Webinar Library

Faith Rally – Election Day Home Stretch

Feeling bruised, battered, or fatigued by this election season? Looking for a source of uplift down the home stretch to election day? Then, this webinar is for you. Three speakers rally our energy and direct our focus during a moment with so many profound implications for those who care about the climate crisis and the many interconnected issues of justice that we face today. The speakers include the Rev. Gerald Durley of Interfaith Power & Light, the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., of the Hip Hop Caucus, and Karenna Gore, founder and director of the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

December 8, 2022

Climate Savior or Neocolonialist? …Assessing Biden from an Indigenous Christian Perspective

The environmental movement has widely lauded the actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration in addressing the climate crisis through early appointments and executive orders. Yet, there is a larger context to consider as indigenous leaders continue fights against pipelines domestically and Syria is bombed internationally. In this webinar, Mark Charles, a dual citizen of the US and the Navajo Nation, provides an indigenous Christian perspective on Joe Biden’s presidency. Charles is a co-author of the book, “Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery.” In 2020, Charles ran as an independent candidate for the US presidency. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

What’s Fair? – The U S and Responsibility for the Climate Crisis

Historically, the United States has released more global warming pollution than any other country, and it remains the world’s second highest emitter. With its wealth and power, what are the moral obligations of the U.S. in confronting the climate crisis? In short, what’s fair? Three leaders in the effort to address this question in this webinar: Sivan Kartha from the Stockholm Environment Institute, Jean Su from the Center for Biological Diversity, and Susannah Tuttle from North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

The Work of Justice – Job Creation and Climate Action

To emerge from the pandemic, an economic recovery that prioritizes jobs and justice is desperately needed. This webinar focus on what a just recovery would look like and what faith communities can do to call for legislation that embodies our values. The three featured panelists are: Natalie Mebane from 350.org, Bracken Hendricks from Urban Ingenuity, and the Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll, Sr., from Green The Church. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

Take a Stand: Stop Line 3

The Line 3 Expansion is a massive tar sands oil pipeline under construction through the heart of Northern Minnesota. If completed, it would cross more than 200 bodies of water, including the headwaters of the Mississippi River. It would also pass near the border of multiple Native nations and across hundreds of miles of treaty-protected land. In this webinar,learn more about Line 3 and what faith communities can do to stop it. Featured speakers will include the Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs from the Minnesota Council of Churches, Nina Berguland from Youth Council and Indigenous Council for Earth Guardians, and Julia Nerbonne from Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

False Solutions: Climate Policies That Fail

Under public discussion and legislative consideration are an array of climate policies that vary widely in their goals and potential.

Some of these policies have been described as false solutions by climate activists and policy analysts. These policies are deemed to fail when it comes to what is required by the moral demands of science, equity, and justice.

Will a given policy actually reduce carbon emissions to the extent needed? Will it place unequal burdens on particular communities along the lines of race and poverty? Does it allow for extractive industries to essentially continue their present practices?

In this webinar, learn what faith communities should know in deciding what policies do and do not reflect core values.

Panelists include:
-Ashley Nicole McCray from the Indigenous Environmental Network
-Arjun Krishnaswami from the Natural Resources Defense Council
-Gabriela Sarri-Tobar from the Center for Biological Diversity.

The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

They Knew: The US Federal Government’s Fifty Year Role in Causing the Climate Crisis

This webinar features one of the leading voices in environmentalism over recent decades: James Gustave Speth. Among his many accomplishments, Speth served the Carter administration, founded the Natural Resources Defense Council, and spent ten years as Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He recently released a new book entitled, “They Knew—The US Federal Government’s Fifty-Year Role in Causing the Climate Crisis.” Naomi Klein has described it as “a damning record that will become a potent tool for justice.”

Movement Lessons: The First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit 30 Years Later

One of the best resources of the environmental justice movement today is its own history. Leading scholars in the field of environmental justice have described the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit as one of the most significant events in the movement’s history. In 1991, this summit literally re-defined the word “environment,” while issuing the landmark 17 Environmental Justice Principles that are still used as a source of moral guidance for environmental organizations to this day. This webinar features three key participants in the summit: Charles Lee, Vernice Miller-Travis, and Richard Moore.

A Global Just Transition – The UN Climate Conference through a Moral Lens

This webinar focuses on some of key moral issues that were at stake during the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. In a world where global inequality is thoroughly enmeshed with the climate crisis, a matter of central importance is whether wealthy countries will stop investing in fossil fuels and start investing in a clean and just transition to renewable energy. In this webinar, the following international climate policy specialists discussed the UN Climate Conference as it was happening: Kelly Stone from Action Aid, Chloe Noël from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and Ruth Ivory-Moore from the Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

A Polluted Democracy – Fossil Fuel, Money and Congress

Centering Africa at COP27

In this webinar, we will center the climate concerns and issues faced by Africa, the continent that bears the least responsibility for the climate crisis yet is most vulnerable to its destructive impacts.

A prominent concern for African nations at the 2022 U.N. Climate Change Conference is the matter of who will pay for the increasing losses and damages inflicted by the climate crisis.

Over the past 50 years, climate exacerbated drought has led to a loss of an estimated $70 billion in the Horn of Africa and southern Africa, while the cost of rising sea levels is projected to reach $50 billion by 2050 for islands and coastal areas.

Of far greater significance than what can be expressed in monetary amounts is the enormous loss of life that has occurred. Over the past 50 years, drought led to the loss of over a half million lives, while flooding has claimed the lives of 20,000.

The three featured panelists in this webinar are Ineza Umuhoza Grace from the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition, Dr. Tinashe Gumbo from the All Africa Conference of Churches, and the Rev. Michael Kalito from Theological Education by Extension in Zambia (TEEZ).

Wartime Threat – Increased Fossil Fuel Production at Home

The fossil fuel industry is using the war in Ukraine to push for ramping up production in the United States. As a result, communities on the frontlines of the industry face the wartime threat of more pollution and more harm to their health. In this webinar, we learn about the history that shapes the threats faced, and we hear directly from those fighting at the grassroots to protect their families and communities. Featured speakers will include Roishetta Ozane from Healthy Gulf, Lois Bower-Bjornson from the Clean Air Council, and David J.X. González from the University of California-Berkeley.

Discerning and Deciding: Bold Climate Action

According to a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world has less than three years for its greenhouse gas emissions to peak and head into a relatively rapid decline. Careful discernment is needed on where people of faith and conscience should place their time and energy in organizing for the policies that will lead us to a more just and hospitable world. To help in this discernment, this webinar features three leaders in the climate movement: Keya Chatterjee from the U.S. Climate Action Network, Miranda Ehrlich from the Sierra Club, and Jean Su from the Center for Biological Diversity.

Climate Migration: Responding with Faith, Care, and Equity

Migration stemming from the damage done to our climate is underway right now as the lives of people around the world are being uprooted and disrupted. From sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific Islands to Alaska and Louisiana, we are seeing the present consequences of drought, extreme weather, and rising sea levels. According to a recent UN climate report, 20 million people have been displaced each year since 2008 due to extreme weather that is often exacerbated by the climate crisis. There is much we can do as people of faith to respond to this situation. This webinar features Drocella Mugorewera from Bridge Refugee Services, Geronimo Ramirez from the International Mayan League, and the Rev. Irene Hassan from the United Church of Christ’s Refugee and Migration Services.

US Military and Environmental Justice

The United States military is one of the world’s biggest polluters. As an institution, it leads the world in oil consumption and emits enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. In order to grasp the environmental impact of the U.S. military, we must go beyond statistics and numbers. One must listen to those from the communities directly affected. This webinar provides an overview of environmental justice concerns pertaining to the U.S. military while also centering the voices of those engaged in the struggle to stop the pollution of the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on the island of Oahu. To bring the lens of legislative solutions, Congressman Kaialiʻi Kahele joins the panel. Along with Kahele, featured panelists include: Wayne Tanaka from the Sierra Club, Danny Tengan from Hawaiʻi Conference of the United Church of Christ Disaster Response, and Lorah Steichen from the National Priorities Project.

Evangelical Christianity and the Climate Crisis

With its size and its collective power, evangelical Christianity has had a significant presence in the political, cultural, and religious landscape of the United States. As such, it becomes critically important to understand evangelical Christianity today in relationship to the climate crisis. How do evangelical Christians regard the climate crisis? What are the political implications of this? To address these questions, this webinar features Dr. Robin Veldman who authored “The Gospel of Climate Skepticism: Why Evangelical Christians Oppose Action on Climate Change” along with the Rev. Kyle Meyaard-Schaap of the Evangelical Environmental Network and Emily Robertson of Young Evangelicals for Climate Action. The webinar is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt of the United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministry and the Rev. Michael Malcom of Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

Getting Congress to Act: Strategies Tactics and Vision for 2022

Frederick Douglass once said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” This webinar focuses on the art and craft of making a demand while casting a vision of what can be achieved in the year ahead. The webinar focuses specifically on how people of faith can best organize themselves to place pressure on Congress to act in 2022. For insight and guidance, this webinar features Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rev. A. Kazimir Brown, Rev. Chibuzo Nimmo Petty, and Kim McMurray.

When Disaster Strikes: Faith Communities Responding with Equity and Justice

Faith communities are often on the frontlines of responding to climate-related disasters. More than a spirit of goodwill is required to effectively respond and minister in such critically important times. Because disasters often expose, widen, and exacerbate the gaps of pre-existing disparities, it is essential that communities of faith prioritize and hold fast in their commitments to equity and justice. This webinar equips faith communities with the knowledge and awareness required to act in accordance with our values. Featured speakers include Marcus Coleman, Jr., from FEMA’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Marcie Roth from the World Institute on Disability, and the Rev. Fred Meade from the United Church of Christ’s Disaster Resource & Response Team for the Southern New England Conference. This webinar was produced as a collaborative effort of UCC Environmental Justice Ministries, UCC Disabilities Ministries, UCC Disaster Ministries, Alabama Interfaith Power & Light, and the People’s Justice Council.

Overdue: Environmental Justice for All

The United States has a long history of environmental injustice that has led to undue burdens of pollution on people of color and low-income communities. This webinar focuses specifically on environmental injustice in relation to access to clean water. Our special guest is Lynn Thorp who serves as the National Campaigns Director for Clean Water Action. This monthly installment of Creation Justice Webinars was co-hosted by the Andy Wells-Bean who serves as the National Environmental Justice Fellow for the United Church of Christ and the Rev. Michael Malcom who serves as the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

December 7, 2022

The Birth of a Movement – A 40th Anniversary Retrospective

Just as the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a watershed event in kickstarting the Civil Rights Movement, a six-week civil disobedience campaign in Warren County, North Carolina, served as the watershed event for the Environmental Justice Movement in 1982. As more than 500 people were arrested to prevent the dumping of toxic waste in a predominantly black community, a nation soon became awakened to the crisis of environmental racism. The impact of the Warren County protests would ripple outward around the world and continue to be felt until today. In this webinar, we hear from three persons who were an important part of the protests: Dollie Burwell, the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., and the Rev. William Kearney.

The Inflation Reduction Act: How It Can Benefit Faith Communities

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes the landscape of what’s possible for faith communities when it comes to solar and energy efficiency. For example, did you know that this new law now makes it possible for nonprofit organizations to receive a direct payment from the federal government that equals 30% of a solar installation’s cost? Yet, there is much about the law and how it can benefit faith communities that requires careful attention and navigation. There can be an alphabet soup of technical and financial jargon that one must confront when it comes to understanding PPAs, RECs, and more. Moreover, there are important questions about the best way for a faith community to discern what is the best way to finance solar or energy efficiency upgrades. For this webinar, the featured panelists are Jerome Garciano, who authored the Green Tax Incentive Compendium, and Rebecca Perera, who is the Director of Lending for the United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund.

Restoring Nature – What People of Faith Can Do to Heal the Earth

Douglas Tallamy’s books have awakened thousands to the problem of wildlife decline and the solution that resides in habitat restoration. This is a solution of which you and your faith community can be a part. The solution can be as close as your yard or the property surrounding your place of worship.

In this webinar, Tallamy outlines the crisis faced and what we can do in response. The green teams and green thumbs of faith communities will learn not only about cultivating native plants in the landscapes around them, but also what can be done to create a transformative movement full of actions ordinary people everywhere can take.

To care for God’s creation, we can start by simply stepping outside the doors of where we gather for worship to make the most of our sacred places.

In this webinar, Tallamy raises our awareness and equips us to make a difference in our world.

Getting Ready for Earth Sunday: Resources for Congregations

Amidst the climate crisis, leadership from communities of faith is sorely needed. Thankfully, Creation Justice Ministries has created an ecumenical resource that will assist churches in answering the call placed upon us in this moment. The resource is entitled “Weathering the Storm: Faithful Climate Resilience.” It specifically helps churches respond to the question, “How can our churches be hubs of resilience, helping our neighbors weather the physical and spiritual storms of the climate crisis?” The resource can be used year-round and is also particularly useful in preparing for Earth Sunday. In this webinar, Avery Davis Lamb, Co-Executive Director of Creation Justice Ministries, introduces the resource and talks about specific ways churches can craft a powerful message and experience on Earth Sunday and beyond.

Why Prophets Matter Today: Confronting the Climate Crisis

As the Theologian in Residence for Ames United Church of Christ and as the United Church of Christ’s Environmental Justice Minister, the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt gives a keynote address on the relevancy of the Hebrew prophets in confronting to today’s climate crisis. He outlines 10 “Naked Truths” pointing to both the need for prophetic action and the key elements of prophetic action.

Prophetic Action Today: Confronting the Climate Crisis

As part of the Theologian in Residence Program for Ames United Church of Christ, three climate justice leaders discuss prophetic actions being taken today. The speakers include: Nellis Kennedy-Howard, the Rev. Michael Malcom, and Hector Arbuckle. This event was cohosted by Ames United Church of Christ, the Iowa Conference, the Central Association of the Iowa Conference, and the National Setting of the United Church of Christ.

OWL Taking Flight: You Know, Sex

We welcome Cory Silverberg to talk about their new book: “You Know, Sex”, as well as the books “What Makes a Baby?” and “Sex is a Funny Word.” Learn about these inclusive resources, their language, illustrations, and why and how they were written.

Cory Silverberg is a sex educator, author, and a queer person who smiles a lot when they talk. White, Jewish, and queer, Cory tries to center justice in their life and work. They have learned (and continue to learn) to do this by centering collaboration, humility, curiosity, and accountability, working across and within the spaces that divide race, gender, embodiment, disability, and identity. (From Cory’s website: www.corysilverberg.com)

Amazing Amaze!

OWL Taking Flight: Amazing Amaze!

Dr. Rachael Gibson, Amaze Education Senior Program Manager at Advocates for Youth will join us for a lively conversation about their amazing resources. Join us as we explore the challenges and rewards of providing public-facing sexuality education.

