News - Southern New England Conference of the UCC

10/27/2020 - UCC General Counsel Warns Against Officiating Weddings Remotely

Heather E. Kimmel, General Counsel for the United Church of Christ, sent the following email to Conference Ministers: Please know that one of your ...

10/26/2020 - SPOTLIGHT:Over Nine Thousand Meals and Counting

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Sterling church believes food is love

10/26/2020 - Blackmon to SNEUCC: Thank You

Justice and Witness

UCC Associate General Minister the Rev. Traci Blackmon thanks the SNEUCC for its effort in abolishing medical debt.

10/26/2020 - Three Receive Faith Formation Certification in Virtual Ceremony

Faith Formation and Christian Education

Three educators who completed all the requirements for certification in Faith Formation Leadership were honored during a virtual ceremony on October ...

10/25/2020 - Conference-wide Effort Abolishes $26.2 Million in Medical Debt

Justice and Witness

Watch the Press Conference video here

10/20/2020 - Four Staffers to Continue as Faith Formation Team

Conference staff

The four staff members dedicated to supporting faith formation in the historic Conferences - Debby Kirk, Karen Ziel, Kristin Putney and Debbie Gline Allen - will all continue on the staff of the new Conference. Previously, Debby Kirk and Karen Ziel worked full-time in ...

10/19/2020 - Episcopal Deacon to Serve as Digital Minister

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

An Episcopal Deacon who has experience working with local churches to move worship and other ministries online has been called as the Southern New England Conference's first Digital Minister. The Rev. Eric Elley has been working as a technology consultant to ...

10/16/2020 - Executive for Missional Implementation Called

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

The Rev. Dr. Audrey C. Price, an Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development in the Central Atlantic Conference, has been called as the Southern New England Conference's first Executive for Missional Implementation. In this role, Rev. Price will be serving...

10/15/2020 - SNEUCC Environmental Ministries Recognizes 12 Leading UCC Churches

By: Ted Wade - Conference programming Environment

Twelve congregations have accepted the “Congregation Climate Justice Voter Challenge” and more are on the way! These churches have formally agreed to...

10/13/2020 - More Conference Positions Announced

Conference staff

The Bridge Conference Ministers have announced that three more current staff will continue to serve in the new staff structure. Dr. Donique McIntosh, who joined the staff in August of 2019 as Racial Justice Team Leader, will serve as the Minister for Racial and ...

10/07/2020 - Conference to Offer $1 Million in Local Church Grants

By: Tiffany Vail - Board of Directors

In response to the disruptions caused by both COVID-19 and systemic racism, The Southern New England Conference has announced the launch of the Faith ...

10/05/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: We Heart You

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Kensington church “flocks” congregation with love

09/30/2020 - Silver Lake Business Manager to Retire

Conference staff Outdoor Ministries

The following is a message from Stephanie Pitman, Business Manager, Silver Lake Conference Center Dear friends and colleagues, Well, the time has come for me to retire from full time work at Silver Lake. Of course I have mixed feelings about leaving Silver Lake and ...

09/30/2020 - Five More Conference Staff to Stay On In New Structure

Conference staff

the Bridge Conference Ministers have announced that five more current staff have been chosen to continue on in the new structure when it goes into ...

09/28/2020 - Executive Conference Minister Elected with Overwhelming Approval

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Annual Meeting Conference staff

The Rev. Darrell Goodwin was elected as the new Southern New England Conference's first Executive Conference Minister by an overwhelming margin at ...

09/28/2020 - First Virtual Annual Meeting a Success; New Executive Conference Minister Called

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane

The pandemic may have kept members of the Southern New England Conference, UCC, from gathering in person for their first official Annual Meeting, but ...

09/23/2020 - Tolling Our Bells to Commemorate the Loss of 200,000+ American Lives to Covid-19

Local Buzz

The Parish Council of First Parish UCC, Westwood invites the churches of our Conference to join them in remembering the 200,000+ Americans who have ...

09/21/2020 - Letter in Support of Transgender Student Athletes

Justice and Witness

The following is a letter to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and Atty. General William Tong, in support of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference policy of allowing transgender student athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their gender identity. ...

09/16/2020 - UCC Offers Compassion and Prayer for 2020 Western Wildfires Victims

Written by Phyllis Richards Massive wildfires burning in California, Oregon and Washington have created havoc for many UCC members, churches and ...

09/15/2020 - President's Report to the 2020 Annual Meeting Released

Board of Directors

The following Board President's Report has been prepared for the Annual Meeting, to be held Sept. 26, 2020: By Rev. Jocelyn B. Gardner Spencer ...

09/07/2020 - Conference Ministers - Past and Present - Issue Pastoral Letter

Justice and Witness

Real structural change has to happen in our national and local structures where racism still exists even while flags and monuments are being removed.

09/01/2020 - 2020 Treasurer's Report Released

The following Treasurer's Report has been prepared for the Annual Meeting, to be held Sept. 26, 2020: Southern New England Conference, United Church of Christ Treasurer’s Report to the Annual Meeting by Calvin Price August 24, 2020 As I write this report, we are ...

09/01/2020 - 25 and 50 Year Ordinands 2020

Annual Meeting

The Southern New England Conference celebrated with clergy who marked 25 and 50 years of their Ordination at the September 26, 2020 Annual Meeting.

09/01/2020 - Delegate Counts Will Change for Some Churches

By: Tiffany Vail - Annual Meeting

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 ...

