Bethany 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 ...
I 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 ...
Our own Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Missioner for Creation Care for the SNEUCC, and Rev. Jim Antal, former Minister and President of the MA Conference, UCC, will be ...
Children can exhibit racist behavior as early as the age of five.
![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)
There are precious few good police. I know that this is a provocative statement.
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 ...
I 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)
Author’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 ...
"Our goal and mission should be to ensure that no one among us is lost." — Rev. Chuck Ericson
As 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 ...
.png?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
by 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 ...
Just 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...
Experts 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...
I 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 ...
As 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 ...
by 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 ...
Are 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...
Jesus 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 ...
“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 ...
“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...
.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
“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 ...
As 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 ...
by Barbara Darling and Ted Wade, Co-Chairs Historic Massachusetts Conference Environmental...
Every 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 ...
by 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...
Given the recent actions of our country – the assassination of a foreign leader justified as necessary to stop a feared attack – it is more important than ever to reflect...
![nativity-447767_640[1].jpg](/files/tables/content/13117320/fields/primaryimage/5d9d5e09dfaf44108468c3854392175a/nativity-447767_640%5b1%5d.jpg?width=515&height=433&mode=crop&enlarge=true)
I did not expect this. The angel had warned me in a dream. We had to leave. I packed us up in the night. Herod’s men were coming with their swords drawn. We were barely...
Early in November, the Conference Ministers gathered in Birmingham for our fall meeting. But it was more than a meeting. We had been encouraged to read articles and books...
Free public presentation on restorative justice and dialogue with Lauren Abramson, 1-3:30 PM Saturday, November 16, in Boston. For more information and to register, go ...
by ivy tillman “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captive and ...
Walking alongside someone in a time of need can be vastly reassuring. The ministry of “accompaniment,” often provided by churches in support for immigrants facing ...
In the very midst of their destruction, the prophet Isaiah empowers the people of God. The people in exile feel abandoned by God because they have been severed ...
Rev. Cleo Graham commemorates the 400-year anniversary of African slaves first coming to America by sharing stories about her own ancestors.
Chance Dixon shares lyrics from a song he created about the inclusive community that is fostered at Silver Lake
Rev. Cleo Graham commemorates the 400-year anniversary of African slaves first coming to America by sharing stories about her own ancestors.
Rev. Cleo Graham commemorates the 400-year anniversary of African slaves first coming to America by sharing stories about her own ancestors who were slaves in America. ...
In the middle of May, I received an email from Paralegal Erin Anderson from Al Otro Lago, an agency that works at the border to free folks in detention and provide ...
Rev. Carla Dietz shares her recent experience in Washington D.C. advocating for new immigration policy.
Celebrate, Agitate, Activate - ONA35 On June 15, supporters of Open and Affirming gathered from around the Mass Conference to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the ...
Rev. Carla Dietz recaps the Lights for Liberty event held at First Church of Christ Congregational in Glastonbury on Friday, July 12.
What does it sound like when voices of over 625 churches in the new TA1 Conference come ...
Jesus said, “I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.” Matthew 25:35a Dr. Warren receives a blessing from clergy. Photo by Liza Neal. “If you live ...
Grace O'Connor Intern, CT Conference, UCC In the first event of its kind, a Forum on the Economic and Social Impact of Expanded Gambling was held at the Connecticut ...
“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord ...
We call ourselves the Actual Justice Task Team. We began as the Innocence Commission Task Team. Having been scandalized by first degree murder convictions of two African...
"So often, people fail to realize the interconnectedness of our struggle, because individual liberties are mistaken as the liberation of all people." — TJ Harper
by The Rev. Gail Wright Even before I became a member of the Interfaith and Ecumenical ...
Hearing from so many others who view climate change as a worrisome issue was helpful for me personally in recognizing that nobody must face it alone.
"At our last Conference Wide "Did You Know" Youth Racial Justice Program, there were many young people who didn't know." — Isaac Monts
"Our most vital churches have a pulse on their neighborhood and are actively serving God’s people..." —Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;” -Isaiah 55:1 Beloved Community,, As people of faith we meet our God in all the ways we put love for our neighbors, our ...
