September Connection 2
September 15, 2026
DISCIPLES CONNECTION
AROUND THE REGION
Please RSVP for the installation ceremony of Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel in her role as our Regional Minister and President. This celebration is free and open to everyone in the Greater Kansas City Region and beyond!
Clergy: Please wear robes and red or multi-colored stoles to the celebration!
Regional Youth Cabinet
Our 2026-2027 KC Disciples Regional Youth Cabinet held its first meeting on Sunday, September 13th at Overland Park Christian Church.
This year's cabinet members are:
Emsley Blackman, a junior from First Christian Church Fayetteville
Evan Braithwaite, a senior from Shawnee Community Christian Church
Emma Bright, a junior from Liberty Christian Church
Cash Collier, a junior from Lee's Summit Christian Church
Theo Dow, a senior from Community Christian Church
Zoe Fritschie, a senior from Hillcrest Christian Church
Sara Kate Michaels, a junior from First Christian Church Fayetteville
Will Nickell, a junior from Living Water Christian Chruch
Joely Nickerson, a junior
Neko Silvers, a junior from Lee's Summit Christian Church
Josie Smotrilla, a senior from Saint Andrew Christian Church
Maddie Sullins, a senior from Fairview Christian Church
Adult Sponsors:
Jenna Engelken, from Overland Park Christian Church
Nora Engelken, from Overland Park Christian Church
Rev. Chuck Pickrel, who serves as the Youth Pastor at Saint Andrew Christian Church
Rev. Stephen Underwood, who serves as the student liaison at the KC Disciples Regional office
Our 2026-2027 Regional Youth Cabinet will be honored at the Regional Assembly at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 10.
Worship WednesdayEvery Wednesday, the Regional Office will spotlight a sermon from one of our churches. Whether you missed a Sunday Service or just need a mid-week spiritual reset, Worship Wednesdays allow everyone in the Greater KC Region and beyond to share in the good word. |
Regional Assembly
October 9 and 10
Every two years we gather as a region for fellowship, worship, regional board elections, and discussion of any other pressing issues for the Greater Kansas City Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
2026 is extra special with leadership from our new Regional Minister, Rev. Dr. Lara Blackwood Pickrel and an Installation Service for our Regional Youth Cabinet.
As we reflect on Being the Body of Christ, we're reminded that it takes all of us - lay members, lay leaders, ministers, and regional ministry leadership to do the work of Christ in our congregations and in our communities.
Our Regional Assembly builds on this by offering a laity and family focus on Friday evening with a Regional focus on Saturday.
UPCOMING REGIONAL EVENTS
"How a Practiced Religious Freedom Helps Christians
Respond to Rising Authoritarianism and Theocracy"
Amanda Tyler, ED of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty Thursday, September 17 at 12 noon - 1 pm (Central time)
Religious freedom is more than a set of principles or constitutional protections. Religious freedom is a practice that requires discipline, particularly from a religious group that has majority status in a community.
Amanda will explain what a practiced religious freedom looks like and how it can contribute to a pluralistic democracy. She will point to examples of advocacy against rising Christian nationalism in public schools and threats to free and fair elections, giving actionable ideas for faith leaders to engage in some of today's most pressing challenges.
Faith, Politics, and the Common Good Event
September 22
Saint Andrew will be hosting a special event on Tuesday night
September 22 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm in the sanctuary. We are one of the national spots for the organization Vote for the Common Good. Faith doesn’t belong on the sidelines of democracy — and it shouldn’t be used to dismantle it either. This fall, 50+ cities are being visited to offer a better way forward. Faith, Politics, and the Common Good is a 2-hour gathering for everyday people of faith, local clergy, public servants, and neighbors who want to bring their whole selves — beliefs included — into public life without leaving democracy behind. You don’t have to check your faith at the door to be a good citizen. And you don’t have to compromise democracy to be a person of faith. The event will be a blend of presenters and small group conversations. Please make plans to come and be a part of this meaningful evening.
KC Disciples Women's Ministry September Meeting
Hello Disciples Women!
Join us for our Disciples Women’s Food, Fellowship & Faith in Action Evening on
Thursday, September 24th!
Dinner begins at 6:00 PM
Merriam Christian Church
Cost: $8 per person
We’ll gather around the table for good food, fellowship, connection, and conversation as we explore what it means to put our faith into action.
Come enjoy an evening of fellowship, encouragement, and meaningful conversation with other Disciples Women as we connect, share, and look for ways to live out our faith in action.
Please RSVP by calling, texting, or emailing Ashley:
When Everyone Leads: Equipping Leaders for Anti-Racist Movement Ministry
Saturday, September 26
Reconciliation Ministry is hosting When Everyone Leads, a special online gathering designed to equip and strengthen ARPR leaders across the church as we continue the work of anti-racist movement ministry.
Regional Ministers are encouraged to share this opportunity with ARPR Team leaders in your regions. The event will take place Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. CST (11 a.m.–6 p.m. EST / 8 a.m.–3 p.m. PST) and will be facilitated by Rev. Bill Rose-Heim.
The course is grounded in the belief that when everyone leads, we can make progress on our toughest challenges and that everyone should be equipped and supported to exercise their leadership capacities.
Register for When Everyone Leads and help spread the word among leaders in your region.
Dementia Q&A
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway, KCMO
When someone you love is changing, the way you communicate must change too. Caring for someone with cognitive decline, like Alzheimer’s or dementia, can be one of the most disorienting and emotional experiences you’ll ever go through.
Come talk with an expert and a supportive ally on this journey. Dr. Laura Janusik is the founder of Listening to Change. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication and has devoted her academic and professional life to the
study of listening, with a deep focus on how the brain shapes our communication habits.
NOCC is hosting a free Question and Answer session open to the public.
