11/21/2022 - Remembering People
By: Generous ThoughtsRemembering People Have you ever heard the story about the time Fred Rogers--“Mr. Rogers” -- spoke at a National Press Club luncheon? I read about it in a sermon by ...
Blogs
Blogs
11/18/2022 - The Power of Remembrance: Joy in the Midst of Grief
By: Michael Streib - Conference programmingOn this Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), I am excited to share a small collection of comments and perspectives of transgender and non-binary people as they discuss ...
11/14/2022 - BUILDING A LEGACY: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In | Part 6: Changing the Narrative: Moving from “Decline, Failure, Closure, and Death” to “Maturity, Legacy Building, Ministry Completion, and Resurrection.”
By: Charles Kuchenbrod - Church InnovationChanging the Narrative: Moving from “Decline, Failure, Closure, and Death” to “Maturity,...
11/09/2022 - Slow Me Down, Lord
By: Deborah Kirk - Christmas Making DisciplesIn my life and work, I am often anxious for change. When starting a new project, I can be in a rush to see immediate results. I can get discouraged when wading through ...
11/02/2022 - Search & Call Associate Jill Ford Talks About Bringing New Life
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewMs. Jill Ford, the SNEUCC's Search Call Associate, talks about her role on the Area Conference Ministry (ACM) Team in providing resources for churches in the Search ...
10/31/2022 - Local Pastor Takes a Stand for LGBTQIA+ Youth
By: Michael Streib - Conference staff"This is why my Christian faith requires that I speak out to remind us that human rights belong to everyone as equally beloved of God. No exceptions. This knowledge is ...
10/26/2022 - A Call for Worship Communities to Pursue World Peace
By: Peter Kakos - General SynodIn June 2019, basing itself on Jesus' Golden Rule, the 32nd General Synod of the United Church of Christ overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for the abolition of ...
10/26/2022 - LGBT Asylum Task Force will Visit Churches
By: Judy Hanlon - Conference programmingIn the work of the LGBT Asylum Task Force, our Open and Affirming commitment combines with our desire to be an Immigrant Welcoming Church. And in the process, lives are ...
10/25/2022 - The Federated Church of Orleans Votes to Become WISE
By: Darren Morgan - Church History and Identity Justice and WitnessThe church voted unanimously to become a Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged (WISE) congregation for mental health.
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/24/2022 - 'Yes' on Mass. Ballot Question 4
By: Joan MacPherson - Conference programmingOur church members, Katie and Carlos, were in a bind. Katie’s family was in Massachusetts and living closer to them would be good for support and connection of their ...
10/24/2022 - Three Respiratory Viruses to Consider This Season
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff CoronavirusCOVID-19 is not done with us yet; we must stay aware. As congregations of faith, we are committed to caring for one another. Being informed and willing to resume masking ...
10/19/2022 - Churches Respond to Resiliency Time Capsule Documentary Premiere
By: Elisa Wilson - Church Innovation Leadership DevelopmentOn October 5, 2022, churches from across the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ gathered at Edwards House in Framingham, MA to view...
10/17/2022 - Thank You for Your Continued Support!!
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewPLEASE TAKE 90 SECONDS to watch this word from our SNEUCC Board of Directors, Vice President, Ms. Persephone Hall. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ...
10/14/2022 - BUILDING A LEGACY: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In | Part 5: Theology of Legacy Churches
BUILDING A LEGACY: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In Part 5: Theology of Legacy ...
10/12/2022 - Called to be the Repairer of the Breach
By: Jessica McArdleby the Rev. Dr. Jessica McArdle, Member, Environmental Ministries Team “You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail… you will be ...
10/12/2022 - Practice, Practice, Practice
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesWe practice because we value a skill and we want to do it more efficiently or smoothly. We repeat something over and over so that it becomes second nature. Once the mind ...
10/11/2022 - The Center for Transformational Leadership and Fulfilling Our Mission
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewKaren Ziel from the Center for Transformational Leadership (CTL) discusses the CTL, its work, some of the resources it provides, and how Proportional Giving to OCWM is ...
10/11/2022 - “Letting In” Instead of “Coming Out” – Thoughts on National Coming Out Day
By: Michael Streib - Conference staffOne of my friends told me about her wishes for a coming-out party when she was growing up....
10/11/2022 - Is There a Future for Youth Ministry?
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesWhat do today's teens hunger for and how can we feed them?
10/05/2022 - This Year’s Annual Pledge Campaign
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewWhile each church is different, I would encourage you to incorporate at least the following into your thinking and/or planning as you ask people to project their ...
10/04/2022 - Voting your Values – It’s a Matter of Faith!
By: Victoria Guest - Conference programmingby The Rev. Victoria Alford Guest, co-chair of the Environmental Ministries Team Whenever you did one of these things for someone overlooked or ignored, you did it for ...
09/30/2022 - Agape Summer Program Provided Youth with Mindfulness Tools
By: Matthew Carriker - Church Innovation Coronavirus Covenant PartnershipsMindfulness education was provided to children and youth in need of tools to ground them in the beauty of the present moment amidst the chaos of daily stressors resulting...
09/29/2022 - Environmental Justice Intern Reflects on Racial Justice Summit
By: Lillian Steinmeyer - Conference programmingRacial equity is not a program. It is a way of life.
09/29/2022 - Justice Summit was Pure Fire!
By: James Ross - Conference programmingDear friends, Were you able to join us at the 2022 Justice Summit last week? If so, you know it was pure fire! If you attended, either in person or online, I trust that...
09/28/2022 - The Role of the Faith Community: Preventing Drug Overdose and Death
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference programmingHow to help prevent overdose deaths.
09/28/2022 - Witness to Environmental Injustice
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference programming EnvironmentThis is an invitation to bear witness – that is, to turn your attention, to see for yourself – the environmental injustice taking place in Jackson, Mississippi. Turn ...
09/27/2022 - Quilts for Kenya: An Intergenerational Service Project to help Sunrise School for Learners with Autism
By: Karen Nell Smith - Justice and WitnessKenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai, once told a story about a little ...
09/20/2022 - Urgency vs. Agency
By: Generous ThoughtsDoes your congregation use the language of urgency?
+(1).png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/09/2022 - Building A Legacy: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In (Part 4)
By: Charles Kuchenbrod - Worship & SpiritualityBUILDING A LEGACY: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In Part 4: Fruitfulness. Locked up assets; releasing locked up assets Resources can get trapped or “locked up” in ...
09/07/2022 - The Great Resignation Hits Churches…And This Pastor is Hopeful!
By: Generous ThoughtsYou’ve probably heard the term "The Great Resignation". Churches experience a Great Volunteer Resignation as well.
09/06/2022 - 5 Effective Keys to Recruiting and Nurturing Your Volunteers
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesThe pandemic has made the recruiting of volunteers a little more challenging, yet people still want to feel needed and know that they have something to offer.
09/06/2022 - Habit Forming
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesAs we emerge from the isolation of Covid, families have a multitude of activities, demands, and responsibilities competing for their time. We need to re-establish ...
08/31/2022 - Minister for Health & Wellness Helps Us Fulfill Our Mission
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewIn a brief interview, Debbie Ringen talks about her ministry, two initiatives she’s offering to our congregations to help them “Live the Love and Justice of Jesus”, how ...
08/31/2022 - Changes to Legacy Social Media Platforms
By: Eric ElleyMeta to reconsider how it will deliver content to your Facebook or Instagram accounts.
08/30/2022 - Local Church Asylum Program Takes In 38 People
By: Judy Hanlon - Church InnovationHenry, from Uganda, was a pastor’s son. When his father discovered that he had a boyfriend, the family and church ‘sentenced’ him to conversion therapy. Henry suffered ...
08/25/2022 - Join us at the Racial Justice Summit!
By: James Ross - Conference staffIt is hard to believe summer is almost over. With Labor Day just over a week away, many of us are preparing to for the new church year and all it will entail. If you have...
08/23/2022 - SNEUCC will Become a W.I.S.E. Conference
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffSNEC Health and Wellness Ministry has begun the process of becoming designated as a W.I.S.E. Conference by the UCC Mental Health Network. The UCC Mental Health Network ...
08/22/2022 - Some Things We Can Keep
By: Dawn Adams - Coronavirus Worship & SpiritualityThere is something about prayer which changes nothing, and changes everything simultaneously
08/09/2022 - Formation Through Immersion
By: Deborah Kirk - Making Disciples Young Voices ProjectService experiences are a way to embody faith, to go beyond abstract learning, and practice compassion in tangible and personal ways. Service helps youth to learn empathy...
08/03/2022 - Becoming a Dementia Friendly Church
By: Cynthia Worthington-Berry - Church Innovation Worship & SpiritualityUCC Boxborough strives to make an environment that is open, welcoming and safe for those with dementia and their families and caregivers by providing support and ways to ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/27/2022 - Jubilee Justice Leadership Program – Apply by September 16!
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staff EnvironmentWhen our ancestors wondered what gifts to bring before God, the prophet Micah replied that 'God has told you, O mortal, what is good. What does the Lord require of you ...
07/22/2022 - Encouraging Financial Stewardship is Just Good Parenting (or Grandparenting!)
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipAre you among the 86 percent of Americans that believe that financial education classes ...
07/22/2022 - Blessed Memories
By: Patricia Kogut - Outdoor MinistriesWhere I came from was “church summer camp”.
07/21/2022 - A Heartfelt "Thank You!"
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipThank you! Your generosity so far this year is deeply appreciated, is never ever taken for granted, and does not go unnoticed!
07/19/2022 - The Unblemished Truth: Poverty is Ugly
By: Ellen Petersen - Justice and WitnessThe author, Rev. Ellen Petersen, in The Gambia Author's Note: Traveling to far off countries is in my DNA. A few months back, I went on the Center for Disease ...
07/07/2022 - Home Grown Faith Formation Leaders
By: Deborah Kirk - Leadership Development Making DisciplesInstead of waiting for a veteran Faith Formation leader to apply, why not cultivate one who may already be planted in your own backyard? We often look outside our church ...
![jdr+head+shot+[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/16551947/fields/primaryimage/6a5a216e434348b3a100faf5460e47ee/jdr%2bhead%2bshot%2b%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/06/2022 - This is a Time for Lament
By: James RossRev James D. Ross II Last weekend wore me out. It wasn’t Independence Day festivities that did it. I am weary because of the dreadful news from the weekend, ...
06/30/2022 - Is Gun Rights Ruling a Free Pass for Lynchings?
By: James Ross - Justice and WitnessI can’t stop thinking about a recent experience now that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling expands gun rights. While driving from my home in Boston to a more rural area as ...
06/28/2022 - PRIDE & Mental Health
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffFor all my life I have believed that all people deserve equality of human rights, access to healthcare and fair, equal treatment under the law and basic humanity of our ...
06/28/2022 - The Poor and Low Wage Workers Campaign and Moral March on Washington
- Justice and WitnessNew stories added! Clergy and lay leaders from several SNEUCC congregations traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Poor People’s Campaign Moral March on June ...
06/24/2022 - Has Your Church Made the Shift?
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewWhat this means for us, in a nutshell, is that churches using a narrative budge in addition to, if not as a replacement for, a ‘numbers only’ budget are in a much better ...
06/16/2022 - BUILDING A LEGACY: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In
By: Charles KuchenbrodCompleting Ministries Faithfully and Well. A church that completes its ministry well, a church that completes its ministry faithfully, does not fail. Indeed, a church ...
06/15/2022 - Announcing Environmental Justice Youth Retreats and New Environmental Justice Intern
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - EnvironmentLillian Steinmeyer, Environmental Justice Intern Nature & Neighbors is an ...
06/14/2022 - Guilford Church Sounds the Alarm for Climate Action
By: Nancy Leckerling - Environment Local Buzzby Nancy Leckerling, Co-Chair of the Environmental Ministry Team of First Congregational Church of Guilford, CT The First Congregational Church of Guilford, CT – the ...
06/08/2022 - What Word(s) Shall We Use?
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….” I was introduced to a new way of referring to what we typically call a budget in a local church, Association, or Conference ...
06/01/2022 - Small Groups are the Church's Past and Future
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationJune 2022—Volume 30, Number 6 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell Small groups are a significant part of the church’s past. In early Christianity, the ...
05/25/2022 - Public Health Issues in the News: What Can Churches Do?
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff CoronavirusCovid-19, Monkeypox, and infant formula shortages are top news stories today. Congregations are praying, mobilizing resources, and considering what they can do to ...
05/25/2022 - Reflection on a Shooting in Buffalo: Taking Action
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staffAngry? Yes. Heartbroken? Yes. Shocked at violence like this? Yes. Not shocked that this violence continues? Yes. Wanting to turn away, to ignore the pain? Yes. ...
