from Rev. Oby Ballinger, At-Large Board Member

and Pastor of Community UCC, St. Paul Park

The Minnesota Conference Board of Directors met on Saturday, August 9th at the former site of Pilgrims United Church of Christ in Maple Grove. We started with a tour of the Pilgrims UCC building and property to see how it is being used (by a Montessori school) since the congregation suspended operations in early 2014. The bulk of the morning was spent in discussion and discernment with Sandy Lindahl from Ackley Consulting Group to further develop a Case for Support and a possible capital campaign for the Conference's ministries. Leadership development and congregational vitality are potential top priorities if the Conference proceeds in this direction, in addition to continued investment at Pilgrim Point Camp. The Case for Support will be further shaped at the Conference leadership retreat in September.

We are thrilled to announce that the first Church on the Move

Where: Pilgrim Congregational UCC, 2310 E 4th St, Duluth, MN
When: Sat, Sep 20, 9:30am Registration, 10:00-3:00pm Program
Who: Lay leaders, authorized clergy, ministry teams
Cost: $20/person; includes lunch and materials

Register Now! 

Where: Christ the King Retreat Center, Buffalo, Minnesota
When: Thursday, September 25, 1:00pm through Friday, September 26, 3:00pm
Who: Lay leaders, authorized clergy, congregational staff, seminary students 

Register Now! 

Need more information? Click here.

• An Ecclesiastical Council for Mary Shaffer will be held August 21 at 11:00am at Mayflower Congregational UCC (106 E Diamond Lake Rd, Minneapolis). Clergy with standing in the Minnesota Conference and lay delegates from a minimum of seven churches with standing will engage in a period of examination to be followed by a vote on a motion that Mary Shaffer be ordained into the ministry of the United Church of Christ. A light lunch will be served following the Ecclesiastical Council. To ensure a quorum for the council, please RSVP to the church at 612-824-0761 or mayflower@mayflowermpls.org. Information about Mary may be found here.
   
• We are saddened to report the death of Helen Purscell, wife of retired minister, Rev. Keith Purscell, this past Friday, August 15th. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, August 20 at First Congregational UCC in Mankato. We extend our prayers and sympathies to Rev. Purscell and family. A full obituary is available here.
   
• Rev. Daniel VanderPloeg, a retired minister long active in the Minnesota Conference UCC, died Saturday, August 16. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 23 at 11:00am at SpringHouse Ministry Center (610 W. 28th St, Minneapolis), with visitation beginning at 10:00am. Lunch and fellowship will follow the service. Parking is available in the lot around SpringHouse at places marked as such.  Do not park anywhere that says "Reserved." Parking is also available in the City pay lot behind the Jungle Theater (2951 Lyndale Ave. S), accessible either from Lyndale Ave. or Garfield Ave. S. (a one way running south) from 28th St. There is also on street parking in the residential blocks on either side of Lyndale Ave as well as Lyndale Ave. and 28th St. Rev. VanderPloeg served as an interim minister at several Minnesota Conference churches, including Pilgrim Congregational in Duluth, First Congregational UCC in Austin, and St. Paul's UCC in St. Paul. He was Associate Conference Minister (Eastern Association) from 1982-1993, and Acting Conference Minister from 1993-1994. Rev. VanderPloeg also served as Interim Conference Minister in the Illinois, Nebraska and the Penn Northeast Conference in Pennsylvania. We extend our sympathies and prayers to Anita VanderPloeg and her family and the many lives touched by Rev. VanderPloeg. A full obituary is available here. 

• Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ has announced his intent to retire following the 2015 General Synod. Our prayers are with Rev. Black and the entire United Church of Christ as we enter into this time of transition. You may read more about Rev. Black's announcement here.