Every faith story takes unexpected turns, and mine has plenty. I grew up Baptist, learned the rhythms of church life, and then stepped away in my twenties. I called myself agnostic and searched for meaning that made sense in a complicated world.
Stop me if you’ve heard this! Wait, you can’t, so you’ll have to keep reading. One day, a simple UCC commercial grabbed my attention. It didn’t flash or shout—it carried the “God is Still Speaking” message. It told me faith could welcome questions, embrace differences, and trust that God’s love had no boundaries. Something shifted in me. I walked through the doors of a UCC congregation, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I could breathe.
Later, I enrolled in a Methodist seminary expecting to study UCC theology and polity. Who knew there were so many United Theological Seminaries out there? I thought I had chosen a UCC seminary, only to find myself surrounded by Methodists! Thankfully, God has a sense of humor, and that setting gave me precisely what I needed. I dove into UCC history, learned the stories of those who came before us, and discovered the covenantal ties that shape our denomination. I didn’t just study theology—I found family. I found home.
Click through to read the rest of Dr. Derrick’s article.
Read MoreThe terms and conditions of ANY federal funding MUST be carefully examined to ensure that accepting a grant does make the church’s ministry an instrument of the state by dictating what religious activities the church can engage in and with whom the church can associate.
Click through to read this IMPORTANT information from Heather Kimmel, General Counsel for UCC National Ministries.
Read MoreSave the Date!
Conference 2026 is well into the planning stages, so make sure your planning is up-to-date. Our next national gathering is July 8 – 11, 2026 at First Community Church, Columbus, Ohio. Andrew Blosser, the Director of Music, and his wife Amy Blosser, Associate Director of Music, are working on a budget so that you’ll know what the costs are soon.
The theme is one of openness – open to different styles of music, different sounds, different folks, different thinking. And, most exciting, the leadership is working on including members of the Association of Disciples Musicians. The Disciples of Christ is a denomination much like ours and has collaborated for years with the UCC on global missions. First Community Church is a combined UCC / DOC congregation (with two campuses!), so it makes sense to learn and share together. The more the merrier!
Join us for this unique experience.
Read MoreThis interesting invitation was posted on the UCC Musicians Association Facebook group page and we share it with you here.
Dear fellow UCC musicians,
My name is Jim Tompkins-MacLaine. I am the Director of Music at United Church of Christ - La Mesa, California: The Table.
I am conducting at Carnegie Hall next summer (June 28, 2026) and would love to put together a choir of UCC musicians to join in a program of spirituals. The program will be a tribute to Dr. Albert McNeil (with whom I sang and toured the world since 1995) and the great Moses Hogan. I will send musical files (you will be asked to purchase the music) and audio files for you to learn the music and videos of rehearsals for you to practice with. There will be four rehearsals in New York City and then WE PERFORM.
My favorite part is the Boat Party around Manhattan after the concert, with great food and dancing!
If you are interested in singing with a group of your fellow UCC musicians, please write me at JimJazz@aol.com for more information. This could be a BLAST!
Read MoreThe Southwest Conference has opened registration for Community of Practice groups. These groups are a form of support embedded in the philosophy of the United Church of Christ as a support for insuring clergy mental health and sustaining a vital ministry.
Community of Practice groups covenant with one another to meet monthly in order to increase ministerial skills, new possibilities to problem solve and to provide ministerial support.
Community of Practice groups are guided by a trained facilitator that assist the group members in the three dimensions and elements listed in this article.
Read MoreAre you someone who has done significant anti-racism work? Do you ever wonder – “How could I get better at recognizing racism when I see it?” “How could I get better at knowing what to do about it?” Then this Community of Practice may be for you. As a group of both lay and clergy UCC members we meet monthly on Zoom from September through May on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 5:30 PM Arizona time.
Each September we welcome new members who would like to be part of the work. You can apply to join this community of practice here.
Click through to see what some members of the group say about the experience.
Read MoreC.A.R.E.S. is a foundation for meaningful, Spirit-led work, and designed to shape our culture with grace, purpose, and unity.
The C.A.R.E.S. model centers the mission and vision of the SWC staff in holistic, Christ-centered service:
C – Covenant Relationships
A – Accountability and Alignment
R – Resilience and Renewal
E – Empowerment through Education
S – Spiritual Formation and Service
This acronym reminds us that caring is not just what we do—it’s who we are. It's the heartbeat of our ministry and leadership.
📖 Scripture
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together... but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” — Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)
Read MoreThe Southwest Conference is currently seeking facilitators to lead new Communities of Practice (COPs) for the 2025–2026 program year. The number of facilitator openings will depend on clergy registration.
