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Pending review, we’ll publish it on the website and our weekly newsletter, In the Loop.
Rev. Leroy Calbom peacefully died on June 7, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. He served as pastor of First Church from 1982 - 1988. During this time Leroy was a founding member of the Interfaith Cooperative Ministry, ICM, now called Nourish. The organization was one of the first in Phoenix to serve the homeless community by collaborating collections of food, clothing and supplies. Leroy’s final call was to the Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ as Director of Pastoral Care & Chaplain of the Beatitudes Campus in 1991 serving until his retirement in 2001. A celebration of Rev. Leroy Calbom’s life will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, August 23, 2025 in the Life Center at the Beatitudes Campus located at 1620 W Glendale Ave, Phoenix AZ.
Click through to read more.
From Generations United Federal Credit Union:
We are excited to offer our congregation members a special opportunity to join Generations United Federal Credit Union, a member-focused financial institution whose mission aligns with the values of the United Church of Christ. Serving UCC congregations nationwide, including Puerto Rico, Generations United FCU provides a variety of basic banking services with unique features that promote financial security and confidence for members.
Click through to read more.
United Church Funds held its Q3 Town Hall on August 14. It was a valuable opportunity to connect, share insights and highlight the important work we’re doing together.
If you were unable to attend, we invite you to view the recording and catch up at your convenience.
Updated Fund Fact Sheets as of June 30, 2025 are now available for your review and download. The Fund Fact Sheets provide essential data and metrics such as investment strategy, annualized performance, asset allocation and top ten holdings.
The 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.
Webinar presented by the SWC Decentering Whiteness Task Force
Thursday, October 2 6:00 - 8:00 pm AZ / 7:00 - 9:00 pm NM & El Paso
This interactive workshop will equip UCC members and clergy with the tools and understanding to navigate difficult conversations around racial justice, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, decentering whiteness, and other related topics. We will explore the concepts of "calling in”, "calling out”, and “calling up”, focusing on how to foster constructive dialogue, promote accountability, and create a more inclusive and just community. Through data presentation, role-playing, and small group discussions, participants will gain practical skills in addressing harmful behaviors and language in a way that aligns with UCC values of compassion and justice.
Participants will be able to:
Distinguish between "calling in" and "calling out" and understand the appropriate use of each approach.
Identify the key considerations for deciding whether to call someone in or call someone out.
Practice using effective language for calling in and calling out harmful behaviors or language.
Develop strategies for responding constructively when called in or called out.
Apply calling-in techniques to real-life scenarios related to racial justice, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and decentering whiteness.
Go here to watch plenaries, State of the Church Address, keynote speakers, AGM nominee speech, AGM vote results, opening worship sermon, community worship sermon, closing worship sermon, and the financial report.
The Thirtieth General Synod called on the congregations of the United Church of Christ to mark the Sunday preceding “International Day of Prayer for Peace” as Just Peace Sunday. This year's theme is "the Earth mourns" (Jeremiah 4:28).
Probably the most important thing we can do to better RESPOND to natural disasters is to PREPARE for natural disasters!
Many of our communities have already been impacted by extreme heat, and the reality is that extreme heat events are going to become more common as time goes on.
Heat can have devastating impacts across all ages. But there are things we can do to protect ourselves, our family, our friends, and the communities around us.
Click through to read more.
Who is the UCC - today and tomorrow?
Pilgrim Press
The UCC's identity—our history, our ways of being, our sense of community—is expressed uniquely through the Book of Worship.
So who are we as the UCC today?
What kind of community do we want to be tomorrow?
And how should our Book of Worship reflect our evolving identity?
We seek your input!
Surveys are available now on bookofworship.org for all users of the Book of Worship and will remain open for feedback through December.
Information is also available on bookofworship.org about the submission of new content for potential publication in the updated Book of Worship.
We look forward to your input, with great appreciation!
“Covenant isn’t just a promise we make; it’s how we choose to walk together in faith, in person and online.”
I usually write about clergy “stuff” in this column. I know that’s expected, but sometimes I wonder about the readership. Then I’ll get a text message, an email, or even a phone call in response to something I’ve written, and I’m reminded that people are paying attention. Those moments of connection matter. They matter because I have been in face-to-face contact with that person, shared a conversation, or prayed together at some point, and that history shapes how we hear and respond to one another.
Recently, Rev. Dr. Gloria and I talked about covenant relationships within the Southwest Conference and the role of Zoom meetings in our work as associate conference ministers. We agreed that Zoom has its place. It allows us to connect across miles, keep commitments when travel isn’t possible, and maintain steady communication in ways that were not as easy before. But as helpful as it is, it can also make it easy to forget the importance of gathering in person. Do you remember pre-COVID, when meetings, visits, and worship happened almost entirely face to face? Those interactions shaped our sense of community in ways a screen cannot fully capture. At the same time, technology has opened doors for those who cannot travel, live far away, or face health challenges, making it possible for them to participate more fully in the church's life.
That’s where covenant comes in.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s article.