Have a Happy and Grateful Thanksgiving.

Dear Siblings in Christ,
 
Since conference staff have resumed in-person ministry in October, I’ve had the great privilege of worshipping with 9 churches in our region, for Sunday morning worship, installations and ordinations. I love meeting each congregation with its own personality and ethos. I love experiencing the diversity of architecture, worship styles, local practices and ministries. Each church is distinct in their own way, and yet regardless of that distinctiveness, I always feel part of the Church.
 
“You are one body and one spirit, just as God also called you in one hope.” These are words from the Letter to the Ephesians, what scholars call a circular letter, meaning that it was written for multiple churches and circulated among them. I love that 2,000 years later, it is still being circulated among the Body of Christ. “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and creator of all, who is over all, through all, and in all. God has given God’s grace to each one of us measured out by the gift that is given by Christ.” We are not carbon copies or clones, however. Ephesians 4 continues: “the gifts God gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. God’s purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ.” That grace is given so that we can continue the ministry of Jesus. God gives us diversity on purpose, to equip us to continue the ministry of Jesus! We are one body with a diversity of parts, of gifts and grace, of expressions and traditions. Both parts of that statement—our unity and our diversity—are essential to being the Body of Christ. I give thanks for all the ways each of you, individually and communally, contribute to the body, the Church, and I look forward to continuing to experience the Church when I visit your church.
 
May the holiday be full of blessings for you.


Rev. Elizabeth Garrigan-Byerly (she/her)
Area Conference Minister, North Central Region
(Central, MA & Windham, CT Associations)
Cell: 508-281-9776

Connect with your ACM

Whether you are a pastor, lay leader, MID or covenantal partner, I welcome the chance to meet with you virtually one on one. To schedule a time, click here and follow the instructions. If none of the times work for you, then please email Deb Holmes (holmesd@sneucc.org). 

Fall and Winter Festivals are returning to our area churches, please let Deb Holmes know when you are planning your so that we can share the news with the rest of the region!

We love to share to the Good News that is happening in our region, please let Deb Holmes or Liz Garrigan-Byerly know if you have joy to share!

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.

November 28, 2021
Ordination
Gary Gumuchian
Congregational Church of Littleton
330 King Street
Littleton, MA 01460
3:00PM
This is a hybrid event

North Central Region Justice Organizing Gathering Saturday, January 29th at 1:00PM First Congregational Church 1 Washburn Square Leicester, MA Are you a justice leader in your community? Are you wondering how to deepen your commitment to social justice? This gathering is a chance to ground our justice work in faith, build relationships with others in the North Central region, consider how power operates in systems of injustice and justice, and develop skills to support justice work. Money is available to offset travel costs. A snow date is set for Feb.12. Please click here to register Refugee Resettlement Grants Available The Immigration, Refugee, and Asylum Task Team of the Southern New England Conference of the UCC has announced a small grant opportunity for UCC churches in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut that are working to sponsor refugee families and are helping them to resettle in the United States. This grant opportunity is initiated in response specifically to the resettlement of people from Afghanistan; however, it is open to congregations who are sponsoring refugees from any country.  Learn more here.

Afghan Refugee Support: Churches Encouraged to Work Together There are currently 55,600 Afghans awaiting new homes in the United States, with a predicted 30,000 more due to arrive by the end of the year. Some of these individuals and families have and will continue to arrive in the SNEUCC area. Assistance will be needed for weeks and months to come. The Southern New England Conference plans to offer additional information and resource sessions for our congregation. In addition, we are offering better staffing to support congregations, resettlement agencies, and, ultimately, our new neighbors.  Read more here. November Covid Update for Churches: Singing! As congregations across the Southern New England Conference return to varying levels of in-person worship, laments are rising, becoming louder: We want to sing! Some have thrown open the doors, gathering, and singing together, while others are remaining online only. The difference lies in the details. Church leadership chooses what is best for each individual congregation, often weighing factors such as: the community transmission rate, hospitalization numbers, death rate, vaccination status, congregation or community vulnerability and risk tolerance.   While Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island all have vaccination rates above 80%, transmission rates remain substantial to high and the CDC recommends all people wear masks when taking part in indoor gatherings.   Click here to read 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.

