|
The Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island conferences are now sharing an email newsletter platform. To subscribe to publications from any of the three conferences, visit our subscription page.
Reviving Justice Participants Called on to Rise Up
|
The Rev. Damarais Whittaker called on church members gathered at the Reviving Justice event this weekend to rise up, live into the discomfort of change and reclaim the voice of Christianity in a world that is in desperate need.
"This is not your time to be comfortable, people, get over that," she said. " This is the most inappropriate time to be seeking comfort. Lives are at stake here."
Whittaker said Christians need to recognize that comfort is not our goal - disruption is. "Because we are disrupters, I hope," she said. "Because if we’re not disrupting, who is? If the church is not disrupting, who are we delegating the disrupting to? We are disrupters. Come to terms and get comfortable with that ... Because after disruption comes revolution and after revolution comes innovation."
Read more
|
|
|
|
Many Voices One Mission: Exciting Stewardship
|
By Charlie Kuchenbrod, Executive Associate Conference Minister for the CT Conference, UCC.
I love leading stewardship workshops. Really, I do. Part of it is that I’m not ordained, so I don’t preach often, and at workshops I get to preach. Part of it is I get positive feedback and who doesn’t love that. Mostly, I feel like I’m possibly, just maybe, having a positive impact. Here are some of the things I love to say:
The job of the stewardship committee is not to get people to give more money; it is to get people be more faithful givers.
The stewardship committee often is placed in the church trustee/finance & budget constellation of people. It belongs in the deacon/faith formation constellation of people.
What would Jesus drive? Jesus wouldn’t drive; he would take the bus.
Read more
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Many Voices, One Mission is a regular series highlighting the ministries of the CT, MA, and RI Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Local Churches in the News
Faith leaders denounce 'anti-Semitic' campaign ad
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - A senate candidate is facing criticism after sending out a controversial campaign advertisement.
Wednesday, faith leaders from all denominations came together to denounce it.
"I think we need to say no again in the strongest terms possible to anti-Semitism and racism here in Connecticut," they said during a news conference on Wednesday morning.
Watch the coverage at wfsb.com
|
|
Starting With Scripture: Your People
|
By The Rev. Dr. Rochelle "Shelly" Stackhouse, Transitional Pastor of First Church of Christ in Hartford.
Who are “your people?” That phrase can be used to refer to those who share the same race, ethnicity or nationality, the same family, neighbors who live nearby, members of clubs or churches among other things. Sometimes the words are used to draw boundaries, as in “they are not our people,” or “stay away from people like that.” All too often in today’s world, the boundaries around who are “our people” draw narrower by the day.
Read the full post
|
|
|
Starting with Scripture is a weekly devotional written by current and former clergy and church leaders of the Connecticut Conference, UCC. Subscribe to receive the reflection each Monday at: ctucc.org/subscribe.
Upcoming Conference Events
Online Innovation Sessions Being Offered This Fall
Suzi Townsley, Associate Conference Minister for Innovation, Leadership and Change, will be hosting a series of online conversations this fall: Zip Equip sessions on Nov. 6 and Dec. 4 are designed to support church leaders by providing some of the best thinking from the organizational development and change management world; and InnoJazz on Nov. 20 will be 40-minute innovation sessions to foster creative thinking.
Read more and register
|
|
|
CTUCC Fall Boundary Training
Nov. 13, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Church of Christ, Congregational in Newington
Basic and advanced training for clergy, including a plenary with the Rev. Ron Brown.
|
|
|
Authorized Ministers Luncheon
Dec. 4, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Four Points by Sheraton Meriden
A luncheon to celebrate the 25th and 50th Ordination Anniversaries of 18 CTUCC clergy, featuring keynote speaker Rev. Kaji Spellman Douša, Senior Pastor of The Park Avenue Christian Church in Manhattan “The Park”.
|
|
Classifieds
Director of Childrens’s Ministries - Simsbury
More: ctucc.org/classifieds
Other Events of Interest
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