The MACUCC Restorative Justice Task Team advocates for restorative practices in all areas of our community life, whether within the criminal legal system, in communities ...
Dear Friends, How are we doing with social and racial justice? …as communities? …as churches? The UCC Restorative Justice Task Team is grappling with this question; we’...
Recently Rev. Marisa Brown Ludwig, pastor of First Church of Christ in Longmeadow, MA and long-time member of the Interfaith and Ecumenical Task Team of the MA ...
In the words of Rev. Traci Blackmon, the children at the border "are not well." And we are their keepers.
Debby Kirk, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, will be overseeing the work of CTUCC's new intern, Grace O'Connor. Debby has this to say: " We are delighted to ...
"I find myself looking forward to working with people from our future tri-conference as we get to know each other and begin reaching out with resources shared, offers of ...
A message from Kelly Gallagher, ACM for Justice and Witness, Massachusetts Conference Greetings Ever Flowing Streams readers! It is with great joy that I announce to you ...
Editor's Note: The author took part in the Interfaith Freedom and Justice Ride 2019, a delegation of 37 Christians and Jews from Hartford who traveled together to ...
Editor's Note: The author took part in the Interfaith Freedom and Justice Ride 2019, a delegation of 37 Christians and Jews from Hartford who traveled together to ...
Editor's Note: The author took part in the Interfaith Freedom and Justice Ride 2019, a delegation of 37 Christians and Jews from Hartford who traveled together to ...
Editor's Note: The author took part in the Interfaith Freedom and Justice Ride 2019, a delegation of 37 Christians and Jews from Hartford who traveled together to ...
"As we look to acknowledge that the borders we have created may not be serving God’s call for us as church, it opens our hearts to consider other borders and boundaries ...
I am convinced that there are people in your congregation that will thank you for sharing this information with them! Read on! The Conference is organizing a week-long ...
Dear Friends and Fellow Clergy, I am writing to you in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre because I am heartbroken once again. The blatant targeting of ...
"Would you be willing to work with CTUCC in our efforts to promote environmental, racial and economic justice in our state?" — Michele Mudrick
This piece is taken from the report given by Brendan Curran, Associate Minister at the Barrington Congregational Church UCC in Barrington, RI, to the 212th Autumnal ...
Community – that basic human impulse to be part of a group, particularly one that understands your struggles and offers support and friendship.
"As the United Church of Christ...we do Jesus differently." —Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
"There seems to be, in many cases, a disconnect between what one’s perception of God is and how that perception aligns with the beliefs and actions of the Church." — TJ ...
"As we dedicate ourselves to building God’s kingdom, we must define what it looks like in the local community." —Debby Kirk
I was standing at the check-in counter for a routine medical appointment a couple years ago when I heard those words. They came from an older gentleman standing at the ...
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you ...
"And all of us can pray."— Karen Methot
As we approach the anniversary of the events in Charlottesville caused by white supremacy and hatred, let us take a moment to reflect on where we stand today as people of...
We read about families at the border being split up. We weep. We cry. We wonder what we can do (see one idea here). The work at the border is indeed important and ...
"Now is the time to get at it." — Rev. Kelly Gallagher
"The only fact that matters is that we persist; that we do not turn from the path we have chosen." —TJ Harper
As I stood with my sign for the Poor People’s Campaign on the Washington DC Mall listening to voices and stories from people on the margins of our society, I kept looking...
"The Bible is a not a book free of politics." —Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer
"You and I, every one of us, has resources within us that can, that must, be put to use in the quest for justice." - The Rev. Jocelyn Gardner Spencer
"When have you been uncomfortable, but did/said/stood up for [your work] anyway?" —Michele Mudrick
This story is about what we bore witness to in court the day after our arrest. I share it because I think it’s urgently important in this life to shed our illusions. I ...
Creating partnerships to promote love and respect between Domestic Workers and their employers makes sense. And if these partnerships also promote social and racial ...
