Transformed and Renewed: 2023 Member in Discernment Gathering

Hosted by Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA)

¹I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2 (NSRV)

Agenda

Thursday, October 5

Unless otherwise specified, all activities will happen in Conference Room A.

4:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Travel & Hotel Check-in
- Location: Holiday Inn Express Cleveland Downtown
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Welcome, Overview of Agenda, Meet the MESA Team
- Location: Mezzanine at the hotel
7:00 p.m. onward – Dinner on your own

Friday, October 6

Meals will be served in Conference Room A at 1300 E. Ninth Street, 1^st floor. Unless otherwise specified, all activities will happen in Conference Room A. Worship leaders are sought for music and liturgy. Please volunteer in the afternoon if you would like to assist with leading Friday evening worship.

7:00 – 8:00 a.m. – Pick up registration materials
- Location: Outside of Conference Room A
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. – “Welcome to Sacred Space”
8:45 – 9:30 a.m. – “Community & Relationship Building”
- Location: Groups will meet in different locations, see further details below
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. – “Seeing the Big Picture”
10:00 – 11:15 a.m. – “Taking the Long View”
11:15 – 11:30 a.m. – Break
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – MESA Presentations: What Every Minister Needs to Know
12:30 – 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 – 2:30 p.m. – Tour of UCC Offices (sign-up required), wellness break, or visit area venues
2:30 – 5:15 p.m. – MESA Presentations: What Every Minister Needs to Know Continued
- Location: location will shift throughout presentation, see further details below
5:15 – 6:30 p.m. – Dinner
6:30 – 7:15 p.m. – Worship, Blessing, & Dismissal

Further Details on the Friday Agenda

Welcome to Sacred Space

8:00 – 8:15 a.m. – Greetings from Dr. Jackson, Scripture and theme explained.

8:15 – 8:45 a.m. – Devotion

[Music: Order My Steps]

Community & Relationship Building

8:45 – 9:15 a.m – A Common Journey: Phases and Queries Along the Way

Phase Group break-outs

Conference Room A: Discovery Phase (1 year or less) & Progressing Phase (2 years or more);
Main floor lobby/outside: Transformative Phase (Nearing completion)
During Phase Gatherings, volunteer scribes are requested to capture three elements of wisdom to share in our Closing Worship and in the broader MID Network.

Seeing the Big Picture

9:30 – 10:00 a.m. – Greetings from the UCC Officers

Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, General Minister and President
Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister, Justice and Local Church Ministries (Video)
Peter Makari, Transitional Executive, Global Engagement& Wider Church Ministries

Taking the Long View

The Pension Boards: Your Covenant Partner for Financial Security and Personal Wellness in Ministry

10:00 – 11:15 a.m. – Discovery Phase Group:

An Introduction to the Mission and Ministries of the Pension Boards – Jennifer Markewitz, Director, Health Plan Operations
Progressing & Transformative Phase Groups: An Overview of Pension Boards Benefits and Services – Baheru Mengistu, Pension Counselor, Member Services Operations (Virtual)

MESA Presentations: What Every Minister Needs to Know

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – What Every Minister Needs to Know

The Manual on Ministry: Rev. Melanie Oommen
The Marks, UCC Minister’s Code: Rev. Elizabeth Dilley
Support and Accountability: Tara Barber

MESA Presentations: What Every Minister Needs to Know Continued

2:30 – 3:15 p.m. – What Every Minister Needs to Know Continued

Government Chaplaincy and Government Endorsement: Stephen Boyd (Video)
4- and 5-way Covenants, Ordainable Calls, and Professional Chaplaincy: Anissa Glaser-Bacon

3:15 – 4:00 p.m. – Phase Group break- outs

Conference Room A: Discovery Phase (1 year or less) & Progressing Phase (2 years or more);
Main floor lobby/outside: Transformative Phase (Nearing completion)
During Phase Gatherings, volunteer scribes are requested to capture three elements of wisdom to share in our Closing Worship and in the broader MID Network.

4:00 – 5:15 p.m. – Presentations Continued

Legal Considerations – Ms. Heather Kimmel
Overview of Search & Call Processes – Rev. Jeff Nelson

Saturday, October 7

Unless otherwise specified, all activities will happen in Conference Room A.

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. – Check-in/Devotion (Music selection: “Gonna Be a Lovely Day”)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Phase Group break-outs
- Location: Groups will meet in different locations, see further details below
9:30 – 10:45 a.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 1
- Location: TBD
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 2
- Location: TBD
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 – 2:30 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 3
- Location: TBD
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Break
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Reflections from Phase Groups
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Dinner

Further Details on the Saturday Agenda

Phase Group Break-Outs

8:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Phase Group break-outs

A Common Journey: Discovering Companions Along the Way

Conference Room A: Discovery Phase & Progressing Phase
Main floor lobby/outside: Transformative Phase

Concurrent Workshops Part 1

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 1

Location: TBD

Lessons Learned from Pastoring (White People) – Rev. Dr. Malcom Himschoot (Virtual)
Planning For Successful Bi-Vocational Ministry – Rev. Anissa Glaser-Bacon
Relational Support for your Ministry – Rev. Tara Barber
Negotiating your first call – Rev. Jeff Nelson

Concurrent Workshops Part 2

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 2

Location: TBD

Faith in the Public Square: Advocating with the UCC Office in Washington D.C. – Rev. Michael Neuroth
Love is Louder: Communal Care for Trans &Non-Binary Siblings– Rachael Ward
Professional Chaplaincy – Rev. Melody Ruffin Ward
Transforming Lives through Service: The Ministries of CHHSM and its Member Agencies – Jamar Doyle

Concurrent Workshops Part 3

1:15 – 2:30 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Part 3

Location: TBD

Where Everybody Knows Your Name: The Joys and Challenges of Small Church Ministry– Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver (Virtual)
Marks for Vital Church – Rev. Melanie Oommen
Disabilities Ministry (video only) – Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund

Sunday, October 8

Unless otherwise specified, all activities will happen in Conference Room A.

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. – Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30 a.m. – Devotion (Music selection: “Total Praise”)
9:30 – 10:30 a.m. – Closing reflections with Dr. Jackson
10:30 – 10:45 a.m. – Prepare for Worship (Music selection: “Let’s Do the Work”)
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. – Worship with Communion

Further Details on the Sunday Agenda

Closing Reflections

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. – Closing reflections with Dr. Jackson

“I feel further grounded in my Call because…”
“What I take with me today is…”
“I have hope for the Church because…”
- Continuing Connections Opportunities

Worship with Communion

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. – Departing Reflection

Music selection: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

Meditation/Sermon – MID
Communion – Dr. Jackson,
Benediction – Dr. Jackson

Music selection: “This Little Light/This Joy I Have NCH#524”

Closing music selection: “Light of God”

“I have no doubts that the one who set your feet on this good path will keep walking it with you until the day the Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One appears.”

Philippians 1:6

First Nations Version: an indigenous translation of the New Testament

(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021), 358.

Music Credits

Music files from GS33 (2021): Let’s do the Work by Kevon Carter; Light of God by Patrick Henderson; Break Up Your Fallow Ground by Tom Wuest.

“Total Praise,” permission obtained by , granted April 22, 2022 via email from lavonneburleigh@go.mccormick.edu.

“To Give Thanks for What God has Done, Service prayers with Communion for Easter Sunday Year B,” was written by the Rev. Dr. Sheila Harvey Guillaume, pastor of Union Congregational United Church of Christ in West Palm Beach. Copyright 2021 Justice and Local Church Ministries, Faith INFO Ministry Team, United Church of Christ. Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education. All publishing rights reserved.