings that we are sending to Week of Compassion – Ukrainian Relief! This was our first year at Camp Galilee and what a wonderful facility with the best people running the show that you could ask for. Of course we owe it all to God for putting us together! We are already making plans for 2023 and couldn't feel more blessed to be able to do what we do! Contact us at faithadventurescamp@gmail.com or check us out on our website at www.faithadventurescamp.com.

Thanks to Kim Houser for this information and photo.

Ozark Christian Church Helping Their Neighbors

In the month of July, Ozark Christian Church called upon its members to help and show God’s love in different ways. The Men’s Group collected hygiene and cleaning supplies for the women in Freedom’s Rest, a domestic violence shelter in Ozark. There were many bags and boxes of items that Shane Strahl and Dan Richardson picked up and delivered last week.

They also helped a Ukrainian family in need. This family came to the U.S. after waiting in line for 48 hours with 3 young boys and another child on the way. OCC had special offerings and Outreach added on to that which nearly tripled the amount. The church was able to provide them with $770 and cover them in God’s love and kindness.

Thanks to Ozark Christian Church Office Manager Samantha Burn for this story and photo.

FCC Troy Mission Trip

The Mission Team from FCC-Troy recently returned from a work camp experience in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Twenty-five youth and adults travelled there on June 26th and returned on Saturday, July 2nd. Rev. Seth Rash, Associate Minister of Family and Youth at the church organized the trip, which is an annual activity of the youth program at FCC-Troy. The youth carried out a number of tasks, in association with GROUP which organized the mission experience in Sheboygan, along with some 200 other youth from around the country. 

Also new for the congregation is that their nearly $1 million addition is nearing completion. This new addition will feature four classrooms, a conference room, and new restrooms - approx. 3000 sq. feet. Martin Contractors, from Eolia are doing the construction - they are also church members. The addition was designed by Baalman Architects of O'Fallon, MO. It is hoped the new building will be ready for occupancy by September, with a dedication to be planned in the fall. 

Thank you to FCC Sr. Pastor Rev. Dr. Jeff Moore for this information and photos.


Montgomery City CC Outreach

Pictured from left to right: Rev. Angela Williams, Julie Deering (Nature's Plow), Kathy Gilbert (Montgomery City Christian Church Deacon)

Montgomery City Christian Church Outreach ministry received 100 pounds of ground beef from Mike and Julie Deering from the local family farm Nature's Plow. The ground beef will be provided to local residents during our monthly free Outreach program.

We have not only partnered with Nature's Plow to provide food to our neighbors, but also with High Hill Christian Church, which has provided non-perishable food boxes each month to provide to the community at our location.

Mike Deering of Nature’s Plow had this to say about the donation:

  • We often hear about the urban and rural divide. It’s sad that the one thing that unites us is food insecurity.

  • Nearly 13 million kids in the U.S. are food insecure. That number includes hundreds of thousands of Missouri kids here in the nation’s agricultural heartland.

  • According to Feeding Missouri, as many as one in five people in rural Missouri face food insecurity. Among children, the numbers are even higher. In parts of Missouri, one in three children faces food insecurity on a regular basis.

  • Our family farm won’t sit on the sidelines. Period. We found Angela on Facebook and are inspired by what her faith community is doing to help the food insecure in a way that allows those who are hurting to get what they need in a discrete and respectful way.

  • We live here. We farm here. We care. Many others do as well, evident by the fact that the little food pantry shack remains consistently full.

Thank you to MCCC pastor Rev. Angela Williams for this story and photo.

The Connecting Grounds Receives Grant

Pictured here with The Connecting Grounds’ Holly Madden and Christie Love are Rob Baird of the Musgrave Foundation distribution committee and Brian Fogle of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. 

The Connecting Grounds recently received a grant of over $43,000 to expand their Family Connection program. Holly Madden, Family Connection Director, had this to say about the grant, how it will be utilized, and how it will impact many lives:

We are so incredibly honored for our Family Connection program to be one of the grant recipients for the Musgrave Foundation and Community Foundation of the Ozark’s grant to support children and families in the foster care system.

From the moment we hosted our very first parent-child visit, we saw the hope that this safe space and volunteer supervisors that engaged relationally brought to our families while they worked towards reunification.

This program started as an outreach one night a week but has rapidly expanded across the county and now the state.

We are incredible humbled to be selected for this grant which will be used to further expand this program. A few of those projects will look like finishing the remodel on our garage on TCG property which will turn into a function-able second visit space to be used every evening throughout the week! We will also be able to pay a stipend to a new staff member to support the local Family Connection while current staff focuses on expansion of Family Connection. This funding will also provide for some monthly activity expenses for parent-child visits, and will fund the next 2 semesters of our Parent Connect program!

