Kelly Kahlstrom has accepted a position as a Hospice Chaplain at the Tucson Medical Center. Congratulations, Kelly!
Read MoreKelly Kahlstrom's ordination service: 3pm October 9 at Rincon Congregational
2022 SWC Clergy Retreat: registration is open!
Active and retired clergy, specialized ministers, parish ministers, and members in discernment are invited to attend the SWC Annual Clergy Retreat held at the beautiful Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson, Arizona. We'll begin with lunch at noon on Monday, October 31 and conclude at 3 pm on Wednesday, November 2.
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2023 Annual Meeting: In El Paso and in-person! April 27, 28, & 29
With joy, the SWC Executive Board announces that the 2023 Annual Meeting will be held in-person, in El Paso, TX on April 27, 28, and 29! After successfully hosting three online gatherings, we felt called by the Spirit to gather in-person to share, to celebrate, and to be in community with one another again. We appreciate the new knowledge and skills gained through our virtual efforts and look forward to re-building relationships and reconnecting in ways best done face to face.
Read MoreGrants for UCC Churches
The UCC Justice and Local Church Ministries now has available a common application for congregational grants for 2022. They are ready to receive applications.
Read MoreYou’re invited to UCC’s September virtual summit on future of the church
The church of today. The church of the future. How can community-building bridge the gap between them?
That’s a driving question for next month’s United Church of Christ summit, “The Space Between: The Emerging Church in a Post-Pandemic World,” held online Sept. 19-21.
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Upcoming Webinars and Events from the UCC
New offerings! See what’s coming up—spirituality, stewardship, media justice, and more.
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Highlights of the 50th National Open and Affirming Gathering
National Open and Affirming Gathering brought together ONA activists from across the country. For some, it was an opportunity to learn that the United Church of Christ is not yet “100% Open and Affirming.” With 35% of our congregations certified as ONA, we have both room and moral urgency to grow. For others, National Gathering was an introduction to new voices as we began to imagine together what our movement could become over the next fifty years.
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Workshop: Safety Solutions For Your Ministry
September 15th, 2022 from 1:00-5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
(that's 10 am for Arizona, 11 am for New Mexico and El Paso)
Insurance Board is proud to present, “Creating a Culture of Safety in Your Ministry,” which is the theme of our upcoming Regional Workshops Series. With the various risks ministries face on a daily basis, such as: Active Intruder situations, Preventable Youth/Senior Abuse, Business Operations concerns, Financial Mismanagement and Cybersecurity threats, having a plan in place to mitigate these risks is critical. Join us and your local agent to learn more about how your ministry can build a culture of safety and take precautions to protect your congregation
Read MorePATHWAYS Theological Education - Online and Progressive, Fall I & Fall II
The PATHWAYS Theological Education Board of Directors invites all questioning, curious people of faith to join their 6-week courses beginning Fall I (mid-August) and Fall II (beginning late September) (see website for details and registration links). The 12-week UCC Polity course runs three times a year beginning September 7, January 11 and May 17.
Read MoreJustice Leadership Program – Fall application deadline September 23rd
Jubilee is an introductory justice course for adults of any age who want to deepen their understanding of justice and learn practical organizing skills. Program participants meet weekly for skill and knowledge building workshops, spiritual reflection, and group discussion and support.
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Beware: payroll / direct deposit scam on clergy and church offices
Another day, another scam: impersonating clergy and emailing their church's office to request that their direct deposit go to a different bank account. This is succeeding and no one is the wiser until pay day and the pastor doesn't receive their direct deposit.
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ASDIC: Registration Link and Upcoming Circles/Workshops
ASDIC Circles provide you with an in-depth experience to better understand the ways race and racism operate in all of our lives. They will give you greater clarity of thinking, strength of relationship, and effectiveness of action in addressing systemic racism.
Circles are limited to 12-15 participants. Additional Circles will be added to the schedule (same days and times) if registrations exceed circle participation limits.
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Rapid response webinar offers help for churches facing threats from hate groups
Rapid response webinar offers help for churches facing threats from hate groups.
Read MoreTime to Restructure
In the life of any organization, priorities and function change. Overtime the structure begins to show its age and needs to catch up with how we do things now and leave room to anticipate who we are becoming. We have outgrown our current structure. We are undertaking to create amended and restated bylaws for you to review and vote on at the next Annual Meeting. Our goal is to conclude our work by February 2023 to provide ample time for notice and discussion.
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Don’t Miss These Important UCC September Events
Learn more and register for these UCC events: How to Grow a Movement: Invest to End Racism, UCC Summit, Clergywomen’s* Leadership Event of the Antoinette Brown Society, and the Partners in Building Event.
Read MoreMediation Skills training
An invitation from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center to:
Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, a 5-day event that helps participants deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict;
and a new one-day event called Restorative Conversations.
Read MoreClergywomen will meet Sept. 27-29 at intersection of race, gender, ministry
A biennial event for women in ministry will be different this time, its organizers say.
The 2022 United Church of Christ Clergywomen’s Leadership Event, Sept. 27-29, will focus on “the intersection of race and gender and ministry.” The meeting will be in person in Decatur, Ga., with a vigorous online option as well.
The Rev. Tara Barber, who staffs the event’s planning team, said there are three new things this year:
The event will “de-center whiteness” and focus on the experiences of Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.
It is deliberate about inviting cis women, trans women and non-binary people.
Online participants will get special, exclusive content.
Mental health assistance is as easy as dialing 988
written by Kay Klinkenborg, Church of the Palms UCC
“Anytime, any day in America, dial 988 to reach a mental health crisis worker” to talk about your feelings of despair, being suicidal or if you are a family member worried about someone you love. 988 is available to anyone experiencing mental-health related distress, substance abuse or any type of emotional distress.
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Upcoming Webinars and Events from the UCC
Learn about UCC digital programming coming our way.
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WITHOUT OARS…more conversation plus a book group!
There are many ways we can be on a “pilgrimage.” You don’t have to be in top shape and able to walk long distances. Pilgrimage can describe any journey or process when we seek intentionally to experience and be transformed by the Holy while undertaking or living through experiences that can feel far from Holy! They are experiences that take us out of our comfort zones, knock us off balance, require us to sacrifice or endure great losses, make hard choices, function while out of control and vulnerable, invite us to entrust our wellbeing to strangers or even to God who feels absent.
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