Strategic Ambiguity: 5 things every church can do in times of uncertainty to move towards health

Tuesday, May 31, 2022
2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT

Leader - Mark Meyer | The Unstuck Group
As the Church continues to experiment and assess what the new normal will look like in the future, many churches continue to be stuck in paralysis or waiting for things to go back to what had always been. This session will summarize our current learnings from hundreds of churches across the country. What needs to be part of our strategic plan in the next twelve months to be healthier as a congregation? How do we connect better in our community in this current environment? It's time for a reset as we build from a new reality.
Mark Meyer works with church denominations, networks and strategic partners to help bring revitalization for the churches they support. Mark has facilitated strategic planning for over 200 churches and is integrated with multiple denominational groups working on their healthy church strategies. Prior to joining the Unstuck Group, he served at Granger Community Church for over twenty years in Indiana, helped launch their online campus and was the COO at a technology consulting firm.

Keeping Children Safe Webinar

May 26th, 2022 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm
This workshop provides skills, knowledge and attitudes to prevent child sexual abuse in congregations. Topics discussed include: safe environment, working with parents, prevention strategies, signs and symptoms, and responding to disclosures. This is a modified workshop with materials from ChildrensTrust Fund MA.

Rev. Domenik Ackermann is Minister for Education at West Parish Church in Andover, MA, and a Ph.D. Candidate at Boston College. He is a Child Abuse Prevention trainer certified by the ChildrensTrust Fund MA.
Interested in attending? Register here!

Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers

May 26, 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM
First Church and Parish (UUA), Dedham, MA

The 2022 Convention of the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers will be held in person at First Church and Parish (UUA) in Dedham 670 High Street, Dedham, MA 02026.

Our preacher at 10AM will be Rev. Dr. Kathy Light from Elm Street Congregational Church UCC in Southbridge, Ma.

 Register now!  The SNEUCC Annual Meeting.

Register by June 3rd and you will receive a gift of a Worship Care Package. Even though we are in a virtual format and physically separated, we can be connected in spirit.  Please use the items in this box to create your own sacred space for worship. Items were packed with care by friends from Central Congregational Church, Attleboro Falls, MA and Newman Congregational Church, Rumford, RI; and the worship clothes were graciously donated by Magnificat Liturgical Artwork.  Register for Super Saturday here!   The annual meeting agenda can be found here.

The Rev. Dr. Duggan will be speaking on "entrepreneurial ministry," and how churches can reimagine their building usage in creative ways to connect with their communities.  Read more HERE.

"Understanding Jesus Means Understanding Judaism"

Thursday, June 16, 2022, at 6:30 pm
First Church of Christ in Mansfield
549 Storrs Rd, Mansfield Center, CT
Also livestreamed on YouTube, fccmansfield 

Dr. Levine is the Mary Jane Werthan University Professor of Jewish Studies and University Professor of New Testament Studies, Emerita.  Here is a link to her bio.  

Tuesday, June 21, 6:00 – 9:00pm ET Specialized Minister Boundary Training with Rev. Tara Barber and Rev. Stephen Boyd
This training is geared towards clergy in the New England Region, it is open to ministers serving in specialized settings throughout the United Church of Christ. Serving in specialized setting requires particular attention to boundaries within the ministry setting and home church that are challenging and different from those serving as local church pastors.  This training will focus on matters that relate specifically to issues that these ministers face, providing opportunities for clergy to reflect on best practices and growth in their practice of ministry.
*Note - This training completes individual requirements for boundary training ONLY WHEN authorized by a local Committee on Ministry.

Re-Imagining Faith Formation:
A Holistic Vision and Approach

Thursday, June 23rd, 2022 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm on Zoom
 

Are you spinning your wheels in your faith formation efforts? Feeling stuck or tired after countless pandemic pivots?  Wondering about next steps and how to plan for fall?  Join us for a SNEUCC zoom offering with Patricia Berry and Kathie Jackson of United Congregational Church in Middletown, RI, who will share the process that has energized their team and their ministry - living out a life-giving ministry model based on a grassroots process, shared power, and a theology of abundance.  Register here!

Save the Date for the 2022 Silver Lake Golf Tournament!

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Save the Date! 2022 Justice Summit