WISE for Mental Health

The United Church of Christ adopted the WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health covenant in 2015 as part of our commitment to mental health justice.

Representatives of the UCC Mental Health Network for practical resources will share how UCC members and congregations can become WISE for mental health and create a more Just World For All.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ.

World AIDS Day of Prayer and Remembrance

In 1988, December 1st was declared to be World AIDS Day. It is a day to remember those living with HIV/AIDS, honor those who have died, and to raise awareness around prevention and testing.

Globally, there are more than 38 million people living with AIDS, while another 40 million have died since the first diagnosis in 1981. Even though there have been great strides in treatment, HIV/AIDS still claims as many as 860,000 lives per year.

Please join UCC and ecumenical leaders as Thursdays for the Soul presents a World AIDS Day of Prayer and Remembrance.

Becoming a Creation Justice Church

Creation Justice Churches is a program of the United Church of Christ that guides congregations in discerning how they can best embody a commitment to care for God’s creation. As Christians, this is our first calling in the Bible. It is also a calling that has been integral to the DNA of the UCC as a denomination and the historic role played by the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice in launching the environmental justice movement. In the face of the climate crisis, the Creation Justice Church program has provided a path of active hope for a growing number of congregations. As the UCC’s Minister for Environmental Justice, the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt will introduce the program and host the following church leaders who have helped lead their church into becoming Creation Justice Churches:

-Barbara Smith-Bacon from First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida

-Rev. Robert Grabill from the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College

-Rev. Nancy Leckerling from First Congregational Church in Guilford, Connecticut

-Claire Stiles from Lakewood United Church of Christ, St. Petersburg, Florida

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured. Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants

Writing as a Spiritual Practice

A daily pause.

A moment of wonder.

A simple invitation to insight.

With deep understanding of the human spirit, each poem by Tina Datsko de Sánchez touches the reader’s core with its rich imagery and holy metaphors. Join us as Tina reads poetry from her latest release, Swimming in God, shares insight on her writing process and how she finds inspiration, and invites attendees to craft ecstatic poetry of their own through writing prompts. We invite you to come to this webinar with your favorite writing implement and an open heart.

Swimming in God is available online at Pilgrim Press (https://bit.ly/3fv69Fg), at your favorite online book seller, or on order with your local bookstore.

Spirituality and Pop Culture

As Christmas becomes increasingly secularized, how do we talk to our congregations about the holiday? And how has the popular view of Christmas changed over time? The answer may come from depictions of Christmas in popular movies and TV shows.

Join author and religion journalist John A. Zukowski as he talks about his book “Christmas on the Screen,” which explores the spiritual and cultural implications of Christmas movies and TV shows.

This session will point out how popular culture has changed how Americans feel about Christmas. It’s an opportunity to both use and critique images of Christmas in popular culture as we head toward another Christmas season.

“Christmas on the Screen” is available at https://thepilgrimpress.com, at your favorite online book seller, or on order with your local bookstore.

“100 Spiritual Movies to See Before You Die” is available to pre-order at https://thepilgrimpress.com

November 26, 2022

How to Protect Your Digital Information: A Practical Discussion of Digital Privacy

In light of the Dobbs decision having a firm grasp of digital privacy is all the more important. Knowing who has access to your online life, from period trackers to grocery apps and social media, and what companies can do with that information is critical. This session will help empower and inform folks to take practical steps to protect their digital privacy and provide context about what is happening in the digital privacy space.

November 23, 2022

Releasing, Blessing, and Sending Rev. Dr. Chris Davies

Join officers and staff of the United Church of Christ in a “Service of Release.”

We will give thanks for the ministry of Rev. Dr. Chris Davies (Team Leader and Minister, Faith INFO) as she transitions from her role at the National Setting to Do a New Thing.

Immigrant Welcoming Congregations Working for Human Rights and Dignity for All

This webinar will be led by faith leaders and impacted leaders in the field who are doing on-the-ground community organizing with UCC congregations on border issues, immigrants’ rights, Sanctuary, refugee resettlement, and the accompaniment of asylum seekers as part of the greater struggle for human rights and dignity for all people. Presenters will share stories of how anti-immigrant policies are hurting our community members and offer examples of how to create concrete methodologies to educate and move your congregation to effectively engage on the issue of immigration. Participants will leave with a step-by-step process of becoming an immigrant welcoming and/or Sanctuary congregation.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured.

Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants

Intergenerational Advent Planning

Join members of the Association of United Church Educators (AUCE) Board of Directors as they share about faith formation during Advent. There will be ideas for intergenerational Advent activities, Advent resources, and ways to collect ideas. We’ll also touch on intergenerational ministries, creative planning strategies, and practices of online faith formation.

The Small Church Story Project in the Maine Conference

Intrigued by reports of small, rural, congregations who are creating new ways of “being church’, Rev Douglas Dunlap and Rev Susan Craig formed The Small Church Story Project in 2015. Their efforts are to gather the stories of such congregations of the Maine Conference to share with churches small and large, wherever these may be, in the nation or the world. Also to counter the narrative that small churches have no other future than that of closing and how small size can be turned to advantage which leads to spirited worship, vibrant fellowship, and responses to Christ’s call to serve that are engaging, effective, and heartening.

Join us as Rev Roberto Ochoa meets with Rev Dunlap and Rev Craig to find out more about the Small Church Project and to hear the stories of small, rural, congregations making a difference in their communities of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Preparing for Advent 2022: Days to Come

The United Church of Christ partners with The United Church of Canada to offer a collection of resources for the Advent season.

From devotionals to candle lighting rituals, for individuals and for communal worship, we will have resources ready for your faith communities.

Join us for an overview of the collection and a preview of a new song!

Shared Learning From the Gun Violence Ministries

“They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will train for war no more. Everyone will sit under their own vine and fig tree. No one shall make them afraid.” Isaiah 2:2-4

We have testified, protested, advocated, written letters, made calls, held vigils and prayed, wept and comforted and, after the March 22, 2021 massacre in Boulder, our faith communities demanded action. We could no longer be satisfied with being “just another stat”.

Although it would have been easy to be overwhelmed with the complexity and scope of gun violence prevention, we knew we MUST do something – anything – and we had to start immediately. Peace-making action was required urgently and there was no time to be afraid. Hear from faith leaders in Colorado as they share their experiences, lessons learned and best practices in transforming trauma and catalyzing a nationwide disarmament movement.

November 22, 2022

Just Peace Churches and the Disruptive Power of Peace!

The United Church of Christ was the first Christian denomination to declare itself a “Just Peace Church” in 1985. Over the past 35+ years, the concept of Just Peace- that intersection of peace with justice reflected in the biblical vision of God’s Shalom – has been affirmed by ecumenical partners around the world. As our world suffers from conflicts around the world, now is the time to seek alternatives to militarism and turn our focus to building peace from the ground up.

This webinar will introduce you to the concepts of Just Peace and highlight ways in which local churches are living out their Just Peace identity. We will also lift up our 2022 theme for Just Peace Sunday “The Disruptive Power of Peace: Friendship, Justice & Security” to be celebrated on Sunday, September 18th this year. Speakers for this webinar will include members of the UCC’s Just Peace Network and Steering Committee.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured.

Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants

UCC Colectivo de Latinx Ministries: Present & Future

Join Rev Roberto Ochoa as he speaks with the leaders of the UCC Colectivo de Latinx Ministries about their role in uplifting the contributions of Latines/Latinas/Latinos in the United Church of Christ. They will share how they were formed and their hopes and vision for the Latinx communities in the wider church.

Gather in Joy…Go in Justice

Rejoice with us in worship as Cheryl Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology, and conference ministers of the United Church of Christ reflect on the Spirit at work among us…moving in joy and justice.

Moving Through Life with Embodied Grace

How do we connect the inspired mind of Christ to the often tired Body of Christ? What spiritual practices allow us to tap into the “fount of every blessing” even as we engage in the urgencies of our time?

Join Matt Carriker, the founding pastor of Agape Spiritual Community UCC in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Gabrielle Chavez, organizing pastor of Christ the Healer UCC centered in the Portland Oregon metro area as we explore some cutting-edge work at the intersection of activism and contemplation coming out of two newer congregations.

As part of the conversation, there will be an offering of understanding and practice that evolved from over a generation of experience and experimentation to quickly access embodied grace, the state of being Jesus called “heaven on earth”

Accessible to All Churches and Disability Justice

The United Church of Christ adopted the Accessible to All (A2A) covenant as a denomination in 2005 as part of our commitment to disabilities justice. Barriers to accessibility are both physical and attitudinal.

Disability justice intersects with the UCC’s commitments to racial, economic, gender, sexual identities, just peace, and environmental justice. Join representatives of the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board for practical resources for what UCC members and congregations can do to create a more just world for all.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured.

Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants

Faithful Abortion Access: Then and Now

The Clergy Consultation Service was a nationwide network of getting people access to safe abortion services and resources before it was legal.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, join alongside To Offer Compassion: A History of the Clergy Consultation Service On Abortion authors D.A. Dirks and Patricia Relf to learn more about the extensive network of the time, and hear the testimony of Rev. Donna Schaper about her work along the way.

Faith Choice Ohio’s Executive Director Elaina Ramsey will join alongside Dr. Sherry Warren, the United Church of Christ’s Minister for Gender Justice in speaking about ways people of faith can show up now that we look towards mounting state-led barriers to abortion access.

A Conversation with Franklinton Center at Bricks’ Rev. Elly Mendez Angulo

The mission of Franklinton Center at Bricks [FCAB] is “to provide a nurturing home to local, national, and global programs and organizations seeking liberation.” (From FCAB’s website)

Come join us for a conversation with Rev. Elly Mendez Angulo (Program Manager and Interim Executive Director) about FCAB’s history, the UCC connection, and the current vision of Franklinton Center

To manifest a world where:

-Systemic oppression does not exist

-The whole divinity of a person is realized

-The memory, contribution, and resilience of our ancestors is embraced

-The environment is healed Franklinton Center at Bricks continues to focus on living up to the legacy of our ancestors and predecessor – institutions by serving the people of our community.

They serve through these broad program areas:

– Center for Rural Community Development and Education

– Center for African American Historic Preservation

– Center for Land-based Innovation – Social Justice Conference and Retreat Center

Our Faith Our Vote 2022: Faithful Engagement in a Time of Increased Voter Suppression

Throughout Scripture and in the teachings of Jesus, we hear the faithful call to be in just, compassionate, right relationship with each other.

So discipleship draws us to engagement with our common life–what we call the political process–as the way we order our relationships.

Join this webinar and learn how the UCC Our Faith Our Vote campaign can be integrated into congregational life and shape congregational identity, complementing and amplifying other congregational covenants like Open and Affirming and Just Peace.

We will hear from several members of congregations that have participated in the Our Faith Our Vote campaign and learn from their stories.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on 12 Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ.

We’ll feature one of these programs on the third Thursday of each month.

The Flag in The Sanctuary

One of the most difficult and theological conversations a congregation may have is about the flag in the sanctuary.

Join alongside Rev. Roberto Ochoa and Rev. John Gage to discuss what considerations go into this conversation, as well as how your congregation might engage it with grace and care for the people involved.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, this program does not prescribe an outcome but will provide resources for engaging the conversation.

July 12, 2022

Blessed Youth

Join Rev. Dr. Chris Davies as she interviews Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund, Minister for Disabilities & Mental Health Justice, Health & Wholeness Advocacy at the United Church of Christ. Sarah is the author of the newly released book, “Blessed Youth: Breaking the Silence about Mental Health with Children and Teens.”

An Afternoon of Theater with the Just Peace Players

The Just Peace Players are a group of interfaith religious leaders who write and perform plays on peace and justice themes. They perform live and virtually for local congregations and Association gatherings throughout the New England area and beyond.

Open and Affirming: the Power of Covenant

This webinar is for UCC congregations taking their first steps toward an Open and Affirming covenant and for existing ONA churches looking for new ways to live into their ONA commitment.

We’ll focus on “covenant” as the basic value of our movement, and the reason we’ve become the largest and fastest-growing LGBTQ-affirming church movement in the world.

We’ll share best practices we’ve learned from growing ONA churches–including intersectional advocacy–and ways a church can design an ONA conversation that builds consensus and strengthens relationships.

This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured. Learn more: https://ucc.org/just_world_covenants/

Manual on Church Update

Join Rev. Dr. Chris Davies and members of the Manual on Church Working Group for a conversation on where we have been, and where we are going with the document of Best Practices and Covenantal Connections.

Attendees of this conversation will get a sneak peek into the newly developed Marks of Faithful and Vital Congregations, and be invited into the trials of “how will this work for your setting?”

Faithful Election Engagement in a Time of Increased Voter Suppression

All Together: Insights from Strengthen the Church

Gleaning wisdom and possibilities from new church planters and revitalizing churches on how to adapt and do ministry through shifting times.

This webinar sets out to explore how “All Together” we can strengthen our church.

We will engage new church planters that have received grant funding from the Strengthen the Church offering; we will hear the impact of the Strengthen the Church offering from a Conference Minister; and we will gain insights from a church coach who supports the work of new church plants in the United Church Of Christ through Strengthen the Church funding.

Autism-Inclusive OWL

Join Amy Johnson, Melanie Davis, and OWL trainers Shellie and Ramon Selove to learn how to make OWL programs welcoming and inclusive of neurodiversity.

June 10, 2022

Building an OWL Program From the Ground Up

Join us to hear from UCC and UUA congregations who have successfully implemented OWL in their congregations.

Under Your Wing: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join us for the debut of a new OWL resource: “Under Your Wing,” a video series for parents and caregivers of young children.

OWL Revisions- Flight Status: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join us to learn the status of revisions and updates to various levels of OWL, what is out of print and why, and what to do until publication.

Sex Ed Trivia!: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join us for an interactive time with sex ed trivia!

Online Training Sneak Peek: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join Rev. Thea Racelis and Dr. Melanie Davis to get the scoop on online OWL facilitator training.

Thea and Melanie were among the five trainers to lead field tests in April and August, and they share challenges and successes. They explain how online training differs from in-person training: the time commitment and requirements of facilitators and Religious and Christian Educators.

This webinar may help you determine whether online or in-person training suit your needs.

Why We Do the Things We Do: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Explore the behind-the-scenes craft of Our Whole Lives design! This “tour,” will help you with scheduling and implementation and provide tools you can use to craft other types of lessons and programs. You’ll learn the rationale behind workshop length, scope, and sequencing; how to use learning goals and objectives to your group’s advantage; and how to tailor OWL to a group’s personalities and needs. You’ll also get the scoop on field testing and keeping current between revisions of the curriculum.

Framing Conversations about Restarting OWL Programs: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Eager to start or re-start your Our Whole Lives program? Join national UCC and UUA OWL staff and guests to explore the value of a “soft reentry,” focusing on safety, community building, and relearning how to be in shared spaces, including considerations for justice and the integrity of OWL.

