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Pilgrim Point Camp and Retreats: Serving EVERYONE!
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 How many times do we wonder how to reach out to those underserved members of our church or community? How often do you think about beginning a conversation with, "I have just the perfect thing for you!" At Pilgrim Point Camp and Retreats, we are working to make your effort that much easier. We're creating 7 new camp and retreat offerings that you are going to be able to shout-out from the pulpit or the local coffee shop.
Pilgrim Point Camp and Retreats (PPCR) is expanding access by 5 weeks and offering fabulous new camp and retreat opportunities! Camp Director, Gigi Nauer has done a bang-up job discovering and creating camps that have already been highly successful in other UCC conferences. In addition to the great camp experiences we've been doing for decades we're now dedicated to expanding our mission to the underserved communities throughout our
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This Week's Spotlight on One of Our Minnesota Conference Churches - St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Eyota
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 St. Paul's United Church of Christ is located 2 miles north of Eyota and 10 miles east of Rochester in southeastern Minnesota. Their church was founded by eight German immigrant families in 1868 as St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran Church, then later "Evangelical", then "Evangelical and Reformed, and then "United Church of Christ". Their pastor is Rev. Jean Boese and they have a weekly average of 30 people in attendance.
They are experiencing a resurgence of sorts in their F.A.C.T. group (Families and Church Together). This group of younger families has redecorated the altar area, enlivened their "Children's Time", gathered Operation Christmas Child boxes, and in March led their Food Share Drive. You can find them on Facebook at "St. Paul's United Church of Christ - North Church".
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Annual Meeting ~ June 10 - 12, 2016 College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN
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One of the favored features of the Minnesota Conference Annual Meeting is the opportunity to gather in worship with new and old friends. The worship  planning team is hard at work planning a great weekend to encounter, reflect, and act.
Friday night will be focused on story-telling and getting to know one another. Further, we will have special music from the Slough Bluegrass Band, which promises to be fun! On Saturday we will focus on reflection in the midst of deep relationship - sharing rituals around confession, repentance and repair in order to move to reconciliation. We'll also have special music from Marty Haugen. On Sunday Conference minister Rev. Shari Prestemon will share the Word and we will focus on action with a commissioning into the world to be a spiritual presence for justice and love. Rev. Elaine Kirkland will be directing the choir for the entire weekend.
We look forward to worshiping with all of you! Registration is now open.
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Keep It in the Ground!
|  On Sunday, April 24th, preachers around the country will proclaim from their pulpits a simple message: Keep It in the Ground. No, they are not digging up old, arcane arguments about bodily resurrection. They are talking about fossil fuels. Arguably, the most important act of caring for God's creation that our society can undertake today is to keep most of the world's fossil fuel reserves in the ground. If humanity fails at this mandate prescribed by the laws of physics, then our planet will enter into the red-alert danger zone as it overheats due to the damage done to our climate.
The UCC has a great website to help you join them in their emphasis to "Keep It in the Ground".
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Learning from the Peacemakers in Palestine and Israel
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-An update from the Working Group on Just Peace in Palestine and Israel
Our Minnesota Conference has committed to studying the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with hopes of contributing toward a peaceful future with understanding of diverse perspectives. Some great resources are available through Global Ministries, including free webinars with outstanding speakers including Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggeman and Kairos Palestine Leader Hind Khoury. You can also download a booklet with many suggestions for keeping the conversation about Israel and Palestine going at your church.
