Faith, Leadership, and Organizing for This Moment
2026-07-16 15:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom
How do faith leaders, organizers, nonprofits, congregations, and community advocates sustain themselves while responding to the urgent challenges of this moment? Join Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker from the Center for Faith Lived Organizing for a timely dialogue exploring how today’s social, political, spiritual, and community realities are shaping new approaches to leadership, organizing, public theology, and transformative community engagement.
The conversation will highlight THRIVE 2026 — Eden’s groundbreaking one-day conference for nonprofit leaders, clergy, organizers, educators, congregational leaders, community advocates, and laypeople seeking practical tools, spiritual grounding, and transformative leadership development for today’s world. Participants will also hear about a new scholarship initiative designed to support a cohort from the UCC in participating in a certificate program, helping expand access to leadership formation grounded in justice, spirituality, and organizing.

Don't Throw That Away: Why Archiving Our History Matters!
2026-07-30 15:30 - 16:30
We all know there is one room in a church filled with memories – from documents to old hymnals to whatever item found its way there and we know the temptation to throw it all way! But our Church records are more than just words on dusty paper; they are windows into the past that illuminate the history of a community and convey the mission of the church. Church records span the entire history of your church, and no matter the age, are important to be preserved. But knowing what to preserve can be daunting work, especially if those with institutional knowledge have moved on. Join the Congregational Library & Archives’ archivists Billy McCarthy and Zachary Bodnar for a program focused on the first tangible steps a church can take to begin organizing their existing records and ensuring the long-term preservation of the records they produce today.

Fostering Vitality: Liturgical Resources for a Faithful & Vital Church
2026-08-06 15:30 - 16:30
You may have noticed a special after Pentecost sermon series titled: Faithful and Vital. Inspired by conversations with local church leaders, Minister for Worship and Theology, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay began the process to create worship resources inviting us to remember who we are and who we could be through the framework of the Marks of Faithful and Vital Local Churches from the United Church of Christ Manual on Local Church. Join us for an engaging conversation to learn more about how this project came together, what the spirit behind the messages are and how these liturgical resources can support engaging faith-rooted dialogue within your own local church setting around the Manual on Local Church’s Marks for Faithful and Vital Churches.

Economic Justice: Love Our Laborers as Yourself
2026-08-13 15:30 - 16:45
We all feel a call to “do what you love.” Parents, teachers, pastors and culture all reinforce the message. Most importantly, the call comes from the Spirit within. To work and play freely, without shame or exploitation, is to feel integrated and alive internally – and within community and society. Tragically, our dominant, oppressive economic system deprives almost everyone of realizing this freedom to thrive. Too many are simply trying to survive under harrowing circumstances. That is ungodly. Is it possible to pivot from anti-Christ economy to loving our laborers? We can and must fight for living wages, guaranteed housing, and dignity imbued into every endeavor, in Jesus’ name.
Join the conversation with Nurture the Soul and learn how you and your church can concretely manifest sustained justice now and growing forward.
Rev. Seth Wispelwey is the Minister for Economic Justice with the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ. He has an extensive background in grassroots organizing with people of faith and conscience on a variety of justice issues. In his current role, Seth is focused on coming alongside congregations with training materials, discipleship curriculums, and meaningful solidarity actions for manifesting thriving and liberation for all. He loves spending free time gardening, cooking, enjoying great horror films, and dreaming about whales. Seth lives and works from Charlottesville, Virginia with his family.

Faith, Disability, and the Crisis of Homelessness
2026-08-20 15:30 - 16:30
Join the Disability Ministry Board for an interactive conversation around the intersections of disability and economic justice. We’ll learn a bit about how the limitations of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) impacts housing and financial stability for the community diagnosed with disabilities. More importantly, we’ll ask the hard questions about why we should care beyond being called and led to be a caring, gracious and loving community that honors the dignity of all our neighbors.

Who Pays the Price: Migrant Labor, Economic Justice and Our Faith
2026-08-27 15:30 - 16:30
We are all experiencing a rise in our food prices, but the people who harvest our food are often left out of the conversation. This webinar connects the cost-of-living crisis to migrant labor while exploring the roles of faith in this justice advocacy. Join us for an eye-opening conversation with faith and community leaders. Our conversation partners will share actionable ways for viewers to participate in Fill the JAR and Love Knows No Borders campaigns.

Responding to the Deadly ICE Detention System: Ways to Resist
2026-09-10 15:30 - 16:45
As Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) continues to terrorize communities, separate families, and even kill citizens and non-citizens alike as part of this administration’s mass deportation campaign, there is also increased public scrutiny of this country’s detention center system for migrants.  In 2025 alone, ICE broke records for the number of people who have died in detention, most often due to the horrific conditions and lack of proper medical care. Since this administration’s inauguration in 2025, 52 people have died in detention according to Human Rights Watch—four times that of the previous administration. Join us to learn from UCC pastors and lay leaders as they share how they’ve taken action and learn what we can do as people of faith to stop detention and continue to resist this deadly system.
Panelists include:

Rev. Ali Lopez-Valcarcel
Rev. Deborah Lee
Rev. Dr. Laurinda Hafner
Rev. ellie hutchison
Rev. Lesley Jones