![byerly[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/16504659/fields/primaryimage/186e0c4af9924cffbdc4ae408063e47c/byerly%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/23/2022 - What does the Body of Christ need? Listen!
By: Elizabeth Garrigan-ByerlyIf your body needs to rest it needs to rest. Listen to your body.
05/17/2022 - Building A Legacy – Learning, Discerning and Leaning-In
The Center for Transformational Leadership would like to introduce a new feature in our newsletter. As you may know, in addition to leadership development, innovation ...
05/13/2022 - As Close to Home as Possible: An Update on Ukranian Refugees in Poland
By: Kazimierz Bem - Justice and Witness“We need to plan for the long term” – I heard from the head of the Lutheran Diakonia in Poland – “Most of the refugees will stay here for years. The help from the UCC ...
05/11/2022 - Charting a New Course for Faith Formation
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesThe disruption caused by Covid has prompted us all to take stock and re-assess. This is a good time for faith formation leaders to step back from the day-to-day details ...
05/10/2022 - The Bridge Initiative Includes and Inspires
By: Deborah Gline AllenNo one stands alone on one side of the bridge.
05/01/2022 - Reaching Out to Low-Income Neighbors
By: The Parish PaperMay 2022—Volume 30, Number 5 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell On a sunny Saturday, Pastor Reginald looks at the crowd in line for free hamburgers and hot dogs as the...
04/27/2022 - Mental Health: You Can Make a Difference
By: Deborah RingenPoor mental health is alarmingly high among high school students during the pandemic and even higher among LGBTQ+ youth.
04/27/2022 - Understanding Stress and Trauma in Self and Church Community
By: Fred Meade Deborah Ringen - Conference programming Disaster ReliefWe are all living with the reality of uncertainty at this moment in time. Our world as we knew it has been turned upside down by the pandemic, social injustice, health ...
04/25/2022 - Covid, Covid, Covid!
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff CoronavirusVaccination, positivity, hospitalization rates, masking: what does this mean for my community? How do I decide what to do for myself, my family, my community, my ...
.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/17/2022 - Congregational Capacity for Change: A Challenge for Small Churches
By: Elizabeth Magill - Church Innovation Leadership DevelopmentOne of the challenges for small churches is figuring out how much the congregation can do. Old programs you did when you had twice as many members seem to hang on. And ...
04/12/2022 - Groundbreakers Breakfast Book Group - A Brief Interview with Sarah Drummond
By: Karen Ziel - Leadership DevelopmentRev. Dr. Sarah Drummond, Dean of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School is ...
![max-kukurudziak-qbc3zmxw0g8-unsplash[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/16426700/fields/primaryimage/92f3140bf5904355b290a5f6610c445d/max-kukurudziak-qbc3zmxw0g8-unsplash%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/08/2022 - Approaching Holy Week, an Update on Aiding Ukranian Refugees
By: Kazimierz Bem - Justice and WitnessThe following is an update from the Rev. Kazimierz Bem, pastor of the First Church in Marlborough, MA, and a native of Poland. (More on his church's fundraising efforts ...
04/07/2022 - Listening for the Grace of the Breath of God
By: Deborah Ringen - Coronavirus Holy WeekThe Parish Care team at First Church of Christ in Old Saybrook, Connecticut launched a new program known as 'Wilderness Companions' - a time of spiritual growth and story...
![terry+bio+pic[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/16420649/fields/primaryimage/96eb940d64bb48d78c3790de4b82dbd8/terry%2bbio%2bpic%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/01/2022 - Good and Right Relationships
By: Terry Yasuko Ogawa - Conference programmingI went to the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Town after town where our churches are doing their best to be a witness to the love of Christ marched by: Holyoke, ...
04/01/2022 - New Life for Older Buildings
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationApril 2022—Volume 30, Number 4 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell Rachel Hildebrandt joined the priest-in-charge of Church of the Crucifixion in the ...
03/31/2022 - There Can Be No Easter Without Good Friday
By: James Ross - Conference staff LentI love Easter. As I’ve often shared with folks, I adore much about it: Sunrise services, springtime pastels, Easter baptisms, and all of the pomp and circumstance that ...
03/30/2022 - Help Me to Help You
By: Tiffany Vail - Conference programmingAdvice for churches on how to ensure resources reach the people who need them.
03/30/2022 - UCC Churches Rally Around Ukranian Refugees in Poland
By: Kazimierz Bem - Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessA cut-out card made by one of the refugees in the Reformed congregation in Łódź. First Church in Marlborough will be using it as our bulletin cover for Easter. ...
03/29/2022 - It Takes a Meeting: Register Now for the Moral March
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staffIf you’re reading this newsletter about justice for people in UCC churches, you probably won’t be surprised to know that I spend a lot of time in meetings. Meetings to ...
03/23/2022 - Take Action Against Nuclear Fallout & the Climate Crisis
By: Peter Kakos - EnvironmentGiven the rising tensions about the possibility of a nuclear attack by Russia, we citizens and church members of Massachusetts and the Southern New England Conference, ...
03/16/2022 - An Update on Ukrainian Refugees in Poland
By: Kazimierz Bem - Justice and WitnessThe following is a letter from the Rev. Kazimierz Bem, pastor of the First Church in Marlborough, MA, and a native of Poland. A dozen churches sent contributions through ...
03/11/2022 - I Love the Church, I Hate the Church: Paradox or Contradiction?
By: Robert LaRochelleIs it possible to, at one and the same time, both love the church and hate it as well? I am an ordained clergyperson in the United Church of Christ. Having been raised ...
03/08/2022 - No Excuses!
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesWe can help volunteers to gain confidence and move to what John Westerhoff calls “owned faith,” by offering discipleship development in small bites.
![michael-ciba[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/16383809/fields/primaryimage/ea016536d84747698d65e5266fd85d9c/michael-ciba%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/02/2022 - Area Conference Minister Team Begins Shepherding Responsibilities
By: Michael Ciba - Conference programming Conference staffIn order to strengthen the ministry and advance the mission of SNEUCC, individual Area Conference Ministers (ACMs) will assume responsibility for shepherding particular ...
03/02/2022 - Pandemic Progress, Persistence and Patience
By: Deborah Ringen - CoronavirusMarch 1, 2022, COVID Update We are making progress in the pandemic. More people are vaccinated, the Omicron surge is subsiding, and mandates are being relaxed, as we ...
03/01/2022 - Bringing a Community Project into Focus
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationMarch 2022—Volume 30, Number 3 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell The world experiences its share of problems—hunger, joblessness, crime, environmental ...
03/01/2022 - Talking About War with Children & Teens
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesEach one of us has the ability to offer some support.
02/24/2022 - Choosing A Lenten Sacrifice
By: James Ross - Conference staffI’ve been reflecting on a news segment from a few years ago in which reporters interviewed restaurant owners about “meat-like” options for people who practice the ritual ...
02/23/2022 - Vocation – In This Economy?
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staffEverybody’s got a right to live is one of the anthems the Poor People’s Campaign uses when engaging in direct action and other activities. The verses go on to proclaim ...
.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
02/22/2022 - Pentecost Book Study to Look at 'Generosity, Stewardship and Abundance'
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Stewardship“If you are seeking a single, comprehensive guide to church finance, look no further. This is it. Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel have written a practical guide ...
02/11/2022 - The Post-Pandemic Church is Here
By: Karen Ziel - Leadership Development"I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope." Jeremiah 29:11 At a recent ...
02/10/2022 - “Will families ever come back?”
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesWhat does Faith Formation look like in post-pandemic era? We struggle with how to build relationships and make personal connections when contact is so limited. The ...
02/07/2022 - Intergenerational Worship: Edwards Church in Framingham Explores and Experiences the Excitement
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making Disciples Worship & SpiritualityWelcoming children and families into worshipping as the Body of Christ together!
02/02/2022 - A Faithful Response to Covid 19 Resources and Guidance for Decision Making
- Conference programmingThrough collaboration with UCC Wellness Ministries, SNEUCC Health and Wellness Ministry ...
02/01/2022 - Results of Proportional Giving in 2021: Thank You
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew Lee Gagen - StewardshipThank you all for your generous financial support! You contributed $3,484,442 to support the work of the SNEUCC and the national setting through Proportional Giving in ...
02/01/2022 - Got a Few Minutes? We’re Curious
By: Eric Elley - CoronavirusAs we begin the third year of the pandemic I recognize that congregational life has morphed many times over since the pandemic began. I invite you to take the following ...
02/01/2022 - Prepare for Community Engagement through Study
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationFebruary 2022—Volume 30, Number 2 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell Community engagement requires action, but does it require study as well? Standing ...
01/28/2022 - A Few Tips as We Observe Black History Month
By: James Ross - Conference staffRemember the days of old, consider the years long past; ask your father, and he will inform you; your elders, and they will tell you. Deuteronomy 32:7 As February ...
01/25/2022 - Healing Begins When we Acknowledge Past Harms
By: Brenda Nolan - Justice and WitnessA reflection by Brenda Nolan, SNEUCC Restorative Justice Task Team Paula Blumenthal and I are pleased to serve the SNEUCC Restorative Justice Team (I as Chair, she ...
01/24/2022 - Living Out the Gospel in Each and Every Election
By: Jessica McArdle - Conference programming Environment“It’s very much a part of our tradition, as Christians, to be engaged in the public square….When people say, ‘Let’s not get political in the church,’ [it helps to ...
01/18/2022 - Inflation and Church Budget
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDear Colleagues, A church leader recently asked me, “how do we create a budget given increasing inflation?” Many people wonder about the effect of inflation on church ...
01/14/2022 - The Role of Discernment - An Interview with Beth Estock
By: Karen Ziel - Church Innovation Leadership DevelopmentKaren Ziel, Assistant Director of The SNEUCC Center for Transformational Leadership conducted an interview with Beth Estock on the practice of discernment. As co-author ...
01/10/2022 - Our Whole Lives (OWL) - Holistic Sexuality Education for UCC Congregations
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesA healthy approach to one’s sexuality.
01/10/2022 - Take Heart, Take Part
By: Deborah Kirk - Justice and Witness Making DisciplesThe universe is bending, but we cannot leave all the work to God. We are not only invited, but compelled to take part in the work of building a universe where God’s love ...
01/09/2022 - Powerful Words
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewThe powerful, positive affect saying thank you has is widely known; therefore, it isn’t surprising that it is also widely encouraged and taught. If saying thank you is so...
01/05/2022 - Prison Ministry: A Visit to the Re-Entry Welcome Center
By: Angelica Harter - Justice and WitnessFirst Church, Congregational in Guilford, CT has had a long relationship with Community Partners in Action in Hartford as part of its prison ministry. Charlotte White ...
01/05/2022 - Using the Church's Digital Presence to Support the Community
By: Eric Elley - CoronavirusIt’s no surprise that we’ve been navigating choppy waters. However, as the Omicron variant surges, we are faced with opportunities to make the church’s presence more ...
01/01/2022 - Planning the Future by Appreciating the Past
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationJanuary 2022—Volume 30, Number 1 Copyright @ 2022 by Dana Horrell First Church on the corner of Heritage and Main had been around long enough to ...
.jpeg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
12/29/2021 - Happy New Year 2022: Hope Despite the Omicron Surge
By: Deborah Ringen - CoronavirusWhat does New Year’s Eve mean to you, a time of reflection, resolutions, a chance for a new beginning, renewed covenant with God and each other? If you are like me, you ...
12/17/2021 - Yes, There is Hope! An Advent Message
By: James Ross - Christmas Conference staffThis piece is adapted from a sermon Rev. Ross delivered at West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church (MA) on Sunday, February 12. One of actress Mabel King’s ...
12/15/2021 - Prevent Illness This Winter: COVID and the FLU
By: Deborah Ringen - CoronavirusCOVID-19 (Omicron, Delta), Influenza A, Influenza B, Rhinovirus (common cold)… yikes, so many viruses in the air! Do not fear, get vaccinated! We have been hearing a ...
.jpeg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
12/15/2021 - When Someone in Worship Tests Positive for COVID-19
By: Deborah Ringen - CoronavirusWhat do I do when someone who attended worship tests positive for COVID-19 one to two days later? Notify your local health department to see what they recommend for your...
12/14/2021 - Fighting and Getting Arrested for the Build Back Better Act
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staffOn Monday, I joined the Poor People’s Campaign at the US Capitol, where we demanded passage of the Build Back Better Act and the protection of voting rights. The hundreds...
