212th Autumnal Meeting is Saturday

Authorized Ministers, Delegates, Conference Board and Committee members and all interested persons are invited to join for worship and the business of the Conference at the 212th Autumnal Meeting:

Nov. 3, 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM
First Congregational Church UCC
Bristol, RI

We will come together as the Community of Christ. Celebrating our Rhode Island Conference Ministries. This event is accessible to all and daycare is provided. The cost is $10 per person.

Get more information and register

Registration Open for RI Ministers' Association Winter Retreat

Join us for the 2019 Winter Retreat, enjoying the beauty of the beach and the peace of Craigville Retreat Center, as we explore “Soul Talk: How to Have the Most Im-portant Conversation of All” with the Rev. Dr. Kirk Bryon Jones.

Jan. 14 - 15, 2019
Craigville Retreat Center
Centerville, MA

To prepare for the retreat, all registrants will receive a FREE copy of his book. Registration includes the program, book, accommodations and three meals: dinner, breakfast and lunch. The cost is $150 for a single room or $125 for a shared room. There are 5 single rooms available on a first come first serve basis.

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A Letter Regarding the Tragedy in Pittsburgh

The following letter was sent out to churches, clergy and members of the Rhode Island Conference on Oct. 27, 2018.

We are devastated by the tragic news from the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh today. While details are still unfolding, what we do know is clear: another heinous act has transformed a sacred place of worship into a violent bloody massacre. Our hearts ache for the victims, their loved ones, the police officers who were injured trying to stop the carnage, and the entire community.

Today’s tragedy is only the latest in a series of all too frequent mass shootings. Slaughtering people gathered to worship God in a space that should be a safe sanctuary for peace and love makes this particularly horrifying. The truth is that we should no longer be shocked by news such as this and yet it continues to shock us every time it happens. We have seen this happen too many times before. An elementary school in Sandy Hook, a night club in Orlando, Mother Emmanuel Church in Charleston, First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, an outdoor concert in Las Vegas, a high school in Parkland. The list keeps growing.

Americans deserve to be safe while enjoying concerts, attending school, and praying in houses of worship. Our leaders need act to prevent the next Pittsburgh from happening. God help us, as long as elected officials continue to abdicate their basic responsibility to protect the American people, we are doomed to wait until tragedy strikes again.

The Rev. Marilyn B. Kendrix
Transitional Conference Minister
Rhode Island Conference of the United Church of Christ

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Many Voices One Mission: We Do Jesus Differently

By Rev. Wendy Vander Hart, Associate Conference Minister for the MA Conference, UCC

Every day begins the same for me- weather permitting. I do a 3 or 4 mile walk which doubles as my prayer/reflection time. When I pay attention, sometimes I receive inspiration, even messages on my trek around the neighborhood. Like the person whose sweatshirt said “we do data.”

I never saw the front of the sweatshirt of that fellow walker, but it was clear what that company was about and what one could expect. O how I pray for such clarity for our churches and the redirection of energy it would free up in our congregations!

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Many Voices, One Mission is a regular series highlighting the ministries of the CT, MA, and RI Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Conference Events

Sexual Exploitation of Children - a program for Faith Community Leaders
Nov. 7, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Day One, Providence, RI
This presentation will include the following topics of discussion: what puts youth at risk, how they get targeted, and the tactics that traffickers use to lure them and trap them. Presented by The Interfaith Counseling Center.

Bus Trip to Visit 2 Rhode Island Churches
Nov. 8, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Join the Seekonk Congregational Church, UCC Woman's Group and the Rev. Dr. H. Daehler Hayes, RI Conference Minister Emeritus, to visit Central Congregational UCC in Providence and Slatersville Congregational UCC with a stop at Wright's Farm for lunch.

Classifieds

Organist needed on Nov. 25 - Warwick, RI

Director of Children's Ministry - East Granby, CT

More: ricucc.org/classifieds

Other Events Of Interest

Tending the Fire
Nov. 6-8; Jan. 8-10; March 12-14
Framingham, MA & Sharon, CT
This series of retreats helps clergy “think systems” in their congregations and their personal lives, so they can lead change that lasts.

CTUCC Fall Boundary Training
Nov. 13, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Church of Christ, Congregational in Newington, CT
Boundary Training for clergy.

Growing Deeper Roots: Learning & Preserving the Story of American Congregationalism
Nov. 15, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Wellesley, MA
Explore the history of the Congregational tradition and learn how to keep old church records safe and organized, all in one day at this Congregational Library event.

How Does a Christian Manage a Bully?
Nov. 17, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Edwards House, Framingham, MA
Claire Bamberg will present case studies throughout the presentation, and participants are welcome to come with their own in mind, ready to offer for discussion.

Faith Formation Summit
Dec. 1, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Edwards House, Framingham, MA
Struggling to keep your Sunday School program alive? Wondering how to address the needs of today’s youth? Join other faith leaders to share ideas!

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