I'm relatively new to the UCC. I wasn't raised in the denomination - and I'm still learning what it means to be a part of this great denomination. I love the diversity and the openness, the autonomy of individual churches, and the call for those individual churches to work together to change lives. That call to work together requires congregations to commit some of their funds to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM). 

The pledges your congregations make allow us, as a denomination, to change lives. Unfortunately, those pledges have been slow in coming in this year. Without pledges, there is no way to effectively plan for the future. Do you know if your church has pledged to OCWM this year? Do you know who is responsible for sending in the pledge? We need your help to make sure those pledges come in soon. And if you need a reminder of what OCWM does, I ask you to take a few minutes to watch this video: Our Church's Wider Mission - Plain Talk. 

Thank you to all our congregations who commit to giving to OCWM. We appreciate all of your support and dedication!

The Committee on Ministry (COM) is authorized by the Conference Bylaws to exercise nurture and oversight of the authorized ministers of the Conference. Its work is guided by the United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry, the Conference Bylaws, and policies developed by the COM and approved by the Conference Board of Directors. The COM has also integrated the Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers, a document created in response to the Ministry Issues Pronouncement of General Synod 25, which sought to expand UCC definitions of learnedness and leadership in authorized ministry and to emphasize excellence in ministerial formation.

The Development Committee welcomed a new Development Officer to the Conference, Lese Wright, and sought to provide support and advice as needed as she transitioned into the role.

Wade Zick's ministry among us has brought leadership and innovation in Faith 

Formation across the state. Many lives have been touched; whether through camp, Conference Youth Events, Fourth Thursday gatherings, Taize trips, or the multiple ways in which he resourced churches by phone calls, emails and visits. Please come and celebrate Wade with a Farewell Open House at the Minnesota Church Center (directions) on Tuesday, June 16th from 11am-2pm.

ALL are welcome to come give Wade a great send-off to the next step in his ministry. Food and drink provided!

• White Fragility
  The theme of this year's Annual Meeting is "Going Deeper: Trusting in Sacred Conversations." The keynote presenter, Dr. Jennifer Harvey, will be inviting us into conversations about racism and what it means to be white.
  
  
  The question is how does one have a sacred conversation when, as for many of us, our first response is to feel defensive or guilty about having whiteness named and racism addressed? Robins DiAngelo's article on "White Fragility" helps us understand some of those reactions that can keep us from going deeper with conversations that are truly sacred.