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.

UCC Counsel Urges Caution Regarding Boy Scout Charters

United Church of Christ General Counsel Heather Kimmel is advising that churches speak to an attorney before taking any action regarding Boy Scouts of America charter agreements or renewals in light of the BSA’s bankruptcy filing.

Kimmel said churches that are chartering organizations are receiving documents related to the Chapter 11 plan which gives several opt-in choices and an opt-out choice.

“Each choice involves waivers of important rights,” Kimmel said. “A local church that is a chartering organization should consult with its attorney to carefully review its options in the context of its history with BSA and knowledge of potential abuse claims for the best advice on how to proceed.  I cannot advise local churches individually on this issue.” Click here to read more.

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

DISCIPLESHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT A GLANCE SNEUCC Prayer Vigil for World AIDS Day Ending the HIV Epidemic: Equitable Access, Everyone's Voice Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 at 12:00pm via Zoom Join us for a noontime online prayer vigil of readings and music. This World AIDS Day, UNAIDS is highlighting the urgent need to end the inequalities that drive AIDS and other pandemics around the world. Without bold action against inequalities, the world risks missing the targets to end AIDS by 2030, as well as a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and a spiraling social and economic crisis. Register here Restful Advent - Zoom Chapel Tuesdays (November 30th, 2021 to December 21st, 2021) from 9:00am to 9:45am     Join us on Zoom each Tuesday during Advent to pray, rest, and reflect. We will follow the Restful Advent Devotional developed by Rev. Emma Brewer Wallin, Minister of Environmental and Economic Justice. Register here   Safe Environments Webinar Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm via Zoom This one hour info session will provide orientation to Abuse Prevention Resources from the UCC Insurance Board. Pastors, Deacons, Faith Formation leaders, Trustees, and HR Committee members are encouraged to attend. Debby Kirk, Faith Formation team leader will provide an orientation to the materials.  Sample templates for policies, background checks and screening, as well as training programs for teachers and volunteers will be reviewed. Register here   This program will also be held on Wednesday, January 7th, 2022 at 7:00pm.   Visit the Faith Formation webpage for more information. OUTDOOR MINISTRIES & MISSION OPPORTUNITIES The Southern New England Conference engages in Outdoor & Retreat Ministry with the following sites: Edwards House Meeting & Retreat Center, Framingham, MA 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. Pilgrim Day Camp, Framingham, MA This is a traditional summer day camp with over 50 years of experience in providing children safe, summer fun.   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. Fueling Inclusion, Voice, and Opportunity for All WAMS Works with individuals and community partners to inspire economic and education equity through social change. Click here to learn more about WAMS.   Worcester Fellowship Please check their website for updated information.   PULPIT SUPPLY INFORMATION   Please email Deb Holmes at holmesd@sneucc.org for an updated copy of the regional pulpit supply list.  If you are interested in being included on the North Central region pulpit supply list please contact Deb Holmes. 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. TRANSITIONS   Please click here to view all of the SNEUCC Transitions.   CELEBRATIONS  November Anniversaries 40 Years The Rev. Carol Ahlstrand Smith The Rev. John Zehring 35 Years The Rev. Stephanie Flynn 25 Years The Rev. John Shaw Please contact Deb Holmes if we have missed your anniversary.  Anniversaries are listed from 5 years and forward in increments of 5. If your church is celebrating a mile anniversary please let Deb Holmes know so that entire North Central Region can celebrate with you! OBITUARIES Please click here to view all SNEUCC obituaries.   CLASSIFIEDS Part-Time Church Administrative Assistant - Acton, MA Christian Education Director - Part Time Position - Ashland, MA Administrative Assistant - Northborough Church Treasurer - Paxton, MA Music Director - Woodstock, CT Church Musician (Part time) - Worcester, 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.