12/13/2021 - Communicating Your Vision
By: Elisa Wilson - Church InnovationCommunication. It is responsible for the exchange of ideas; the declaration of feelings; the formation and perpetuation of relationships. As leaders, the creation of a ...
12/13/2021 - Wellesley Hills Church Finds Energy in Sign Language
By: Sally Tomasetti - Church Innovation Making Disciples Worship & SpiritualityWellesley Hills Congregational Church, UCC (MA), finds new passion in using sign language for songs in church when vocal singing isn't safe due to Covid.
12/10/2021 - Lunch & Learn for Leaders
By: Bridget Johnson - Church Innovation Conference programmingIn just a few weeks, we will launch our 2022 programs, starting with our new monthly Lunch & Learn for Leaders series on Thursday, January 20 (see below). These programs ...
12/10/2021 - Together We Thrive News; Affinity Groups: Past and Future
By: Heather Ramsey MabroukTogether We Thrive News Affinity Groups: Past and Future Have you heard about the Together We Thrive Affinity groups? These year-long intentional learning communities...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
12/07/2021 - Tasty Tidbits
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDearest Cojourners, Words are delicious! I love how they taste when they fall out of my mouth and into the atmosphere. I enjoy playing with my words as creatively as kids...
12/05/2021 - Generosity and Two Wolves
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipI suspect many of us have heard some version of the old Cherokee legend known as "The Story of the Two Wolves." I recently heard it again, and it occurred to me that this...
12/01/2021 - How to Plan a Community Project
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesDecember 2021—Volume 29, Number 12 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell It’s time to start a project in the community. Where to start? Let’s begin with a ...
11/24/2021 - Support Urged for Extending and Expanding Charitable Deductions
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipMembers and friends of our churches consider many factors when deciding about whether and how much to contribute to their church. One is often tax deductibility. (See ...
11/18/2021 - From Blah, Blah, Blah to New Life: A Message from Rev. James D. Ross II
By: James Ross - Conference staff EnvironmentThis is adapted from a sermon that Rev. Ross delivered at Christ Church Dracut (MA) on Sunday, November 14. Greta Thunberg, the 18-year-old Swedish environmental ...
11/17/2021 - Community Engagement Fuels Small Church Revitalization
- Church InnovationFor nearly 200 years, North Greenwich Congregational Church has enjoyed a long and colorful history meeting the spiritual needs of its members and friends, while ...
11/17/2021 - Together We Thrive News
Together We Thrive News by Rev. Heather Ramsey-Mabrouk Innovation, Vitality & Clergy Renewal You are probably wondering: What do Innovation and Church Vitality have ...
11/15/2021 - Giving Nature a Reason to Sing: What can a Church Do?
By: Victoria Guest - Conference programming EnvironmentSee new Green Congregation resources In a very short time, it will be the first Sunday in Advent and the beginning of a new church year. We’ll soon be hearing “Joy to ...
11/15/2021 - Looking for Congregations to Unite for Racial Justice
- Justice and WitnessThe First Church of Christ in Middletown (CT) Racial Justice Team is hoping to collaborate with other UCC churches in our region who have a similar interest in addressing...
11/10/2021 - FreeBee Market Start
By: Mary Elizabeth Waters - Church Innovation Local BuzzThe FreeBee Network and Market began as a way to support community members impacted by an apartment fire but quickly grew into a dynamic, family-oriented program that ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
11/09/2021 - Health Equity is Social Justice
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff“Health Equity is Social Justice.” This was the message from Tekisha Dwan Everette, Executive Director of Health Equity Solutions in Connecticut during her speech at the ...
11/09/2021 - Talking About Faith Begins With Listening
By: Deborah Kirk - Making Disciples Worship & SpiritualityEvangelism. That is a word that makes many mainline protestants feel uncomfortable. Some are reluctant to talk about faith for fear of being judged as overbearing, or ...
11/07/2021 - Best Boundary Practices for Faith Formation Church Staff Members
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesWith careful attention, each situation can be managed with successful outcomes.
11/02/2021 - Engaging Lapsed Donors
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipWhen I had you to myself, I didn't want you around. Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd. But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it ...
11/01/2021 - Thinking Flexibility about Our Buildings
By: The Parish Paper - Church History and Identity Church InnovationNovember 2021—Volume 29, Number 11 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell “Pastor, I love this building. It evokes a special memory every time I enter. It’...
10/29/2021 - Churches Should Inform Members of the Universal Charitable Tax Deduction for 2021
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipCongress extended and expanded the universal charitable tax deduction that became law as ...
10/27/2021 - “Weeping with Those Who Weep”—News from the Chile Partnership
By: Christopher Ney - Conference programmingFor more than 30 years, the historic Massachusetts Conference and the Pentecostal Church of Chile have walked together in an ecumenical partnership and many ...
10/27/2021 - A Reflection on People vs. Fossil Fuels
By: Rev. Rob Mark - EnvironmentThese are parched days. We thirst for something to quench the chaos. Our waters, soils, and air are in turmoil. And we long for impactful ways to counter our climate’s ...
10/27/2021 - South Andover (MA) Church Champions Bail Reform
Submitted by the South Church of Andover, MA Social Justice Coalition (SJC) Is it justice that compared to white men charged with the same crime and having the same ...
10/26/2021 - Educational Series on Restorative vs Retributive Justice Begins Nov. 4
By: Brenda Nolan - Conference programming Justice and WitnessThe SNEUCC Restorative Justice Task Team will present an educational series throughout the next year. The series begins on Thursday, November 4, at 6 PM, when the task ...
10/20/2021 - People vs. Fossil Fuels: A Reflection
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staff EnvironmentEmma Brewer-Wallin, second from right, participates in the People vs. Fossil Fuels week of action in Washington, D.C. During the week of Indigenous Peoples’ ...
10/18/2021 - Don’t Beg On Stewardship Sunday
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDear Colleagues, Henri Nouwen’s reflection on A Spirituality of Fundraising informs my work and teaching around generosity. When thinking of annual stewardship ...
![bma[1].png](/files/tables/content/15588847/fields/primaryimage/2c6a8abfa0d44e218cff8079d6eb8483/bma%5b1%5d.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/13/2021 - Board of Ministerial Aid - We Are Here to Help!
By: Walter KreilThe Board of Ministerial Aid, founded in 1869, provides confidential financial assistance and counseling both to clergy and their families who serve, or have served in ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/12/2021 - The Practice of Generosity
By: Deborah Kirk - Making Disciples StewardshipJust like prayer, service, and worship, generosity is a spiritual discipline. It is a practice that can be modeled and taught, it is a habit that, with intention, can be ...
10/11/2021 - Passing On the Faith Without Sunday School
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Church Innovation Making DisciplesLet us experiment - there can be no mistakes!
10/08/2021 - Establishing Parity Between Digital and In-Person Worship
By: Eric ElleyIs it possible to create parity between worshipers who participate digitally versus being in-person?
10/07/2021 - Churches: Share Your Disability Advocacy Story
By: Pamela Roberts - Conference programmingAs your SNEUCC Disability Ministry Team, we seek ways to network with our churches and move our conference forward in the goal to become Accessible to ALL. As a step ...
10/05/2021 - Is Your Fall Stewardship Campaign Just SO-SO?
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDear Colleagues, Many years ago, my church choir director, Joel Johnson, taught me about the danger of doing anything that was just SO-SO. No, it wasn’t about the ...
10/05/2021 - Be a Lighthouse in the Storm: Mental Health Week
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffBe “a lighthouse in their child’s storm, the light that shines steadily in a predictable rhythm and doesn’t waver no matter how big the storm is.” This is the advice ...
![p-kogut[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15480718/fields/primaryimage/afdee28183684ab7a2e34efd3480e99c/p-kogut%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/04/2021 - The Awkwardness of Regathering
By: Patricia Kogut - CoronavirusWarning: This memo does not have any answers or deep wisdom about the state of the church. If you need that I am sorry. If you are okay with my mushing around in the ...
10/01/2021 - Get to Know the Neighborhood with a Community Tour
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesOctober 2021—Volume 28, Number 10 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell Walking the neighborhood offers an unparalleled chance for church leaders to ...
09/29/2021 - Get Vaccinated So You Don’t Have to Ask: Is it the Flu or is it COVID-19?
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Coronavirus“I’d like double shots please!” For those who are eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/24/2021 - This Year's Annual Pledge Campaign
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewWe continue to live in unprecedented times. Economic uncertainty and social turmoil continue to abound. Hence, it is reasonable to ask: How are we supposed to conduct our...
09/24/2021 - Work for Justice Fundamental to Call of Christianity
By: James Ross - Conference staffA Message from the Minister of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion I’ve recently become obsessed with Netflix’s “Fastest Cars,” in which people who have transformed junkers ...
09/22/2021 - Reuniting Churches With Their Lost Treasure
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipWould you like to find some lost treasure? Could your church use some unexpected money? Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island all have “Unclaimed Property” ...
09/21/2021 - Mission Clarity = Missional Generosity
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipWhat would you like your world to look like 5 years from now? How about 10 or 20 or 50 years from now?
09/15/2021 - Pastoral Counseling Programs Available to Authorized Ministers
By: Michael Ciba - Conference programmingWe are able to provide Authorized Ministers with standing in an Association of the Southern New England Conference, and their spouses/life partners/significant others, ...
09/14/2021 - Where Do You Worship?
By: Deborah Kirk - Christmas Worship & SpiritualityEighteen months of Covid has taught us that the church is not the building, and that physical distance does not necessarily mean spiritual distance. We have found sacred ...
09/13/2021 - Coaching: A Transformational Tool
By: Timoth Sylvia - Church Innovation“We all have within us a deep wisdom, but sometimes we don’t know we have it.” ~ Shakti Gawain Some of the most rewarding experiences since adopting our three children ...
09/13/2021 - Sharing Leadership: a UCC Way of Being in Community
By: Sarah Drummond - Church InnovationSharing Leadership is important in today’s UCC now more than ever. Our denomination is known for its stance on inclusivity and justice, which has attracted cherished new ...
09/09/2021 - Measuring Church Vitality
By: Terry Yasuko OgawaThis message originally appeared in the Northwest Region newsletter. Click here to subscribe to your region's newsletter, or here to read previous issues. I just came ...
09/08/2021 - Green Congregation Testimony: First Congregational Guilford (CT)
By: Nancy Leckerling - EnvironmentThe SNEUCC Environmental Ministry Team invites 21 congregations to commit to the Green Congregation Challenge - having an initial conversation or taking a first step by ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/08/2021 - Patience Increases Well-Being
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff“Patience is a virtue. Virtue is a grace. Grace is a little girl who would not wash her face.” Maybe you have heard this little poem by Dick King-Smith. My mother ...
09/08/2021 - Small Church Collaborative: What’s In a Building?
By: Elizabeth Magill - Church InnovationIn my church’s case, there is (or rather was) a lot of stuff in our building. We’ve filled a dumpster with trash, donated to area non-profits, recycled more paper than ...
09/07/2021 - Socially Responsible Investing and Spending
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipSocially Responsible Investing and Spending What motivates you to make a charitable donation? Do you want to make a positive difference in the world? Perhaps you want to...
09/07/2021 - A Look at Socially Responsible Investing and Spending
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewWhat motivates you to make a charitable donation? Do you want to make a positive difference in the world? Perhaps you want to better the world by touching a person’s life...
09/01/2021 - Bringing the Power of Groups to Prison Ministry
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Justice and Witness Making DisciplesSeptember 2021—Volume 28, Number 9 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell On the two-hour drive back from the federal penitentiary, Pastor Eduardo ...
08/31/2021 - September is Suicide Awareness Month: Be Aware, Show You Care
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffWe can all play a role in preventing suicide! That’s the message from the The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, which has designated September as Suicide ...
08/30/2021 - Green Congregation Spotlight: Church of the Covenant
By: Barbara Darling - EnvironmentThe SNEUCC Environmental Ministry Team invites 21 congregations to commit to the Green Congregation Challenge - having an initial conversation or taking a first step by ...
08/26/2021 - 21 in 21: A Green Congregation Challenge
By: Victoria Guest - EnvironmentThe Southern New England Conference UCC is launching 21 in 21 this fall, challenging 21 congregations to commit to creating a greener world by joining the Green ...
08/26/2021 - Faith Formation and the Delta Variant
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesAs followers of the Jesus who welcomes children, let us not forget to protect them.
08/25/2021 - A Labor Day Prayer
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staff Justice and WitnessChurches are welcome to use this prayer as part of their Labor Day service (Sept. 5) O God of Labor and God of Rest, we turn to you this Labor Sunday. We remember that ...