Make plans to attend and share this information with other people who would benefit from this resource.
LEARN MORE AT https://www.listeningtochange.com/
Eastgate Christian Church Celebrates 75 Years!
Join Eastgate Christian Church on Sunday, October 11th, as they celebrate 75 years of ministry and fellowship. Following the 10:30 service, there will be a meal and celebration for Rev. Lem Whitmer's Birthday.
Please RSVP by September 30th at (816) 252-6828
Tall Oaks Fall Volunteer Day
Our focus for the October 24th Volunteer Day will be projects such as - landscaping, grounds cleanup, gala decor creation, and more!
Our volunteer team will provide all needed supplies, but you are welcome to bring your own tools/gloves/equipment that you prefer.
The event will begin Saturday at 9:30 am (Check-in starting at 9:00am) Please be sure to register for every session you plan to attend.
A Free Lunch will be provided for all volunteers. Dinner is also available for $5 per person before our celebration bonfire.
ALL volunteers under 18 MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian or designated Adult Sponsor.
If you have any questions, contact the volunteer team at: volunteer@talloaks.org
FROM THE GENERAL CHURCH
Reconciliation Offering: Beyond Restoration: Hope in Action
The 2026 Reconciliation Offering will be received on September 27 and October 4, inviting Disciples to move Beyond Restoration: Hope in Action, inspired by Psalm 85:6-11.
This year’s offering calls us to consider what it means to move beyond restoration toward active hope, justice, reconciliation, and the work of building beloved community.
Regional Ministers are encouraged to share the Reconciliation Offering creative and help create awareness throughout their regions. We also invite you to share stories from your region that demonstrate reconciliation, hope in action, and the work of building beloved community. These stories, along with your images, can help bring the offering to life and show Disciples how their generosity makes a difference. Please send stories and images to reconciliation@disciples.org.
Apply for an NBA Grant
The National Benevolent Association is now accepting applications for Fall 2026 Mission & Ministry Grants!
This program provides grant funding for projects serving older adults, educating at-risk children and youth, and intergenerational projects serving both educational purposes for at-risk children and youth and older adults.
Applications will be accepted through September 30th.
SAVE THE DATES
Brite Divinity School President Open House
Saturday, October 17
Dr. Stephen Cady, President of Brite Divinity School, will be in town the weekend of October 17-18. Saint Andrew Christian Church has agreed to host an Open House Event for the Greater Kansas City Region as a meet-and-greet for those who want to learn more about Brite Divinity School and meet their seminary president.
For those who attended the General Assembly in Memphis, you may remember
he gave one of the sermons in evening worship. He is both inspiring and a fantastic preacher. The Open House Event will be on Saturday October 17 from
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Coffee and light snacks will be provided. Dr. Cady will make a short presentation at 10:30am. All are invited to come and meet him and learn what is happening in one of our Disciples of Christ seminaries. Dr. Cady is
from Olathe, KS and grew up in the Kansas City area.
Note: Please RSVP to Pastor Chris Wilson of your intent to attend to make sure we have enough refreshments for people. You may reach out to him at chris@sacchome.org.
ARPR 3.0 Training
Saturday, October 24
This workshop is intended to support the work of clergy and lay leadership who are already aware of the harm of systemic racism that continues to hurt us all in the Church and in our communities and frustrate the mission of Jesus.
Co-facilitators Rev. Dr. Dionne Boyice and Rev. Rose-Heim are pleased to announce that Rev. Dr. Chris Wilson will present the Becoming and Anti-Racist Congregation process that he helped to design and test.
We will also introduce and practice the Transformative Community Conferencing method for re-examining the narrative that drives the stories we tell about ourselves and others.
We will learn from the KC Reparation Coalition how any individual and congregation can take action locally to take part in the unresolved justice work of reparation for documented historic harms committed in their communities. We will provide registrants with links to advance reading opportunities; however, this workshop will include small- and large-group activities.
2026 Racial Justice Summit
The 2026 Annual KC Racial Justice Summit gathers neighbors, organizers, and partners to confront the realities of racial inequity in Kansas City.
With Keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Hanna Broome and 8 local racial justice leaders sharing workshops, we learn, share concrete tools, and engage in the work of building communal power and dignified relationships.
Tall Oaks Gala
Saturday, November 14th
Save the date and buy your tickets for the annual Tall Oaks Gala!
Reserve your seat at:
Table Assignments are made in the order in which reservations are received, so get them in early!
Reservations are $75 per person, $600 to host a table of 8, and $900 to host a VIP table of 8.
Auction Donation Suggestions:
We are celebrating over 50 years of camping at Tall Oaks. This year’s Tall Oaks Gala, the annual fundraising event, will be on November 14th, 2026, at Tall Oaks. Thanks to all of you who have supported the Gala in the past and we hope you will continue to do so. The following are guidelines for auction donations for the event. The suggestions are not meant to be all-inclusive; we urge you to use your creativity. Your donations will help to make this an amazing Gala!
Sports Themed Items
Any sports memorabilia, specifically KC Teams.
Tickets to games
Signed items
Travel and Entertainment
Tickets to events
Travel packages or travel baskets
Weekend getaways
Experiences
Restaurants
Baskets with date or family night themes
Art and Collectibles
Well-known or local artists
Collectibles, meaning they retain their original value or increase in value
Themed baskets
Family/Kids themes
Cooking
Movies
Holiday (Thanksgiving/Christmas)
ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
Items must fit in a car so that they can be taken home with the purchaser the evening of the event. 10%-25% of the value (50% for gift certificates) will be used as the minimum bid unless otherwise requested by the donor.
For more information or to make a donation, contact:
Gala Team
lisa4women@gmail.com, (913)634-5602
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
