Southern New England Conference leaders raise $3700 through wearing of the green

Leaders of the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island conferences together raised over $3,700 for their respective ministries through successful social media challenges that required them to go VERY green for St. Patrick’s Day.

Connecticut Conference Minister the Rev. Kent Siladi set the bar when he agreed to wear a shamrock suit to Super Saturday if enough people donated to the Friends of the Conference appeal. He ended up raising $2,387 from 53 donors.

The Rev. Patty Kogut, a member of the Massachusetts Conference Board of Directors, donned a full leprechaun suit after raising $726 for the MACUCC Friends of the Conference from 24 donors. Kogut is pastor of the North Congregational Church in Middleborough, Mass.

And Rhode Island Conference Minister the Rev. Barbara Libby joined in the fun, dyeing her hair green in exchange for donations to Racial Justice Ministries in that Conference. She pulled in $617 from 23 donors.

The three appeared together before the more than 600 people who came to Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, Mass., on Saturday, March 17. Their garb garnered much attention throughout the day.

Super Saturday is held twice a year, and offers workshops, a marketplace, networking and worship twice a year and is widely attended by church leaders from all three Conferences and beyond.

Tiffany Vail is the Associate Conference Minister for Communications for the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Conferences United Church of Christ.