News - Southern New England Conference of the UCC

03/26/2020 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act to Impact Churches

Information for churches

03/25/2020 - Pastor Plans Tent Ministry to Fight Covid-19 Crisis

When the "Stay home—Stay safe" Rhode Island, Rev. Jack Jones asked where do those without homes go the "stay safe"?

03/02/2020 - FALMOUTH ACADEMY NEWS: MLK Day, A Call for Restless Determination

On Monday, January 20, several Falmouth Academy faculty members and students (and a few siblings) attended the sold-out 13th Annual Martin Luther ...

02/10/2020 - Conference Launches Drive to Erase Medical Debt

One of our first actions as a new Conference is to invite you and your congregation to make a difference in the lives of those saddled by medical debt in our region.

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 - 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...

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

10/18/2019 - 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.

09/22/2019 - UCCers Take Part in Global Climate Strike

People from across the three conferences supported the youth-led Global Climate Strike in places all over the region on Friday, Sept. 20.

09/21/2019 - Southern New England UCC Staff Strike for Climate

Members of the Southern New England conferences staff took to the streets on Friday, Sept. 20, for the Global Climate Strike called for by youth.

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06/18/2019 - Responding to the R.I. Opioid Crisis with Hope and Healing Part 4

Fourth in a series from Peggy Matteson, UCC-RI Health Ministry Consultant. Addiction is a disease. People recover. Treatment is effective.

06/13/2019 - 2019 CT Legislative Session Wrap-Up

An overview of the 2019 CT General Assembly Legislative Session.

05/16/2019 - CTUCC Advocating on a Number of Issues with Legislature

The 2019 Legislative Session of the Connecticut General Assembly is under way. The Connecticut Conference’s Legislative Advocate, Michele Mudrick, has...

05/14/2019 - Advocate Urges Phone Calls on Healthcare

Connecticut has the chance to pass ground-breaking legislation to allow the state to offer new health insurance choices, also known as a public option, for small businesses, nonprofits and individuals.

05/13/2019 - 2019 Living Waters Award Winner Announced

Steve Lane, co-founder of Quiet Corner Refugee Resettlement (QCRR), will be the recipient of the 2019 Living Waters Award.

05/13/2019 - Resolution on Bullying - Mass Conference Resources for Churches and Individuals

To educate people about the bullying resolution proposed at the 2018 Mass Conference Annual Meeting, the ONA Ministry Team of the Massachusetts ...

05/02/2019 - First Recipient of 'Do The New' Grant Named

On Palm Sunday, Susan Townsley joined the First Congregational Church, New London, for worship and to present the $5,000 grant check. Townsley named the embodiment the beloved community as one of the program’s hallmarks, and congratulated the church and co-pastor...

04/09/2019 - Legislators Talk About Importance of Faith

At a first-of-its-kind event on Friday, more than 30 people from 11 Connecticut Conference churches came to the Legislative Office Building to meet with three CTUCC legislators and talk over issues from environmental protection to gambling to economic justice and ...

04/04/2019 - Rainbow Connections

Volunteers agreed that the UCC presence at True Colors is an important outreach ministry.

04/02/2019 - Responding to the R.I. Opioid Crisis with Hope and Healing Part 3

Third in a series from Peggy Matteson, UCC-RI Health Ministry Consultant. Addiction is a disease. People recover. Treatment is effective.

03/28/2019 - Youth Learn Powerful Lessons on Homelessness from Family Promise

At Church of Christ Congregational in Newington, volunteering with Family Promise has been an eye-opening experience for everyone involved, but ...

03/19/2019 - Responding to the R.I. Opioid Crisis with Hope and Healing Part 2

Second in a series from Peggy Matteson, UCC-RI Health Ministry Consultant Open Your Doors Addition is a treatable, chronic medical condition. ...

03/14/2019 - High School Students Lead Activism Training

By Grace O’Connor Hebron, CT – Regional Hebron, Andover, and Marlborough (RHAM) High School’s Activism club hosted an event at Gilead Congregational Church called “Activism Boot Camp” recently. The event was structured as a training for individuals seeking to become ...

03/08/2019 - Responding to the R.I. Opioid Crisis with Hope and Healing Part 1

First in a series from Peggy Matteson, UCC-RI Health Ministry Consultant More than 300 of our friends and neighbors died from opioid overdoses last ...

03/06/2019 - TJ Harper to End Time as Racial Justice Associate

The following is a message from Connecticut Conference Minister The Rev. Kent J. Siladi, Massachusetts Transitional Interim Conference Minister The Rev. Don Remick and Rhode Island Transitional Conference Minister The Rev. Marilyn Kendrix: Three years ago we initiated ...

02/27/2019 - Three Conference Ministers Respond to United Methodist Vote

We stand in love: a decision, a choice, not just an emotion.