Saturday, September 24, 2022

9 AM - 4:30 PM
Location TBD

Racial Justice Advocate part-time position available The Southern New England Conference, United Church of Christ (SNEUCC), has a part-time opportunity for a Racial Justice Advocate. This position is funded for a maximum of two years.  The Racial Justice Advocate engages and supports local congregations, Conference staff and volunteers to enhance racial equity in all settings of the UCC and surrounding communities.  Learn more here.  Got Questions? Faith Formation Office Hours Office hours are Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:00pm in May Send us a note, give us a call (phone numbers are listed below) or drop in at one of the Wednesday evening sessions in May!   We are happy to answer general questions, assist with resources, or simply serve as conversation partners if you are experimenting with a new idea regarding faith formation.  These sessions are open to clergy, faith formation practitioners, and lay leaders.  Register here to receive a Zoom meeting link!    S O C I A L   J US T I C E   I N TE R N S Call For Teen Activists We are excited to extend an invitation for applications to our Summer 2022 high school Social Justice Internship (SJI)! The SJI is a paid opportunity for teens to get involved in creating change in their communities.  The interns actively engage in both academic and activism materials, ensuring that they continue to learn about ongoing events while amplifying their voices and creating changes in their communities.  The internship will be held in a hybrid format from Tuesday, July 5 through Friday, August 12, 2022. Each intern will work for 15 hours per week at a rate of $15 per hour.  If you have any questions, please contact Moneesha Dasgupta, SJI Program Director.  Click here for additional information.  Scholarship Available The First Congregational Church of Harwich is pleased to make available a scholarship of around $600 from our Wood Fund this year.  Ministry and Christian Education students who are members of congregations that are within the Southern New England Conference of the UCC are invited to apply for this scholarship to assist with the cost of attending seminary.   Application forms are available online here.  Please email Del Borah with questions.   The Nancy S. Taylor Leadership Fellowship Program  Old South Church in Boston is seeking applicants for this inaugural fellowship!  Fellows will be immersed in the life of Old South Church and actively participate in worship leadership, committees and boards to learn about and to help shape our life together.  Old South Church is looking for candidates who are in their third or final year of seminary, called to action and to the ministry, who dare to be leaders in a changing world.  This is a part-time position, of roughly 15 hours per week with compensation. The Fellowship can begin in the summer or fall of 2022 and will run through the end of May 2023. For more information click here.      Conference Launches Justice Leadership Program If you feel called to work for justice or are eager to integrate faith and justice work into your life in meaningful and transformative ways, apply now for the Southern New England cohort of the Jubilee program, which will launch this fall. Read more about this program here.       "How do we do year-round stewardship?" New Materials Available for Year-round Stewardship excerpted from Andrew Warner, National UCC Research by the Lake Institute and others demonstrates the importance of teaching about generosity, not just when handing out pledge cards but all the time.  Yet, many pastors only preach on giving annually (if at all).  The new materials – "From Bread and Cup to Faith and Giving" – answer that need with a robust set of preaching and worship materials (exegesis on eight texts), small group lesson plans, children & youth materials, plus practical advice on how to talk about generosity during a pledge drive and throughout the year.  View the video by Bruce Barkhauer about these materials here.  Available for purchase here. Faith Formation Leadership Program Now Completely Online The Southern New England Conference’s Faith Formation Leadership Program is undergoing similar types of shifts and changes as are happening in the church. Recently the decision has been made to offer this program completely online.  Read more here.  Insurance Board's Legal Helpline In partnership with the United Church of Christ Association of Conference Attorneys (ACA) Insurance Board announces the addition of a Legal Helpline through our partnership with the Association of Conference Attorneys (ACA) of the United Church of Christ. All Insurance Board participants can access legal counsel that will provide a free legal consultation and referral service. Ministries will benefit from connecting with attorneys who have an intimate understanding of polity and how issues are processed in observance of free church traditions. Contact the Legal Helpline at 800-437-8830 (prompt #7) or email your inquiry to legalhelpline@insuranceboard.org. As the only non-profit insurance provider serving six denominations through our exclusive covenant, our ministry continues to offer resources to protect yours.  Click here for more information.  Outdoor Ministries The Southern New England Conference engages in Outdoor & Retreat Ministry with these sites:  Edwards House Meeting & Retreat Center, Framingham, MA  Irons Homestead, Gloucester, RI Pilgrim Day Camp, Framingham, MA Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center, Sharon, CT.  Read more about the exciting things happening and coming up at Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center right here.    Let us know! You are doing great ministry! Let us help make sure others know about it. Tell us about your stories, news and event information. Don’t be modest!  We’re waiting to hear from you. Email Lynn at varneyl@sneucc.org. 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. Called to Serve Barnstable Association Moderator: Rev. Nancy McHugh Committee on Ministry Chair:  Rev. Tina Walker-Morin   Pilgrim Association Moderator: Rev. Mary Lou Gifford Committee on Ministry Chair: Rev. Kimberly Murphy Old Colony Association Moderator: Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver Committee on Ministry  Chair:  Rev. Dr. Virginia Child   Rhode Island Association  Moderator: Rev. Dale Azevedo Committee on Ministry  Chair:  Rev. Caroline Patterson More SNEUCC Classifieds Part-Time Music Director, First Congregational Church, Bristol, RI Part-Time Sunday School Director, South Weymouth, MA Part-Time Music Director, Duxbury, MA Director of Faith Formation, Falmouth, MA Children and Families Outreach Worker - Harwich, MA Lead Hospitality Associate - Edwards House(MA) and Irons Homestead (RI)   This week we pray for: Federated Church of Edgartown: Rev. Charlotte Wrigth The Congregational Church of Mansfield: Rev. Ruth Shaver The First Church, West Bridgewater: Rev. Stephen Finlan Seekonk Congregational UCC, Seekonk, RI: Rev. Joy Utter   Pulpit Supply     If you are interested in providing Pulpit Supply to churches in the Southeast Region (Barnstable, Old Colony, Pilgrim and Rhode Island Associations) please contact Lynn Varney at varneyl@sneucc.org.  Local churches thank you for being available for this important service to congregations! UCC Opportunities  Find opportunities online. Search by keyword, Conference, or type of position: Volunteer - Missionary - Musician - Summer camp staff - Pastorate - Chaplaincy. The Spirit moves in many directions!     Take a look!   Find out more about Conference and Association transitions here:   Clergy Transitions Obituaries Links   Quick Links Barnstable Association Barnstable Assoc. Facebook Page Old Colony Association Old Colony Assoc.Facebook Page  Pilgrim Association Pilgrim Assoc. Facebook Page Rhode Island Association RI Assoc. Facebook Page Millennials' Ministry SNEUCC Facebook Page SNEUCC Blogs United Church of Christ Subscriptions This is an edition of the Southeast Region (including the Barnstable, Old Colony, Pilgrim and Rhode Island Associations) E-Newsletter that will be sent every other week. If you would like to unsubscribe or change your email preferences, please visit this link and enter your email address. Southeast Region ~ Area Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Patty Kogut Associations:  Barnstable, Old Colony, Pilgrim, Rhode Island kogutp@sneucc.org New #: 508-244-4416   *Please note that Conference staff are not scheduling in-person preaching, worship or meetings until February 14, 2022.  We are happy to join you online until then.