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| WORDS FROM YOUR AREA CONFERENCE MINISTER |
Dear siblings in Christ,
“What do these new guidelines mean for us now?” My colleagues and I have heard some variation of this question in almost every conversation with local pastors and congregations since the CDC updated their guidelines and states and local governments have responded with changed mandates. The honest truth is, we don’t know. I’m not sure anyone knows—at least if by knowing we mean 100%, full-proof assuredness of every single data point and how it interacts with each diverse context. The science is complex and ever evolving. That is a blessing (for life is complex and ever evolving). In addition, those guidelines are for vaccinated individuals, not for communities. And churches are communities, and be their very nature, not homogeneous ones.
But we do know—we the church, we the body of Christ called to carry forth Jesus’ mission in our particular locations.
We know that the greatest commandment is to love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Those loves are not independent of one another but intricately connected.
We know that the church exists not to satisfy individual preferences but to proclaim the good news of the gospel, to bring love to the lost and least, to be a conduit for healing and justice and reconciliation in the world. Both The Center for Congregational Singing and the Wisconsin Council of Churches, two organization that I have continually looked to for guidance, emphasize the need for churches to consider what is best for the community.
We know that the Holy Spirit is with us always. “In the United Church of Christ the settings of the denomination are separate in governance and individual in conscience yet belong to one another in Christ’s name for the mission of God.” (Manual on Ministry, p. 6) The Holy Spirit is the engine of our conscience and the thread that binds us together. In trusting it, we must trust one another.
We know that these three abide: faith, hope and love. So ground your discernment in faith that God’s steadfast love is from generation to generation. Ground your decisions in hope that nothing can separate us from the love of God we know in Christ Jesus. Ground your path forward in love, of God, of self, of neighbor, of this wild and beautiful gift of life.
May it be so,
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Connect with your ACM
Clergy check-ins will continue in June and then take a break in July & August. Please register for the upcoming check-ins so you can be sure to receive the Zoom link. In addition, please take 3 minutes to fill out this brief survey. As we look toward the fall, we are eager to have your feedback help shape what we offer.
The following is the schedule set up by Rev. Garrigan-Byerly for the monthly check-in for clergy. You will need to complete a simple form to receive the Zoom link for the meeting. The links have not changed, just being made available. If you misplace the link it is okay to register again.
Click here for the Zoom link for the 4th Monday of the month clergy check-in
(6/28)
Click here for the Zoom link for the 2nd Tuesday of the month clergy check-in
(6/8)
Whether you are clergyperson, MID, lay leader or church goer without a specific role, if you want to have a chance to chat one on one with Liz Garrigan-Byerly, you can sign up here.
If you have a special event happening in worship and would like me to attend (virtually for now), or wish me to preach at your church, please reach out! Garrigan-byerlye@sneucc.org
Healthy Relations Committees with
Rev. Tara Barber and Rev. Stephen Boyd
June 21, 2021 @ 7:30PM - 9:00PM
Pastoral Relations Committees provide essential leadership in the life of a congregation. Come to this workshop to explore what the purpose of a PPR Committee is and is not. We’ll be talking through a newly developed PRC covenant to help name the priorities and commitments of a well-functioning PRC. Stephen will share best practices from around the church and be prepared to answer your questions. Click here to register.
UCC Pension Boards Introduces Member Assistance Program:
The New MAP+Work/Life Benefit
All of us at one time or another have experienced some type of personal crisis or life event that resulted in grief, stress, financial loss, and more. At the Pension Boards, we are fully committed to your health and personal well-being. We care when life throws you a curve ball.
The Member Assistance Program + Work/Life Program, or MAP+Work/Life, offered through West Health Advocate Solutions, a leading clinical health advocacy company, is a no-cost benefit that gives you confidential access to a Licensed Professional Counselor or Work/Life Specialist. Through in-person visits, and unlimited, confidential phone consultations, these specialists can walk you through any of life’s temporary setbacks. Click here to find out more.
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North Central Region newsletter moving to bi-weekly emailing beginning June 1, 2021
The newsletter is currently being sent on a weekly basis but will be changing to a bi-weekly emailing. June 1st will begin the bi-weekly emailing of the newsletter.
Events that are usually included are ordinations, installations, ecclesiastical councils, local church events, and association events. As clergy in the region, you have automatically been added to receive this newsletter. If you would like to unsubscribe or change your email preferences, please visit sneucc.org/subscribe and enter your email address. Please let your congregation know about the newsletter by forwarding it to them and ask them to subscribe!
If you would like to submit an event to be publicized in the newsletter, please contact Deb Holmes at holmesd@sneucc.org or 508-963-8106.
| CONFERENCE & REGIONAL EVENTS |
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Pausing to Replenish
Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Humans need to Replenish. We get stuck in cycles of complacency, busyness, and restlessness. Our spirits are exposed to negativity, pain, and everyday stresses, internally and externally.
