You Are Not Alone: How the Southwest Conference Supports Your Journey

March 08, 2026 in Faith In Action

The Decentering Whiteness journey is not one you have to take alone. The Southwest Conference Decentering Whiteness Task Force (DWTF) is here to support congregations on this path. Whether you have questions, need guidance identifying resources, want assistance facilitating conversations, or wish to share feedback about your church's activities, we are ready to walk alongside you.

This is a collaborative movement, and our role is to empower you.

Here's how we support you:

Conference Support: We provide ongoing communication through our regular newsletters and “In The Loop” reminders, sharing suggested activities and reports from other congregations to keep you inspired and informed.
Clergy Involvement & Training: We offer Clergy Lunch & Learn calls specifically focused on integrating these efforts into preaching and pastoral care. These discussions with Conference leadership help ensure clergy are equipped to lead this work pastorally and theologically.
Guidance & Resources: The DWTF can help you identify suitable resource people, including outside facilitators, Sacred Conversations to End Racism (SC2ER) and ASDIC graduates, or paid experts as needed. We are a central point of contact for you to find the support you need.
Liaison Role: We want to reiterate the importance of designating a local church contact person or committee to liaise with the DWTF. This simple step ensures smooth communication and is the key to accessing the full spectrum of support we offer.

Your feedback on the program plan, resources, and your congregation's experiences is invaluable. We are building this journey together, and your insights help us all grow.

Final Call to Action: The most crucial step you can take today is to designate a person or a committee in your church to begin this work. Then, connect with the Decentering Whiteness Task Force to get started. You can find all the resources and contact information you need on the Decentering Whiteness section of the SWCUCC website.

Webinar: “Preparing for the Coming Medicaid and SNAP Cuts from the One Big Not So Beautiful Bill (H.R.1).”

March 07, 2026 in Faith In Action

Wednesday, March 11th at 1 pm AZ / 2 pm NM & El Paso on Zoom

The Circle of Protection invites you to join their webinar: “Preparing for the Coming Medicaid and SNAP Cuts from the One Big Not So Beautiful Bill (H.R.1).”

You’ll hear from faith leaders and policy experts including Representative Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Reverend Richard Williams (Lead Pastor at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church & Executive Director at the Beacon Center), Sammi Goldsmith (Deputy Director of Public Policy at MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger), Paulo Pontemayor (Senior Director of Government Relations at the Catholic Health Association), and Reverend Adam Russell Taylor (President at Sojourners).

They will discuss how the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will impact your community and opportunities to mitigate the damage.

To register for the webinar, click here.

"The Circle of Protection is a broad coalition of Christian denominations and ministries that span the theological and political spectrum. We are united in our shared faith in Jesus Christ and His call to love and serve “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). As followers of Christ, it is our moral duty to stand up for the most poor and vulnerable in our society. To that end, we are bringing together speakers who can describe how last year’s budget reconciliation bill will impact the health and nutrition of low- and middle-income communities."

Advocacy 101 training with Creation Justice Ministries

March 01, 2026

Invitation from Creation Justice Ministries:

We know many are holding immense grief and uncertainty right now. We’ve witnessed horrific tragedies, both on our own soil and beyond. As we begin this new year, may our commitment to the intersectionality of creation justice remain steadfast, holding onto the truth that our collective liberation is bound to each other and the natural world.

With that commitment in mind, we invite you to join us for an advocacy 101 training. This offering will be an introduction for beginner advocates who want to take their advocacy a bit further and a refresher for folks who feel a bit rusty.

Join us on March 2nd at 7pm ET / 4pm PT to learn about:

🌏 The role people of faith play in advocacy right now

🌏 Tips for advocating at the federal level

🌏 Ways to build relationships with your Members of Congress

🌏 Ideas to engage your community to take action

In this time of immense uncertainty, grief and for many sacred rage, people of faith have an important role to play. Together, we will plant seeds of hope for loving God’s creation and our neighbors.

RSVP here.

