Note: This newsletter is being edited by Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane while Tiffany Vail is on sabbatical.

Pilgrim Day Camp Proves to be a Blast!

Jon Kirby has over 40 years’ experience under his belt in running Pilgrim Day Camp, a traditional summer day camp owned and operated by the Conference for over 50 years and located in Framingham, MA. And he needed all that experience to prepare him for the onslaught of registrations for this past summer’s program.

The Camp registration web page went live in January, and within 24 hours, there were over 1,600 children enrolled – over 400 more than a typical summer! Some believe that the large bump in interest resulted from the parents and students spreading positive messages about their previous summer camp experiences on their social networks. Read what the parents had to say.

Read 3.5 Min Read

"Gratitude is Not a Prerequisite for What We Do": Cathedral in the Night - Northampton, MA

Coordinated by a team including Pastor Stephanie Smith and Dawn Orluske, Catheral in the Night is a vibrant non-traditional ministry in urban Western Massachusetts that serves the local community through the breaking of bread and the building of community. Read this interview where Dawn is asked about her approach to ministry, her time with Cathedral in the Night, and the impact the CITN community has on the greater community in which it manifests.

Read 9 Min Read

The Great Resignation Hits Churches…And This Pastor is Hopeful!

The early days of the pandemic provided a natural pause in many volunteer relationships. When the buildings closed and programs went on hiatus, churches relied on staff to innovate a narrower portfolio of offerings. It was safer to keep the number of people in the building to a minimum. Congregants were overwhelmed with the demands of work, school, and family—all restricted to the home. Churches grew accustomed to working with fewer volunteers. Now we want our volunteers back, but they are slow to respond. Here's how Susan Beaumont, who writes and coaches particularly around the intersection of organizational health and spiritual vitality, describes the situation she’s seeing in many congregations ... and offers suggestions about re-engaging volunteers.

Read 4.3 Min Read

Coming in October: Clergy Appreciation Month

The Southern New England Conference is blessed with over 1400 Authorized Ministers and a host of MID's. Listen to Rev. Darrell Goodwin express gratefulness for their service to the faithful and talk about ways the Conference is investing in our pastor leaders this October for Clergy Appreciation Month.

Read 2 Min Read with 3 Min Video

Upcoming Events

Voices of Resilience: The Intersection of Women on the Move
September 18 through October 15, 2022
Center Church, South Hadley
Through art, text, video, and music, this month-long exhibit invites audiences of all ages and backgrounds to discover their stories and explore how they have shaped our community and influenced our lives.

Clergy Boundary Awareness Training: Clergy Health and Wellness
September 22, 2022 at 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Online
Participants will focus on several key areas for balance and wellbeing in their ministry.

2022 Justice Summit: Creating Racial Equity in our Communities and Congregations
Sept. 24, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Live-stream registration ends morning of Sept. 22.
A one-day gathering focused on devising strategies to confront racial inequity in local congregations and communities, with Rev. Dr. Diane Schmitz and Bishop Yvette Flunder. NOW REGISTERING FOR ONLINE ONLY (brtapp.com)

Giving USA 2022 and Religious Fundraising Today
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Online
We will look at some of the fundraising data in Giving USA 2022 and religious fundraising more generally in today’s cultural and economic context.

Strengthen Your Work for Racial Justice
Saturday, October 8, 10 a.m.- noon:
Breaking through Barriers: Interrupting How White Supremacy Culture Works to Keep Racism in Place
Saturday, November 5, 10 a.m.- noon:
Creating Change in Your Sphere of Influence

Faith Formation 101: Practices for a Sustainable Ministry - Faith Formation Leadership Program
Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Explore the nuts and bolts of organizing and implementing faith formation programs in the local church: recruiting, nurturing, and supporting volunteers; leadership skills, and working on a church staff.

Events by our Partners

PRC - Church Lighting 101: Evaluate and Update Your Lighting to Reduce Cost
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Online

PRC - Encouraging Year End Giving
Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Online

Take Heart, it is I: An Online Retreat for Creation Season+
Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Online

All events: www.sneucc.org/events

Subscribe to our other newsletters at: sneucc.org/subscribe

Visit our newsletter archive

Have your church administrator (or whoever handles your church's email account) visit the Church Dashboard to make sure we're connecting with all the current leaders in your church.