World AIDS Day 2022 Interfaith Service
2022-12-01 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Livestream
World AIDS Day 2022 Interfaith Service
Thursday, December 1, 1:00 pm Eastern U.S.
In-Person: Church Center of the United Nations 777 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017
Live Stream: YouTube.com/@hivfaith Facebook.com/ushivfaith
Every day that a person is living with HIV is a World AIDS Day and on Thursday, December 1 we will gather in person and virtually for an interfaith World AIDS Day service. Visibility will be the focal theme of the service, emphasizing the vital importance of seeing the marginalized within the marginalized of those living with HIV. The feature reflections from the marginalized within the HIV+ community- including Black women, long-term survivors, formerly incarcerated persons, persons of transgender or nonbinary experience, and other community members. Planning partners include leadership from the US Faith & AIDS Coalition, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, HIV Vaccine Trials Network, and the Lutheran Office for World Community.
https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/justice/health-and-wholeness-advocacy-ministries/ucan/ucan_world-aids-day/

World AIDS Day of Prayer and Remembrance
2022-12-01 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
In 1988, December 1st was declared to be World AIDS Day, a day to remember those living with HIV/AIDS, honor those who have died and to raise awareness around prevention and testing. Globally, there are more than 38 million people living with the disease, while another 40 million have died since the first diagnosis in 1981. Though there have been great strides in treatment, HIV/AIDS still claims as many as 860,000 lives per year.
Please join UCC and ecumenical leaders as Thursdays for the Soul presents a World AIDS Day of Prayer and Remembrance.

Global H.O.P.E. Blue Christmas Service
2022-12-05 15:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Join us on Monday, Dec 5, 3pm 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 2022, from Kentucky, to Ukraine, and beyond. 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.
This event will be recorded for later availability or use in local Blue Christmas events.

Gift Giving and Worker Justice
2022-12-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Learn ways you can give gifts AND participate in establishing just wages and worker safety standards for migrant workers and building the wealth of small business owners internationally and nationally. Milk with Dignity/Migrant Justice and Equal Exchange will provide ways for you to connect with their programs both as churches and individuals.

The Midterms and Beyond: A Path for Climate Justice
2022-12-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
When it comes to climate justice, how do we make it out of the wilderness and arrive at the promised land? In this webinar, we will discuss the results of the midterms with an eye to what is possible in 2023 and beyond. A full discussion of the midterms entails more than looking at a final scorecard of congressional contests. It entails assessing the power of young voters and voters who care about the climate crisis. It entails tracking the successes of state ballot initiatives. It entails bringing a lens of justice to multiple, overlapping struggles in our society. A full and broad conversation of the midterms is needed in order to cast a vision and a plan for how our movement can grow and thrive.
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.

WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for Mental Health
2022-12-15 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
The United Church of Christ adopted the WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health covenant as a denomination in 2015 as part of our commitment to mental health justice. Join representatives of the UCC Mental Health Network for practical resources for what UCC members and congregations can do to become WISE for mental health and create a more just world for all.
This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. One the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured. Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants.

Near the Brokenhearted
2022-12-22 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
The Christmas Season is primarily known for Hope and Joy, focused on community and familial gatherings of celebration and thanksgiving. However, for some, the winter holidays season may be difficult due to personal loss and grief. Please join us for a special Christmas service in which we acknowledge pain and mourning during the holiday season and lift up prayers for hope, peace, and affirmation that God “is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

The Importance of Continuing Education in Sex Ed
2023-01-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Tanya Bass, Founder of the NC Sexual Health Conference and Training, LLC, who will share her research on sex educators and continuing education.

Dancing in the Darkness with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III & Rev. Traci Blackmon
2023-01-05 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Join Rev. Traci Blackmon as she interviews Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III on his newest book, Dancing in the Darkness, a life-affirming guide to the practical, political, and spiritual challenges of our day.
They will discuss how to practice spiritual resistance by combining justice and love while drawing on the teachings of Dr. King, Howard Thurman, sacred scripture, southern wisdom, global spiritual traditions, Black culture, and their own personal experiences.