There really aren’t words for how grateful we are for this opportunity and how excited we are to love on and support even more families across Greene County and across Missouri!

Congratulations and blessings to The Connecting Grounds as they further this vital ministry!

FCC Republic Celebrating 150 Years

First Christian Church in Republic is celebrating 150 years in ministry this year. One way that they’re marking the occasion is with some challenges based on the number 150.

The first challenge was, in partnership with their local United Methodist Church, to collect 150 pairs of shoes to be sent to Strong Tower Haiti. They exceeded this goal by collecting 175 pairs!

The April challenge was to collect 1500 diapers for Republic Pregnancy Resource Center. They went far beyond that goal as well. In fact, people were invited to guess how many diapers were collected and the person who guessed closest without going over won a gift card to Andy’s Frozen Custard. The final count - 9,003!

They will be looking forward to more activities as the year goes on. The challenge for May is for each member to read 150 Bible verses.

Thanks to FCC Senior Pastor Rev. Lee Young for this information and photos.

St. Charles CC Serving Their Community

On April 21, St. Charles Christian Church hosted A Community Conversation about Fentanyl, Opioids, and Grief. Less than a week after a local teen passed away, about 100 people including many youth, as well as members of law enforcement and fire and rescue staff, attended the event to learn and grieve together.

Panelists included a representative from the Center for Hope and Healing who presented a workshop on grief, a representative from the Drug Enforcement Administration who shared information on the increasing drug epidemic, and a physician’s assistant who outlined related medical facts.

The event was livestreamed and can still be viewed on their Facebook page and YouTube channel.

This Easter, the congregation also sponsored an Easter egg hunt for the community, as they’ve done annually for many years. Over 250 families participated this year! The event has outgrown the church yard and now has different age groups meet in different local parks. Church members provide the candy and prizes, and pack the eggs. Newtown has other activities for the kids following the hunt.

Thank you to St. Charles Christian Church pastor Rev. Chris Franklin
for this information and photos.

South Joplin Christian Church's Lenten Roads

South Joplin Christian Church collected 60 pairs of shoes and socks as a suggested spiritual discipline for their worship theme, "Lenten Roads." In place of cloaks on the road for Palm Sunday, worship attendees lined the chancel with walking shoes for Joplin schools' Bright Futures and Soul's Harbor, a local shelter. It may not be feasible for us to wash the feet of the unsheltered, but we hope to put socks and shoes on at least some of our neighbors in need.

Thanks to Senior Pastor Colleen Carrol for this information and photos.

Webster Groves Christian Church Open & Affirming

Board member Keiler Swartz thanks members after the Nov. 7 vote.

Webster Groves Christian Church in St. Louis has now been recognized by the Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance as an open and affirming congregation. Below is an article from the congregation’s December newsletter which highlights how they will move forward with this new focus.

On November 7, 98 percent of our voting members approved a motion in support of our Open and Affirming commitment and welcoming statement. Since then, here are the next steps WGCC has taken in fulfilling that commitment. On November 14, 2021, 12 members of Webster Groves Christian Church met to discuss next steps for implementing and celebrating our Open and Affirming status. The group formed a subcommittee for signage, logo, and marketing imagery. The committee will also explore websites, lists, organizations, and ministry partners with whom to share, celebrate, and continue to learn. WGCC name tags and directories will be revised to include people’s preferred pronouns. Welcoming documents and statements at worship and other gatherings will include: “Welcome to Webster Groves Christian Church, an Open and Affirming congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).” A subcommittee was formed to plan and schedule educational opportunities to help the congregation and community continue to learn about issues important to the LGBTQIA+ community and to our ongoing life together as an Open and Affirming congregation. On November 21, 2021, the Webster Groves Christian Church Board met, and received a report from the November 14 meeting (at which many Board members were present). The Board acknowledged, approved, and encouraged the work of the committee. The Board voted unanimously to provide an initial financial gift of $1,000 to Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance, to add the Alliance to WGGC’s Givelify online giving options, to hold a special offering benefitting the Alliance each year on the Sunday nearest the anniversary of the congregation’s vote to become Open and Affirming, and to encourage the congregation to pray regularly for the work of the Alliance. The Board also approved the following amendment to the WGCC Personnel Policy:

Webster Groves Christian Church is committed to treating all staff fairly without discriminating on the basis of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity and marital status, encouraging all to apply for employment, evaluating applicants and staff equally, and providing equal compensation and benefits for equal job descriptions.

