Meet our 2015 annual meeting leaders Rev. Da Vita D. McCallister As the Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development and Congregational Vitality, the Rev. Da Vita McCallister works to develop and implement a strategy and plan to carry out these priorities in the Conference, in partnership with her staff colleagues and leaders in local congregations. The Rev. Da Vita "Day" McCallister is a mother, ordained minister, entrepreneur, philanthropist, writer and advocate for youth and young adults. She has shared her love, passion, and wisdom in youth and young adult ministries for over 25 years, in a number of settings including the Fund for Theological Education, the National Setting of the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church. Rev. McCallister's current projects include growing "Thinking About Working for God," a judicatory initiative that is creating an environment where youth and young adults can freely explore a call to authorized ministry, completing work on a new resource for youth leaders called: Growing Sustainable Youth Ministries; and funding the first named scholarship from her foundation. She takes great pride in her Christian heritage as the great-grand daughter of the late Rev. Jesse B. Baldwin, a Baptist minister and pastor of over 65 years in rural Florida. Rev. John Dorhauer The United Church of Christ's ninth General Minister and President, the Rev. John Dorhauer, started his work in the national offices on September 1 and will be at the KO Annual Meeting just a month later. John will share in leadership on Saturday during the conversations on race and will also speak at the banquet for authorized minsters reflecting on ministry as he sees it in the years to comethe former Conference Minister of the UCC Southwest Conference has already outlined plans for the first 90 days as leader of the
denomination a focus on rebuilding relationships between the local churches and the national setting, finding ways to strengthen partnerships with other faith groups and organizations, and deepening the connection to the sacred and the Holy Spirit aimed at supporting the ongoing mission of the UCC. In a series of video conversations, he shares his vision - inviting UCC churches and people to take risks, to make connections around our missional calling, and be willing to fail as we try something new. (There s rumor going around that John will challenge the youth and Day in go kart races on Saturday night; game on). Rev. Eleanor McCormick, Friday Night Preacher Eleanor McCormick graduated from Smith College with a double major in Economics and Government. While in college, she went to Appalachia to work on the Appalachian Service Project, a program designed to assist in very poor areas. Eleanor received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School. She did additional theological study abroad in a university in Heidelberg, Germany. She has also worked in Costa Rica on a mission project, and she has completed a course in Clinical Pastoral Education at a Veterans Hospital in Connecticut. Eleanor helped create the Norma F. Pfriem Urban Outreach Initiatives program, which assists the needy in Bridgeport, CT and she has a great commitment to green theology, environmental issues and to social justice. The United Church of Christ has selected her for its Next Generation Leadership program. Eleanor became Plymouth Associate Pastor in 2014.
Friday morning workshop leaders Rev. david schoen, Speaker for Authorized Minister Banquet and Workshop Leader A graduate of Eden Seminary, David has served local congregations and since 2000 has been on the staff of the national offices working with congregations in evangelism and church growth. Those in KO who attended the Come and See events in 2014, will know him as the UCC face and voice of the New Beginnings Assessment Program. David will retire at the end of this year and will reflect with authorized ministers on Thursday evening on the changed nature of ministry over the last 20 years. Then on Friday morning, New Beginnings Congregations are invited to join David to talk, share experiences and ask questions about the work they have been doing with the New Beginnings Program. Bet Hannon Workshop Leader Effective Church Websites Bet Hannon combines many years as a UCC pastor with technical know-how to Bet Hannon combines many years as a UCC pastor with technical knowhow to help churches and non-profits effectively use digital tools. She lives in Fresno, CA. Learn more about her work at: Affordable Church Website Program. Bet states that having an effective website is crucial for churches and faith communities that want to grow and remain vital. But what makes a site effective? And how can smaller churches have a website on a budget? This workshop will cover the essentials and best practices for churches with ideas for getting a site up on a budget (as low as $30 per year or even free!
Mark Van Dorn Workshop Leader; visioning the future in the KO Conference Mark Van Dorn is a layman and member of Church of the Open Arms in Oklahoma City. He has served in the Conference for the last several years and is finishing his term as President. He was on the team in 2011 that developed the Ministry Plan that has been a guiding document for the Conference Leadership the last several years. We talk quite a lot about the changes in local congregations, but middle judicatories like UCC Conferences have changed as well. And there have been lots of changes in KO; so much so that the time has come to ask some important questions about the future. The Conference Council has appointed a Vision Team but this is the opportunity to have your voice heard as the process moves forward. Come and have lunch (BYOL) with Mark who will continue to lead this effort as he moves to the past president role on the Conference Council. Saturday night banquet featuring the east hill singers The East Hill Singers is a unique, internationally known prison chorus located at Lansing Correctional Facility in Lansing, KS. Founded in 1996, the chorus has grown in size and prominence and has included 41 inmate singers. The unique aspect of the chorus is the addition of volunteer singers from the surrounding community who are also chorus members. Normally, the chorus is comprised of about 50% inmates and 50% volunteers. Typically, the chorus comes outside the prison walls to present 4 public performances per year. Performances are held in various locations in the state of Kansas, most often churches. The inmates learn vocal technique and a wide variety of choral literature, but they learn much more than that. They gain important skills in collaboration -- being respectful of others abilities and efforts, accepting responsibility to the group and making and honoring commitments to the group s goal. The volunteer singers serve as informal role models and mentors. The appreciation of the audience for a job well done is an experience most of the singers have never before had. It makes a life-long memory of a successful effort working toward a goal of creating excellence and beauty, and being honored for that.
The experience of singing in the chorus has an impact in individual inmates far beyond gaining the ability to match pitches and follow a conductor. When asked what the East Hill Singers meant to him, one inmate replied, Hope. Hope that I can do something good when I get out. Hope that I can be accepted back into society. And another said, Caring. I know that the volunteer singers give of their time to come and sing with us, and they do it without expecting anything in return. Someday I want to give back. In fact, many inmate singers return to help with the chorus as volunteers after they have been released, and even make financial contributions when they are able.