What Is a Sustainable Economy?
2023-01-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
With powerful industries based on extractive and exploitative practices, our economy has been a train barreling toward increasing environmental disaster. The fate of humanity and our planet can no longer continue on this track, but crucial questions remain: What is a sustainable economy? What will it look like? What must change? What costs might it entail? And, how will it be achieved? For people of faith, these questions are engaged from a place that prioritizes matters of equity, justice, and the common good. To help us think through these issues, this webinar will feature Edith Rasell who recently authored the book, “The Way of Abundance: Economic Justice in Scripture and Society.”
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.

UCC Ethnic and Congregations of Color in Rural Communities
2023-01-12 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Thursdays for the Soul: A webinar series to care for the whole church. Topics are wide ranging, and are focused on the spirituality and care of people. Prayer, worship, music, psalm readings, or compassionate teaching are included. This will be a predictable time of gathering for something to feed your spirit, offered by Faith Education, Innovation, and Formation and Justice and Local Church Ministries of the national setting, United Church of Christ.

Free event, featuring Otis Moss III, new book launch, Dancing in Darkness
2023-01-16 13:00 - 14:30 | The Temple-Tifereth Israel, 26000 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, OH, 44122, United States
In honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Join the Movement Toward Racial Justice invites you to a free event featuring Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III for the launch of his new book, DANCING IN DARKNESS, a life-affirming guide to the practical, political, and spiritual challenges of our day.
Drawing on the teachings of Dr. King, Howard Thurman, sacred scripture, southern wisdom, global spiritual traditions, Black culture, and his own personal experiences, Dr. Moss instructs you on how to practice spiritual resistance by combining justice and love. This collection helps us tap the spiritual reserves we all possess but too often overlook, so we can slay our personal demon, confront our civic challenges, and reach our highest goals.
Rev. Moss III is the featured speaker Monday, January 16, 2023, 1 pm – 2:30 pm at the Temple Tifereth-Israel 26000 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, OH 44122. The event is hosted by the Maltz Museum | Rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, the Maltz Museum explores diverse stories of courage from history and today, with a commitment to education and learning so that there can be a more inclusive tomorrow.
Registration is required.

Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith: Dismantling Shame and Stigma about Bodies and Relationships
2023-01-19 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom
Many churches embrace an Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith ministry as a part of faithful justice work. This ministry provides people of all ages with information they need to understand how bodies function, recognize qualities in healthy and unhealthy relationships, practice decision-making through a values and faith framework, and advocate for equity and inclusion.
Join Amy Johnson, UCC Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice and Dr. Melanie Davis, UUA OWL Program Manager for this engaging and informative webinar.
This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on twelve Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured. Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants

Against Islamophobia & White Supremacy with Linda Sarsour
2023-01-22 15:30 - 17:30 | Livestream
The January 6th attack on the United States Capitol showed that white Christian Nationalism is on the rise. 2022 ended with over 200 white nationalist candidates elected at every level of government. With each passing election, fringe political ideas become more and more mainstream. Simultaneously, islamophobia has never lost its public appeal. The so-called Muslim Ban is just one example of white supremacy becoming policy. Religious leaders are called to fight back against the rising tide of islamophobia in our community and congregations.
Join the conversation with Linda Sarsour, noted Palestinian-American civil rights leader who will speak on the topic: Islamophobia and White Supremacy. Sarsour was co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March, the 2017 Day Without a Woman, and the 2019 Women’s March. She is also a former executive director of the Arab American Association of New York. The event will be livestreamed on the United Church of Christ YouTube channel.
Hosted by the Valley and Mountain Fellowship’s Center for Faith, Art, and Justice in partnership with the United Church of Christ’s Join the Movement toward Racial Justice and others, the series Set Us Free from Fear: Faith, White Supremacy, and Politics invites scholars, clergy, and activists working at the intersection of race and faith to share their wisdom to our broader communities.
View Livestream Here

I Heart Orgasms--Pleasure, Sexual Health and Consent
2023-02-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller join OWL Taking Flight to discuss their newly revised and updated book, I Heart Orgasms. Drawing on their over twenty years of experience teaching audiences about sexual pleasure, plus the voices of thousands of survey-takers who share their experiences in these pages, Dorian and Marshall bring wisdom to the intersections of pleasure, consent, and sexual health.

