Joys and Concerns
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1. Alison Killeen will be ordained Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 4:00pm at First Congregational Church of Minnesota (500 Eighth Street SE, Minneapolis). Seasonal refreshments will be served following the ordination service. Clergy are invited to robe (blue or white stoles) and process.
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A Timely Reminder
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A Timely Reminder
 This winter's first major "snow event" in Minnesota took place on the weekend of December 7,8 and 9. It brought to mind some of the other large snowstorms Minnesota has known over the years. It reminded those in Glencoe of the 29 inches of snow that fell on Halloween in 1991 and the 15-inch snow that followed on Thanksgiving weekend. Across the state it led to recounting stories of some of the great snow storms in our history.
While the snowstorm in early December reminded a lot of people of previous storms and even blizzards, the date of that storm reminded me of something else. The numbers 7-8-9 stuck in my head for a while before I realized that the big snowstorm of December 7-8-9 of 2012 was just a timely reminder - a timely reminder that the 51st Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ was exactly six months away - and that we should make our plans right now as we gather to BEHOLD... A NEW THING! (Isaiah 43:19)
Mark your calendars NOW for June 7-8-9 - and join us as we gather for a weekend of faith, fun and fellowship.
Rev. Dick Fylling, Annual Meeting Planning Work Group
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Reserve your spot at Pilgrim Point for 2013!
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Congregations are invited to sponsor a week or weekend of their own at Pilgrim Point! We provide twice daily all-camp, cross-generational programs, worship support for the Vespers leadership (once a day as an all-camp event), amazing meals and hospitality. You will still have plenty of time for relaxing, playing at the beach or ball field and creating your own experiences!
As it happens, dates and spaces are filling up VERY fast, but there is still room to get your church to the Point! If you want to pair up with another church, we can help you - contact Gigi Nauer (ggmarie58@gmail.com) to assist with those connections. If you have other questions related to making a reservation, please contact the Pilgrim Point Registrar, Zac Norenberg (zacn@uccmn.org) to get assistance.
Download the reservation form here, and GET TO THE POINT!
On the reverse of the form, please find procedures on how to make a successful reservation. Please read through this carefully before submitting your application. Contact Zac Norenberg (zacn@uccmn.org) if you have any questions.
Here is what is currently available:
- July 12-14 (Available: Lodge, Annex, North Shore, Campground)
- July 26-28 (Available: Annex, North Shore, POEM Cabins)
- August 9-11 (Available: Annex, North Shore, Campground)
- August 23-25 (Available: Annex, North Shore, Campground)
- August 30-Sept 1: (Available: Annex, North Shore, POEM Cabins)
See you at the Point!
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5 for 5 deadline set for 2012 contributions
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Five for Five 2012
deadline set for Friday, January 11
Checks with gifts for UCC Basic Support (Our Church's Wider Mission), One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, Neighbors in Need, and the Christmas Fund will need to be received at the Conference Office by Friday, January 11 to be counted toward your 2012 Five for Five tally.
Offerings we receive after Friday, January 11 will be credited, with gratitude, to your 2013 giving. Please help us with your understanding and your support, and by meeting this deadline for 2012 Five Funds gifts. If you have questions, please contact the Business Office at business@uccmn.org.
Pastors and Moderators: please make sure this information gets passed on to your church treasurer. |
Peace Fund Offering is coming up!
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Justice and Witness Team
Peace Fund Offering
Empowering Our Prophetic Voice
 Heads up! Peace Fund Offering is Martin Luther King Sunday, January 20, 2013! New promotional materials will soon be posted to the Justice and Witness Team page of uccmn.org.
Your support of the Peace Offering empowers the "Prophetic Voice" of the Minnesota Conference. Your "UCC people power" made history in November with the defeat of the marriage and voter ID amendments to our state constitution.
Your contributions to the Peace Fund special offering on Martin Luther King Sunday, January 20, 2013, will help deepen the support base for advocacy. It adds to your own congregation's financial base (25% supports local congregational based advocacy) as well as creating advocacy resources for use throughout the Minnesota Conference through the Peace Fund Grant program (75% of the offering). The Justice and Witness Team administers the Peace Fund Grant program.
For more information, contact Rev. John Guttermann, intpasj@mac.com or 651-485-3104. Updated resources coming soon!
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Be a justice advocate: Register Now!
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Register Now!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013, 6 pm - 8:30 pm
the day before the 2013 JRLC Day on the Hill event on Feb. 21
Mayflower UCC, 106 E Diamond Lake Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Learn more about being a justice advocate!
Prepare with other UCCers for the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition's Day on the Hill event, organize for faith based social justice advocacy, come together as Minnesota Conference UCC Prophetic Voices for Justice, celebrate our Conference Prophetic Voice!
Come to live into the Conference Vision: The Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ is a bold, widely-known, proactive and respected public voice of Christianity.
Register Now!
Free event, and dinner is provided
Directions to Mayflower UCC. And if you're not sure what your Senate or House district are, you can find out here.
Sponsored by Justice & Witness Team in cooperation with the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition.
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Clergy Clusters in the Coming Week
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Central Cluster: Thursday, January 3, 11:30am
St. John's UCC (Bongard's), Norwood (Note change of location!)
Northern Cluster: Tuesday, January 8, 11:00am
Peace UCC, Duluth
Southeast Cluster: Tuesday, January 8, 11:30am
Peace UCC, Rochester
Twin Cities West Cluster: Wednesday, January 9, 12:00pm
Parkway UCC, Minneapolis
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2013 Certification School!
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Coming this spring Certification School in Progressive Youth Ministry! May 19-24, 2013 with closing retreat Nov. 8-10, 2013 This course includes 50+ hours of instruction, all textbooks, six webinars, coaching and ministry plan projects. May classes take place at Pilgrim Point Camp in Alexandria, MN and the November retreat in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Cost for early registration by March 1 - $2,000; after March 1 - $2,200. Registration opens January 1, 2013! Click here for more info.
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Our Whole Lives Trainings
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 Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a sexual education program with resources written for six different age groups. They were written by professional sexuality educators and provide accurate information for parents, teachers and pastors to be used in the affirming and supportive setting of our churches.
More information about OWL is available here.The Minnesota Conference UCC, in partnership with the Prairie Star District UUA, has established the following OWL Training Courses for spring of 2013:May 10-11, 2013 at Pilgrim Point Camp in Alexandria, MNLevels: K-1, 4-6, and young adultsMay 10-12, 2013 at Pilgrim Point Camp in Alexandria, MN
Levels: 7-9 and 10-12
More details and registration coming soon - save the dates!
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Faith Action Vigil
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Faith Action VigilSunday, January 6, 2:30pmRamsey County Detention Center425 Grove Street, Saint Paul, MNFaith Action Vigil #40 "The Work of Christmas Begins Now"This month's host: Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates "Moving always toward profound love of God and neighbor without distinction."Come, Pray, SupportSponsor: interfaithcoalitionimmigration@gmail.com
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Food & Faith: Rural Ministry Conference
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Local Church Events
| Check out all the events happening at our local churches across Minnesota on our Local Church Events Calendar! You can surf around the calendar to see what's coming up across the Conference. Just click on the title of the event in the calendar to get more details.
Would you like your events to appear on this calendar? Just email Alison Bents at alisonb@uccmn.org. Simple as that! |
Employment Opportunities
| Check out the Employment Opportunities portion of the Minnesota Conference website. Click here to see the listings.
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