
12/28/2020 - Farewell Reflections
By: Don Remick - Conference staffRev. Don Remick share his thoughts as the year and his time serving as Bridge Conference Minister come to a close.
Rev. Don Remick share his thoughts as the year and his time serving as Bridge Conference Minister come to a close.
A message from Bridge Conference Ministers Rev. Marilyn Kendrix and Rev. Don Remick
Friends, 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, ...
The 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 ...
My hope is built on the love of God and the ever-present reality of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
Word cloud created from most frequently encountered words from the survey. The larger the word appears, the more often it occurred. We received nearly 300 ...
1 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 ...
Its 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. ...
This 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 ...
There 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 ...
“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 ...
Friends, 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 ...
When 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, ...
I 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 ...
In 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 ...
This 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 ...
I 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 ...
Friends, 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 ...
We 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 ...
What 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 ...
It is that midpoint in the week when folks are…let’s just say it…crabby.
This 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 ...
HOLY 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 ...
Grief is complicated enough. It is even more difficult during this pandemic when we can’t say goodbye.
In this moment, we will either confirm that we are irrelevant or we will demonstrate that we are essential.
As 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 ...
As 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 ...
What 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 ...
That 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...
Friends, 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 ...
It'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...
It 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 ...