08/24/2021 - Afghan Refugees Need Our Support
By: Dawn Adams - Justice and WitnessThis week, our hearts have been broken watching the disintegration of a nation. We have cried watching the desperation of people trying to leave their home country as it ...
![img_e0180[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15321582/fields/primaryimage/d03ab3ce804f46dfb42ac02abdb11a89/img_e0180%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
08/17/2021 - The Fatigue of a Fundraiser
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDear Friends and Colleagues, It is appropriate that I am writing this on my last day of work before a much anticipated and much needed weeklong vacation. Why is it much ...
08/17/2021 - Covid Guidance for Church Offices
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff CoronavirusSeveral inquiries have been received regarding maintaining safe workplace practices for church office staff vaccinated and unvaccinated. The resources listed here offer ...
08/10/2021 - The Climate Crisis: How Churches Can Respond
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staff EnvironmentPerhaps you, like me, woke up Monday morning to every news outlet alerting you to the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report on the catastrophe ...
08/10/2021 - The Constancy of Change
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesThe edge of the ocean is different every day and there is always some remarkable beauty to discover. It made me think of the quote from Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher ...
08/10/2021 - Trained Faith Formation Leaders Needed for Post-Pandemic Times
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesThe SNEUCC Faith Formation Leadership Program offers adaptive skills for faith formation.
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
08/05/2021 - Resources for Coping During the Lingering Pandemic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffFrom your Faith Community Nurse, Minister of Health & Wellness Deborah Ringen Wow, it is August already! Summer days bring fun, family, vacations, and the realization ...
08/03/2021 - Confrontational Generosity
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipConfrontational Generosity Dear Colleagues, At General Synod in July, a new initiative called "Join the Movement" was launched across all settings of the UCC. The Rev....
08/01/2021 - Build Lasting Strength through Community Development
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesAugust 2021—Volume 28, Number 8 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell When church leaders survey the surrounding community, its urgent ...
07/26/2021 - Giving USA 2021 Report
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipGiving USA, which issues the oldest and most comprehensive report on charitable giving in the U.S., recently released its report for last year. The report contains mixed ...
07/22/2021 - Pray for Those Affected by DACA Ruling
By: James Ross - Conference staff Justice and WitnessMillions of Americans who came to the United States as children, including many whose only memories are of life in this country, are again uncertain whether they will be ...
07/20/2021 - Ensure All Voices are Heard
By: Emma Brewer-Wallin - Conference staffBeloved Church, I love rules. I like to think that my affinity for technical details and procedures is harmless, even charming. But I have recently been reminded that ...
07/20/2021 - Open and Affirming Ministry Team Decides to Boycott Boston Pride
By: Kathie CarpenterBoston Pride didn’t happen this year, or last year for that matter, and we need to tell you what’s going on. The Southern New England Conference ONA Ministry Team was ...
![ruthshaver2021[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15311677/fields/primaryimage/646422cd99784879887a4eacc9cb7b30/ruthshaver2021%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/17/2021 - #UCCSynod: Finally, the Business Begins
By: Ruth Shaver - General SynodThis General Synod is spread out across more days than in-person Synod editions generally have been. Much of this is due to the many time zones in which Synod has to ...
07/16/2021 - #UCCSynod: Connecting With People Who Look Like Me
By: Haley Hudler - General SynodJuly 13th On Sunday the 11th, the delegates had a long day! Our first plenary was exciting, a bit boring, funny at times, and well put together for us to be together ...
![andrew+mckinnis+[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15305324/fields/primaryimage/a26bcaf8032f4beb8a89a62c0b135d07/andrew%2bmckinnis%2b%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/15/2021 - #UCCSynod: Ubuntu
By: Andrew McKinnis - General SynodI urge all of us to be builders. To develop, organize, and implement ideas, practices, people, and resources in service of a collective vision.
07/15/2021 - Assassination Means More Turmoil for Haiti
- Covenant Partnerships Justice and WitnessAssassinated Haiti President Jovenel Moise When Haiti President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in his home early on the morning of July 7, Southern New England ...
07/14/2021 - A Liturgy for the Removal of the American Flag from Sanctuaries
By: Emily Carle - Justice and Witness Making Disciples Young Voices ProjectEmily Carle responds to a tweet from Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber: "Someone should write a beautiful liturgy for the removing of national flags from Christian sanctuaries."
07/13/2021 - Charitable Society Assists Clergy in Need
By: Ann Plumley - Covenant Partnerships Leadership DevelopmentDo you know there is an organization that exists to assist retired pastors and their families with situations like these? Bug infestations - then getting scammed. ...
07/13/2021 - Fancy Tools
By: Emily McKenna - Church InnovationWhich tools do we need to use for true innovation to take place?
07/13/2021 - Small Church Collaborative - Sunday Worship
By: Elizabeth Magill - Church InnovationFor many small churches there is a painful journey of dwindling resources—less time, less money, fewer volunteers. Pastors travel this path with congregations, trying to ...
07/13/2021 - The Transformational Work of God
By: Deborah Ringen - Church InnovationAs people called to serve to God, it is easy to lose sight of our own woundedness yet spending some time with our doubts and pain brings greater self-awareness which ...
07/11/2021 - #UCCSynod: Empowered to be the Best Me I Can Be
By: Haley Hudler - General SynodI'm waiting for the SNEUCC to begin our first caucus and I am ready and excited to be energized to work with fellow delegates and to do God's work. I hope today to be ...
![ruthshaver2021[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15302527/fields/primaryimage/b2909710e01c4a2688bce35abf2fcb16/ruthshaver2021%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/11/2021 - #UCCSynod: Tweeting a Virtual Synod…
By: Ruth Shaver - General SynodThis is a confession to cover me for the whole week: I am a UCC Twitter nerd. I will be live-tweeting almost every Synod event (#UCCSynod) I attend, except the Committee ...
07/09/2021 - An Interview with Katie Howe
By: Emily McKenna - Leadership DevelopmentEmily McKenna, Program Support Associate, interviews Katie Howe. Katie is a Masters of Divinity student at Chicago Theological Seminary, a Woodridge Congregational Church...
07/07/2021 - Take Your Faith Formation Leadership to New Heights
By: Deborah Kirk - Leadership Development Making DisciplesThe work of faith formation is challenging. It takes more than purchasing the perfect curriculum or implementing the hottest new lesson plan. We are called to bring the ...
07/06/2021 - God’s Creation: The Joys and Concerns of Summer
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffSunshine, heat, outdoor activities, flowers, birds, and bees, ticks, heat waves, humidity, and hurricane season, all are the joys and concerns of summer! Are you ready? ...
07/01/2021 - Is Drive-In Church a Good Idea?
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesJuly 2020—Volume 28, Number 7 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell In the 2020 season of pandemic restrictions a number of churches found ...
06/27/2021 - 7 Ways to Support Your Faith Formation and/or Youth Ministry Leader
By: Deborah Gline AllenUpdated handbooks/guides are now available for search and call as well as support.
06/24/2021 - A Call to Confront Lies
By: James Ross - Conference staffDear Beloved, As I have sought to make meaning of both the public discourse about “critical race theory” and the ongoing effort to restrict voting rights, I have been ...
06/24/2021 - As Followers of Jesus, We Are Called to be Political
By: Michele Mudrick - Conference staffJoin the SNEUCC Advocacy Corps to Make Your Voice Heard! I am often asked by church leaders and members: Should we be involved in “politics”? My answer is always the same...
06/23/2021 - Today's Open and Affirming is More Than Just Queer
- Conference programmingAn SNEUCC Annual Meeting Conversation led by the Rev. Dr. Fran Bogle and Kathie Carpenter Holy One, we are working for justice. Fill us with your love each day. Amen ~ ...
06/22/2021 - Colombia Partnership's Virtual Pilgrimage for Peace
By: Charlie Pillsbury - Conference programmingDuring the last week of September 2020, scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Peace observed around the world each year on September 21, 20 Disciples and ...
06/22/2021 - Just Peace Players: We're Still Here!
By: Frances BogleNancy Reed, Martha Crawford, and Fran Bogle Just Peace Players is a liturgical drama troupe committed to sharing its many visions of peace and justice through the ...
06/15/2021 - Philanthropic Autobiography
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipPhilanthropic Autobiography Dear Friends, Have you ever stopped to think about what inspires you to be generous? Do you have a plan for how and where you donate your ...
06/11/2021 - Clergy Communities of Practice Offer Nurture and Support
By: Karen ZielClergy Communities of Practice (or CCoPs) continue to build strong bonds and networks of clergy leaders who seek shared learning to deepen their ministerial skills. There...
06/10/2021 - An Interview with Jenn Kronholm Clark
By: Emily McKenna - Making Disciples Outdoor MinistriesIn this month's Discipleship Matters newsletter, Emily McKenna interviews Jennifer Kronholm Clark, Silver Lake Conference Center’s Program Director. Learn what's ...
06/07/2021 - In Celebration of Faith Formation Leaders
By: Deborah Kirk - Leadership Development Making DisciplesThe last fifteen months have been stressful for you, your families, and your work as faith formation leaders. Everything shifted, and EVERYTHING related to your work had ...
06/01/2021 - Is it Time to Relocate?
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesJune 2020—Volume 28, Number 6 Copyright @ 2020 by Dana Horrell Typically the question of whether to relocate is precipitated by a building ...
05/27/2021 - 100 CT Clergy Urge Governor to Support Health Care Initiatives
By: Michele Mudrick - Conference staffThank you to the over 100 Connecticut SNEUCC clergy who signed a letter to Governor Lamont and Legislative Leaders urging them to support the following legislative ...
05/26/2021 - What is the Bottom Line for Coronavirus Safety?
By: Deborah RingenWow, keeping track of new guidelines in the pandemic response can be very confusing! How can we decide the best way to move forward? How do we balance caution and caring ...
05/25/2021 - Don't Miss Out! Join Summer Staff Now!
By: Jennifer Kronholm Clark - Outdoor MinistriesWe have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in 2021 to make an impact on campers that will stay with them their entire lives. You have never been more needed. This is your ...
05/18/2021 - Generosity: That's What My Mother Taught Me
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipIn a compilation of stories from over 100 interviews with people who had been identified by their pastors as generous givers, Herb Mather in That’s What My Mother Taught ...
05/14/2021 - Our Divided Self
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipDoes the following ring true in your experience? Is it generally the case at your church? Here is what we say through our stewardship practices: 10% belongs to God; the ...
05/13/2021 - An Interview with Judi Wallace
By: Emily McKennaEmily McKenna, Program Support Associate, sits down to interview Judi Wallace. Judi shares how she kept youth engaged with a special service project that took place in ...
05/10/2021 - Should We Gather or Not?
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffExcitement is growing, the desire to, “resume life as normal, pre-pandemic,” is strong, but is it safe? Southern New England Conference UCC states are beginning to ease ...
05/10/2021 - What Is the Best Age for Confirmation?
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesOR: Is Our Confirmation Model Still Valid for the 21st Century?
05/04/2021 - Why Online Giving?
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipBefore serving in my present capacity, I served as an Associate Conference Minister for the New York Conference. During that time, I coordinated worship services for ...
05/03/2021 - Opportunities to Learn are Part of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
By: James Ross - Justice and WitnessMay is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (https://asianpacificheritage.gov/). ...
05/01/2021 - How Can We Overcome Barriers to Vaccination?
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesMay 2021—Volume 28, Number 5 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell The end of the COVID-19 pandemic and a return to normal life requires that a ...
04/29/2021 - Faith and Mental Illness: Mental Health Sunday, May 16, 2021
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffMental health conditions are on the rise. Before the pandemic it was reported that one in five adults in the US experienced a mental health condition. Now researchers ...
04/29/2021 - Justice and Love
By: James Ross - Conference staff“Justice is what love looks like in person.” You likely have heard that oft-repeated adage by Dr. Cornell West. As West notes, Jesus urged his disciples to love their ...
04/26/2021 - How Congregations Can Support Nuclear Weapons Ban
By: Peter Kakos - Justice and WitnessIf you have not yet heard, World War III surreptitiously has begun. Our enemy is not a singular nor cluster of nations, but the insidiously deadly COVID 19 in all its ...
04/20/2021 - The Gift of God’s Presence During the Covid-19 Pandemic
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipI don’t know about you, but years from now when we are finally all vaccinated and the Covid-19 pandemic is a memory within our collective conscience, there are some ...
04/16/2021 - Supporting Programs for Equitable Vaccine Distribution
By: Deborah Ringen - Justice and WitnessWe can all pitch in to advocate for communities of color and vulnerable populations by publicly distributing information from the CDC and local public health officials ...
04/13/2021 - Thank You For Your Generosity!
