Stigma, Science, and the Sacred: The Role of Faith Communities in Addressing Biomedical (Vaccine) Stigma
2021-11-16 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
An intentional conversation on the important role of faith communities in addressing scientific stigma and dismantling barriers to biomedical prevention and treatment access.
Presenters:
Ulysses Burley, Founder, UBtheCURE, LLC
Louis Shackelford, Project Manager External Relations, COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN) & HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)

Faith — Trauma & Healing
2021-11-16 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
An engaging conversation on how faith can be both a source of trauma and healing, centering the experiences, journeys, and perspectives of stigmatized people from marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Presenters:
Rev. Michael Crumpler, LGBTQ and Multicultural Programing Coordinator, Unitarian Universalist Association
Min. Erica Poellot, Director of Faith and Community Partnerships, National Harm Reduction Coalition, & Director of Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention, United Church of Christ
Kamal Fizazi, J.D., Leadership Team Member, U.S. HIV AIDS Faith Coalition

State of Creation
2021-11-16 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
What is necessary to halt the deleterious effects of climate change in the 21st century? Join Rev. Brooks Berndt, Minister for Environmental Justice, UCC, and Jim Antal, author, public theologian, Special Advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.
Rev. Antal will address:
• The current state of climate change
• The impact of the roll-back of over 100 EPA regulations and disengagement from the Climate Accord; needed reforms
• The role and responsibility of people of faith
• Actions we can engage both as individuals and as communities in 2021
Join us in a formal address from Rev. Antal as well as some dialogue moderated by Rev. Brooks Berndt about what we can do together to ensure God’s creation thrives in 2021 and beyond.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

Queer the Church
2021-11-18 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Darrell Goodwin and Chris Davies are queer leaders in the United Church of Christ. They have worked together: visioning, dreaming and praying for a future where the United Church of Christ is relevant for the past several years. Come with your questions, dreams and spirituality, and listen alongside their conversation of Call, faith and hope…for who we are, and who we can be: where every voice is honored along the journey. While they will be speaking from their own place of identity and call; this offering is not only for queer-identified people but for ALL people seeking a place of rest for the soul.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

What is the Doctrine of Discovery?
2021-11-23 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
In their own voices, First Nations Indigenous People will discuss the destructiveness of the Doctrine of Discovery on their peoples in what is presently known as the Americas and the Caribbean.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

Let’s Talk About Abortion
2021-11-30 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Let’s Talk About Abortion
Abortion access is an issue of faith! The United Church of Christ has had a strong history of supporting access to safe and healthy abortion since before Roe V. Wade. UCC Clergy have been advocating for the women and people who need abortions for decades!
Join for a conversation with Elaina Ramsey, Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Sandy Sorenson, United Church of Christ DC Team Leader, and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, advocate for abortion access in Ohio.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

OWL Taking Flight: Sex Ed Trivia!
2021-12-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us for an interactive time with sex ed trivia and prizes!

Global HOPE Blue Christmas Worship
2021-12-01 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Join us on Wednesday, Dec 1, 2pm ET for a virtual worship service with Team Global HOPE at UCC National Ministries for a Blue Christmas worship service. Blue Christmas services traditionally provide space for those who don’t feel so “merry and bright” during the holiday season.
This service seeks to recognize and stand in solidarity with the experiences of those aggrieved or displaced by disaster or forced migration in 2021. We remember that we are called to stand in solidarity with the captive and the oppressed, and work together with God’s guidance to create a just world for all. UCC Clergy and choirs engaged in humanitarian ministries across the denomination will be providing reflective liturgy, music, and preaching during this event.
We will be celebrating communion together virtually so please have something to eat and drink ready. It can be whatever you have on hand, not necessarily bread and juice. This event will be recorded for later availability or use in local Blue Christmas events.

Purple Church
2021-12-02 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Purple Church
The United Church of Christ contains people with a wide spectrum of theological beliefs and political alignment. People who choose to be in a church that holds differences of opinion often do so with a few different strategies of love and conflict management.
In this conversation, we will hear from leaders of Purple Churches, or churches that have members across the theological/social/political lines, about how they show up authentically with each other in the midst of difference.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

The History of Afro-Christian Churches in the UCC
2021-12-07 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
The History of Afro-Christian Churches
In 1957, when the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational and Christian Churches formed the United Church of Christ, there was a fifth stream that fed into our formation, the Afro-Christian Church.
While it maintained a Christian identity, it was an independent and separate organizational structure comprised of the Afro Christian Convention, five conferences, 150 churches, 25,000 members, 185 ordained ministers, and licentiates.
Join us as we hear of this rich legacy from Dr. Yvonne Delk, a daughter of the Afro-Christian tradition and spiritual leader in our midst.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

The State of Black Bodies in the US
2021-12-09 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Dean Kelly Brown Douglas is Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Theology at Union. She also serves as the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral and Theologian in Residence at Trinity Church Wall Street.
Her groundbreaking and widely taught book Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective (1999) was the first to address the issue of homophobia within the black church community. Her latest book, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God (2015), examines the challenges of a “Stand Your Ground” culture for the black church. The publication of her next book, “Resurrection Hope: A Future Where Black Lives Matter,” is forthcoming.
Join us as Dean Douglas invited us to consider the current state of Black liberation in this country and how we must contend with the myth of Anglo-Saxon Exceptionalism.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