HIV/AIDS-What We Can Learn from the Framework for Dialogue: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join UCC and UUA national staff in a conversation about the importance of faith voices in the fight against HIV stigma.

Consensual Non-Monogamy and Faith: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join us to explore what UCC churches and UU congregations can learn from a Canadian Unitarian Council report on how to be welcoming and inclusive of polyamorous people and families in every aspect of congregational life, recognizing that consensually non-monogamous individuals and families are part of our faith communities as members, friends, clergy, and staff.

Trauma-Informed Sexuality Education: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

In recognition of April as Sexual Trauma Awareness Month, our April webinar will provide recommendations for how to be a trauma-informed sexuality educator. Join us for this important topic.

June 9, 2022

Five Tips For Selecting Fantastic OWL Facilitators: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join Dr. Melanie Davis, UUA OWL Program Manager, and Rev. Kelly Burd, UCC OWL Trainer and local pastor, for tips about how to choose great OWL facilitators.

What qualities should you be looking for? Who is the best fit for your congregation or organization? Join us to find out!

Parents and Caregivers As Sexuality Educators: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Our webinar featured Robin Slaw, credentialed religious educator and author of “Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators, Small Group Ministry.” This 10-sesson program helps adults explore their roles as the most important sexuality educators their children will have. Robin gave an overview of the program and shared tips for using it online.

The current version has a Unitarian Universalist perspective, and a United Church of Christ adaptation is progress. The program can be adapted for other faith traditions and secular settings. This is a wonderful learning opportunity to all who support adults caring for children.

New Ideas about Intimacy During a Pandemic: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

An engaging conversation with James Wadley, PhD about how to initiate conversations with teens and young adults who court, maintain, and sever relationships using social media (e.g., Tiktok, IG, Snapchat, and Whatsapp). How can you encourage and support healthy relationships based on the OWL values of Self-Worth, Responsibility, Sexual Health, and Justice & Inclusivity?

To End Gender-Based Violence: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

This is the next webinar in our series that helps you connect with Our Whole Lives (OWL) facilitators as well as learn how you can continue to engage the values of the OWL curriculum until it is safe to meet once again.

K-1 Revisions & What To Do While We Wait: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Joining us this time will be Marshall Miller and Dorian Solot, authors of the upcoming OWL K-1 revisions. Get a behind the scenes view of what’s been updated, and practical tips on how to support young children in learning about sexuality, gender, and families, at a time when in-person gatherings are remaining restricted.

Racial Justice: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

How do the OWL values and curriculum intersect with anti-racism?

Join our Taking Flight roundtable when a panel of UCC, UUA, and Community OWL trainers of color discusses how OWL facilitators and trainers can create more intentionally anti-racist learning environments.

Gender and Related Language: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join OWL Trainers Cindy Lee Alves and Anil Oommen for a discussion of gender and related language. This learning opportunity is for anyone facilitating OWL, coordinating programs, and/or seeking to build knowledge!

June 2, 2022

Restarting Your OWL Program: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Unique challenges and opportunities arise with the restarting an interrupted Our Whole Lives program. Please join us for a sharing of questions, concerns, ideas and recommendations! Designed for OWL facilitators and program coordinators in all settings, religious and secular.

Resisting Apartheid: Promoting Justice and Planting Olive Trees

In 2021 and 2022, major human rights organizations such as B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have documented and named Israeli practices and policies as Apartheid.

Palestinians, including some Disciples and UCC partners such as the Joint Advocacy Initiative of the Palestinian YMCA and YWCA, have been speaking in these terms, for much longer.

As more and more institutions and people are identifying Israeli practices and policies as apartheid, what does it look like on the ground, and why is it important for the global church community to speak about the legal and ethical aspects in these terms?

Mr. Nidal Abu Zuluf, Director of the Joint Advocacy Initiative, will share about how Israeli policies are consistent with the international legal definition of the crime of apartheid, the ways that Palestinians are affected on a daily basis, and how you can support creative Palestinian non-violent resistance to those policies.

World Refugee Day Ecumenical Worship Service

June 20 is World Refugee Day.

UCC Refugee and Migration Ministries, in collaboration with the Presbyterian Church USA, the Mennonite Central Committee, and the Disciples of Christ, will host a live, ecumenical online worship service on June 1, 2:00 PM Eastern.

We’ll make the recording and related resources available to local congregations to share on June 20 or another day of their choice.

This service will include litanies, prayers, and reflections on global mass migration and bring us together to inspire in us a faithful and loving response.

Make Visible II: Queer Singers Unite!

In a world with increasing vulnerabilities and an onslaught of public messaging and policy-making against trans and queer youth, womxn, and people who love and support them, celebration and affirmation will continue to be one line of resistance.

Join Minneapolis-based artist Rachel Kurtz as she shares her new single “Gay Kids,” and Tucson-based artist Tracy Howe with their new single “I Am Becoming.”

The two will talk about touring churches, celebrating journeys, and being queer womxn artists. This will be a delightful Thursday for the Soul!

May 27, 2022

Celebrating Pacific Islander & Asian American History Month

May is Pacific Islander & Asian American History Month!

The United Church of Christ is privileged to be affiliated with PAAM (Pacific Islander & Asian American Ministries).

In the last few years, harassment and violence towards the AAPI communities have increased, especially during the covid pandemic.

Join us to engage in candid conversations with PAAM leaders about the history, celebrations, and challenges facing UCC PAAM congregations and communities.

Love Your Neighbors- Get Them Internet

Fill your souls by helping others: bring the UCC’s leadership in tech and media justice home to your community.

Today, if you don’t have the internet, it’s almost impossible to get a job, health care, housing, food, education, worship, or even see your grandkids.

The advocacy of the United Church of Christ’s 60-year-old Media Justice Ministry helped create a new federal program that offers low-income families up to $30/month off their internet bill–or up to $75 in tribal areas.

Join us to learn about easy, concrete ways to ensure your neighbors are not left behind and left out.

Resurrecting Hope: Embracing Harm Reduction and the Leadership of People Who Use Drugs

Join Rev. Traci Blackmon, Rev. Erica Poellot, and Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries for a service of celebration of justice-seeking harm reduction love.

People who use drugs are beloved by God, called into ministry, and are resurrecting hope and new life with communities impacted by substance use and overdose.

Mental Health and Wellness: Worship Resources for All

The sacred stories of our faith traditions offer us hope and encouragement for everyday life. When it comes to mental health and wellbeing, we invite you to celebrate the power of faith to positively influence the mental health of our communities.

May is Mental Health Month and we invite you to include in your worship services these mental health and wellness resources because in doing so, you are providing critical spiritual care for the flourishing of God’s people.

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday we commemorate the day on which Jesus Christ shared a meal, prayed, and was taken to trial before he was crucified. Members of the National Staff lead worship, offering prayers and inviting Holy Communion from wherever we are. Please ready supplies to participate in Communion as you are comfortable.

Repairing the Breach: Climate Justice, Land, Debt and Reparations

In preparation for Earth Day, come learn the link between climate Justice, land, debt, and reparations.

We will examine the challenges faced by our global partners AND the innovative ways they are tackling them.

April 13, 2022

Celebrating 100 Years with Back Bay Mission

Join the executive director of the UCC’s historic Back Bay Mission for a celebration of 100 years of service “making good trouble” in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Back Bay is known for hosting up to 800 volunteers a year to repair homes, serve the unsheltered, and create positive systemic change in a highly diverse coastal city.

Back Bay is the only UCC imprint in the state of Mississippi, and holds a distinction as the #1 destination for UCC “Partners in Service” volunteers.

Come to learn, celebrate, and participate as Rev. Elena Larssen, UCC Minister for Volunteer Engagement, interviews Ms. Sara Smith, ‘Home at Last’ Case Manager to unsheltered people, and Rev. James Pennington, Executive Director, about the history and future of this beloved humanitarian and activist institution as it enters its second decade of ministry.

Volunteer Ministries Celebrates National Volunteer Month

Volunteer Ministries Celebrates National Volunteer Month: Stories, Tips, and Ideas to Honor and Inspire the Volunteers in Your Church

Churches run on volunteer power…but current conditions make volunteering harder.

-What can the UCC spaces do to support the essential role of volunteers?

-What do volunteers do in the wider church?

This event is for people who are interested in volunteer service and people who work with volunteers.

– Hear stories from full-time deployed Partners In Service about the meaning of volunteer service in their faith and lives.

– Learn ways to lead and encourage a volunteer community from the Milwaukee General Synod Volunteer Coordinator.

– Get some ideas for celebrating the volunteers in your congregation before the program year concludes.

With Rev. Elena Larssen (Minister for Volunteer Engagement) this event is a chance to learn about the historic Volunteer Ministries of the UCC and reflect on volunteer opportunities that may be calling you to service, while picking up some inspiration for volunteerism in your congregation.

The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christians in an Age of Empire

Christians in the Middle East are the proud descendants of the first followers of Jesus, continuing in the traditions of Christian churches, some of which date back to the early centuries of Christianity. Despite their status as numerical minorities, and living through a variety of difficult circumstances, they persist in their presence and offer a vibrant witness to their faith. Discussion about them has become highly politicized, to their detriment.

The Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is the founder and President of the Diyar Consortium, which includes Dar al-Kalima University, partners of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ through Global Ministries. Rev. Raheb is a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and thinker from Bethlehem, preeminent contextual theologian, and author of more than forty books, including The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christians in an Age of Empire.”

Join us to hear Rev. Raheb speak about his newest book, which addresses the situation of Christians in the Middle East, and discuss it with him. He will present a less-familiar narrative about Christians in the Middle East, challenging us to reconsider how we think about our siblings in faith. Rev. Raheb’s book is available through Baylor University Press (https://bit.ly/3tLsYZY), and we strongly encourage you to find a copy and read it before the webinar so you can engage with Rev. Raheb in the discussion.

Global HOPE Blue Christmas Worship

Join us for a virtual worship service with Team Global HOPE at UCC National Ministries for a Blue Christmas worship service. Blue Christmas services traditionally provide space for those who don’t feel so “merry and bright” during the holiday season.

This service seeks to recognize and stand in solidarity with the experiences of those aggrieved or displaced by disaster or forced migration in 2021. We remember that we are called to stand in solidarity with the captive and the oppressed, and work together with God’s guidance to create a just world for all. UCC clergy and choirs engaged in humanitarian ministries across the denomination will be providing reflective liturgy, music, and preaching during this event.

We will be celebrating communion together virtually so please have something to eat and drink ready. It can be whatever you have on hand, not necessarily bread and juice. This event will be recorded for later availability or use in local Blue Christmas events.

Make Visible – Highlighting Trans Leaders in the UCC

Join Thursdays for the Soul in showcasing ministry and leadership- amplifying Trans preachers in the United Church of Christ.

Transgender people are beloved of God, called into ministry, and changing the world for the better every single day.

Worship with us!

Featuring:

Rev. Louis Mitchell

Pastor Rene Slataper

Rev. Jamie Lee Sprague-Ballou

and the music of Rev. Tracy Howe

April 12, 2022

A Conversation with Calvin Synod UCC

The Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ is the only non-geographical and ethnic identified conference in the denomination.

Come and join Rev. Roberto Ochoa, UCC Associate for Congregations of Color and Ethnic Identified Congregations meet with Rev. Viktor Toth (General Secretary of the Calvin Synod) and Elder James Ballas (member of United Church of Christ, Bridgeport, CT, and an Honorary Presbyter of Calvin Synod).

They will discuss the rich heritage and history of the Hungarian (Magyar) people, the Evangelical Reform movement in Hungary and the U.S., the Magyar Synod’s role in the formation of the UCC, and the outlook for UCC’s ethnic identified Hungarian congregations in the United Church of Christ.

This will prove to be an illuminating and enriching hour for anyone interested in the ethnic and congregations of Color that make up the UCC and the Wider Church.

Preparing for Youth & Young Adult Summers

Looking toward the summer is always an exciting time as we plan mission trips, camps and other faith-filled activities.

Join members of the UCC national staff and faith partners to learn about some of the exciting opportunities that are available for the Summer 2021 season for youth and young adults.

It’s never too early to start planning!

Contemplatives in Action – Mindfulness in the UCC

Pause, breathe, and come learn about how the UCC is joining the mindfulness movement.

Following the Contemplatives in Action Resolution (passed at the 2021 General Synod), a working group of clergy, students, and lay leaders have been meeting regularly to pray and meditate on how to incorporate more contemplative practices into our UCC communities.

The Christian tradition is rich with stories from those with direct experience of the Holy Spirit, but many find the more esoteric side of spirituality to be intimidating or inaccessible.

We are here to tell you, there is so much more to meditation than silence. Join us, and expand your mind.

Midwifing Grief

Rev. Jamie F. Eaddy is a Pastoral Theologian, Spiritual Care Practitioner, Loss Navigation Specialist™, and Death Midwife.

After two years of ongoing collective trauma and change, Rev. Eaddy will offer key strategies for individuals and communities in moving forward with grace and care for each other.

She requested to discuss communal grief and steps useful in navigating grief for both clergy and laity.

UCC Rural Voices of Worship and Praise

Rural identified congregations of the United Church of Christ provide a vital role for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of their communities, often with innovative ways of limited resources.

Join us for an hour of inspiring worship and praise by rural identified congregational leaders and pastors as they celebrate UCC ministries in rural areas.

Confronting Bias in Search and Call

Our churches want to do better in addressing implicit (and explicit!) bias in their search and call practices, but they often don’t know where to start.

OR, they’ve made a good start, but now they want to take the next steps.

OR, they struggle to retain staff leadership when micro-aggressions threaten the well-being of their ministers.

Join members of the MESA team and staff and members of First Congregational UCC in Washington, DC as they share wisdom and experiences in moving towards anti-racist and other anti-bias practices in search and call.

Becoming Abolitionists

What is abolition, and why should we care as Christians? Derecka Purnell, ESQ, will offer her expertise in conversation with Rev. Traci Blackmon.

Derecka is a Harvard Graduate and scholar-in-residence at Columbia Law School. Recently published author of the book, “Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom,” Derecka works to end police and prison violence by providing legal assistance, research, and training in community-based organizations through an abolitionist framework.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The United Church of Christ is a denomination that seeks to live out Christ’s call to create a just world for all. While the mission remains, the ways in which we do ministry adapt over time.

What will that look like in 2022 and into the future? How does the UCC continue to extend God’s love to all people, working alongside the beloved community to create the world God imagines for us?

Join the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the UCC, and the Rev. Traci D. Blackmon, Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries, for a conversation about this denomination on the move. We’re excited to see what God has in store for us!

United Black Christians Celebration of Black History Month

Members of the United Black Christians of the United Church of Christ invite you to an hour of praise and worship in commemoration for Afro-Descendant/Black History Month.

Join for a time of prayer, song, and celebration!