COP facilitators play a vital role in nurturing both support and learning within their groups. Ideal candidates are skilled in hosting, administration, worship leadership, facilitation, and covenant keeping. Using case studies and shared experiences, facilitators help clergy deepen their skills, confidence, and connection with one another.
Each COP meets monthly for two hours, from September through August. In addition to leading sessions, facilitators are responsible for maintaining attendance records and submitting quarterly reports to conference staff.
Compensation and Training
Compensation: Up to $1,000 for a one-year commitment, based on group size.
Training: Provided by UCC national staff prior to the start of the program.
If you feel called to this important ministry of accompaniment and leadership, please contact:
Rev. Dr. Gloria Smith
Associate Conference Minister, SCT
📧 gsmith@uccswc.org
Read MoreLast week, I sat down with Rev. Dr. Gloria and Wende to begin shaping our upcoming clergy retreat for Arizona and New Mexico. As they were talking, I kept hearing echoes of something many of us already know deep down: ministry can’t thrive without rest. Not just time off, but intentional time to reconnect with God, with one another, and with the quiet places within us that we often overlook. (I think I am preaching to the choir, lol) When we neglect that space, we risk running empty while trying to lead others to fullness. Rest isn’t indulgent, it’s part of how we honor the sacred calling we’ve received. How do we take C.A.R.E.S. of our mind, body, and soul, tending to our well-being in ways that reflect our covenant, accountability, resilience, education, and spiritual life? You’ll learn more about what C.A.R.E.S. means and how it shapes our shared ministry in the weeks ahead.
Click through to read more of Dr. Derrick’s article and to learn a little about C.A.R.E.S. at our upcoming clergy retreats.
Read MoreAll clergy and MIDs with standing in the Southwest Conference are invited to the 2025 clergy retreats! Attend either or both.
Ministry can’t thrive without rest. Not just time off, but intentional time to reconnect with God, with one another, and with the quiet places within us that we often overlook. When we neglect that space, we risk running empty while trying to lead others to fullness. Rest isn’t indulgent—it’s part of how we honor the sacred calling we’ve received. How do we take C.A.R.E.S. of our mind, body, and soul, tending to our well-being in ways that reflect our Covenant, Accountability, Resilience, Education, and Spiritual life?
We invite you to retreat for a time not for fixing, producing, or checking things off a list—but for BEING. For laughter, prayer, quiet, renewal, and maybe even sleeping in without guilt.
Ask yourself: What might it look like to truly rest in the presence of God, among colleagues who get it?
Register today.
New Mexico retreat registration
Arizona retreat registration
Read MoreAre you someone who has done significant anti-racism work? Do you ever wonder – “How could I get better at recognizing racism when I see it?” “How could I get better at knowing what to do about it?” Then this Community of Practice may be for you. As a group of both lay and clergy UCC members we meet monthly on Zoom from September through May on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 5:30 PM Arizona time.
Each September we welcome new members who would like to be part of the work. You can apply to join this community of practice here.
Click through to see what some members of the group say about the experience.
Read MoreAttending General Synod 35 in Kansas City this past week was a good reminder of that for me. Gathering with so many faithful people around the theme “Into the Deep” rekindled my sense of purpose. The worship, the conversations, and the witness to justice all pointed back to the same truth: we are here because God called us. As the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson noted in her address to the church, the UCC is a “big tent.” We encompass a diversity of beliefs, theologies, and traditions. That’s what I love about the UCC. We don’t have to agree, but we are together because of the covenant they faithfully promised we made to each other that we will be together. Being with others who share this calling renewed my gratitude and gave me fresh energy for the work ahead.
I can still remember my very first General Synod. The gathering of so many people from the various expressions of the United Church of Christ: congregations, conferences, national staff, and global partnerships, all seeking to walk together in all God’s ways, made the Day of Pentecost come alive. It was like the rush of a mighty wind, a holy stirring that reminded me we are not alone in this call. The Spirit is still moving, gathering, and sending us out to be with others.
I also remember the moment that first stirred my heart toward ministry.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s full article.
Read MoreThe Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ is excited to offer the Congregational Revitalization and Resiliency Grant, designed to equip and empower congregations as they pursue holistic renewal, faithful innovation, and deeper connection with God, one another, and their communities.
This grant invites congregations to design projects that align with at least one component of the C.A.R.E.S. Program, a spiritually grounded framework for ministry rooted in Covenant, Advocacy, Rest, Engagement, and Spirit. Whether your congregation is seeking to deepen discipleship, respond to community needs, or experiment with new ministry models, this grant provides a sacred opportunity for revitalization with purpose.
Please note: The due date for applications is September 1, 2025. You may request $500-$3000 (this grant is not intended to fund capital campaigns, or repairs to facilities).
Go here to apply now!
