July 1, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Please join us in thanking Rev. Ron Routledge for his time as our interim Regional Minister and President. And please join us as we welcome Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel as our new Regional Minister and President.  Our Region is so blessed by their ministry! On Sunday, June 28th, Pastor Gina Johnson was officially installed as Senior Minister at Overland Park Christian Church. We welcome Pastor Gina to our Region from th

June 15, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION New Regional staff member! Rev. Stephen Underwood (he/they) has accepted a position to serve the Greater Kansas City Region as the Student Liaison. Created by the Commission on Ministry Innovation, Stephen's role is designed to help the region connect college, graduate, and seminary students in the Kansas City area with the resources to pursue church planting as a vocation. As a queer and neurodivergent person raised in the

June 1, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel On Thursday, May 21st we held a special Regional Assembly. This Assembly was an in-person and virtual event to meet the candidate selected by our Regional Minister Search Committee. We held a Question and Answer session followed by a vote. Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel was confirmed as our next Regional Minister! She will begin serving in this role this July. To the Greater Kansas City Chris

May 25 On Thursday, May 21st we held a special Regional Assembly. This Assembly was an in-person and virtual event to meet the candidate selected by our Regional Minister Search Committee. We held a Question and Answer session followed by a vote. Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel was confirmed as our next Regional Minister! She will begin serving in this role this July. Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood's Resume: Ordination Ordained into Christian Ministry at First Christian Church, Faye

May 15, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION Meet our Regional Minister Candidate Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel Ordination Ordained into Christian Ministry at First Christian Church, Fayetteville, AR on May 24, 2009 Education DMin, Phillips Theological Seminary (2019) MDiv Equivalency, Phillips (2009) MTS, Brite Divinity School (2003) BA in Religious Studies, TCU (2000) Ministerial Service Senior Minister, Hillcrest Christian Church, Overland Park, KS (Feb 2022 – Present) Senior Minis

May 1, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Special Regional Assembly The Regional Minister Search Committee and Regional Board are ready to present a candidate for the position of Regional Minister and President of the Greater Kansas City Christian Church Disciples of Christ Region. A special Regional Assembly will be held on Thursday, May 21st, at 6:00 PM at Merriam Christian Church and on Zoom. All in the Region are welcome to come and meet the candidate. Each cong

April 16 The Regional Minister Search Committee and the Regional Board are calling for a special Regional Assembly to present their candidate for a new Regional Minister and President for the Christian Church of Greater Kansas City. All members of the Greater Kansas City Christian Church Disciples of Christ Region are invited to attend in person or virtually on Thursday, May 21st, at 6:00 PM, at Merriam Christian Church. (9401 Johnson Dr., Merriam, KS 66203) At this assembly

April 15, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Hillcrest Christian Church at Silver Crest senior adult community held its first ecumenical Good Friday service with a standing room crowd of worshippers. Kudos to Pastor Lois for continuing to build a growing congregation of seniors! TWO WEEKS left for Early Bird Summer Camp Prices! ALL of our 2026 KC Disciples Summer Camp registrations are OPEN ! Be sure to register by Friday, May 1st to receive the early-bird discount p

April 1, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Regional Minister Search Committee Update The Search Committee for the Regional Minister is very close to announcing a final Regional Minister candidate. Per our Rules of Procedure, upon completion of a Regional Board meeting called to introduce and vote on the candidate, a Special Regional Assembly is called for congregations to meet and then vote on the recommended candidate. It is anticipated this Special Regional Assemb

10:00 am-4:00 pm April 11, 2026, Independence Boulevard Christian Church 606 Gladstone, Kansas City, MO Based on KLC’s new bestselling book, When Everyone Leads makes leadership radically accessible and inclusive, and helps unleash capacity for collective leadership in teams, organizations, coalitions and communities. This program is packed with interactive group discussions and provides ample time for you to reflect on application to the challenges that matter most in your

