Conference News

Final versions of resolutions from 2020 Annual Meeting

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Below are the final versions of the Resolutions that were voted on and approved during Annual Meeting. Click on a title to read it.

  1. A Resolution Calling on the United Church of Christ to Adopt the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024)

  2. A Southwest Conference Resolution of Christian Witness: Awakening to Racial Justice

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General Synod 2021 working group creating first virtual experience for July 11-18

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General Synod 2021 working group creating first virtual experience for July 11-18

How will the United Church of Christ National Setting program a virtual General Synod with moving worship, interesting workshops, educational intensives, church business, youth programming and service projects? There are working groups for that.

Presenting General Synod 33 as a totally online event for the first time demands a lot of creativity. The staff in Cleveland has a structure in place to convert the biennial gathering from an actual to virtual experience.

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Mourning the Saints

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Mourning the Saints

In calling on our faith that all those who have gone before are in community with All Saints, you are invited to join us in honoring those who have passed, especially to COVID-19, for a service of All Saints with music, prayer, and lifting of names. We will gather via Zoom on November 1st at 6pm ET / 5pm CT / 4pm MT / 3pm PT / 1pm Alaska & Hawaii.

Register for the service here

To contribute a name to the visual list of people in memoriam, simply fill out this form and the name will be included.

Additionally, if your congregation has done a communal memorial, you are welcome to send photos to UCCPhotos@ucc.org and have them included in the national service.

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Sunday's conference-wide worship service: watch and download

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Sunday's conference-wide worship service: watch and download

Much appreciation to all who helped to create and shape the beautiful and inspiring all-conference worship service during Annual Meeting! Thanks to all who attended and for your kind words in the Facebook comments and emails. Coming together for worship was wonderful!

If you missed it, or want to watch it again or download the video, we got you!

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Both resolutions at Annual Meeting passed

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The Awakening to Racial Justice was renamed A Southwest Conference Resolution on Restorative Racial Justice: Decentering Whiteness In Our Churches and Society. It passed:

  • 93% yes

  • 6% no

  • 1% abstain

The International Decade for People of African Descent resolution passed:

  • 98% yes

  • 1% no

  • 1% abstain

As soon as the final drafts are available, we’ll send them out and post them on the website.

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Webinar series slated to help craft communications strategy to inspire giving and engagement begins Oct. 7

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Webinar series slated to help craft communications strategy to inspire giving and engagement begins Oct. 7

Creating a communications strategy to inspire engagement and generosity is often a daunting task for faith communities. That’s why two expert communications teams are collaborating in a series of fourth quarter webinars to provide the tools that church leaders can use and adapt to their individual settings.

The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the United Church of Christ Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity, and Communication (OPTIC) are joining forces to present these four webinars, with the first scheduled for Oct. 7. Providing knowledge and skills for congregational leaders in key areas of organizational and mission effectiveness and nonprofit administration, the webinar series emphasizes strategic communications for development, stewardship, and related planning, management, and leadership activities.

The free webinar series is aimed at congregational, judicatory, and UCC agency leadership, both clergy and lay.

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Farewell to a leader: Ecumenist, advocate, preacher

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Farewell to a leader: Ecumenist, advocate, preacher

The Rev. Avery D. Post, president of the United Church of Christ from 1977 to 1989, died Monday, Sept. 7, at Kendal Retirement Community in Hanover, N.H. He was 96.

Through a career that also included heading the UCC’s statewide body in Massachusetts and pastoring local churches in three states, Post was known as an ecumenist, an advocate for social justice, and a skilled preacher. He led the denomination through years that included Cold War peace dialogues, racial-justice activism and support for emerging movements for women’s and LGBTQ rights and inclusion.

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Children and Youth Speak: Your Vote Matters — A UCC Webinar

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Children and Youth Speak: Your Vote Matters — A UCC Webinar

With the climate crisis and the struggle against inequality, the younger generations have served as today's prophets in provoking a global reckoning of the dire situation faced. As the November 3rd elections approach, children and youth are raising their voices again with a moral urgency as they awaken us to how much is at stake. This webinar will present children and youth from ages 10 to 18 who have a message and perspective that needs to be heard before those older than them vote. Register now!

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