Webinar Library
Miss a conversation? Here you can find every recent program we’ve put on! You can use them to learn for yourself, to inspire conversations in your community and congregation, or to share with those whom you know will be interested in the content.
Click a series below to learn more and view upcoming episodes.
WISE for Mental Health
The United Church of Christ adopted the WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health covenant in 2015 as part of our commitment to mental health justice.
Representatives of the UCC Mental Health Network for practical resources will share how UCC members and congregations can 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.
December 7, 2022
World AIDS Day of Prayer and Remembrance
In 1988, December 1st was declared to be World AIDS Day. It is 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 AIDS, while another 40 million have died since the first diagnosis in 1981. Even 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.
Becoming a Creation Justice Church
Creation Justice Churches is a program of the United Church of Christ that guides congregations in discerning how they can best embody a commitment to care for God’s creation. As Christians, this is our first calling in the Bible. It is also a calling that has been integral to the DNA of the UCC as a denomination and the historic role played by the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice in launching the environmental justice movement. In the face of the climate crisis, the Creation Justice Church program has provided a path of active hope for a growing number of congregations. As the UCC’s Minister for Environmental Justice, the Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt will introduce the program and host the following church leaders who have helped lead their church into becoming Creation Justice Churches:
-Barbara Smith-Bacon from First Congregational United Church of Christ in Sarasota, Florida
-Rev. Robert Grabill from the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College
-Rev. Nancy Leckerling from First Congregational Church in Guilford, Connecticut
-Claire Stiles from Lakewood United Church of Christ, St. Petersburg, Florida
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
Writing as a Spiritual Practice
A daily pause.
A moment of wonder.
A simple invitation to insight.
With deep understanding of the human spirit, each poem by Tina Datsko de Sánchez touches the reader’s core with its rich imagery and holy metaphors. Join us as Tina reads poetry from her latest release, Swimming in God, shares insight on her writing process and how she finds inspiration, and invites attendees to craft ecstatic poetry of their own through writing prompts. We invite you to come to this webinar with your favorite writing implement and an open heart.
Swimming in God is available online at Pilgrim Press (https://bit.ly/3fv69Fg), at your favorite online book seller, or on order with your local bookstore.
Spirituality and Pop Culture
As Christmas becomes increasingly secularized, how do we talk to our congregations about the holiday? And how has the popular view of Christmas changed over time? The answer may come from depictions of Christmas in popular movies and TV shows.
Join author and religion journalist John A. Zukowski as he talks about his book “Christmas on the Screen,” which explores the spiritual and cultural implications of Christmas movies and TV shows.
This session will point out how popular culture has changed how Americans feel about Christmas. It’s an opportunity to both use and critique images of Christmas in popular culture as we head toward another Christmas season.
“Christmas on the Screen” is available at https://thepilgrimpress.com, at your favorite online book seller, or on order with your local bookstore.
“100 Spiritual Movies to See Before You Die” is available to pre-order at https://thepilgrimpress.com
November 26, 2022
How to Protect Your Digital Information: A Practical Discussion of Digital Privacy
In light of the Dobbs decision having a firm grasp of digital privacy is all the more important. Knowing who has access to your online life, from period trackers to grocery apps and social media, and what companies can do with that information is critical. This session will help empower and inform folks to take practical steps to protect their digital privacy and provide context about what is happening in the digital privacy space.
November 23, 2022
Releasing, Blessing, and Sending Rev. Dr. Chris Davies
Join officers and staff of the United Church of Christ in a “Service of Release.”
We will give thanks for the ministry of Rev. Dr. Chris Davies (Team Leader and Minister, Faith INFO) as she transitions from her role at the National Setting to Do a New Thing.
Immigrant Welcoming Congregations Working for Human Rights and Dignity for All
This webinar will be led by faith leaders and impacted leaders in the field who are doing on-the-ground community organizing with UCC congregations on border issues, immigrants’ rights, Sanctuary, refugee resettlement, and the accompaniment of asylum seekers as part of the greater struggle for human rights and dignity for all people. Presenters will share stories of how anti-immigrant policies are hurting our community members and offer examples of how to create concrete methodologies to educate and move your congregation to effectively engage on the issue of immigration. Participants will leave with a step-by-step process of becoming an immigrant welcoming and/or Sanctuary congregation.
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
Intergenerational Advent Planning
Join members of the Association of United Church Educators (AUCE) Board of Directors as they share about faith formation during Advent. There will be ideas for intergenerational Advent activities, Advent resources, and ways to collect ideas. We’ll also touch on intergenerational ministries, creative planning strategies, and practices of online faith formation.
The Small Church Story Project in the Maine Conference
Intrigued by reports of small, rural, congregations who are creating new ways of “being church’, Rev Douglas Dunlap and Rev Susan Craig formed The Small Church Story Project in 2015. Their efforts are to gather the stories of such congregations of the Maine Conference to share with churches small and large, wherever these may be, in the nation or the world. Also to counter the narrative that small churches have no other future than that of closing and how small size can be turned to advantage which leads to spirited worship, vibrant fellowship, and responses to Christ’s call to serve that are engaging, effective, and heartening.
Join us as Rev Roberto Ochoa meets with Rev Dunlap and Rev Craig to find out more about the Small Church Project and to hear the stories of small, rural, congregations making a difference in their communities of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Preparing for Advent 2022: Days to Come
The United Church of Christ partners with The United Church of Canada to offer a collection of resources for the Advent season.
From devotionals to candle lighting rituals, for individuals and for communal worship, we will have resources ready for your faith communities.
Join us for an overview of the collection and a preview of a new song!
Shared Learning From the Gun Violence Ministries
“They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will train for war no more. Everyone will sit under their own vine and fig tree. No one shall make them afraid.” Isaiah 2:2-4
We have testified, protested, advocated, written letters, made calls, held vigils and prayed, wept and comforted and, after the March 22, 2021 massacre in Boulder, our faith communities demanded action. We could no longer be satisfied with being “just another stat”.
