Introduction to Spiritual Health (Pastoral Care) begins August 1.
Through personal reflection and exploration of current pastoral care paradigms, this 6-week course offers training to
identify and apply best practices in empathetic listening
understand models of pastoral care assessment
create a pastoral care plan based on spiritual assessment tools
articulate how to provide pastoral care effectively in diverse cultural settings.
The course outcome project will give you an opportunity to apply what you have learned within your own faith community or practice context.
SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, September 13, 2025, 7:00p.m.
Come celebrate with us! PATHWAYS Theological's Benefit Concert sponsored by Lena’s Place Coffee House in the beautiful Central Congregational UCC sanctuary in Atlanta. Enjoy great local musicians (Maureen & Matthew Shelton, and Mockingbird’s Wing) and delicious refreshments. Watch for more information including how to attend online.
Go to the PATHWAYS website (pathwaystheological.org) to learn more and to apply for this and other courses.
Read Moreby Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott
Recently, Rev. Dr. Gloria and I attended our boundary training with other Associate Conference Ministers throughout the United Church of Christ (UCC), and the topic of the UCC Ministerial Code and the Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministry came up. It sparked some honest conversation—not just about rules and expectations but about what it really means to be faithful in ministry today. It reminded me that we don’t talk about these tools often enough, even though they shape how we live and lead.
Every profession has some code. Teachers follow standards for education. Doctors take an oath. Even hairstylists know there are rules—keep your tools clean, respect your clients, and show up on time. Ministry is no different. In the UCC, those of us who are called to serve are expected to do so with integrity, accountability, and care—not just for what we do but for how we live.
The UCC Ministerial Code isn’t just a list of dos and don’ts. It’s a covenant.
Read MoreRev. Susan Valiquette of First Church UCC Phoenix attended last year’s Convergence Music Project conference and writes:
I am now on the planning team of the Converging 2025 Conference. This was a deeply spiritual experience for me. It was like the best of summer camp and a soulful retreat that sparked theological musings in worship and music.
The Converging Conference is a great opportunity for a pastor, worship leader, worship committee, and/or music team for an injection of fresh energy and excitement around worship and music. Many of our churches are hungry for theology in lyrics that represent what we believe.
If you are not familiar with the Convergence Music Project (www.convergencemp.com), CMP is a rapidly growing online source of new music for congregational singing that congregations and denominations committed to justice, compassion for the poor, inclusive language, creation care, LBGTQ+ affirmation, and expansive theology can trust.
Please check out the event website to see the list of exciting keynote speakers and musicians who will be featured at the conference.
Read MoreThe UCC Open and Affirming Coalition has a new 30-day devotional for Pride, “Sacred, Seen, and Called: Living Our Truth, Embracing Our Light.” You can use it for personal reflection or group discussion throughout the month.
Click here to access the devotional.
Read MoreThe Disaster Resilience and Recovery Ministry is responsible for overseeing the Southwest Conference’s Relationship with Safe Communities Coalition (not to be confused with the national SAFE (Science and Families Engaging) Communities Coalition. Arizona Faith Network’s website describes this Coalition as: “… a bold, inclusive initiative uniting faith communities, advocacy partners, and historically marginalized groups to protect sacred spaces and ensure all people can live, worship, and gather in safety. Amid rising threats of violence and extremism, the Coalition serves as a proactive and unifying response. Together, we foster secure, resilient communities across Arizona through trust-building, strategic partnerships, and rapid action.” (We will seek to duplicate this format for New Mexico and El Paso churches in the Southwest Conference.)
Local Church Ministers have received a letter asking them to select a delegate from their church to participate in monthly meetings. If you have an interest in serving as a representative for your local church, please contact your minister.
Look for forthcoming information as we begin our work beside other faith based communities to keep sacred spaces safe and secure.