This workshop will help you get centered for your higher purpose. Learn to identify the signs that you are feeling depleted. We will explore and build on a variety of methods and maintenance tools of spiritual replenishment.
Take this day to create space to pour in positive energy.
Join us at Irons Homestead and experience the peaceful waterfront and Path of Mindfulness. Bring a bag lunch and your water bottle. Light morning refreshments and all supplies will be provided.
Contact Kate Ostertag at Ostertagk@sneucc.org to inquire about overnight accommodations the night before this event.
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September 19, 2021
Installation
Rev. Charley Eastman
Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC
15 Common Street
Southborough, MA 01772
3:00PM
September 26, 2021 at 3:00PM
Central MA Association Annual Meeting - NEW DATE
October 17, 2021
Installation
Rev. Jen Munroe-Nathans
Congregational Church of Littleton
330 King Street
Littleton, MA 01460-1253
3:00PM
October 24, 2021
Installation
Rev. Marilyn Wilcox
The United Church of Clinton
109 Haskell Avenue
Clinton, MA 01510-2735
3:00PM
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Radical Belonging: A Mental Health Sunday Resource for All:
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Spring has finally sprung, and the additional hours of sunshine welcome us brightly into May, Mental Health Month. The United Church of Christ and The United Church of Canada honor this month by dedicating the third Sunday of May as Mental Health Sunday, a time to celebrate mental health and recommit ourselves and our congregations to being places of welcome, inclusion, support and engagement with everyone.
Radical Belonging: Mental Health Sunday Resource for All offers liturgies and education materials any congregation of any denomination can download a PDF or accessible Word version for free and use to celebrate Mental Health Sunday. It was created in prayer and partnership between the United Church of Christ Mental Health Network and The United Church of Canada, with generous contributions by Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund, the United Church of Christ’s Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice. Within it, you will find liturgy that challenges the systemic sins that create “otherness” and ableism, resources that share the stories of people living with mental illness and disabilities, and words of grace and celebration for the opportunities we have as the Body of Christ to love, care for and accept one another.
Please click here to read more.
Silver Lake Sunday Worship Videos Available
The Silver Lake Conference Center has made a complete virtual worship service available for churches that they may use - in whole or in parts - to celebrate their church's participation in outdoor ministry. Click here for more information.
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Many churches have been asking re. Covid Guidelines. It is difficult for the Conference to put out guidelines for the whole Conference because the situations vary so greatly across our region.
However, All guidance from the Conference is here.
From National some of the latest guidance is here.
And their general pandemic page is here.
Our Executive Conference Minister’s video statement and explanation of why our offices are remaining closed at least until Labor Day is here.
CT released this graphic to explain the new guidelines on masking for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
Here’s a discussion of how different churches are responding to the new mask guidelines.
And on May 25, EMA is offering a webinar to help faith organizations cope with stress as we emerge from the pandemic. Register at this link.
We are certainly keeping you in prayer as you consider how to best reopen.
Return to Congregational Singing Panel Discussion
Tuesday, June 1, 2021
3:30PM - 4:30PM
Join us for resources and ideas to help your congregation return to singing in a way that is safe and practical for you. We realize this is a deeply contextual issue, so we can't give you all the answers, but our panelists will provide resources, ideas and plans from their own work, encouragement and advice.
Online registration thru this link.
Leaders:
Brian Hehn - Director of the Center for Congregational Song
Karrie Rushing - Music Director, First Presbyterian Church, Greenville, NC and board member for Presbyterian Association of Musicians
Additional information can be found by clicking on these links:
Sing! The Center for Congregational SongCovid
Sample of a local church's plan to move forward
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| PULPIT SUPPLY INFORMATION |
Please email Deb Holmes at holmesd@sneucc.org for an updated copy of the regional pulpit supply list.
| DISCIPLESHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT A GLANCE |
Designing Hybrid Faith Formation for the Post-Pandemic World
June 10, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Fuel For Hybrid Faith Formation Ministry
(An online presentation for faith formation with all ages) For decades the church and faith formation have relied on in-person, fixed-time gatherings, events, and programming offered in physical spaces. The pandemic disrupted this “default” model, and pushed us to experiment with new models. Hybrid models of church and faith formation integrate in-person gatherings at church or in family groups or small group meetings with online content with a rich menu of faith forming experiences. Click on the link above for more information and to register.
Youth @ Synod
![]() This summer the United Church of Christ will host a virtual General Synod gathering on July 11-18. Delegates from all over the country will convene for worship and discussion of resolutions. Planners have also been busy preparing special parallel programs for youth and young adults. Youth @ Synod is a life-changing experience of the wider church for teens ages 13-18 and past participants name the powerful impact of the event. Read more here.
