MISSION OF THIS MINISTRY:
To celebrate and keep alive the African American heritage for the young Christian as well as the whole church and lived out in Jesus’ prayer to be as one that the world may believe that God sent Him. (John 17:21)
Churches making up the Convocation.
Fifth Street/ Columbia
Centennial/ St. Louis
Willow Street/Hannibal
Second Christian/ New London
Second Christian/ Vandalia
Second Christian/ Fulton
Restoration Christian Community/ Illinois
First Christian/ Frankford
Second Christian/ Jefferson City
Memorial Blvd/ St. Louis
First Christian / Clarksville
Hawk Point Christian Church/Hawk Point
Other attending:
First Christian Church/Hannibal
Broadway CC/ Columbia
Affton Christian Church/St. Louis
Faith Christian Church/Buffalo
General Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada
Compton Heights CC/St. Louis
On April 26, fifty-three adults and Youth came together for the 2025 Mid-America African American Convocation at First Christian Church in Frankford, MO, with host Pastor Rev. M. Faye Vaughn.
The theme for this year’s event was "Transformation: Journey Towards Unity and Hope" and the Scripture text: Romans 12:2.
We opened the morning worship with the We Stand United Puppetry & Dance Team from Hannibal, MO. The Founder is Marsha Mayfield, Hannibal, MO and a member of Second Christian Church, New London.
Dr. Paul Koch gave greetings, and we were welcomed by Rev. M. Faye Vaughn to her church. We had the roll call of the churches and the parade of their banners.
Workshops
Candy Weems and Toni Rose from Willow Street Christian Church were the youth leaders for Convocation.
Workshop: Anti-Racism Pro-Reconciliation Justice Ministries
Presenters: Regional Minister Rev. Dr. Paul Koch, Madeline Haraway and Rev. Jeff Moore, Regional Board members and Rev. Angela Williams, Associate Regional Minister-Mid-America Disciples of Christ
Associate Regional Minister, Rev. Jennifer Long supports our Disciples Women’s Ministries. She spoke on events that were happening with the women.
Rev. Dr. Derrick Perkins -Director for Congregational Vitality & Innovation for Disciples Home Missions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US & Canada shared what his new position instilled and how he can be a service to the churches.
Mrs. Nancy Travis shared about their after-school youth ministry at First Christian. Every Wednesday they have Bible study and a meal.
We shared a wonderful lunch catered by First Christian Church.
The afternoon worship was led by the We Stand United Puppetry & Dance Team from Hannibal, MO.
Our keynote speaker Jacqua Brown Williams, Minister of Christian Education Impact Church DFW. Jacqua is a native of Hannibal, Missouri. She was born a disciple, bred a disciple, and will die a disciple of Jesus Christ. She is the daughter of the late Jack and late Vyrle Brown. Both were elders and strong members of Willow Street Christian Church.
Jacqua’s ministries are music, teaching, spiritual life coaching, disciple making, women’s ministries, and prison life transformational studies.
The Logo you see is for the combination of all she does. The Logo means I HEAR A CALLING!
Her ministry creations are: GURLTalk: Gritty, Unfiltered, Real-Life Talk designed just for women.
Generational Conversations: podcast for exploring the differences between generations of women Trauma in the Pews
A program designed to assist God’s people in coping with the trauma of childhood and urban life.
Church Hurt
A program designed to hear the anger of church members for a resolution that glorifies God.
Communion was led by Rev. M. Faye Vaughn.
Rev. Charles Blackmon, pastor and member Restoration Christian Community/Illinois has volunteered to host next year’s event. Possible dates are April 11, 2026, or April 18, 2026.
Convocation co-coordinators: Paula Holliday and Rev. LeWanda Jackson hosted and moderated the celebration.
Thank you to Coordinator Paula Holliday for this report,
and to Paul Koch and Jennifer Long for photos.