Nathan Watts has been approved for ordination, pending his Ecclesiastical Council to which you are invited to attend at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 3 at The Good Shepherd UCC .
Read MoreCongratulations, Nathan Watts!
Sex Offenders in Your Congregations: Recommendations and Best Practices
On Wednesday, May 23 at 11 a.m. AZ time / noon NM time / 2 pm Eastern, Heather Kimmel, UCC General Counsel, will be leading a webinar on Sex Offenders in Your Congregations: Recommendations and Best Practices sponsored and hosted by the Insurance Board.
The webinar is directed to Local Church pastors and lay leaders. It is open to anyone, including people/churches who are not participants in the Insurance Board program.
Annual Meeting 2018 is in the books!
Rincon Congregational UCC in Tucson opened its doors to over 200 delegates, visitors, and vendors this past weekend for Annual Meeting! We thank them for their radical welcome and warm hospitality!
Read MoreFood trucks at Annual Meeting!
We have three food trucks coming for Friday's lunch! Preview the menus here.
Read MoreRev. Dr. Barbara Doerrer-Peacock called as Associate Conference Minister for the Southwest Conference
Acting on the recommendation of the Associate Conference Minister Search Committee, the Executive Board has called Rev. Dr. Barbara Doerrer-Peacock as Associate Conference Minister for the Southwest Conference.
Read MoreSWC Announces Endowment Fund Manager
The Endowment Fund Management Committee and the SWC Executive Board are pleased to announce that the Southwest Conference (SWC) has entered an agreement with Bernstein Private Wealth Management (“Bernstein”), a unit of AllianceBernstein L.P (“AB”), to become our Endowment Fund investment manager," says Conference Minister Bill Lyons. "In this capacity, Bernstein will provide the SWC a range of philanthropic planning and investment services." Founded more than 50 years ago, Bernstein is a leading investment advisor to high-net-worth families and institutions, trusts, estates, foundations, endowments and pension plans.
Read MoreExecutive Board Recommends FY 2018-2019 Budget
The SWC Executive Board is recommending approval of a balanced budget for FY 2018-2019 which begins July 1.
Money follows mission. The proposed budget reflects a strong emphasis on strengthening local churches through revitalization efforts, money to support our new church start in Taos and for an additional new church start, and what Conference Minister Bill Lyons calls "futuring the church."
Read MoreBoard Recommends Against Ratifying UCC Constitution
Delegates to the SWC Annual Meeting will be asked to consider ratification of changes to the UCC Constitution. The Executive Board voted not to ratify the changes and is recommending that delegates also vote not to ratify the changes. Writing for the Executive Board, secretary Karen Richter explains the Executive Board's rationale.
Read MoreA Prudential Resolution
Examining, Articulating, and Resourcing the Nature, Purpose, Composition, Covenantal Autonomy and Definition of ‘the basic unit of life and organization of the United Church of Christ’ for the Twenty-first Century
Southwest Conference United Church of Christ
A Prudential Resolution
Submitted by the Southwest Conference Board of Directors
Read MoreWorkshops at the 2018 Annual Meeting
Cover your bases by spreading your church team throughout these offerings!
Read MoreAnnual Meeting Schedule of Events
Stay tuned for details!
Read MoreRemembering Rev. Dr. Lionel Miles
The Southwest Conference holds in prayer Mrs. Doris Miles and her family. Rev. Dr. Lionel Miles died in his sleep early Monday. Dr. Miles was born in South Africa Nov. 21, 1931. He graduated from Roosevelt University, Northern Baptist Seminary, and Pacific School of Religion where he earned his D.Min. in 1977. Dr. Miles was ordained by the American Baptist Convention on July 7, 1957. Most of his ministry was served in the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ. In the Southwest Conference Dr. Miles served as interim minister of Church of the Beatitudes (1994-1995).
A celebration of Dr. Miles's life will be held on Monday, April 2, 11 a.m. at his church of membership, Shepherd of the Hills UCC, 5524 E Lafayette Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85018.
Annual Meeting FAQs
Answers to some frequently-asked questions about the upcoming Annual Meeting. Don't see your question/answer here? Email it to Wende at wgonzales@uccswc.org and we will answer it and add it to this post.
Read MoreNotice to Amend the Southwest Conference Bylaws
Annual meeting delegates will be asked to approve amendments to the Southwest Conference bylaws at the 2018 annual meeting to be held in Tucson, April 20th and 21st.
Read MoreALICE Training to be offered at Annual Meeting
ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) provides preparation and a plan for individuals and organizations on how to more proactively handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event.
Read MoreDeadlines for summer youth offerings MUCH earlier this year
Dear Colleagues in Ministry,
I have some crucial updates for you regarding youth and camp opportunities this summer.
In an effort to be the best stewards we can be of the Conference resources, we have set our DEADLINE MUCH EARLIER for our summer offerings this year. It is APRIL 4.
April 4 is the deadline for CAMP REGISTRATIONS and for registering high school youth for the WESTERN REGIONAL YOUTH EVENT.
Read MoreUCC Welcomes Amanda Sheldon - Program Associate for UCC Disaster and Refugee Ministries
The United Church of Christ recently welcomed Amanda Sheldon as the new Program Associate for UCC Disaster and Refugee Ministries. She will be working with Mary Schaller Blaufuss, Team Leader, UCC Humanitarian & Development Ministries (One Great Hour of Sharing) and Zach Wolgemuth, Executive of UCC Disaster Ministries.
Read MoreEthics & Public Theology Online Classes with PATHWAYS Theological Education
Level One Course: Ethics and a Life of Meaning (March 7 to April 24, 2018)
Level Three Course: Theology in the Public Square (March 7 to April 24, 2018)
ACM Search Committee Chosen
The Executive Board appointed a search committee to discern whom God is calling to be our new associate conference minister. The ACM search committee members are Randy Mayer* (pastor, Good Shepherd UCC), Rebecca Glenn* (SWC past moderator, lay member, Scottsdale UCC), Janet Leung* (lay member, First UCC/Flagstaff), Rock Freemont^ (pastor, Shepherd of the Hills UCC), Wendy Spurgeon^ (lay member, Silver City UCC), and Conference Minister Bill Lyons. Three of the committee members served on the SWC Profile Committee (*); two are board members (^).
Read MoreOur NEXT Ministry and Church Vitality Committee (MCVC) Meeting: MARCH 3 “SPIRITUAL FORMATION: An Adaptive Paradigm for Many Ages in a New Age”
10 am - 3 pm, Saturday, March 3 at the SWC office
Our next MCVC meeting is a training event and meeting, open to anyone interested in looking at the theme of Spiritual Formation for your churches.
Read More