Dear Northwest Region,   In the season of Advent, one might notice as we traverse our way through the scriptures that lead up to Jesus’ birth that it is not all joy and light—there is a great deal of anguish in the readings. Perhaps we are meant to understand that the light of Christ has to come because of the despair. God comes to earth to abide with us in our suffering and brokenness. Akin to the covenantal symbol of the rainbow the sun shines through the gloom of the rain to bear a sign of God’s faithfulness to us. The rainbow is not possible without both the rain and the sun. Neither is Mary’s song, the Magnificat, as powerful without understanding the injustice present in her time.   And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of God’s servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is God’s name. God’s mercy is for those who fear God from generation to generation. God has shown strength with God’s arm; God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; God has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. God has helped God’s servant Israel, in remembrance of God’s mercy, according to the promise God made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Luke 1: 46-55)   The Magnificat speaks of lifting up the lowly and alleviating the suffering of those who need God’s presence and restoration. Mary understands her humility in the societal order of things, and she knows that if God shows her favor, surely God will show favor to others in similarly marginalized circumstances. The Magnificat is sung to those who believe God has forgotten or abandoned them.   The promise of Christmas is that God is with all of us, the happy and the despairing alike.   Simone Weil says, “The supernatural greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering but a supernatural use for it.”1 We are invited to be like Mary, however imperfect vessels we may believe ourselves to be—to believe that there will be a fulfillment of what God is speaking into our hearts.   What is it that you are called by God to do? Listen for the angels, the messengers, who are telling each of us what it is God is trying to birth through us.   Mary reminds us that we are called to sing out God’s justice and joy and to be God’s light-bearers in the name and way of Jesus.   In this season, may you find yourselves surprised by the light of God, however it comes, both from within and from without.   Christmas Blessings, Rev. Terry Yasuko Ogawa Area Conference Minister, NW Region ogawaty@sneucc.org 508-782-8593 1. Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1952), 73. One to One conversations with Rev. Terry Yasuko Ogawa The Rev. Ogawa will be resuming her bi-weekly coffee house hours to meet with clergy for 30 minutes on the first and third Wednesday afternoons. These can be scheduled by clicking here.  Please contact her Program Support Associate, Deb Holmes if you have questions or problems signing up for a meeting.

Public Witness against Christian Nationalism

The First Congregational Church of Williamstown, MA, is planning a public witness against Christian Nationalism on Jan. 6, 2022, from Noon to 1:00 PM and they are encouraging other congregations to join them.

In a letter to other churches, Williamstown UCC leaders write:

"We write you to join us in a public witness against Christian Nationalism on January 6, 2022, from Noon to 1:00 pm.

"The Jan. 6 insurrection shocked us when it exposed how religious faith was being exploited to fuel anti-democratic violence. Over the past year, our congregation has studied the upsurge of Christian Nationalism in evangelical and mainline churches, and we have decided that at 12 noon on Jan. 6, 2022, we will hold a one-hour public protest to denounce this linkage of faith with the anti-democratic forces that continue to foster division, white supremacy, and authoritarianism in our country right now," the leaders of the church wrote in a public letter. "Even before Jan. 6, 2021, our church had grown concerned with the misuse of religious language and symbolism to advocate for political extremism. Employing the cross or figures of Christ to justify threats or to condone coercion contradicts our conviction that Christ is the Prince of Peace and our guide toward reconciliation with each other. By unanimous vote, we added our church’s name to the national statement, 'Christians Against Christian Nationalism,' and we are planning further steps to highlight the dangers in giving religious blessing to authoritarian or autocratic social movements.

"We are writing to invite your congregation to gather in front of your own sanctuary on Jan. 6, 2022, in testimony to a fundamental truth: religious faith unites and should not divide us, and -- at least in the United States of America -- there are no religious grounds for pushing others to the sideline because of race, gender, or personal creed. Our plan is to advertise our protest in as many local media outlets as possible; to provide materials and slogans for sign-making in our sanctuary the hour before the event; and to stand out in front of our church on the main thoroughfare through our town, from noon to 1 p.m. Will you do the same?

"If your church elects to join in this public testimony, please let us know so that we can widen the circle of support to include everyone who stands up against this growing alliance between Christianity and anti-democratic forces that undermine freedom of religion."

With hope and in faith,

Betsy Burris
Sherwood Guernsey
David Langston
Bridget Spann, Community Outreach Organizer
organizer@firstchurchwilliamstown.org)
First Congregational Church UCC, Williamstown, MA

Do we have your church leaders listed correctly?

Please have your church administrator (or whoever handles your church's email account) visit the Church Dashboard (part of the Southern New England Conference's data base) to make sure we're connecting with all the current leaders in your church. If you have problems logging into your account please contact Nancy Stubbs at stubbsn@sneucc.org.

Explore another facet of becoming a welcoming congregation...

W.I.S.E. ( Welcoming. Inclusive. Supportive. Engaged) is a U.C.C. initiative to
acknowledge and  breakdown the stigma attached to people with emotional or
mental challenges and to welcome them into worship.
To forward this initiative I am offering to come to your church and to give a biblically based sermon on the historic and current  stigma of mental/emotional illness, how we welcome or do not welcome  people with these challenges  into the pews, and a brief overview of W.I.S.E.. 
If you are interested in my coming to your church to give this sermon and/or if you have any questions please feel free to be in touch by phone or email.
Blessings,
Belle Fox-Martin, UCCLM
Contact Belle via email: bfoxm@roadrunner.com or phone: 413-298-0673

Monthly Vigils for Racial Justice

The members of Center Church, UCC (First Congregational Church of South Hadley), One Church Street, South Hadley have been holding a monthly vigil for Racial Justice. The vigils take place the first Saturday from 10:00 - 10:30 AM and will be earmarked with the ringing of the church bell.  Bringing a sign is also encouraged!

