New course listings for April.
Read MoreUpcoming courses at Pathways Theological Education, Inc.
UCC Musicians Association Conference 2026 Registration is OPEN!
Join them in Columbus, Ohio this summer for workshops, worship, concerts, networking and camaraderie.
July 8 – 11, 2026
First Community Church, North Campus, 3777 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio
They especially welcome the Association of Disciples Musicians!
Open to all. Need to know more?
Conference Director Andrew Blosser will be on Zoom to answer your questions.
Saturday, March 28 at 9 am AZ / 10 am NM & El Paso
Read MorePresence That Grounds Us: Justice That Clicks
This reflection from the Conference Minister invites the Southwest Conference to embody faithful presence and justice during Black History Month, reminding us that in challenging times, we are grounded in God’s presence and committed to showing up together with dignity, courage, and hope.
Read MoreBlack History and the Church
Every February, we celebrate Black History Month. For the church, this is far more than marking a date on the calendar—it is an essential rhythm of our faith. We must remember that Black history is not a footnote to Christian history; it is the heart of it.
The Black church has carried the gospel through the fires of slavery, segregation, and systemic injustice. In hidden "hush harbors" and crowded sanctuaries, believers clung to Jesus when the world refused to acknowledge their humanity. Their faith was not a theory; it was a lifeline. Spirituals were sermons set to music, and prayer meetings were acts of resistance. Leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, and countless local pastors didn't just seek policy change—they spoke from a radical trust in Jesus’ command to love neighbors, seek justice, and walk humbly with God.
The entire Body of Christ has been shaped by this witness.
For pastors, this month is an opportunity for "truth-telling" from the pulpit.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s full article.
Read More
UCC Webinar: Venezuela, Oil, and U.S. Imperialism
Faith communities are actively responding to the U.S. invasion of Venezuela as the U.S. seeks to control Venezuela's oil. In working to expand and strengthen these efforts, what do faith communities need to know about the situation faced? How can they act to prevent U.S. imperialism in Venezuela and other countries?
In addressing these questions, our webinar panelists will be Phyllis Bennis from the Institute for Policy Studies, Lisa Sullivan from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, and Tim Heishman from the Friends Committee on National Legislation.
Even if you cannot make the live event on Wednesday, February 11th at 11 am MST, still register, and we will send you a recording. Register today!
Read MoreEnvironmental Day at the Arizona Capitol 2026
Wednesday, February 11, 8:30 am - 2:00 pm
Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza
1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007
Join with the Sierra Club, Chispa Arizona, Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, AZ Youth Climate Coalition, Arizona Faith Network, and many other groups for the annual lobby day at the Arizona Capitol. Meet with your legislators, hear from great speakers, and connect with others who are doing advocacy work both inside and outside the Arizona Legislature. RSVP so we have enough materials, can put you in a team for legislative meetings, and can plan for food. This year's theme is "People Power for the Planet!"
Read MorePathways upcoming course schedule
Eco-Theology: Centering Creation in Love begins April 8, 2026
As with all subcategories of theology, ecotheology has many facets. In this course, we will engage with theological points of view across several expressions of American Christian thought: creation care within community, creation care as incarnational love, creation care as earthkeeping, and creation care as an expression of hope. A daily environmental observational journal of wonder for the duration of the course. This can be in any format, including digital, handwritten, sketched, video, audio, photographs, etc., and media may be mixed. Assignments based on the journal are included in Week 1, Week 4, and Week 6 of the course. Each week will have a different focus on the same environment.
Click through to see this and other course offerings.
Read MoreLiving in Covenant: Who We Are Together
In the United Church of Christ, we do not organize ourselves around control. We organize ourselves around a covenant. That word can sound formal or abstract, but covenant is deeply practical. It shapes how we relate to one another as local churches, authorized ministers, Committees on Ministry, and the Conference. Covenant is not a contract. It is not a hierarchy. It is a promise to walk together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Throughout Scripture, the covenant is the way God chooses to be in relationship with God’s people. In Genesis, God binds God’s self to Abraham. In Exodus, God forms a covenant community at Sinai. In Jeremiah, God promises a new covenant written on the heart. Covenant is God’s way of saying, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” It is relational, mutual, and enduring.
Our life together in the Southwest Conference reflects that same spirit.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s article.