"Offering sanctuary is our sacred responsibility grounded in the biblical ethics and gospel values of neighbor love." — Rev. Laura Fitzpatrick-Nager
"Memory has an influence on what we see and do." — Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
In the week following Easter, I traveled to Washington D.C. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was murdered ...
There are times when voices outside of congregations, associations, and the Conference can have a different perspective and shed new light on the call to racial justice. ...
"Love one another. It is finished. He is Risen!" — Rev. Kent Siladi
Recently we had an opportunity to visit with the Rev. Cheryl Kerr, pastor of the Allin Congregational Church in Dedham, MA, to discuss the plight of Puerto Rican evacuees...
"Low wages unnecessarily stress the state economy, government services, and workers and their families. The state can reduce each of these stresses by increasing the ...
"The notion of arming teachers with guns as a response to gun violence is abhorrent and absurd." —Rev. Laura Fitzpatrick-Nager
"There is no one way or best way to achieve racial justice; instead, it is our collective differences and our united goal that will one day allow us to be successful in ...
The Parkland shootings have once again brought the issue of gun safety to the front of our national dialogue. This time, however, our young people are being listened to ...
Dinner was served: chicken enchiladas, kale and apple salad, and rice and beans with chocolate pudding for dessert. We gathered around the table and said grace. Lucio ...
We encourage all those called to stand for love and to stand up against hate to join us in Washington DC on April 4th for a day of action, liturgy and prayer to launch ...
As people of faith we are compelled to consider where we stand in relationship to the poor. To quote Diana Butler Bass from a Twitter post in reference to Matthew ...
"The 2018 Women’s March helped me to remember that like the Triune God and our own worshipping communities, we are so much stronger together than we could ever be on our ...
The meeting began with the passing around of a relic- a button from the Poor Peoples Campaign march in 1968. Fingers grasped the round blue button with the picture of ...
Happy New Year! The Racial Justice Ministry recommends you kick off 2018 with an event sponsored by the Rhode Island Center for the Book on Jan. 27, 2:00 - 4:00 PM at The...
A reflection on the recent anti-casino gathering in Bridgeport, and a look at what comes next.
There is a race to be run right now and it is not the short distance of a 5K.
It is Advent, the days when we remember that Jesus is coming to us, the days when we imagine Mary and Joseph making a long and difficult trek—first, to get to a place ...
It is hard to believe how time has flown by since we all met together in June for Annual Meeting in Hartford. At Annual Meeting we accomplish many things for the work of ...
Yesterday’s tragic church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas has already hit the “refresh” button on any number of rallying cries on all sides of the gun violence ...
“Let us walk together to learn and reflect, to deepen our understanding so that we may ...
Mr. Goodell, why not meet with the players who are choosing to kneel and ask them, “What might we do TOGETHER to use our public voice to address racism in our culture?”
"By learning about the faith of others at this conference, we are affirming our own faith in ways that no words or religious service can capture." — Khamis ...
Recovery Sunday worship is designed to help the church begin to talk about the problems of...
Somewhere on the other side of the woods is a gun club and, I have heard, someone's personal, private firing range. So my lugubrious coffee-soaked contemplations are ...
"It’s not us inviting them, or them inviting us but Muslims and Christians together inviting people from all over Connecticut to listen to and participate in our ...
When Frederick Douglass was asked to speak about the “celebration of America’s independence” he delivered: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
On the morning of November 9th, 2016, my wife and I woke up and, over coffee, decided to live our lives in opposition to the hate we saw around us. Neither of us had ...
Update: It has been announced today, 9/5/17, that DACA has been rescinded. The program will wind down over the next six months, with no new applications being accepted as...
To see 40,000 people gathered in Boston to counter-protest 30 or 40 Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists was remarkable. Even if some of our political leaders refused to call...
I was at Charlottesville. Something tells me this will be a phrase that will be a part of the rest of my life. The clergy call to Charlottesville came from a new ...
The hoods the Klu Klux Klan wore were about fear: not for those who wore them, but to instill it in those who were confronted by them. In hiding their faces, the Klan ...
