This week's author is the Rev. Michelle Hughes, Associate Conference Minister for Transitions for the Connecticut Conference, UCC.
 

Scripture:  Romans 6:1-11  (The Message)

Reflection: 

Prayer:

• The families and friends of the 7 crew members of the USS Fitzgerald killed June 17th in a collision with a Japanese-owned cargo ship;
• those grieving or suffering in Portugal where wild-fires beginning June 17th have killed more than 60 and injured more than 100 others;
• those suffering after a shooting in Alexandria, Virginia on June 14 where members of the Republican party were practicing for a charity baseball game;
• those grieving or suffering in London after a high-rise blaze on June 14 left almost 80 dead or missing, and after an a track on a crowd leaving evening prayers at a mosque on June 18;
• the friends and family of Rev. Don Steinle, former director of the Christian Activities Council, who died June 13; and
• the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Conferences, UCC, as they begin the process of negotiating the details of forming a new southern New England conference.

• The families and friends of Sgt. Eric M. Hock, Sgt. William M. Bays, and Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge who were killed on June 10th in a fire fight in Afghanistan;
• those grieving in Orlando after a shooting that left 5 dead, on June 5;
• those grieving or suffering in London after an attack on London Bridge left 7 dead and more than 40 injured on June 3;
• the friends and families of Ricky John Best and Taliesin Myrddin Namakai-Meche, who died in their efforts to stand against hatred by trying to help two Muslim women who were being verbally assaulted on a train in Portland, OR, on May 28th;
• those grieving in Mississippi after a shooting that left 8 dead, including a deputy sheriff, on May 27;
• the family and friends of Richard "Ned" Bunell, member of First Congregational Church of Canton Center, who died on May 15th. Richard had been on the prayer list for several weeks;
• those suffering or grieving after an bombing in Manchester, UK, killed 22 people and wounded another 59 on May 22;
• those grieving in Egypt after an attack on a bus carrying Coptic Christians left 26 dead on May 26;
• Audrey Touloukian, granddaughter of Rev. Janice Touloukian, who is recovering after being hit by a car while biking on April 30;
• Rev. Sara Smith, Senior Pastor of United Congregational Church of Bridgeport, who is recovering from an injury;
• Mark Engstrom, member of the CT Conference Board of Directors, and his wife Nina, who are facing health issues;
• the community of Conway, MA, and the United Congregational Church, UCC, Conway after a tornado touched down on Feb. 25 causing significant structural damage;
• the people of South Sudan where nearly 1 million people are facing famine;
• John Polglase, husband of the Rev. Betsey Polglase, Pastor of the Columbia Congregational Church UCC, who has chronic pulmonary disease;
• the members and staff of Thompson Congregational Church after a fire severely damage the building on Dec. 29;
• Michael White, former Operations Manager at Silver Lake Conference Center, who was diagnosed with colon cancer;
• Juliane Silver, the daughter of the Rev. Jim Silver of Middletown, who is in dire need of a liver transplant. We pray that a donor will come forward giving the gift of life and a portion of their liver to Juliane;
• Chacy Eveland, husband of the Rev. Marcia Eveland, pastor of the First Congregational Church UCC of Ansonia, who has been moved to a full-time facility for care of dementia;
• the thousands of migrants worldwide who flee from violence and persecution in search of safety;
• our ecumenical partners in the Kyung-Ki Presbytery in South Korea;
• the Conference's partners working for peace in Colombia amidst violence;
• the leaders of this nation, that they may meet the challenges of the day with insight, wisdom, and compassion;
• this nation, that it may continue its difficult work to end the practices of racism;  and
• those serving or living in war or conflict zones around the world, or where terrorists have struck.

Please Remember These Connecticut Conference Churches
In Your Prayers:

Michelle D. Hughes

Michelle Hughes works with local church leadership during pastoral transitions, so that they best understand the needs of the kind of leadership they will need to attain their goals. A native of Chicago, Illinois, she has served as an interim ...