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Extravagantly welcoming and affirming followers of Christ called to embody God’s unconditional justice and love. 

We invite you to our three-day transformative gathering centered on the theme of “A New Heart: Crossing the Threshold." This year’s annual meeting aims to equip clergy and church leaders with the tools, inspiration, and faith-based strategies to address today's pressing chaotic times. Together, we’ll explore how the church can lead in advocating for equity, compassion, and lasting change. Our 2026 event will feature a film screening, an awards banquet, intriguing workshops, and so much more! Please visit our Annual Meeting page for all the details!

 
 
 
Conference Office News Blog
Seeking Clergy for Lilly Endowment Grant Innovation Opportunity: Reaching Gen Z, Millennials, and the "Spiritual but Not Religious"

The landscape of faith is shifting, and we’ve all felt the growing gap between traditional church structures and the spiritual hunger of younger generations. We are reaching out because we have identified a significant grant opportunity designed to bridge that exact divide. 

This grant focuses on creating and testing innovative Christian practices specifically tailored for Generation Z, Millennials, and those who identify as "Spiritual but Not Religious" (SBNR). It is a chance to move beyond "business as usual" and pilot meaningful ways of being the Church in a post-institutional world.

Click through to read more about this exciting opportunity.

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

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!

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Church News & Events
Our Journey: Stories from The Open Table Connection: Joan
Church News
Our Journey: Stories from The Open Table Connection: Joan
Church News

More Than Community

Joan, who describes her younger self as “a sort of angsty kid,” journeyed through doubt, atheism, self-exploration, and transition before discovering a “different kind of Christianity” later in life. In 2024, Joan joined her local UCC church in Phoenix, AZ, where she was celebrated for who God made her to be and baptized into her new faith. 

Joan first noticed The Open Table Connection campus ministry while scoping out the University of New Mexico. “I drove past a little house covered in pride flags and thought, I’ll probably end up going there someday,” she laughed. When she met Pastor Rhonda at the campus club fair and learned about the Open Table Connection, “it just felt right.” She began attending Thursday dinners, where she said she found “a wonderful sense of community on campus.”

“Community isn’t just something that feels good, though,” Joan emphasized. “It’s something that keeps you safe.” As a trans woman finding her place in a new city, that sense of safety meant everything. “I have one less thing to constantly worry about,” she shared. “I know I have people who care about me and a roof over my head where I can be my true self. That’s a big deal.”

Her time living at Luther House has deepened that feeling of belonging. “It’s the little things,” Joan said softly. “Coming home after class and chatting with my roommates, sharing a meal, hearing about their days. It’s a space where I feel entirely comfortable. That is rare for me.” She also finds spiritual meaning in the shared meals. “Communion is such a beautiful reminder that we’re called to sit down and eat together, to share what sustains us, both food and Christ, and that is what we do on Thursdays.”

Today, Joan describes herself as more confident, purposeful, and grounded in her faith. “Having this environment to flourish in,” she reflected, “has translated into every area of my life. As a student, as a professional, as a young woman learning how to be in the world.” She credits The Open Table with giving her both spiritual and emotional security. “It’s a place that inspires me to be the change I want to see,” Joan said, smiling. “I’m confident in the woman I’m becoming, and I’m very excited to meet her.”

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