On Tuesday, July 18, I was arrested in Washington, DC and charged with section 22-1307 of the DC criminal code: “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding.”
Leaders at South Congregational UCC in Springfield have been involved in studying the issue of sanctuary for undocumented immigrants for many months now, attending events...
A new church member—a recent African immigrant—described what his Christian mother taught him: “When someone comes to you and needs food and shelter, you give it to them....
"These trips to the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation are among the best things I am privileged to do each year. And the reason is simple: what we do there is as close as ...
On Friday, August 7, 2015, Vermont state employees left work and made their way to the parking lot together. There, a former client confronted and killed Lara Sobel, a ...
A few months ago I scheduled a meeting with the Chief of Police in my community. We had run into each other around town in the past, and he was kind enough to come over ...
URGENT: Now is the time! Ask Your State Representative to vote NO on all Casino Expansion Bills AND to support two Amendments to the Bills: to allow a referendum in East ...
Although the proposal has over 40 legislator cosponsors, there is still considerable disinterest or outright opposition.
"The nature of any ecumenical gathering comes with a free side of noticing our similarities and differences with other faith traditions." —Emily McKenna
"Our low minimum wage is an issue of deep concern for people of faith, as well as for anyone who cares for basic human rights." —Rev. Kari Nicewander
Preserving God’s creation is perhaps the greatest theological madate of our time. As climate change worsens – as creation offers chaos in place of continuity - ...
In 2012, I spent the month of June working with an organization called No Mas Muertes, No More Deaths. This ministry of the Unitarian Church of Tucson operates ...
A $15/hour wage bill is on the floor of the CT House of Representatives for consideration.
Rev. Gordon Bates shares some of the research from his recent book on CT prisons and criminal justice reforms.
Most of our churches have Sanctuaries already. They house our worship, our meetings, our choir rehearsals. They are places where some sit alone to find a space for...
It is more important than ever for us as people of God to welcome all into the safety and embrace of our church communities. Our LGBTQ friends are hungry for a place to ...
Your MACUCC leaders have received scores of requests for "help" as our pastors lead their congregations and step into their pulpits in a time such as this. The following ...
Rev. Kelly Jane Forbush shares a multi-congregation journey to Washington D.C. in support of women's rights.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King wrote: “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must...
Interfaith prayer vigils focusing on climate justice will be held all across the nation over the course of 100 hours beginning on noon January 20th. This is a prayerful ...
One day this winter, I got a message from an old friend. Can we stay with you tonight? She’s a community organizer working with the Alliance for Fair Food and the ...
Part of me was afraid. Afraid of a shooting, a bombing, a rogue truck driving through the crowd. Afraid of being stampeded, getting lost, ending up hurt and alone. But ...
The decision to go almost came as a relief, because I was ready to do more than fret or fume on Facebook.
Your MACUCC leaders have received scores of requests for "help" as our pastors lead their congregations and step into their pulpits in a time such as this. The following ...
When Jesus had something to say to the powers and principalities he staged a march upon a capital city. Admittedly, it was a wobbly thing. A donkey. No stomping, snorting...
I will be at the Women Standing Our Ground Rally next Saturday, January 21, 2017 in Greenfield, MA – in solidarity with the women who will be marching in Washington, ...
We are called as faithful people to commit ourselves to the notion that there shall be no more victims born of violence perpetrated by one human being against another.
Rev. Char Corbett is using her sabbatical to travel from Acadia to Zion and researching how history impacts our faith.
Our holy texts are full of prophets railing against the unjust practices of kings, rulers and governors.
Proclaim the moral urgency to act for climate justice by joining a movement of interfaith vigils across the nation in the first 100 hours of the new administration.
While many clergy and faith leaders were ‘wrapping up’ Advent and Christmas preparations this week, a lively group of 35 interfaith lay and clergy leaders showed up, ...
This ring on my finger, that shines in the light, was once part of a bomb in Cambodia. The most ugly things in our world can be transformed by the power of love. God is ...
