Weekly Reflection from The Spirit CalendarThe Power is Still OnNews and AnnouncementsSilver Lake NewsSHARON -- There's lots going on at Silver Lake! Summer conference registration is open, the Maple Sugaring and Spring Action weekends are coming up, and there's still space available if you're hoping to bring a group to God's back yard for a retreat experience. 01/27/2012New Minister Profile: Rev. Ginny McDaniel and Rev. Nada SellersGRANBY -- Ginny McDaniel and Nada Sellers were searching for a church that looked to the future and would consider new ways of becoming a church. At First Congregational Church of Granby, they found that church, through very different paths. 01/25/2012New England Conference Ministers Extend Invitation to 2012 Lenten Carbon FastFRAMINGHAM, MA -- The six leaders of New England's United Church of Christ Conferences have joined together to ask leaders, members, and friends of UCC churches throughout the region to join in the 2012 Lenten Carbon Fast. Those who sign up will receive daily messages throughout Lent with a suggested carbon-reducing activity. This year, four bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts have added their names to the summons to fast. 01/24/2012Steps on a Long Journey: the Saugatuck Church Moves Forward After November FireWESTPORT -- From the Post Road that runs along its front, the facade of the Saugatuck Congregational Church UCC looks reassuringly normal. The 180-year-old meetinghouse door beckons invitingly, the white spire leads the eye to the heavens. Many have told Trustees Chair John Walsh something along the lines of, "Oh, good. It wasn't as bad as I heard." When he hears this, Walsh replies, "You need to see what's inside." One result of the severe damage is that investigators have been unable to isolate the cause of the November 20 fire. 01/24/2012Burglars Strike Central Connecticut CongregationsROCKY HILL -- At least three United Church of Christ congregations are among those whose facilities have suffered break-ins by burglars in the last two weeks. According to media stories and in conversations with Conference staff, the intruders have so far sought ready cash, but have generally left a mess in their wake. 01/23/2012Bread for the World's David Beckmann Visits TollandTOLLAND -- The United Congregational Church UCC of Tolland continued its practice of observing the Martin Luther King Day weekend by welcoming a leader in justice and peace work to its parish and pulpit. "I'm feeling really upbeat right now; more upbeat than anyone I know," said the Rev. David Beckmann, President of the anti-hunger advocacy organization Bread for the World. After a year when aid to the poor in the Federal budget stood at the edge of the precipice time after time, he marveled, "At the end of the day, what's amazing is that there were no major cuts to programs focused on poor people." 01/23/2012Touchstones with History: Shifting CalendarsHARTFORD -- Why is January the first month of the year? Why is December, which literally means the "tenth month" in Latin, really the twelfth month? The answer is the old Roman/Julian calendar. 01/23/2012Bringing A Word for JusticeHARTFORD -- On the evening of Martin Luther King Day, worshipers from around the Hartford area came to Faith Congregational Church UCC to sing, pray, and hear "A Word of Justice:" or more accurately, several words of justice. In addition to a stirring message from guest preacher the Rev. Dr. Alvin Jackson, senior pastor of the Park Avenue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in New York City, three additional speakers expanded the concept to include racial, social, and economic concerns, and high on the wall video clips of King himself grounded the assembly in the power and passion of the civil rights leader. 01/18/2012CTUCC Celebrates Local Church Giving on Achieving 2011 GoalsHARTFORD -- As the Connecticut Conference reached the last day on which financial staff could credit local church contributions to 2011 giving, Associate Conference Minister Patricia R. Bjorling was able to announce that the 2011 goals for Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) Basic Support and Fellowship Dues (or per capita) have been achieved. Total church giving from these two sources is over $2.2 million. 01/13/2012Educational Missionaries Betty and Ken Frank Visiting in MayHARTFORD -- Common Global missionaries Betty and Ken Frank, who have served overseas for forty-one years, will be in Connecticut May 1-31, 2012, and available to visit local churches at worship, for evening gatherings, and with leadership committees to share stories of their work. The Franks currently serve as co-general secretaries of the American Board with the Health and Education Foundation in Istanbul, Turkey. 01/12/2012Somers Members Come Together for WorshipSOMERS -- A week earlier, they had gathered for a single worship service on New Year's Day in their 170-year-old meetinghouse. On January 8, they met across the street in the lower level of the Somers Town Hall. As they came in, they passed the blackened beams and toppled columns of their worship space, destroyed by a late-night fire just a week before. 01/11/2012Considering a Call to Work for GodSHARON -- Eleven young people and nine adult advisers spent the first full weekend of January at Silver Lake Conference Center considering and discerning the call of God. This first Members' Retreat of the Thinking About Working for God program concentrated on the message that all persons have a gift from God, given them so that they may change the world. As witnessed by the tears glistening in the eyes of their adult advisers over the course of the weekend, all eleven young people took hold of their gifts, and began to transform those around them. 01/11/2012The Connecticut Conference UCC: 2011 in ReviewHARTFORD -- The Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ published a number of stories of ministry and of concern over the course of 2011. As the new year begins, we share just a few of the milestones of the previous year. 01/04/2012Giving Thanks! ConnTact: November, 2011HARTFORD -- The season of Thanksgiving is at hand, and it is to that spiritual discipline that ConnTact comes as well. Stories in this issue consider the struggles and the grace of looking at the realities of God's grace in the world, found in Scripture, circumstance, relationships, and within the human heart. 11/18/2011 |
Contact Us
Voice: (866) 367-2822 CTUCC This Week Email UpdatesConferenceCast 63: 1/26/2012
News BriefsConference Seeks Nominees for Living Waters Award Getting a New Car? Donate the Old One to Silver Lake! Come to Camp! Silver Lake Registration is Open AA Clergy Group to Meet February 6 Youth in Orange to Raise Funds for Habitat with Overnight "Freeze Out" Selected Programs and Announcements: December, 2011 Upcoming EventsConfirmation Retreat -- FULLJan. 27 - 29 -- As you may know, there is a new theme and...Goods and Services Auction for Silver LakeJan. 28, 7:00 - 9:00 pm -- The United Congregational Church UCC of Tolland is holding their...Fifth Tuesday Gatherings for Interim Pastors: CommunicationJan. 31, 9:30 am - noon -- The day's program is an opern conversation with the Connecticut...Stepping Stones: Beyond BannersFeb. 1, 2012, 6:00 - 8:30 pm -- Discover new ways to help others create meaning-filled works of...Woodbury Leadership Workshop: "Pursuing the Vision"Feb. 2, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm -- We're extremely excited that we have two outstanding presenters. In...Confirmation RetreatFeb. 3 - 5 -- As you may know, there is a new theme and...National Preach-in on Global WarmingFeb. 10 - 12 -- In February, hundreds of faith leaders of different religious traditions...Upcoming HolidaysJanuary 29: Health and Human Service Sunday February 5: UCC Women's Week Begins February 12: Racial Justice Sunday February 14: Valentine's Day
February 22: Ash Wednesday
February 26: Church Vocations Sunday February 26: Seminary Sunday |
|
More News ConnTact Online |
Events List and Search Featured Events |