The State of Rural Churches & Communities
2021-12-14 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
In rural and small towns, the church is often a focal point for the spiritual and social well being of a community. During these times of health, economic, and social uncertainties facing the U.S., how are UCC congregations serving rural and small towns, and what are they doing to meet the needs of their communities?
In the United Church of Christ, rural and small congregations make up 60% of the denomination and are the backbone of the UCC.
Join Roberto Ochoa, UCC Program Associate for Congregations of Color/Ethnic Identified Congregations as he moderates a panel of Conference and pastoral leaders as they bring a voice to the celebrations, challenges, and the needs of leading UCC congregations in a rural/small-town setting.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

Blue Christmas Service
2021-12-16 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year—or is it? For many, it echoes old griefs and illuminates the new. When so many things have changed this year, we’ve lost people important to us, and so many hold their hardest parts in isolation, This Christmas will be so difficult for so many people.
Blue Christmas is a service that holds the tension of the grief and difficulty of the season for many, in tension and awareness of the societal messages that Christmas is a season of ONLY JOY—at the expense of all other feelings and circumstances.
Jesus’ mother Mary will be our guide for this journey as she reminds us of God’s presence in the midst of our suffering. Join us for a worship service “Mary’s Blue Christmas” hosted by the National Setting’s Thursday’s for the Soul in partnership with the Overdose and Drug Use Ministries as well as the UCC Mental Health Network.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

Hymn Sing!
2021-12-21 15:30 - 16:30
Hymn Sing!
Join us as we gather together to listen to the music of advent and Christmas, sing along, and close the year off together! You are welcome to dress up and “show off” your Christmas spirit throughout the program. We are looking forward to being together digitally once again this year.
*Please note this session is pre-recorded.

OWL Taking Flight: OWL Revisions – Flight Status
2022-01-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us to learn the status of revisions and updates to various levels of OWL, what is out of print and why, and what to do until publication.

Grace Emerged Visible
2022-01-06 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Come and worship with members of the national setting as we observe Epiphany and explore “the responsibility to distribute God’s grace.” (Ephesians 3:2a CEB)

Getting Congress to Act: Strategies, Tactics, and Vision for 2022
2022-01-12 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Frederick Douglass once said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” This webinar will focus on the art and craft of making a demand while casting a vision of what can be achieved in the year ahead. In this instance, we will focus specifically on how people of faith can best organize themselves to place pressure on Congress to act in 2022. For insight and guidance, we will turn to those with experience as organizers working locally and nationally:

Rev. A. Kazimir Brown, Co-Leader of the National Faith Team for the Poor People’s Campaign
Rev. Chibuzo Nimmo Petty, Senior Organizer at For Our Future
Kim McMurray, Field Director for Indivisible

Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it.
This monthly installment of Creation Justice Webinars is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt who serves as the Minister of Environmental Justice for the United Church of Christ and the Rev. Michael Malcom who serves as the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

Queerness & Disability: Showing up as our Full Selves
2022-01-13 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
To many members of both the LGBTQ+ and disability communities, the intersection between Queerness and Disability may not be obvious. But for people who identify as both queer and disabled, this particular intersectional identity can strongly inform their understandings of self, others, and God. Join queer, disabled members of the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board as they discuss invisible identities, self discovery, and living outside the box.

Storytelling and Racial Justice
2022-01-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
Share Stories. Open Hearts. Create Movement.
As people of sacred stories, we know the power of narratives to build compassion and inspire action. Our stories help us know who we are and help us imagine who we can become. Drawing on a diverse panel of storytellers, this interactive webinar will inspire you with moving stories, equip you with storytelling tools, and empower you to use your own stories to Join the Movement toward Racial Justice.

Let us Worship as One Body
2022-01-20 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Join us as we welcome Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay as the Minister for Worship and Theology for the national setting of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Cheryl is no stranger to the UCC. She pastors a local congregation in Wellington, Ohio and in 2020 and 2021, she served as a writer of Sermon Seeds, the one of the most utilized resources of our denomination. Join us as she lets us in on what to expect in 2022!

Vibrant Re-Entry And Voter’s Rights Desmond Meade
2022-01-27 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Please join Rev. Traci Blackmon and Desmond Meade, a formerly incarcerated civil rights activist and recent McArthur Genius Grant Awardee, as they discuss the church’s role in welcoming returning citizens. Desmond Meade’s work centers on restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated citizens and removing barriers to their reentry in every aspect of vibrant life. His voice was a key component of the restoration of voting rights to thousands of Floridians.

OWL Taking Flight: Presenting - Under Your Wing Video Series for Parents and Caregivers of Young Children
2022-02-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us for the debut of a new OWL resource: “Under Your Wing” a video series for parents and caregivers of young children.

