08/25/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: The Bell Tolls for All of Us
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightNorfield Church Rings Bell to Remind Community of Injustice Experienced by People of Color
News
News
08/04/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Taking it To-Go
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightNorthborough Church Serves Drive-Thru Community Meals
07/20/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Affordable Option for Making Phone Calls to the Entire Congregation
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightTerryville Church Uses Voice Broadcast System to Get the Word out
07/06/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Bringing God, Kids, and Animals Together Online with a Song
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightWest 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 SpotlightTwo churches share experiences with online events and the energy they've seen as a result.
06/16/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: How to Stay Calm and “Be Not Afraid” During Pandemic
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightPayson Park Church Offers Online Meditation
06/09/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Afterschool Program Goes Online
By: Andrew Page - Church Growth and Vitality SpotlightPilgrim Congregational in Harwich Port Responds to Covid-19 With Online Children's Program
06/02/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Scavenging for Fellowship and Connection
SpotlightPeace Dale Church Offers Virtual Youth Group Scavenger Hunt
05/20/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Compassionate Care During Covid-19 Crisis
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightFirst Church of Rowley Launches New Care Ministry and Women’s Support Group
05/05/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Masks Flying Off The Doors
By: Andrew Page - SpotlightUnited Church of Bernardston, MA, Mask Making Ministry Offers Masks For the Taking
04/29/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Mission Trip Goes Virtual
By: Andrew Page - SpotlightGlastonbury First Youth Engage in Virtual Service Program As Alternative To Planned Trip
04/15/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: It all Started With Toilet Paper
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightN. Dartmouth Church Helps Feed Hundreds During Pandemic When Scott Stubbs, moderator of Smith Mills Christian Congregational Church in N. Dartmouth, MA, realized that the church had just received two cases of toilet paper that they wouldn’t be...
03/27/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Honk for a Hallelujah!
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightChurches offer drive-in worship service at their parking lot during Coronavirus epidemic
03/08/2020 - SPOTLIGHT: Food Pantries That Come in Snack Size
SpotlightFairhaven Church Offers a Food Blessing Box to the Community
02/17/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - UCC Norwell Satellite Service Ministry Celebrates 5 Years
SpotlightA retirement community’s spirit of God’s love and community is alive and well
02/04/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Saugatuck Group Experiences Jesus Through Podcast
By: Andrew Page - Faith Formation and Christian Education SpotlightSaugatuck Congregational Church finds new approach to learning about Jesus
01/17/2020 - SPOTLIGHT - Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh and Beer?
SpotlightAndover Church Offers Carols and Ministry at Local Brewery
12/18/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Manger Scenes that Inspire
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightBarnstable Church Finds a Unique Way to Remind People that Jesus is the Reason for the Season
11/20/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Enlivened by the Spirit and the Journey
SpotlightHolyoke Church experiencing new energy and excitement as a result of Churches Alive program
11/11/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Interfaith Youth Learn About Their Similarities
By: Andrew Page - Church Growth and Vitality Faith Formation and Christian Education Justice and Witness SpotlightIn a time when lines drawn between groups of people get darker and more defined, Newtown Congregational Church is making efforts to break barriers and...
10/29/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Making a Difference on Make-a-Difference Day
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightChelmsford Church Youth Spend a Week Doing Local Mission Work
09/16/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Reaching Out to the Community to Reach Outside the Community
SpotlightDalton Church Invites Folks Outside Their Church to Join Them on Mission Trips
08/14/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - A Recap of 7 Spotlights Involving Growth and Vitality
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightChurches Alive, Who is My Neighbor?, Science and Faith, and Other Less Traditional Programs Spur Local Church Activity
07/15/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Christmas Spotlight in July
SpotlightFirst Church Natick Uses Its Victorian History to Invite Community into their Sanctuary
06/04/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Even the Educators Need to be Educated
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightCentre Church in Lynnfield CE Director Puts Emphasis on Christian Education by Becoming Certified
05/13/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - From Altar Scape Design to Super Saturday Workshop
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight Super SaturdayBridgewater church youth member focused on mirrors and reflection for Ash Wednesday
04/10/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Payson Park Seeking Visitors, Teens, and Refugees
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightBelmont Church Aims to Attract Next Generation
03/11/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Byfield Church Offers Addiction Recovery Course
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightSpotlight Inspires Conversation, But Personal Experience Moved Church to Action
01/30/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Look What Can Happen When You Pair Children Up With Adult Friends
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightShelburne Falls Church Takes the Classroom out of Sunday School
01/08/2019 - SPOTLIGHT - Do Science and Faith Walk Hand in Hand?