Vibrant Re-Entry And Voter’s Rights Desmond Meade

Please join Rev. Traci Blackmon and Desmond Meade, a formerly incarcerated civil rights activist and recent McArthur Genius Grant Awardee, as they discuss the church’s role in welcoming returning citizens.

Desmond Meade’s work centers on restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated citizens and removing barriers to their reentry in every aspect of vibrant life.

His voice was a key component of the restoration of voting rights to thousands of Floridians.

Let Us Worship As One Body

Join us as we welcome Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay as the Minister for Worship and Theology for the National Setting of the United Church of Christ.

Rev. Cheryl is no stranger to the UCC. She pastors a local congregation in Wellington, Ohio, and in 2020 and 2021, she served as a writer of Sermon Seeds (one of the most utilized resources of our denomination). Join us as she lets us in on what to expect in 2022!

Queerness & Disability: Showing Up As Our Full Selves

To many members of both the LGBTQ+ and disability communities, the intersection between Queerness and Disability may not be obvious.

But for people who identify as both queer and disabled, this particular intersectional identity can strongly inform their understandings of self, others, and God.

Join queer, disabled members of the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board as they discuss invisible identities, self-discovery, and living outside the box.

Grace Emerged Visible

Come and worship with members of the national setting as we observe Epiphany and explore “the responsibility to distribute God’s grace.” (Ephesians 3:2a CEB)

A Latine Caribbean Celebration in Words of Praise!

Join us as the United Church of Christ continues to celebrate Latine/Hispanic History Month with the celebration of UCC Leaders of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban descent share their stories of faith, hope, and love

Receive Your Wisdom: A Gift from the Divine Within

Using a loosely guided meditation practice, you will have the opportunity to connect with the Holy Within.

Discern the lessons, yearning, direction your Soul has to offer you for this time in your life’s journey.

Bring a notebook, if you’d like, to further explore your vision gift.

April 11, 2022

Midterm Elections Ahead: The Fight for Voting Rights

In states across the country, efforts are underway to significantly erode voting rights. Join us to learn more about these threats, and what steps are being taken at the federal level to address them.

You’ll leave with a better understanding of the state of democracy in the U.S. and, more importantly, some concrete actions you can take to protect your and your neighbor’s vote.

Colectivo Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Celebration

The vision of our Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries with one another and in the world is grounded in God’s vision embodied in Jesus Christ and the Good News of his message and actions.

An extravagant welcome to ALL at the table of God, the acknowledgment and value of the diversity of people and their gifts, and the promise of life in abundance, freedom, and wholeness in all creation.

Join the Colectivo as they usher in 2021’s Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month in prose, praise, and music.

UCC Justice and Local Church Ministry Grants – 101

Justice and Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ has decided to take a bold step in creating a common application that streamlines our granting process.

The hope and goal is to ensure granting is made easier for congregations in the United Church of Christ as we honor the intentions for funding for seven funding areas.

Come and learn about the new application process, application deadlines, and types of congregational grants available from JLCM grants for 2021-2022 cycle.

Coming Home

Join members of the national setting of the United Church of Christ as we begin the third season of Thursdays for the Soul in worship. We remember… We renew… We rejoice…in coming home

Meet Our Racial Equity Auditors

The United Church of Christ affirms God’s call to be an anti-racist church. Now what? How do we begin to live out this Synod mandate? How might our conferences and churches collaborate? Why do we need an audit?

If these questions are on your mind, join UCCB Board Chair, Yvette Wynn; Associate General Minister, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Conference Minister Chair, Rev. Gordon Rankin, and CULTURE BROKERS, our chosen racial equity audit partners for a panel discussion as we continue the journey toward anti-racism.

Looking Back; Looking Forward

Join Rev. Traci Blackmon and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies from the Tuesdays for Nurture and Thursdays for the Soul webinar series for a conversation on where we’ve been—and where we hope to go.

Polity Primer 101: How is Our Polity Lived Out at General Synod?

The United Church of Christ has a way of governing itself (“polity”) that’s different than many other denominations. Bound together by covenant and freely entered into through congregational autonomy, the UCC gathers in many different expressions to be the church.

Every two years, the United Church of Christ comes together for worship and business, taking time to speak to the church about matters of faith and conscience.

Come listen to some UCC History, Theology, and Polity teachers talk about the gifts and challenges of our structure, how our theological values show up at General Synod, with attention to proposed resolutions for this year’s General Synod.

Sharing Leadership in UCC Community

Some mistakenly believe that United Church of Christ faith communities resist leadership by design. The truth is that UCC polity calls on communities to share leadership, voluntarily and covenantally. Sharing leadership is so countercultural, it’s easy to misunderstand.

Join Dean Sarah B. Drummond of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School and Rev. Dr. Chris S. Davies for an energizing and timely conversation about Drummond’s new book from the Pilgrim Press, Sharing Leadership: A United Church of Christ Way of Being In-Community.

Davies and Drummond will reflect on questions like, “How can faith communities share leadership well?” and, “How can the UCC help its members to carry the life-giving practices of sharing leadership into their families, communities, and workplaces?”

United Black Christians (UBC) Celebrates Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, a U.S. federal proclamation was read notifying people of African Descent were all free and that slavery was abolished. This date has since been commemorated as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and/or Emancipation Day. The earliest Juneteenth celebration recorded was in 1867.

On Thursday, June 17, come and celebrate with UCC’s United Black Christians (UBC). Celebrate the historic significance of Juneteenth to our UCC congregations, especially our African-descendent churches.

Rural Congregations of the South/Southwest

In a continuing series regarding the state of rural congregations and ministries in the United Church of Christ today: Join Conference and Local congregational leaders as they speak into the opportunities, challenges, and realities of doing church in rural and small towns in the Southern and Southwestern parts of the U.S.

April 8, 2022

Pulse: Five Years After, A Remembrance

This service will honor the lives of those lost on June 12, 2016, at the Pulse Club in Orlando, Florida. This hate crime took the life of 49 people at LGBTQ Club on Latin night.

We will remember with music, prayer, and rituals. The service will be in Spanish.

Synod Storytelling

As we gather in for the first-ever Special Edition Digital General Synod, we know that there are so many who will hold an ache for the kind of things that happen in person.

General Synod in the past has been:

-A gathering of our church to do the work of the denomination and pass resolutions

-A family reunion of sorts

-A place where people are activated for Justice and Jesus

-A place where connections happen and sparks of innovation come forward

-And so much more.

While we’ll still have resolutions, worship, and digital programming for Synod 2021, it will certainly be different this year! Before we gather in July, come hear stories of Synods past and the incredible community, work, and connections that have occurred, because WE are the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.

Mind the Gap: Worker Justice, Wage, Medicaid, and the Right to Organize

In part two of this four-part series, we will address the need for worker justice. Over the next few months, we will explore Motherhood, Working and Wage Justice, Debt, and Health Equity.

Join us as we look at the gaps for workers and their families that make it difficult to survive and thrive. We will examine wage, labor organizing, Medicaid Expansion, and how to hold corporations accountable for how they treat workers both in the US and abroad.

Creating Rituals for our Virtual Synod Worship

In this session, we will continue to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and communities for General Synod Worship. We will look at how ritual is woven into General Synod Worship and what to expect.

Participants will gain insight and understanding into the theological foundations and artistry that went into the rituals included in the worship services, and how we hope people will participate from home.

We’ll also share ideas as to how to incorporate these things into continuing virtual worship and hybrid worship. Suggested rituals for getting rooted, resilience and renewal, and resurrection will be shared!

Led by Rev. Tracy Howe, Worship Director for General Synod, and Rev. Nancy Rosas, pastor at Pilgrim St. Lukes in Buffalo, NY and part of the Synod Worship Planning Team.

Sexuality & The Black Church

Ministers for Racial, Social, and Economic Justice (MRSEJ) is launching a curriculum intended to address the historical challenges faced around fully embracing all expressions of Black sexuality.

While such challenges are not unique in any expression of the church regardless of racial/ethnic identity, ongoing challenges to the recognition of the broad spectrum of gender identities and sexuality are at the heart of many theological, spiritual, psychological, and practical struggles Black congregations face.

Join us for this panel discussion with the thought leaders behind this curriculum and learn more about its origin, intent, and ways you might engage.

The State of Seminary Education

After a year of dramatically increased digital engagement, new ministries and new leadership are emerging everywhere!

How has the increased, open access to theology shifted the landscape of credentialed theological education? What new models help ground spiritual communities theologically, and how are our seminaries preparing current and future leaders of the Church?

Join the presidents of the UCC-affiliated seminaries for a robust conversation moderated by Rev. Elizabeth Dilley, Minister and Team Leader of the Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization (MESA) ministry team in the national setting.

Disabilities, Mental Health, and Racial Justice

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Join international disabilities scholar Rev. Dr. John Swinton and UCC’s Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund for a theological and practical conversation about God’s calling for us to create communities of radical belonging and liberating love.

We will explore the intersections of disability justice, mental health justice, and racial justice. We will share suggestions for how faith communities can live out this call for radical belonging, liberating love, and justice.

TikTok Ministry: Faith in the World

TikTok Pastors Rev. Timoth Sylvia and Rev. Sarah TevisTownes lead congregations and have literally millions of engagements online.

Join the United Church of Christ for a conversation about TikTok, how ministry is happening creatively, and a celebration of the ways our Faith moves outside of the buildings and traditional expectations upon it.

Wisdom for the Church: Antoinette Brown Awardees Speak

In 1853, Antoinette Brown was the first woman ordained into the Christian ministry in modern times. Throughout her lifetime, she was a passionate advocate for women’s leadership in church and society.

Since 1975, the UCC at General Synod has recognized clergywomen with the Antoinette Brown Award, celebrating their trailblazing leadership and innovative, catalyzing ministries. Due to the pandemic, our biennial leadership event was canceled for 2020, this session will allow us to provide the recognition we were unable to provide earlier.

Join the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Ministry Team and the 2019 Antoinette Brown Awardees – Rev. Liddy Barlow, Rev. Dr. Marti Baumer, Rev. Eileen Norrington, and Rev. Dr. Valerie Bridgeman of WomanPreach!, Inc. for a celebration of Antoinette Brown’s birthday and the trailblazing ministries of these extraordinary women.

Moderated by Revs. Sheila Guillaume and Courtney Stange-Tregear

Purple Church

The United Church of Christ contains people with a wide spectrum of theological beliefs and political alignment. People who choose to be in a church that holds differences of opinion often do so with a few different strategies of love and conflict management.

In this conversation, we will hear from leaders of Purple Churches, or churches that have members across the theological/social/political lines, about how they show up authentically with each other in the midst of difference.

A Celebration for Mothers through Filipino Culture

Honoring ancestors is an important aspect of Filipino culture. The United Church of Christ is blessed to have Filipino-identified congregations within the denomination, and many are active members of the Pacific Island and Asian American Ministries (PAAM) of the UCC.

Join Faith Community Congregation of Oakland, CA, as they lead us into a very special Filipino-style worship of family participation, prayers, and music honoring Mothers and Matriarchs.

A Mother’s Day Event for UCC congregations and the Wider Church. Come learn more about our Filipino siblings in the UCC as they share their spiritual joy in Christ for all.

Where Do We Go From Here: COVID-19 in 2021

Please join Rev. Traci Blackmon and Nicolette A. Louissaint, Ph.D., executive director and president of Healthcare Ready: a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on strengthening the United States’ healthcare supply chain preparedness and response before, during, and after natural disasters and disease pandemics.

Dr. Louissaint will share with us the current state of the virus and vaccinations nationally, as well as considerations community for re-engagement and long-term recovery post-vaccination.

Sisterhood: The Work Our Soul Requires

Our togetherness is rooted in the spirit of Ubuntu – I am because you are, and because you are, I can be also.

Join African American Women in Ministry (AAWIM) for a candid conversation with an intergenerational panel of women from our select Sister Circles. In the spirit of Ubuntu, these sisters will share from a personal lens the essentiality of sisterhood in these unprecedented times.

We are hopeful all will be enriched by this conversation and equipped with resources to continue on this sacred journey during this season of recovery.

Mind the Gap: Motherhood

In this four-part series, we will address the need for economic justice. Over the next four months, we will explore Motherhood, Working and Wage Justice, Debt, and Health Equity.

Join us for part one on the topic of Motherhood with Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., co-lead sponsor of the Momnibus bill in the US House of Representatives and member of House Financial Services and Education and Labor Committees.

The conversation will continue with ways that you and your congregation can participate in advocating for paid family leave for all workers beyond the pandemic and the global movement for equity and justice for women and girls. Let’s spend our time honoring mothers by advocating for them effectively!

March 9, 2022

Gonna Trouble the Water: A Live Reading and Book Discussion

To deny water is to deny life.

Join author Miguel A. De La Torre and contributors to Gonna Trouble the Water as they discuss the sacred nature of water and the ways it is weaponized against non-white communities. Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism de-centers “water as commodity” and centers the dignity of water and its life-giving character.

Gonna Trouble the Water is available at thepilgrimpress.com and wherever your favorite e-books are sold.

March 8, 2022

The State of Global Refugees, Migrants and Asylum

The world currently has a crisis as people are on the move for a variety of reasons. Learning about the push and pull of migration, increases the ability to be advocates for changes and policies, with the changes in administration.

Join this conversation for an update on the ways in which communities of faith are involved in addressing the issues facing refugees, migrants and asylum seekers and the ways in which churches are resettling these families and individuals.

Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 2

In part II, of Getting Ready, Getting Rooted – Thursdays For the Soul, General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others will look at formation and how the spiritual journey and sub-themes of the General Synod worship services were developed. Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!

Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 1

Join General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others who are helping to develop the spiritual foundations as well as the worship, music, and arts programming for this historic virtual gathering.

In this two-part series, Tuesday for Nurture will explore the practical considerations in developing this massive project, many of which translate to the local church as well.

What does it mean to create trauma-informed liturgy? What is does disability justice look like in the virtual environment? How does the expectation of General Synod worship pasts inform what we are creating?

Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!

Let’s Talk About Abortion

Abortion access is an issue of faith! The United Church of Christ has had a strong history of supporting access to safe and healthy abortion since before Roe V. Wade. UCC Clergy have been advocating for the women and people who need abortions for decades!

Join for a conversation with Elaina Ramsey, Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Sandy Sorenson, United Church of Christ DC Team Leader, and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, advocate for abortion access in Ohio.

The State of Black Bodies in the US

Dean Kelly Brown Douglas is Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Theology at Union. She also serves as the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral and Theologian in Residence at Trinity Church Wall Street.

Her groundbreaking and widely taught book Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective (1999) was the first to address the issue of homophobia within the black church community. Her latest book, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God (2015), examines the challenges of a “Stand Your Ground” culture for the black church. The publication of her next book, “Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter,” is forthcoming.

Join us as Dean Douglas invited us to consider the current state of Black liberation in this country and how we must contend with the myth of Anglo-Saxon Exceptionalism.