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipI want to publicly and enthusiastically thank the churches that have financially supported the mission and ministry of our Southern New England Conference (SNEUCC) and ...
04/06/2021 - Grant Funding Opportunities
By: Generous Thoughts - StewardshipDear Friends and Colleagues, At this moment it is clear that there is a great amount of need throughout our country. As development professionals, we are ...
04/06/2021 - Each of Us Has a Role to Play in Changing the Narrative About Guns
By: James Ross - Justice and WitnessI want to begin with a thank you to the Biden Administration for focusing special attention on the dramatic increase in crimes committed against people of Asian descent ...
04/06/2021 - Let Anyone with Ears To Hear — Sowing the Seeds of Faith
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesSome [seeds] fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold. (Luke 8:8, NRSV)
04/01/2021 - Readiness Is the Key to Congregational Change
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesApril 2021—Volume 28, Number 3 Copyright @ 2021 by Lauren W. Swanson These are difficult days for the church, but also days of real opportunity. The ...
03/31/2021 - Compassion: A Response to Racial Injustice and Health Disparity
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffApril 2021 National Health Observances include National Minority Health Month, and World Health Day, timely topics in the context of the coronavirus pandemic racial ...
03/30/2021 - Whatever the Outcome of The Chauvin Trial, the Need for Racial Justice Work Will Continue
By: James Ross - Justice and WitnessWe must continue our work together to bring forth a United States of America in which each...
03/27/2021 - Platform-Shaped Digital Ministry
By: Eric ElleyIn this article rather than defining digital ministry as a broadcast of your Sunday service, your church might consider creating a worship service that has been designed ...
03/25/2021 - Rev. James D. Ross II: Living the Love and Justice of Jesus
By: James Ross - Conference staffI am honored to serve as your new Minister for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Southern New England Conference. In this role, I am charged with leading our ...
03/25/2021 - Saturday Meals for Asylum Seekers
By: Dawn Adams - Justice and Witnessby Dawn Adams SNEUCC Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum Task Team You all have probably seen and heard about the growing humanitarian crisis at our southern borders. There...
03/24/2021 - What We've Learned from the Pandemic - Moving Forward
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesWhat will be the best ways to be the Body of Christ post-pandemic?
03/23/2021 - Strategically Generous?
By: Generous ThoughtsEver find yourself thinking, "too many nonprofits ask me for money!" Or, "why does the church have so many offerings?" The number of ways that we can make a difference in...
![jocelyngardnerspencer2[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15180911/fields/primaryimage/513e7c2733394654a8b6cb35efc65720/jocelyngardnerspencer2%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/23/2021 - Board President's Report to the 2021 Annual Meeting
By: Jocelyn Gardner Spencer - Annual Meeting Board of DirectorsBoard President’s Report SNE UCC Annual Meeting May 2021 The months since our last Annual Meeting in September 2020 have been eventful ones for our Conference and for...
![calvin-headshot[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15180912/fields/primaryimage/7223e8c1dced49efba5fa4c7dad33aba/calvin-headshot%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/23/2021 - Treasurer's Report to the 2021 Annual Meeting
By: Calvin Price - Annual ReportTreasurer’s Report to the Annual Meeting March 11, 2021 As I write this report, we are just over two months into our second year of operations as a new Conference. Our ...
03/17/2021 - COVID-19 Vaccination: The Inside Story of a Nurse Vaccinator
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffRecently, I began volunteering to give COVID-19 vaccinations at a drive-through mass vaccination site in Connecticut. Currently my job consists of writing and teaching ...
03/17/2021 - Opening Our Doors to a Vaccine Clinic
By: Lauren Lorincz OstroutThis past year has been difficult for so many of our churches. I serve as the Pastor of the Federated Church in Colchester, Connecticut and we formed a Reopening Team in ...
03/08/2021 - Confirmands Engage in Interfaith Exploration
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesThe Interfaith Exploration was offered as an opportunity for SNEUCC youth to hear various stories of call. “God is persistent, even though we sometimes push God away.” ...
![hopscotch-jon-tyson-unsplash[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15132196/fields/primaryimage/c858eaca97cf4879b5d860147c809021/hopscotch-jon-tyson-unsplash%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/08/2021 - Post-Pandemic - The Many Faces of Faith Formation
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesThe question to ask is, "How do we pass on the faith knowing what we know now?"
03/01/2021 - How Can We Build Trust in a Vaccine?
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesHow Can We Build Trust in a Vaccine? March 2021—Volume 28, Number 3 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell The development of a vaccine for the ...
02/19/2021 - Email Security Tips for Churches and Pastors
By: Andrew Page - Leadership DevelopmentDrew Page offers some tips for churches and pastors to protect against email scams.
02/17/2021 - Generous Thoughts: Development Professionals Launch Stewardship Newsletter
By: Generous ThoughtsThis inaugural issue of Generous Thoughts features the Rev. Kent Siladi, Director of ...
![kziel_17[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/15113497/fields/primaryimage/5c74af2446fa4cb4b8ac1aa6106aa89f/kziel_17%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
02/11/2021 - Lean Into Lent
By: Karen Ziel - Making DisciplesThis is an invitation to plan for the upcoming season and it's important themes with your whole heart and first and foremost, for you! This season is an invitation to ...
02/10/2021 - Connections & Common Bonds in a Sacred Space for Young Adults
By: Kristin PutneyMillennials’ Ministries is a great space for connections and common bonds for young adults who are looking for a Christian community of friends to engage with.
02/10/2021 - Digital Ministry in 2021
By: Eric ElleyAs we enter the second year of the pandemic’s effects, we are blessed with the increasing availability of effective coronavirus vaccines. As vaccinations become more ...
02/09/2021 - Youth Ministry in Pandemic Times (and Beyond)
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesWalking alongside teens on their spiritual journeys remains our focus.
02/08/2021 - Embrace the Questions
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesThough they sometimes feel like a rejection of faith, adult mentors are called to honor the questions, to respond with openness, to testify to the mystery and the truths ...
02/01/2021 - Connect with Spiritual Seekers through the Arts
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesFebruary 2021—Volume 29, Number 2 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell Sandra Lommasson rediscovered the value of art in response to violent trauma. In its...
01/20/2021 - Faith Formation Classes Offer Adaptive Skills During the Pandemic
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesHow do we navigate uncertainty while ministering to our congregations?
01/12/2021 - Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 Can Benefit Churches
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipInformation is available on how the CAA law relates to churches and religious groups.
01/12/2021 - COVID-19 2021: Prolonged Uncertainty
By: Deborah Ringen - Justice and WitnessHere we are a little over a week into the new year. Our nation and our world continue to struggle under the COVID-19 pandemic. As of January 12th all three states in the ...
01/12/2021 - Creativity and Spiritual Formation in a Time of Pandemic
By: Bruce Epperly - Church Innovation"The past ten months of pandemic can either be lost time or the time of our lives, or a mixture of both."
01/01/2021 - Build A Robust Network
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationJanuary 2021—Volume 29, Number 1 Copyright @ 2021 by Dana Horrell Whatever else it did, the COVID-19 health crisis forced congregations to consider ...
12/29/2020 - Farewell Thoughts
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Conference staffRev. Marilyn Kendrix shares her farewell thoughts as she finishes her time serving as Bridge Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference.
12/28/2020 - Farewell Reflections
By: Donald Remick - Conference staffRev. Don Remick share his thoughts as the year and his time serving as Bridge Conference Minister come to a close.
12/22/2020 - The Birth of Love: A Christmas Message
By: Marilyn Kendrix Donald Remick - ChristmasA message from Bridge Conference Ministers Rev. Marilyn Kendrix and Rev. Don Remick
12/22/2020 - Substance Abuse Addiction: Help is Available
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffChristmas is the season for joy, right? Maybe, maybe not. For many it is the season for depression and stress. Expectations of happy family get togethers even in the ...
12/16/2020 - COVID -19: Clergy Are Trusted Community Messengers
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffFrom the CDC: "Community- and faith-based organizations, employers, healthcare systems and providers, public health agencies, policy makers, and others all have a part in...
12/15/2020 - Joy and Grief this Christmas
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffHolidays are usually a busy, joyous time to celebrate. Our religious and secular traditions provoke memories of years past spent with family and friends. Every year there...
12/09/2020 - Adaptation in the Season of Advent
By: Deborah KirkMusic is such an important part of the holiday season and church worship planners are going to great lengths to incorporate favorite carols. Some have made use of radio ...
12/09/2020 - Longest Night Liturgy Available
By: Peggy Matteson Deborah Ringen - Conference staffLongest Night services bring the opportunity of pastoral care to those experiencing loss, grief and pain even in the joyous time of Advent and the coming of Christ. This...
12/02/2020 - The COVID Pandemic and Opioid-Related Mortality: The Church Can Help
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffConnecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are among 40 states that have reported an increase in overdose deaths during 2020 as compared to 2019. The pandemic is ...
12/01/2020 - Tending the Light: An Advent Spiritual Practice
By: Dawn Adams - ChristmasSpiritual practices take many forms. For Rev. Dawn Adams and family, one form is to "babysit as flame."
12/01/2020 - Using Surveys to Guide Decision Making
By: The Parish PaperDecember 2020—Volume 28, Number 12 Copyright @ 2020 by Dana Horrell In A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations, Cynthia Woolever points out the many factors ...
11/25/2020 - Communications: One More Covid-19 Casualty
By: James SilverCo-vid 19 is a tough go for me and all those who have hearing challenges. God bless us that we are wearing masks for everybody’s safety, but my do they wreak havoc on ...
11/18/2020 - A Thanksgiving Prayer for Those Who Are Weary
By: Jessica McArdle Deborah Ringen - Conference staffGrateful for this sheltered place With light in every window Saying, "Welcome, welcome, share this feast Come in away from sorrow" ~ from the Thanksgiving Song, by Mary ...
11/17/2020 - Budgeting in a Time of Uncertainty and COVID-19
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipHistorically, a church’s budget should have served at least three purposes: 1) provide financial guidance for the upcoming year; 2) place a limit on spending; and 3) be a...
11/16/2020 - 400 Years of Colonization, Doctrine of Discovery and Manifest Destiny
By: Kelly Gallagher - Conference staffFrom an address given by Rev. Kelly Gallagher for the Oct. 18 event 400 Years: Truth & Healing for the Next Seven Generations I stand in what is called today ...
11/16/2020 - Following Copyright Rules When Pairing Music with Virtual Worship
By: Daniel BrownellCopyright law has easily been the biggest challenge for my church to overcome
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14435225/fields/primaryimage/054f9530fd6a4ade8ebfe2163874f8a9/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
11/12/2020 - Covid Update: Is your Church in the High Risk Zone?
By: Donald RemickFriends, This past week has had records set in the current Covid surge. We keep seeing new records across our region and across the country in terms of daily new cases, ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14435635/fields/primaryimage/baf4c254708d4542bcb235eb9c78e29c/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
11/12/2020 - The Survey Says...
By: Donald RemickThe survey says: Last month we sent a survey our to all of our churches. We were checking in on what you were doing, what you needed, what was helpful and what you were ...
11/11/2020 - On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All Other Ground is Sinking Sand
By: Marilyn Kendrix Donald RemickMy hope is built on the love of God and the ever-present reality of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
11/10/2020 - Inspiring Gratitude
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesWe know that gratitude is central to spiritual well-being, but recently, social scientists in various academic settings have affirmed that this practice enhances mental ...
11/10/2020 - The Twelve Days of Christmas - At Home This Year
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Christmas Making DisciplesPerhaps the biggest Christmas gift was can give ourselves will be the gift of experimentation, and being allowed to fail at designing “the perfect Christmas.”
11/06/2020 - Discipleship is Not A Paint-by-Number Project
By: Laura Kisthardt - Making DisciplesDiscipleship is not a paint-by-numbers! We might wish for clear instructions, a formula to follow, to encourage others to follow Jesus. But our faith is so much bigger ...
11/04/2020 - Dying With Dignity Legislation Update
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffOver the past months, I have written to you about the importance of advance healthcare directives and end-of-life care planning. These critical conversations with our ...
11/04/2020 - Thanksgiving During a Pandemic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffOh God, how we long for a traditional holiday table where many extended family and friends have gathered in the glowing warmth of a feast and holiday decorations. We ...
![lee+gagen+80x120[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14418849/fields/primaryimage/9d8386989b2f4a0599fe6f01344113be/lee%2bgagen%2b80x120%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
11/03/2020 - Church Leaders are Feeling Excitement over Major Adaptive Change Opportunities: A Look at Financial Survey Data
By: Lee GagenLast week Don Remick shared with us the results from the SNEUCC’s most recent COVID ...
