01/17/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh and Beer?

Andover Church Offers Carols and Ministry at Local Brewery

01/16/2020 - THE GARDNER NEWS: Karen Hodges, New Pastor At First Congregational Church In Gardner, Is Ready To Lead The Way

Karen Hodges took over the duties as pastor at First Congregational Church in December, and the new minister, who lives with her husband in Wayland, ...

01/15/2020 - Transitional Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship to Join Staff

Rev. Dr. David Cleaver-Bartholomew A United Church of Christ pastor with extensive experience in finance, and in ministry in the local church and ...

01/15/2020 - Year-End Report Available for Download

A one-sheet, double-sided year-end report highlighting the shared mission and ministries of the three historic Conferences in 2019 is now available for download. Many Connecticut churches have traditionally included this report in their own Annual Reports; churches ...

01/14/2020 - Transitional Minister of Health and Wellness Joins Staff

Deborah Ringen, a long-time parish nurse, has taken on the role of Transitional Minister of Health and Wellness for the Southern New England ...

01/10/2020 - Liturgy Created to Celebrate New Conference

The following is a message from Rev. Don Remick, Bridge Conference Minister, sent to churches and clergy on Jan. 10: Friends, Some folks have asked about resources they can use within their Sunday liturgy to celebrate and embody the inauguration of our new Conference. ...

01/05/2020 - Rhode Island Staff is Shifting; Office Closing

With the launch of the Southern New England Conference comes some changes to the staffing in the historic Rhode Island Conference.

01/05/2020 - Southern New England Conference Begins

The Southern New England Conference officially came into being with the New Year, and the change is becoming more and more visible.

12/31/2019 - Stories from 2019 from CT, MA, and RI

Take a look back at some of the stories we shared across the three historic conferences in 2019, and learn to use the new websites news filters as well.

12/18/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Manger Scenes that Inspire

Barnstable Church Finds a Unique Way to Remind People that Jesus is the Reason for the Season

12/18/2019 - Be Prepared ... to be Flocked

The following is a message from Bridge Conference Minister the Rev. Don Remick: It’s Advent and Christmas is just ahead.  And we’ll be moving quickly into the New Year.  The New Year marks an historic moment as we launch our new Conference and our new way of being ...

12/17/2019 - Executive Conference Minister Position Description Finalized

The search committee for the first Executive Conference Minister for the Southern New England Conference has developed a position description.

12/16/2019 - New Logo for New Conference Unveiled

The about-to-be Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ has a new logo designed to symbolize the Conference's vision: "Living the Love and Justice of Jesus." That phrase is a distillation of the Conference's overall  Vision and Mission ...

12/09/2019 - Clergy Celebrate 25 and 50 Year Ordinations

More than 75 people gathered at the Congregational Church of South Glastonbury on December 5 to celebrate the 25th 50th ordination anniversaries of authorized ministers.

12/09/2019 - Delegate Counts Will Change for Some Churches

Delegates from all three conferences at the November Annual Meeting. The formation of the Southern New England Conference is bringing about a lot of changes, and one may be how many delegates churches should be electing to attend Annual Meeting. According to ...

12/09/2019 - Southern New England Board Takes Historic Steps

The Southern New England Conference Board of Directors took a series of votes on Saturday, Dec. 7, to approve the founding documents and policies that will govern the new Conference being formed by the unification of the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island ...

12/05/2019 - Ruth Choate Is New Administrator at Silver Lake

By Jennifer Kronholm Clark SHARON – Silver Lake Conference Center is excited to welcome Ruth Choate to the year-round staff as Administrator. Say hi to Ruth Choate, the new Administrator at Silver Lake, when you call or come to camp. If you were at camp in summer ...

12/04/2019 - Greg and Pam Arifian Leaving CT Conference Staff

One family is leaving the Connecticut Conference - and their departure will leave two big holes on the Conference staff. Greg and Pam Arifian have announced their plans to move to Napa, California with their daughter, Lena. Greg has served as Site Manager at the Silver...

12/03/2019 - CT Devotional Publication Expanding To MA and RI

A weekly publication of the historic CT Conference is expanding to include writers and readers from MM and RI.

12/01/2019 - Three Conference Ministers Call for Support of #GivingTuesday Effort to Erase Medical Debt

Dec. 4 Update:  The UCC has surpassed their goal, so far raising nearly $75,000. it's not too late to give at: www.ucc.org/giving_tuesday The ...

11/26/2019 - THE BULLETIN: Griswold Church Celebrating 300 Years

Members of the First Congregational Church in Pachaug are kicking off a celebration of the 300th anniversary of the church’s founding.

11/26/2019 - UCC.ORG: Conference Ministers Tour Sacred Sites in Alabama

Thirty United Church of Christ Conference Ministers - including Southern New England Bridge Conference Ministers Marilyn Kendrix, Don Remick and Kent ...

11/22/2019 - UCC.ORG: First Transgender Day of Remembrance Service in NW Connecticut Draws 70

Back in September, the Rev. Robyn Gray was planning ahead. A new resident of rural Washington, Conn., she wanted to attend and support a Transgender ...

11/21/2019 - ORANGE TOWN NEWS: Orange Congregational Church Welcomes New Senior Minister

Orange Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, has called a new Senior Minister. The Reverend Jennifer Campbell studied anthropology at SUNY ...

