Come One, Come All to the 2024 Annual Meeting!

We warmly welcome everyone to our 2024 Annual Meeting, June 7 - 8 (Friday and Saturday) at the College of St. Benedict, in St. Joseph, MN.

REGISTRATION by May 29 so housing and meals can be prepared and ready for your arrival.

Annual Meeting Volunteers Needed

Are you attending the Annual Meeting at the College of St. Benedict on June 7 & 8? We are looking for volunteers to help in various roles throughout that weekend. Here are the areas you can help:

• Registration Desk Help
• Parking Lot Greeters
• Vote Counting
• Offering Counters
• Ushers for worship
• Communion Setup
• Communion servers
• Golf Cart Driver

If you are available to help in any of these ways, please email Sandy Kellen at your earliest convenience. 

Pre-Annual Meeting Music Jam: All Are Welcome!

Bring an instrument and your listening ears and tapping feet on Thursday, June 6, 7:30 – 9:30 pm at St. Benedict’s College. We will kick off pre-Annual Meeting fun with a Music Jam. Anyone who plays an instrument and is interested in playing with others is welcome to join in the jam. Anyone who just wants to enjoy some music on a summer evening with colleagues and friends is also welcome to join the fun. This is an informal opportunity to play and hear music, have some fun and relax. All voices and feeling welcome, sound-makers, too.

Plugged or unplugged is optional with audio considerations for participants. Reach out to Kelly Gallagher (kellyg@uccmn.org) if you have any questions. Beer, wine, and other beverages will be available for purchase.

MN Conference UCC Anti-Racism Ad Hoc Committee Update on Proposed Bylaw Change

by Conee Biggs, Falcon Heights UCC and Jean Chagnon, First Congregational Church of MN, UCC, Minneapolis

Anti-racism … dismantling white supremacy … creating the beloved community of God. These are all mighty tasks.

The conference Anti-Racism Ad Hoc Group has been wrestling with the enormity of the work over the last 18 months. There is still much to discover, discern, and consider about how we move forward in this important work. Nonetheless, one thing that has become very clear within the Ad Hoc group is the necessity of a permanent home within the conference for this work.

Thus, the Anti-racism Ad Hoc Group has recommended to the board of directors an amendment to our conference bylaws that establishes a new permanent committee that will shepherd the work moving forward. The Ad Hoc group is pleased to report that the Board approved our recommendation, voting unanimously to send to the membership a bylaw change that would establish the Committee to Dismantle White Supremacy. The full text of the proposed by-law change is here.

In short, we envision this new standing committee as a catalyst for dismantling the culture of white supremacy in the Minnesota Conference. While dismantling white supremacy is itself and important goal, the transformation we ultimately seek is a new and more life-giving way of being church. This transformation will require collaboration between this new Committee and the already established functions of the conference – conference’s board, committees, and working groups. Finally, dismantling white supremacy necessarily has a principle focus on the legacy of racism in American culture because of the primacy of institutional racism in our history. Nonetheless the work of the Committee is intended to be intersectional and thus bringing into the center any and all who have been marginalized.

The Ad Hoc group strongly believes that establishing this standing committee, is an essential step to ensure that our commitment to transforming the Conference can be manifested. Further this committee will better create more alignment between who we say we want to be and how we operate. During the Annual Meeting, and in additional commentary articles, you will all have an opportunity to hear more about the journey that brought us to these recommendations as well as understand in more detail the work envisioned for this committee. 

Why Do the Work of Anti-Racism?

In advance of the Annual Meeting, members of the Conference's Ad Hoc Anti-Racism Committee are sharing brief video reflections about why they are involved in this work.

This week, Jean Chagnon of First Congregational Church of MN, UCC, Minneapolis, shares how she was drawn to anti-racism work because it is the work of building the beloved community. View the video below.

READ MORE ABOUT THE COMMITTEE'S WORK TO DATE

Impromptu Fourth Thursday Gathering and Listening Session

Thursday, May 23, 11:30 am–1:30 pm

Minnesota Church Center

REGISTER

The Conference staff have missed convening our Fourth Thursday gatherings for faith formation leaders, so let's get together. Join Kevin Brown, Associate Conference Minister, and Sheri Nelson, Outdoor Ministry Director, for food, fun, and conversation. This will be a time to reconnect with colleagues and to participate in the Conference's assessment process for faith formation and outdoor ministries. Kevin and Sheri will facilitate a 45 to 60-minute listening session to hear from our faith formation leaders about their experiences of the Conference's faith formation and outdoor ministries and how the Conference can better support local congregations and leaders in these vital areas of ministry.

