In the midst of the recent deluge of neighborhood violence in the city and cries from the community for action, Saint John’s United Church of Christ (UCC) is working with its partners to try to answer the question, “What is the church doing?” with “The Beloved Community: Equipping the Saints for the Work of Justice,” an ecumenical conference that will provide practical tools and information that citizens and communities of faith can put into action immediately. The event will be held November 5-9th at Saint John’s UCC, 4136 North Grand Boulevard, at the corner of Grand and Lee Avenue. It includes two worship experiences, a play by The Black Rep, three separate ministry institutes, a discussion on faith and politics and two community service opportunities. Conference partners and supporters include the Missouri Mid-South Conference of the UCC, The African American Pulpit Journal (Memphis, TN), The Black Rep, Washington Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church, Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Christ the King UCC, St. James A.M.E. Church, joining State Representatives Chris Carter and Don Calloway, Jr. 

The Beloved Community vision championed by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called us to work toward a multiracial, multicultural community of peace, justice and human dignity, where love is the governing ethic. The aim of this Conference is to encourage and equip communities of faith to shape their ministries to this end.