Although it would have been easy to be overwhelmed with the complexity and scope of gun violence prevention, we knew we MUST do something – anything – and we had to start immediately. Peace-making action was required urgently and there was no time to be afraid. Hear from faith leaders in Colorado as they share their experiences, lessons learned and best practices in transforming trauma and catalyzing a nationwide disarmament movement.
November 22, 2022
Just Peace Churches and the Disruptive Power of Peace!
The United Church of Christ was the first Christian denomination to declare itself a “Just Peace Church” in 1985. Over the past 35+ years, the concept of Just Peace- that intersection of peace with justice reflected in the biblical vision of God’s Shalom – has been affirmed by ecumenical partners around the world. As our world suffers from conflicts around the world, now is the time to seek alternatives to militarism and turn our focus to building peace from the ground up.
This webinar will introduce you to the concepts of Just Peace and highlight ways in which local churches are living out their Just Peace identity. We will also lift up our 2022 theme for Just Peace Sunday “The Disruptive Power of Peace: Friendship, Justice & Security” to be celebrated on Sunday, September 18th this year. Speakers for this webinar will include members of the UCC’s Just Peace Network and Steering Committee.
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
UCC Colectivo de Latinx Ministries: Present & Future
Join Rev Roberto Ochoa as he speaks with the leaders of the UCC Colectivo de Latinx Ministries about their role in uplifting the contributions of Latines/Latinas/Latinos in the United Church of Christ. They will share how they were formed and their hopes and vision for the Latinx communities in the wider church.
Gather in Joy…Go in Justice
Rejoice with us in worship as Cheryl Lindsay, Minister for Worship and Theology, and conference ministers of the United Church of Christ reflect on the Spirit at work among us…moving in joy and justice.
Moving Through Life with Embodied Grace
How do we connect the inspired mind of Christ to the often tired Body of Christ? What spiritual practices allow us to tap into the “fount of every blessing” even as we engage in the urgencies of our time?
Join Matt Carriker, the founding pastor of Agape Spiritual Community UCC in Waltham, Massachusetts, and Gabrielle Chavez, organizing pastor of Christ the Healer UCC centered in the Portland Oregon metro area as we explore some cutting-edge work at the intersection of activism and contemplation coming out of two newer congregations.
As part of the conversation, there will be an offering of understanding and practice that evolved from over a generation of experience and experimentation to quickly access embodied grace, the state of being Jesus called “heaven on earth”
Accessible to All Churches and Disability Justice
The United Church of Christ adopted the Accessible to All (A2A) covenant as a denomination in 2005 as part of our commitment to disabilities justice. Barriers to accessibility are both physical and attitudinal.
Disability justice intersects with the UCC’s commitments to racial, economic, gender, sexual identities, just peace, and environmental justice. Join representatives of the UCC Disabilities Ministries Board for practical resources for what UCC members and congregations can do to 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. On the third Thursday of each month, one of these programs will be featured.
Learn more at: www.ucc.org/just_world_covenants
Faithful Abortion Access: Then and Now
The Clergy Consultation Service was a nationwide network of getting people access to safe abortion services and resources before it was legal.
Hosted by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, join alongside To Offer Compassion: A History of the Clergy Consultation Service On Abortion authors D.A. Dirks and Patricia Relf to learn more about the extensive network of the time, and hear the testimony of Rev. Donna Schaper about her work along the way.
Faith Choice Ohio’s Executive Director Elaina Ramsey will join alongside Dr. Sherry Warren, the United Church of Christ’s Minister for Gender Justice in speaking about ways people of faith can show up now that we look towards mounting state-led barriers to abortion access.
A Conversation with Franklinton Center at Bricks’ Rev. Elly Mendez Angulo
The mission of Franklinton Center at Bricks [FCAB] is “to provide a nurturing home to local, national, and global programs and organizations seeking liberation.” (From FCAB’s website)
Come join us for a conversation with Rev. Elly Mendez Angulo (Program Manager and Interim Executive Director) about FCAB’s history, the UCC connection, and the current vision of Franklinton Center
To manifest a world where:
-Systemic oppression does not exist
-The whole divinity of a person is realized
-The memory, contribution, and resilience of our ancestors is embraced
-The environment is healed Franklinton Center at Bricks continues to focus on living up to the legacy of our ancestors and predecessor – institutions by serving the people of our community.
They serve through these broad program areas:
– Center for Rural Community Development and Education
– Center for African American Historic Preservation
– Center for Land-based Innovation – Social Justice Conference and Retreat Center
Our Faith Our Vote 2022: Faithful Engagement in a Time of Increased Voter Suppression
Throughout Scripture and in the teachings of Jesus, we hear the faithful call to be in just, compassionate, right relationship with each other.
So discipleship draws us to engagement with our common life–what we call the political process–as the way we order our relationships.
Join this webinar and learn how the UCC Our Faith Our Vote campaign can be integrated into congregational life and shape congregational identity, complementing and amplifying other congregational covenants like Open and Affirming and Just Peace.
We will hear from several members of congregations that have participated in the Our Faith Our Vote campaign and learn from their stories.
This webinar is part of a special series of Thursdays for the Soul webinars focused on 12 Just World Covenant programs in the United Church of Christ.
We’ll feature one of these programs on the third Thursday of each month.
The Flag in The Sanctuary
One of the most difficult and theological conversations a congregation may have is about the flag in the sanctuary.
Join alongside Rev. Roberto Ochoa and Rev. John Gage to discuss what considerations go into this conversation, as well as how your congregation might engage it with grace and care for the people involved.
Hosted by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, this program does not prescribe an outcome but will provide resources for engaging the conversation.
July 12, 2022
Blessed Youth
Join Rev. Dr. Chris Davies as she interviews Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund, Minister for Disabilities & Mental Health Justice, Health & Wholeness Advocacy at the United Church of Christ. Sarah is the author of the newly released book, “Blessed Youth: Breaking the Silence about Mental Health with Children and Teens.”
An Afternoon of Theater with the Just Peace Players
The Just Peace Players are a group of interfaith religious leaders who write and perform plays on peace and justice themes. They perform live and virtually for local congregations and Association gatherings throughout the New England area and beyond.
