In a moment when queer and trans lives are under attack, we turn to those who’ve been here before. Join us on Wednesday, June 18 for a special discussion led by LGBTQ-RAN board members Sharon Groves and Cedric Harmon with three of our elders—Rev. Harry Knox, Rev. Louis Mitchell and Bishop Tonyia Rawls—about how they faced crisis, carved out joy, built movements, and survived.
Each of our guests will bring firsthand stories of resistance, imagination, and care from their days fighting for the rights and respect that we are now working to protect. They remind us that we come from a lineage of strength as they share what sustained them then—and what we need to carry forward now.
You can read more about this program and its presenters at this link.
Sign up here to receive the link to join this Zoom webinar on June 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific. And please share this announcement with friends and colleagues. It's the Pride Month discussion we need to keep going in these times.
Read MoreAre you considering studying more about the Bible or working toward the Bible Studies Certificate? A good overview of the Bible, What is the Bible? (Dickinson/MBS), begins September 17.
The 3-course Bible Studies Certificate guides the learner to deepen their knowledge and current scholarship of the Old and New Testaments, while also giving the learner opportunities to create and teach curriculum in their own faith community.
· Old Testament Hermeneutics 08/6/2025 - 9/23/2025
· New Testament Hermeneutics 10/8/2025 - 11/18/2025
· Approved Elective Course with Bible Study Project
Go to the PATHWAYS website to learn more and to apply for these and other courses.
Read MoreWe are invited to the barbeque capital of the country this July for General Synod 35. The General Synod brings together faithful members of the United Church of Christ for inspirational worship, public witness, and fellowship with friends old and new. Delegates will address the business of the church and discern the church’s engagement with issues of the day. Gathering under the theme Into the Deep (Luke 5:4), all will explore being rooted in faith and what new depths God is leading the church into.
Come to Kansas City for this biennial gathering, and register to access all things Synod:
Inspiring worship services
Lively fellowship and dining events
Dozens of engaging workshops
The exhibit hall, including an exciting new space for the National Ministries
An electrifying keynote speaker
Faith-filled business proceedings
And much more!
Fascinated? Register today!
Read MoreWhen I first stepped into the role of a local church pastor, I believed I was ready. I had the education, the sense of call, and the fire to serve. But reality hit hard one quiet Tuesday afternoon—sermon half-written, voicemail piling up, and no one around who truly understood what I faced. That day, I realized how much I needed someone to listen.
My seminary didn’t prepare me for the loneliness that can sneak into ministry. Our congregations see us on Sundays but don’t see the in-between: the pastoral visits, the strained budget meetings, and the quiet moments of doubt. I didn’t need advice or critique. I needed someone to hear me out. I needed a connection.
Click through to discover Dr. Derrick’s message.
Read MoreThe Arizona Disciples Women’s Ministry is once again inviting all women in the Southwest Conference to the annual fall retreat at Chapel Rock Retreat Center in Prescott, Arizona.
The retreat begins the evening of Friday, September 12 and goes through noon on Sunday, September 14.
Our Conference Minister, Dr. Toni, who keynoted last year’s retreat, and our communications coordinator, Wende, will be there and hope you will be, too!
Learn more and register.
Read MoreJoin us for an intimate workshop and learning community space for womxn as we journey toward Synod together! We’ll grow together and share communal space in an open-meeting format. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to build community and gather. Register here.
Read MoreJune is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month! The United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund joins UCC congregations nationwide in celebrating LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and organizations.
Read MoreAs we look ahead to the next General Synod of the United Church of Christ, I invite each of you—clergy and lay leaders alike—to reflect with me on the Synod’s theme: “Into the Deep,” drawn from Luke 5:4, where Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
This isn’t just a poetic phrase for a conference banner. It’s a direct challenge to our spiritual lives, our ministries, and our churches. Going into the deep requires faith when answers are unclear, when the waters seem still, or even when we’re tired and uncertain about what’s next. In many ways, that’s where the Church finds itself today; not only at a crossroads, but also at a shoreline, being asked by Christ to push out a little further.
This message resonates even more powerfully as we approach Pentecost Sunday, the moment when the Spirit moved with fire and breath, pushing the early Church out of comfort and into courageous witnesses. Pentecost reminds us that God’s Spirit doesn’t just comfort—it compels. The Spirit meets us in the deep and calls us beyond the shallow waters of the familiar.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s entire article.
Read MoreThe CRMT on Race focuses participants on the importance of culturally responsive ministry, how we are socialized and how culture shapes us, how we examine our own bias, and the challenges of race/racism/whiteness in congregations. We end our training by breaking participants into racial affinity groups where white folks learn about the deep impact of microaggressions on our siblings of color, while People of Color have the opportunity to check in about their ministry and the impact of race/racism on it. We lead the trainings as a two-person multiracial team.
Register here for the summer CRMT session on June 26, 2025, 9 am-3 pm AZ (10 am - 4 pm NM).
Can’t make that one? Sign up here for the fall CRMT session on October 21, 2025, 9 am-3 pm AZ (10 am - 4 pm NM).
The cost is $30 per person. We’ll send out the Zoom link to all registrants the week before the session.
Read MoreJoin us for this OWL Taking Flight webinar that will explore the impact of identity erasure, laws, and executive orders on the lives of trans/intersex/nonbinary/queer people of all ages.
Heather Corinna, founder of Scarleteen.com, joins Rev. Amy Johnson and Dr. Melanie Davis to discuss the impact of policies, laws, and executive orders on the lives of trans/intersex/nonbinary/queer people of all ages. Scarleteen is the largest online resource for comprehensive and highly inclusive sex and relationships education, information and support centering young people.
Register here.
Read MoreRegistration will remain at $250.
