June Connection 2
- Jun 15
- 6 min read
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 world of Christian fundamentalism, Stephen’s calling and path to ministry has been a journey of finding healing in the midst of spiritual trauma, building community with people of diverse needs, experiences, and identities, and imagining new ways that the church might follow the Spirit’s call into the wilderness.
Since graduating from Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2021, Stephen was the pastor at Central Christian Church in Great Falls, Montana, before moving to the Kansas City area to serve as the associate minister for Community Christian Church. During their time in the Kansas City region, Stephen has become actively involved in the Disciples camps at Tall Oaks as a member of the Camp and Conference committee, adult sponsor for the Regional Youth Cabinet, and camp counselor. He is excited by the opportunity to continue to serve the region and the Church in a new way.
In their spare time, Stephen enjoys playing D&D and other tabletop games with friends, listening to podcasts and audiobooks of doorstopper fantasy novels, enjoying occasional, moderate success with their pub trivia team, and playing video games while snuggled up with his two cats, Merlin and Morgana.
General Assembly Livestream
July 10-11
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 to participate together on Saturday from 10-6 lunch will be provided for a $12 donation.
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.
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!
Every congregation may select up to 3 delegates to participate and vote at GA. Participation can be in person or via Zoom. Churches are receiving emails with details related to voting delegates. All ministers in good standing may vote.
Donation Needed
Eastgate Christian Church is looking for 20-30 Chalice PRAISE hymn books gathering dust somewhere.
We hope they will be gifted to our church as our music director would like to use in worship.
Please contact Julie at 816.808.4532. We will pick them up. Thanks, ECC.
Piano & Organ Available
Swope Parkway United Christian Church is gifting
a Yamaha baby grand piano and a Wurlitizer organ to any DOC church or non-profit organization. Both instruments are 25+ years old. The piano is in good condition. The organ is in fair condition. There is no "catch". We are just looking for a good home for them.
Interested parties can contact:
Dorothy Johnson
816-616-2333
Tri-Regional Partnership Newsletter
Read about the latest news in the Tri-Regional Partnership program!
Ten KC Disciples gathered for an Estate Planning Workshop led by Kirby Hughes Marks on
June 11th at Barry Christian Church.
Strategies were shared to enable folks to make Legacy planning in a way that honors their families, remembers their communities of faith with smart tax advantages.
On Sunday afternoon, members of First Christian Church Weston gathered at a lovely venue called 'Eventful' to celebrate the retirement of Rev. Cindy Molini with a time of food, fellowship, and recognition of her faithful ministry.
Cindy has also served Lawson and Dearborne. She will be greatly missed by all who know and love her.
We pray God's fullness upon this next chapter of her life.
UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS
Summer Camp Registration!
Registration for all of our 2026 Summer camps is OPEN! Be sure to register your camper as soon as possible! All of our camps are meant to be accessible to ALL in the Region, if price is any concern, please apply for a summer camp scholarship here.
For Summer 2026, 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."
VINTAGE GLASS SALE AT LONGVIEW CHAPEL
Longview Chapel's Christian Women's Fellowship is hosting a vintage pressed glass and crystal sale on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, from 9:00-4:00 PM.
This sale is open to the public; all are welcome to come, browse, and get that special gift for that special someone — like yourself! This sale is the CWF's only means of financing its service projects and activities. We appreciate your support!
“Relational Integrity in Cross-Cultural Spaces”
June 30, 2026 | 7:00–8:30 p.m. (CST)
Led by Deidra Riggs, this 90-minute session This session explores what it means to engage
across real differences—cultural, experiential, theological, and personal—without losing ourselves or attempting to control one another. Rather than focusing on rules for interaction, participants will be invited to consider how they show up in the presence of difference: what they assume, what they protect, and what happens when tension arises.
This Zoom gathering is free and open to lay leaders, church members, and pastors.
Disciples Women's Ministry Fish Fry
Thursday, July 9
Join the Greater KC Disciples Women's Ministry in supporting Blue Springs Terrace. Blue Springs Terrace, Inc, is a residential retirement community for clergy of the United Church of Christ and Christian Church Disciples of Christ.
RSVP:
(913) 703 - 5881
FROM THE GENERAL CHURCH
State of the Church 2026 with Rev. Terri Hord Owens
The State of the Church 2026 address from General Minister and President, Rev. Terri Hord
Owens.
In this address, she reflects on ministry priorities, spaces of vitality and vision in our congregations, and our “growing edges” as a church. This is a special edition of the address that was given at the Spring General Board meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana in April.
SAVE THE DATES
Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation 2.0 Training
Thursday, July 23, 9:00 am-4:00 pm at Merriam Christian Church.
Anti-Racism 2.0 answers these questions:
"Where is the evidence that systemic racism exists in my community?"
"How did race prejudice and abuse of power shape many of the laws that systematized racism?"
"What are local Disciples of Jesus Christ doing to mitigate this sinful reality?"
"Me? Biased? I have lots of friends who are . . . "
"What can I and those I serve do to help change this sinful reality?"
Planned learning activities include: taking the Implicit Bias Test beforehand, exploring the origins of the pseudo-science of eugenics, and taking an in-house virtual tour of the Greater Kansas City area to learn about how racism shaped our communities. We will meet with local people who are making progress mitigating some of systemic racism’s effects.
Full Details can be found HERE.
This workshop includes several individual and small group activities. Please wear comfortable clothing.
There is suggested pre-reading. You can find more information HERE .
Anti-Racism 101 is a prerequisite for this workshop.
2026 Racial Justice Summit
Save the date for the Becoming Beloved Community's fourth annual Racial Justice Summit Saturday, November 7th.
