Quick Links for November 2022
Slow Me Down, Lord

by Debby Kirk

The other day I was trying to shoehorn a couple of errands in before the beginning of my workday.  I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things and got in line to check out.  I had only a couple of items and there was just one person in front of me so I thought it would be a quick process. Wrong! The cashier was chatting and moving deliberately, to say the least.  It seemed to be taking a long time for her to complete the transaction and I found myself getting impatient. 

Why can’t we speed this up?  I thought to myself with some annoyance.

Then I remembered to pause, breathe, and observe.  My agenda was not going to move things along any faster. 

Read more here! (5 min.)

Eight Faith Formation Leaders Achieve Certification

by Debbie Gline Allen

The Southern New England Conference boasts having the only entry-level equipping program specifically for faith formation and youth ministry leaders in the United Church of Christ. After spending two or more years taking classes in the program, one is eligible to receive its certificate.

On October 29th, eight faith formation and youth ministry leaders were awarded their Certificate in Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Leadership. Since the program's inception in 2011, certificates have been awarded to 70 faith formation and youth ministry leaders.

Read more here! (4 min.)

SNEUCC Programs

Advent Chapel of the Heart

Wednesdays from November 30th, 2022 to December 21st, 2022
9:00am to 9:45am

An online devotional time for clergy, faith formation practitioners, youth ministry leaders, and lay leaders.  All are welcome to attend this forty-five minute Zoom program for prayer, music, and quiet reflection on the season. This program will be led by the SNEUCC Faith Formation Team.

Register in advance to receive the Zoom link for the series!


"Comfort Ye, My People":
An Advent Online Retreat

Saturday, December 3rd, 2022
9:30am to 12:00pm

 We live in a time of radical challenge and change. Advent offers us rich material for prayer, conveying images of disruption, struggle, and endings, and images of reconciliation, birth, and beginnings. 

In this free morning retreat, we will seek to create a space of prayer big enough to encompass both what disturbs and shakes us, and what brings comfort and hope. How do the images of Advent enlarge our capacity to midwife Christ’s birth within us and among us? 

Click here to learn more, or click here to register!


MLK Observance: Radical Inclusion

Monday, January 16th, 2023
2:00pm to 3:30pm

Join us for worship and conversation as we honor the work and legacy of Dr. King.  This will be a virtual program. SNEUCC Theologian in residence, Bishop Yvette Flunder will give a sermon and participate in an online discussion with  attendees afterward. Registration and more information will be shared soon.

This program is made possible through your generous gifts to the SNEUCC Phillis Wheatley Fund for Innovation

Enrichment for Faith Formation Leaders

Faith Formation Leadership Program

Registration is open!

    Classes are open to anyone who has responsibility for forming faith in their congregations – from volunteers to pastors. Choose from this year’s eight 3-hour classes that focus on faith formation for all ages and youth-specific ministries. Upcoming classes include:

  • Developing Faith — Ages and Stages: Join us on November 19th, 2022 as Rev. Dr. Ted E. Huffman leads us to discovering how children develop in their faith and how we can nurture them along the way.

Click here for more information about our Spring schedule!


Join a Faith Formation
Community of Practice (FF CoP)!

New to ministry? Seeking to collaborate and connect with other leaders? Looking for ways to share resources? Then a Faith Formation Community of Practice is for YOU! There are currently twelve groups active, each led by a wise and dedicated facilitator. Groups meet six to eight times per year, and offer valuable support and time for idea sharing. Here are some inspiring testimonials from participants:

  • "My community of practice has given me tons of ideas and wisdom which I have taken into my ministry. My group has also been a safe place for me to share the joys, frustrations, and everything in-between that this field brings."

Fill out this CoP interest form or contact Debby Kirk directly if you would like to be connected with a group. This program is supported by proportional giving, and is available to Faith Formation leaders at no charge.

Note: if you are a clergyperson and wish to join a Community of Practice, please contact Karen Ziel at your convenience.