Open and Affirming: the Power of Covenant
This webinar is for UCC congregations taking their first steps toward an Open and Affirming covenant and for existing ONA churches looking for new ways to live into their ONA commitment.
We’ll focus on “covenant” as the basic value of our movement, and the reason we’ve become the largest and fastest-growing LGBTQ-affirming church movement in the world.
We’ll share best practices we’ve learned from growing ONA churches–including intersectional advocacy–and ways a church can design an ONA conversation that builds consensus and strengthens relationships.
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: https://ucc.org/just_world_covenants/
Manual on Church Update
Join Rev. Dr. Chris Davies and members of the Manual on Church Working Group for a conversation on where we have been, and where we are going with the document of Best Practices and Covenantal Connections.
Attendees of this conversation will get a sneak peek into the newly developed Marks of Faithful and Vital Congregations, and be invited into the trials of “how will this work for your setting?”
Faithful Election Engagement in a Time of Increased Voter Suppression
Join us as we explore faithful election engagement in a time of increased voter suppression. This session will offer a variety of resources as you support your community and congregation.
All Together: Insights from Strengthen the Church
Gleaning wisdom and possibilities from new church planters and revitalizing churches on how to adapt and do ministry through shifting times.
This webinar sets out to explore how “All Together” we can strengthen our church.
We will engage new church planters that have received grant funding from the Strengthen the Church offering; we will hear the impact of the Strengthen the Church offering from a Conference Minister; and we will gain insights from a church coach who supports the work of new church plants in the United Church Of Christ through Strengthen the Church funding.
Make Visible II: Queer Singers Unite!
In a world with increasing vulnerabilities and an onslaught of public messaging and policy-making against trans and queer youth, womxn, and people who love and support them, celebration and affirmation will continue to be one line of resistance.
Join Minneapolis-based artist Rachel Kurtz as she shares her new single “Gay Kids,” and Tucson-based artist Tracy Howe with their new single “I Am Becoming.”
The two will talk about touring churches, celebrating journeys, and being queer womxn artists. This will be a delightful Thursday for the Soul!
May 27, 2022
Celebrating Pacific Islander & Asian American History Month
May is Pacific Islander & Asian American History Month!
The United Church of Christ is privileged to be affiliated with PAAM (Pacific Islander & Asian American Ministries).
In the last few years, harassment and violence towards the AAPI communities have increased, especially during the covid pandemic.
Join us to engage in candid conversations with PAAM leaders about the history, celebrations, and challenges facing UCC PAAM congregations and communities.
Love Your Neighbors- Get Them Internet
Fill your souls by helping others: bring the UCC’s leadership in tech and media justice home to your community.
Today, if you don’t have the internet, it’s almost impossible to get a job, health care, housing, food, education, worship, or even see your grandkids.
The advocacy of the United Church of Christ’s 60-year-old Media Justice Ministry helped create a new federal program that offers low-income families up to $30/month off their internet bill–or up to $75 in tribal areas.
Join us to learn about easy, concrete ways to ensure your neighbors are not left behind and left out.
Resurrecting Hope: Embracing Harm Reduction and the Leadership of People Who Use Drugs
Join Rev. Traci Blackmon, Rev. Erica Poellot, and Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries for a service of celebration of justice-seeking harm reduction love.
People who use drugs are beloved by God, called into ministry, and are resurrecting hope and new life with communities impacted by substance use and overdose.
Mental Health and Wellness: Worship Resources for All
The sacred stories of our faith traditions offer us hope and encouragement for everyday life. When it comes to mental health and wellbeing, we invite you to celebrate the power of faith to positively influence the mental health of our communities.
May is Mental Health Month and we invite you to include in your worship services these mental health and wellness resources because in doing so, you are providing critical spiritual care for the flourishing of God’s people.
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday we commemorate the day on which Jesus Christ shared a meal, prayed, and was taken to trial before he was crucified. Members of the National Staff lead worship, offering prayers and inviting Holy Communion from wherever we are. Please ready supplies to participate in Communion as you are comfortable.
Make Visible – Highlighting Trans Leaders in the UCC
Join Thursdays for the Soul in showcasing ministry and leadership- amplifying Trans preachers in the United Church of Christ.
Transgender people are beloved of God, called into ministry, and changing the world for the better every single day.
Worship with us!
Featuring:
Rev. Louis Mitchell
Pastor Rene Slataper
Rev. Jamie Lee Sprague-Ballou
and the music of Rev. Tracy Howe
April 12, 2022
A Conversation with Calvin Synod UCC
The Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ is the only non-geographical and ethnic identified conference in the denomination.
Come and join Rev. Roberto Ochoa, UCC Associate for Congregations of Color and Ethnic Identified Congregations meet with Rev. Viktor Toth (General Secretary of the Calvin Synod) and Elder James Ballas (member of United Church of Christ, Bridgeport, CT, and an Honorary Presbyter of Calvin Synod).
They will discuss the rich heritage and history of the Hungarian (Magyar) people, the Evangelical Reform movement in Hungary and the U.S., the Magyar Synod’s role in the formation of the UCC, and the outlook for UCC’s ethnic identified Hungarian congregations in the United Church of Christ.
This will prove to be an illuminating and enriching hour for anyone interested in the ethnic and congregations of Color that make up the UCC and the Wider Church.
Preparing for Youth & Young Adult Summers
Looking toward the summer is always an exciting time as we plan mission trips, camps and other faith-filled activities.
Join members of the UCC national staff and faith partners to learn about some of the exciting opportunities that are available for the Summer 2021 season for youth and young adults.
It’s never too early to start planning!
Contemplatives in Action – Mindfulness in the UCC
Pause, breathe, and come learn about how the UCC is joining the mindfulness movement.
Following the Contemplatives in Action Resolution (passed at the 2021 General Synod), a working group of clergy, students, and lay leaders have been meeting regularly to pray and meditate on how to incorporate more contemplative practices into our UCC communities.
The Christian tradition is rich with stories from those with direct experience of the Holy Spirit, but many find the more esoteric side of spirituality to be intimidating or inaccessible.