UCC Webinar: Leaves of Healing (Only for Some)—Trees, Churches, and Redlined Neighborhoods

February 26, 2026 in Faith In Action

Creation Justice Ministries has released a new downloadable resource for churches just in time for Earth Month. The new resource is entitled "The Canopy of Creation: Trees, Faith, and the Work of Justice." The resource invites us to consider the following truth: in many cities, tree canopy follows the same fault lines as historic redlining. Neighborhoods that were denied investment generations ago are often the same neighborhoods with fewer trees today; neighborhoods experiencing higher temperatures, poorer air quality, and greater vulnerability to flooding.

Learn more about this issue and the new resource available to churches in this webinar in which we will hear from Derrick Weston, the Director of Theological Education and Formation at Creation Justice Ministries.

Even if you cannot make the live event on Wednesday, March 18 at 10 am PT, still register, and we will send you a recording. Register today!

Upcoming virtual offerings from the Open and Affirming Coalition

February 14, 2026 in Faith In Action

In this season, LGBTQ+ people and our allies and accomplices need spaces to connect, encourage one another, and remember we are not alone. We are in the midst of a movement—and movement work calls us out of our silos and into community.

These offerings are opportunities to learn, grow, and build relationships with people across the country who are committed to justice, affirmation, and faithful resistance.

Come build community with us. Come be strengthened for the work ahead.

Click on the graphics below for more info or to register.

Racial Justice Ministries offer Black History resources for the month and year-round →

February 08, 2026 in Faith In Action

by Kayla Berkey | published on Feb 3, 2026

This February, United Church of Christ Racial Justice Ministries are offering the invitation to commit to a focused study of Black history both this month and throughout the year.

Black History Month resources are available for the month of February that include a Call to Worship incorporating the names of “ancestors who made a way out of no way with God before them, beside them, and lovingly guiding succeeding generations.”

These resources can also be used for the UCC’s designated Racial Justice Sunday, which falls on Feb. 8, the second Sunday in February.

Black History 365 resources are available to intentionally engage with Black history all year. These offer a four-part spiritual journey of reading, listening, and sitting with a long history of God’s human family from the continent of Africa. It is divided into four sections that focus on human migration around the globe, “looking back and moving forward” with Sankofa, the creation of humans, and exploring virtual spaces dedicated to Black history.

The four Black History 365 sections are intended to align with quarterly learning sessions, with the invitation for people to develop a plan with congregations, groups, or individually to participate together throughout the year.

“Black History 365 is a gateway to remember we are gifted and diverse people, culturally and ethnically. We are made in the image of God and members of God’s human family,” said the Rev. Velda Love, minister for Racial Justice.

New Webinar: Strength in Our Stories: A Workshop for LGBTQIA+ Christians’ Spiritual Self-Care

February 08, 2026 in Faith In Action

From the Open and Affirming Coalition UCC:

Practicing Sacred Storytelling in a World That Tries to Erase Us

In a world of systemic and intersectional injustice that often tears LGBTQIA+ communities down, having confidence in the knowledge of who we are as God’s beloved creations is essential to our survival and flourishing as LGBTQIA+ Christians. As a result, personal storytelling and testimony is a vital spiritual practice of self-care and rootedness that enables us to explore our identity, learn about ourselves in prayerful conversation with God, prepare to engage with an unjust world, and discover ways to thrive and flourish. This session will lay a scriptural, theological, and experiential framework for storytelling as a spiritual practice of self-care and rootedness, provide three opportunities to practice storytelling through creative writing activities, and generate safe space for sharing together.

Tickets are offered on an honor-system sliding scale. Please choose the rate that best fits your circumstances.

• Student Rate – $15 (For students and seminarians.)

• Sages Rate 65+ – $15 (For participants age 65 and older.)

• Standard Rate – $30 (Helps cover the true cost of the workshop.)

• Pay-It-Forward Rate – $45 (For those who are able to give more and help expand access for others.)

Click through for more details.

Sharing the Journey: Stories from Our Congregations

February 01, 2026 in Faith In Action

The journey toward decentering whiteness can sometimes feel isolating, but you are not alone. There are congregations across the Southwest Conference engaged in this work, and hearing from them can be both inspiring and informative. Stories are a powerful way to build community, share wisdom, and remind us that we are all on this path together.

Our website will be a dedicated space for these stories. We are collecting videos and testimonials from churches as they share their experiences, learnings, and challenges. By sharing your story, you can help to inspire and encourage other congregations to begin their own work. We want to hear from every stage of the journey—from those just starting to those who have been at it for a while. Your story, no matter where you are, is valuable.