Read MoreDo you have a passion for climate justice, faith-rooted organizing, and building resilience in frontline communities? Or know someone else who does? We’re excited to share that Creation Justice Ministries is hiring a Faithful Resilience Program Director!
This new, full-time position will lead and expand our growing portfolio of climate resilience programs. This senior-level role will oversee CJM’s “Faithful Resilience” initiative and serve as the organizational lead on major resilience projects. The ideal candidate brings demonstrated leadership in community-based environmental management, particularly participatory planning and co-production of knowledge, as well as a passion for engaging faith communities in resilience-building.
Learn more and apply.
Read MoreMessage from General Counsel for our Churches
This morning (July 8, 2025) we woke to the news that churches now have the freedom to endorse candidates from the pulpit.
What happened?
Read MoreThe National Ministries has prepared special options for people to tune into parts of Synod’s work and worship from near and far.
As many plan to gather for General Synod in Kansas City in just a few weeks, the United Church of Christ National Setting has prepared special options for people to tune into parts of Synod’s work and worship from near and far.
A livestream, to be hosted on a special page of the UCC website, will broadcast the plenary sessions and worship gatherings of General Synod, taking place July 11-15.
General Synod will hold three worship services, including a community worship service on Sunday, July 13 at 2:00 CDT, featuring General Minister and President Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson as preacher. People from the surrounding communities are invited to attend this service in-person at no cost.
Rev. Marilyn Pagán-Banks and Rev. Tony Coleman are the featured preachers for opening and closing worship on July 11 and 15, respectively.
The General Synod Agenda-at-a-Glance offers times for all plenary and worship sessions, based in local CDT time.
More details here.
Read MoreDuring our weekly staff meeting on Tuesday, our Executive Assistant, Shandrika, shared a thoughtful devotional she had written called “Divine Check-In.” It was a way for us to pause early in the week and reflect on how we’re tending to our spiritual health and sense of purpose from the beginning of the year until now! So Beloveds, as we enter July, we’ve already completed six months of 2025. It is a good moment to pause and ask ourselves: What is our divine check-in?
I don’t have to tell you that this year has been among the most challenging for our communities and the people we serve. Some realities in our community and this nation were once hidden from some but always visible to others. They have been brought into the open, and our souls weep and wrestle with consternation. We are faced with changes, uncertainty, and moments that have tested our resilience and faith; all the more reason to take time for an honest check-in with God and ourselves.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s full article.
Read More“You’re all following Rev. Sarah on TikTok and Instagram, right? Seriously, click here and here and take care of that right now. Then come back and keep reading.
“All set? Welcome back.”
Settle in for this conversation between Dr. Sarah TevisTownes, pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque and Rev. Jim Keat, Minister of Digital Worship & Education at The Riverside Church and the Director of Online Innovation at the Convergence network.
Read MoreI had the chance this week to pick up the phone and call a few of our retired clergy in the Southwest Conference. As the SWC Associates Conference Minister and also their colleagues, I to say it felt good just to hear their voices. It is my belief that sometimes a simple check-in is all it takes to feel a little less alone. We don’t always have to solve big problems—sometimes it’s enough just to be present for each other. This caused a flashback of my military days!
Back when I was in the military, first the Army, then the Air Force, we never went out by ourselves. In the Army, you had a battle buddy. In the Air Force, you had a wingman. Those were not just nice titles. They meant you always had someone by your side. A battle buddy was there to make sure you came back safe. A wingman was there to keep watch, to cover you when things got rough. No matter how well-trained you were, you still needed that person you could count on.
This isn’t a new idea. It shows up in our sacred stories, too. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs. They didn’t head off alone to teach or heal. They went together. They depended on each other, and that was part of the plan all along.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s full article.
Read MoreCome spend a weekend with me in the cool pines of Prescott!
Most people in the conference don't know that I'm a lifelong member of the Disciples of Christ. For years I've led the singing at our annual Arizona women's retreat. I look forward to it every single year, and a few years ago we opened the invitation to our UCC sisters. Our Conference Minister Dr. Toni has enjoyed attending the last two retreats and keynoted last year.
This amazing retreat is held at the beautiful Chapel Rock Retreat Center in Prescott. They have comfortable lodging and the food is phenomenal!
This year's keynote speaker is Rev. Lori Tapia, National Pastor and president of the Obra Hispana of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.
The workshops are always top notch and there's free time for fellowship (sistership?) and even naps. We begin Friday evening with dinner and end with worship on Sunday morning.
I truly hope to see you there. Save the dates, September 12-14, alert your church’s groups, and register today!
You can register with a $50 deposit, and the remaining balance will be due by August 27th. All registrations must be completed by August 27. Contact me and I'll be happy to answer any questions. wgonzales@uccswc.org or text/call 520-329-3012.
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