Your Mid-America News

Please continue to pray for Rev. Ed Varnum and his family as his wife Jan passed away recently. Services have been scheduled for Saturday, November 8 at Broadway Christian Church in Columbia. Visitation will be at 10:00am with memorial at 11:00.

Second Christian Church in Jefferson City will celebrate its

120th anniversary on November 8th! Congratulations!

Boundary Training November 8

Four of our Mid-America Disciples have recently been trained to deliver boundary training for our clergy. Associate Regional Minister Rev. Jennifer Long, her husband Tim Long, Rev. Sharae Kelley, and Rev. Lizzy Wolf are now equipped to offer sessions for our "in house" clergy certification. The first is scheduled for Saturday, November 8 at Faith Christian Church in Buffalo. Such training is required of all active clergy every three years. Learn more and register by November 5 here>

Ordinations

This weekend will see two more ordinations within Mid-America! John Harwell will be ordained in Poplar Bluff and Randy Robb will be ordained in Boonesboro. All are welcome to share in the celebrations!

Church Extension News

Disciples Church Extension Fund is hiring two remote Building and Capital Services Advisors within the U.S. These two full-time positions develop financial and programmatic pathways for places of worship across the denomination and DCEF's ecumenical partners to achieve their long-term mission.

James “Jim” Michel serves as the Advisor for our region. He can help you with building planning, from assessing your structures through a building evaluation, to assisting your faith community find clarity and a new vision through New Beginnings. Jim can also provide fundraising guidance. Contact him via email with any questions.

What to Expect at the Rickman Legacy Gala

For the past two General Assemblies, we have enjoyed convention receptions. This year, to provide a chance for more participation and to also thank those who could not attend Assembly in person, we are bringing our reception to you in the central part of our region.

Please join your fellow Disciples at Lake Ozark Christian Church for a lovely autumn and pre-Thanksgiving evening. We will fellowship, listen to Cliff Aerie once again enthrall us with his saxophone, Kirby Gould on her violin, and Larry Brown in his storytelling.

Did we mention that there will be fantastic food and fellowship! Thanks to the people at Lake Ozark, come and enjoy sandwich, cheese, fruit, and vegetable platters, sausage and meatloaf balls, charcutier, spinach artichoke dip, salmon dip, hummus and bread varieties, chocolates, dessert, cider punches, and much more.

To help us, prepare, please rsvp asap.

From the Wider Church

This coming week's Global Ministries prayer request is for Eswatini.

This week's College of Regional Ministers prayer request is for

the Christian Church in the Southwest.

Center for Lived Faith & Organizing

is presenting two more seminars this fall.

As a partner supporter, Mid-America has free seats available for each.

White Moral Injury: Organizing White People in the Face of Christian Fascism

Friday, November 21

All can be attended either in person in St. Louis or online.

Learn more here>

As your congregation gets its facilities ready for fall, make sure that they don't let in the cold. If they do, they could be leaking heat, costing you money, and increasing your carbon emissions.

Improve operations that contribute to a more energy-efficient place of worship with Disciples Church Extension Fund’s renovation loans. Receive up to $150,000 to:

- upgrade heaters

- replace or repair inefficient windows

- insulate or weatherproof your sanctuary, fellowship hall, and more

To learn how you can "go green,” contact your regional Building and Capital Services Advisor Jim Michel.