Click through to read more.

Climate Action Pilgrimage

January 17, 2026 in Faith In Action

In January and February, three New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light team members are walking from Carlsbad to the State Capitol in Santa Fe, arriving on Climate Action Day.

Rev. Clara Sims of First Congregational and Jerry Kennell of Taos UCC are involved.

This pilgrimage is a spiritual and moral journey — an act of witness, confession, and hope. We walk carrying prayers for a livable climate, for justice, and for future generations.

Our path begins in the Permian Basin, the heart of New Mexico’s oil and gas country, and ends at the State Capitol in Santa Fe, where our leaders face a choice: to serve the few or act for the common good.

Learn more and read the daily updates here.

Read the press release here.

Climate Hope Art Contest for Children and Youth

January 17, 2026 in Faith In Action

On Wednesday, the UCC officially launched the 2026 Climate Hope Art Contest for children and youth! The theme this year is “A Future with Hope.” Children and youth are invited to draw, paint, or color works of art that bring this theme to life. We will have winners for different age groups and an overall winner who will receive an all-expense paid trip to visit Washington, DC with a parent or guardian.

Register your congregation now to participate!

They’ll accept art submissions from February 6th to March 20th.

Remembering Renee Nicole Good — One Week Later

January 17, 2026 in Faith In Action

From Open and Affirming Coalition of the United Church of Christ:

Please watch this video. Today marks one week since the killing of Renee Nicole Good. We are speaking because this is our issue, and solidarity across every margin is not optional—it is a moral and faith imperative.

Ready to Start? A Reflection Guide to Begin the Work

January 16, 2026 in Faith In Action

One of the most important steps for any congregation is to establish a person or a committee to drive the work of decentering whiteness. This designated body is crucial for spearheading the initiative, liaising with our Conference's Decentering Whiteness Task Force (DWTF) to access resources and guidance, and providing feedback to inspire other congregations. This is about building local ownership and accountability.

But where do you start the conversation within your church? It can feel overwhelming. To help you begin, our website provides a downloadable reflection exercise to guide your congregation in a process of honest introspection and communal accountability.

The guide is divided into two parts. Click through to learn more.

Tell Congress to Protect Oak Flat

January 10, 2026 in Faith In Action

In December, Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07) introduced her first piece of legislation in Congress - the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act. First introduced by her father in 2015, the landmark bill would repeal the 2014 controversial National Defense Authorization Act rider that handed over 2,422 acres of Arizona's Tonto National Forest, including the sacred site of Oak Flat (Chi'chil Biłdagoteel), to Resolution Copper, a foreign mining corporation.

As Christians, we are called to care for all of Creation and to promote environmental justice. The Save Oak Flat From Mining Act protects a site of profound religious, cultural, historical, and environmental importance to Tribal Nations in Arizona and across the country. It also halts a mining project that would deplete Arizona's scarce water resources, create one of the largest toxic waste sites in North America, and transfer U.S. copper to a foreign mining venture with direct shareholder ties to the government of the People's Republic of China.

Urge your Members of Congress to stand alongside the Apache people in calling for Oak Flat's preservation and protection. Take action here.

Please hold Dr. Nosie and the Apache Stronghold in your prayers.

January 04, 2026 in Faith In Action

Dr. Nosie’s letter ends with this paragraph, but we encourage you to click through to read his entire letter.

I will be departing from Oak Flat on Sunday, January 4th at 11 AM. I will be walking and a little jogging to arrive in downtown Phoenix to attend the court hearings (AZ Reform Mining Coalition, ITCA, San Carlos Apache Tribe and Lopez/Kinsey(Burdette)cases vs. U.S.) which begin at 10 AM on January 7, 2026. For those who do know me well, I had a spiritual encounter and must travel in this spiritual way. I ask each of you, if possible, to make ceremonial fire, light a candle, or be in prayer. The decision of the federal judges will weigh heavy on the future for water, environment, religion, and the ability to give federal exemptions to corporations without following legal policies. Usen(Creator), hear my prayers, as I make this journey to encounter many ugly obstacles but also witness the beauty of all life. I will let No Fear distract me, for all the beautiful spirits will be in all four directions.

