COMMAntary: e-newsletter of the
Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ
  

brought to you by generous contributions
to Our Church's Wider Mission

Vol. 09, No. 30 

24 July 2013

Mission Bite: from across the Minnesota Conference
from Rev. Elena Larssen, Associate Conference Minister

Dear Neighbors,  

 

It is with gratitude for the last nearly-five years that I say goodbye as your Associate Conference Minister for the Minnesota Conference, United Church of Christ. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn and minister in the Minnesota Conference, for the faithfulness of your local congregations, the whole Conference and support of the national UCC.  

 

Thinking over the experiences I've had with our congregations, authorized ministers, and ministries I recall: Ordinations... installations... consultations with congregations in Council Meetings, workshops, on the phone and in lots of emails... building the V*R*V Congregational Vitality Program... visiting congregations of every size and shape for worship on Sunday mornings and worshipping at Pilgrim Point... working with the National Setting and other wonderful Conference Staff around the country... seeing congregations and clergy in 'the best of times and the worst of times'... the dedication of our 230 volunteers, especially the Committee on Ministry... having pastoral conversations and creating strategies for clergy and lay leaders to prosper in ministry... Day on the Hill, Fall Convocation at Christ the King Retreat Center, and the most fun Annual Meetings in the UCC... I have been blessed by the faithfulness of the United Church of Christ in Minnesota!

 

As you may know from the COMMAntary announcement in April, I have been called as Senior Minister of The First Congregational Church of Long Beach, United Church of Christ and my husband Mark Pettis has been called as Senior Minister of the Manhattan Beach Community Church, United Church of Christ. Clyde the Wonder Dog will continue in his role as Vice President in Charge of Fun. We will be residing in a manse in Manhattan Beach, and this move back home to the west coast will afford us precious access to our relatives. These years so far away from them have been increasingly difficult, and we are blessed to be landing in a place where we will be able to actively participate in the care for and life of our extended family.

 

To my delight, The Rev. Dr. Anita Bradshaw will serve as Interim Associate Conference Minister from August 5, 2013 to May 5, 2014. Her service will allow our new Conference Minister, The Rev. Shari Prestemon, to lead a search for a settled Associate Conference Minister, which is a wonderful opportunity as we open an exciting new chapter of leadership as a Conference.  

 

You have probably seen the COMMAntary invitation, but please do join us as you are able for a formal Farewell Celebration on Thursday, July 25th from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Paul's UCC: 900 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN 55105. All are welcome, of course.

 

This opportunity to serve in Conference Ministry has been precious and profound; I am deeply grateful for the experience and for God's grace in each moment. And how can I ever stop praising God for bringing me to a UCC ministry where I would meet and marry another authorized minister? Thank you for your kindness and support; it has been a privilege to serve in ministry with you.

 

With my blessings and best wishes,

The Rev. Elena Larssen


 News and Information


Joys and Concerns
1. A Service of Farewell for Rev. Brigit Stevens will be held on Sunday, July 28 at 9:00am at St. Paul's UCC in Henderson. The church is located at 111 S. 6th Street in Henderson. Rev. Stevens has accepted a call to be Associate Conference Minister in the Iowa Conference. She has served St. Paul's UCC since 2009.

2. As same-sex marriage is about to become legal in Minnesota on August 1, the coverage in the media has increased greatly. Rev. Rosemary Rocha, pastor of Edina Morningside UCC, was interviewed for an article in the Star Tribune. You may read that entire article here. Rev. Howard Bell, Acting Conference Minister, was interviewed by Minnesota Public Radio for an article as well. That entire article appears here. It is great to hear UCC voices in the wider media!

