Coaching: A Transformational Tool

by Rev.Timoth Sylvia, Professional Coach
“We all have within us a deep wisdom, but sometimes we don’t know we have it.”
~ Shakti Gawain

Some of the most rewarding experiences since adopting our three children have been the moments of sheer joy that come when witnessing our children accomplish something on their own. It could be as simple as learning to tie their shoes or something more complex such as middle school math. With each occasion there comes a moment of decision on behalf of the parent. Do I tie my child’s shoes for them? Or, knowing they have been shown how to tie them before… do I help to empower them to use what they already know to accomplish it themselves? Read more

Is Your Church Struggling with an Invisible Obstacle?

Is there some unidentified roadblock that is preventing your church from moving forward or in a new direction? Perhaps that obstacle is conflict.

Conflict is a normal part of life. Unfortunately, the church is not exempt. This workshop, hosted by the Center for Transformational Leadership and led by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, will give participants the knowledge and skills necessary to manage conflicts within their congregations in a healthier manner. We invite both clergy and lay leaders to join us via zoom on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9:00 - 4:30 and learn how to regard conflict not as a negative force, but as a positive opportunity for reconciliation, spiritual growth, and a renewed awareness of God’s will for your church.

The deadline is October 27! Click here to register your team today!

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What's In a Building?

by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Mae Magill, Pastor of Ashburnham Community Church (MA) ~ #3 in a series on the Small Church Collaborative

In my church’s case, there is (or rather was) a lot of stuff in our building. We’ve filled a dumpster with trash, donated to area non-profits, recycled more paper than seems possible. And we are not done!

Ashburnham Community Church has chosen to sell our building. It was a big decision, years in the making, and a very tough decision right up to the vote. The unanimous vote. We are excited for the Arts Center that will fill our space. We are anxious about the new way we will be church by renting back our sanctuary. And we are exhausted by going through our stuff.

Read more

Sharing Leadership: a UCC Way of Being in Community

by Rev. Sarah Drummond, Dean, Andover-Newton Seminary at Yale University

Sharing Leadership is important in today’s UCC now more than ever. Our denomination is known for its stance on inclusivity and justice, which has attracted cherished new congregants and clergy who grew up in traditions where leadership was not shared but rather imposed from on-high. In our churches, we have done a better job supplanting top-down leadership than we have introducing and perfecting the congregational way. Sharing Leadership: a UCC Way of Being in Community provides guidance and hope for the possibility of well-led congregations. More.

Entrepreneurial Mindsets in this Metamorphosis Moment

We are in a time of “metamorphosis,” says Marcia McFee, PhD, worship consultant and director of the Spiritual Entrepreneurship certificate at San Francisco Theological Seminary. The first in a series of excerpts from her summer 2021 webinar, this clip shares some of the key discoveries from her research sponsored by a Lilly Grant. It is time to “get curious” and develop a learning and listening orientation in order to more deeply connect with our purpose, and the possibilities in the neighborhood context where God has called us. Watch the clip

Where Do You Worship?

by Debby Kirk, Faith Formation Team Leader of the SNEUCC