Maundy Thursday

On Maundy Thursday we commemorate the day on which Jesus Christ shared a meal, prayed, and was taken to trial before he was crucified. This year pastors from across the denomination read the scripture through a new lens.

Stories Rooted in Love that Dismantle Stigma

Stigma perpetuates the harm that people experience in their communities and in their world. The Gospel calls us to be communities of love and healing. Join the UCC’s Health and Wholeness Advocacy Team for stories and actions rooted in love that help to dismantle stigma.

The History of Afro-Christian Churches in the UCC

In 1957, when the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational and Christian Churches formed the United Church of Christ, there was a fifth stream that fed into our formation, the Afro-Christian Church.

While it maintained a Christian identity, it was an independent and separate organizational structure comprised of the Afro Christian Convention, five conferences, 150 churches, 25,000 members, 185 ordained ministers, and licentiates.

Join us as we hear of this rich legacy from Dr. Yvonne Delk, a daughter of the Afro-Christian tradition and spiritual leader in our midst.

Building Supportive Networks in Faith Formation

In April 2020, the Wisconsin Conference UCC began offering a weekly drop-in support Zoom for faith formation leaders, both lay and clergy, to provide a safe space for faith formation leaders to talk about how they were navigating the extraordinary and sudden changes to how they engaged in this ministry.

Within a short time, the group expanded to include faith formation leaders from other conferences and other denominations. This has become a community that not only shares ideas and resources but also shares its challenges and frustrations as well as celebrates its joys and successes.

Celtic Worship

In this ongoing season of Lent and as we gather ourselves in for all to follow; pour yerself a cup of tea, wouldja, and join in on the day after St. Patrick’s for some traditional Celtic music by Laureano Sanchez and worship led by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, Rev. Brendan Curran, and Chaplain Lynn Cooper.

Doctrine of Discovery Hawaii

In their own voices, Hawaii will discuss the destructiveness of the Doctrine of Discovery past and present on their people and how it differs from the experiences of present-day Americas.

A Lenten Hour of Prayers and Reflections

Join us as UCC pastoral leaders offer up Lenten prayers and reflections from their ethnic roots and perspectives. A spiritual journey for all of God’s children.

Beyond the Children’s Moment: Children’s Ministry Today

Come for a conversation about children’s ministry in 2021. How are we seeing people connect to the children in their congregations and beyond? How do we practice faith formation in creative ways with our children in the midst of a pandemic? Join the Association of Christian Educators chair, Julie Yarborough, and Faith INFO Team Lead, Chris Davies, with esteemed panelists across the UCC discussing how they engage children in the life of the church.

State of Women

As we begin Women’s History Month, we are joined by leadership from the World YWCA and the Cleveland YWCA to discuss the state of women globally. Women continue to live at the margins across the world often unemployed, underemployed, and fighting for human rights and dignity.

We will discuss some of the issues facing women and children, including sexual and gender-based violence, digitalization, and the impact of COVID on young people. These are three critical issues (of many) that we are feeling especially and globally relevant since the pandemic.

State of Creation

What is necessary to halt the deleterious effects of climate change in the 21st century? Join Rev. Brooks Berndt, Minister for Environmental Justice, UCC, and Jim Antal, author, public theologian, Special Advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.

Rev. Antal will address:

• The current state of climate change

• The impact of the roll-back of over 100 EPA regulations and disengagement from the Climate Accord; needed reforms

• The role and responsibility of people of faith • Actions we can engage both as individuals and as communities in 2021

Join us in a formal address from Rev. Antal as well as some dialogue moderated by Rev. Brooks Berndt about what we can do together to ensure God’s creation thrives in 2021 and beyond.

Recovering Spiritual Practices of Enslaved Africans

Join Dr. Monica Coleman and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson for a conversation about African spiritual practices and the church. The spiritual practices of Africans were problematized in the enslavement and colonization of African people. Those brought into the Americas as enslaved people carried with them heritage, culture, and spiritual practices that were interrupted with the introduction of Christianity and the vilification of African traditions.

Is the “table” wide enough to make room for the ways in which African spiritualities are accompanying African descendant people on their spiritual journeys? How can we honor people and traditions shrouded by the imposition of racism and Afrophobia?

Church-Based Reparations

There is a growing call among many US religious groups to explore financial reparations as part of amends through financial investments and long-term programs benefiting African Americans.

We will explore the theological grounding for reparations and will share learnings, mistakes, suggestions for the next steps and practices for engaging the work. Join us for an ecumenical panel discussion of representatives of various predominantly white congregations and entities who have engaged in reparations.

The State of the Poor

Who and what is hurting our poor and low-income siblings? Join Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, as he addresses the State of the Poor in America in 2021. Rev. Dr. Barber will address:

-The current state of poverty in the US

-The Poor Peoples’ Agenda: Needed reforms

-The role and responsibility of people of faith

and leave us with actions we can engage both as individuals and as communities, as well as some dialogue about what we can do together to ensure that we all have what we need to thrive in 2021 and beyond.

Equity and Equality in the Movement for Racial Justice

Racial justice continues to be a concern for African descendant communities globally. The onset of COVID-19 in early March has affected people across the globe but in the US people of color, particularly Black people, have been disparately affected resulting in heightened racial-ethnic disparities and inequities.

The movement for justice is complex and includes the call for equity and inclusion – issues that are essential to bringing changes in church and society.

Join Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Associate General Secretary for the National Council of Churches, Adele Halliday from The United Church of Canada, and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson as they discuss the role of the church in creating a just world for all.

Celebración Afro-Latine En Palabra y Oración

The Latina, Latino, y Latine identity is rich in cultural diversity. Join us as we celebrate and honor the Afro-Latine influences and experiences in word and prayer.

Incorporating Innovation into the Life of the Church

What’s a Theory of Change and why does it matter for local church ministry? If you’d like answers to these questions you didn’t ask, tune into this webinar to learn more about UCC’s new ministry initiative in collaboration with the United Church of Canada and the Disciples of Christ.

You’ll hear from a couple participants who have just gone through the most recent Theory of Change workshop as well as the project lead, the Rev. Phiwa Langeni, who is the Ambassador for Innovation and Engagement in the UCC’s Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data (CARDD).

The State of the Church

After decades of ecological disasters, years of political division and disruption, and now one year into the throes of a global pandemic, we invite two denominational leaders and theologians to reflect together on what is the role, condition, and emerging mission of the Church.

Spend an hour with Bishop W. Darin Moore, Bishop of the AME Zion Church, and the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.

March 7, 2022

The State of Rural Churches & Communities

In rural and small towns, the church is often a focal point for the spiritual and social well being of a community. During these times of health, economic, and social uncertainties facing the U.S., how are UCC congregations serving rural and small towns, and what are they doing to meet the needs of their communities?

In the United Church of Christ, rural and small congregations make up 60% of the denomination and are the backbone of the UCC.

Join Roberto Ochoa, UCC Program Associate for Congregations of Color/Ethnic Identified Congregations as he moderates a panel of Conference and pastoral leaders as they bring a voice to the celebrations, challenges, and the needs of leading UCC congregations in a rural/small-town setting.

Epiphany Music with Musician Lea Morris

Come for guiding stars and guiding music with Lea Morris, child of the universe, singer, songwriter, parent, teacher, and perpetual student… notably known through not only through her work with acclaimed songwriting, and now well known in the UCC through her performances on this webinar series and through the Christmas pageant! Join us as we journey through Epiphany and beyond.

When Your Church Goes Viral

Despite evidence and relevance of the literal definition of “viral,” what happens when your church metaphorically goes viral on the internet?! Join Rev. Adam Ericksen, Pastor of Clackamas UCC, and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies and join the conversation about faith in the technological sphere, the memes of Jesus, and pastoring folks in our own relative age group.

March 3, 2022

The State of the Children

HOW ARE THE CHILDREN? Join Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of the Children’s Defense Fund, as he addresses the state of our children in America, in 2021.

Dr. Wilson will identify the most pressing issues facing the children, and then note the policy shifts necessary for their care. He will share the measurables to follow as markers of progress. Join us in a formal address from Dr. Wilson as well as some dialogue about what we can do together to ensure that all children have what they need to thrive in 2021 and beyond.

Blessings for the Ongoing Work of Our Country

As we witness and watch what the season will bring for the United States of America in the transition of power, the United Church of Christ is adding blessing towards our future, aligned with faith. We will call on God to show up with all of God’s might in support of our shared future of liberation.

On this Thursday for the Soul, Local pastors and ministerial leaders will offer prayers of blessing, redemption, confession, and commission for the United States on this day, praying into a Just World for All. Join, listen along, and add your prayers along the rest! Together we can create the kind of world God imagines for us all.

Building Back Hope: A Service of Release & Renewal

Please join the United Church of Christ and The People’s Inauguration as we curate space for Release & Renewal at the intersection of Pain & Promise. At the close of Martin Luther King Day Celebrations and on the cusp of the 47th Inauguration, we will worship together bearing witness to this past year and pouring Hope into the future.

Witness 2020 in Worship: An Overview

Worship grounded and centered us every Thursday throughout 2020. Music and prayer, love and care, for each other, and for the world each week as we lifted our gratitude, asked for help and prayer, mourned and carried each other through. Join us in this 2020 look backward through worship and witness together in some of our (collective!) favorite moments.

What Shall We Say to These Things? Crafting a Social Gospel for the 21st Century

Join us for a 90-minute inter-generational conversation, between Ruby Sales: a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s, founder of the Spirit House Project, and one of fifty African Americans spotlighted in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History; and Brittany Packnett Cunningham: Ferguson Commissioner and activist, co-founder of Campaign Zero, NBC News and MSNBC contributor, and member of President Obama’s 21st Century Task Force, as we discuss the current role of faith and faith leaders in the midst of socio-political crisis. This conversation will be moderated by Rev. Traci Blackmon.

Watch the recording of “The People’s Inauguration.” https://thepeoplesinauguration.org/

February 25, 2022

National Call for Prayer and Vigil

We are witnessing events unfolding that call for a gathering of prayer. Join the officers and staff of the United Church of Christ in a National Call to Prayer where we will gather to pray for our nation and world. Bring a candle to light where you are.

Hindsight is 2020: An Overview

As we begin 2021, it’s important to look back at 2020 and the year that has formed us in so many ways. In this session, we will lift specific clips from the 75+ recorded resources throughout 2020 available for your congregation to use. From changing the world, to growing ourselves, and growing our congregations towards Justice, all Tuesday programs include clear suggestions for you and your congregation. Join us as we remember some highlights of popular 2020 Tuesdays for Nurture Webinars!

A Special Premiere of “A Very UCC Christmas: 2020”

The year is 2020. There is a global health pandemic, there is a pandemic of racism and spreading awareness of the impacts within our systems, and there is more isolation, despair, and hopelessness than in recent collective memory. Many churches have not met in person for months, and many are trying to find safe ways to gather in alignment with their contexts, recommendations from public health experts, and the mental health of their people.

Christmas is approaching, and everything seems to be going wrong. Journey with First Reformed Congregational UCC (read: Any UCC Church) in their struggle to find the baby Jesus and find hope.

February 16, 2022

Lessons and Carols

Join us for a short Lessons and Carols Service presented by the National Staff of the United Church of Christ. Hear the scripture and see the story!

Hymn Sing!

Join us as we gather together to listen to the music of advent and Christmas, sing along, and close the year off together! You are welcome to dress up and “show off” your Christmas spirit throughout the program. We are looking forward to being together digitally once again this year.

Blue Christmas Service

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year—or is it? For many, it echoes old griefs and illuminates the new. When so many things have changed this year, we’ve lost people important to us, and so many hold their hardest parts in isolation, This Christmas will be so difficult for so many people.

Blue Christmas is a service that holds the tension of the grief and difficulty of the season for many, in tension and awareness of the societal messages that Christmas is a season of ONLY JOY—at the expense of all other feelings and circumstances.

Jesus’ mother Mary will be our guide for this journey as she reminds us of God’s presence in the midst of our suffering. Join us for a worship service “Mary’s Blue Christmas” hosted by the National Setting’s Thursday’s for the Soul in partnership with the Overdose and Drug Use Ministries as well as the UCC Mental Health Network.

Stepping into the Archives

The United Church of Christ has a complex history full of stories of people. We came together calling, Let Them All Be One! And we are seeking ways to unite ever since, even as we clarify our purpose in loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves; and our vision in uniting through Christ’s love towards a just world for all. Join Caroline Dunleavy, Executive Director of the Evangelical and Reformed Historical Society, and Ed Cade, Associate for Historical Preservation and Archivist, as we browse through our archives.

Liturgical Excavations: Exploring Treasures from the UCC Worship Ways Archives

As the National Setting is preparing to launch a newly redesigned and accessible UCC.org website, Faith INFO is working to “tag” Worship Ways prayers and other liturgical resources so you can easily search them!

The work is being done by two recent UCC seminary graduates and Faith INFO Team members.

They will share some of the treasures they have excavated from our liturgical riches.

Sharing with us will be:

-Jude Johnson, M.Div Pacific School of Religion, 2020; Chaplain, Residential VA Hospital, Loma Linda, CA

-Stephanie Dorsey, M.Div Lancaster Theological Seminary, 2020; Transitional Associate Minister at Mount Zion UCC in York, PA; authorized for ministry pending call

Assisted by: Susan Solverson Nicki Arnold-Swindle Beth Thompson

Christmas Songs and Stories: with Author Catherine Foote & Musician Bob Perkins

It’s Advent, and we’re heading back to Catherine Foote’s barn for a couple of Christmastime stories from Catherine’s book, “Shepherding the Seasons.” Catherine will be joined by musician Bob Perkins who will sing classic and original Christmas carols; you can even sing along with him at home! Shepherding the Seasons is available at thepilgrimpress.com and wherever your favorite ebooks are sold.

Prayers of the People with Andra Moran

Bring all you need, and let’s pray it out together. Lift it up alongside music and hymns in all the ways we can. We will pray and sing and pour out what is needed into the hands of the Great I AM.

With the musical gifts of Andra Moran and the prayers of Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, join us to gather our hearts and minds for the witness of the divine.

Andra Moran lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she works as a songwriter, singer, author, worship designer, and freelance touring musician in a variety of ecumenical settings. She also works part-time on the staff of Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville as the Creative Director and worship pastor. She has a four-year-old daughter named after the heirloom lilies that bloom in her garden.

United and Uniting Partners: A Conversation with Global Allies

Join us for insight from and discussion with two world Communion leaders: Michael Blair, General Secretary of the United Church of Canada, and Colleen Geyer, General Secretary for the Uniting Church of Australia. We will ask them about the impact of the US elections on their country, how their clergy and churches are adjusting to the global pandemic, what they are doing to fight racism – and so much more! Come and meet these two remarkable leaders and learn more about our relationships with our United and Uniting partners around the world.