Read More
Next Saturday Sharing: January 24: Then Let Us SING! New hymnal of The United Church of Canada
Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 10 am MST
To celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025, The United Church of Canada commissioned a group of 30 ministers, musicians and worship leaders to create a new hymnal. It was seven years in the making and the results are remarkable. Its globally-sourced collection of hymns “lifts up the intercultural and anti-racist commitment of the church with material that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, People of Color, French-speaking, Two-Spirit and LGBTQTTIA+ voices, and concerns of people with disabilities.” (TLUS preface) It reminds us of “faithful song as an antidote to fear,” and calls us to remember Jesus’ love for everyone.
Join three members of the development team as they discuss Then Let Us SING! and their experience in its creation.
Read MoreWhat do we mean when we talk about covenant?
A few weeks, I emailed our clergy to remind them that the 2025 Annual Information Review will take place soon. In that message, I also noted the need for the Conference to have each minister’s three-way or four-way covenant on file. Preparing that reminder led me to pause and reflect on a simple but important question: What do we mean when we talk about covenant?
In the United Church of Christ, the word covenant sits at the heart of who we are. We use it often, sometimes so often that it can sound like familiar church language. Covenant is worth slowing down for, because it names the way we choose to live together as God’s people.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s full article.
Read MoreYOUTH VOICES: BOLD FAITH Summer Youth Immersion 2026
Do you have youth in your congregation who are ready to make their voices heard in the halls of Congress? Join United Church of Christ youth from across the country in Washington, D.C. this June for Youth Voices: Bold Faith, a week-long immersion in faith-based advocacy, justice, and community.
This transformative experience is a collaboration between the UCC Office of Public Policy & Advocacy and UCC-NOWCYM (United Church of Christ Network of Wider Church Youth Ministries. Together, we’ll explore how our faith calls us to speak truth to power, stand up for what’s right, and work toward a world where all can thrive.
Participants will:
⭐️ Engage with leaders making change on Capitol Hill and beyond;
⭐️ Learn practical tools for organizing, advocacy, and public witness;
⭐️ Engage in Youth Leadership Development
⭐️ Build deep connections with peers who share your passion for justice and hope for the world.
Space is limited and individuals will be considered on an application basis. Youth who have just completed either 10th, 11th, or 12th grade by Summer 2026 are welcome to apply. Bring your courage, your convictions, and your voice. The world needs your leadership now more than ever. The application deadline is Sunday February 22, 2026.
Read MoreSave the date for the 2026 Annual Meeting!
The Southwest Conference will hold its 2026 Annual Meeting April 23–25 at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita, Arizona!
We’ve secured a block of rooms for the event at the Best Western for $130 per night (one king bed or two full beds), which includes a free breakfast. It’s located at 111 S La Canada Drive in Green Valley, an easy 10-minute drive down the street from the church.
Early registration will be available soon!
Read More
Nollau Leadership Enrollment Now Open!
Nollau Leadership Institute Class of 2026-27 Enrollment
The Nollau Leadership Institute is CHHSM’s signature program with more than 300 attendees in its 20+ years. Enrollment is open and the short online application can be found here. We invite you to make plans to participate in next year's class by registering now. A limited number of tuition scholarships are available to help offset the cost of the program.
Grounded in the health and human service organizations of the United Church of Christ, this program offers a unique space in which to experience leadership formation. Each year, Nollau brings together a community of leaders committed to creating a just, caring, and compassionate world. Such values deepen during the program, as participants grow in their leadership skills from a place of belonging. Cultivating this connection between others, the world, and within themselves is the heart of the Nollau experience.
Through retreats, online interactions, and peer mentoring, this program supports leadership formation through a variety of learning modalities and within a community of practice. The use of rituals, art, poetry, embodiment, and time to simply be in nature are all part of the program—alongside the interactive didactic sessions. You can learn more about the curriculum here.
Decentering Whiteness - A Journey of Faith and Transformation
Thursday, February 26, 6:00 pm on Zoom
In a world increasingly divided by race and power, our call as followers of Christ is to embody a radical love that ensures every child of God has a place at the center of the table. Join us for a 90 - minute introductory webinar, "Decentering Whiteness: Our Journey Together," where we will explore what it means to shift our church's focus away from dominant white cultural norms and toward a more inclusive, multiracial future. Using the robust resources and the three-level framework provided by the Southwest Conference UCC in its website, we will learn how to build a shared vocabulary, distinguish between racial justice and cultural decentering of whiteness, and move from foundational education into meaningful, visible action.