The Land Back Movement
2023-02-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
The Land Back Movement has been succinctly described as the generations long struggle to put “Indigenous lands back into Indigenous hands.” Yet, there is much to know and understand about this vitally important movement. In this webinar, organizers and practitioners within the movement will place the struggle within the context of dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery and the ongoing work of reparatory justice. Moreover, current efforts will be discussed and lifted up in discerning how the movement can be advanced today. Speakers will include:

Katerina Gea from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery and pastor of Wild Church Fresno
Sarah Augustine from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery; author of “The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery”
Angie Comeaux from Hummingbird Springs Farm, the Bvlbancha Collective, and Okla Hina Ikhish Holo (People of the Sacred Medicine Trail)

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.

Virtual National Gathering of UCC Rural/Small Town Churches and Ministries
2023-02-09 16:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
The Virtual National Gathering of UCC Rural/Small Town Churches and Ministries:
Gathering Dates: February 9-11, 2023 (Thursday, Friday, & Saturday*
*On Saturday, encourage congregations to gather together in church, potluck style and
participate in joint communion across the denomination.)
Time: 4:00 – 7:00 pm EST
Theme: Nourishing the Seeds of Faith (Isaiah 55:10-11)
Contact: Rev Roberto Ochoa, UCC Minister for Ethnic Inclusion, Rural and Small Churches – ochoar@ucc.org
In the Fall of 2019, UCC General Minister/President Rev John Dorhauer received a letter from a UCC pastor in a rural setting disappointed in the lack of congregational and pastoral presence during General Synod. The pastor felt that rural congregations and ministers felt isolated and disconnected from the national setting.
John responded by referring the letter to Rev Dr Chris Davies, Team Leader of Faith INFO and requested Rev Roberto Ochoa, who was responsible for congregational support and resources for Faith INFO contact the pastor.
That contact led to the beginning of a movement to reach out to rural identified congregations and all those interested in rural ministries.
In December 2020, Rev Roberto was paired with Rev Dr Bonnie Bates, Penn Northeast Conference Minister to present a workshop about the state of the UCC rural/small town churches in the denomination for the virtual AM 21 Conference.
Topics relevant to the rural church settings were explored in several UCC Thursdays for the Soul webinar series hosted by Roberto.
During the virtual General Synod of 2021, a workshop was presented by Roberto, Bonnie, and Rev Dr Marc Stewart, CM Montana/No Wyoming. It resulted in the creation of the Coalition for UCC Rural Ministries for all those interested in rural ministries from every setting of the UCC. The Coalition has met monthly since 2021 and has been hosted by Bonnie Bates and Roberto Ochoa for the purposes of listening and collaborating with best practices for the rural local church and pastoral leadership.
A special report by CARDD on WHERE OUR UCC CONGREGATIONS CALL HOME: RURAL, TOWN, SUBURBAN, AND URBAN CONGREGATIONS researched and authored by Roberto Ochoa found that over 60% of UCC congregations were in communities with less than 25,000. https://www.ucc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022.vfw_.pdf (p 55-57)
Two primary goals of the Coalition for UCC Rural Ministries has been to have a national gathering of UCC rural churches and pastoral leaders and to organize for recognition by the National Setting of the UCC.

Create Playspace with the President
2023-02-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
What Is the Best/Most Exciting Tech Innovation You Are Incorporating into Your Ministry and How Is It Changing Your Future?
Provocateur: John C. Dorhauer

Webinar: Planning the Energy Future of your Congregation
2023-02-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join the Interfaith Power & Light, the United Church of Christ, and other faith partners in learning about benchmarking your facilities’ energy use, so that your congregation can cut energy costs and care for creation. This is the first step in planning to take advantage of federal funding now available to faith communities. Presenters include: Jerry Lawson, National Manager of EPA’s Energy Star for Small Businesses and Congregations; Sarah Paulos, Interfaith Power & Light’s Cool Congregations Program Director and Tom Hackley from People’s Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Join us on February 21, 2023, at 1 pm ET, 12 pm CT, 11 am MT, and 10 am PT. Fill out the form below with your name and email to Register now!

OWL Taking Flight - Child Safety and Mandatory Reporting: Advice from a Pediatrician
2023-03-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Dr. Verena Brown, pediatrician and educator who specializes in cases of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, will join us for a discussion about child abuse and mandatory reporting. Dr. Brown is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Executive Committee of the Council on Child Abuse and Neglect.

