|
Why Support Our Church's Wider Mission?
|
 This month at the Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ, there have been numerous happenings that give us reason to support Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM). When you think about whether your church can afford to make a pledge or contribution to OCWM, please consider all that the Minnesota Conference is doing to support our churches, clergy, lay leaders, and beyond. Just to name a few things that we have been doing:
- The Ecclesiastical Council convened this last month as part of their overall ministry work. This subcommittee of the Committee on Ministry is essential for ensuring new ministers
|
|
Annual Meeting ~ June 10 - 12, 2016 College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN
| |
Keep up with the latest information on the Annual Meeting...
by visiting the Annual Meeting page. Many of the reports are already published here and more are being added daily. Annual meeting is just a little over two weeks away!
The LAST day to register for the Annual Meeting is TODAY, Wednesday, May 25. Register here.
|
|
Does Your Congregation Practice the Faith Forming 5?
|
Faith Forming Five is an initiative of the Faith Formation Team of the MN Conference UCC that honors congregations that are implementing the 5 marks of Faith Formation each year. Your congregation can be recognized as a Faith Forming Five congregation by implementing these five points:
- Children & Youth Participate in Worship
- At Home Faith Practices
- Intergenerational Ministry
- Service & Mission Theological Reflection
- Lay & Clergy Leadership Development
Your congregation may already be practicing all five points!
Mail completed forms to the Minnesota Conference UCC office or email completed forms to Zac Norenberg by May 30 to be recognized at the 2016 Annual Meeting (June 10-12, 2016). Note: If your congregations received the Faith Forming Five recognition last program year, you still need to submit an implementation form this year to maintain that recognition.
|
|
Highlighting Camp Opportunities at Pilgrim Point:
|
Taller and Smaller (K-4 Grade)
A fun time focusing on parents and their young family members (in Kindergarten through the 4th grade). We'll swim and hike, decorate the sidewalks with chalk drawings, build sandcastles, star gaze, and talk about the wonder of creation. Amazing things will happen when this age group comes to camp with their parent(s)!
You have the option to attend for the full week or for 1, 2, or more days. Age appropriate, intergenerational activities will make this a space where parents or grandparents can have real, faith-filled interactions with their child or grandchild. Studies prove that the most important people affecting the faith formation of children are their parents and significant adults in their lives. You don't want to miss this fun camp experience! Sign up today or share with a parent who you think would enjoy this opportunity.
Cost: $35/day for children and $55/day for adults
When: Sunday, June 19 - Friday, June 24 | Option to attend for select days
Where: Pilgrim Point Camps & Retreats, Alexandria, MN
Who: Parents or Grandparents and their child or grandchild in grades K-4
Cost: #35/day or $150 for the full week (child) | $55/day or $250 for the full week (adult) | Attend the full wek for a discount! Deadline to Register: June 13, 2016
Check out other camp & retreat opportunities at Pilgrim Point on our website.
|
|
National Open and Affirming Gathering and Minnesota ONA Events June 7 - 10
|
The Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ chose Minnesota as the location of their 2016 National Gathering. It will be hosted at the College of St Benedict in St Joseph, MN in the days before the Minnesota Conference Annual Meeting.
The Minnesota Conference Open and Affirming Team has a new keynote presenter for their 9 a.m. Friday, June 10, Pre-Annual Meeting plenary. Andrea Jenkins is a poet, writer and multimedia visual and performance artist, author of two chapbooks, "tributaries: poems celebrating black history" and "Pieces of a Scream". In 2011, Andrea was named a Bush Fellow and received the Many Voices Fellowship at the Playwrights' Center and The Cultural Community Leadership Institute Fellowship through Intermedia Arts. Most recently she was published in the anthology "Gender Outlaws II: The Next Generation". She is a senior Policy Aide to the 8th Ward Minneapolis City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden and serves on the boards of OutFront Minnesota, Forecast Public Art, and SMARTS." Andrea will present her poetry and thoughts on the intersections between ethnicity, sexuality, and gender. She is a dynamic speaker.
|
|
Board of Directors Meeting Summary
| The Minnesota Conference UCC Board of Directors met on May 7, 2016 at Peace UCC in Rochester. A summary of this meeting is available.
|
|
Joys & Concerns
|
- Marcia Boese, mother of Rev. Jean Boese, died May 21 in Rochester. Services will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church (directions), with visitation on Wednesday, May 25 from 4 - 6 p.m. Rev. Jean Boese is pastor of St. Paul's UCC in Eyota. Our sympathies to the family.
