Brainerd celebrates the Mississippi River running through our city. When the Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) announced a community grant program last spring to help reduce impacts of rain and snow melt runoff (which ends up in the river), members of the First Congregational United Church of Christ of Brainerd saw an opportunity. The church was dealing with a couple of issues including standing water for long periods of time in the parking lot and excess roof runoff causing church building foundation problems. The congregation was awarded a grant to install two rain gardens and two rain barrels.  

• An Ecclesiastical Council for Kathryn Morin will be held Tuesday September 23 at 11a.m. at United Church of Christ in New Brighton (1000 Long Lake Rd.). Voting will be by all clergy with standing and lay delegates from a minimum of seven churches with standing.To ensure a quorum for the council, please R.S.V.P. to the church at uccnb@usfamily.net or (651) 633-1327. Learn more about Kathryn here.
   
• United Protestant Church in Silver Bay, the first ecumenical Protestant church in Minnesota, will celebrate its 60th anniversary September 27-28. Saturday, September 27th, the congregation will gather for a catered dinner at 6:00pm. On Sunday, September 28, a celebratory worship service will be held at 10:00am.
   
• Congratulations to John Fiscus who was called as Pastor of Peace UCC, St. Cloud, at a special congregational meeting on Sunday, September 14th. John is a Member in Discernment of the Denver Metro Association of the Rocky Mountain Conference. He will be ordained in Colorado, and begin at Peace on October 5th.
  
  
• Congratulations to Rev. Dana Mann who was installed as Pastor of First Congregational UCC, Mankato on Sunday afternoon, September 14th. The service was well-attended by ministers from the region. In addition to UCC pastors from Le Sueur, Henderson, Sherburn, Glencoe, and the Twin Cities, pastors of United Methodist, Presbyterian (PCUSA), Lutheran (ELCA), and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) were in attendance. A representative from the Islamic Center was also present!
   
• At a special congregational meeting on September 14th, the members of Freeborn Congregational UCC in Freeborn, MN, voted to close the church and disband the congregation on December 31st, 2014. Freeborn Congregational UCC is the last remaining church in this small town in south central Minnesota. Our prayers go out to the members and their pastor, Rev. Cherie Daniel.
   
• We are pleased to announce that Renee Pfenning has agreed to serve as the Minnesota Conference's Volunteer Disaster Recovery Coordinator! You are welcome to contact Renee at rpfenning@msn.com. Join us in welcoming her to this role in the life of the Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ!

• To churches who have international relationships with overseas churches: A request World Communion Sunday is fast approaching and will take place the first Sunday of October. Global Ministries, a common witness of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) receives many requests from US churches for materials and resources to share in worship throughout the year. But by far, the most requested time is just prior to World Communion Sunday, this year on October 5. Click here to keep reading.
   

• Unexpected Places! The Call to the 30th General Synod of the United Church of Christ has recently been issued, and registration is now open! Make plans to head to Cleveland this June with thousands of your fellow UCCers! Read the call now, and sign up!
   

• Need a Kick-Start on $tewardship? The Center for Progressive Renewal (CPR) is providing an Intensive Online Stewardship Workshop for up to eight Minnesota Conference Churches. Click here to learn more!
   

• Clergy Clusters in the coming week:
• South Central Cluster: Monday, September 22, 9:00am, Federated Church, Morris. *Contact Pastor Lauren Snell with your attendance plans at pastorlaurensnell@gmail.com.
• Northwest Cluster: Tuesday, September 23, 10:00am, First Congregational UCC, Moorhead