New Church Starts: The Future of Our Church

“Churches that love their models more than their mission will die.” Carey Nieuwhof Some researchers are suggesting that it’s time for the 21st-century churches to shift their approach to ministry. What will the future church be like? While no one’s sure of what’s ahead, talking about it and exploring new approaches to ministry can position us for impact in a changing world. In this webinar, we will explore the future of the church through the lens of church planters inside the United Church of Christ. Come ask questions and hear some of the cutting-edge approaches to ministry that are being taken by our church planters.

A Post-Election Conversation with the UCC Washington Office

Join the UCC Washington office staff in post-election conversation: what have we learned, what are the challenges before us, legislatively and more generally to our common life, what are some of the key and urgent issues that will face the new Congress.

New Music for 2020 Advent and Beyond

In this webinar, songwriter, minister and activist Tracy Howe will share a debut live performance of The Restoration Project EP, “Rise Up,” a new collection of songs written for congregational singing. These songs are appropriate for Advent, as they are songs of waiting and expectation. They are also songs for this moment, expressing the hope and yearning of people of faith and justice in an extraordinary time. There will be a time of Q&A with Tracy and the project producer, Aaron Strumpel (also an accomplished singer-songwriter and former full-time touring member of The Restoration Project) and webinar registrants will receive a link to download a digital worship kit of the project, including the songs, lyric videos, sheet music, and licensing to use the work for worship and educational purposes!

Youth Ministry Today: Programmatic Suggestions

Local UCC youth ministers will share practical steps for you to engage your youth as we live through the current health pandemic, but also grapple with the uprise of racial injustice and intolerance of groups who have traditionally been deemed “other.”

Worshiping through Unprecedented Times

Considering the unprecedented times that we find ourselves in COVID-19, racial tension, the national election, and its impact on our churches, our nation, and our world, this webinar is focused on the importance of worship during troubling times. Exploring Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and their experience coping with the current times, we will look at the essential nature of worship and its anchoring abilities during troubling times.

All Saints Service

It has been a year of abundant grief. On top of the pain and loss we experience collectively in what we used to call “normal” times, this year has added 205,000 (and counting) Saints to the numbers of those who have gone before. This year has added trauma and pain and loss in ways that continue to hold our hearts captive. This year has called a reckoning of systems towards Justice, and the slow pains of growth and awareness and the impact of struggle on people trying to hold it together. And this year has called us to cling fast to faith with clarity and strength and prayer.

So in calling on our faith that all those who have gone before are in community with All Saints, you are invited to join us in honoring those who have passed, especially to COVID-19, for a service of All Saints with music, prayer, and lifting of names.

Inside RIP Medical Debt

Inside RIP Medical Debt: Experience the Story Understanding how RIP Medical Debt works and our partnership to eliminate medical debt from some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Join Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries and Rev. Kent Siladi, Director of Philanthropy, as they discuss this important initiative with Scott Patton, Director of Development for RIP, for this important conversation.

Prayers of the People

Members of the national staff are holding you and your congregations in prayer every day. Join this webinar to offer your own prayers and witness the prayers that are spoken aloud for the multiplicity of pains and gratitudes, grief and transformations. Hold space in your heart for the collective experience of shift we have all experienced, and offer your own prayers in the chat as we pray together.

Confronting Authoritarianism with Courageous and Compassionate Conversation

A conversation between Rev. Traci Blackmon and Brian McLaren about American Christianity, politics, faith and doubt. In a world where faith is often polluted with authoritarianism and nationalism, McLaren suggests that we need the courage to question the status quo and seek a more just and generous faith that holds space for difference in a polarized world.

Mental Health and Disabilities Panel

Leaders of the United Church of Christ Disabilities and Mental Health Justice Ministries joined for a critical conversation and to resources for the church as we think about people with mental health challenges and disabilities during a global pandemic.

Celebrating Bodies: Embodying Our Faith

We are called to worship God with the totality of our beings: with our bodies, our relationships and even our sexuality. Our bodies were created by God and proclaimed very good, and are to be celebrated at every age. Come worship with your body!

January 4, 2022

What is the Doctrine of Discovery?

In their own voices, First Nations Indigenous People will discuss the destructiveness of the Doctrine of Discovery on their peoples in what is presently known as the Americas and the Caribbean.

Ministries of the Rev. Dr. Hector E. Lopez Scholars of the UCC

An afternoon of theological and their ministerial reflections by the UCC recipients of the Hector E. Lopez Scholarship. The Hispanic/Latinx population has experienced enormous growth in the past few decades. Mainline Protestant denominations have been unable to effectively meet the pastoral challenge this growth represents.

The UCC, one of the most prophetic and socially progressive Christian denominations in the USA, took action to meet this challenge through its Council for Hispanic Ministries with the establishment of The Reverend Dr. Héctor E. López Scholarship for Latina & Latino UCC Seminarians.

This program was established as a 4-way covenant between the Council for Hispanic Ministries [(now known as the Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries)], Justice and Witness Ministries, Local Church Ministries, and Wider Church Ministries of the UCC.

Moderator, Roberto Ochoa, M.Div., Andover Newton Theological School, 2017. Roberto is the Program Associate for Congregations of Color and Ethnic Identified Congregations.

Rev. Andrea Cano, M.Div., Pacific School of Religion, 2010. Pacific School of Religion, MDiv conferred her Master in Divinity in 2011 which enabled her call as a board-certified Clinical and Palliative Care Chaplain. Rev. Cano was ordained in 2013 and since then has served both Legacy Health System and Providence Health and Services in Portland, Oregon.

Rev. Elivette Mendez Angulo, M.Div., Andover Newton Theological School, 2015. Rev. Elly was ordained in 2017. She is currently serving as an intentional Bi-Vocational Co-Pastor of Manantial de Gracia (“Spring of Grace”) in West Hartford, CT and Program Manager of Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc. in Whitakers, NC.

Minister Yinessa Romero, M.Div., Chicago Theological School, 2020. Since 2015, Yinessa serves as a licensed minister for the Latinx Congregation of Cathedral of Hope UCC. She also collaborates with the UCC group Encuentro de Gracia y Bienvenida.

With Special Guests Rev. Linda Jaramillo and Rev. Dr. Hector Lopez:

Rev. Linda Jaramillo is a member of Ainsworth United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. She cherishes engagement with interfaith, intercultural and multilingual communities grounded in the belief that we are each responsible for sharing wisdom and stories across generations.

Rev. Dr. Hector Lopez is retired as Conference Minister Central Pacific Conference, 1997-2005.

Shifting Focus: Youth Ministry in 2020 and Beyond

UCC pastors from a variety of settings discuss how this year in particular has greatly shifted the needs and expectations of those engaged in youth ministry. Join us to learn more and ask questions you have about the new needs and expectations of youth ministry.

Featuring:

Rev. Jill Olds

Rev. Trayce Potter

Leea Allen, Min. of Faith and Justice

Todd Atkins-Whitley, Pastor of Danville Church

World Communion Voices 2020

An afternoon of reflection for World Communion Sunday. Come prepared for Communion. Set a place with a fabric from a far-way part of the world which you know, love, pray for; Bread and cup filled with juice, water, wine.

Building Church Differently: A Conversation with CBLF

Join Rev. Dr. Patrick Duggan and Rev. Susan Mitchell in a conversation convened by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies about Building Church Differently, CB&LF’s new brand for webinars and consulting services in 2020, where creativity and innovation calls us into a different way of sharing Gospel.

UCC Church Building and Loan Fund (CBLF) has been a leader in mission and ministry, and their continued work to help congregations align their ministries with their communities is even more essential these days. Bring your questions, your curiosity, and your willingness to listen to the Spirit in Building Church Differently.

Deus Ex Musica: Deepening Spiritual Reflection and Community Through Music

Spiritual reflection in the context of a diverse, ecumenical community can teach us things about ourselves, the world, our faith, and our neighbors in a way that invites us closer. This is what Deus Ex Musica strives to do, building community across theological difference through reflection on sacred music. Join this panel of gifted musicians project leaders, based out of Boston, MA, to see them at work. Join in the reflection, consider what might work in your own context, and let your soul be nurtured.

Strengthening the Bonds Between Us

The UCC Musicians Association is a national organization of clergy, musicians and laity, inspiring, educating, and nurturing those who minister through music and the arts. Join board members as they offer ideas to strengthen the bonds between clergy and musicians, our congregations and the global community during this time of isolation. They will address the challenges of planning worship, learning new technology, and the vital need for collegial support and professional development to equip and sustain us.

The Sermons That Keep Preaching

It’s said that the sermons preachers preach fall into a few key themes, year after year. Join a panel of local pastors thinking through the sermons that keep coming back, year after year, and why those messages continue to be critically important. In times of crisis and calm, we lean on our faith to guide us through. What are the messages that have resonated through the scripture and through the ages?

Your Backstage Pass: How We Do Digital Events and Measure Impact

Join the Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data and the Tech Team of our webinars to learn HOW we are pulling them off! We’ve compiled the best practices documents, we’re navigating Zoom and other digital platforms and all of their updates, and we’re STILL learning as we go. We’ll reveal HOW we make the magic happen behind the scenes and invite your questions along the way.

Featuring: The Innovativeness of the Rev. Phiwa Langeni

The Off-Camera Wisdom of Taylor Russell

The Social Media and Tech Savviness of Laurel Steinetz

The Brilliance of Backstage Manager Jennifer White

Minister of Chat and Community Support Anissa Glaser-Bacon

Hosted by the Merry-Making Rev. Dr. Chris Davies.

Exploring the UCC Statistical Profile: Our Stories and Identity Told Numerically

If you’ve ever wondered about general trends in the UCC or even how your local church fares in relation to others, you’ll want to attend this presentation of the latest UCC Statistical Profile produced by the Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data (CARDD). Whether statistics entice joy or not, this webinar will have a balanced approach to the numbers and some of the stories behind them.

Join CARDD Director Dr. Erica Dollhopf and Ambassador for Innovation and Engagement Rev. Phiwa Langeni as they highlight this insight-filled document.

October 9, 2021

Driven by Faith with Sister Simone Campbell

Join us for a riveting hour of dialogue with Sister Simone Campbell of Nuns on the Bus, moderated by Rev. Traci Blackmon, as we discern what it means to live out one’s faith amidst a challenging political climate.

RESOURCES:

Hunger for Hope: Prophetic Communities, Contemplation and the Common Good: https://www.orbisbooks.com/hunger-for…

Pope Francis Voter: PopeFrancisvoter.org

Nuns on the Bus: Nunsonthebus.org

Praying for a New Creation to Come from Chaos: https://networklobby.org/082120prayer/

Prayers of the People

Members of the national staff are holding you and your congregations in prayer every day. Join this webinar to offer your own prayers and witness the prayers that are spoken aloud for the multiplicity of pains and gratitudes, grief and transformations. Hold space in your heart for the collective experience of shift we have all experienced, and offer your own prayers in the chat as we pray together.

Suppressed Screening

Over the years it has taken many forms, but voter suppression has existed since the nation’s founding. The landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act was a significant step forward in addressing voter suppression and protecting the right to vote for all Americans.

In a 2013 Supreme Court decision, key provisions of the Voting Rights Act were gutted. Within hours of the decision, many states imposed severe restrictions on voting rights. “Suppressed: The Fight to Vote” is a documentary by Robert Greenwald that weaves together personal stories from voters across the state of Georgia to reveal the widespread voter suppression in the 2018 midterm election.

Join with Director of the UCC Washington DC Office, Sandy Sorensen and UCC International Policy Advocate, Katie Adams for this screening of Suppressed. The screening will conclude with an action plan for viewers to protect voting rights in the 2020 elections.

Watch the trailer for Suppressed: https://youtu.be/CJZkxJKPyAE

RESOURCES:

Threshold Moments: A Ritual for Voting https://www.ucc.org/threshold_moments…

Our Faith Our Vote https://www.ucc.org/ourfaithourvote

Civic Action Center https://p2a.co/zv3KyiE

Election Protection Hotline 866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)

SANKOFA: Reaching Back & Stepping Up

Join Rev. Traci Blackmon for a conversation with Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak & Rev. Dr. Curtiss DeYoung, co-authors of the book: Radical Reconciliation: Beyond Political Pietism and Christian Quietism. (Maryknoll: Orbis. https://www.orbisbooks.com/radical-re…)

Featuring:

Rev. Dr. Allan Boesak South African United Reform Church pastor, liberation theologian, anti-apartheid activist, and former chairman of the Western Cape region of the African National Congress (ANC)

Rev. Dr. Curtiss DeYoung Chief Executive Officer of the Minnesota Council of Churches and an ordained minister of The Church of God. He has also served as the Executive Director of Community Renewal Society in Chicago

Rev. Traci D. Blackmon Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO.

RESOURCES: Becoming Like Creoles: Living and Leading at the Intersections of Injustice, Culture, and Religion: https://www.fortresspress.com/store/p…

Children of the Waters of Meribah: Black Theology, the Miriamic Tradition, and the Challenges of 21st Century Empire.” (Cascade: 2019) https://wipfandstock.com/children-of-…

Radical Reconciliation: Beyond Political Pietism and Christian Quietism: https://www.orbisbooks.com/radical-re…

BACK TO SCHOOL: The Impossible Choice and How Your Church Can Help

Local churches can do so much to come alongside educational systems to provide support for children in their community. Join this webinar to learn what your church can do to mind the gap between the educational systems adapting to COVID-19 and the real-time care that families in your congregation and community will need to thrive.

We will present theological framing, story, resources, and places to look for funding to undergird your programmatic and community interventions.

Featuring: Dr. Sharon Contreras- Superintendent of Guilford County Schools, NC

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson- President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation

Lisa Hart- Associate Conference Minister for Faith Formation and Justice Ministries for the Wisconsin Conference UCC

Rev. Dr. Chris S. Davies- Team Leader for Faith INFO (Faith Education, Innovation, and Formation)

Rev. Sekinah Hamlin- Minister for Economic Justice Shannon Smith- A single parent of two students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School district

Building Bridges of Faith Across Political Divides

In a time when our nation is becoming increasingly more socially, politically, and spiritually divided, what does our faith require of us?

Join Rev. Robert L. Schenck, Rev. Traci Blackmon and Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer for this timely conversation.

Digital Funerals & Grief: A Conversation & Ritual

As we collectively both prevent and respond to what is happening in our world, the impacts of a global pandemic on how we grieve continue to offer both opportunities and demand creativity in keeping people safe.

On this panel, we will be talking through the reality of what many are experiencing as grief goes digital. We will look towards how local pastors and chaplains are offering opportunities to grieve, through what has been a shared experience of collective trauma in this age. And together, we will hold a service of collective grief.