11/01/2020 - Building Relationships in Livestream Worship
By: The Parish PaperNovember 2020—Volume 28, Number 11 Copyright @ 2020 by Dana Horrell Livestreaming a worship service extends its reach far beyond the physical gathering of...
10/28/2020 - Covid Survey Results, Continued
By: Donald Remick - Conference staffWord cloud created from most frequently encountered words from the survey. The larger the word appears, the more often it occurred. We received nearly 300 ...
10/28/2020 - Election Exhaustion / Election Resilience
By: Donald Remick - Conference staff1 John 2: 15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; 16 for all that is in the world—the desire of ...
10/27/2020 - Spreading the Word About the 'Super Cool Love of God'
By: Tiffany Vail - Justice and WitnessHave you seen the United Church of Christ in the news this week? We announced on Sunday that the Southern New England Conference had abolished $26.2 million in ...
10/26/2020 - "Wait. You did WHAT?!?!?" A Reflection of Joy
By: Shawn Fisher - Justice and WitnessWait. What? You just got rid of my medical debt? Yep. How much? All of it. Are you SERIOUS? Yep. But...I'm not even a part of your church. That's not the point. This will...
10/26/2020 - Congregations Can Support Mental Health
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffLast April, I wrote a blog titled Mental Health and Suicide Resources discussing the unique circumstances of the pandemic such as isolation, loss of a job, uncertainty ...
![vote-1319435_640_1[1].png](/files/tables/content/14345599/fields/primaryimage/84b553036d954974b90de2542daeb76f/vote-1319435_640_1%5b1%5d.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/21/2020 - Election 2020: A Lot of Folks Are Nervous
By: Donald Remick - Justice and WitnessIts on every news channel. It is all over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram . It pops up on your cell phone notifications. It is an election year unlike any other. ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14345518/fields/primaryimage/fb6e012d8ca04cec8fd691dc0175147e/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
10/21/2020 - What Churches Are Doing Now During the Pandemic
By: Donald RemickThis October our Conference sent out a survey to all of our Conference’s churches. We asked about many aspects of church life from worship to fellowship to ...
10/15/2020 - Just Breathe: Weaving Together the Creation Narrative and Communities of Color
By: Katherine Schofield - Environment Justice and Witnessby Katherine Schofield, Old South Church On October 11, Old South Church in Boston hosted...
10/14/2020 - Virtual Super Saturday is Almost Here!
By: Ellie Richardson - Conference programmingWe know you may be Zoom weary and treasuring days away from little boxes on computer screens. But if you are desiring community and a chance to come together with ...
10/13/2020 - What To Do with the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Landing
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesThis fall is a perfect opportunity for confirmation programs to look back at our history.
10/07/2020 - A Library With A Rich Menu for Disciples
By: Jennifer deSimas Deborah KirkIn a recent interview, Jennifer deSimas, Director of the JP Webster Library related her work to faith formation. "One of my roles is to organize events that explore not ...
10/07/2020 - Breathing Life Into Theories and Practices
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Conference programming Leadership Development Making DisciplesHow will you most effectively walk the path of faith with your congregation?
10/07/2020 - Innovations in Youth Ministry -Two Stories
By: Kristin Putney - Making DisciplesKristin Putney shares two stories of effective youth ministry in RI Congregations during the time of CoVid 19. Youth connections are sustained and deepened through ...
10/01/2020 - How to Foster Deep Listening Amid Political Difference
By: The Parish PaperOctober 2020—Volume 28, Number 10 Copyright @ 2020 by Dana Horrell Honest conversation about all matters, even politics, must be part and parcel of a ...
10/01/2020 - Important Documents – Does Your Church Know Where They’re Kept? (Part I)
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew Jonathan Guest - Conference staff Stewardshipby Jonathan Guest and David Cleaver-Bartholomew For many churches these are challenging and stressful times. Church members are concerned about worship, programs, and ...
10/01/2020 - Important Documents – Does Your Church Know Where They’re Kept? (Part II)
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew Jonathan Guest - Conference staff Stewardshipby Jonathan Guest and David Cleaver-Bartholomew In our previous article published on ...
![ian-screentshot[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14319959/fields/primaryimage/1a5750e63f794099a9f8e8d9443e1e01/ian-screentshot%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/30/2020 - The Tech Behind the Annual Meeting
By: Ian Tosh - Annual MeetingThe Annual Meeting for the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ was held on September 26th remotely via a Zoom webinar. I moderated the meeting...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14277726/fields/primaryimage/21a526ada5d149baa1f2b9b8de1fcb28/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/29/2020 - Our Faith, Our Vote
By: Donald RemickThere was a time when leadership was chosen by casting lots. Our scripture tells stories of this. But in our time that decision is up to us. But it is no less an act ...
09/28/2020 - Celebrating Disability: A Step Forward to Creating A Community of Belonging
By: Candace Low - Conference programmingAccess Sunday is October 11 Each year, the second Sunday of October is designated on the ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14277988/fields/primaryimage/b4f45c5e85ca4203959703eddee0b025/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/25/2020 - Pastor Appreciation Day - October 12, 2020
By: Donald Remick“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching“ 1 Timothy 5:17 (NRSV) Each year a day is ...
09/23/2020 - I Don’t Want to Talk About It…Depression in the Wake of Covid-19
By: Jessica McArdle“In the middle of the journey of our lives, I found myself upon a dark path” ~ Dante I don’t want to talk about it.[1] Having served some years in parish ministry, I ...
09/23/2020 - When Clergy Face Depression We Can ALL Help
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffAll human beings experience feeling “blue” or “down in the dumps” sometimes. It may come as a surprise, but clergy are human too! It can be hard to admit that one might ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14276764/fields/primaryimage/c38256b559344247b9c31cb833d5288f/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/21/2020 - Covid, Heating, Ventilation and New MA Regulations: Winter is Coming
By: Donald RemickFriends, There is that fall chill in the air. It is the change of seasons. And with it comes new decisions we face in our church life. The current state of this ...
09/18/2020 - Learn How to Become a Just Peace Church at Super Saturday
By: Robert Loesch - Justice and Witnessby Rev. Dr. Robert Loesch Greetings to you in the name of the God of Light and the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. In their names, I invite you and your local church to...
09/17/2020 - Planning Annual Fall Pledge Campaigns
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipIn today’s unprecedented context, when churches cannot worship in person and there is great economic uncertainty and social upheaval, it is quite reasonable to ask: How ...
09/17/2020 - Playlists! An Exciting Innovation
By: Karen Ziel - Leadership Development Making DisciplesPlaylists! What are they? An introduction to the concept of Playlists as a new format for shaping faith.
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/16/2020 - An Image of Hope
By: Gwen Lawson - Making DisciplesAlexa Odoy, a ninth grader at Congregational Church of Marlborough shares her creative talents. "The design is inspired by the story of Noah's arc, but the rainbows also ...
09/16/2020 - Boundary Training for Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Leaders
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesBlurred boundaries can result for lay staff who are also members of that congregation.
![chuckericson[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14237349/fields/primaryimage/51aa52dac58d42e6a20da7d162042058/chuckericson%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
09/14/2020 - Youth Join Race Equity Work at Newman
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesChristy Wynveen of Newman Congregational shares reflections on her new position as Minister of Faith Formation and recent youth study group on the book The Hate U Give.
09/02/2020 - Masks Are More Important Than Ever: Slow the Spread
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffPeople are getting out more as local restrictions ease allowing restaurants, businesses and schools to open with specific guidelines to reduce the threat of coronavirus ...
09/01/2020 - Getting Started with Livestreaming
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationSeptember 2020—Volume 28, Number 9 Copyright @ 2020 by Dana Horrell Livestreaming an event, whether a worship service or Bible study, can seem like a ...
09/01/2020 - Pilgrimage Through the Pandemic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffThis interview captures the reality of the experience of COVID-19 and the theological reflection required to make sense of the world in the pandemic. The Rev. Karen ...
09/01/2020 - Use Your Voice to Promote Flu Vaccination this Season
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffFaith Community Nurses, clergy and lay ministers of health are trusted by the people of the congregation and community. The foundation of our faith encourages caring for ...
08/31/2020 - When the Pastor is the Caregiver at Work and at Home
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefHow can clergy juggle family caregiving and the stress of serving their flock during a pandemic, racial injustice, hurricanes, and the divisive political climate? Even ...
08/24/2020 - Universal Charitable Tax Deduction for 2020
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipAs part of the CARES Act that became law earlier this year, the government provided a new universal charitable tax deduction. The deduction allows taxpayers to deduct up ...
08/20/2020 - An Adult Education Model for Churches, with a Twist
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Leadership Development Making DisciplesIn this time of polarized opinions and beliefs, an attitude of humility toward our approach to the Bible and to each other is surely what God is desiring of us.
08/20/2020 - Congregation Climate Justice Voter Pledge
By: Barbara Darling - Environment Justice and WitnessI was delighted to see that Rev. Traci Blackmon, UCC Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries and Pastor of Christ the King UCC in Florissant, ...
![thumbnail_mbk+for+reflections[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14165640/fields/primaryimage/2ab0519f3303466b86e7db2a3a321973/thumbnail_mbk%2bfor%2breflections%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
08/18/2020 - Get Up, While We Hold You Down
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Justice and WitnessAs horrific as the video-taped murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis was, it was the orders shouted to Mr. Floyd that pierced my heart as I foolishly watched that video ...
08/17/2020 - Lifelong Faith Formation Thrives with Trained Leaders
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Conference programming Leadership Development Making DisciplesWe owe it to our congregations to offer high quality faith formation and youth ministries, particularly during these uncertain times.
08/17/2020 - Stewardship, Choice, and Discipleship
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipOne aspect of stewardship that struck me afresh the other day is that biblically speaking, stewardship is not presented as optional for us. In Genesis 1.27-28 we are told...
08/17/2020 - This is What Discipleship Looks Like
By: Andrew McKinnis - Young Voices ProjectBoth my church and Silver Lake have had an influence on my involvement with racial justice work. In 2018, upon entering freshman year I felt the need to be doing ...
08/16/2020 - Love Thy Neighbor
By: Katharine Howe - Young Voices ProjectI started my first semester as a Master of Divinity Student at Chicago Theological Seminary in February. Less than a month later I began working long hours at the Rhode ...
08/11/2020 - Flawed or Human?
By: Maya Wright - Young Voices ProjectIt's comfortable to identify ourselves with the ‘good people’ in the Bible. But what does it mean to identify ourselves with the flawed figures? As humans, we’re not ...
08/11/2020 - God Is Always With Us
By: Ella Ford - Making Disciples Young Voices ProjectBefore quarantine I found my days were full of school, sports, and homework. I barely had time to hangout with friends, let alone a minute for myself.
08/01/2020 - Hospitality: Offering a Third Place to Gather
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesThe emergence of a novel coronavirus has led in some regions to measures such as social distancing guidelines and prohibitions against physical gathering. Whether meeting...
07/28/2020 - Reflecting on the ADA After 30 years
By: Candace Low - Justice and WitnessI was thinking about the journey. Many of us did our advocacy alone...little victories each day along the way that you will probably never read about. In most cases in ...
07/27/2020 - Carrying One’s Faith onto the Public Square: Voting and Faithfulness
By: Jessica McArdle - Environment“ Whoever is faithful in a very little, is also faithful in much...” Luke 16:10 When serving in the parish, I quickly learned that the chief task facing a Stewardship ...
07/24/2020 - A Few Final Thoughts
By: Kent Siladi - Conference staffRev. Kent Siladi offers some final thoughts before his departure.
07/24/2020 - Dare To Be
By: Joy Utter - Justice and WitnessRev. Joy Utter shares thoughts on the late Congressman John Lewis.
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/23/2020 - Care for One Another- Immunize!
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff“Dear children, let us love not with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” ~ 1 John 3:18 The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused uncertainty, fear, and loss ...
07/23/2020 - Giving young people an opportunity to thrive
By: Venson Jordan - Outdoor MinistriesCamp Ruggles and Irons Homestead. For 46 years now the sounds of children enjoying summer mark the flow of a long friendship.
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14132492/fields/primaryimage/0cb6a848c8f84168a55a7534b2c27ac7/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/22/2020 - Phasing Forward into the Fall
By: Donald RemickWhen the pandemic first began your Bridge Conference ministers recommended the suspension of In Person inside worship for two weeks. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, ...
07/09/2020 - The Conversation Continues: Update on Death with Dignity Legislation (MA)
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Justice and WitnessThe importance of conversation with loved ones surrounding one’s end of life choices for ...
07/07/2020 - Goo
By: Donald RemickI was raised on the butterfly metaphor. From kids’ books to Easter symbols. I’ve preached it. I watched it unfold in grade school terrariums. And I’ve used it as ...