Journey

Journey: a social and support group for trans and non binary individuals of all ages.  The group is facilitated by Yohah Ralph. We will meet online using Zoom on the first and third Thursdays of the month.  
If you have questions, or are interested in joining the group, please send an email to Yohah at journeynorthampton@gmail.com, and provide your phone number so we can have a brief conversation in advance.

Advent and Covid-19: Ringen, Goodwin, Discuss Guidelines for Churches As COVID-19 cases spike upward in all three Southern New England Conference states, Minister for Health and Wellness Deborah Ringen is outlining guidelines for churches holding in-person worship, including advice that congregants get vaccines and booster shots, wear well-fitting masks, use instrument covers, maintain physical distances, limit time indoors and open windows. Please click here to listen to their conversation and read the full article.  Webinar on Omicron MA Council of Churches hold a webinar with a local infectious disease doctor. They addressed omicron and the coming surge.  COVID Conversations: Ask the Doc about Covid, Christmas and Church - YouTube

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Monthly Zoom meetings for churches/individuals engaged in refugee & migration ministries

Starting in January, Irene Willis Hassan, MDiv, Minister for Refugee and Migration Ministries, will be hosting a monthly Zoom meeting on the second Tuesday at 6pm ET, making the first meeting on January 11, 2022, at 6pm ET. This meeting is open to any individual or church engaged in refugee & migration ministries. The tenor will be intentionally reflective for churches to deepen their spiritual engagement with the powerful and important ministries we share together in addressing refugee and migration issues across the denomination. Please click here for her full greetings and the Zoom link. 

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SAVE THE DATE
Super Saturday
Keefe Technical High School
750 Winter Street
Framingham, MA 01702
Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM 

We are pleased to announce that Super Saturday will be Hybrid.

What does hybrid mean?  Hybrid will be a variety of workshops that are in-person, virtual and a combination of both.

Workshop Proposals are being accepted until December 31, 2021. 
To submit a proposal: Workshop Proposal Form
Please contact Andrea Bellarosa - bellarosaa@sneucc.org with any questions.

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Observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday, January 17, 2022 at 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM Join us for a time of worship, reflection, and facilitated conversation led by one of the 2022 SNEUCC Theologians in Residence, Rev. Dr. Diane Schmitz.  Let us honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. of Martin Luther King, Jr. by rededicating ourselves to building up the beloved community. Click here for more information.

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Timely worship resources posted by our continental kin from the United Church of Canada., including materials sorted by theme, liturgical dates, and upcoming special celebrations.

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Sunday after Christmas Worship

Although the Conference has not created a new service this year, you are welcome to use parts or all of the service from last Christmas. You can find those videos here. 
Dec. 27 Worship Service Available in Downloadable Video - Southern New England Conference of the UCC (sneucc.org)

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Pastoral Counseling Programs Available to
Authorized Ministers

Ministry is a demanding profession.  The great and small stresses of life and the give and take of parish ministry can be challenging.  The Southern New England Conference is committed to the well-being of its Authorized Minsters and to providing support for those who provide leadership to the church.  Thanks to the generosity of historic benefactors, we are able to provide Authorized Ministers with standing in an Association of the Southern New England Conference, and their spouses/life partners/significant others, with a short-term, three-session consultation for stabilization and referral. Please click here to learn more.

Establishing Parity Between Digital and In-Person Worship

Is it possible to create parity between worshipers who participate digitally versus being in-person?  This is a key question for a few reasons.  Firstly, some people are not prepared to come back into our physical worship spaces because of the Delta variant and other potential variants of the coronavirus.  Secondly, over the last year or two of services in the digital space, many of our churches have gained members and friends who don’t live nearby and couldn’t participate in person on a regular basis even if they wanted to.  And thirdly, so much of life has moved, and continues to move, into the digital space. People’s spiritual lives are doing that, too.  Some may regret that fact or even resist it, but nothing can stop that.  We need to recognize and respond faithfully to this reality. If churches intend to continue to offer hybrid services (engaging worshipers simultaneously in-person and digitally), then there are several practices that can help the digital participants become more involved spiritually and emotionally in the service. Learn more here and watch a 30-minute presentation by Conference Digital Minister Eric Elley.

Save the Date! 
Small Church Summit

Date: Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022
Location: Edward's House, Framingham, MA

Small churches will gather both in person (at Edwards House in Framingham) and via Zoom to explore creative ways to not just survive, but to thrive as a small congregation. Contact Center for Transformational Leadership for details.

We have recently launched our new website: The Center for Transformational Leadership - Southern New England Conference of the UCC (sneucc.org) to make it easy for you to access the resources you need to do the transformative work you and your congregations are called to do!

The Center for Transformational Leadership was created to equip clergy and lay leaders, congregations, and covenantal partners of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ with resources, tools, and support to do the transformative ministry they are called to do in the church, local community, and the world. To learn more, contact:

• Director – Bridget S. Johnson, johnsonb@sneucc.org
• Assistant Director – Karen Ziel, zielk@sneucc.org

Clergy Renewal Programs