|
Blessed to Give - Our Church's Wider Mission
|
- from Barb Jeffries, OCWM Subcommittee member
 How Giving to OWCM is like Becoming a Public Radio Member
It is true. I am a member of public radio. I love classical music and enjoy many of their other programs while at home and in the car. There are really three reasons why I'm a member:
1. I use the services provided by public radio. If people who use the services don't contribute, we won't have them. We'll only have 24 hours of commercials occasionally interrupted by programming. (OK, I'm exaggerating!) In other words, I feel I have a moral obligation to make a donation to this organization.
2. Even when I don't actually listen to public radio, I appreciate that it is always there if I should want it. If I can't sleep, I know I can turn on the radio and be relaxed by the music.
3. I realize that there are other listeners who cannot afford to be a member or to give. Since I am blessed with enough resources to contribute, I'm happy to pick up some of that obligation on behalf of those who cannot.
So, how is that like giving to OCWM?
|
|
Baltimore Area Clergy Work for Peace During Protests
|
Baltimore area clergy are banding together on Tuesday, April 28 -- after a night of unrest -- to try and calm the violence and to stand as witnesses in areas of the community that boiled over with anger and resentment hours after the funeral of an African-American man who died from a spinal cord injury while in police custody In the protests that erupted following the funeral of Freddy Gray, young people in the West Baltimore neighborhood clashed with police officers, burning 15 buildings and setting more than 140 vehicles on fire. Police made over 20 arrests and at least 15 officers were wounded...
|
|
|
 We finally have the Minnesota Conference UCC's 2014 Annual Report to share with you! It's chock full of wonderful stories that tell how you are making a difference in the lives of our churches, clergy and lay people, families and more throughout the Conference. Please take a moment to read over the attached Annual Report, which can also find posted on the Minnesota Conference website here. There is indeed good news to share with one another, as we live the mission of the Conference and Christ's call to action that is present in his resurrection. We are indeed grateful for all of you who made these stories a reality through your support and involvement. Thank you for all that you are doing, for your investments of time, talent and treasure in our future to Be the Church Together.
|
|
Church on the Move: Re-Traditioning our Church - May 9
|
Saturday, May 9
Pilgrim Point Camp, Alexandria, MN
Re-traditioning is to take those fundamental ways we do ministry, pay attention to their core intent and make them work in new contexts and new ways for today's church. Explore with us how leaders and churches are re-traditioning their ministries for the 21st Century.
Along with worship, lunch, and keynote presentation by Lori Alford and Kevin Brown there will be break-out sessions that explore:
- Re-traditioning Sunday School
- Re-traditioning Worship
- Re-traditioning Service & Mission
- Re-traditioning Membership
Deadline to Register: Monday, May 4th
|
|
Save $30 on your Annual Meeting Registration
|
There's still time to reserve your spot at the 2015 Annual Meeting while saving $30 through our early registration rate. Registering early not only puts some money back in your pocket, it also helps the Conference tailor the workshops, entertainment, and to craft our time together to be the most impactful. Through our theme "Going Deeper: Trusting in Sacred Conversation" our Annual Meeting (June 12-14) will focus on questions of faith, service, stewardship, and social justice that affect all of our lives together as church and will do so for generations to come. Join us in these sacred conversations!
|
|
Register Now for Workshops on New Ministerial Profile
|
 Calling all authorized ministers, Members in Discernment, and interested mentors and advisors: The MN Conference and United Theological Seminary (UTS) invite you to attend all or part of this two-day event:
May 6: "Searching for Change and Changing the Search: New Tools & Terrain" 1:30-4:30pm at UTS
May 7: "Conversations on Ministry Opportunities in the UCC" 9am - 12pm at UTS
Rev. Malcolm Himschoot, the UCC Minister for Ministerial Transitions, will lead these two workshop opportunities.
Pre-register by emailing Kathleen Remund at kremund@unitedseminary.edu.
|
|
Update on the Resolution Urging Divestment from Fossil Fuel Companies
|
 The Minnesota Conference makes progress toward ensuring its investment mix excludes fossil fuel companies. In the fall of 2014, the Conference was among a small group of investors that committed to the launch of "Beyond Fossil Fuels", the first United Church Fund (UCF) to exclude fossil fuel companies.
The Conferences' initial investment of $1.75 million was impactful for UCF in reaching the $20 million mark, which was needed to enable UCF to launch Beyond Fossil Fuels. As of February 28th, the Beyond Fossil Fuels Fund has outperformed a comparative fund (UCF Domestic Core Equity Fund that does not exclude fossil fuel companies) by approximately 0.50%.
Despite this success, the Conference faces a real challenge in being good stewards of our financial resources while following the Resolution on divestment from fossil fuel companies...
