The third annual Southern New England Conference Justice Summit will focus this year on politics as an act of faith. Local church leaders will gather both onsite in Middletown, Connecticut and online for this hybrid event on September 14th.  

Workshop topics include:

  • Preaching Is Political:  Faithfully Navigating Red, Purple, and Blue
  • Claiming our power & developing relationships with power people
  • Depolarizing Ourselves
  • Intergenerational Track: Imagining the Kingdom
  • A moral fusion movement: getting to know the Poor People’s Campaign 
  • Broad-based interfaith community
  • Vote with Love! Our Faith Our Vote 2024  
  • & more!

New this year is the intentional inclusion of children and youth, an acknowledgement that younger people will be affected by today’s political decisions for decades to come and that churches have a role to play in nurturing young people in being full participants in public life – even if they are not yet old enough to vote! Children ages 5-12 are invited to participate in the Intergenerational Track, which will include opportunities to use creativity and teamwork to build the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Youth in grades 7-12 are invited to participate in the full program, with the choice of any workshop (including Intergenerational Track). Children, youth, and youth leaders register at a reduced rate, and additional scholarships are available.  

Registration for onsite participation will close on Friday, August 30 at noon and registration for online participation will close on Wednesday, September 11. The Justice Summit is open to people from any denomination, as well as other UCC Conferences. Members of the Southern New England Conference register at a discounted rate, with gratitude to their church’s Proportional Giving to support the ministries of the Conference. You can keep up with event updates here.

 

New cohort of Becoming a Trans-Affirming Church Affinity Group to launch in October; other opportunities to learn about trans & nonbinary affirmation

After 10 churches participated in the inaugural cohorts of the Becoming a Trans-Affirming Church Affinity Group this program year, the Center for Transformational Leadership is offering this opportunity again. The Affinity Group meets monthly via Zoom from October to May, with pre-work between sessions. Content includes exposure to transgender and nonbinary experiences within the church and factors to consider in ministry by, with, and for trans/nonbinary people and when leading change within a congregation. Each session includes peer group reflection on participants' learning and the experience of leading education or action related to trans/nonbinary belonging. Watch a recent panel discussion with participants from the 2023-24 cohorts. This Affinity Group requires a pastor and a lay leader from the same church to register. A third person may also participate.

To participate, start by emailing Rev. Noah Brewer-Wallin, Affinity Group leader, to ensure the program is a good fit for your congregation. Enrollment is rolling, and the priority date to express interest is August 15.

Not sure if the Affinity Group is right for your church? Get started with a 2 hour Intro to Gender & Trans/Nonbinary Workshop! Choose from one of three upcoming online sessions:

Learn more about all Trans-Affirming programs & resources here.
SNEUCC Affirms Task Teams as a Volunteer-Led Ministry on Behalf of the Conference
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As the Southern New England Conference continues to live into its new purpose and structures, an area of recent attention is the ways in which members of the Conference can work together on issues of shared concern and to make the love and justice ...
Two New Staffers Hired for Center for Transformational Leadership
3 minute read
Two people have been hired for the staff of the Center for Transformational Leadership (CTL), the Conference's program aimed at equipping clergy and lay leaders with resources, tools and support.   Rev. Vanessa Cardinale Rev. Vanessa ...

 

WISE Resolution Overwhelmingly Passed at 5th Annual Meeting
2 minute read
The 5th Annual Meeting of the Southern New England Conference overwhelmingly approved a resolution brought by the Board of Directors to call upon the Conference staff, congregations and members to engage in the national UCC W.I.S.E. (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, Engaged) certification program...


 
 
 
 
Southern New England Conference, United Church of Christ
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This newsletter is made by possible by your church's contributions to Proportional Giving to Our Church's Wider Mission.