Missouri Union Presbytery

thanks for posting.. that's the way it is suppose to work!!

I just finished a book published by the Alban Institute entitled “When Better Isn't Enough – Evalutation Tools for the 21st Century Church.” The book is written by Jill Hudson, a PC(USA) minister. In the book Jill addresses not only the church's need for change but also how that change will inevitably bring conflict. The most helpful part of the book, in my opinion, is her section on 12 characteristics for a 21st century church and then evaluation tools for both the pastor and a personnell committee to use for review purposes. Some of the questions she proposes are pretty challenging for pastors and churches but are questions that really do need to be addressed. I highly recommend the book if you are planning to set goals, either personal or church related, for the next year. The synod wil order the book for you from Alban so you can get the discount. The number is AL279.

In February of 2005 First Church in Columbia began a Prayer Shawl Ministry. This ministry is really very simple. A shawl may be either knitted or crocheted. The creation of each shawl begins with prayer adn the prayers are continued throughout the making of the whole piece. The shawls may be made individually at home or in small gatherings for intercessory prayer. Here at First Church, the completed shawls are given to the deacons to distribute to people facing some difficulty in life, as a reminder that the church continually wraps this person in prayer. Every month as the deacons meet, those who have received shawls are lifted up in prayer. This ministry was officially dedicated during worship on Pentecost Sunday in 2005. Since then, 37 shawls have been made and 31 have been distributed to members and non members of the church. This ministry is really very simple to begin and maintain, and the cost is just a few skeins of yarn for each shawl. For a more complete history of this ministry as well as knitting and crocheting patterns, check out the website www.shawlministry.com or email me at kathie@fpccolumbia.org

25 YEARS of Sharing Celebrated October 21, 2006

(Reported following the October 2006 Festival of Sharing)

The twenty-fifth annual Festival of Sharing was held on Saturday, October 21, 2006, at the State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. Throughout the day, churches, denominations, faith groups and individuals brought their monetary and material gifts to share with needy people in Missouri, the U.S. and around the world.

At this year’s event, a tractor-trailer was filled to capacity with Church World Service kits. The vast majority of those items will be sent overseas for use by needy people there. Seventy-seven agencies from around the state came to pick up kits made for use in Missouri, as well as beans, rice and potatoes. Youth and adult volunteers persevered in loading their vehicles these items despite rain and dropping temperatures.

The speaker for the Festival worship service was Donna Derr, Director of the Church World Service (CWS) Emergency Response Program. Donna shared the moving story of a family and their struggle during the 2004 tsunami that impacted Indonesia and nearby parts of the world. Despite their very best efforts, the couple lost their six-year old son, their young infant and the woman’s mother, as well as their home. This is an example of the type of people CWS supports through the gifts such as those received at the Festival of Sharing.

The Quilt Auction was of particular interest this year with the inclusion of a spectacular “whole cloth??? quilt with the Festival logo and a 25th anniversary banner appliquéd in the center. Quilters and other friends of long time Festival volunteer, Joe Trower, surprised him by pooling their resources to purchase the quilt for him. The proceeds from all of the quilts sold will be sent to the Church World Service “Tools and Blankets??? program.

For pictures of this year’s Festival, check the Festival web site at www.umocm/festival.htm. The total of all Festival gifts (including those received at mini-ingatherings around the state) will be printed in the 2006 Report of Giving, available in January 2007.

25 YEARS of Sharing Celebrated October 21, 2006

(Reported following the October 2006 Festival of Sharing)

The twenty-fifth annual Festival of Sharing was held on Saturday, October 21, 2006, at the State Fairgrounds in Sedalia. Throughout the day, churches, denominations, faith groups and individuals brought their monetary and material gifts to share with needy people in Missouri, the U.S. and around the world.

At this year’s event, a tractor-trailer was filled to capacity with Church World Service kits. The vast majority of those items will be sent overseas for use by needy people there. Seventy-seven agencies from around the state came to pick up kits made for use in Missouri, as well as beans, rice and potatoes. Youth and adult volunteers persevered in loading their vehicles these items despite rain and dropping temperatures.

The speaker for the Festival worship service was Donna Derr, Director of the Church World Service (CWS) Emergency Response Program. Donna shared the moving story of a family and their struggle during the 2004 tsunami that impacted Indonesia and nearby parts of the world. Despite their very best efforts, the couple lost their six-year old son, their young infant and the woman’s mother, as well as their home. This is an example of the type of people CWS supports through the gifts such as those received at the Festival of Sharing.

The Quilt Auction was of particular interest this year with the inclusion of a spectacular “whole cloth??? quilt with the Festival logo and a 25th anniversary banner appliquéd in the center. Quilters and other friends of long time Festival volunteer, Joe Trower, surprised him by pooling their resources to purchase the quilt for him. The proceeds from all of the quilts sold will be sent to the Church World Service “Tools and Blankets??? program.

For pictures of this year’s Festival, check the Festival web site at www.umocm/festival.htm. The total of all Festival gifts (including those received at mini-ingatherings around the state) will be printed in the 2006 Report of Giving, available in January 2007.