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightWeston church explores the subject of Science and Faith during their Christian Ed classes
12/12/2018 - SPOTLIGHT - Did an ONA Status Help Grow This Church?
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightFirst Church in Sterling Believes an Extravagant Welcome Encompasses ONA and More
11/09/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: “Who is My Neighbor?”
SpotlightQuincy Point Church Holds Faithful Conversations in a Time of Unrest
10/05/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Church Growth is a Complex Thing
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightMelrose Church Uses Churches Alive Program to Help in Their Quest to Be More Vital and Purposeful
09/06/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Rehoboth Church Inspired by Spotlights
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightPastor Advises To Be Inspired By Others To Do Something New -- And Maybe Uncomfortable
08/10/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Pulling Out the Pews
SpotlightWest Concord church makes major building changes to care for the earth and serve all ages and abilities
07/13/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: A Summer Recap of Churches Making Changes
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightChurches Making Changes, Inspired by Conference Resources
06/01/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Haverhill Church Start Grows Beyond City Limits
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightPhoenix Rising Pastor Takes Advantage of Many Conference Resources
05/14/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightFirst Congregational Church in Fairhaven Holds Mental Health Sunday Service
04/16/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Pawtucket Church Shares Blessing Bags Ministry Stories
Justice and Witness SpotlightGifts from the Heart Aren’t Just for Valentine’s Day
03/14/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: Milton Church's Search and Call Process Helped Benefit The Youth of the Community
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightIn order for young people to develop into healthy, compassionate, engaged adults, they need spaces where they can be welcomed.
02/03/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: A Small Change Can Make a Big Difference
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightSuper Saturday Workshop Inspired a Westborough Church to Create a More Welcoming Bulletin
01/12/2018 - SPOTLIGHT: A Fire Sparks Covenant Among UCC Churches
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightWeymouth and Saugus UCC churches become real-life examples of how our vision statement is being lived out throughout the Conference
12/13/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Martha’s Vineyard Church Maps Their Faith Journeys
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightWest Tisbury Church Pastor Inspired by Conference Partner Coaching Program to Map Faith Journeys
11/06/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Church Shouldn't Be Static
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Church Growth and Vitality SpotlightBridgewater Church Growth Attributed to Internal and External Changes
10/09/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Second Church of Plymouth Puts Recovery First
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Justice and Witness SpotlightWorship service and programs offered for those touched by addiction
09/05/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Getting the Millennial’s Perspective
Church Growth and Vitality SpotlightBraintree Church Youth Tries to Inspire Congregation with her Written Words
08/22/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Haverhill Church Creates a Prayer Wall
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightA Bucket of Sidewalk Chalk Becomes an Invitation to the Community
07/12/2017 - Spotlights on Local Church Collaboration
SpotlightSpotlight Recap of churches who have collaborated to reach folks in need.
06/27/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Using Empty Bowls to Feed the Hungry
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Justice and Witness SpotlightLynnfield church youth use their artistic talents to raise awareness of hunger and homelessness
05/22/2017 - SPOTLIGHT: Safe Plates at Waquoit Congregational Church
By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - SpotlightDinner helps support four local groups that promote safety and acceptance