Thanks to WGCC pastor Rev. Dr. Jeff Moore and WGCC newsletter editor Bob Rose
for this information and photo.

Crafting is Caring at Crossroads

On Sunday, 5 Dec 2021, Rev. Thomas Schofield of Crossroads Christian Church led the congregation in a dedication of blankets to be given to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital. About ten ladies (members and friends) gave of their time and talent for the babies in these hospitals. After meeting for about two months they had made 55 baby blankets and 20 baby hats for Cardinal Glennon's Children's Hospital, and 39 youth tie-blankets for Children's Hospital.

The group also made 611 hearts to be used in the Neo-Intensive Care Units. Made from the same type of materials as the blankets, four hearts are given to the parents of each baby (two for each parent). The parents hold the hearts close to them for a while, then take one heart from each parent to the NIC-U to be placed on the baby. This way the baby learns to sense both parents who cannot hold the baby until it grows enough to leave the NIC-U. On the next visit the parents bring the second hearts, take home the first pair to be laundered, and repeat this process.

The Crafters’ main purpose is to serve others in need. They have also benefited from the fun fellowship while working together on their projects. Another benefit is uniting with the Crafters group at First Christian Church in Edwardsville, IL. Both groups are sharing all items with the two hospitals.

The church board approved of this project and added $2,400.00 to the 2022 budget to assist in the purchasing of materials for the project to continue into 2022 and beyond.

Thank you to Kay Marshall for this story and photos.

National Avenue CC Provides Extravagant Welcome

Photo courtesy of Juniper & Honey Photography

Last Friday, November 12, 2021, National Avenue Christian Church (NACC) hosted The Queer Revival. The goal of The Queer Revival as explained by leaders of the event, “is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for those who want to explore their spirituality and find connection within the walls of the spaces that has excluded our community. Whether you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community, or an ally who believes everyone belongs in these spaces.”

Over 150 people (the maximum number of ticket sales set by NACC) came together to experience church in a profound way. Leaders offer, “The Queer Revival is the brain child of queer artist i.V KiNG and was born in the idea of reclaiming spaces of faith that were stolen from the LGBTQ+ community. We believe that queerness is to be celebrated and that we are and have always been unconditionally loved! We believe you don’t have to choose between who you love and what you believe in. LGBTQ+ humans are brilliant unicorns, created exactly as God intended them to be. The Queer Revival is a celebration of that! It’s OUR version of church, so of course there will be drag queens!”

At a meeting after the event, several church leaders were delighted their grandchildren, nephews, and foster children were able to experience this event. They realized their children had only ever heard love and support of the LGBTQ+ community in church space. Leaders of NACC hope those who attended were able to feel loved, supported, and continue to find that love and support from church communities going forward.

Want to host or keep up with the tour for next year? Interested in finding out more? Visit: https://www.thequeerrevival.com/.

Here is another write up about the event: https://edpeaco.blogspot.com/2021/11/iv-kings-queer-revival-finds-space-for.html?fbclid=IwAR3iPZh4I-RlGNk3FbyhshEz33ghCDTiI4tnNchrersvK3bgBZDJlsAeFR4

Thanks to NACC Lead Pastor Rev. Jenn Simmons for this story.

Outreach for Homeless in St. Charles

On Saturday, September 18th St. Charles Christian Church’s praise team participated in a fundraiser for the homeless. The church put together over 100 bags loaded with essential supplies and food that are meant to give out to homeless on the street. Even the bag is meant for continued use and can work as backpack.  Several hundred came to the concert and enjoyed the evening, and the opportunity for outdoor activities and worship-like experience.  The event was held in the Amphitheater in New Town.

Thank you to Rev. Chris Franklin,
pastor of St. Charles CC for
this information and photos.

Ash Grove Drive Thru Lunch

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First Christian Church in Ash Grove, Missouri made some creative adaptations to their long-standing tradition of a community BBQ lunch. On October 2, the church held a free lunch of smoked hot dogs and brats. People could drive by, place their order, and have their lunch handed to them – all without leaving their cars. The church handed out over 100 hot dogs and brats – all with a side of individually packaged chips. This is another great example of the church adapting and serving!

Reconciliation Special Offering

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This Sunday the annual Reconciliation Offering will be received in congregations all over Mid-America and beyond. The theme this year is "Revealing God's Justice: The Time is Always Ripe to Do What is Right." Donations to this special offering enable us to provide reconciliation grants to congregations who need funding for projects that further the work of dismantling racism. There are two application periods each year with deadlines on March 1 and August 1. Past projects include a tutoring program, a campus ministries program, and our civil rights pilgrimages. Learn more>