07/07/2020 - Millennials’ Ministries Goes Virtual
By: Katharine HoweWhere is my place in the United Church of Christ after confirmation class? This is a question that I continue to ask myself as a young adult. I have noticed that young ...
07/06/2020 - How Does Your Garden Grow?
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesAt Silver Lake, campers have the opportunity to tend the community garden. Environmental justice is one of the elements of the mission statement and we teach about the ...
07/02/2020 - Bethany House in Chile Requests our Prayers
By: Christopher Ney - Justice and WitnessBethany House is part of the social ministry of the Pentecostal Church of Chile, long-term ecumenical partner of this historic Massachusetts Conference. Known in Spanish ...
![k-mitch-hodge-1izws9c1e2k-unsplash[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14119308/fields/primaryimage/92c5032f84b2497eb82ef089f3246dc7/k-mitch-hodge-1izws9c1e2k-unsplash%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
07/02/2020 - COVID-19: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?
By: Donald Remick - Conference staffIn the winter of 2020, the Southern New England Conference of the UCC was just beginning as a new legal and ecclesial entity. It was in this moment that news of a new ...
07/01/2020 - Care, Leadership, and Self-Renewal in Uncertain Times
By: The Parish Paper - Church Innovation Making DisciplesWhen the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, it ushered in a prolonged period of uncertainty. Since that day it has appeared that ...
07/01/2020 - Dad and Maps
By: Susan TownsleyGo in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord ~ Judges 18:6 My husband always laughs that I will almost never say that I am lost. I may say ...
07/01/2020 - Don't Be A Goat!
By: Timoth Sylvia - Justice and WitnessI was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you ...
06/30/2020 - Economic Justice and Stewardship
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staffAt its core, stewardship is countercultural. It raises up God’s vision and economy for the world, an economy of abundance that tilts toward “the poor, the widow, the ...
06/24/2020 - Council of Conference Ministers Launch Webinar Series
By: Donald RemickThis is an extraordinary time. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly reshaped how we live, move and have our being in the world. And we are still learning, adapting ...
06/23/2020 - Ensuring the Journey of Faith for Young Adults Continues
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesDear Pastors, Youth Leaders, and Parents, As you celebrate graduates in your congregations, I join you in offering praise for the youth and young adults achieving this ...
06/17/2020 - It’s Hurricane Season: “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.” - Luke 12:35
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefHurricane season 2020 has begun; amidst the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice we ...
![thumbnail_mbk+for+reflections[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14023394/fields/primaryimage/f0c44090ca264a53997a710b4f1555cb/thumbnail_mbk%2bfor%2breflections%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
06/12/2020 - EMPATHY
By: Marilyn KendrixIt’s Impossible to be a true disciple of Jesus without empathy. As I sat these past two weeks watching the peaceful protesters all across America marching out their ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14021612/fields/primaryimage/b8cd93a2b29244f7a975f9e11ee2943c/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
06/10/2020 - I Don’t Want To Do This Anymore!?
By: Donald RemickI don’t want to do this anymore!? In the last several weeks I’ve heard this phrase several times. Sometimes it comes directly from individual clergy. More often is ...
06/09/2020 - Can Children Be Racist?
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Justice and Witness Making DisciplesChildren can exhibit racist behavior as early as the age of five.
![david+cleaver-bartholomew[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14016234/fields/primaryimage/d824b9a956164e5984f965de3e05fedc/david%2bcleaver-bartholomew%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
06/05/2020 - Stewardship, Racism, and Justice
By: David Cleaver-BartholomewFor those struck by the juxtaposition of stewardship, racism, and justice, and are asking what they could have in common and how they are related, I respond: they have ...
06/01/2020 - Six Tools for Managing Volunteers
By: The Parish PaperAt its most basic level, managing volunteers means supporting their work in order to sustain their activity over time. The apostle Paul urges leaders “to equip the saints...
![thumbnail_mbk+for+reflections[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14011113/fields/primaryimage/ca4ac538a97742bc8cd64cd2e416f1cc/thumbnail_mbk%2bfor%2breflections%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/31/2020 - There Are Precious Few Good Police
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Justice and WitnessThere are precious few good police. I know that this is a provocative statement.
05/30/2020 - Pay Attention. And Act
By: Donald Remick - Justice and WitnessFriends, During our weekly Bridge Conference Minister ZOOM last Thursday I offered some words related to the killing of George Floyd. Several folks asked that I make ...
![jenn[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14010493/fields/primaryimage/7b94d7be227f45e5a8b1591af0fba5b4/jenn%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/29/2020 - How can we do camp if we can't be together?
By: Jennifer Kronholm Clark - Outdoor MinistriesWhen we come together in the summer for fun and friendship, we do all of the camp things as a way to practice our faith, to learn and grow through our experiences with ...
05/28/2020 - A Reflection on Ahmaud Arbery’s Murder and Racism
By: Donique McIntosh - Conference staff Justice and WitnessI avoided reading detailed accounts about it. I decided long ago that I won’t watch the videos. I couldn’t take one more painful thing in the midst of this pandemic; I ...
![candace-low[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14002234/fields/primaryimage/daa16cdd877448e598455bdddb123252/candace-low%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/26/2020 - All God's Children: Providing for the Lost Sheep
By: Candace Low - Justice and WitnessAuthor’s note: All God’s Children will be a regular feature as congregations navigate moving forward with new challenges. The purpose will be to address the issues of ...
![butterfly-emerge[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/14004471/fields/primaryimage/74c9b3e4034b454c9ed9053dd5ae8faf/butterfly-emerge%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/26/2020 - Caterpillars to Butterflies
By: Marilyn KendrixPhoto by Angela Menke Ballou. A few weeks ago, my colleague, Don Remick wrote about Resurrection and in his blog, he referred to the metamorphosis that takes ...
05/26/2020 - Not One Is Lost
By: Charles Ericson - Disaster Relief Justice and Witness"Our goal and mission should be to ensure that no one among us is lost." — Rev. Chuck Ericson
05/22/2020 - A Call to Stop and Pray Daily at 1:11
By: Cleo Graham Scott Spencer"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23: 4 There ...
05/22/2020 - Guidance for Returning to In-Person Faith Formation
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making DisciplesMany faith formation and youth ministry leaders are wondering just how safe it will be to gather the children and youth in person.
05/22/2020 - Tips for Pastoral/Spiritual Care in Nursing Homes During Quarantine
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessAs a faith community nurse I can relate to pastoral concerns around providing spiritual care during the pandemic. We are used to being with a person or family during ...
05/20/2020 - Following Jesus in Times of Uncertainty
By: Grace Winakor - Making DisciplesI hope I’m not alone when I describe the sinking feeling in your chest after another bad day, wondering if God is really listening, and wondering if it’s okay to really ...
.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/19/2020 - COVID-19: How Will We Vote in November?
- Conference staff Justice and Witnessby Lisa Chandler, First Church of Glastonbury (CT) Covid has changed everything. It shocks the senses when we realize that our normal routines and expectations are no ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13997192/fields/primaryimage/51ff4e307366434ba5e8fc17c7043876/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/15/2020 - For the Long Haul
By: Donald RemickWe are over 8 weeks into our pandemic requirements to Stay Home and Stay Safe. There is an often-used phrase: this is a marathon not a sprint. However, you have been ...
05/13/2020 - Bottom Line: Maintain Your Health - Mind, Body, and Spirit
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefAs we all focus on trying to prevent the spread of COVID 19, caring for our general health and well-being is sometimes neglected. Mental health concerns, chronic disease ...
05/13/2020 - Pediatric Healthcare During the COVID 19 Pandemic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefExperts are learning more every day about the novel coronavirus. There are two issues to be aware of that impact parents and children in particular. While it was once ...
05/12/2020 - Zoombombing: It's Worse
By: Tiffany Vail - Leadership DevelopmentKing Street UCC in Danbury, CT, this weekend seemed to have done everything right. Someone still got in.
05/11/2020 - Renting Your Church Facilities: Planning Now for the Future
By: Bridget Johnson - StewardshipIsaiah 43:19: Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. While all of ...
05/11/2020 - The Good Samaritan - The Good Steward
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipThe story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37) is one that many of us have heard at least a dozen times. But I wonder how many have heard it through the lens of ...
05/06/2020 - Riverside UCC Continues to Spread Light in the Dark
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Justice and WitnessJust about a year ago, I wrote about the Riverside Church making God’s love and justice real with the creation of their Lighthouse Shops. I wondered what the pandemic had...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13934557/fields/primaryimage/da5afd19251e439a84644a700f4fd79e/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
05/04/2020 - PHASING FORWARD: NOW What Do We Do?
By: Donald RemickWhat will phasing into worship and life as a community of faith be like for you? One more time: take a deep breath. Let it go. Notice where God is present to you in ...
05/01/2020 - Ideas for Supporting Mental Health and Faith Formation in Children: A Guide for Parents
By: Wendy Parker - Disaster Relief Making Disciplesby Wendy Parker As the world and this country struggle to cope with the upsetting and ...
05/01/2020 - Living More Deeply Into Who We Were Created To Be
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipLast weekend, I discovered two writings that intrigued and excited me. They did so because they reveal generosity as a point where our scientific and religious worlds ...
05/01/2020 - Yes, Congregations Can Learn New Habits
By: The Parish PaperA regional church officer told of visiting a church with a puzzling worship practice. Whenever it came time to recite the Apostle’s Creed, worshippers turned toward the ...
![window[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13657688/fields/primaryimage/83bdcab4b95e48a9ae1f188f1d37b3c8/window%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/30/2020 - How Might You Extend an Offer of Prayer in Your Community? Here Are Resources & Ideas
By: Susan TownsleyHave you noticed neighbors and strangers requesting prayers on social media?
04/28/2020 - Resilience in the Face of Stress
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Conference staffLast week, the Bridge Conference Ministers extended their recommendation to suspend in person worship through the month of May. By now, after being safe at home for ...
04/24/2020 - What do Worry Time and a Good Meltdown Have to Do with Well-Being?
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefHour, by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month… how long will it take for life to return to some kind of normal or new normal? The federal, regional, and local ...
04/24/2020 - When I Was Hungry, You Fed Me
By: John Hargrave"But princess, the peasants are starving. They have no bread." "Then let them eat cake." - Marie Antoinette (according to legend) During the Great Depression, it was ...
04/22/2020 - We’ve Dipped Our Toes in the Water, Now What?
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Church Innovation Conference staffThis period of no public worship has forced a great many of our churches to dip their toe in the water of online digital worship, and their experiences have ranged from ...
04/19/2020 - It's Hump Day
By: Donald RemickIt is that midpoint in the week when folks are…let’s just say it…crabby.
04/17/2020 - Domestic Violence: What You Need to Know
By: Deborah Ringen - Disaster ReliefAdvocates for people experiencing and surviving domestic violence agree that abuse related to physical distancing is on the rise. Calls to domestic violence hotlines have...
04/17/2020 - Mental Health and Suicide Awareness and Resources
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster ReliefEveryone in the world is experiencing the COVID 19 pandemic to varying degrees depending on your geography, but we all are undeniably experiencing change, uncertainty, ...
04/16/2020 - Creation Care E-News: 50th Earth Day Edition
By: Margaret Bullitt-Jonas - Environmentby Margaret Bullitt-Jonas Missioner for Creation Care This special edition of Creation Care Network e-news is brought to you in honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/16/2020 - Inescapable Lessons Offer Invaluable Opportunities – Earth Day 50th & COVID19
By: James Antal - EnvironmentThis is not a dress rehearsal. The entire world is immersed in unrelenting, ...
04/16/2020 - Unexpected Money Can Become Unexpected Generosity
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - StewardshipDear Partners in Ministry, As you have probably heard, the federal government started distributing CARES Act stimulus checks of $1,200 per adult and $500 per dependent ...
![thumbnail_mbk+for+reflections[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13618605/fields/primaryimage/173edfdeea024f88b12552ac264aeff5/thumbnail_mbk%2bfor%2breflections%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/14/2020 - Discipleship in the Time of Pandemic: This Too Shall Pass
By: Marilyn KendrixThis past Sunday was Easter Sunday and like many folks around the Conference, I was feeling despondent because it was not going to be the Easter that I am used to. I was...
04/14/2020 - Spiritual Growth in a Time of Pandemic
By: Bruce Epperly - Making DisciplesI have found that my greatest spiritual growth has often occurred during dark nights of the spirit, brought about by personal and professional crises. In such times, I ...
