April Connection 2

Apr 15
5 min read

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 price. Beginning on May 2nd all camp prices increase by $50.

This summer we will be using InsideOut's "Into the Wilderness" curriculum.

"Wilderness is a time or place where we encounter what is new, strange, scary, lonely, unknown or mysterious. The wilderness is a wild and beautiful time and place where we can discover the sacred within each person and all creation. The wilderness can inspire us and guide us, assuring us of God’s constant presence. As the Spirit guides us through the wilderness, we find what we need to face our fears and the very real challenges that impact our world. The wilderness teaches us the importance of community and the ways we navigate challenges together. The wilderness reveals our strengths, growing edges, and potential as God equips us for the unknown still to come. The wilderness awaits us all, and God meets us there."

Greater Legacy Society - Deadline Extended

So far we have raised $6,255 toward our initial goal of $10,000.

Become a recognized Charter Member by April 30th through a one-time gift, establishing recurring monthly or quarterly contributions, or gifting stock or IRA distributions!

Donate online at kcdisciples.org/donate

Much gratitude to our Task Force members who have developed our Gift Policy and Endowment Policy and are hosting this event: Ashley Cheung, Kirby Hughes, Rick Hughey, Vicky Kumorowski, Ron Routledge, and Lem Whitmer.

UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS

DWM April Meeting

The Disciples Women's Ministry will be holding their April evening meeting on Thursday, April 23rd at 6:00 PM at Lee's Summit Christian Church. (800 NE Tudor Rd, Lee's Summit, MO 64086)

Kirby Hughes Marks will be presenting on her trip to Greece in May 2025. She serves as the VP of the Christian Church Foundation.

Cost is $8 per person

Please RSVP via call, text, or email to Ashley Fyffe

(913) 703 - 5881

kcdiscipleswomen@gmail.com

All Clergy Lunch!

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 pay for the bill. You will either need to bring $20 cash or Venmo Roger the day of the lunch. We are excited to have this chance to connect and fellowship with one another.

Finally, we need you to RSVP for this lunch by no later than April 22. We want to ensure we have the correct seating for all those attending.

ReZound Handbell Concert

North Oak Christian Church is hosting ReZound! for a spring handbell concert.

The concert will be held Sunday, April 26 at 3:00pm at North Oak Christian Church.

9900 N. Oak Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri, 64155.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Supporting Campers Beyond the Campfire: Mental Health 101

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 camp counselors recognize common mental health warning signs, understand what behaviors may really be communicating, and respond in ways that build safety and connection.

Join us for a FREE children/youth mental health training Saturday, April 25th from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Tall Oaks Camp and Conference Center.

Undergirding Our Congregation's Dreams: How Money Impacts Our Ministry

Join us Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

at Merriam Christian Church

$20 Registration fee

Setting the Stage for Healthy Dreaming

Key Foundation Words for Stewardship/Finance
Stewardship Theological Foundation

Potential Areas of Conversation with the Group

Building a Team Approach to Stewardship/Finances
Annual Budget/Campaign Efforts
Campaign approaches
Alternative income streams
Grants with the Denomination or Local Community
Staff support around compensation, planning, and creative encouragement
Capital Campaign Programs

Seminar Leader

Rev. Dr. Chris Wilson will lead this seminar. He is the Senior Pastor of Saint Andrew Christian Church in Olathe, KS and has thirty plus years of ministry shared in the local church. He is on the Bethany Fellows Board and has served in this role since 2012. He also serves and has served in several capacities in the wider Disciples denomination and in ecumenical/interfaith non-profits. His undergraduate degree was in Business Administration, and he has a certification as a national Financial Educator.

Register by calling the Regional office at (913) 432 - 1414

SAVE THE DATES

General Assembly Livestream

July 10-11

The whole church throughout the United States and Canada, is invited to attend General Assembly 2026. Ephesians 3:14-21 invites the Stone-Campbell tradition of today and tomorrow to be rooted and grounded in the love of God that surpasses knowledge and barriers to build fuller relationships and ministries led by the limitless love of God. The prayer that calls to the church in Ephesus also calls the Christian Church to set a bigger table that surpasses our previous capacity.

More than just a series of meetings, General Assembly is a covenantal table set for education, discussion, worship, business, fellowship, and action. Each congregation is invited to boldly claim their covenantal place at the table by inviting everyone to attend online and by prayerfully designating 3 delegates to vote at General Assembly. Meeting every year online will allow more Disciples to connect more frequently and to work together more fully “to be the church we say we are.” If you’ve never attended General Assembly before, a special welcome is extended to you.

One and all, individuals, Congregations, General Ministries, Regional Ministries, Ministry partners, and friends are invited to actively participate in our new way of being church and our church wide resolve to embody and share God’s surpassing love as we gather in July.

For these reasons:

The cost is $30 in the hope of removing an economic barrier.
Translation through closed captioning will be available in 5 languages including Spanish, Korean, French, English, and Chinese, in the hope of removing language and accessibility barriers.
You can participate at a local gathering or on your personal device in the hope of removing the barriers of geography and isolation. The tech team has worked hard to make sure that GA is accessible and to train Regional and Congregational tech leaders to ensure that they didn’t create a new digital divide within the church.
The format and schedule include a Topic for Education, Discussion, and Prayer and time for dialogue to move beyond brief discussion accessible only to persons that attend GA in-person to include more voices from across the whole church.

Click here to register today and take your place in this year’s General Assembly rooted in hope, inspired by purpose, and alive with possibility. Your voice, your presence, and your spirit matter. Come be part of what God is doing next. The Greater Kansas City Region will be gathering in person for the Assembly at Country Club Christian Church. All are invited to register and participate!

While this summer's General Assembly is virtual we invite all of the Greater Kansas City Disciples to gather at Country Club Christian Church to participate together.