Our Whole Lives (OWL)

Faith and Sexuality Programs Survey

 Take this short OWL survey to help us know if you are currently offering programs, interested in future training sessions, or are planning to offer OWL classes in your area!

SNEUCC Youth Programs

SNEUCC Confirmation Retreats, 2022-2023

Register your group for a facilitated Confirmation Retreat in 2022-2023! Chose from six dates and three great locations, such as:

Click here for more information about the 2022-2023 retreat season!


Nature & Neighbors:
Environmental Justice Youth Retreats

Nature & Neighbors is an environmental justice retreat for youth, a shared program of the Southern New England Conference Justice Team, Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center, and Irons Homestead Camp & Retreat. Developed and facilitated by SNEUCC's Environmental Justice Intern Lillian Steinmeyer, this one-day retreat will be held on four separate occasions. Middle and high school groups of any size are welcome to sign up for any of the following: 

  • February 18, 2023 at Irons Homestead (snow date – March 25) 
  • May 6, 2023 at Silver Lake 

Click here for more information, or click here to register!


For a complete listing of SNEUCC events, please see our calendar.

Faith Formation Resources

NEW! From our friends at Yale Divinity School: "Looking for inspiration during Advent? We have several resources, including our Chapter, Verse, and Season Podcast (search Advent), INCARNATION - Fleshing out the Bible's Christmas Stories: An Online Yale Bible Study, and you can help your youth recognize joy in the light of other emotions with this free download, Tuning In To Joy Lesson."

UPDATED! Our Volunteer Resources page - which, along with our Church Safety Resources page, includes extensive guidance and best practices on matters such as Mandated Reporting, Sex Offender Resources, Responsibilities of Church Staff & Volunteers, Church Safety Resources/Policies, Active Shooter Policies, Anti-Bullying Policies, Behavioral Covenants, and Keeping Children Safe!

Hot Chocolate Talk, an initiative undertaken by the Committee for Children, provides free resources and videos to help parents talk to their children about sexual abuse in age-appropriate ways.

"How to Raise Kids to Tell the Truth" by Parenting Forward's Cindy Wang Brandt has been added to SNEUCC's Talking with Children and Teens about Tough Issues page.


Look for more helpful materials and curated links under
Make Disciples on www.sneucc.org.

Partner News & Events

 Practical Resources for Churches

Practical Resources for Churches (PRC) has excellent resources for faith formation. PRC has archived materials on their website and offer live  webinars most every week. SNEUCC underwrites PRC, so these programs are available to our congregations for free! Look for them on our conference events calendar! Below are links to several upcoming online events that may be of interest to individuals engaged with faith formation work.


Save the Date:

NEAUCE Annual Conference 2022:
"Beyond the Church Walls: Hearing New Voices"

May 4th, 2022 - May 6th, 2022 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)
Pilgrim Pines - Swanzey, NH

Check out the NEAUCE webpage for more information as well as resources and presentations from past NEAUCE events.


For a complete listing of partner events, please see our calendar.

Help Us Connect!

Is there a new Faith Formation leader in your congregation? Have your church administrator (or whoever handles your church's email account/communications) visit and update the Church Dashboard to make sure that we're connecting with all the current leaders at your church.

As always, feel free to reach out to your Faith Formation staff members - Faith Formation Team Leader Debby Kirk, Minister of Faith Formation Debbie Gline Allen, or Program Support Associate Sean Amato - if you have a question or suggestion in this or any other regards.

SNEUCC Classifieds

The SNEUCC Classifieds page has job postings as well as items for sale.  Church administrators are welcome to use the online template to submit information related to your church's advertised needs.

 
 

Faith Formation Team:
Debby Kirk, Faith Formation Team Leader - 860-761-7103
Debbie Gline Allen, Minister of Faith Formation - 508-244-4332
Sean Amato, Support Staff - 860-761-7199




This newsletter is made by possible by your church's contributions to Proportional Giving to Our Church's Wider Mission.