On February 11, Michael Curry stepped down from his position as Southwest Conference Lay Minister for Disability Education, Advocacy, and Awareness.
Read MoreMichael Curry has stepped down
Huge thanks to Phil Shea as he steps down as our Disaster Services Coordinator
Phil Shea has stepped down from his role as the SWC Disaster Services Coordinator. We want to acknowledge that Phil did an outstanding job connecting our congregations to ALICE training and security assessments during a stressful shift in the safety and security landscape of local churches. Best wishes, Phil!
Read MoreUCC Summit :The Church in a Post-Pandemic World
September 19-21, 2022 | Cleveland, OH
Join us as we envision what a vibrant, healthy church looks like as it emerges from the pandemic.
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2022 Annual Meeting update: Date change AND it's virtual
With the unpredictability of COVID variants and some other practical considerations, the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Southwest Conference will be conducted online. However, this year our schedule is getting a refresh! We’ll be meeting over the course of five weekday evenings and a Saturday.
Register here.. The cost is $175 per church for up to five delegates, and $40 per person for clergy and other guests.
Read MoreFirst Presbyterian Church in Farmington NM: Solo Pastor/Head of Staff
First Presbyterian Church in Farmington has been well-served by UCC clergy in the past. They are inviting UCC ministers eligible for search and call to submit their profiles through their conference offices.
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Decentering Whiteness class
Rev. Dean Hokel and Rev. Drew Terry will be offering a "De-Centering Whiteness" 6-hour class for clergy, Thursdays, Feb. 24, March 24 and April 28, from 1 to 3 pm via Zoom.
This is a basic course that will employ a series of readings, videos, and small group discussions around issues of race in our culture and within one's own sense of identity and experience.
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UCC Board begins search and call process for next General Minister and President
UCC Board begins search and call process for next General Minister and President.
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Empathy, Exhaustion, and Social Change
This conversation will consider viewpoints from community members that represent secular and faith-based practitioners and explore questions related to: What is empathy? Is the ability to choose empathy a position of privilege? From the conversation should emerge strategies to respond to these lived experiences.
Read MoreExpanding Life in Loss
A virtual, confidential empowerment & support group for individuals experiencing grief, losses, and endings. Facilitated by Dr. Cari Jackson and Carson Hawks.
7 sessions meeting every other week: Feb 9 & 23, Mar 9 & 23, Apr 6 & 20, May 4. 90 minutes each session. 6pm MST
Read MoreUCC 2021 Statistical Profile—Now available!
The UCC’s CENTER FOR ANALYTICS, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, AND DATA (CARDD) is pleased to announce the UCC 2021 Statistical Profile is now available! This is the most extensive Profile yet, spanning 72 pages and including 19 special reports.
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Upcoming Stewardship Seminar
The Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar for pastors and lay leaders offers an opportunity to explore faithful, practical, and tested ways to promoting generosity in our congregations. The seminar draws on current research, seeks guidance from the wisdom of scripture, and discusses the best practices in church-based fundraising.
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Grace Emerged Visible
Join an Epiphany worship service led by UCC national staffers on January 6, 1:30 pm Mountain Time.
Read MoreScholarships & Grants
The United Church of Christ has scholarships and grants available for a variety of purposes in three broad categories: Ministry Education Scholarships, Program Grants, and Leadership Development Scholarships. In addition to what is listed here, check with the Admissions Office at your educational institution to find out about additional scholarships that may be available.
Read MoreNEXT Steps: Midlife and Beyond
NEXT Steps introduces participants to theological, philosophical, and psychological concepts of vocation and aging. It is a gathering for adults contemplating or entering retirement, and for those who are recently retired. All program activities are designed to stimulate your individual self-discovery as you develop a personal plan for your new and meaningful chapter of life.
Read MoreWeek of Prayer and Pilgrimage for Christian Unity
Once again the New Mexico Pilgrimage for Unity will join with NM Conference of Churches, the Ecumenical Institute for Ministry, and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to provide a COVID-safe way for Christians to express and experience Christian Unity through walking and praying. For the pilgrimage, small groups and individuals are encouraged to plan their own prayerful walk — destination, duration and difficulty — and to share the online electronic resources of daily devotional videos and pilgrimages aids, as well as opening and closing Zoom worship services.
Read MoreOpportunities for Youth Ministers and Youth
The national setting is:
offering a virtual conference for 100 youth ministers and leaders
asking anyone who has regular contact with UCC youth to complete a short survey
recruiting for the newly formed Youth Ambassadors Program
The Christmas Fund provides ‘care and compassion’ in times of need
“The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas ‘thank you’ gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.”
Read MoreOmicron update
Beloved SWC members,
Anxiety has been increasing over the Omicron variant of the COVID19 virus. The SWC office has been monitoring the information about this newest coronavirus mutation. I am writing to encourage your congregations to continue the sustainable response measures circulated through the SWC in October (shared here). No new guidance for in-person gatherings is being recommended at this time for our churches in light of the Omicron variant.
I am inviting our churches to launch vigorous campaigns encouraging everyone who is unvaccinated to be vaccinated, and for vaccinated people to obtain their booster shot if they have not already done so. The reasons for this invitation stems from the new information being released from scientists about the effects of the Omicron variant and the impact of vaccines on it.
Read MoreWhere Do We Go From Here: Voting Rights in Arizona Webinar
The Southwest Conference has signed on as a co-sponsor for this online event:
Join people of faith as we unite to protect our cherished right to vote in Arizona. Join faith based partners for a presentation and conversation on the current state of voting rights in Arizona.
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Justice Leadership Program - equipping people for the work of justice
The Jubilee program exists to inform, equip, and inspire people to act for justice. The 6-month virtual program is for adults who want to increase their understanding of social justice, deepen their faith, and gain the skills and confidence to take meaningful action while building relationships of support with a community of their peers. The program begins in January 2022 and they are currently accepting applications.
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