National ministries’ holiday schedule announced; decking of halls begins

by Staff Reports | published on Nov 23, 2022

As Thanksgiving arrives, so does the annual holiday schedule in the national ministries of the United Church of Christ.

WCM Executive Assistant Darlene McKinney adjusts a streamer on a tree in the reception are of the UCC national offices in Cleveland on Nov. 16, 2022. Photo by Hans Holznagel

The offices of Justice and Local Church Ministries, Wider Church Ministries and the Office of the General Minister and President will be open between now and the end of 2022 except for the following:

Thursday, Nov. 24, and Friday, Nov. 25 — Closed in observance of Thanksgiving
Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, through Jan. 2, 2023 — Closed in observance of Christmas and the New Year’s holiday

Hall-decking day

Signs of the holiday season are already appearing on the 11th floor at 1300 E. Ninth Street. On Nov. 16, staff members got an early start on seasonal decorating.

Three Christmas trees are now up: in the lobby, the staff lunch area and a corner staff lounge.

Abundant ornaments adorn a tree in the national ministries’ reception area. Photo by Hans Holznagel

Executive Assistant Darlene McKinney of WCM designed the trees, drawing on her past work as an interior designer and her passion for crafts.

She and staff volunteers — before gathering for a “deck the halls” lunch — spent a couple of hours setting up the artificial trees and adorning them with an abundance of ornaments: globes, angels, crosses and more. McKinney herself topped each one with ribbons, streamers and floral sprays of her own crafting.

“I like a full tree,” she said.

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Categories: United Church of Christ News