09/01/2020 - Executive Conference Minister Candidate Announced

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

The Rev. Darrell Goodwin – a pastor with experience in higher education and in varied ministry settings of the United Church of Christ – will be presented to Annual Meeting voters as the candidate to serve as the Southern New England Conference’s first Executive ...

09/01/2020 - Executive Search Process Was Unusual

By: Marilyn Kendrix - Conference staff

The Search Committee did most of its work via Zoom The following was written by Bridge Conference Minister The Rev. Marilyn Kendrix, who staffed the Executive Conference Minister Search Committee: After working together for many months, the Executive ...

08/26/2020 - Annual Meeting: It's Official

Annual Meeting

Due to the extended State of Emergency in Massachusetts, the Sept. 26 online Conference gathering will be the first official Annual Meeting of the Southern New England Conference, which was formally incorporated on Jan. 1, 2020. The Meeting will be woven through with ...

08/26/2020 - Four Staff Positions Filled in New Structure

Conference staff

Bridge Conference Ministers Marilyn Kendrix and Don Remick have announced that four current staff members have been tapped to continue serving in the new Conference staff structure. The announcement is the first of its kind in a transitional process that will continue ...

08/26/2020 - Townsley to Leave Conference Staff

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

The Rev. Suzi Townsley, Associate Conference Minister for Innovation, has announced plans to leave the Conference staff for a call at a local church in Maine. "The opportunity to take the learnings of my years of study and experience in innovation, leadership and ...

08/25/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: The Bell Tolls for All of Us

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Norfield Church Rings Bell to Remind Community of Injustice Experienced by People of Color

08/25/2020 - Two Search Committees Formed

Conference staff

Two search committees have been formed to assist in the process of restructuring the Conference staff. One will take on the task of filling the six regional positions, while another will search for one of the three executive positions, the Executive for Missional ...

08/19/2020 - Camp Ruggles Serves During Pandemic

Outdoor Ministries

Camp Ruggles, a therapeutic summer day camp for children diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disabilities, has operated on the grounds of Irons Homestead - the Southern New England Conference retreat center in Glocester, RI - for 46 years. The camp typically runs ...

08/19/2020 - Southern New England Conference Churches Selected for Thriving Congregations Initiative

By: Karen Ziel - Church Growth and Vitality Faith Formation and Christian Education Leadership Development

Nine Southern New England Conference congregations have been selected to participate in a Thriving Congregations Initiative proposed and offered by ...

08/18/2020 - Conference Seeks Digital Minister

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

When the pandemic began in March, churches had no choice but to start offering worship and other spiritual gatherings online rather than in person Many pastors and church volunteers learned on the fly how to be video editors, producers and more. And while some ...

08/12/2020 - Conference Offices to Remain Closed for the Year

Conference programming Conference staff

We have directed all of our staff to continue to work remotely and refrain from any in-person gatherings that could put them and their loved ones at risk.

08/05/2020 - Responding to Hurricane Isaias

Disaster Relief

We are reaching out to all the members of our Conference to check in and invite you to check in with each other.

08/04/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Taking it To-Go

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Northborough Church Serves Drive-Thru Community Meals

08/04/2020 - Conference Begins Search Process for Regional Staff

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

The Southern New England Conference has recently posted a number of staff positions to the national UCC website, including six for "Area Conference ...

07/20/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Affordable Option for Making Phone Calls to the Entire Congregation

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Terryville Church Uses Voice Broadcast System to Get the Word out

07/19/2020 - Kendrix/Remick/Siladi Fund Announced

Conference staff

The Board of Directors has voted to invite contributions in honor of the Bridge Conference Ministers - Marilyn Kendrix, Don Remick and Kent Siladi - to a fund that focuses on faith formation and stewardship. The Board voted to re-name the Seeds of Faith Fund, which was...

07/15/2020 - Conference Staff Restructuring Begins

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference budget Conference staff

The Bridge Conference Ministers have begun restructuring the Conference staff following a three-month delay due to the pandemic.

07/07/2020 - Silver Lake Site Manager To Join Staff

Outdoor Ministries

Silver Lake Conference Center is excited to introduce you to the new Silver Lake Site Manager, Matt Taylor. Matt has decades of experience with Silver Lake, starting as a young camper, continuing through summer staff, followed by decades of volunteering. Matt is ...

07/06/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Bringing God, Kids, and Animals Together Online with a Song

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

West Stockbridge Church Offers Online Musical Menagerie Children’s Messages

07/01/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Northampton Church Sees New Energy - and New Members - Online

By: Andrew Page - Church Growth and Vitality Spotlight

Two churches share experiences with online events and the energy they've seen as a result.

06/29/2020 - Siladi Stepping Down as Bridge Conference Minister

Conference staff

In a letter emailed out across the Southern New England Conference Monday, the Rev. Kent Siladi announced his resignation as Bridge Conference Minister. He will be taking on the role of Director of Philanthropy for the national setting of the United Church of Christ. ...

06/25/2020 - 2020 UCC Stewardship Materials Now Available

Stewardship

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7 Materials for your congregation's 2020 stewardship campaign featuring the theme "Beloved, Love" are now available in print form or as a digital ...

06/24/2020 - Annual Meeting Attendees Receive Kaur Book

Annual Meeting

Attendees of last November's Annual Meeting have been finding a pleasant surprise in their mailboxes recently: copies of Keynote Speaker Valarie Kaur's new book, See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary War. Part of the arrangement for Kaur to speak at ...