Registration Closes May 29 for Boundaries and Anti-Racism Trainings

Not-Your-Average Boundaries Training

June 6, College of St. Benedict

REGISTER

This training is focused on strategies to foster emotional resiliency and well-being. This training is lively and interactive, full of reflection and conversation – and even laughter. To receive credit for the program, participants must be present for all six (6) hours. This course meets the standing requirements for the Minnesota Conference UCC.

What Do We Mean by White Supremacy – and What Does it Have to Do with Me?

Thu, Jun 6, 2024 9:30 am – 5:00 pm, College of St. Benedict

REGISTER HERE

We will reflect on the meaning of white supremacy and how it impacts our churches, culture and way of being in the world. We will also have time to discuss the bylaw change coming before the Annual Meeting to establish a Committee to Dismantle White Supremacy. This training meets the standing requirements for authorized ministers in the Minnesota Conference UCC.

Discounted Registration for Regional Youth Event Ends Today, May 15

Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

July 17-20, 2024

REGISTER (Discounted registration ends May 15)

Join hundreds of youth from United Church of Christ congregations in Minnesota and across the Great Lakes and West Central regions for three days of connection, fun, worship, service, and learning. We are excited to be working with The Many to provide music, worship, and program leadership. The Minnesota Conference UCC will provide grants to congregations to offset transportation costs and can help arrange carpooling among congregations. Scholarship funds are also available to help offset registration costs. Please contact Kevin Brown for more information or with any questions.

Deadline Extended to May 29 for Effective Transitional Leadership Training

Mon June 10–Wed June 12

9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day, in person

MN Council of Churches, 122 W Franklin Ave, Minneapolis

Led by Rev. Chris Hart

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

This course will equip authorized ministers to serve in transitional settings and to serve well in times of transition no matter where they may be. The course is taught by Interim Ministry Network faculty and endorsed by the Interim Ministry Network.

Animating Antiracism for Faith Formation

Online cohorts forming now

REGISTER

The Minnesota Conference UCC in partnership with Network of Wider Church Youth Ministers (NOWCYM) and the Faith INFO Team of the United Church of Christ, announces Animating Antiracism in Faith Formation, a new program to help dismantle systemic racism.

Animating Antiracism for Faith Formation is a curriculum that was developed by Crossroads, an organization at the forefront of addressing white supremacy culture. The program was crafted specifically for the church, and offers a platform for learning, reflection, and dialogue. A crew of gifted facilitators have been trained by Crossroads and we are pleased to announce that registration is now open.

Animating Antiracism includes four 30-minute video modules that can be watched independently and six hours of contact time for discussion led by teams of two facilitators. NOWCYM has created several cohorts that meet a variety of busy schedules. Participants may choose from a two-day retreat, consecutive weekly meetings, or every other week formats. All cohorts will meet via Zoom and will be made of up of individuals from diverse contexts and backgrounds across the UCC. The cost for the six-hour engagement is $60 per person.

Joys & Concerns

The Committee on Ministry will host an Ecclesiastical Council for Jerry Locula on Thursday, May 30, at 6:30 pm. Delegates and guests are invited to join in person at Peace UCC in Rochester and via Zoom. This is an opportunity for our member churches to participate in the Conference’s discernment for our candidates for ordination. Please plan to join this important process as we must have a quorum for this candidate to move forward in the process. Read Jerry Locula's ordination paper and contact See Chang, COM administrative assistant at COMadmin@uccmn.org with any questions or for more info.

Upcoming Conference Events

• June 6: Not Your Average Boundaries Training (registration closes 5/29)
• June 6: What Do We Mean by White Supremacy Training (registration closes 5/29)
• June 7-8: Annual Meeting
• June 10-12: Effective Transitional Leadership Training
• July 17-20: Regional Youth Event
• August 11-13: Clergy Family Retreat
• September 13-15: Women's Retreat: You Are a Story
• October 11-13: Fall Conference Youth Event

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