- Funeral services for Sanford (Sonny) Morse, father of Rev. Sara Morse, will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home in Athens, Wisconsin (312 Caroline St.). Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 25 from 4 - 8 p.m. and Thursday, one hour before the service. Rev. Sara Morse is of Hazel Park UCC in St. Paul.
- An Ecclesiastical Council for Nathan Roberts will be held Thursday, May 26 at 12:45 p.m at Lynnhurst Congregational UCC (directions). A light lunch will be served at Noon. A period of examination will be followed by a vote on a motion that Nathan Roberts be ordained into the ministry of the United Church of Christ. To ensure a quorum for the council, please RSVP to the church or call (612) 827-6157.
- The Conference office has learned of the May 9th death of Thelma Ross, mother of Rev. John Ross, Senior Minister at Wayzata Community Church. Services were held in Ohio on May 13. Our sympathy to the family.
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
- Pilgrim Point Camps & Retreats Events
- Young Adult Camp (for those aged 18-29 who do not qualify for Youth Camp) | Sunday, June 12 - Friday, June 17
- Taller & Smaller Camp (for parents and their young children in the K-4 grade) | Sunday, June 19 - Friday, June 24
- Intergenerational Mission Week (Open to ALL) | Sunday, June 26 - Thursday, June 30
- Taize Meditation Retreat (Open to ALL) | Tuesday, July 5 - Friday, July 8
- Youth Camp - Week 1 (Youth leaving the 6-12th grade and their adult leaders 21 and older) | Sunday, July 10 - Friday, July 15
- Youth Camp - Week 2 (Youth leaving the 6-12th grade and their adult leaders 21 and older) | Sunday, July 17 - Friday, June 22
- Youth Mission Week | Sunday, August 7 - Friday, August 12
- Camp AweSum (for families with members on the autism spectrum) | Sunday, August 14 - Friday, August 19
|
|
Clergy Clusters
|
- Southwest Cluster - Thursday, June 2 at 11:30 a.m. at First Congregational UCC, Mankato
- Northeast Cluster - Thursday, June 2 at 11:30 a.m. at First Congregational UCC, Brainerd
|
|
Notices
|
- The UCC has released the "Stillspeaking 2.0 Toolkit" which offers resources and materials for use in social media, websites, and bulletins.
- New CPE Offering in Hospice: The Allina CPE Center and Allina Hospice announce the inauguration of Clinical Pastoral Education in their hospice setting. In the fall of 2016 they will begin a "super-extended" CPE internship, lasting 32 weeks, from October 3 - May 12.
- Rev. Mitri Raheb of Bethlehem to visit Minnesota! One of the outstanding prophetic Palestinian voices for peace among our Global Partners will be speaking on Wednesday, May 25 at 7 pm at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove. Plan to attend this evening with Rev. Mitri Raheb, a moving preacher and inspiring leader in the global movement for justice for all the people of the Holy Land. Read more here about the recent summit in Atlanta attended by Raheb along with Pres. Jimmy Carter and top leaders of the UCC and other denominations. Contact Rev. Emily Goldthwaite Fries of the Working Group on Just Peace in Palestine and Israel for more info!
-
Come meet your Muslim neighbors as they prepare for the sacred month of Ramadan beginning in June (June 6-July 5). The Minnesota Council of Churches is excited to invite you to a series of open houses at area mosques. Coordinated in partnership with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, open houses provide an opportunity to learn about Islam, observe Muslim prayer, and share food and conversation at the meal breaking the fast, called an Iftar. You are cordially invited to meet your neighbors, share an Iftar meal, and learn about each other. All events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.
- Please hold the graduates of Chicago, United, and Eden Seminaries in your prayers. One hundred twenty five people graduated from the three schools this month and are serving and will serve the church in many settings in our local communities and all over the world.
|
|
Employment Opportunities
|
There are many opportunities within the Minnesota Conference. |
|
|
|
Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ | www.uccmn.org
122 W Franklin Ave, Suite 323, Minneapolis, MN 55404
|
|
Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
