Blessing Box Ribbon-Cutting

First UMC (De Soto) recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony of their community’s “Blessing Box” located at the church. This free resource is ministry project made possible through the collaboration of the local Ministerial Alliance, St. Andrew's UMC (De Soto) and Hope United Church of Christ. Lent offerings as well as materials provided by the participating churches allowed the project to take shape. Rev. Stefenie Rustige (First UMC) will lead this project as it is a much-needed resource for the community.

DeSoto, MO is a town of 7,000, with many being middle to lower income.  "Like so many other places, people are hurting to feed families due to tariffs and rising prices, especially when there are older families and those with 6 or more children." Stefenie said.

Rev. Rustige was thankful that she was able to encourage her congregation to step out and bring this community need into reality. “It is an honor to serve God and the community of De Soto Missouri,” Rustige said.

The Southeast District invites churches to share their outreach ministries, please send photos and information to [email protected]. 

 2025 Annual Conference

The 2025 Missouri Annual Conference is over, but if you missed any of it or want to rewatch the Business Sessions or Episcopal Address, read through the Reports, or download the workbook, visit the Annual Conference website HERE.

Audits Past Due

Audits are past due as of June 1, 2025. If your church has not submitted the annual audit, please do so immediately.
 
Upon completion, please email Allie ([email protected]) with a PDF attachment or you can fax a copy to (573) 207-4236.

Download the form here: Annual+Fund+Balance+Report.xlsx

 Lay Education Classes

• Wednesdays beginning Sept. 10 - Emotionally Healthy Spirituality online via Zoom 

Save the date for these lay education classes coming in the fall:

• Mondays beginning Sept. 8 - BeUMC online via Zoom
• Mondays beginning Nov. 3 - UMC Polity online via Zoom

Disaster Response Basic and Recertification Training

This class will provide you with the basic information you need about Early Response Teams. ERTs fill a specific need in the days after a disaster to clean out flood-damaged homes, remove debris, place tarps on homes, and otherwise help to prevent further damage, while providing a caring Christian presence.

When: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 26
Where: First UMC, 503 West Main Street, West Plains, MO
Cost: $15, includes lunch and supplies

 Stay Connected

Stay Connected with the Missouri Conference

Stay informed of the exciting opportunities the Missouri Annual Conference is offering. View our annual stay connected letter to see the many ways you can connect and follow the Missouri Conference: https://www.moumethodist.org/newsdetail/18891548

 UMM Day at the Ballpark
2025

The season has arrived!  The Cardinals are playing exciting baseball despite predictions of doom & gloom. We are currently tied for 2^nd place in the division with a 19-19 record. This year is once again a DAY game in June to avoid the hottest temperatures.  The game date is Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM against the Cincinnati Reds.  Seats are in the 3^rd base loge 265 section with some shade and light breezes.  Available seating is limited to 300 tickets this year so reserve your tickets early – pay later.  Contact Rog Wooden at (314) 576-1124 or e-mail at [email protected]. 

We suggest that you encourage folks to think of this day as ministry by inviting a scout or friend to join you or buy a ticket for a scout that can’t afford the cost. If we know the donor’s name, we will pass it to the recipient.
 
This year the MO UMMen will match any May – June donations to Sleep in Heavenly Peace for beds for youth without one. 
 
It’s a great time for a road trip!  Tickets are available now. CLICK HERE for the order form. Reservations are on a first come first served basis, payment can come later. Make checks payable to Methodist Family Day and send to:
 
Rog Wooden
13358 Windbrooke Lane
St. Louis, MO 63146

Imagine Something New at Dream Lab

 Get out of the office and into a creative headspace. Dream Lab, a 24-hour retreat at the Lake of the Ozarks, is designed for you and your local church leadership to imagine and brainstorm about something new for your ministry. Learn more and register your local church team →

Festival of Sharing 2025 Information Available

Friday, October 3rd, 2025

The 2025 Festival of Sharing Booklet and infographics are now available. Download and print pack and kit lists from the 'Media' tab. The most requested packs are the family food boxes, paper products pack, and personal hygiene pack.

Packs are collected for disbursement in Missouri while kits are disbursed by Church World Service to other areas of the world.

Additional Sharefest details to be published as they become available.

For more information, visit: Festival of Sharing

FREE Video Resources Available

The Southeast District Office has free Amplify Media accounts available for Pastors and Church Leaders in our district.

Amplify is a video streaming service that offers a collection of thousands of videos and programming suitable for small group Bible studies, children's ministries, sermons, and more.

Free accounts are limited. Please email Allie at [email protected] to request the access code.

Do Your Church PCs Need An Upgrade? 

Windows 10 support ends Oct. 2025 which means no more updates or security fixes for computers running that operating system.

If your church needs help determining if your computer can upgrade to Windows 11, GCFA has provided resources through UMC Technology Support to help you stay secure and up-to-date.

UMC Support can check your upgrade eligibility to determine if you can upgrade or if you need a new PC. If your PC is not eligible to upgrade, they offer deep discounts to help you save money.

To watch a video with FAQ and for more resources follow this link: https://www.gcfa.org/resource/windows-10-end-of-life