This interactive session is designed for both clergy and lay leaders who are ready to ask the "hard questions" in a spirit of grace and humility. Through thoughtful small group reflections and a guided tour of the SWC Resource Hub - featuring everything from the Seeing White podcast to practical guides for worship - you will leave with a clear roadmap for starting this pilgrimage in your own congregation. Whether your church is just beginning to talk about race or is ready to confront deep - seated institutional habits, this webinar offers the tools and community support needed to align our local ministries with God’s vision of justice and reconciliation.
Objectives: By the end of this training you will be able to:
Define and distinguish the concept of "Decentering Whiteness" from "Racial Justice" within a church context.
Identify at least ten specific habits that center whiteness in both congregational life and personal daily routines.
Develop a localized action plan to launch or engage with a Decentering Whiteness Task Force using the Southwest Conference’s three - level framework.
Supercharge Your Congregations’ Communications: Media Training for Church Leaders
Zoom on Tuesdays, February 3, 10, 17, 24, and March 3, 2026, 6:30-8 pm CT
We live in an “attention” economy in which media communication deeply matters. Yet our UCC congregations often lack basic education and training in how to meaningfully engage 21st-century media tools for communication.
This Media Training Course will equip church leaders, staff, and volunteers with the tools and confidence they need to share the church’s message of faith and hope effectively. The course covers topics such as media messaging, maximizing electronic and print communication, social media content creation, websites and digital storytelling, and online safety.
The course meets via Zoom on Tuesdays February 3, 10, 17, 24 and March 3, 2026, 6:30-8:00 pm CT. Thanks to grant funding, the Damascus Project can offer the course to lay people and clergy leaders at $50 per registrant, an incredible value.
The Damascus Project is the regional theological education ministry of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Conferences, United Church of Christ.
Read MoreEarly-Bird Registration Open for The Gathering: Many Gifts, One Spirit
Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, UCC
March 24-26, 2026
Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis
The theme is based on 1 Corinthians 12:4-7: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
Take advantage of the Early Bird Special: Register by February 9 to lock in early bird rates – that's $100 in savings per person! CHHSM member organizations as well as UCC offices, churches, and ministries should register under "Member General Admission."
The Gathering will draw some 500 leaders from Mennonite, Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, and the UCC related health and human service associations for three transformative days of networking, thought-provoking keynote presentations, and exceptional education on best practices, innovations, and critical issues shaping health and human service ministries.
Read More
Your Church and Pastors' Guide to 2026 Tax Readiness
Join CPA Elaine Sommerville for an exclusive Church Law & Tax webinar on the key tax updates churches and pastors need to know for 2026.
January 15th at 10 am MST Register here.
The new year brings new responsibilities—and new opportunities to get ahead. On January 15, join CPA Elaine Sommerville for a practical, expert-led webinar on what churches need to know as they prepare for the 2026 tax season. This exclusive opportunity is made possible by Church Law & Tax and The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc.
Read More
Join us for the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us for the 2026 Statewide Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a gathering of Christians from across Arizona committed to prayer, fellowship, and the visible unity of Christ’s Church. Please join Rev. Dr. Toni Hawkins, Conference Minister of the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ, along with other church leaders from throughout Arizona, at Historic Tanner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 20 South 8th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034, on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 6:30 PM.
This year’s service will be graciously hosted by The Rev’d Dr. Benjamin N. Thomas, Sr. and the congregation of Historic Tanner Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. The service is part of the global Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, with worship materials prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church and used by churches around the world.
This statewide ecumenical prayer service offers an opportunity to gather with Christians from many traditions to pray for unity, deepen relationships, and bear witness together to the reconciling love of Christ. All are welcome.
Read MoreWhy I Go to Church Now
“Church is not where my spirituality began again—it is where I continue to practice it, alongside others seeking connection, meaning, and healing.”
Click through to read Gordon's full article.
Read MoreA New Year: Presence That Grounds Us - 2026
In this article, you’ll find:
A reflection on the close of the Christmastide season and the beginning of a new year.
The introduction of the SWC 2026 theme: Presence That Grounds Us.
A reaffirmation of the Conference’s commitment to C.A.R.E.S. and walking alongside congregations and leaders.
A look ahead to the Annual Meeting, the CARES Pilgrimage of Presence, and other opportunities for connection.
A word of gratitude for the faithful service of Holly Herman and her role in sharing the stories of our churches.