We are here to tell you, there is so much more to meditation than silence. Join us, and expand your mind.
Midwifing Grief
Rev. Jamie F. Eaddy is a Pastoral Theologian, Spiritual Care Practitioner, Loss Navigation Specialist™, and Death Midwife.
After two years of ongoing collective trauma and change, Rev. Eaddy will offer key strategies for individuals and communities in moving forward with grace and care for each other.
She requested to discuss communal grief and steps useful in navigating grief for both clergy and laity.
UCC Rural Voices of Worship and Praise
Rural identified congregations of the United Church of Christ provide a vital role for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of their communities, often with innovative ways of limited resources.
Join us for an hour of inspiring worship and praise by rural identified congregational leaders and pastors as they celebrate UCC ministries in rural areas.
Confronting Bias in Search and Call
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 the next steps.
OR, they struggle to retain staff leadership when micro-aggressions 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.
Becoming Abolitionists
What is abolition, and why should we care as Christians? Derecka Purnell, ESQ, will offer her expertise in conversation with Rev. Traci Blackmon.
Derecka 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 training in community-based organizations through an abolitionist framework.
Where Do We Go From Here?
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!
United Black Christians Celebration of Black History Month
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.
Join for a time of prayer, song, and celebration!
Vibrant Re-Entry And Voter’s Rights Desmond Meade
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.
Let Us Worship As One Body
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 (one of the most utilized resources of our denomination). Join us as she lets us in on what to expect in 2022!
Queerness & Disability: Showing Up As Our Full Selves
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.
Grace Emerged Visible
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)
A Latine Caribbean Celebration in Words of Praise!
Join us as the United Church of Christ continues to celebrate Latine/Hispanic History Month with the celebration of UCC Leaders of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban descent share their stories of faith, hope, and love
Receive Your Wisdom: A Gift from the Divine Within
Using a loosely guided meditation practice, you will have the opportunity to connect with the Holy Within.
Discern the lessons, yearning, direction your Soul has to offer you for this time in your life’s journey.
Bring a notebook, if you’d like, to further explore your vision gift.
April 11, 2022
Colectivo Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month Celebration
The vision of our Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries with one another and in the world is grounded in God’s vision embodied in Jesus Christ and the Good News of his message and actions.
An extravagant welcome to ALL at the table of God, the acknowledgment and value of the diversity of people and their gifts, and the promise of life in abundance, freedom, and wholeness in all creation.
Join the Colectivo as they usher in 2021’s Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month in prose, praise, and music.
Coming Home
Join members of the national setting of the United Church of Christ as we begin the third season of Thursdays for the Soul in worship. We remember… We renew… We rejoice…in coming home
Meet Our Racial Equity Auditors
The United Church of Christ affirms God’s call to be an anti-racist church. Now what? How do we begin to live out this Synod mandate? How might our conferences and churches collaborate? Why do we need an audit?
If these questions are on your mind, join UCCB Board Chair, Yvette Wynn; Associate General Minister, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Conference Minister Chair, Rev. Gordon Rankin, and CULTURE BROKERS, our chosen racial equity audit partners for a panel discussion as we continue the journey toward anti-racism.
Polity Primer 101: How is Our Polity Lived Out at General Synod?
The United Church of Christ has a way of governing itself (“polity”) that’s different than many other denominations. Bound together by covenant and freely entered into through congregational autonomy, the UCC gathers in many different expressions to be the church.
Every two years, the United Church of Christ comes together for worship and business, taking time to speak to the church about matters of faith and conscience.
Come listen to some UCC History, Theology, and Polity teachers talk about the gifts and challenges of our structure, how our theological values show up at General Synod, with attention to proposed resolutions for this year’s General Synod.
United Black Christians (UBC) Celebrates Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, a U.S. federal proclamation was read notifying people of African Descent were all free and that slavery was abolished. This date has since been commemorated as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and/or Emancipation Day. The earliest Juneteenth celebration recorded was in 1867.
On Thursday, June 17, come and celebrate with UCC’s United Black Christians (UBC). Celebrate the historic significance of Juneteenth to our UCC congregations, especially our African-descendent churches.
Pulse: Five Years After, A Remembrance
This service will honor the lives of those lost on June 12, 2016, at the Pulse Club in Orlando, Florida. This hate crime took the life of 49 people at LGBTQ Club on Latin night.
We will remember with music, prayer, and rituals. The service will be in Spanish.
April 8, 2022
Synod Storytelling
As we gather in for the first-ever Special Edition Digital General Synod, we know that there are so many who will hold an ache for the kind of things that happen in person.
General Synod in the past has been:
-A gathering of our church to do the work of the denomination and pass resolutions
-A family reunion of sorts
-A place where people are activated for Justice and Jesus
-A place where connections happen and sparks of innovation come forward
-And so much more.
While we’ll still have resolutions, worship, and digital programming for Synod 2021, it will certainly be different this year! Before we gather in July, come hear stories of Synods past and the incredible community, work, and connections that have occurred, because WE are the UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.
Creating Rituals for our Virtual Synod Worship
In this session, we will continue to prepare our hearts, minds, bodies, and communities for General Synod Worship. We will look at how ritual is woven into General Synod Worship and what to expect.
Participants will gain insight and understanding into the theological foundations and artistry that went into the rituals included in the worship services, and how we hope people will participate from home.
We’ll also share ideas as to how to incorporate these things into continuing virtual worship and hybrid worship. Suggested rituals for getting rooted, resilience and renewal, and resurrection will be shared!
Led by Rev. Tracy Howe, Worship Director for General Synod, and Rev. Nancy Rosas, pastor at Pilgrim St. Lukes in Buffalo, NY and part of the Synod Worship Planning Team.
Disabilities, Mental Health, and Racial Justice
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Join international disabilities scholar Rev. Dr. John Swinton and UCC’s Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund for a theological and practical conversation about God’s calling for us to create communities of radical belonging and liberating love.
We will explore the intersections of disability justice, mental health justice, and racial justice. We will share suggestions for how faith communities can live out this call for radical belonging, liberating love, and justice.