More Than a Book: Films, Podcasts, and More in Our Resource Hub

December 21, 2025 in Faith In Action

Learning is not limited to books. Our journey of decentering whiteness can be explored through a variety of engaging and thought-provoking media. In our Resource Hub, we've included a collection of documentaries, films, and podcasts to help your congregation learn and grow in different ways. These resources can be a powerful entry point for those who might be hesitant to start with a book, and they are excellent tools for sparking group discussions.

Click through to read about the Decentering Whiteness Resource Hub!

2026 UCC Climate Action Commissioning Service with Rev. Jim Antal

December 20, 2025 in Faith In Action

As we enter a year of critical importance in the struggle for climate justice, the UCC is holding a Climate Action Commissioning Service. Gather with us as we faithfully prepare ourselves to take action in the coming year.

Our preacher will be the Rev. Jim Antal, author of "Climate Church, Climate World." Rev. Antal currently serves as the Special Advisor on Climate Justice to UCC General Minister and President.

Even if you cannot make the live event on Wednesday, January 14th at 1 pm ET/10 am PT, still register, and we will send you a recording. Register today!

Moral Monday Vigil-AZ Poor People’s Campaign on 12/22, 12-1:00 PM Congressman Biggs's Mesa Office

December 20, 2025 in Faith In Action

Moral Monday Vigil-AZ Poor People’s Campaign

Monday, December 22, 11:45 am - 1:00 pm
Mesa Monterey Park • 7045 E Monterey Ave, Mesa, AZ 85209

There will be a brief march from the park to Biggs's office, speakers, and an effort for a contingent to meet with Congressman Biggs or his staff. Congressman Biggs is running now for the GOP nomination for Governor. We will speak out about the policy violence inflicted upon the poor and low income Arizona residents, including major cuts to Medicaid, ACA subsidies, SNAP (food stamps), cash supports to food pantries, housing programs (Section 8 Vouchers), Medicare, and other funds in order to provide large tax cuts to wealthy individuals and corporations.

Those that have a story to tell about how they are, or will be, impacted by pending cuts made in the Budget Resolution enacted this summer are asked to let us know if you would like to speak out and tell your story in 2-3 minutes. RSVP

Some of the materials related to this action are HERE.

First Church Phoenix trip to the Border

December 20, 2025 in Faith In Action

A group from First Church Phoenix went to the border recently, led by Rev. Dr. Randy Mayer from The Good Shepherd UCC.

First Church member Carlos da Silvia donated supplies through his nonprofit, Powered by Love.

Watch the podcast episode where Pastor Randy Mayer discusses the Samaritans' work. It includes a clip of Pastor Susan Valiquette of First Church.

And click through to read a message from Jane McNamara on behalf of the Immigrant Welcoming Team.

Holiday Songs for Collective Action from the Kairos Center

December 20, 2025 in Faith In Action

This holiday song sheet is crafted to ready our communities for collective action. Each track is a holiday remix by the Songs in the Key of Resistance (SKOR) artist collective, offering music that helps keep us connected in the streets and in our organizing spaces. We share these songs with the hope that the lyrics remind us that the rituals and practices of this season are rooted in long traditions of communities caring for one another and struggling for liberation. We invite you to use these songs to learn, teach, and carry movement music into your communities—fueling resilience, collective voice, and action.

Song Sheet

YouTube playlist

UCC Webinar: Faith-Rooted Anti-Authoritarianism

December 06, 2025 in Faith In Action

In an upcoming webinar, we will hear from three panelists about how people of faith can play a vital role in challenging authoritarianism.

Maria Stephan, who co-authored "Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict" with Erica Chenoweth, will provide an overview of international resistance movements. Brother Rodrigo Peret from Franciscans International will speak out of his experience under the Bolsonaro regime in Brazil as well as his arrest for anti-mining protests in Zimbabwe. The Rev. Jorge Bautista will speak about his practice of faithful solidarity after a U.S. immigration officer shot him in the face with a pepper ball while attending a prayer vigil.

Even if you cannot make the live event on December 10th at 1 pm ET/10 am PT, still register, and we will send you a recording. Register now!