11/20/2019 - Conference Ministers Announce the Resignation of Jonathan New

It was with deep sadness that we have received the Rev. Jonathan New’s resignation this past Monday.

11/20/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Enlivened by the Spirit and the Journey

Holyoke Church experiencing new energy and excitement as a result of Churches Alive program

11/19/2019 - Request for Clergy Signatures to Oppose Gas Demand Fee for Churches

Connecticut Conference Minister the Rev. Kent Siladi sent a request to clergy today asking them to sign a letter to the Connecticut Public Utilities ...

11/11/2019 - Clergy Transitions: October 2019

The following ministerial changes were reported to the Connecticut Conference in October 2019:

11/11/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Interfaith Youth Learn About Their Similarities

In a time when lines drawn between groups of people get darker and more defined, Newtown Congregational Church is making efforts to break barriers and...

11/05/2019 - Delegates Challenged to Be Brave and to Unbind

It was hard to miss the theme of this year's Annual Meeting. There it was in huge, neon letters lined up at the back of the stage: Unbound.

11/04/2019 - 'Southern New England Conference' It Is

The Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ was overwhelmingly approved at the Saturday Annual Meeting as the new name for the new Conference.

11/04/2019 - Delegates Set a Foundation of Justice

Wendy Miller Olapade speaks on the resolution Wanting to start out on a solid base of principles, delegates of the soon-to-be Southern New England Conference on Saturday voted in favor of a set of Foundational Justice Commitments at the Annual Meeting on Nov. ...

11/04/2019 - Keynote Speaker Calls for Revolutionary Love

Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker Valarie Kaur tells delegates that revolutionary love is a labor of justice that goes on for a lifetime.

11/03/2019 - MACUCC 50-year Ordinands Celebrated

Congratulations to the 50-year Ordinands of the Massachusetts Conference

10/30/2019 - Recordings Posted of Annual Meeting Hearings

A number of online hearings and informational sessions will be held prior to the Southern New England Conferences Annual Meeting, to give delegates a chance to learn more about the issues that will be raised and to ask questions. There will be no hearings held at the ...

10/29/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Making a Difference on Make-a-Difference Day

Chelmsford Church Youth Spend a Week Doing Local Mission Work

10/27/2019 - Delegates To Be Asked to Approve Foundational Justice Commitments for New Conference

Annual Meeting delegates are being asked to put foundational justice commitments in place for the new Conference.

10/25/2019 - PATCH: Five Churches Hold Benefit Concert for Milford Pride

Five Milford churches have come together to sponsor a family-friendly a benefit concert for local LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Milford Pride.

10/24/2019 - Mission Co-Worker Speaks On War and Peace in Colombia

"It's something that we have to accompany and monitor for a long time and continue to build peace in Colombia for decades to come." — Michael Joseph

10/24/2019 - Public Invited to Hear Valarie Kaur on Nov. 2

The public is invited to come hear Annual Meeting Keynote Speaker Valarie Kaur at the DCU Center in Worcester on Nov. 2 from 10:30 AM to noon.

10/24/2019 - Silver Lake Earns Accreditation from American Camp Association

Silver Lake Conference Center, a United Church of Christ summer camp and retreat center, has earned accreditation from the American Camp Association ...

10/22/2019 - MACUCC Staff Calls for Voices Against Weymouth Compressor Station

Mighty Quinn - a Weymouth three-year-old fighting cancer. Read more. Photo used with permission. Signing deadline extended. Several members ...

10/19/2019 - THE INDEPENDENT: Peace Dale Congregational Church hopes to help you find your ‘Pumpkin with a Purpose’

Hundreds of orange, white, blue, green pumpkins for sale in an assortment of sizes and shapes fill the church’s front lawn. It’s a Halloween setting ...

10/18/2019 - Annual Meeting Planners Call for Behavioral Covenant; Focus on Vision

The Nov. 1 - 2 Annual Meeting will have a focus on lifting up nuanced perspectives and on hearing vision-inspired local church stories during ...

10/18/2019 - Joseph Clemmons Program Moves in New Direction

The Joseph D. Clemmons Job Training Program (JCT) has taken a new direction, transforming from a 2-week training program to an leadership development initiative for youth and young adults of color.

10/15/2019 - 500 Participate in Super Saturday Worship, Workshops, Marketplace, and Mission Project

Wonderful worship with great music and keynote speaker, 48 workshops, a mission project, a breast cancer awareness campaign, vendor-filled ...

10/09/2019 - In Memoriam: Ruth Ann Dudley

Ruth Ann Dudley, who nurtured a generation of faith formation leaders while serving on the Connecticut Conference staff, died peacefully on Oct. 4 at the Masonicare Health Center in Wallingford. She was 99 years old. Ruth joined the Conference staff in 1971, and became...

10/07/2019 - Open Table Communion Leads to More Open Worship

Flagg Road United Church of Christ has been experimenting with a communion service that they call Open Table Communion. The result is a unique perspective at what it means to worship.

10/05/2019 - Six Receive Faith Formation Certification

Sherry Clark, Cindy Tolin and Deb Raymond (far right) with Debbie Gline Allen Three people of six who completed all the requirements for Certification for Christian Educators were recognized at Super Saturday on October 5, 2019.  Pictured from left to right: Sherry ...

10/03/2019 - Clergy Transitions: August & September 2019

The following ministerial changes were reported to the Connecticut Conference in August and September 2019: