Wednesday, November 1, 12:00 - 2:00 pm online
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) invites you to register for this two-hour, instructor led webinar to enhance awareness of and preparedness for potential threats posed by active shooters. CISA aims to enhance active shooter preparedness by empowering critical infrastructure owners and operators in pursuing a “whole community” approach by providing no-cost resources, tools, and training. This two-hour webinar provides information and best practices that supports and enhances emergency action planning capabilities applicable broadly across sectors and provides considerations to mitigate the impacts of an active shooter incident.
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
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Pastor/Parish Relations Committees have provided essential leadership in the life of a congregation. And the name has led to some confusion about the focus of their role. Come to this workshop as we explore what it means to become a Pastoral Support Committee - what it is and what it is not.
We'll be talking through and naming the priorities and commitments of a well-functioning PSC. National staffer Rev Tara Barber, who serves as your Minister for Ministerial Support and Accountability on the MESA team, will share best practices from around the church and be prepared to answer your questions.
Open to pastors and lay leaders.
Register now!
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How we cool and heat our buildings is a significant part of how we address the climate crisis. When it comes to Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, heat pumps are a crucially important technology in the transition away from fossil fuels.
This webinar will explain how heat pumps work and how government funds can be accessed by congregations for their purchase. We will hear a success story from a local faith community that installed both air-source and ground-source heat pumps. Finally, we will address frequently asked questions, such as, “What do you do with a building that has had radiator heating?”
Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time on October 25th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it. Register now!
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Tuesday, October 24, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Phoenix Center for the Arts
1202 N 3rd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
You are invited to help Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers at Arizona Faith Network's Annual Gathering! Join this diverse gathering as we work together to build bridges throughout Arizona and break down barriers of injustice as people of faith. Our dynamic Keynote Speaker, Tahil Sharma, an interfaith activist based in Los Angeles born to a Hindu father and a Sikh mother, will guide us on how to use our shared humanity and faith traditions to bridge divides.
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Wednesday, October 18, 9:00 - 11:30 am
Free of charge for family caregivers | $15 per person for professionals
Duet: Partners In Health & Aging is excited to bring you our annual virtual family caregiver symposium. We've invited two remarkable international speakers to help you discover practical strategies and tools to navigate your caregiving journey. Dr. Aaron Blight will explain how caregivers can improve their capacity by adapting to their loved one's ever-changing circumstances. Dr. Robert J. Wicks will discuss resilience, self-care, and the integration of psychology and classic spiritual approaches to maintain a healthy perspective.
INFO AND REGISTRATION
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It’s Rev. Sarah TevisTownes from Church of the Good Shepherd Albuquerque!
Don't miss this discussion if you've been curious about using AI!
Register here.
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Saturday, October 14
10 am Arizona / 11 am New Mexico & El Paso via Zoom
The Southwest Conference leadership and staff are excited to invite you to an Orientation session for:
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PSA! Take extra good care of pastors in October! Show them love and appreciation ❤
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Queer and Wonderful: Flamy Grant will headline UCC’s National Coming Out Day virtual worship.
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A conversation about how churches/clergy/family can understand and respond to bullying.
Join the discussion with Mitchel Leet (he/him) who is the Program Manager for Room for All (a faith-based LGBTQIA nonprofit equivalent to the Open and Affirming Coalition but serving the Reformed Church in America).
FREE but a $10 donation is suggested if you are able!
Register here.
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SWC staff Dr. Toni and Wende attended the Arizona Disciples of Christ annual women’s retreat in Prescott this past weekend. They enjoyed it immensely and hope to have many SWC women participate in 2024 when Dr. Toni will be the keynote speaker!
Save the dates: September 13-15, 2024 at Chapel Rock Camp and Conference Center in Prescott, AZ.
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PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc., invites you to consider its Progressive Christian theological education courses. PATHWAYS exists to offer a range of stimulating, accessible, and affordable online progressive Christian resources for church leaders, faith explorers, pastors, and those discerning various vocations and callings within and outside the church community. In PATHWAYS online courses, the class size is small!
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Churches will be hearing from the UCC national setting soon, informing them of federal government incentives that will cover 30% to 80% of a church's solar installation. For most churches that own their own building, it is now to their financial benefit to go solar, regardless of whether they need financing or options that require no upfront costs. Even churches with roofs that prohibit installations can explore parking lot canopies, ground mounted solar, or community solar gardens.
Check out this new UCC resource webpage to learn about the government incentives and an array of resources for going solar.
According to research done by a recent Yale graduate, 746 UCC churches have been identified as eligible for an additional 10% payment from the federal government for a solar installation because of the economic and environmental characteristics of their community. These churches will be notified of their eligibility.
Go explore the new solar resource webpage now!
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From the NCC President/General Secretary, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie:
The NCC staff is busily engaged in preparing for the much anticipated 2023 Christian Unity Gathering in Nashville, Tennessee, October 9–12. I invite you to join us and invite your friends and colleagues to join us as well.
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Enhance your impact and connection to your community!
A discussion with TikTok and Facebook sensation Rev. Timoth (@RevTimoth) on how you can enhance your social media presence for ministry.
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Does the person who answers the phone at your Local Church know what to do if the caller is a reporter from the local news network? What if your office administrator or pastor receives an email from a reporter asking for information on a recent crisis in your church? Perhaps your church and pastor have recently parted ways less than amicably, or some members of the community are unhappy with the church’s recent decision to sell its property or close its preschool. United Church of Christ Local Churches have attracted media attention in many ways. If a Local Church is unprepared for a media inquiry, the pastor and church leaders may experience panic, have their focus turned away from their ministry in a time of great need, or damage the reputation of the church or create legal liability for the church through their reactions. But if a church has a media relations plan, it can take advantage of media inquiries to tell the story of the church’s ministry from the church’s perspective.
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Please join us on Sunday, September 17, 2023 for the Ordination to Ministry in the United Church of Christ of Rhonda Newby-Torres.
Services will be held at First Congregational United Church of Christ: 2801 Lomas Blvd NE Albuquerque NM 87106 at 4 pm (New Mexico time).
Clergy are invited to wear red or festive stoles. The service will be followed by a reception in Fellowship Hall.
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John and Janet Leung, members of the former First Congregational Church - Flagstaff, have 47 New Century Hymnals to give away along with an accompanist edition. They are moving in the near future, and really want to find a home for them. They will be able, depending on where the destination is, to either deliver or ship them to anyone interested. It's preferred that they all go to the same destination if possible.
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All Southwest Conference clergy are invited to attend the 2023 Clergy Retreat!
Monday, October 31 at noon through Wednesday, November 1 at 11 am at Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson, Arizona
Our theme is “Rest Is Resistance” based on the book of the same title by Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry. We hope you’ll come to the clergy retreat to be refreshed, renewed, and RESTED.
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