The Open and Affirming Coalition is committed to keeping this gathering affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. Registration includes four meals (one breakfast, two lunches, one dinner), and they do not profit from this event—your fee helps cover meeting and food costs only.
Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, will be our Opening Worship Preacher!
Join us for two days of celebration, learning, strategy, and community as we gather under the theme:
Sacred, Seen and Called: Living Our Truth, Embracing Our Light
Inspired by Philippians 2:15 – “...then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: Don’t miss your chance to save and secure your spot!
Read MoreDear Clergy Colleagues,
As we approach the heart of summer in the Southwest Conference, I hope you’re finding moments to exhale—whether under the desert sun, beside northern pines, or in the familiar stillness of your study. Summer offers us the gift of kairos time: not just to plan or preach, but to pause, reflect, and renew.
Many of you are shifting rhythms—offering simpler worship services, stepping away for continuing education or vacation, or accompanying congregants through seasonal transitions. Wherever you find yourself, may you feel God’s presence not only in your work, but in your rest.
Click through to read more encouraging words from Dr. Derrick.
Read MoreThe Strengthen the Church offering supports the expansion of ministry and growth of UCC local congregations. Your support helps the UCC fulfill its commitment to creating a just world for all by investing in ministries and practices that meet the emerging needs of local communities. Most congregations will receive the STC offering on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025. There are several downloadable resources available for use, including a leader's guide, bulletin inserts, media files, posters, and more.
Strengthen the Church is one of the 5 for 5 offerings!
Order resources here.
Read MoreI grew up in the Black church, where Bible study was not optional—it was part of your formation as a young disciple of Christ. Wednesday night meant church, and Sunday morning meant you better have read your lesson. From a young age, I was taught that this "ancient book"—with all its violence, sex, joy, lament, and hope—was worth wrestling with. It still is.
Even now, after seminary and ordination, after years of pastoral ministry and justice advocacy, I remain rooted in the evangelism of the Bible—not evangelism as manipulation but as a deep sharing of the Good News. And that Good News still comes alive when we open the Scriptures with humility, curiosity, and courage.
In the Southwest Conference, we can be proud of how boldly and compassionately our churches respond to the call for justice. Whether it's advocating for the dignity of LGBTQ+ siblings, confronting white supremacy, promoting environmental stewardship, or standing in solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers, our actions reflect the heart of a Gospel that insists God's love belongs to all.
But I wonder: while we're in the streets, are we also at home in the text?
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s latest blog post.
Read MoreThis webinar, hosted by the United Church of Christ Board will engage with the wider church about the proposed amendments to the UCC Constitution and Bylaws, which will be voted on at General Synod in July.
Register here.
Read MoreThe New Mexico Conference of Churches has a job opening for Conference Director. Read the job description here. The closing date for applications is June 13, 2025.
Read Moreby Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott
Beloved Church,
Every so often, the world pauses to watch white smoke rise from the Sistine Chapel. And last week, it did just that. Pope Leo XIV has been elected, and while that may feel like news from another corner of the Christian family tree, it’s a moment worth noticing—and reflecting on—even for us in the United Church of Christ.
We are not Catholic, of course. We embrace a covenantal polity, which means our various settings—local churches, Associations, Conferences, and the national setting—are bound together not by hierarchy, but by sacred promises to walk together in mutual respect and love. So, there are no cardinals in red robes. No Vatican. Our churches don’t wait for word from Rome before we make decisions. That’s part of what makes us who we are. But that doesn’t mean we’re disconnected. We are, after all, part of one Body.
So what does it mean for us?
Click through to read more.
Read MoreDear friends of the UCC Mental Health Network,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the UCC MHN wants to make sure you have resources to best equip you for a Mental Health Sunday! We are sending our PDF for Worship Resources for your Mental Health Sunday created by the UCC, UCC MHN, and United Church of Canada, as well as two videos to use during this time.
Although May 18 is Mental Health Sunday this year, we want to remind you that any Sunday is a great Sunday to focus on mental health!
One video by our chair, Bishop Allyson Abrams can be used to make an appeal to support the MHN and to become WISE congregations or organizations. The other video by Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund can be used to show the importance of caring for our youth and understanding their mental health needs. Please consider using both of these powerful videos during your worship services this month as we raise awareness about mental health challenges and mental wellness.
Thank you,
Bishop Allyson D. Nelson Abrams, PhD
Chair, UCC Mental Health Network
Read MoreThe UCC ONA Coalition has extended the early registration rate of $250 until May 15, 2025!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:Don’t miss your chance to save and secure your spot!
Theme: Sacred, Seen and Called: Living Our Truth, Embracing Our Light
Inspired by Philippians 2:15 – “...then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
📅 July 9–10, 2025
📍 Kansas City Downtown Marriott | Kansas City, MO
📍 Held just before the United Church of Christ General Synod
Read Moreby Dr. Kristina “Tina” Campbell
She’s the tattooed, recovering, straight-talking Lutheran pastor who years ago formed the church called for House for All Sinners and Saints. I have read her works for many years and have appreciated her no b.s. approach to theology found in many recovering communities. At the moment, she has taken to the road as a one-woman rebellion against the anxiety and despair that has engulfed many of us after our current election. She’s visiting all of the red states where she is holding revivals. She wants us to be revived from despair and self-righteousness, and encourages a posture of humility, curiosity, mercy and hope. She wants us to distance ourselves from our screens to gather and sing.
I knew I was excited that she was coming to Arizona but had no idea that she would fill a huge sanctuary with hundreds of kindred spirits who created an overflowing parking lot an hour before her remarks began. She has made real her belief that we need to exit the screen and gather in person to sing and laugh. I, for one, wanted to add a hallelujah to her emphasis on a return to humility and her firm belief that we are meant to be together in person.
Click through to read the entire article.
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