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The Southern New England Conference engages in Outdoor & Retreat Ministry with the following sites:
Edwards House offers fully-equipped meeting space for working gatherings both large and small as well as a warm, intimate setting for small overnight retreats.
Irons Homestead, Glocester, RI
Nestled in the northwest corner of Rhode Island and where you can still see the stars at night, Irons Homestead offers religious and educational groups a sacred space to lean into nature and connect more deeply with God and one another.
Pilgrim Day Camp, Framingham, MA
This is a traditional summer day camp with over 50 years of experience in providing children safe, summer fun. PDC is located on 113 acres of sprawling fields and woods at the SNEUCC Framingham property. The camp ensures fun, and emphasizes a warm welcome for each child, care for the natural world, and respect for the differences among us.
Silver Lake Conference Center, Sharon, CT.
With more than 60 acres of wooded land on lakeside shores, Silver Lake offers many opportunities for young people to take risks and try new things with the support of an intentional Christian community.
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| ACTIVE FOOD PANTRIES AND OUTREACH MEALS |
The attached list is an updated list of churches in the North Central Region that currently have active food pantries and outreach meals for people in need. Please email Deb Holmes at holmesd@sneucc.org to have your church information included or updated. North Central Region List.
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From the WamsWorks website
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Trauma Training Tuesday's (TTT)
Trauma Training Tuesday was created by Worcester Addresses Childhood Trauma (Worcester ACTs) to give all who care for themselves and others with experience of trauma, the opportunity to gather together for training, networking, lunch and camaraderie on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, at WAMS.
Since March 17th all trainings have been conducted virtually. We look forward to the day that we may once again gather in person for the trainings at WAMS.
Please click here for more information.
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Fueling Inclusion, Voice, and
Opportunity for All
WAMS Works with individuals and community partners to inspire economic and education equity through social change.
Worcester Fellowship
Please check their website for updated information.
Appalachian Trail Mini-Mission Day Trips
Take One Day this Summer
Bring Four Volunteers to Sheffield
Sit 10:00AM to 3:00PM and
Make Magic!
Begun in 2018 as a shared ministry of two Sheffield churches, First Congregational Church, UCC and Christ Trinity Church (Episcopal and Lutheran), ‘Trail Magic” is back and we’re inviting you to share it with us.
We have all the supplies, we’ll guide the set up and clean up, we’ll even bring most of the day’s food. You simply pick a day, bring four people and a $50 Big Y gift card, sit in the shade, and create a corner of kindness in the world. It’s the easiest, most rewarding, least expensive, most volunteer inclusive mini-mission trip you’ll ever do!
Our 2021 Appalachian Trail Ministry will run from June 21st – August 14th. Guest Mission Days will occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during the season.
For more information, or to register for a 2021 one-day Mini-Mission Trip please contact Rev. Jill Graham at grahamj@firstuccsheffield.org. Click here for a flyer to share.
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May Anniversaries
60 Years
The Rev. Dr. Stanley Possell
40 Years
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Clough
35 Years
The Rev. Francis McKenzie
20 Years
The Rev. Paulo Franca
The Rev. Dr. Adam Tierney-Eliot
Please contact Deb Holmes if we have missed your anniversary.
Anniversaries are listed from 5 years and forward in increments of 5.
Is your church celebrating a milestone anniversary? Let Deb Holmes (holmesd@sneucc.org) know so that the entire North Central Region can celebrate with you!
Click here to see all church transitions in the conference.
The Rev. Earl W. Miller died on April 12, 2021 at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Jack Burns Palliative Care Center in Lebanon, NH. He leaves behind his loving wife of almost 53 years, Gail, and his two children, Rebecca and Thomas (Joy), whom he greatly loved. He also leaves behind several grandchildren whom he loved and was very proud: Prairie Irizarry (Ivan), Satchel Lefebvre (Bernadette Dineen), Adelard Lefebvre, Lycienn Lefebvre-Miller, Zeubulon Lefebvre-Miller, Kate Miller, and Keri Miller. Last but never least is his first great-granddaughter, Emilia Marie Irizarry, who had her first birthday two days before Earl’s death. Please click here to read more.
The Rev. Cynthia E. Shoemaker died in Medford, MA on April 21, 2021.
When more information is available it will be posted here.
Please click here to view all SNEUCC Obituaries.
Minister of Music - Southborough
Music Minister - Southbridge, MA
Administrative Assistant - Spencer, MA
Please click here to view all SNEUCC Classifieds
| ASSOCIATION MEETING INFORMATION |
Central Mass Association Meeting Information:
The Committee on Authorized Ministry:
Meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 9:30 AM.
The Board of Director's:
Meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 2:30 PM
Windham Association Meeting Information:
Monthly Council meeting:
Is held on the 4th Thursday of each month at 2:30 PM.
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