Read MoreAs Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, draws near, we pause to consider what freedom means through the lens of faith. You might be surprised that The Star-Spangled Banner wasn’t officially adopted as the U.S. national anthem until March 3, 1931. But even then, not everyone in this country was truly free. Black Americans, Indigenous peoples, Asian Americans, and Latinx communities were still denied equal rights under the law. That familiar phrase, “the land of the free,” didn’t reflect everyone’s experience then, and it still challenges us today.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally heard the news of their freedom: two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. This moment reminds us that freedom delayed is freedom denied. It pushes us to ask a deeper question: What does liberation look like now?
Read MoreAre you considering studying more about the Bible or working toward the Bible Studies Certificate? A good overview of the Bible, What is the Bible? (Dickinson/MBS), begins September 17.
The 3-course Bible Studies Certificate guides the learner to deepen their knowledge and current scholarship of the Old and New Testaments, while also giving the learner opportunities to create and teach curriculum in their own faith community.
· Old Testament Hermeneutics 08/6/2025 - 9/23/2025
· New Testament Hermeneutics 10/8/2025 - 11/18/2025
· Approved Elective Course with Bible Study Project
Go to the PATHWAYS website to learn more and to apply for these and other courses.
Read MoreWhen I first stepped into the role of a local church pastor, I believed I was ready. I had the education, the sense of call, and the fire to serve. But reality hit hard one quiet Tuesday afternoon—sermon half-written, voicemail piling up, and no one around who truly understood what I faced. That day, I realized how much I needed someone to listen.
My seminary didn’t prepare me for the loneliness that can sneak into ministry. Our congregations see us on Sundays but don’t see the in-between: the pastoral visits, the strained budget meetings, and the quiet moments of doubt. I didn’t need advice or critique. I needed someone to hear me out. I needed a connection.
Click through to discover Dr. Derrick’s message.
Read MoreJoin us for an intimate workshop and learning community space for womxn as we journey toward Synod together! We’ll grow together and share communal space in an open-meeting format. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to build community and gather. Register here.
Read MoreJune is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month! The United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund joins UCC congregations nationwide in celebrating LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, and organizations.
Read MoreAs we look ahead to the next General Synod of the United Church of Christ, I invite each of you—clergy and lay leaders alike—to reflect with me on the Synod’s theme: “Into the Deep,” drawn from Luke 5:4, where Jesus says to Simon Peter, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
This isn’t just a poetic phrase for a conference banner. It’s a direct challenge to our spiritual lives, our ministries, and our churches. Going into the deep requires faith when answers are unclear, when the waters seem still, or even when we’re tired and uncertain about what’s next. In many ways, that’s where the Church finds itself today; not only at a crossroads, but also at a shoreline, being asked by Christ to push out a little further.
This message resonates even more powerfully as we approach Pentecost Sunday, the moment when the Spirit moved with fire and breath, pushing the early Church out of comfort and into courageous witnesses. Pentecost reminds us that God’s Spirit doesn’t just comfort—it compels. The Spirit meets us in the deep and calls us beyond the shallow waters of the familiar.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s entire article.
Read MoreJoin us for this OWL Taking Flight webinar that will explore the impact of identity erasure, laws, and executive orders on the lives of trans/intersex/nonbinary/queer people of all ages.
Heather Corinna, founder of Scarleteen.com, joins Rev. Amy Johnson and Dr. Melanie Davis to discuss the impact of policies, laws, and executive orders on the lives of trans/intersex/nonbinary/queer people of all ages. Scarleteen is the largest online resource for comprehensive and highly inclusive sex and relationships education, information and support centering young people.
Register here.
Read MoreRegistration will remain at $250.
The Open and Affirming Coalition is committed to keeping this gathering affordable and accessible to as many people as possible. Registration includes four meals (one breakfast, two lunches, one dinner), and they do not profit from this event—your fee helps cover meeting and food costs only.
Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, will be our Opening Worship Preacher!
Join us for two days of celebration, learning, strategy, and community as we gather under the theme:
Sacred, Seen and Called: Living Our Truth, Embracing Our Light
Inspired by Philippians 2:15 – “...then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: Don’t miss your chance to save and secure your spot!