04/13/2020 - It's "RESURRECTION"
By: Donald RemickThis past week, on Maundy Thursday I had an interesting conversation with Rev. Ken Orth, my spiritual director. He gave me a phrase that echoed with an interesting ...
04/13/2020 - The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and the Challenges Before Us
By: Jessica McArdleA note from your SNEUCC Bridge Conference Ministers: This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. And for the first time since that date we have seen evidence of ...
04/08/2020 - How to Care for Someone who is Sick with COVID-19
By: Deborah Ringen - Disaster ReliefFor many of us the Coronavirus pandemic has meant preparation, hand washing, covering your cough, social distancing, changes in daily routines of life. For some it has ...
![elizabeth-mae-magill-cmm-7146_1[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13615560/fields/primaryimage/ba18f61f819247cba24e3c2ef4f8317b/elizabeth-mae-magill-cmm-7146_1%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/08/2020 - Worship Is Not The Point
By: Elizabeth Magill - Holy WeekThe first surveys that came out to pastors asking “how are you doing” in this Coronavirus age asked about what help we needed with worship. And during Lent, to not have ...
![csp_townsley_5917-linkedin[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13614729/fields/primaryimage/2203ab72a8334620bc5babe3fd189668/csp_townsley_5917-linkedin%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/07/2020 - Dear Beloved Clergy
By: Susan Townsley - Holy WeekDear Beloved Clergy: This Sunday, via some electronic means, you will be proclaiming the mystery of the resurrection. You will do this, even though you may have only ...
![thumbnail_mbk+for+reflections[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13614491/fields/primaryimage/234829c1578a425a9328d89a8c5b3975/thumbnail_mbk%2bfor%2breflections%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/07/2020 - Discipleship in a Time of Pandemic – Finding Your Purpose
By: Marilyn KendrixOn this past Thursday, we had Rev. Matt Crebbin, Pastor of the Newtown Congregational Church as a guest on our weekly COVID-19 Webinar (recording is here). Matt brought ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/07/2020 - Holy Week in the Pandemic: Journeying in a Time Not Our Own
By: Susan Fowler - Holy Week“I go to the altar of God, to God who gives joy to me.” Why an altar? It marks the meeting place with the Holy. Whether a stone cairn or marble table, a mound of earth...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13614670/fields/primaryimage/3b3b57e105ae484f8f8a6b8c630174f4/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
04/07/2020 - Holy Week: The Same, and Different
By: Donald Remick - Holy WeekHOLY WEEK It will be the same. It will be different. This week in our sacred story we encounter the whole range of human emotion. The events of Holy Week are powerful ...
04/06/2020 - Look at the Birds of the Air
By: Deborah Kirk - Making DisciplesJesus gives us instruction for anxious times in the comforting words found in Matthew 6:25-34, reminding us to let go of worries about the future and suggesting instead ...
04/03/2020 - Wear Face Coverings, Not Masks, in Public
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessExperts are speaking out in favor of a public advisory to wear protective face coverings when in public. They emphasize maintaining physical distancing, keeping our hands...
04/01/2020 - Enlist Specialists to Improve Outreach Ministry
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationLeading a congregation often demands the skills of a generalist, whether it’s the pastor or a team of lay leaders. Yet expert knowledge has its place. Specialists such as...
03/31/2020 - PPE - Help for the Helpers
By: Dawn Durning HammondIt is a remarkable time. Compassion and generosity are bubbling up nearly everywhere we turn. I keep picturing the Holy Spirit as kind of like my small children, years ...
03/31/2020 - Protect Incarcerated People in CT from COVID-19
By: Michele Mudrick - Conference staff Justice and WitnessI was on a webinar last week hosted by ACLU Connecticut and the Smart Justice Team, and since then there has been the first positive COVID-19 test of an adult ...
![csp_townsley_5917-linkedin[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13539969/fields/primaryimage/02dc1cceb7a14479af2c4543f5dbc0ff/csp_townsley_5917-linkedin%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/30/2020 - Anticipatory Grief
By: Susan TownsleyGiven this pandemic, there is much about which I am sad. I miss my dog park friends, as the park was closed when too many younger people were found to be congregating. I ...
03/30/2020 - Discipleship in the Time of Pandemic
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Conference staff Justice and WitnessAs I sit reading the Sunday paper’s special sections on the third Saturday of the coronavirus shelter-in-place order, I can’t help but think about discipleship in this ...
03/30/2020 - It is to Grieve
By: Donald RemickGrief is complicated enough. It is even more difficult during this pandemic when we can’t say goodbye.
03/29/2020 - What’s Next in the Pandemic: Phases of Disaster
By: Donald Remick - Disaster ReliefIn this moment, we will either confirm that we are irrelevant or we will demonstrate that we are essential.
03/27/2020 - Transition or Transformation?
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Church Innovation Conference staff StewardshipI frequently hear people express their strong desire for us to transition out of this pandemic and return to basically what life was before it struck. They just want to ...
03/26/2020 - Six Lessons Coronavirus Can Teach Us About Climate Change
By: Margaret Bullitt-Jonas - Conference staff Environment Justice and Witnessby Margaret Bullitt-Jonas and Leah D. Schade, co-editors of the book Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis Earth Day 2020 comes at a ...
03/25/2020 - Communicating Coronavirus: Best Practices for Churches
By: John Hargrave - Disaster ReliefThis isn't the first time humans have faced a pandemic. After studying previous outbreaks like SARS and Avian Flu, the World Health Organization put together a thick ...
03/25/2020 - Communication: Messaging and Media in this phase of Pandemic
By: Donald Remick - Disaster ReliefAs we are Staying Home and Staying Safe we are discovering new ways of being church. And we are discovering again the most essential elements of being the Body of ...
03/25/2020 - Loving our Neighbor as Ourselves During a Pandemic: Stop Stigma
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Disaster Relief Justice and WitnessAre you feeling scared, sad, disappointed, concerned you may become ill with COVID-19? Are you watching the news or scouring websites to find out how many new cases have...
![dkirk_18[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13537143/fields/primaryimage/2f27806c86124156b71c97860a8a2b3b/dkirk_18%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/24/2020 - What Can I Do? Outreach in the Time of Corona
By: Deborah KirkChurches are invited to copy this post, add their own information, and disseminate it in their congregations. As the Coronavirus spreads from town to town and schools ...
![csp_townsley_5917-linkedin[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13537134/fields/primaryimage/33ef34e1952648baba3816e37a95b1ad/csp_townsley_5917-linkedin%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/24/2020 - You’ve Been Innovating!
By: Susan TownsleyChurches are quickly adapting to online and electronic forms of giving, moving pastoral care to phone and Zoom, and making food collections available via drive-through.
03/23/2020 - Beware of Zoombombing
By: Tiffany VailAccording to a New York Times article, there’s a new type of malicious behavior proliferating called Zoombombing. This is when people find publicly posted links to Zoom ...
03/23/2020 - Essentials
By: Kent SiladiEssentials. In this time of a global pandemic we are using terms that attempt to characterize where we find ourselves in this challenging time. “Social or physical ...
03/23/2020 - Scarcity or Generosity?
By: David Cleaver-Bartholomew - Conference staff StewardshipAs the Coronavirus and its effects on people’s livelihoods has become more severe, I have been struggling with the question of how we can talk about giving to the One ...
03/22/2020 - Stay Safe. Stay Home
By: Donald RemickAs of this morning, four states have issued a Stay Safe, Stay Home instruction. Some call it Shelter In Place. It is the more stringent guidelines to reduce the spread ...
03/21/2020 - How To Improve Sound in Your Video
By: Andrew PageA brief guide to improving sound in your online videos.
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13534571/fields/primaryimage/9528e835b917449293b31e1a319f2e62/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/20/2020 - What Do I Do About Pastoral Care?
By: Donald RemickWhat do I do about pastoral care during a time of pandemic? What do I do about wedding and funerals? These are challenging questions in a challenging time. One of ...
![ckuchenbrod-09[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13534276/fields/primaryimage/13e1072123cb4fcd8b3a466f0c965f0f/ckuchenbrod-09%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/19/2020 - 'Be Not Afraid' About Church Finances During This Time
By: Charles KuchenbrodIn the Bible, Angels, God’s messengers, often arrive saying, “Be not afraid!” Some people may be anxious about the financial viability of their church as economic ...
03/19/2020 - Considering Our Legacy: Native American Boarding Schools
By: Kelly Gallagher - Justice and WitnessJesus called the children to him, saying to his disciples, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.’ ~ Luke 18:16 ...
03/18/2020 - Lessons From Ministry in the Midst of a Disaster
By: Matthew Crebbin - Disaster ReliefBeloved Colleagues in Ministry, This is a message I wish I didn’t have to write. I do not want to know what I know. Because I learned my lessons about disaster ministry ...
03/18/2020 - Self-Care for Clergy: Prevent Burnout
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staff Justice and Witness“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and ...
03/17/2020 - Learning to Be The Church Virtually
By: Tiffany VailLet me just start by saying: I know this is hard. And frustrating. And exhausting. For the vast majority of our churches, providing worship or otherwise "being the ...
03/16/2020 - Discipleship
By: Marilyn Kendrix - Conference staff Justice and Witness Making Disciples“The local church exists to make disciples of Jesus” says our mission statement. Simon Peter, “Do you love me?” And of course, Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I...
03/13/2020 - Creating Online Media for Worship
By: Andrew PageWith the prospect of shutting down churches the obvious question arises: how do we worship now? Below are some helpful guidelines for creating video that may be put ...
03/13/2020 - That Hard Place
By: Donald RemickThat Hard Place I don’t like pain. I read a situation, analyze all the trajectories and options and work overtime to figure out how to get through things without causing...
03/12/2020 - Faith Formation Leadership Training Is For Today’s Congregations
By: Deborah Gline Allen - Conference programming Making DisciplesI have been wrestling with the term “Sunday School” for almost as long as I’ve been a Christian educator. I sometimes even take issue with being called an “educator” in ...
03/10/2020 - Stress and Coronavirus
By: Deborah Ringen1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Revised Standard Version (RSV) 4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every ...
![don-remick-2018[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13436099/fields/primaryimage/3e3b0dc6411f433bb396bf0648313b83/don-remick-2018%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
03/10/2020 - What To Do For Church
By: Donald RemickFriends, Are you wondering what to do for church? This week the Governors of all three Southern New England states have declared a state of emergency related to the ...
03/02/2020 - Church and the Coronavirus
By: Donald RemickIt's been a busy week since we sent out a blog (below) on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In that time we have received a lot of resources and guidance. We’ve seen the impact...
03/01/2020 - What is the Emerging Church?
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationIn a pub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Peter Rollins and a group called the Ikon collective organized a religious event for visitors in town for a conference called ...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
02/26/2020 - Death With Dignity Act (MA)
By: Deborah Ringen - Justice and Witness“Every moment involves the divine call and human response. Although we believe that God is not the source of illness, divine wisdom is revealed in illness as well as in ...
02/20/2020 - Considering Our Legacy: Doctrine of Discovery
By: Kelly Gallagher - Justice and WitnessAs we continue through this year of 2020, as the Mayflower once again plans to sail into Boston Harbor, as we revisit the 400-year-old history that brought European ...
02/20/2020 - Explorers in Uncharted Territory
By: Donald RemickIt goes by many names: Uncharted Territory, Wilderness Wanderings, Liminal Space. None of them evoke feelings of fun and frolic. We don’t like uncertainty. We long for ...
02/17/2020 - Why Must We Grieve? Because We Love Another
By: John HudsonGrief: the sad and sharp feeling of losing someone that you love. We all grieve. It is inescapable, like the chill winds of February.
02/12/2020 - Faith, Common Sense and Reducing Panic
By: Deborah Ringen - Conference staffNews reports are filled with reports about the spread of illness and death due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-n CoV). As I listen, I cannot help but see the ...
02/06/2020 - Environmental Ministries Team Demonstrates Against Proposed Compressor Station
By: Barbara Darling - Environment Justice and Witnessby Barbara Darling and Ted Wade, Co-Chairs Historic Massachusetts Conference Environmental...
02/01/2020 - Get to Know the Community through Mapping
By: The Parish Paper - Church InnovationWhen Pastor Alexis was hired to do community outreach for the church in a racially diverse, economically struggling neighborhood, church members told him, “This is a high...
01/28/2020 - Our Faith and Heart Health
By: Deborah Ringen - Justice and WitnessEvery February we see media messages about American Heart Month: Go Red for Women®, Know your Numbers, Warning Signs of a Heart Attack and more. We are told to eat lots ...
01/23/2020 - Why We Require Our Deacons to Attend Super Saturday
By: Beth Stotts - Super SaturdaySuper Saturday Inspires Dreams at Central Square Congregational Church in Bridgewater, MA