Chamber outlines upcoming activities

MINER - With several activities coming up, the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce met for its monthly membership luncheon at the Miner Baptist Church.

Mitch Jackson, president of the Sikeston Ministerial Alliance, was guest speaker and started off discussion about his host church.

"I apologize for the inconvenience of the construction," Jackson stated before detailing the reason behind the work. In addition to new concrete poured for driveways and parking, the church is constructing a new 22,000-square-foot building. This structure will house office space, a nursery and 16 classrooms. There are also plans for a new auditorium which would seat at least 1,000 people.

"The Sikeston Ministerial Alliance is important to the community," he said. "Its members have different doctrines but we are overall a Christian organization."

The Alliance works together to make a difference in the community. For example, it has sought to make counseling available to residents before they get married after realizing that many of today's marriages aren't succeeding. Jackson said the Alliance also works with the Rescue Mission and Mission Missouri. The offering received during the upcoming communitywide church service will be split between the two missions.

He took time to mention several negative news reports published in the Southeast Missourian and aired on KFVS-12.

"Where are they when there is good news?" he asked, before offering some of his own.

"Sikeston does have a strong community of faith," he said, encouraging residents to keep their churches strong.

"When you have strong churches you have a strong moral base in the community. The Sikeston Ministerial Alliance is committed to that.

"We just ask that you pray for us as we work together to make Sikeston a better community."

In other SACC news:

* The communitywide Thanksgiving church service will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at the First United Methodist Church in Sikeston.

* The annual Rotary Club Auction will take place Nov. 27-29.

* Phil Boyer will be the "target" of the SACC Gentle Roast scheduled for Nov. 29. Tickets are $20 per person; they are available at the Chamber office by calling 471-2498.

* The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales will visit with the public two hours a day during their stopover Dec. 19-23. In addition, on Dec. 21 they will be at the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores; on Dec. 22 they will be in downtown Sikeston and on Dec. 23 they will be at the South Pointe Shopping Center. (south side of the city)

* Members of the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball team will pay a visit to Sikeston on Dec. 13 as they host a chamber mixer at the SACC office. Mark Lamping, club president, will speak briefly earlier in the day at the SACC luncheon while that evening he will join team players at the mixer.