Read MoreDear Clergy Colleagues,
As we approach the heart of summer in the Southwest Conference, I hope you’re finding moments to exhale—whether under the desert sun, beside northern pines, or in the familiar stillness of your study. Summer offers us the gift of kairos time: not just to plan or preach, but to pause, reflect, and renew.
Many of you are shifting rhythms—offering simpler worship services, stepping away for continuing education or vacation, or accompanying congregants through seasonal transitions. Wherever you find yourself, may you feel God’s presence not only in your work, but in your rest.
Click through to read more encouraging words from Dr. Derrick.
Read MoreThe Strengthen the Church offering supports the expansion of ministry and growth of UCC local congregations. Your support helps the UCC fulfill its commitment to creating a just world for all by investing in ministries and practices that meet the emerging needs of local communities. Most congregations will receive the STC offering on Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025. There are several downloadable resources available for use, including a leader's guide, bulletin inserts, media files, posters, and more.
Strengthen the Church is one of the 5 for 5 offerings!
Order resources here.
Read MoreI grew up in the Black church, where Bible study was not optional—it was part of your formation as a young disciple of Christ. Wednesday night meant church, and Sunday morning meant you better have read your lesson. From a young age, I was taught that this "ancient book"—with all its violence, sex, joy, lament, and hope—was worth wrestling with. It still is.
Even now, after seminary and ordination, after years of pastoral ministry and justice advocacy, I remain rooted in the evangelism of the Bible—not evangelism as manipulation but as a deep sharing of the Good News. And that Good News still comes alive when we open the Scriptures with humility, curiosity, and courage.
In the Southwest Conference, we can be proud of how boldly and compassionately our churches respond to the call for justice. Whether it's advocating for the dignity of LGBTQ+ siblings, confronting white supremacy, promoting environmental stewardship, or standing in solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers, our actions reflect the heart of a Gospel that insists God's love belongs to all.
But I wonder: while we're in the streets, are we also at home in the text?
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s latest blog post.
Read MoreThis webinar, hosted by the United Church of Christ Board will engage with the wider church about the proposed amendments to the UCC Constitution and Bylaws, which will be voted on at General Synod in July.
Register here.
Read MoreThe New Mexico Conference of Churches has a job opening for Conference Director. Read the job description here. The closing date for applications is June 13, 2025.
Read Moreby Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott
Beloved Church,
Every so often, the world pauses to watch white smoke rise from the Sistine Chapel. And last week, it did just that. Pope Leo XIV has been elected, and while that may feel like news from another corner of the Christian family tree, it’s a moment worth noticing—and reflecting on—even for us in the United Church of Christ.
We are not Catholic, of course. We embrace a covenantal polity, which means our various settings—local churches, Associations, Conferences, and the national setting—are bound together not by hierarchy, but by sacred promises to walk together in mutual respect and love. So, there are no cardinals in red robes. No Vatican. Our churches don’t wait for word from Rome before we make decisions. That’s part of what makes us who we are. But that doesn’t mean we’re disconnected. We are, after all, part of one Body.
So what does it mean for us?
Click through to read more.
Read MoreDear friends of the UCC Mental Health Network,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the UCC MHN wants to make sure you have resources to best equip you for a Mental Health Sunday! We are sending our PDF for Worship Resources for your Mental Health Sunday created by the UCC, UCC MHN, and United Church of Canada, as well as two videos to use during this time.
Although May 18 is Mental Health Sunday this year, we want to remind you that any Sunday is a great Sunday to focus on mental health!
One video by our chair, Bishop Allyson Abrams can be used to make an appeal to support the MHN and to become WISE congregations or organizations. The other video by Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund can be used to show the importance of caring for our youth and understanding their mental health needs. Please consider using both of these powerful videos during your worship services this month as we raise awareness about mental health challenges and mental wellness.
Thank you,
Bishop Allyson D. Nelson Abrams, PhD
Chair, UCC Mental Health Network
Read More
