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Pending review, we’ll publish it on the website and our weekly newsletter, In the Loop.
There comes a moment in every believer’s journey when God places a calling, an assignment, or an opportunity in front of us — and we must decide whether we’re going to tiptoe into it or step forward with a bold, unapologetic YES.
Now, let me be clear: saying yes to God doesn’t mean you suddenly stop being nervous, unsure, or overwhelmed. Oh no. Sometimes that YES comes with shaking hands, a racing heart, and a whole lot of “Lord, are You sure You meant me?” But something shifts the moment we stop doubting and start agreeing with what God already spoke over our lives.
My YES, this season has stretched me. Seminary stretches me. Ministry stretches me. Office leadership stretches me. But instead of shrinking back, I’m learning to stand tall in the assignment — because if God called me to it, then He already equipped me for it.
Confidence isn’t pretending we have everything under control. Confidence is remembering Who does.
Click through to keep reading.
If a Local Church has UCC Standing (Schedule 0) and is Active in the Database and Directories, they can go to the UCC.org website, and under Resources, there is a heading “Request 501(c)(3) Group Exemption Letter.” (Or simply click this link and bookmark it!) This link is directed to the Office of General Counsel webpage and a button, which allows churches to search for their church and download a letter with the church’s name and address on it. This is also useful for donors who are attempting to verify a church’s 501(c)(3) status. Churches do not have to log in to Database and Directories to download a letter.
This week I’ll be in New Mexico for the second half of the SWC clergy retreat. Picture a group of pastors trying to rest, reflect, and figure out which suitcase the snacks ended up in. I will be out of the office for a bit, but I’m still around in spirit; just with fewer emails and more time to breathe.
Retreats always seem to hit right when the holidays start rolling in. While folks are planning dinners and checking flight times, clergy are pulling out Advent materials, hunting for the extra candles, and hoping the office copier behaves at least until Christmas Eve. Stepping away for a few days helps me settle my mind before the busy season arrives.
Thanks for your patience while I’m gone. As clergy, we should look after each other, keep the church lifted in prayer, and try not to let all the committees meet on the same day. I’ll be back soon, ready for the season ahead, and probably carrying a few too many leftover retreat snacks.
Across the nation, the recent sweep of key races by Democrats has sparked a renewed sense of hope. For many, it felt like a collective exhale a reminder that our voices, our votes, and our values still matter. In a time when democracy feels fragile and compassion sometimes seems out of style, these wins were a small but significant light breaking through the fog.
But let’s be real even with political victories, the world around us still feels unstable. People are losing jobs. Families are watching SNAP benefits decrease or disappear altogether. The ongoing government shutdown hangs in the air like a storm cloud. Prices are rising faster than paychecks, and for too many, it’s not about thriving anymore it’s about surviving.
So how do we hold onto hope when everything around us feels uncertain? How do we keep the faith when the headlines are filled with chaos, conflict, and confusion?
Click through to keep reading Shandrika’s article.
On Sunday, November 9, we had the honor of worshipping and ordaining Rev. Sonja Haller.
What a sacred and joy-filled moment for all of us! After worship, we gathered to capture the smiles, the tears, the family love, and the community that stands with her. Surrounded by her beautiful family, her church family, her pastor Rev. Dr. Tom Martinez, and our Associate Conference Minister Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, the Spirit was truly in the room.
We also extend our deep appreciation to COM A and their representatives present today—thank you for your wisdom, presence, and support in this meaningful milestone.
Rev. Haller, we celebrate you.
Your calling is clear. Your light is steady. Your heart is ready.
And yes, the best is yet to come.
“Being confident of this, that the One who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 1:6
Congratulations, Rev. Sonja Haller. We are rejoicing with you.
From Katie Allred in the Church Communications Facebook Group:
Hey friends, quick warning for your teams.
A church I’m connected with was targeted this week by a TikTok creator. They called the church office pretending to be a mom with a hungry baby who needed formula right now.
The receptionist responded the way a lot of our teams would:
She explained they didn’t have formula on site
She immediately pointed the caller to several local food pantries the church partners with that DO stock formula and help families every day
The caller was secretly recording.
They then posted the audio with a headline like:
“Church turns away starving baby”
The video blew up.
Now the church is getting:
Thousands of angry comments
A wave of 1-star Google reviews from people who’ve never been there
Trolls piling on across platforms
All of this is happening during a federal government shutdown, when:
SNAP benefits are being delayed, cut, or thrown into chaos for millions of people
Families who depend on those benefits are legitimately terrified about how they’ll feed their kids this month
So we’re in this strange moment where:
Real need is rising, and
Outrage content is farming that pain for views.
And your front desk team is standing right in the middle of it.
Read some helpful tips from this church communications pro—click through to read the article and get a link to a helpful script.
Theology of Gender and Sexuality begins January 7, 2026
This course explores a wide range of theological dimensions of and approaches to human sexuality, including gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, sexual activity, sexual health and well-being, reproductive justice, family systems and arrangements, and systems, including ecclesial systems that assign meaning, power, and hierarchies to different aspects of sexuality.
PATHWAYS Winter 2026 Schedule, Six-week courses beginning on January 7
Introducing the Old Testament (Dickinson/MBS)**
Environmental Literacy in God's Creation
Stories of Christian Saints and Sinners
Faith Formation (Children, Youth,Adults)
Theology of Gender and Sexuality
**(Introductory Level 1 Bible Course based on The Exploring the Bible Dickinson Series by Rev. Anne Robertson, published by the Massachusetts Bible Society.)
The UCC History and Polity 12-week course also begins January 7, 2026.
Go to the PATHWAYS website (pathwaystheological.org) to learn more and to apply for this and other courses.
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is seeking a talented professional to drive the external and internal engagement of our ecumenical, justice, and advocacy agenda. This position offers an exciting opportunity to lead and implement strategic communications initiatives, from conception to execution, aimed at promoting our vision, mission, and values. The Communications Officer will be responsible for managing the organization’s overall communications and marketing strategy, including written and verbal communications, media relations, and relationship building with key contacts in Washington, D.C.
As the 2025 Advent season nears, new United Church of Christ resources invite people to engage with past prophets, abolitionists, and wisdom in order to make a way forward – carrying hope and expectation through difficult times.
Linked here, find worship resources and devotional offerings from Sermon Seeds and Worship Ways, Racial Justice Ministries, Pilgrim Press, the Pension Boards’ Christmas Fund, Bread for the World, and UCC Movement for Palestinian Solidarity.
UCC Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries is thrilled to extend our Love is Louder offerings to include The Book of Love! Within this first edition are the voices of our wider church offering their poetry, devotional reflections, and liturgy with Gospel of inclusion embodied.