United Black Christians Celebration of Black History Month
2022-02-03 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Members of the United Black Christians of the United Church of Christ, invite you to an hour of praise and worship in commemoration for Afro Descendant/Black History Month.

When Disaster Strikes: Faith Communities Responding with Equity and Justice
2022-02-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Faith communities are often on the frontlines of responding to climate-related disasters. More than a spirit of goodwill is required to effectively respond and minister in such critically important times. Because disasters often expose, widen, and exacerbate the gaps of pre-existing disparities, it is essential that communities of faith prioritize and hold fast in their commitments to equity and justice. This webinar will equip faith communities with the knowledge and awareness required to act in accordance with our values. Our featured speakers will be:

Marcus T. Coleman, Jr., Director of the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Office of the FEMA Administrator
Marcie Roth, Executive Director and CEO for the World Institute on Disability
Rev. Fred Meade, Senior Instructor for the National Disaster Interfaiths Network

Even if you cannot make the webinar at its scheduled time, still sign-up, and we will send you a link to a recording of it.
This monthly installment of Creation Justice Webinars is co-hosted by the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt who serves as the Minister of Environmental Justice for the United Church of Christ and the Rev. Michael Malcom who serves as the Executive Director for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and the People’s Justice Council.

Where Do We Go From Here
2022-02-10 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
The United Church of Christ is a denomination that seeks to live out Christ’s call to create a just world for all. While the mission remains, the ways in which we do ministry adapt over time.
What will that look like in 2022 and into the future? How does the UCC continue to extend God’s love to all people, working alongside the beloved community to create the world God imagines for us?
Join the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the UCC, and the Rev. Traci D. Blackmon, Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries, for a conversation about this denomination on the move.
We’re excited to see what God has in store for us!

Becoming Abolitionists
2022-02-17 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
What is abolition, and why should we care, as Christians? Derecka Purnell, ESQ, will offer her expertise in conversation with Rev. Traci Blackmon. She is a Harvard Graduate and scholar-in-residence at Columbia Law School. Recently published author of the book, Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom, Derecka works to end police and prison violence by providing legal assistance, research, and trainings in community based organizations through an abolitionist framework.

The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christians in an Age of Empire
2022-02-23 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Christians in the Middle East are the proud descendants of the first followers of Jesus, continuing in the traditions of Christian churches, some of which date back to the early centuries of Christianity. Despite their status as numerical minorities, and living through a variety of difficult circumstances, they persist in their presence and offer a vibrant witness to their faith. Discussion about them has become highly politicized, to their detriment.
The Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is founder and President of the Diyar Consortium, which includes Dar al-Kalima University, partners of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ through Global Ministries. Rev. Raheb is a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and thinker from Bethlehem, preeminent contextual theologian, and author of more than forty books, including The Politics of Persecution: Middle Eastern Christians in an Age of Empire.”
Join us on Wed., Feb. 23 to hear Rev. Raheb speak about his newest book, which addresses the situation of Christians in the Middle East, and discuss it with him. He will present a less-familiar narrative about Christians in the Middle East, challenging us to reconsider how we think about our siblings in faith. Rev. Raheb’s book is available though Baylor University Press (https://www.globalministries.org/rev-mitri-rahebs-new-book-rebuffs-western-perceptions-of-persecuted-christians-in-the-middle-east-and-retells-their-story/), and we strongly encourage you to find a copy and read it before the webinar so you can engage with Rev. Raheb in the discussion.

Descended From the Promised Land: The Legacy of Black Wall Street
2022-02-23 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
In honor of Black Histories/Futures Month, and just over one hundred years after the notorious massacre in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, aka Black Wall Street, we are honored to host a screening of the short film DESCENDED FROM THE PROMISED LAND: THE LEGACY OF BLACK WALL STREET that draws a century-long thread from 1921 to 2021, revealing the lingering economic, psychological and emotional impacts of the Tulsa Massacre through the lens of descendants. Descendants Byron Crenshaw, Jacqueline Blocker and their family members reach back to uplift the stories of their ancestors, the success they created, the promise they fulfilled, the horrors they endured and the resilience they showed. Invoking the deep entrepreneurial spirit of those who created one of the greatest Black communities this country has ever known, Byron and Jacqueline imagine a path forward to recapture the Black joy that once permeated Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. A panel discussion with descendants featured in the film will follow the screening

Confronting Bias in Search and Call
2022-02-24 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Our churches want to do better in addressing implicit (and explicit!) bias in their search and call practices, but they often don’t know where to start. Or, they’ve made a good start, but now they want to take next steps. Or, they struggle to retain staff leadership when microaggressions threaten the well-being of their ministers. Join members of the MESA team and staff and members of First Congregational UCC in Washington, DC as they share wisdom and experiences in moving towards anti-racist and other anti-bias practices in search and call.

Our Whole Lives for Older Adults
2022-03-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Our Whole Lives for Older Adults got rave reviews before the pandemic hit, but how can you offer it without putting elders at risk from in-person gatherings? Offer an online adaptation! This OWL Taking Flight webinar will introduce an option that will pique interest in a complete in-person program when safety allows.