Continue reading...
|
|
New Initiatives Grants Available
|
Is there a bold new ministry you'd love to try if only you had a little money to get started?
The Minnesota Conference is once again announcing the availability of grants from the New Initiative Fund in the 2015 calendar year. This could be your opportunity to try that new thing!
The New Initiatives Fund encourages experimentation and innovation throughout the Conference, in keeping with our core values of 'innovation' and 'empowerment'. Applicants may include congregations, groups of congregations, or other recognized ministries of the Conference. Grant requests of up to $2500 are accepted.
So what are you waiting for? See guidelines and the grant application here: http://uccmn.org/resources/grants/
|
|
Joys and Concerns
|
- Congratulations to the Congregational Church UCC of Rochester, MN which has been awarded the Outstanding Volunteer Award for 2015 by Channel One Food Bank. The award is given for service and dedication towards the ending of hunger.
- Rev. Cherie Daniel will be installed as Pastor of St. Paul's UCC and Peace UCC, both in Minnesota Lake, on Sunday, May 3. Events begin at 2pm with appetizers at St. Paul's (54577 230th St.) followed by the first part of the installation service at 3pm, also at St. Paul's, before moving to Peace UCC (16 Park St. S.) to continue the service of installation. A light supper will follow.
-
Marjorie Herrington, mother of Rev. Glen Herrington-Hall, died Monday, April 27 in Duluth. Funeral services are scheduled on Friday, May 1 at 3pm, with visitation an hour earlier, at United Protestant Church (830 88th Ave. W. in Duluth). Please hold Glen and his family in prayer.
-
Kathy Keefe, mother of Rev. Dr. Rachael Keefe, pastor of Living Table UCC, died April 23 in Arizona. No services have been scheduled. Please hold Rachael and her family in prayer.
-
The Conference office has learned of the death of Rev. Diane Dorsey on July 22, 2014 in Des Plaines, IL. Rev. Dorsey served as Interim Minister at St. Mark's UCC in Bloomington and Bethlehem UCC in Maple Lake in the 1990s, then was a chaplain in Northfield before moving to Michigan.
|
|
Notices
|
- Clergy clusters in the coming week:
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
- Minnesota Conference Events
- Workshop: "Autism, ADHD, and Other Gifts" on Thursday, May 2 from 10:30am - 11:30am | First Congregational UCC, Moorhead
- UCC Profiles Workshop | May 6 + 7 | Learn more here
- Church on the Move | Pilgrim Point | May 9, 2015 | Register here
- Minnesota Conference Youth & Faith Formation Events
- Spring Middle School Youth Event - "Why?", Pilgrim Point Camp, Alexandria, MN | May 15-17, 2015
- OWL Facilitator Training, Level #1: K-1/4-6, Level #2: Adult/Young Adult | Pilgrim Point Camp, Alexandria, MN | May 29-31, 2015
- Pilgrim Point Camps & Retreat Events
- Environmental Justice Training | May 27-29, 2015
- OWL Facilitator Training, Levels K-1/4-6/Adult/Young Adult, Pilgrim Point Camp, Alexandria, MN | May 29-31, 2015
- Summer Youth Camp, Pilgrim Point Camp, Alexandria MN
- Wayzata Children & Youth Camps | June 6-July 8
- July Family Camp hosted by Union UCC in St Louis Park | July 12-17, 2015
- August Family Camp hosted by St Anthony Park UCC | August 2-7, 2015
- Quilting Service Retreat | May 29-31, 2015 | Register here
- Save the Date: Youth Ministry Training | August 28-30, 2015
- Save the Date: Women's Retreat | September 25-27, 2015
- National UCC Events
- Unexpected Places! General Synod 30, Cleveland, OH, June 26-30, 2015
- National ONA Gathering,Cleveland, OH, June 24-25, 2015
- Widen the Welcome Conference hosted by UCC Mental Health Ministry + UCC Disabilities Ministry, Hartford, CT, Sept 24-26, 2015
- Regional Opportunities
- "Faithful Leadership in a Multifaith World" at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in New Brighton, on Thursday and Friday, May 14 & 15. Workshop topics include Bonhoeffer on leadership, black lives matter, the arts and interfaith dialogue, pastoral care or spiritual care?, and immigrant/religious communities in Minnesota. More info here.
-
eFormation 2015 is an ecumenical conference on ministry in a digital world; hosted June 1-3 in Alexandria, Virginia. St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis will offer the conference as a Webinar, for those who can't make it to Virginia, for a discounted rate of $20/person. Come and go between the three days as time allows and choose sessions that are of the most interest to you. Contact Mary Lusk at St Mark's if you plan to attend. Full details and program information here.
|
|