Guest Blogger David Biklen shares information on a petition in Hartford for an increase in the minimum wage.
"The practical and moral imperative is clear. A person working full time should not remain in poverty. An American society with integrity cannot justify paying people a ...
"Regardless of your political leanings, it can’t be disputed that the environment lost in the recent election." - Pam Arifian
These days after Thanksgiving, let’s move from giving thanks to offering acts of thanks ...
We discovered that many who attended our post-election vigil were looking for a safe place in the midst of uncertainty.
"Offering a space for folks to come together, mourn, and speak their own truths is an act of resistance in itself." - Rev. Laura Fitzpatrick-Nager
Now, more than ever, we need our voices heard. The good news is that here in Connecticut, we can make that happen.
The Oceti Sakawin Camp at Standing Rock could, upon first sight, appear to be an ancient indigenous harvest gathering, with its smoke rising at dawn from the frosty ...
Samuel answered the Lord, saying, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ...
Check out the revamped MACUCC Racial Justice Website: macucc.org/racejustice! Most importantly, we have a Racial Justice Rubric that helps congregations discern what ...
Dear President Obama, Remember the boy who was picked up by the ambulance in Syria? Can you please go get him and bring him to [my home]? Park in the driveway or on the ...
Bedford and Plymouth churches partner together to supply fresh, clean water to thousands of people in Pomerini.
I'm tired. I'm sick and tired of being asked if I am going to make a statement about the latest killing of a black man by police.
Imagine there is a fire in your house. What do you do? What do you think about? You do whatever you can to try to put out the fire or exit the house. You make a plan ...
Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, June 12, 2016. Delivered by the Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Ashfield, MA. 1 Kings 21:1-21a ...
The day before I got arrested, I woke up singing. “Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around, turn me around, turn me around. Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me around." ...
Dear UCC Colleagues and Friends, On this series of wonderful spring days, I’m reminded of the beauty and inestimable worth of God’s great gift of creation. As an ...
Photo by Robert Jonas Sometimes I am perfectly capable of scanning large swathes of bad news with aplomb, keeping my feelings at bay. I know how to brace myself ...
On Day #3 of a four-day, 46-mile walk to stop the construction of the Kinder Morgan NED pipeline, scores of activists gathered in the sanctuary of St. James Episcopal ...
A presentation to clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts that was given on Parish Leadership Day, March 5, 2016. A handout of suggested ...
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.”[a] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the Lord...
After receiving a generous grant from the Pilgrim Association, I led a local youth mission trip. But the youth and I received more than just a donation; we received God’s...
Sometimes when we reach out to help transform others, we are transformed ourselves. This happened to me while doing prison ministry.
The following sermon was offered by The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian of Haydenville Congregation Church, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Armenian genocide by the ...
Roughly a fortnight into my time with the MACUCC, Conference Minister & President Jim Antal and I struck a deal. Should ten Massachusetts UCC churches take up new ...
Offering a homey atmosphere to the homeless is part of the outreach ministry at First Church of Cambridge. Their Friday Café offers warmth and food, clothing and ...
The following is a letter from Elena Huegel, Global Ministries missionary to Chile. Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ: As we say in the Pentecostal Church of Chile ...
Matthew 2:16-18 (NIV): 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its ...
Read a pastoral letter from Allen Fluent, Acting Conference Minister, Missouri Mid-South Conference, UCC Read the statement by The Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, General ...
Even as we give thanks, we are all aware that soon, the grand jury will announce whether the police officer who fired on Michael Brown will be indicted on criminal ...
New initiative seeks to personalize the fight for homeless youth.
The Rev. Kazimierz (Kaz) Bem talks about the efforts churches are making on behalf of ...
In less than 100 days, citizens of our state will vote on casino gambling legislation. Here are some points to consider.
Volunteer coordination underway for possible arrival of unaccompanied immigrant children from Central America.
From March 26 until April15, the Chile Partnership Committee of the Massachusetts Conference was pleased to host a delegation of three members of the Pentecostal Church ...