Wisdom for the Church: Antoinette Brown Awardees Speak
In 1853, Antoinette Brown was the first woman ordained into the Christian ministry in modern times. Throughout her lifetime, she was a passionate advocate for women’s leadership in church and society.
Since 1975, the UCC at General Synod has recognized clergywomen with the Antoinette Brown Award, celebrating their trailblazing leadership and innovative, catalyzing ministries. Due to the pandemic, our biennial leadership event was canceled for 2020, this session will allow us to provide the recognition we were unable to provide earlier.
Join the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Ministry Team and the 2019 Antoinette Brown Awardees – Rev. Liddy Barlow, Rev. Dr. Marti Baumer, Rev. Eileen Norrington, and Rev. Dr. Valerie Bridgeman of WomanPreach!, Inc. for a celebration of Antoinette Brown’s birthday and the trailblazing ministries of these extraordinary women.
Moderated by Revs. Sheila Guillaume and Courtney Stange-Tregear
A Celebration for Mothers through Filipino Culture
Honoring ancestors is an important aspect of Filipino culture. The United Church of Christ is blessed to have Filipino-identified congregations within the denomination, and many are active members of the Pacific Island and Asian American Ministries (PAAM) of the UCC.
Join Faith Community Congregation of Oakland, CA, as they lead us into a very special Filipino-style worship of family participation, prayers, and music honoring Mothers and Matriarchs.
A Mother’s Day Event for UCC congregations and the Wider Church. Come learn more about our Filipino siblings in the UCC as they share their spiritual joy in Christ for all.
Sisterhood: The Work Our Soul Requires
Our togetherness is rooted in the spirit of Ubuntu – I am because you are, and because you are, I can be also.
Join African American Women in Ministry (AAWIM) for a candid conversation with an intergenerational panel of women from our select Sister Circles. In the spirit of Ubuntu, these sisters will share from a personal lens the essentiality of sisterhood in these unprecedented times.
We are hopeful all will be enriched by this conversation and equipped with resources to continue on this sacred journey during this season of recovery.
Gonna Trouble the Water: A Live Reading and Book Discussion
To deny water is to deny life.
Join author Miguel A. De La Torre and contributors to Gonna Trouble the Water as they discuss the sacred nature of water and the ways it is weaponized against non-white communities. Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism de-centers “water as commodity” and centers the dignity of water and its life-giving character.
Gonna Trouble the Water is available at thepilgrimpress.com and wherever your favorite e-books are sold.
March 8, 2022
Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 2
In part II, of Getting Ready, Getting Rooted – Thursdays For the Soul, General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others will look at formation and how the spiritual journey and sub-themes of the General Synod worship services were developed. Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!
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.
Maundy Thursday
On Maundy Thursday we commemorate the day on which Jesus Christ shared a meal, prayed, and was taken to trial before he was crucified. This year pastors from across the denomination read the scripture through a new lens.
The History of Afro-Christian Churches in the UCC
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.
Celtic Worship
In this ongoing season of Lent and as we gather ourselves in for all to follow; pour yerself a cup of tea, wouldja, and join in on the day after St. Patrick’s for some traditional Celtic music by Laureano Sanchez and worship led by Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, Rev. Brendan Curran, and Chaplain Lynn Cooper.
A Lenten Hour of Prayers and Reflections
Join us as UCC pastoral leaders offer up Lenten prayers and reflections from their ethnic roots and perspectives. A spiritual journey for all of God’s children.
State of Women
As we begin Women’s History Month, we are joined by leadership from the World YWCA and the Cleveland YWCA to discuss the state of women globally. Women continue to live at the margins across the world often unemployed, underemployed, and fighting for human rights and dignity.
We will discuss some of the issues facing women and children, including sexual and gender-based violence, digitalization, and the impact of COVID on young people. These are three critical issues (of many) that we are feeling especially and globally relevant since the pandemic.
Recovering Spiritual Practices of Enslaved Africans
Join Dr. Monica Coleman and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson for a conversation about African spiritual practices and the church. The spiritual practices of Africans were problematized in the enslavement and colonization of African people. Those brought into the Americas as enslaved people carried with them heritage, culture, and spiritual practices that were interrupted with the introduction of Christianity and the vilification of African traditions.
Is the “table” wide enough to make room for the ways in which African spiritualities are accompanying African descendant people on their spiritual journeys? How can we honor people and traditions shrouded by the imposition of racism and Afrophobia?
The State of the Poor
Who and what is hurting our poor and low-income siblings? Join Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, and Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, as he addresses the State of the Poor in America in 2021. Rev. Dr. Barber will address:
-The current state of poverty in the US
-The Poor Peoples’ Agenda: Needed reforms
-The role and responsibility of people of faith
and leave us with actions we can engage both as individuals and as communities, as well as some dialogue about what we can do together to ensure that we all have what we need to thrive in 2021 and beyond.
Celebración Afro-Latine En Palabra y Oración
The Latina, Latino, y Latine identity is rich in cultural diversity. Join us as we celebrate and honor the Afro-Latine influences and experiences in word and prayer.
The State of the Church
After decades of ecological disasters, years of political division and disruption, and now one year into the throes of a global pandemic, we invite two denominational leaders and theologians to reflect together on what is the role, condition, and emerging mission of the Church.
Spend an hour with Bishop W. Darin Moore, Bishop of the AME Zion Church, and the Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.
March 7, 2022
Epiphany Music with Musician Lea Morris
Come for guiding stars and guiding music with Lea Morris, child of the universe, singer, songwriter, parent, teacher, and perpetual student… notably known through not only through her work with acclaimed songwriting, and now well known in the UCC through her performances on this webinar series and through the Christmas pageant! Join us as we journey through Epiphany and beyond.
When Your Church Goes Viral
Despite evidence and relevance of the literal definition of “viral,” what happens when your church metaphorically goes viral on the internet?! Join Rev. Adam Ericksen, Pastor of Clackamas UCC, and Rev. Dr. Chris Davies and join the conversation about faith in the technological sphere, the memes of Jesus, and pastoring folks in our own relative age group.
