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 ...
"So now we move forward in faith together." — Rev. Kent Siladi
"Our faith as Christians reminds us that for everything there is a season." —Emily McKenna
"There is an easy, sometimes playful energy of collegiality among us that can escalate into laughter or occasionally bring forth a tear. "— Rev. Chuck Ericson
"The best and most effective partnerships are formed in the context of communities, organizations, and families within whom these values and this way of being are deeply ...
"Faith is more caught than taught." —Debbie Gline Allen
"Sure, I can connect with *more* people online than I can in person, but these connections...
"I don’t know about you, but the simpler way isn’t always obvious to me." — Martha Goodman
"Churches need to be more innovative. Clearly, the old way of doing things is not working, as demographic studies will show." — Susan Page Townsley
"As the Spotlight editor, I hear about individuals and church groups doing amazing things every day."— Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane
"Once a pair identifies the common bond on their cards, they share with each other to discover a common bond between themselves." — Jennifer Kronholm Clark
"So often, people fail to realize the interconnectedness of our struggle, because individual liberties are mistaken as the liberation of all people." — TJ Harper
"In the midst of an occupation by a repressive foreign power, where religious authorities were collaborators, where the economic system was unjust and income inequality ...
"What if legacy thinking guided all our church decisions?" — Rev. Jonathan New
"It truly is a life changing experience being a counselor." — Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer
"The magic is in connecting their hearts and minds with wonder and beauty of the planet..." — Pam Arifian
"Our most vital churches have a pulse on their neighborhood and are actively serving God’s people..." —Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
"It’s never easy to admit you don’t have the answers." —Tiffany Vail
"John the Baptist may be the right patron for 'Together as One.' " —Rev. Michael Ciba
"One of the fundamental lessons of that road is liminal space. It is learning how to become comfortable with having more questions than answers." —Rev. Don Remick
"Through all this advanced communication – this collaboration – stuff gets done." — Drew Page
"We are map-less. But we cannot stand still." — Sioux Wilusz
"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 ...
"God always sees us as sequined, so let’s get out there, sparkle, and get things done! " —Emily McKenna
"What do we do in this in-between time where the answers are not readily apparent, let alone within reach?" —Debbie Gline Allen
Rev. Mary Nelson reflects on a day spent in support of a long-time Silver Lake friend as she waits at a hospital.
"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 ...
"While leaders form bonds within their congregations; healthy relationships of mutual support among peers are essential."— Karen Ziel
"They are more than just balance sheets and income statements; they tell the story of the Conference and how our local churches have helped better the world over the past...
"What makes Christian Community different, however, is that in Christian Community we believe in reconciliation, the restoration of relationship, and welcoming folks back...
"A minister needs time to think creatively and playfully." — Susan Page Townsley
"Would you be willing to work with CTUCC in our efforts to promote environmental, racial and economic justice in our state?" — Michele Mudrick
"The church’s profile thus becomes first a tool by which a congregation understands itself and, then, a means by which it honestly reveals itself to a potential pastor." ...
"God gave Creation over to humans as stewards, and it seems we’ve forgotten our duty to care for it." — Jennifer Kronholm Clark
"The interconnectedness of justice issues and climate impact means that your action at every level matters." — Pam Arifian
"The stewardship committee often is placed in the church trustee/finance budget constellation of people. It belongs in the deacon/faith formation constellation of ...
"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
"And churches stay on the ground, involved in helping people find their way into a new normal, long after the news crews have moved on to the next disaster or lead ...
"When the mission of the institution becomes sustaining the institution itself, the institution falls apart." —Rev. Michael Ciba
"Language – and the evolution of language – is a fascinating thing. It can also be a ...
"I find that face to face communication can save time and improve the clarity of a discussion." — Drew Page
"Churches are closing and it’s time to break the silence." — Rev. Jonathan New
"You are in control of your own movement. And when you get good and comfortable, Rock The Boat." — Sioux Wilusz
"And all of us can pray."— Karen Methot
"If that’s not God showing up, I’m not sure what is!" — Emily McKenna
"We need to stop believing that teaching the Bible in an educational setting will bring ...
"This community-building thing we do works for grown-ups, too!" — Rev. Mary Nelson
"Now is the time to get at it." — Rev. Kelly Gallagher
"If faith formation is to be relevant and transformational, it must be renewed and reimagined by every generation." —Karen Ziel
"The only fact that matters is that we persist; that we do not turn from the path we have chosen." —TJ Harper
"The Bible is a not a book free of politics." —Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer
"High touch—paying attention—reduces these anxieties." —Martha Goodman
"When have you been uncomfortable, but did/said/stood up for [your work] anyway?" —Michele Mudrick
"We can talk until the cows come home about structure, process and strategy and get stuck in the weeds missing the fundamental nature of what is truly important in ...
"Our response to each new challenge has come from that core mission: intentional Christian community." —Jennifer Kronholm Clark
"Because we have been born in a time such as this, we have this opportunity to bear witness to the truth." —Rev. Jim Antal
"The blessing of a caring community will be realized in countless ways." — Debby Kirk
"As with all charitable giving, church people are inspired to give when they understand and believe in the church's mission, know how it's making a difference, and have ...
"I know that there is one Spirit, but many gifts." —Charlie Kuchenbrod
"Memory has an influence on what we see and do." — Rev. Wendy Vander Hart
"We are partners with each other, and with God, in the co-creation of earth, every day."— Pam Arifian
"For them, preserving and maintaining the church is not an end in itself. And it never has been."— Rev. Don Remick
"Through the words of Jeremiah, God speaks to a church that is too focused on what it has lost." —Rev. Michael Ciba
"What we share in common, however, is even more important than where we differ." —Tiffany Vail
"We, the Conferences of the United Church of Christ, are uniquely positioned to tell the most important stories of our time." —Drew Page
"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 ...
"Our congregations and our wider church need to look outward and shout to the world that Jesus Christ is Sovereign without being judgmental or formulating value judgments...