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Revolutionary Love Project Founder to Keynote Annual Meeting
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Valarie Kaur, founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, will be the keynote speaker at the first Annual Meeting of the new Together As One Conference, to be held Nov. 1 and 2 in Worcester, MA.
Kaur is a Sikh racial justice activist, civil rights lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, educator and author of Revolutionary Love. Kaur sees love as a public ethic and shared practice to be used in the fight for social justice. She believes “the way we make change is just as important as the change we make.”
The Annual Meeting will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2, at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. This will be the first Annual Meeting of the new Together As One Conference, assuming its formation is approved by the UCC’s national gathering in June.
Read more, and watch Kaur's Ted Talk
Youth Learn Powerful Lessons on Homelessness Through Family Promise
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By Kara Russell, Assistant to the Pastor for Youth and Outreach at Church of Christ, Congregational in Newington, CT
NEWINGTON — On a particularly frigid night this past January, three families gathered in the basement of Church of Christ, Congregational in Newington for a friendly game of Monopoly. In many ways, it was a typical game night. There were plenty of snacks on hand, lots of healthy competition for prime real estate properties, and the banker kept running low on bills and begging other players for change. All in all, a typical game night.
Except it wasn’t entirely typical…because one of the families was homeless.
At the end of the evening, two families bundled up their children in warm coats and headed home. The other family headed upstairs to a church school classroom outfitted with rollaway cots and blankets. They prepared to spend another night in a room volunteers had tried to make as homey as possible…but it wasn’t quite home.
Read more
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Youth and Racism
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By Isaac Monts, Associate for Justice and Leadership, Connecticut Conference UCC
There are a lot of things that we don't know about our history, even after taking years of courses in school. For instance, did you know that an African American inventor, Henry Sampson, helped create the first cell phone? Did you know that the automatic doors of an elevator were invented and patented by a black man named Alexander Miles? What about the blood plasma bag... Did you know a black man pioneered that as well? Yeah.. Me either! His name was Charles Richard Drew.
At the heart of our "Did You Know" Youth Racial Justice Program, we look to unmask the covert forms of racism that live within our country, and shed light on information that is commonly unknown in the younger generation.
Read more, and find out how to bring a Youth Racial Justice Program to your church
We Are Not Facing the Big Issues Alone
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By Grace O’Connor, An Intern with the Connecticut Conference, UCC
At the recent Super Saturday, I chose to go to the Climate Change Resonance Circle Workshop, which focused on addressing the difficulties and concerns that many of us carry as we face the crisis of global warming ...
Hearing from so many others who view climate change as a worrisome issue was helpful for me personally in recognizing that nobody must face it alone. The passion that was voiced for creating a safe and clean planet for us all and for future generations was a refreshing reminder that there are many people who believe things need to change. I found this a much-need reassurance not to give up hope that this problem is solvable and to continue doing my part in the fight for climate justice.
This is an excerpt. Read the full post
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Many Voices One Mission: The Backbone of Silver Lake
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By The Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer, Executive Director of Silver Lake Conference Center, Home of the Outdoor Ministries of the Connecticut Conference
Silver Lake, like many of our United Church of Christ Summer Camp programs have a unique model of staffing our Counselor positions. It is very common in the UCC to have Volunteer Counselors come for one week and a new group of counselors to be working with the campers every week of the summer. They minister alongside the summer staff who work at Silver Lake through the entire summer.
One of the amazing aspects of this model is that through the course of each summer we have over 100 counselors caring for, playing alongside, growing in faith, developing as leaders, and having fun with our campers. Each of these counselors brings their own unique gifts and skills, their favorite songs, unique games and stories, and ways of connecting with campers.
Read more
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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.
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Starting With Scripture: Prodigal
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By The Rev. Jocelyn B. Gardner Spencer is the Pastor of First Congregational Church of Woodstock, CT
As I write, news is breaking of 29 Latin American parents who have traveled thousands of miles to the U.S.-Mexico border. All of them have made this journey at least once before, when they fled terrifying violence and desperate poverty in their home countries and brought their families north to seek refuge. They crossed into the U.S. and were detained, and while in custody, they were separated from their children. These parents, along with hundreds of others, then were deported without their children, and they have returned now to seek asylum and a chance at reunification. As one father said, “Without my daughter, I'm dead inside.”
Read the full post
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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.
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Obituaries
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The Rev. Wallace W. Anderson Jr., pastor at the Second Congregational Church of New London from 1981 to 1993, died early Monday morning Mar. 11, 2019, of natural causes at the Pickersgill Retirement Community in Towson, Maryland. He was 89 and had lived in the Baltimore area since 1997.
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Read the obituary
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Conference Events
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91st Spring Gathering of CT Women of the UCC
April 27, 2019 at 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Huntington Congregational Church, Shelton, CT
Including workshops on interracial eco-justice, recycling, and visual aspects of worship.
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Zip Equip: 5 Characteristics of Innovation
April 2, 3:30 PM to 4:10 PM
Online
Equipping church leaders on the best thinking from the organizational development and change management world.
Meet the CTUCC Legislators
April 5, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT
An opportunity to meet three elected officials who are members of CTUCC congregations.
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.
InnoJazz: Gifts of Darkness
April 9, 3:30 PM to 4:10 PM
Online
40 minute innovation sessions to foster creative thinking.
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.
Retreats that Renew and Refresh!
April 25, 6:00 to 8:30 PM
First Congregational Church, West Hartford, CT
Explore ideas for your next retreat in this Stepping Stones workshop.
2019 Spring Action Weekend
April 26 - 28
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon, CT
Catch up with old friends, make new friends, and work hard to prepare YOUR conference center for the coming season.
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Stewardship Workshop
April 30, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Ellington Congregational Church, Ellington, CT
A best practices workshop led by Charlie Kuchenbrod, Executive Associate Conference Minister of the Connecticut Conference.
Resolution Online Hearing for the Special Meeting of the CTUCC
May 2, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Online
Join Conference Minister The Rev. Kent Siladi and the Conference staff to hear about the proposed resolutions that will be presented at the Special Meeting of the CT Conference on May 18th.
9th Annual CTUCC Youth Revival
May 5, 3:00 to 5:00 PM
First Congregational Church in Bloomfield
Bring your youth group to this dynamic worship service with preaching by The Rev. Trayce Potter.
13th Annual Silver Lake Golf Tournament 2019
May 6, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
The Country Club of Waterbury, CT
Grab your buddies and your clubs and swing into summer with a day on the links, all while helping to support the Connecticut Conference's vital outdoor ministry.
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
Other Events of Interest
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Wilderness Companions Speaker Series
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, CT; 6:45 PM
March 28, Dr. Susan Eaton
April 4, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III
April 11, Rev. Dr. James Forbes
Health Ministry/ Parish Nursing Trends 2019
April 3, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Masonicare at Ashlar Village,
Wallingford, CT
Workshop on new trends in Faith Community Nursing and on Spiritual Care for People with Dementia
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48th Annual NEAUCE Conference
April 30 - May 2
Pilgrim Pines, Swanzey, NH
Join Christian Education colleagues for worship, fellowship, and rich discussions.
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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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