Featuring: Phil Hobson Rev Jabari Douglas Rev. Katy Hyman

Supporting Your Pastor So They Can Support You

Pastoral Relations Committees are a key way for a congregation to support a healthy relationship between pastor and congregants. It also increases the effectiveness of the church’s ministry. These confidential, supportive, caring and honest groups promote healthy communication; they express care for pastors in all seasons of shared ministry. Join a conversation with pastors and church leaders to explore how these communities of trust can help enhance your church’s ministry in a pandemic and beyond.

Living Psalms – Hope and Justice in Word, Cloth, Clay, Play and Spirit

Psalms is the one book of the Bible that defines itself as not the Word of God. This webinar will share what is available to worship and study leaders through the ongoing work of re-writing the Psalms with a heart of justice as “Living Psalms” in UCC WorshipWays, invite the participants to create a psalm-line of their own, and share simple methods to invite faith community members to write, draw, or act their own psalms.

Organize the Church: Voter Registration, Education, and Mobilization

Join us for this engaging conversation about electoral politics and the role the church is called to play to ensure every voice is heard. This webinar continues the OUR FAITH/OUR VOTE 2020 Series as we journey toward elections. Featuring Leah Daughtry, Stacey Abrams and Traci Blackmon, as well as Director of the UCC’s DC Office, Sandy Sorenson.

October 8, 2021

Youth & Young Adult Racial Justice Rally: White Silence is Violence

The United Church of Christ actively believes that youth and young adults are vital to the church and society and to that end, we are dedicated to creating leadership development opportunities, resources, events and programs for those from ranging from sixth grade through their mid-30s.

Youth and young adults within the United Church of Christ are gathering virtually with special guests to host a rally around the topic of Race Relations & Justice as a starting place for future engagement and leadership development opportunities. We have been hearing from our young people who have said this is a priority. They are interested in dialogue with each other across racial barriers and leaders about their experience(s), steps to create a just world for all and addressing the unrest we see around racism, the abuse of power by some uniformed officers and the helplessness many are feeling regardless of age, race or gender.

This rally is geared to hearing and equipping white allies to engage in the racial justice efforts in America, but it is important that people of color of all ages be present to hear as well. This rally, in conjunction with part one to be held on July 28th, provides immediate actions as well as the development of a long-term strategy to engage dismantling racism.

October 6, 2021

No Justice No Peace: Youth & Young Adult Racial Justice Rally

The United Church of Christ actively believes that youth and young adults are vital to the church and society and to that end, we are dedicated to creating leadership development opportunities, resources, events and programs for those from ranging from sixth grade through their mid-30s.

Youth and young adults within the United Church of Christ are gathering virtually with special guests to host a rally around the topic of Race Relations & Justice as a starting place for future engagement and leadership development opportunities. We have been hearing from our young people who have said this is a priority. They are interested in dialogue with each other across racial barriers and leaders about their experience(s), steps to create a just world for all and addressing the unrest we see around racism, the abuse of power by some uniformed officers and the helplessness many are feeling regardless of age, race or gender.

This rally is geared to hearing from people of color, but it is important that our white allies of all ages be present to hear as well. This rally, in conjunction with part two to be held on July 30th, provides immediate actions as well as the development of a long-term strategy to engage dismantling racism.

World Communion Sunday Worship

Join us the Wednesday before World Communion Sunday as we celebrate and worship together.

The first Sunday of October has become a time when Christians in every culture break bread and pour the cup to remember and affirm Christ as the Head of the Church. On that day, we remember that we are part of the whole body of believers.

Whether shared in a grand cathedral, a mud hut, outside on a hilltop, in a meetinghouse, or in a storefront, Christians celebrate the communion liturgy in as many ways as there are congregations.

We will be celebrating communion together virtually so please have something to eat and drink ready. It can be whatever you have on hand, not necessarily bread and juice.

September 29, 2021

A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Wilda C. Gafney, Ph.D.: A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church

The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney is a scholar, pastor, preacher and activist. She is the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Ft. Worth, TX. Dr. Gafney is also an Episcopal priest and remains a member of the historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in Philadelphia, PA. She is the author of Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to Women of the Torah and of the Throne, a commentary on Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah in the Wisdom series; Daughters of Miriam: Women Prophets in Ancient Israel; and co-editor of The Peoples’ Bible and The Peoples’ Companion to the Bible. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church and translator of its biblical selections. Please join us for this important conversation with Dr. Gafney about her latest groundbreaking work: A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church.

September 28, 2021

UCC Justice and Local Church Ministry Grants – 101

Justice and Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ has decided to take a bold step in creating a common application that streamlines our granting process.

The hope and goal is to ensure granting is made easier for congregations in the United Church of Christ as we honor the intentions for funding for seven funding areas.

Come and learn about the new application process, application deadlines, and types of congregational grants available from JLCM grants for 2021-2022 cycle.

September 21, 2021

2022 Midterm Elections Ahead: The Fight for Voting Rights

In states across the country, efforts are underway to significantly erode voting rights. Join us to learn more about these threats, and what steps are being taken at the federal level to address them.

You’ll leave with a better understanding of the state of democracy in the U.S. and, more importantly, some concrete actions you can take to protect your and your neighbor’s vote.

Reflections on Mission in the Time of COVID

Join mission co-workers serving around the world as they reflect about their call, serving during the pandemic, and what mission means to them as they live and work with global partners.

Andrew Larsen, serving with the UCCP in the Philippines, Kahala Cannon, serving with the Council of Churches of Swaziland in eSwatini, Nishan and Maria Bakalian both serving with the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East in Lebanon, will be in conversation with Cathy Nichols, Executive for Mission Personnel.

RESOURCES: Nishan Bakalian’s mission co-worker profile: https://www.globalministries.org/peop…

Maria Bakalian’s mission co-worker profile: https://www.globalministries.org/peop…

Kahala Cannon’s mission co-worker profile: https://www.globalministries.org/peop…

Andrew Larsen’s mission co-worker profile: https://www.globalministries.org/peop…

More information about mission co-workers: https://www.globalministries.org/miss…

September 15, 2021

Coming Home

September 10, 2021

Story time and Barn Tour with Catherine Foote

Winter, spring, summer, fall, we all have to deal with a little poop. In “Shepherding the Seasons,” shepherd and pastor Catherine Foote shares reflections on living life through muddy byre and miraculous wonder alike. Join Catherine as she shares stories from “Shepherding the Seasons,” shows us around her barn, and introduces us to members of her wooly flock.

Shepherding the Seasons is available at thepilgrimpress.com and wherever your favorite ebooks are sold.

September 2, 2021

Congregational Lay Leadership During Times of Crisis

What is the ministry of the laity in the church? In the best of times, lay leadership often means assisting the pastoral staff to meet the needs of the congregation and to fulfill its mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What happens when the congregation, due to various circumstances, are without an ordained clergy as pastor? What role does the laity play in providing pastoral care to the congregation during times of crisis and transitions?

Come and listen as congregational lay leaders discuss the challenges and opportunities of leading congregations as empowered ministers of the laity.

RESOURCES:

Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the Church

Local Church Resources

Congregational Leaders Box: A Leadership Development Resource for Local Churches

Worship Ways 

Music and Liturgical Arts 

Congregations interested in Ministries of Justice

UCC Church Building and Loan Fund

Suggested books published by Pilgrim Press to address congregational transitions, conflicts and more

Queer the Church

Darrell Goodwin and Chris Davies are queer leaders in the United Church of Christ. They have worked together: visioning, dreaming and praying for a future where the United Church of Christ is relevant for the past several years. Come with your questions, dreams and spirituality, and listen alongside their conversation of Call, faith and hope…for who we are, and who we can be: where every voice is honored along the journey. While they will be speaking from their own place of identity and call; this offering is not only for queer-identified people but for ALL people seeking a place of rest for the soul.

RESOURCES:

The Black Trans Prayer Book

Proyecto Encuentros de Gracia y Bienvenida 

UCC ONA Coalition webinars

TransSaints

Perspectives on Creating LGBTQPlus Inclusion in Faith Spaces

The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race

Their Own Receive Them Not | African American Lesbians & Gays in Black Churches

September 1, 2021

The Power of Boundaries

Boundaries are necessary and are shaped by our lived experience. Whether we set boundaries for our personal limits or for the ways we engage with our work and world, they can be difficult to set and maintain. How have these recent months, when we’ve moved online and have constant access, affected our boundaries? And how do we shape and hold boundaries that enable us to be as present as possible with each other and with the world? Join Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, Rev. Tara Barber, and Eleta Wright, MSW, member of Liberation UCC in Seattle to talk about the Power of Boundaries.

RESOURCES:

A Sure Foundation: Resources for the Relationship between Pastors and Congregations

Eleta’s website

Faith in Politics with Senator Elizabeth Warren

Join Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rev. Traci Blackmon and Sandy Sorenson in the first of a series of conversations with public leaders about how their faith informs their politics in this world.

What does faith have to do with politics? And how does faith shape a view of the world that translates into policy and transforms the world.

Come, listen, share, and learn, as these leaders speak of their own work and journey with faith into changing the world. Rev. Sandy Sorenson will also join the webinar to share ways everyone can become involved in the Our Faith/Our Vote Initiative.

Visit the Our Faith Our Vote website for resources on voter registration, issue education and voter mobilization and empowerment. www.ourfaithourvote.org

Thursdays in Black: Toward a World Without Rape and Violence

Globally, 1 in 3 women experiences physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to data from the World Health Organization. Such violence can increase during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. We all have a responsibility to speak out against violence, to ensure that everyone is safe from rape and violence in homes, schools, work, streets – in all places in our societies.

Join us as we learn about the Thursdays in Black campaign and ways in which we, as faith communities, can help to end gender-based violence in local and global settings.

RESOURCES:

UCC Thursdays in Black

UCC Resolutions on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Break the Silence Sunday

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

World Council of Churches Thursdays in Black

UCC Action Alert on Re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act

US Helplines: National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-SAFE

LGBT National Help Center – 1-888-843-4564

Trans Lifeline – 1-877-565-8860

Together in Hope: A Journey through Southern Asia

Join Brande Crosby, Global Ministries Communications Associate, at the premiere of a 37-minute travel documentary, “A Story from Southern Asia”, on her encounters with people and their initiatives for change. To make connections between continents for Global Ministries’ Southern Asia Initiative, Brande traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Indonesia in 2019, and captured stories and images of people engaged with the challenges of human trafficking and forced migration, caste discrimination, religious and ethnic conflicts, and climate change.

Nearly two years since then, these partners now find themselves in circumstances more complex and challenging on account of Covid 19. Deenabandhu Manchala, Southern Asia Executive, will reflect on what these challenges mean to the churches there and here, and to our journey of hope together.

RESOURCES:

Southern Asia Initiative

Southern Asia Initiative Giving Opportunities

Testing Justice: The Divide of COVID-19 Vaccine Access Globally

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every country around the world. Yet, we’ve seen developing countries shut out from vaccine access, while developed countries have hoarded supplies to make vaccines along with manufactured doses. This divide has impacted our global partners and will continue to impact them for years to come. The Rev. Michael Kalito, Training and Capacity Development Manager at the Theological Education by Extension, Zambia, will give a theological reflection on COVID-19 and the uneven and inequitable rollout of the vaccine. Each Area Executive will then speak to specific challenges facing our partners in their region.

RESOURCES:

Global Ministries COVID-19 updates and resources

Global Ministries projects addressing COVID-19

Statement: Racism and Institutionalised Discrimination in the Israeli COVID-19 Vaccine

Episcopal Archbishop of Jerusalem Statement on the Eruption of Violence throughout the Holy Land

World Health Organization (WHO) Vaccine Equity declaratio

The Middle East in Transition, and the Future and Role of its Christians

The countries of the Middle East region continue to experience major social, political, and economic shifts with uncertain outcomes. What is sure is that the people of the region have been impacted in significant–and even tragic–ways. The Christians and churches of the region have not been exempt from these shifts. What is their future? What has been their role in responding to needs, and what will their role be in what is to come?

Join us to hear from the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, Dr. Michel Abs, as he offers his insight into the context and his vision for the place of Christians in the future.

This webinar is presented in collaboration with the Middle East mission offices of the following ecumenical partners: the Anglican Church of Canada, Church World Service, The Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America, the United Methodist Church, and the United Church of Canada.

RESOURCES:

Global Ministries News- MECC renews its call to lift the occupation of the Palestinian people

UCC and Disciples statement on the current situation in Israel/Palestine

Global Ministries action alert on U.S. military funding to Israel

MECC pamphlet on Christian Zionism

Global Ministries Middle East and Europe Resources, including on Christian Zionism

Dr. Abs’s Presentation

State of Global Racial Justice

Racism, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination are on the rise globally. Afrophobia refers to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards black people or people of African descent around the world. It is a perceived fear and hatred of the cultures and peoples of Africa and the African diaspora. Casteism is prejudice or antagonism directed against someone of a different caste. These are global problems diminishing the human rights of the world’s population. Join us for a conversation on the state of racism and discrimination globally.

RESOURCES

World Communion of Reformed Churches

August 31, 2021

Spiritualities and Powers

The spiritualities of colonized peoples survived and are being recovered by new generations. The project of decolonizing Christianity and dismantling Empire is one that must confront the realities of spiritualities that give life and flourish in spite of past and present oppression. How are these surviving and contributing to resilience and justice?

Towards a Sustainable Future

The Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. The SDGs were set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.

The work of justice and ministry in the church are critically tied to sustainable development.

Join this conversation about how these global goals are paving the way to a sustainable future.

RESOURCES:

UN Sustainable Development Goals

World Council of Churches HIV/AIDS Program

World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network

World Council of Churches Thursdays in Black Campaign

UCC Thursdays in Black Campaign

Commission on the Status of Women

Global movements are necessary to affect change. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. CSW65 just closed out. What were the outcomes of the event? How can women impact global advocacy and be more involved in the fight for women’s justice? What is the role of the church in advocating for justice for women and girls? Join us for this important conversation.

RESOURCES:

UN Secretary-General Report to the Commission on the Status of Women

Commission on the Status of Women Webpage

Commission on the Status of Women 65 Agreed Conclusions

World Council of Churches Just Community of Women and Men

Thursdays in Black Campaign

UN Women’s Gender Data on COVID-19

World Health Organization Report on Violence Against Women

Journey to the Waters: A Service of Remembrance and Healing

The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is one of few days that honors the memory of the millions whose lives were interrupted and disrupted by the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This service will create space for the honoring of many whose names are unknown, individuals who were not funeralized or ritualized. The service is designed as a time for lament as we remember the resilience, courage, resistance, ingenuity, and rebellion of Africans who were brought forcefully into the Americas. Through song, dance, poetry, and prayers – we will remember.

In recalling the memories of those who have passed on, there is the acknowledgment that the atrocities of 400 years of movement of Africans into the Americas abroad ships designed to move people as chattel. These memories compel us to ensure that we eradicate the legacies of the enslavement of Africans that continues to manifest as racism, Afrophobia, and other forms of discrimination.

