St. Louis Association Spring Meeting, First Congregational Church, Webster Groves

The Spring Fellowship Gathering of the St. Louis Association

of the

United Church of Christ

At

First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, UCC

10 West Lockwood Street

Webster Groves, Missouri 63119

Thursday Evening, May 7, 2026

6:00 PM Fellowship with Brown Bag Meal*

7:00 PM Worship

Followed by a

Report from the

New Directions Task Force of the Association

What does the future of the St. Louis Association need to look like to faithfully serve our congregations in the years ahead? The Task Force on Future Directions has been listening carefully, asking hard questions, and exploring new possibilities for how we live out our shared ministry. At the Spring Meeting, the Task Force will share what they’ve learned, the challenges they see before us, and the opportunities that could shape a vibrant and sustainable future. This is a chance to hear where the conversation is heading, offer your voice, and help discern the path forward together. Your presence matters as we imagine what comes next.

Keynote Address by

The Rev. Dr. Jeff Moore

Our keynote speaker, Dr. Jeff Moore, brings both deep scholarship and lived congregational experience to the conversation. Dr. Moore is pastor of Webster Groves Christian Church and an affiliate faculty member at Eden Seminary. In recent years, he and the congregation have engaged in a creative and energizing process to reimagine their future, offering valuable insights for this moment in the life of the church. As a Bible scholar and thoughtful leader, Dr. Moore will weave together biblical reflection, congregational wisdom, and his own experience to illuminate the challenges and opportunities facing the St. Louis Association, creating a lively and engaging tapestry for our evening together.

Rev. Dr. Jeff Moore is an ordained United Church of Christ Minister with partner status in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Jeff has been pastor of Webster Groves Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since March of 2008. Jeff has a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Leadership from Aurora University, Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Eden Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. His Doctor of Ministry work

focused on the question of “Christian Connectedness,” and explored this from biblical and liberation standpoints in conversation with the poetry of

Guatemalan poet and theologian, Julia Esquivel. Jeff’s PhD dissertation focused on Theological Education in the Lesotho Evangelical Church as it

relates to the church’s vision and commitment to “abundant life” (John 10:10), and presents a descriptive study following a three-year program of

ethnographic and theological research in Lesotho, southern Africa.

*1. Please bring your own brown bag meal.  You can pick up something on your way to the Gathering or bring it from home.

Iced tea, lemonade and water will be available

2. There is no registration fee for this meeting, but please reply via email ([email protected]) to register

RSVP, by replying to this email address ([email protected]) and include your name, phone number, church of membership, and if you will be participating in the brown-bag dinner and fellowship time.  If you have already registered there is no need to register again.  Thank you for your registration.

3. First Congregational will utilize their YouTube connection to stream the evening’s program. The Church’s channel is @FirstChurchWG, and remote participants should go to the Church’s Live tab to access the event.