02/25/2019 - Action Needed on Casino Hearing Tuesday

The following is a message from Legislative Advocate Michele Mudrick: We could use everyone’s help now. The casino and sports wagering bills are having a public hearing TOMORROW - Tuesday, Feb. 26. We need your help in speaking out on this bill! These are two things ...

02/14/2019 - Guilford Church Hosts Criminal Justice Conference

On Saturday, February 5th, First Congregational Church of Guilford, CT hosted a program entitled “Just Mercy: Community Resettlement After Prison”. Several different organizations involved in bringing about justice for current and former inmates gave presentations ...

02/05/2019 - Speaking Peace

More than 65 members of the community gathered at Beneficent Congregational Church UCC, in Providence for the first “Speak Peace Symposium."

02/01/2019 - VIDEO: Peace Dale Members Reflect on Haiti Trip

A group of 8 people from the Peace Dale congregational Church recently took part in the Rhode Island Conference mission trip to Haiti. In this video, they reflect on their experience:

01/24/2019 - Siladi and Ringen Discuss Parish Health Ministry

Connecticut Conference Minister The Rev. Kent Siladi recently did a live video interview with Deborah Ringen, an experienced Parish Nurse from the First Church of Chrst, Congregational in Old Saybrook, CT. They discussed ways in which local congregations can offer ...

01/17/2019 - Facing the Truth in Alabama: Reflections from Interfaith Freedom and Justice Ride 2019

In early January, a delegation of 37 Christians and Jews from Hartford traveled together to Alabama to retrace the steps of civil rights leaders. The...

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01/17/2019 - Siladi and Arifian Discuss Impacts of Climate Change

Connecticut Conference Minister the Rev. Kent Siladi and Pam Arifian, the Director of the Northeast Environmental Justice Center at Silver Lake ...

12/10/2018 - Journeying to see Jesus – RI missionaries head to Haiti

Children of the Community School of Bellevue, with Director Maxo Michel, just after they sang to the RICUCC mission group last year. Their school ...

10/31/2018 - Conference Leaders Express Support for Ballot Question 3

The following statement was released by leaders of the Massachusetts Conference on Oct. 31, 2018 Statement by the Leadership of the United Church of ...

10/25/2018 - Deeper Understandings Come from Worship Onboard Freedom Schooner Amistad

North Branford Congregational Church took a creative approach to worshipping beyond their walls. Members of the congregation traveled to New Haven to ...

10/16/2018 - New Britain Family to Leave Old Lyme Sanctuary

Family receiving sanctuary at First Congregational Church of Old Lyme receives stay of deportation and will be leaving the church to return home in New Britain.

10/11/2018 - New London Church becomes 100th ONA Church in Conference

On July 1, First Congregational Church of New London, UCC became the 100th church in the Connecticut Conference to declare itself as Open and ...

09/20/2018 - New Reviving Justice Event to Offer Workshops, Worship, Inspiration

The Rev. Dr. Damaris D. Whittaker The Connecticut Conference is teaming up with several ecumenical and civic partners to offer a NEW gathering this ...

09/05/2018 - Irons Homestead Fielding a Team for the Compassion Games

September 8 –23, 2018 Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest is a community engagement experience that invites people around the world to inspire ...

08/29/2018 - Conference Group Provides Witness at the Border

Fifteen people from the Massachusetts Conference - including Associate Conference Minister Kelly Gallagher and her family, and volunteers from four churches (Natick, Somerville, Walpole and Amesbury) - gathered at Arizona's border with Mexico on Sunday for several days...

07/03/2018 - UCC Members/Clergy Join Protest of ICE Policy

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building and Courthouse on Monday demanding the Trump administration reunite children who’ve been separated from their migrant parents in recent months. Others called for and end to the U.S. ...

06/19/2018 - UCC Leaders: "Keep Families Together!"

Condemning the unconscionable assertion that migrant children should be separated from their parents because of ‘orderly and lawful processes that protect the weak and lawful,' — a Biblical statement used to justify U.S. immigration policies — United Church of Christ ...

06/18/2018 - CT and MA Delegates Take Stands for Immigrants

Connecticut and Massachusetts Conference Annual Meeting delegates took a stand for immigrants this weekend.

06/17/2018 - Six Churches Receive Green Congregation Awards

While there was much to celebrate at the Annual Meeting Recognition Lunch this year, the Environmental Ministries Task Team was very happy to recognize six churches for their tremendous effort around environmental protection and climate justice!

06/16/2018 - Three Receive Haystack Awards for Justice Work

The Massachusetts Conference Justice & Witness Council presented Haystack Awards on Saturday, June 16th, to Joy Harris and Bruce Roberts for their work with Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota; and to Carmen Ramos-Kalsow for her relief efforts in ...