March 3, 2022
Blessings for the Ongoing Work of Our Country
As we witness and watch what the season will bring for the United States of America in the transition of power, the United Church of Christ is adding blessing towards our future, aligned with faith. We will call on God to show up with all of God’s might in support of our shared future of liberation.
On this Thursday for the Soul, Local pastors and ministerial leaders will offer prayers of blessing, redemption, confession, and commission for the United States on this day, praying into a Just World for All. Join, listen along, and add your prayers along the rest! Together we can create the kind of world God imagines for us all.
Witness 2020 in Worship: An Overview
Worship grounded and centered us every Thursday throughout 2020. Music and prayer, love and care, for each other, and for the world each week as we lifted our gratitude, asked for help and prayer, mourned and carried each other through. Join us in this 2020 look backward through worship and witness together in some of our (collective!) favorite moments.
Blue Christmas Service
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.
February 16, 2022
Liturgical Excavations: Exploring Treasures from the UCC Worship Ways Archives
As the National Setting is preparing to launch a newly redesigned and accessible UCC.org website, Faith INFO is working to “tag” Worship Ways prayers and other liturgical resources so you can easily search them!
The work is being done by two recent UCC seminary graduates and Faith INFO Team members.
They will share some of the treasures they have excavated from our liturgical riches.
Sharing with us will be:
-Jude Johnson, M.Div Pacific School of Religion, 2020; Chaplain, Residential VA Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
-Stephanie Dorsey, M.Div Lancaster Theological Seminary, 2020; Transitional Associate Minister at Mount Zion UCC in York, PA; authorized for ministry pending call
Assisted by: Susan Solverson Nicki Arnold-Swindle Beth Thompson
Prayers of the People with Andra Moran
Bring all you need, and let’s pray it out together. Lift it up alongside music and hymns in all the ways we can. We will pray and sing and pour out what is needed into the hands of the Great I AM.
With the musical gifts of Andra Moran and the prayers of Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, join us to gather our hearts and minds for the witness of the divine.
Andra Moran lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she works as a songwriter, singer, author, worship designer, and freelance touring musician in a variety of ecumenical settings. She also works part-time on the staff of Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville as the Creative Director and worship pastor. She has a four-year-old daughter named after the heirloom lilies that bloom in her garden.
New Music for 2020 Advent and Beyond
In this webinar, songwriter, minister and activist Tracy Howe will share a debut live performance of The Restoration Project EP, “Rise Up,” a new collection of songs written for congregational singing. These songs are appropriate for Advent, as they are songs of waiting and expectation. They are also songs for this moment, expressing the hope and yearning of people of faith and justice in an extraordinary time. There will be a time of Q&A with Tracy and the project producer, Aaron Strumpel (also an accomplished singer-songwriter and former full-time touring member of The Restoration Project) and webinar registrants will receive a link to download a digital worship kit of the project, including the songs, lyric videos, sheet music, and licensing to use the work for worship and educational purposes!
Worshiping through Unprecedented Times
Considering the unprecedented times that we find ourselves in COVID-19, racial tension, the national election, and its impact on our churches, our nation, and our world, this webinar is focused on the importance of worship during troubling times. Exploring Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and their experience coping with the current times, we will look at the essential nature of worship and its anchoring abilities during troubling times.
Prayers of the People
Members of the national staff are holding you and your congregations in prayer every day. Join this webinar to offer your own prayers and witness the prayers that are spoken aloud for the multiplicity of pains and gratitudes, grief and transformations. Hold space in your heart for the collective experience of shift we have all experienced, and offer your own prayers in the chat as we pray together.
Celebrating Bodies: Embodying Our Faith
We are called to worship God with the totality of our beings: with our bodies, our relationships and even our sexuality. Our bodies were created by God and proclaimed very good, and are to be celebrated at every age. Come worship with your body!
January 4, 2022
Ministries of the Rev. Dr. Hector E. Lopez Scholars of the UCC
An afternoon of theological and their ministerial reflections by the UCC recipients of the Hector E. Lopez Scholarship. The Hispanic/Latinx population has experienced enormous growth in the past few decades. Mainline Protestant denominations have been unable to effectively meet the pastoral challenge this growth represents.
The UCC, one of the most prophetic and socially progressive Christian denominations in the USA, took action to meet this challenge through its Council for Hispanic Ministries with the establishment of The Reverend Dr. Héctor E. López Scholarship for Latina & Latino UCC Seminarians.
This program was established as a 4-way covenant between the Council for Hispanic Ministries [(now known as the Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries)], Justice and Witness Ministries, Local Church Ministries, and Wider Church Ministries of the UCC.
Moderator, Roberto Ochoa, M.Div., Andover Newton Theological School, 2017. Roberto is the Program Associate for Congregations of Color and Ethnic Identified Congregations.
Rev. Andrea Cano, M.Div., Pacific School of Religion, 2010. Pacific School of Religion, MDiv conferred her Master in Divinity in 2011 which enabled her call as a board-certified Clinical and Palliative Care Chaplain. Rev. Cano was ordained in 2013 and since then has served both Legacy Health System and Providence Health and Services in Portland, Oregon.
Rev. Elivette Mendez Angulo, M.Div., Andover Newton Theological School, 2015. Rev. Elly was ordained in 2017. She is currently serving as an intentional Bi-Vocational Co-Pastor of Manantial de Gracia (“Spring of Grace”) in West Hartford, CT and Program Manager of Franklinton Center at Bricks, Inc. in Whitakers, NC.
Minister Yinessa Romero, M.Div., Chicago Theological School, 2020. Since 2015, Yinessa serves as a licensed minister for the Latinx Congregation of Cathedral of Hope UCC. She also collaborates with the UCC group Encuentro de Gracia y Bienvenida.
With Special Guests Rev. Linda Jaramillo and Rev. Dr. Hector Lopez:
Rev. Linda Jaramillo is a member of Ainsworth United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. She cherishes engagement with interfaith, intercultural and multilingual communities grounded in the belief that we are each responsible for sharing wisdom and stories across generations.
