HARTFORD, CT - The Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Conferences of the United Church of Christ voted decisively on Saturday to move ahead toward forming a new combined Conference, so that they may have a stronger voice speaking for justice and may more effectively carry out mission and ministry together.

The votes, taken at the first-ever joint annual meeting of the three bodies, mean that Conference leaders will now develop a formal proposal for a new Conference which will be brought before a second joint Annual Meeting a year from now in Springfield, MA.

"I am proud of you," United Church of Christ General Minister and President The Rev. John Dorhauer told those gathered following the votes. "Your yes today matters, and your yes today casts a vision for the future that was not otherwise available to you. And, my covenant promise to you is that the entire denomination will walk side-by-side with you on whatever journey unfolds."

RICUCC 211th Annual Meeting Focused on Proposed New Conference

HARTFORD, CT - The 211th Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Conference was held as part of the first-ever Tri-Conference Annual Meeting with the Massachusetts and Connecticut Conferences, and most of the two-hour session was dedicated to discussion about whether to move forward toward joining the other two, larger neighboring Conferences.

The 120 delegates and clergy in attendance voted decisively in favor of the resolution, but not until after a sometimes emotional discussion during which several people expressed concern that the interests of the Rhode Island Conference - with just 30 of the 625 churches that would make up the new Conference - would be overlooked by their larger counterparts.

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