IN THIS ISSUE:

• Time Capsule Teaser, a featured Time Capsule Interview with Chris Solimene of Avon Congregational Church (9 Minute Read)
• Building a Legacy: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In, by Charlie Kuchenbrod (3 Minute Read)

 UPCOMING EVENTS:

• May 19: Lunch & Learn for Leaders: Reaching Your Community - Church Podcasts 101 (REGISTER)
• June 16: Lunch & Learn for Leaders: Conflict & Community (REGISTER)
• Noteworthy Offerings:
  • June 14: PRC Webinar - Best Practices for Church Accounting (REGISTER)
  • June 23: PRC Webinar - How Churches Can Help Alleviate Mental Health Stigmas and Support Those in Need (REGISTER)

TIME CAPSULE TEASER:
A Conversation with Pastor Chris Solimene - Reflecting on the Pandemic 

Over the last 18 months or so, our nation has faced two pandemics—the health pandemic of COVID 19 and the pandemic of continuous Racial Injustice. As you think about these two pandemics: How did they impact your mission and ministry activities?  
 
The mission of the Avon Congregational Church is ‘to enable people to know God’s unconditional love and to be a community of faith helping one another to live as Jesus Christ lived and taught.’ When reflecting upon the historical Jesus, we know he needed to adapt in creative ways in order to best reach people. To do this, Jesus used parables and metaphors about the day-to-day well-known experiences of his day. This allowed people to find themselves in his stories and to learn what other faith-seeking folks have done to deepen their relationship with God and each other.
 
Keeping this in mind, it made good sense to me to adapt the ways we approached ministry at Avon Congregational Church in order to... (CONTINUE READING) (9 Minute Read)

BUILDING A LEGACY:
Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In 

The Center for Transformational Leadership would like to introduce a new feature in our newsletter.  As you may know, in addition to leadership development, innovation conversations, small church support, etc., we are also called to encourage, resource, and accompany churches that are in a time of discernment. This can be especially helpful when that means discerning opportunities for renewal or the need for a completion of ministry.  Charlie Kuchenbrod is a consultant and resource person for the Conference and is an expert on accompanying churches who are considering completing their ministry and building a legacy within their communities; he has recently created a blog series on the topic: Building A Legacy – Learning, Discerning and Leaning-In. CLICK HERE to read the first installment about why discernment and legacy conversations are an essential activity for every church during their lifecycle. (3 MINUTE READ)

JOIN US FOR TODAY'S LUNCH & LEARN: 
Church Podcasts 101

Have you been thinking about ways to extend your church's message beyond usual geographical limits? During this Lunch & Learn session, Eric Fistler will help you to view podcasting as a creative and far-reaching platform from which it is possible to access more diverse audiences to share God's message. Participants will explore possible podcast discussion topics, learn about simple ways to set up podcasts, and will consider ways that congregations can engage with podcast content. To join us, register using the link below!

REGISTER NOW!

UPCOMING JUNE LUNCH & LEARN: 
Conflict and Community

Do you ever feel conflict is keeping your congregation from flourishing? Churches often are locked in the “basement” level of communication – precariously hovering between conflict and compromise. This workshop explores how to better “navigate the nonsense” in churches and avoid bad habits that break down communication instead of building it up.  Clergy can inadvertently amplify church conflict when trying to help others. Their problem-solving efforts often only make matters worse, which gives life to “the church monster” that devours congregations. This workshop seeks to uncover hidden pathways to higher levels of communication that promote community and creativity in ministry.

Presenter: Rev. Doug Bixby serves as the senior pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Attleboro. Rev. Bixby is a graduate of North Park Theological Seminary, M-Div. 1993, and received an undergraduate degree from Hope College in Holland, MI. He is the author of three books. His most recent book is Navigating the Nonsense: Church Conflict and Triangulation. His second is The Honest to God Church: A Pathway to God’s Grace, published by the Alban Institute in 2007.  The first book he published is called Challenging the Church Monster: From Conflict to Community, published by Pilgrim Press in 2002.

REGISTER NOW!

PRC WEBINAR -
Best Practices for Church Accounting

Finances drive what churches are able to accomplish to fulfill their mission and work in communities. This webinar will review some core fundamental practices for any church’s accounting and finance functions and will be beneficial for church administrators, bookkeepers, treasurers, finance team members, and certain clergy involved in related policy matters. Topics will include basic internal controls over receipts and expenditures, documentation requirements for expenditures, and the benefits of various accounting systems.  (Details of accounting software such as QuickBooks or other church management software will not be discussed in detail.) Additionally, we will discuss some common areas where churches misstep in the finance area.

Elaine L. Sommerville is licensed as a certified public accountant by the State of Texas. For more than 30 years, she has focused her practice on churches and other nonprofit organizations. She has assisted in the representation of several large case IRS exams as well as other IRS examinations of smaller organizations. Elaine currently devotes her time to handling various IRS issues for individuals and for exempt organizations of various types. Elaine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy and Information Systems from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She is the sole shareholder of the CPA firm of Sommerville & Associates, P.C. Located in Arlington, Texas; the firm employees 10 staff members who provide tax and consulting services to over 300 churches and nonprofit organizations.

She is a regular speaker for the Texas Society of CPAs, The Church Network, the Houston Church Coop, and is an instructor for the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). She is a contributing author to the Thomson Reuters/PPC’s Nonprofit Tax and Governance Guide and Form 990 Deskbook. She is a member of the AICPA, the Texas Society of CPAs, and The Church Network.

REGISTER NOW!

PRC WEBINAR -
How Churches Can Help Alleviate Mental Health Stigmas and Support Those in Need 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Health Illness, one in four Americans suffer from mental health issues of some sort in any given year. This webinar will provide needed information for several common mental health issues, all of which are faced by those attending our churches--what churches are doing unknowingly to make those suffering from these issues feel 'different' or misunderstood, and what we can do to change that. Discussion of the role of the church leadership as ideally taking on the identity of the 'Good Shepherd' in Jesus' parable will provide insights on the importance of our response to those who are suffering emotionally. We will also identify myths that increase and perpetuate stigmas for Christians suffering from mental health issues within the Church. We will highlight Biblical spiritual truths to denounce these stigmas and allow healing to begin.

Molly W. Blancke, MPA, BSW, BA, has been the Executive Director of Lutheran Counseling Center (LCC) in New York since 2006. A native South Carolinian, before coming to New York Molly demonstrated leadership skills as the Social Services Director for a large nursing home complex for eight years and previously, as a social worker advocate with mentally challenged children and their families, encouraging and fostering independence in their communities. Molly is also an accomplished church organist and pianist and has worked in the past for several churches in music director positions.

She has a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in ‘Non-Profit Management’ from Long Island University and is an adjunct professor in the MPA program there. She also earned a B.S.W. in Social Work and a B.A. in Sociology and Music.

Molly is a member of LSA (Lutheran Services in America), is on the board of LSNYA (Lutheran Services New York Alliance), is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha and received their award of excellence in 2009.

 REGISTER TODAY!

CONTACT US

We have recently launched our new website: The Center for Transformational Leadership - Southern New England Conference of the UCC (sneucc.org/transform) 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:

Interim Director – Rev. Heather Ramsey Mabrouk, ramsey-mabroukh@sneucc.org 
Assistant Director – Karen Ziel, zielk@sneucc.org
Program Support Associate - Elisa Wilson wilsone@sneucc.org 

As a participating leader in the Southern New England Conference, you have been added to the subscription list for this newsletter. If you would rather not receive it, or otherwise wish to change your email preferences, please visit: sneucc.org/subscribe.