Rev. Dr. Hector Lopez is retired as Conference Minister Central Pacific Conference, 1997-2005.
World Communion Voices 2020
An afternoon of reflection for World Communion Sunday. Come prepared for Communion. Set a place with a fabric from a far-way part of the world which you know, love, pray for; Bread and cup filled with juice, water, wine.
Deus Ex Musica: Deepening Spiritual Reflection and Community Through Music
Spiritual reflection in the context of a diverse, ecumenical community can teach us things about ourselves, the world, our faith, and our neighbors in a way that invites us closer. This is what Deus Ex Musica strives to do, building community across theological difference through reflection on sacred music. Join this panel of gifted musicians project leaders, based out of Boston, MA, to see them at work. Join in the reflection, consider what might work in your own context, and let your soul be nurtured.
The Sermons That Keep Preaching
It’s said that the sermons preachers preach fall into a few key themes, year after year. Join a panel of local pastors thinking through the sermons that keep coming back, year after year, and why those messages continue to be critically important. In times of crisis and calm, we lean on our faith to guide us through. What are the messages that have resonated through the scripture and through the ages?
Driven by Faith with Sister Simone Campbell
Join us for a riveting hour of dialogue with Sister Simone Campbell of Nuns on the Bus, moderated by Rev. Traci Blackmon, as we discern what it means to live out one’s faith amidst a challenging political climate.
RESOURCES:
Hunger for Hope: Prophetic Communities, Contemplation and the Common Good: https://www.orbisbooks.com/hunger-for…
Pope Francis Voter: PopeFrancisvoter.org
Nuns on the Bus: Nunsonthebus.org
Praying for a New Creation to Come from Chaos: https://networklobby.org/082120prayer/
October 9, 2021
Prayers of the People
Members of the national staff are holding you and your congregations in prayer every day. Join this webinar to offer your own prayers and witness the prayers that are spoken aloud for the multiplicity of pains and gratitudes, grief and transformations. Hold space in your heart for the collective experience of shift we have all experienced, and offer your own prayers in the chat as we pray together.
BACK TO SCHOOL: The Impossible Choice and How Your Church Can Help
Local churches can do so much to come alongside educational systems to provide support for children in their community. Join this webinar to learn what your church can do to mind the gap between the educational systems adapting to COVID-19 and the real-time care that families in your congregation and community will need to thrive.
We will present theological framing, story, resources, and places to look for funding to undergird your programmatic and community interventions.
Featuring: Dr. Sharon Contreras- Superintendent of Guilford County Schools, NC
Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson- President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation
Lisa Hart- Associate Conference Minister for Faith Formation and Justice Ministries for the Wisconsin Conference UCC
Rev. Dr. Chris S. Davies- Team Leader for Faith INFO (Faith Education, Innovation, and Formation)
Rev. Sekinah Hamlin- Minister for Economic Justice Shannon Smith- A single parent of two students in the Cleveland Metropolitan School district
Digital Funerals & Grief: A Conversation & Ritual
As we collectively both prevent and respond to what is happening in our world, the impacts of a global pandemic on how we grieve continue to offer both opportunities and demand creativity in keeping people safe.
On this panel, we will be talking through the reality of what many are experiencing as grief goes digital. We will look towards how local pastors and chaplains are offering opportunities to grieve, through what has been a shared experience of collective trauma in this age. And together, we will hold a service of collective grief.
Featuring: Phil Hobson Rev Jabari Douglas Rev. Katy Hyman
Living Psalms – Hope and Justice in Word, Cloth, Clay, Play and Spirit
Psalms is the one book of the Bible that defines itself as not the Word of God. This webinar will share what is available to worship and study leaders through the ongoing work of re-writing the Psalms with a heart of justice as “Living Psalms” in UCC WorshipWays, invite the participants to create a psalm-line of their own, and share simple methods to invite faith community members to write, draw, or act their own psalms.
Youth & Young Adult Racial Justice Rally: White Silence is Violence
The United Church of Christ actively believes that youth and young adults are vital to the church and society and to that end, we are dedicated to creating leadership development opportunities, resources, events and programs for those from ranging from sixth grade through their mid-30s.
Youth and young adults within the United Church of Christ are gathering virtually with special guests to host a rally around the topic of Race Relations & Justice as a starting place for future engagement and leadership development opportunities. We have been hearing from our young people who have said this is a priority. They are interested in dialogue with each other across racial barriers and leaders about their experience(s), steps to create a just world for all and addressing the unrest we see around racism, the abuse of power by some uniformed officers and the helplessness many are feeling regardless of age, race or gender.
This rally is geared to hearing and equipping white allies to engage in the racial justice efforts in America, but it is important that people of color of all ages be present to hear as well. This rally, in conjunction with part one to be held on July 28th, provides immediate actions as well as the development of a long-term strategy to engage dismantling racism.
October 6, 2021
Coming Home
September 10, 2021
Story time and Barn Tour with Catherine Foote
Winter, spring, summer, fall, we all have to deal with a little poop. In “Shepherding the Seasons,” shepherd and pastor Catherine Foote shares reflections on living life through muddy byre and miraculous wonder alike. Join Catherine as she shares stories from “Shepherding the Seasons,” shows us around her barn, and introduces us to members of her wooly flock.
Shepherding the Seasons is available at thepilgrimpress.com and wherever your favorite ebooks are sold.
September 2, 2021
Queer the Church
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.
RESOURCES:
Proyecto Encuentros de Gracia y Bienvenida
Perspectives on Creating LGBTQPlus Inclusion in Faith Spaces
The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race
Their Own Receive Them Not | African American Lesbians & Gays in Black Churches
September 1, 2021
Faith in Politics with Senator Elizabeth Warren
Join Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rev. Traci Blackmon and Sandy Sorenson in the first of a series of conversations with public leaders about how their faith informs their politics in this world.
What does faith have to do with politics? And how does faith shape a view of the world that translates into policy and transforms the world.
Come, listen, share, and learn, as these leaders speak of their own work and journey with faith into changing the world. Rev. Sandy Sorenson will also join the webinar to share ways everyone can become involved in the Our Faith/Our Vote Initiative.