Is property a missional asset or liability?
2023-03-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Part 2 of the Create Playspace with the President series.
Provocateur:
Maria Coyne, President and CEO of the Cornerstone Fund.
**Please note- all sessions in this series will be recorded.

Migrant Sponsorship: Responding to the Heartbreaking Emails
2023-03-01 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
UCC Refugee & Migration Services will be speaking about the new, specialized migrant sponsorship processes, why they evolved, and why they’re resulting in a flood of heartbreaking e mails from migrants around the world in your local church inbox. Guests from Al Otro Lado, a family reunification non-profit in California, will be joining us to discuss this phenomenon.

Movie Screening: The Ants and the Grasshopper
2023-03-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Join us online for a free screening of an acclaimed documentary that follows the life of the inspiring Anita Chitaya. After successfully confronting challenge after challenge in her home country of Malawi, Chitaya comes to the United States faced with the most difficult task of her life. In order to save her home from extreme weather, she seeks to persuade people in the United States that climate change is real. The film documents her efforts as she travels around the country from California to the White House to engage everyone from climate skeptics to despairing farmers.
The documentary has received numerous film festival awards and accolades. Journalist Michael Pollen declared that he was “blown away” by this powerful film about “a hero of such grace and intelligence and power.”
Join us from the comfort of your home or gather with others from your faith community for this film screening. An action guide and a Bible study are available to make the most of the experience.
This event is cohosted by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Green Chalice Ministries, the Environmental Justice Ministries of the United Church of Christ, and Blessed Tomorrow.

How do we fund the future?
2023-03-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Part 3 of the Create Playspace with the President series.
Provocateurs:
Rev. Kent Siladi, UCC Director of Philanthropy
Rev. Andrew Warner, Generosity Outreach Officer in the UCC Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity, and Communication (OPTIC)
**Please note- all sessions in this series will be recorded.

General Synod Frequency Town Hall 1/3
2023-03-15 14:00 - 15:00
At General Synod 34 in Indianapolis, delegates will consider amendments to the UCC Bylaws that would change the frequency of General Synod from two years to three years.
Join one of the Town Halls to learn more about the Bylaws changes recommended by the UCC Board.

Changing Landscape of Giving: What we can learn from Millennial and Gen Z Donors
2023-03-22 19:30 - 20:30 | Zoom
Rev. Dr. Colie Batavia of Grace UCC in Two Rivers, WI, will discuss insights and ideas the Church can learn from Millennial and Gen Z Donors.

War in Ukraine and Our Church's Response
2023-03-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022, members of the United Church of Christ were exceedingly generous in offering support for people affected by the war. In the past 13 months, more than 15 million people in Ukraine have been displaced from their homes and communities, fleeing both inside Ukraine and to other countries. UCC partners responded immediately with care and support, and continue to meet needs even as they face their own sometimes challenging circumstances.

Join four UCC leaders who recently visited partners in central and eastern Europe to hear the stories and reflections they carry back from their encounters in Ukraine, Hungary, Greece, and Moldova. Learn about the inspiring work our partners are undertaking, which is strengthened by the generosity of UCC members and friends.

How we gather: Where are future faith seekers finding access to their Sacred?
2023-04-05 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Part 4 of the Create Playspace with the President series.
Provocateurs:
Casper ter Kuile co-author of How We Gather, and co-founder of The Sacred Design Lab.
**Please note- all sessions in this series will be recorded.

Christian Nationalism: A Threat to Democracy and Christianity
2023-04-11 20:30 - 21:30
The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, will discuss the challenge of faithfulness in the face of Christian nationalism, and the need for religious leaders and people of faith to openly discuss and confront it. Dorhauer is the author of Beyond Resistance: The Institutional Church Meets the Postmodern World (2015). Part of the Religious Literacy Project at Elmhurst University.
Upon registering, event can be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@ElmhurstUniversity1871

A Palestinian Christian Reflection on the Meaning of Easter
2023-04-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
In the week following Western celebrations of Easter, and during what is Holy Week for Orthodox and some other Eastern Christians, Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac will share his understandings of the journey to Easter — Palm Sunday, Last Week, the Cross, Resurrection — and Easter stories.
Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, academic dean at Bethlehem Bible College, and the director of the Christ at the Checkpoint conferences, the Rev. Dr. Isaac has written several books; his latest is The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope.
This webinar is jointly presented by Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ and the United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network (UCC PIN).