3. Roxanne Gould, member of All Nations Indian UCC in Minneapolis, was elected by the General Synod to serve as an at-large member of the United Church of Christ's Board of Directors. Roxanne (Grand Traverse Band Odawa/Ojibwe) received her doctorate from the University of Minnesota in education with her research emphasis on global Indigenous education and leadership. She also holds an MA in Educational Psychology and Counseling and BA degree in American Indian Studies. Roxanne presently teaches for the American Indian Studies and Education Departments at Augsburg College and works as lead consultant for Indigenous Educational Design and for Native Americans In Philanthropy-Art of Reciprocity project. As a recipient of a both a Bush and Kellogg Leadership fellowships Roxanne was afforded the opportunity to research and work with Indigenous peoples in Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Sweden, Norway, China, New Zealand and Canada. Roxanne is also the co-founder of the Sharing the Dream/Indigenous Women's Exchange, an Indigenous community development project in Guatemala. Her passion to create Indigenous global alliances also opened doors to organize Indigenous exchanges to New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and Basque country, Namibia and most recently to Bolivia where she facilitated a three year agreement with their Ministry of Decolonization to work on issues such as climate change, education, health and wellness and culture and cosmovision. Roxanne comes to the national board of the United Church of Christ recommended by the national Justice and Witness Ministries board. Roxanne's work reflects her commitment to social justice and methods of decolonization that will bring about healing in Indigenous communities.

4. The Minnesota Conference office has learned of the death of Marilynn Parker, wife of Rev. James A. Parker of Trempealeau, Wisconsin, on June 2, 2013. Funeral services were held Sunday, July 21 at First Congregational UCC in Winona. Marilyn ministered alongside her husband in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, including at St. John's UCC in both Fairmont and New Albin, Iowa, Medford Congregational, and St. Paul's UCC in Delano. She went back to school later in life to become a high school English teacher. Marilyn participated in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and anti-Vietnam war protests. Later, she worked for the rights of LGBT people. A full obituary is available here.
COMMAntary Schedule

Due to staff summer vacations, the COMMAntary for Aug. 7 will be compiled and created on August 2. Please have any items you would like included sent to [email protected] by noon on August 2nd. The following week's COMMAntary (for Aug. 14) will be compiled and created by Zac Norenberg on August 13th. Please have items in to [email protected] by noon on August 12th. Following that, all will be back to normal. The usual COMMAntary deadline is noon on Wednesday and items may be sent to Alison Bents at [email protected]. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility!

News from the Emmaus Team

In the wake of the not guilty verdict for George Zimmerman in the murder of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, the Emmaus Antiraicsm Transformation Team of the Minnesota Conference supports the statement of the UCC Collegium released last week and recommends the following events for dismantling racism. In the coming weeks, we will highlight other resources in the COMMAntary and on our website.

 

Events:

  • July 25, 2013
    Refocus the Frame: Turning the Lens on Race and Racism

    A series of powerful film screenings followed by facilitated discussion to stimulate insight and thoughtful dialogue sponsored by the Facilitating Racial Equity Collaborative. The films are free and all are welcome! Donations are also welcome! Join us Thursday, July 25 at Capri Theater for The Central Park Five! Doors open at 5:30, film at 6:00. Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway, Minneapolis. For more information, click here.
  • September 26, 2013
    Refocus the Frame: Turning the Lens on Race and Racism
    UPCOMING FILM: Saving Face, Thursday, September 26, 7 pm (doors open at 6:30) Metropolitan State University, Founders Hall Auditorium,700 E. 7th Street, St. Paul, MN 55106
  • October 23, 2013
    It's Time to Talk: Forums on Race
    For more than a decade, diverse community leaders - from business, education, arts, and community service - have come together to participate in dialogues on race and commit to eliminating racism at the annual It's Time to Talk: Forums on Race program. There are many ways to get involved, from being an event sponsor to hosting a table, from attending as an individual to being trained as a racial justice facilitator. For more information about this forum and other racial justice education events sponsored by the YWCA contact Alicia Frosch at [email protected] or click here.
  • November 15-16, 2013
    Overcoming Racism Conference 
    The Emmaus Team is a regular sponsor of this annual conference organized by the Facilitating Racial Equity Collaborative (FREC) and enthusiastically invites members of the Minnesota Conference to attend. This year's theme is Truth Telling As A Means To Overcome Racism. The conference will be heldat Metropolitan State University, 700 E. 7th Street, St. Paul, MN 55106. For more information, click here.  
Enduring Fund Grants Available!

Dear Applicant,

 

The Enduring Fund was established by Chapel Hills of Edina in 2003. The stated mission of the endowment is to provide supplemental financial support to organizations, individual and projects that work in concert of our mission as a community of faith. The process for completing an application is linked here.   