Visit the Our Faith Our Vote website for resources on voter registration, issue education and voter mobilization and empowerment. www.ourfaithourvote.org
Voces, Oraciones y Canciones de la Frontera / Voices, Prayers and Songs from the Border
United Church of Christ Pastoral Leaders reflect, pray, and sing of their bicultural/bilingual rootedness as people from the Mexican/U.S. border. A spiritual celebration of tradition and hope that transcends time and perseveres today.
Los líderes pastorales de la Iglesia Unida en Cristo reflexionan, rezan y cantan sobre su arraigo bicultural / bilingüe como personas de México / EE. UU. frontera. Una celebración espiritual de tradición y esperanza que trasciende el tiempo y persevera hoy.
August 30, 2021
Resilience in Re-Membering and Memoria Indígena
Join this conversation between Rev. Tracy Howe Wispelwey and Jocabed Solano as they share their work and insights in the work of leaning into collective memory in a way that builds justice and resilience in our local churches, individual lives and beyond. As Minister For Congregational and Community Engagement at the National Setting, Tracy is tasked with integrating the community-building that happens both in the liturgical lives of our congregations and in the justice work outside our buildings. As a Guna woman and Christian in Latin America, Jocabed also bridges and integrates community building and cultural work among Native people and local churches.
August 27, 2021
Caring for Black Souls During and Post Trauma
Reflecting on Juneteenth, this webinar explores African American experiences of racialized trauma in America. Practitioners provide recommendations, tools and resources for how to walk with Black parishioners in healing from racial trauma. In this conversation, we explore shared experiences and best practices through the lens of African-American experiences. We end this webinar with a reflection and prayer for corporate healing and collective works to eradicate racial trauma.
RESOURCES:
UCC officers: Lynching Justice in America
Youth singing I just want to live
Is It Safe To Sing? In Our Sanctuaries, Our Streets, On Social Media
Join songwriters and singing leaders Rev. Tracy Howe Wispelwey, Lea Morris and Andra Moran as they share their insights and gifts of song, the complexities of leading the practice of singing from congregations in quarantine to simple singing as a spiritual practice, to chanting in protest, the science and safety precautions of breath and sound.
RESOURCES:
Legal Considerations for Online Worship: What Pastors and Worship Leaders Need to Know
andramoran.com
Andra’s Sheet Music: Lead sheets, piano music, choral bundles to buy, download and print
Ana Hernandez Leading Protest/Movement Songs
TracyHoweMusic.com
Build the World (Official Music Video)
Mysticism and Mindfulness
This webinar will offer conversation and practice from some of the leading mystics and mindfulness practitioners in the UCC. Come and listen alongside Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, Shannon Abbott, Rev. Dr. John T. Myers and Rev. Brendan Curran. Come where you are with a willing heart and spirit, and leave grounded and nourished.
8 mins. 46 secs. of Silence on 6/4/2020
The Words of Her Mouth
The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle wrestles with ancient poems through the lenses of modern women. Join several writers from The Words of Her Mouth as they share their thoughts and writing process, stories behind their psalms, and read their Words out loud.
The Words of Her Mouth is available at https://thepilgrimpress.com and also wherever your favorite ebooks are sold.
Cultivating Resilience after Collective Trauma
“This will not last forever.” Such is a grounding prayer in the midst of, and after, trauma. Whether individual, communal, or global; trauma and the impact thereof is prevalent within our society and exacerbated by COVID-19.
The leaders featured in this webinar have carried communities in healing, and offer their wisdom along the journey for all who watch. This webinar features healing justice practitioner Micky ScottBey Jones, Rev. Rhina Ramos and Rev. Matt Crebbin.
August 26, 2021
National Call to Prayer
Join Leaders across the United Church of Christ for prayer and song together.
The Power of Storytelling
August 24, 2021
Ancestral Practices of Lamentation
Self-Care in a Pandemic
Play, Pray, and Learn! Ministering for Children and Families at Home
August 23, 2021
Maundy Thursday Service
20/30 Clergy and Faith INFO welcomed the UCC to join in a common service of Holy Communion and Tenebrae on Maundy Thursday. We are so glad that so many could join us live. We hope you can connect with God and feel the spirit that surrounds us all in this recording. Amen.
Gonna Trouble the Water: A Live Reading and Book Discussion
Description: To deny water is to deny life. Join author Miguel A. De La Torre and contributors to Gonna Trouble the Water as they discussed the sacred nature of water and the ways it weaponized against non-white communities. Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism de-centers “water as a commodity” and centers the dignity of water and its life-giving character.
April 29, 2021
Getting Ready, Getting Rooted Part 2
In part II, of Getting Ready, Getting Rooted – Thursdays For the Soul, General Synod Worship Director (Rev. Tracy Howe), planning team members, liturgists, artists, and others will look at the formation and how the spiritual journey and sub-themes of the General Synod worship services were developed. Featuring sneak peeks of original music commissioned for General Synod as well as other art and cultural offerings!
April 22, 2021
#StopTheHate
A Call to Prayer and Action by the Pacific Islander/Asian American Ministries (PAAM) of the United Church of Christ
Angry! Outraged! Upset! There are no words to reflect what is happening in our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Brutal attacks on the elderly and vulnerable are increasing. And these are not robberies. Just hate crimes and in broad daylight. The latest report from just one center monitoring AAPI crimes list over 3,700 incidents from March 2020 to February 2021.
Join the United Church of Christ for an expanded edition of Thursdays for the Soul as leaders and members from the UCC Pacific Islander & Asian American Ministries (PAAM) offer prayers, reflections, and song for collective lament, grieving, a call of national repentance, hope for healing and forgiveness.
This will be followed by a panel presentation and discussion calling for action on how UCC congregations and the wider church can help respond to counter the increasing harassment and violence aimed at our AAPI siblings, sisters, and brothers.
April 15, 2021
Need more worship resources?
Worship Ways are original liturgies written in English and in Spanish by United Church of Christ pastors, based on readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. Look for Sunday, festival and special UCC worship services, organized by seasons of the Church Year.
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