Wednesday, April 29 Come one! Come all! It has been a while since all the clergy in the Region had an opportunity to gather for lunch, connection, fellowship, and support. That opportunity has come. All clergy are invited to a lunch on Wednesday April 29 at Noon. We will be meeting at Milburn Country Club in north Overland Park. The address is: 7501 W. 69 th St. Overland Park, KS 66204 The lunch cost will be $20/person . Roger Beason has a membership with Milburn and will pa

Tuesday, March 24 Regional Minister Search Committee Update At our Regional Board meeting on Monday, March 23rd, we heard an update from our Regional Minister Search Committee. The committee is in negotiations with its final candidate. Soon, a Zoom Regional Board Meeting will be called for the candidate to meet with our Regional Board. From there, if approved, we will call a special Regional Assembly. This special Regional Assembly will be held in person and virtually as well

We received 171 votes on our summer camp shirt designs! Our winning design is: This shirt was designed by Tristan Jordan a member of Peace Christian Church and an adult sponsor on the Greater Kansas City Christian Church Disciples of Christ Regional Youth Cabinet! Order a camp shirt If you are attending a 2026 KC Disciples Camp at Tall Oaks you will be receiving a shirt and do NOT need to order one! If for any reason you are unable to attend a camp this summer, but would st

March 17, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Vote on our 2026 Summer Camp Shirt This year, we enlisted the help of all creatives in the Greater Kansas City area to help us create our summer camp t-shirts. We received 9 shirt design options and are now asking for campers, parents, church leaders, and everyone in the Greater KC area to vote for their favorite design! Be sure to submit your vote by Thursday, March 19! Sponsor our Camper Shirts In an effort to keep o

This year, we enlisted the help of all creatives in the Greater Kansas City area to help us create our summer camp t-shirts. We received 9 shirt design options and are now asking for campers, parents, church leaders, and everyone in the Greater KC area to vote for their favorite design! Be sure to submit your vote by Thursday, March 19! Sponsor our camper shirts In an effort to keep our camp registration fees accessible, we are asking for help from our community. With a dona

Saturday, April 25th 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Camp is more than games and cabin chats; it’s a place where kids bring their full selves, including their emotions. This training will help adults recognize common mental health warning signs, understand what behaviors may really be communicating, and respond in ways that build safety and connection. While the primary focus of the training is on campers, the information will be applicable to supporting the mental health of youth outside

March 2, 2026 DISCIPLES CONNECTION AROUND THE REGION Greater Legacy Society Launch On Sunday, February 22nd, we successfully launched the Greater Legacy Society, our new Regional Endowment Fund! This new partnership will allow individuals to consider ways they can leave a legacy for our Regional Ministry to continue well beyond our lifetimes. So far, we have raised $4,675 of our initial goal of $10,000. Become a recognized Charter Member by March 31st through a one-time gif

February, 27 Save the dates for the 2026 General Assembly online, July 10–11, 2026! Registration Opens March 2026 $30 per person The theme, BEYOND: Love Surpassing (Ephesians 3:14–21), builds on the work that God began last year and marks the first General Assembly of the new triennium as we live into our new structure. Mark your calendar now and plan to participate as we are further “rooted and established in love” that surpasses knowledge. More details to come so plea

Tuesdays | April 14, 21, 28 | 7:00-8:15 | on Zoom | Register In this three session webinar, you will learn how to grow as a connection-rich congregation where everyone can make a friend and no one goes through life’s hardest moments alone. Each webinar includes times for discussion to explore how community listening applies in your specific ministry, and to identify practical next steps you can take. Led by Ministry Consultants Joy Skjegstad and Heidi Unruh with KC's Associat

Sunday, February 22nd On Sunday, February 22nd, we successfully launched the Greater Legacy Society, our new Regional Endowment Fund! This new partnership will allow individuals to consider ways they can leave a legacy for our Regional Ministry to continue well beyond our lifetimes. So far, we have raised $4,675 of our initial goal of $10,000. Become a recognized Charter Member by March 31st through a one-time gift, establishing recurring monthly or quarterly contributions