Interested in a Sacred Journey to Israel Palestine? The MN Conference is organizing a
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Pattern of Giving
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The United Church of Christ is taking a fresh look at the "pattern of giving" we have had in place since 1984. Your input is invaluable to this review process as our church studies how individuals, congregations, Conferences,  and the national setting can best prompt generosity in giving and thus multiply ministry. Please consider completing this survey provided by the Giving Task Force of the UCC. Your feedback is a critical piece of this process that could change the way we practice stewardship and giving in the UCC for many years to come. The deadline for this survey is April 22. Thank you for your perspective and participation. |
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Upcoming Events
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- Minnesota Conference Events
- Clergy Clusters:
- Southwest Cluster - Thursday, April 7 at 11:30 a.m. at First Congregational, Mankato
- Northeast Cluster - Thursday, April 7 at 11:30 a.m. at First Congregational in Brainerd
- Northern Cluster - Tuesday, April 12 at 11 a.m. at Pilgrim Congregational in Duluth
- Rev. Stephen Boyd, the Minister for Chaplains and Minister for Specialized Settings for the national UCC, will visit Minnesota April 11 and 12. On Monday, April 11, from 4 - 5:30 p.m., he will meet with ministers, members in discernment, seminary students, and anyone else considering chaplaincy and other non-parish ministries at the Minnesota Church Center. On Tuesday, April 12 from 11:30 - 1 p.m. at our regular meeting of the Chaplain's Collaborative/Network in the Conference, Rev. Boyd will provide an overview of the MESA Team at the National Setting and how the various team members are there to assist our ministers in specialized settings. That meeting will also take place at the Minnesota Church Center
- "Being OPEN and AFFIRMING Changes Lives" will be held on April 9 starting at 1 p.m. at Linden Hills Congregational United Church of Christ, 4200 Upton Avenue South, Minneapolis with workshops followed by worship at 2:30 with Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson, Minister for Digital Evangelism with the church's national setting. This event is sponsored by the Open and Affirming Ministry Team of the Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ.
- Make Me an Instrument, a UCC Gathering of Music and Mission, will be held on Sunday, April 17 at 4 p.m. at Mizpah UCC in Hopkins. Choirs and musicians of Edina Morningside, Mizpah, Parkway, and Union UCC Churches will hold a benefit concert for the Global Ministry in East Timor of Rev. Tom and Dr. Monica Liddle. A freewill offering will be taken.
- National UCC Events
- National Youth Event (NYE) is scheduled for July 26-30, 2016 at Walt Disney World in Florida. Mark your calendars! We encourage local churches to begin the fund raising process early. The Minnesota Conference is arranging a delegation for this event.
- A Staffing and Evaluation event, led by Susan Beaumont, is being held in Des Moines on April 12 & 13. This is for those in congregational settings and will be valuable whether you use the information for staffing or volunteers.
- Join the UCC in St. Joseph, MN for the National ONA Gathering on June 7-9, 2016. You can register online for this event.
- For more information on Global Ministries, connect to their weekly update.
- Shepherding the Shepherd brings together UCC clergy in their 20's and 30's from all over the national for renewal, connection, and growth. Check out the details of their next gathering June 21 - 23 in Wallingford, PA.
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Joys & Concerns
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- David Tillman will be ordained on Sunday, April 10 at 2 p.m. at UCC New Brighton. Clergy are invited to robe and wear red stoles. A reception with a light meal will follow the service. David will also be installed in covenant with the Minnesota Conference, UCC New Brighton, and Optage Hospice, where he is employed as a chaplain.
- Rev. Cynthia Riggin will be installed as Pastor of Lynnhurst Congregational UCC on Sunday, April 17 at 3 p.m. Clergy are invited to robe and wear red stoles.
- Rev. Gary Reierson and his wife, Pam, ask you to keep their grandson, Levi, in your thoughts and prayers. Levi is recovering from abdominal surgery due to a rare colon disorder.
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Notices
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- Chicago Theological Seminary announces RIOTcon 2016: Mapping a Movement, its annual spring conference on April 15 and 16. Early registration for this runs through April 1.
- Training in Appreciative Inquiry will be offered April 12 - 14 at Mt Olivet Retreat Center in the metro area. Several from the Minnesota Conference have received this training through Rob Voyle with the Clergy Leadership Institute.
- One Voice Mixed Chorus presents Queer Thunder on April 16 & 17 at Hopkins High School Auditorium.
- Trauma and Its Aftermath: Moral Injury and Moral Meaning Making will be held on May 13 -14 at SpringHouse Ministry Center in Minneapolis.
- Scholarships for UCC Students at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities are available. Is someone in your congregation considering seminary? UTS has scholarships available for UCC students who are intending to serve in congregations and ministries of the United Church of Christ and are enrolled as full-time students at UTS.
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Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ | www.uccmn.org
122 W Franklin Ave, Suite 323, Minneapolis, MN 55404
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