 

The following is a high level review of the process: 

  1. Organization completes an Enduring Fund Application Form. A member of the Enduring Fund Committee is assigned to each request and performs necessary research on the organization, proposal, etc.
  2. The Enduring Fund Committee reviews all requests. Depending on the nature of the request, the committee may ask the applicant to meet with the committee, or visit the organization for more discussion to ensure a proper understanding of the request.
  3. Recommendations on each request are made by the Enduring Fund Committee and submitted to the Church Council for final approval. All individuals and organizations making requests will receive notification in regards to the final status of their application.

For more information or to receive this application form in an electronic format, please contact the church office at 952-935-3025 or by email at [email protected]. The application deadline is August 31 for 2013 grants.

 

Sincerely,
The Enduring Fund Committee 


 Upcoming Events


Clergy Clusters in the Coming Week
There are no clergy clusters in the coming week. 

Service of Farewell & Reception  

for Rev. Elena Larssen 

You are invited!
Thursday, July 25, 4:30-6:30pm
Farewell for Rev. Elena Larssen,
Associate Conference Minister

Please join us for a brief program thanking Elena for her service to the Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ, along with a Service of Farewell, followed by an appetizer and beverage reception.

St. Paul's UCC, 900 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105
Please RSVP to [email protected]
Please know that you are welcome to attend even if you have not yet responded!

Registration Now Open! 

Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ
is proud to present the 7th Annual Fall Convocation
BOLDLY
TELLING OUR
STORIES OF
GOD'S LOVE
AND JUSTICE
October 10-11, 2013
Christ the King Retreat Center
Buffalo, Minnesota
with Ann Poston and Rev. Steve Newcom

The Vision for the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ proclaims the Big Inspirational Goal: to be a bold, widely-known, proactive and respected public voice of Christianity.  

 

In this Fall Convocation we will work together toward the envisioned future in which we Boldly tell our stories of God's love and justice inspiring state and national leaders, as well as news media, to seek our comment and counsel on issues of peace, justice and faith. 

Register Now!

Single room: $95*  |  Double room: $85*

 

*A generous grant from the Mayflower Foundation (Mayflower UCC, Minneapolis) makes a 50% reduction in the registration fee possible for all attendees of the 2013 Fall Convocation. 

Boundary Training - Register Now!

Boundary Training has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 24 at Normandale Hylands United Methodist Church in Bloomington. To register, go to events.minnesotaumc.org where it is listed as "Living the Sacred Trust." Choose "other" for district and church. For a flyer and more information, click here

1st Deaf Family Camp & Women's Retreat

First Annual Deaf Family Camp 

August 11-16, 2013  

For any deaf family seeking an intergenerational faith experience in an outdoor setting - the UCC church is an open, affirming, progressive denomination where ALL are welcome!

 

2013 Camp Fees:
Children 3 and under FREE  | Adults $230  | Ages 4-18 $200

 

Women's Retreat

September 20-22, 2013

A Grateful Heart

Join women of the Minnesota Conference UCC for a weekend of renewing old friendships and making new ones - all while experiencing the God-filled beauty of Pilgrim Point Camp and the unmistakable presence of the Lord.  "I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exalt in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High." - Psalm 9:1-2

Register Now! Cost $90/person

Download the brochure for more information about the keynoter, breakout sessions, schedule and other general information.
Disaster Preparedness Webinar

Join the Emergency Response Team of Church World Service on Tuesday, August 6, at 2pm EST for "Disaster Preparedness," a webinar that will discuss important details often overlooked while preparing for an emergency.

 

The Emergency Response Specialists will discuss what to expect when disaster strikes. Individuals and families are often not aware of the important steps during relief and recovery, leaving many hopeless in the wake of a disaster. For this reason it is important to know where to turn in an emergency. From Disaster Case Management (DCM) to Emotional and Spiritual Care, this webinar will inform you of the important details to consider, keeping you from becoming a disaster "victim." Click HERE to register. 


 Local Church Events


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 [email protected]. Simple as that!


 Classifieds

Employment Opportunities
Check out the Employment Opportunities portion of the Minnesota Conference website. Click here to see the listings.

giss
In This Issue
Mission Bite
Joys & Concerns
COMMAntary Schedule
Enduring Fund Grants
Clergy Clusters
Farewell & Reception
Registration Now Open!
Boundary Training
Pilgrim Point Camp
Disaster Preparedness Webinar
Local Church Events
Employment Opportunities

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