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Three Conference Ministers Respond to United Methodist Vote
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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 issued a letter yesterday which reads, in part:
We stand in love: a decision, a choice, not just an emotion.
And emotions are running high for many right now in response and reaction to the decision of the special session of the General Synod of the United Methodist Church ... So our hearts go out to our siblings within the United Methodist Church. There are many whose wounds are being freshly opened. There are many who are even less certain of their safety and place within their treasured spiritual homes.
Read the full letter
Grow: Part One
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By Dan Smolnik, a member of Spring Glen Church in Hamden, CT
Not a day, not a casual conversation about church, not a committee meeting, passes for me without a reference being made to the diminishing size of the United Church of Christ, and the larger Church with it.
This piece is in two parts. The first part considers denominations by the number of people identifying themselves as adherents to that denomination. The notion of membership in a denomination is inconsistently defined from one group to another. So, self-identification, for this purpose, as someone who aligns with a given denomination seems most uniformly applicable.
The second part of the analysis takes a look at the numbers of congregations associated with several denominations over time and offers some concluding thoughts on what these numbers might mean for the UCC.
Read part one
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Super Saturday Registration Deadline Approaching
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The deadline to register for Super Saturday, being held March 16 at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, MA, is approaching.
The event features a full day of worship, workshops and networking. The main speaker will be Rebekah Anderson. Rebekah began investigating disability theology during an internship with the office of Congregational Assessment, Support, and Advancement of the UCC, and has presented on the topic at the National Church Leadership Institute, Eastern Regional Youth Event, and Super Saturday.
She is an alum of the Connecticut Conference's Thinking About Working for God Apprenticeship and the UCC's Young Adult Service Communities, and is in her first year at Union Theological Seminary.
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Read more and register
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Starting With Scripture: What Will Be
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The The Rev. Dr. Michael Ciba, Senior Regional Minister for the CT Conference, UCC.
One of the icebreakers frequently used in the church nerd circles in which I travel is “who is the Biblical character you most identify with?” My answer to this question has changed over the years. For a long time, it was Jonah. Jonah ran away from God’s call, only reluctantly said yes, was disappointed when things didn’t turn out the way he expected, and was more interested in his own comfort than the well-being of others. I could identify with that.
After I joined the Conference Staff, I began to identify more and more with the Apostle Paul. Paul attempted to minister to a bunch of churches separated by distance: offering encouragement, challenging harmful behaviors, reconciling differing perspectives on mission and ministry, trying to keep churches connected with one another and focused on God’s mission. Seeing ministry through the lens of Paul’s words and deeds helped give me courage and strength to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities before me.
Read the full post
Conference Events
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Peace Works: Silver Lake Summer Camp
June - August, 2019
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon CT
Registration is now open for campers in grades 4 - 12 to encounter God's love in creation; and to learn how to bring that love and justice into the world.
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Zip Equip: Kolb's experiential learning model
March 5, 3:30 PM to 4:10 PM
Online
Zip Equip is designed to support church leaders by providing some of the best thinking from the organizational development and change management world.
InnoJazz: 10 Nouns 10 Verbs
March 19, 3:30 PM to 4:10 PM
Online
An online session in which participants will be lead through a process using improv rules to discover what new possibilities creative thinking can open up in their ministries.
2019 Maple Sugaring
March 22 - 24
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon, CT
From tap to table, experience nature’s renewal and its sweet gifts at Silver Lake. For 6th - 8th graders.
Interfaith Exploration
March 31, 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT
An exploration of the three Abrahamic Religions - Christianity, Islam and Judaism - designed for confirmation classes and youth group.
CTUCC Confirmation Retreat
April 5 - 7
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon CT
Join us for a great experience with activities, worship, and fellowship appropriate for youth in grades 7-9 during their Confirmation year.
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Counselor Retreat at Silver Lake
April 12 - 13
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon, CT
This retreat is open to all who will serve as counselors at Silver Lake, whether it’s your first time or your 20th time.
Simply Smiles Mission Trip - Oaxaca, Mexico
April 13 - 20
Spend a week helping the kids who live at the Simply Smiles home for children in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico
Simply Smiles Mission Trip - South Dakota
May 11 - 18
Spend at week Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation working to restore hope for a better future.
Environmental Justice for All! Retreat
May 17 - 19
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon CT
For youth in grades 8 - 12 to explore how faith and justice intersect, learn about current issues in environmental justice and find their talents to make change.
2019 Special Meeting of the CT Conference
May 18, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
First Church of Christ Congregational in West Hartford
We will gather together as a historic Connecticut Conference in this transition year to worship, receive reports from Board and staff, consider resolutions, and celebrate the Living Waters award.
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Save the Date: The first Annual Meeting of the newly formed Together, As One Conference (CT, MA and RI) will be Nov. 1 - 2, 2019, in Worcester, MA
Classifieds
UCC Racial Justice Ministry Book Discussion
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The United Church of Christ (UCC) Racial Justice Ministry will host its first online Book Discussion featuring, “Preaching as Resistance: Voices of Hope, Justice & Solidarity”edited by Phil Snider Thursday, March 7, 2019, 12 noon – 1 pm EST via live webinar discussion. You must register to participate. Registration includes a free book for the first 10 registrants.
Read more
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Other Events of Interest
Understanding Islam in America
Weekly from Thursday, March 14 Thursday, April 11, 7:00 to 8:30 PM
John P. Webster Library, West Hartford, CT
These sessions will assist American Christians critically engage resources and provide opportunities to think about how dominant American culture views Islam. Attend one or all.
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Letting Go: An NESC Stewardship Event
April 6, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Faith Community Church, Hopkinton, MA
This one-day program will feature TED-like talks with guided small group discussion, workshops on practical stewardship topics, a panel discussion on real-world experiences, meaningful worship, and fellowship.
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"Generosity Transformed" Conference
April 30 - May 3
Indianapolis, IN
Need to energize and revitalize your church’s strategies for faithful generosity? Does your church find it hard to talk about money? UCC Church Building & Loan Fund would like to make you aware of this ecumenical stewardship conference.
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