The service gathers the international and interfaith communities to honor the dead, to pray for healing, to celebrate the joy of African descendant people, and to affirm the commitment to eliminate the legacy of injustices that linger. The waters are healing. The waters are an essential part of human life. The waters hold the bodies and memory of the dead. We journey to the waters to remember and to heal.

RESOURCES:

Worship music arranged and sung by Rev. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout, Unitarian Universalist Association

“barely breathing” by Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson and Keon Heywood and Poem “rivers of Babylon” by Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson

Dance of the Water (bomba) performed by Rev. Everdith Landrau Give to these ministries

How to NOT Add an Unintended Legal Battle to your Church’s Worries

Join United Church of Christ’s General Counsel Heather Kimmel and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies of Faith INFO for a conversation about all the questions we’ve been collectively asked over the past few months and beyond. If you’re into bylaws, if you’re into copyright questions, if you need general information about some of the caveats of the time and the opportunities to gather with legal, safe, and compassionate community via church, this is the webinar for you.

RESOURCES:

YouTube Copyright & Fair use Policies

CCLI — Christian Copyright Licensing International

One License

Safe Church Policy

Best Practices Online

UCC Bylaws

August 30, 2021

Voces, Oraciones y Canciones de la Frontera / Voices, Prayers and Songs from the Border

United Church of Christ Pastoral Leaders reflect, pray, and sing of their bicultural/bilingual rootedness as people from the Mexican/U.S. border. A spiritual celebration of tradition and hope that transcends time and perseveres today.

Los líderes pastorales de la Iglesia Unida en Cristo reflexionan, rezan y cantan sobre su arraigo bicultural / bilingüe como personas de México / EE. UU. frontera. Una celebración espiritual de tradición y esperanza que trasciende el tiempo y persevera hoy.

Revolutionary Love: A Conversation between Rev. Traci Blackmon and Valarie Kaur

As a nation, we are experiencing our own awakening right now. We are in the midst of an uprising for Black lives the world has never seen. Millions of us are flooding the streets, risking our lives, to call for justice since George Floyd’s public lynching. Millions more are rising up in solidarity. Revolutionary love is when you are brave enough to see no stranger.

This uprising is possible because of movement leaders who have been in the labor for decades — now joined by newly inaugurated activists – and the many generations of freedom fighters, of ancestors that came before us.

In her new book “See No Stranger,” Valarie Kaur uses stories of police brutality and corruption, prison abolition and national protest movements to illustrate the power of Revolutionary Love as a force for justice.

Join Valarie Kaur and Rev. Traci Blackmon for a conversation about Revolutionary Love, and how we can live into this awakening as people of faith.

August 27, 2021

Resilience in Re-Membering and Memoria Indígena

Join this conversation between Rev. Tracy Howe Wispelwey and Jocabed Solano as they share their work and insights in the work of leaning into collective memory in a way that builds justice and resilience in our local churches, individual lives and beyond. As Minister For Congregational and Community Engagement at the National Setting, Tracy is tasked with integrating the community-building that happens both in the liturgical lives of our congregations and in the justice work outside our buildings. As a Guna woman and Christian in Latin America, Jocabed also bridges and integrates community building and cultural work among Native people and local churches.

How to Fundraise in a time of COVID

How to Fundraise in a Time of COVID19: “In these uncertain times…” “As we approach another week which has lasted a year…” “We pray that you are well,” “In this unprecedented time…” “When we find stability again…” And other phrases have been at the forefront of our collective communications. And we still are committed to raising money for the causes and entities which carry out the work we are aligned with.

Listen alongside the panelists Rev. Starsky Wilson, President & C.E.O. of the Deaconess Foundation, Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, President Emerita, Professor Emerita of Chicago Theological Seminary, and Ms. Jaqueline Owen, Development Strategist of the United Church of Christ, National Setting, as they discuss the challenges and opportunities for fundraising and making money work towards the greater vision of God.

Caring for Black Souls During and Post Trauma

Reflecting on Juneteenth, this webinar explores African American experiences of racialized trauma in America. Practitioners provide recommendations, tools and resources for how to walk with Black parishioners in healing from racial trauma. In this conversation, we explore shared experiences and best practices through the lens of African-American experiences. We end this webinar with a reflection and prayer for corporate healing and collective works to eradicate racial trauma.

RESOURCES:

UCC officers: Lynching Justice in America

Trauma assessment

Youth singing I just want to live

Creating Space for Innovation

Join Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies in a conversation about creating space for innovation in the United Church of Christ. John brings forward suggestions and skills for helping to make meaning and draw from the wisdom of what you already know, to pivot towards what is needed, right now, in your context. Watch with a willingness to listen, and with a playful spirit!

RESOURCES:

Innovation and Inspiration: What’s New in the UCC?!

Is It Safe To Sing? In Our Sanctuaries, Our Streets, On Social Media

Join songwriters and singing leaders Rev. Tracy Howe Wispelwey, Lea Morris and Andra Moran as they share their insights and gifts of song, the complexities of leading the practice of singing from congregations in quarantine to simple singing as a spiritual practice, to chanting in protest, the science and safety precautions of breath and sound.

RESOURCES:

thisislea.com

Wake Up In America

Legal Considerations for Online Worship: What Pastors and Worship Leaders Need to Know

andramoran.com

Andra’s Sheet Music: Lead sheets, piano music, choral bundles to buy, download and print

Andra’s Book and Worship Design Website with Rev. Dr. Suzanne Castle which includes at home worship options

“Can You Make Me Brave”

Andra’s YouTube

Ana Hernandez Leading Protest/Movement Songs

TracyHoweMusic.com

Build the World (Official Music Video)

The Urgency of NOW

Now is the time to push beyond public protest to systemic change. Join with Bishop William Barber & Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign, and Rev. Sandy Sorenson, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the National Setting, to talk about a moral agenda for Election 2020.

Mysticism and Mindfulness

This webinar will offer conversation and practice from some of the leading mystics and mindfulness practitioners in the UCC. Come and listen alongside Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, Shannon Abbott, Rev. Dr. John T. Myers and Rev. Brendan Curran. Come where you are with a willing heart and spirit, and leave grounded and nourished.

8 mins. 46 secs. of Silence on 6/4/2020

Leading Small and Rural Churches

Representation of rural church matters. Rural churches need to be heard.

As Covid-19 spreads throughout the country and globally, what are the challenges and opportunities facing rural/small congregations? How does one lead a rural/small congregation during a global pandemic? How are pastoral leaders from rural/small able to respond to the needs of their congregations and communities?

Listen and learn from rural/small church UCC pastoral leaders who are answering the call to lead in a time such as this.

The Words of Her Mouth

The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle wrestles with ancient poems through the lenses of modern women. Join several writers from The Words of Her Mouth as they share their thoughts and writing process, stories behind their psalms, and read their Words out loud.

The Words of Her Mouth is available at https://thepilgrimpress.com and also wherever your favorite ebooks are sold.

The Cross and the Lynching Tree: A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery

On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, 25, left home and went for a jog. During his run, two white men follow Ahmaud, confront him with a loaded shotgun, assume he’s a suspected criminal, and within minutes of their encounter–according to the recorded video–three shots are fired. Amhaud falls to the ground and dies.

“Racism is a virus. It infects the spirit.” (The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III)

The United Church of Christ invites you to rewatch Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III’s cinematic sermon entitled, “The Cross and the Lynching Tree: A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery.” Immediately following the live video, a panel of four respected thought leaders, racial justice advocates and UCC pastors discussed the impact of historical and present-day acts of racism and violence towards African Americans. And they discussed how the Christian Church can be actively involved in dismantling racism.

A Conversation with White People on Race

Several action steps were named as something for you to be aware of:

1. Know your rights at demonstrations and protests

2. Take steps to demand an end to Stand Your Ground laws

3. Protect voting rights within your states: Our Faith Our Vote 2020

August 26, 2021

The Science of Return

Come and listen to a panel of experts about the Science of returning to church. What should we be attentive to? What do we need to know? How can we gather together again, safely? We are answering questions, listening to what our panelists are learning and thinking about in terms of how to return safely to gathering again in worship.

Cultivating Resilience after Collective Trauma

“This will not last forever.” Such is a grounding prayer in the midst of, and after, trauma. Whether individual, communal, or global; trauma and the impact thereof is prevalent within our society and exacerbated by COVID-19.

The leaders featured in this webinar have carried communities in healing, and offer their wisdom along the journey for all who watch. This webinar features healing justice practitioner Micky ScottBey Jones, Rev. Rhina Ramos and Rev. Matt Crebbin.

National Call to Prayer

Join Leaders across the United Church of Christ for prayer and song together.

Digital Pastoring: Content and Connection

A conversation between Rev. Blackmon and Rev. Courtney Clayton Jenkins.

Church isn’t just the building or the worship. And yet worship is so important! How are we engaging the pastoring of people with digital worship and beyond, in COVID times?

Come to the (digital) Table: A conversation on Communion, online

Join us to talk about communion, digitally. With theologians Cheryl Lindsay, Claudio Carvalhaes, Sue Blain and Bob Gross, we will discuss the sacrament of communion, implications and opportunities of communion online, and end with a ritual where there is space for you to join; no matter if you partake, or not.

LGBTQ+ Pastoral Care, Justice, and COVID-19

This webinar features a diverse panel to discuss the risks and challenges faced by many people with LGBTQ+ identities. Join us for this important conversation about addressing LGBTQ+ pastoral care and justice opportunities in the context of COVID-19.

RESOURCES:

Proyecto Encuentros Gracia y Bienvenida Toolkits

UN Policy on Human Rights and COVID

The Power of Storytelling

August 24, 2021

Pastoring in a Pandemic: Conversation between Bishop Flunder and Rev. Blackmon

Rev. Traci Blackmon will speak with Bishop Yvette Flunder, who continues to be a part of the spiritual response to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Listen to wisdom leaders in the United Church of Christ, and the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries discuss pastoring through a pandemic.

Rev. Traci D. Blackmon is the Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO.

Bishop Yvette A. Flunder serves as the Senior Pastor of City of Refuge UCC, and as the Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. She is a Senior Fellow at Auburn Theological Seminary, and a board member at Starr King School of the Ministry, and DEMOS. She is a graduate of Pacific School of Religion (MA) and San Francisco Theological Seminary (D.Min). Author of and contributor to several books and publications addressing the affirmation of those most marginalized by religion and society.

Ancestral Practices of Lamentation

Faithfully making YOU and YOUR VOTE count in the time of COVID

Self-Care in a Pandemic

Play, Pray, and Learn! Ministering for Children and Families at Home

August 23, 2021

Maundy Thursday Service

20/30 Clergy and Faith INFO welcomed the UCC to join in a common service of Holy Communion and Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday. We are so glad that so many could join us live. We hope you can connect with God and feel the spirit that surrounds us all in this recording. Amen.

Mind the Gap

Description: In this four part-series, we will address the need for economic justice. Over the next four months, we will explore Motherhood, Working and Wage Justice, Debt, and Health Equity.

May 4, 2021

Gonna Trouble the Water: A Live Reading and Book Discussion

Description: To deny water is to deny life. Join author Miguel A. De La Torre and contributors to Gonna Trouble the Water as they discussed the sacred nature of water and the ways it weaponized against non-white communities. Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism de-centers “water as a commodity” and centers the dignity of water and its life-giving character.

April 29, 2021

Trauma-Informed Sexuality Education: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

In recognition of April as Sexual Trauma Awareness Month, our April webinar will provide recommendations for how to be a trauma-informed sexuality educator. Join us for this important topic.

April 22, 2021

Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 2

In part II, of Getting Ready, Getting Rooted – Thursdays For the Soul, General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others will look at the formation and how the spiritual journey and sub-themes of the General Synod worship services were developed. Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!

Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 1

In part II, of Getting Ready, Getting Rooted – Thursdays For the Soul, General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others will look at the formation and how the spiritual journey and sub-themes of the General Synod worship services were developed. Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!

#StopTheHate

A Call to Prayer and Action by the Pacific Islander/Asian American Ministries (PAAM) of the United Church of Christ

Angry! Outraged! Upset! There are no words to reflect what is happening in our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

Brutal attacks on the elderly and vulnerable are increasing. And these are not robberies. Just hate crimes and in broad daylight. The latest report from just one center monitoring AAPI crimes list over 3,700 incidents from March 2020 to February 2021.

Join the United Church of Christ for an expanded edition of Thursdays for the Soul as leaders and members from the UCC Pacific Islander & Asian American Ministries (PAAM) offer prayers, reflections, and song for collective lament, grieving, a call of national repentance, hope for healing and forgiveness.

This will be followed by a panel presentation and discussion calling for action on how UCC congregations and the wider church can help respond to counter the increasing harassment and violence aimed at our AAPI siblings, sisters, and brothers.

April 15, 2021

The State of Global Refugees, Migrant and Asylum

The world currently has a crisis as people are on the move for a variety of reasons. Learning about the push and pull of migration, increases the ability to be advocates for changes and policies, with the changes in administration.

Join this conversation for an update on the ways in which communities of faith are involved in addressing the issues facing refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers and the ways in which churches are resettling these families and individuals.

April 6, 2021

Five Tips For Selecting Fantastic OWL Facilitators: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Join Dr. Melanie Davis, UUA OWL Program Manager, and Rev. Kelly Burd, UCC OWL Trainer and local pastor, for tips about how to choose great OWL facilitators. What qualities should you be looking for? Who is the best fit for your congregation or organization? Join us to find out! We also fielded some general interest Q/A related to Our Whole Lives and at-home resources.

March 8, 2021

Parents and Caregivers As Sexuality Educators: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight

Our webinar featured Robin Slaw, credentialed religious educator and author of “Parents and Caregivers as Sexuality Educators, Small Group Ministry.” This 10-sesson program helps adults explore their roles as the most important sexuality educators their children will have. Robin gave an overview of the program and shared tips for using it online.

The current version has a Unitarian Universalist perspective, and a United Church of Christ adaptation is progress. The program can be adapted for other faith traditions and secular settings. This is a wonderful learning opportunity to all who support adults caring for children.

February 5, 2021

Standing Rock and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance

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August 16, 2019

Katharine Hayhoe on the Green New Deal

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Mobilizing for the Green New Deal with Varshini Prakash

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AIDS 2012: Faith work at the intersections of HIV and the lives of LGBT people – Part 5 of 7

Panelists and participants speak into the silence in faith communities about the lives of LGBT people and the realities of HIV and AIDS

October 24, 2012

AIDS 2012: Faith work at the intersections of HIV and the lives of LGBT people – Part 6 of 7

Panelists and participants speak into the silence in faith communities about the lives of LGBT people and the realities of HIV and AIDS

AIDS 2012: Faith work at the intersections of HIV and the lives of LGBT people – Part 7 of 7

Panelists and participants speak into the silence in faith communities about the lives of LGBT people and the realities of HIV and AIDS