WESTPORT -- Saugatuck Congregational Church celebrated Pentecost Sunday with a youth worship featuring a dramatic performance titled "Let It Shine, Let It Shine, Let It Shine." The play, written and produced by the 7th and 8th graders and their teachers, was the 14th annual production of the Story Tent Players. 05/20/2013
OLD LYME -- The members of The First Congregational Church UCC of Old Lyme, announced the call of the Rev. Steven R. Jungkeit as their new Senior Minister following a "candidating" service on May 12 in which he delivered the sermon. This vote followed the United Church of Christ procedure in which the members cast a vote of affirmation on their senior ministers. 05/17/2013
PLANTSVILLE -- It was a joyous day for two congregations of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ -- Plantsville Congregational UCC and the First Congregational Church UCC of Bristol -- when the Rev. Kathleen T. Cunliffe was ordained on Sunday, April 21. 05/17/2013
HARTFORD -- The Connecticut Conference UCC announced today the availability of grants to small churches through the Crossroads Fund. The purpose of these grants is to support the needs of small churches facing financial and membership challenges that may impact the future of the congregation. The Crossroads Fund was established through gifts from the First United Church of Christ in Bridgeport. 05/14/2013
MILFORD -- They were not content to rest on their laurels and their rave reviews. Fourth and fifth graders at the First United Church of Christ Congregational in Milford's have just released a new three-and-a-half minute video depiction of some of the miracles of Jesus. Christ's love and care for all people -- not just the wealthy, popular, or powerful -- shines clearly in their version. 05/13/2013
BRIDGEPORT -- The 3rd Annual Youth Revival was held at the United Congregational Church in Bridgeport on Friday. Youth and adults gathered from around the state for worship and to celebrate their own declarations of faith. 05/13/2013
NEW WINDSOR, MD -- As the 2,500th CWS Emergency Cleanup Bucket arrived yesterday in flood-ravaged Illinois, Church World Service appealed urgently for people to replenish its rapidly dwindling supply. Heavy precipitation from early 2013 storms and floods has resulted in widespread and severe flooding in Illinois and other states. 05/08/2013
SHARON -- Now is the time. As our UCC environmental leaders (including the large CTUCC contingent) all over the country proclaimed at the Leaders in Koinonia (LinK) event in Cleveland recently, climate change is the "container" issue of our time. It is our call to action as people of faith, and our mission as stewards of God's Creation and of Outdoor Ministry. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce the Environmental Justice Center at Silver Lake. 05/06/2013
SHARON -- Rooted in her transformational experience as a long-time (and current) Silver Laker, Pam brings twelve years of professional experience in the fields of sustainability education, policy development, community involvement, and consensus building work to her role as Sustainability Director. 05/06/2013
SHARON -- As part of the Connecticut Conference's renewed commitment to environmental stewardship, Silver Lake Conference Center hosted a "Train the Trainer" workshop on Environmental Justice April 12th through 14th. Led by the Rev. Jim Deming, Minister of Environmental Justice for the United Church of Christ, and Pam Arifian, Director of Sustainability at Silver Lake, the group consisted of about 10 lay leaders from local UCC communities. 05/06/2013
CORNWALL -- The United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational is truly immersing its members into earth care issues -- by hosting an upcoming vesper service at the local landfill. But it's not just any landfill. It's an award-winning trash collection facility recognized for its high production volume and advanced efficiency. 05/06/2013
SOMERS -- On a sunny afternoon in May, construction-helmeted workers checked and double-checked the heavy sling attached to the yoke and frame of the new thousand-pound bell of the Somers Congregational United Church of Christ. Minutes before, parishioners and friends stood together as pastor the Rev. Dr. Barry Cass dedicated it in prayer: and then they cheeered when the gleaming bronze swung easily on its yoke and raised its voice in Somers for the very first time. Then a great crane lifted bell and frame together and gently placed it in the steel framework of Somers' new steeple, rising airily into the blue sky. 05/06/2013
HARTFORD -- Sky overhead. Earth below. Living things around us. Stone and sand and soil. This is the stuff that makes our planet so precious and so blessed. In this issue of ConnTact, we tell the stories of Connecticut Conference churches and people caring for God's good Earth. 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- Two bombs at the conclusion of the Boston Marathon, a week-long intensive on Multi-Cultural and Multi-Racial training in Cambridge, MA, a massive man-hunt, a lock-down at a hotel in Chelsea, MA, five medications for a recovering puppy, an inspiring meet and greet with our Candidate for Conference Minister and a special meeting with a joyous Election of a NEW Conference Minister. That was quite a week! 05/03/2013
HARTFORD -- The following changes in ministerial positions have been reported to the Connecticut Conference during the month of April. 05/03/2013
SUWON, SOUTH KOREA -- As ministers and delegates of the Connecticut Conference UCC gathered in New Britain on April 20th to elect the Rev. Kent J. Siladi as the new Conference Minister, another pair of eyes watched the social network feeds hungrily to learn the results. Minister of Communications and Technology the Rev. Eric Anderson, along with Korean Partnership co-Chair Irene Choi, heard the good news via Twitter from the far side of the world, where they represented the Conference at the 176th Annual Meeting of the Kyung-Ki Presbytery at Immanuel Church in Suwon. 04/30/2013
BOSTON, MA -- They came from all over New England, and from several Christian traditions. Some were lay, some were ordained, some were church leaders at the conference or diocesan levels. Some were hopeful, some were joyful, some were distressed, some were afraid: What they shared was a conviction that it is time, and past time, to serve and revive our home planet, Earth. 04/30/2013
WASHINGTON, DC -- Surrounded by more than 3,300 grave makers on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the Rev. Matt Crebbin of Newtown Congregational United Church of Christ and fellow Newtown clergy are standing for the thousands who have fallen victim to gun violence in the United States. The clergy members, joined by leaders of faith organizations from the PICO National Network and Sojourners in their 24-hour Thursday vigil, are calling on Congress to vote on gun-violence prevention legislation. 04/12/2013
SHARON -- Environmental stewardship is not a new idea at Silver Lake Conference Center. At the beginning of each week during the summer, and on Friday nights for our weekend guests, we ask our friends staying with us here in God's Backyard to be conscious of their energy use. If you're the last one out of the room, turn off the light. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Use just one paper towel to dry your hands. Start out with a smaller portion of food to avoid waste. You can always take seconds! 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- Because I drive a lot in the course of my job as Associate Conference Minister for Generosity Ministries for the Connecticut Conference, I hear a lot of news radio -- both the actual news shows and the commentary that fills the time slots in between. 04/12/2013
COLUMBIA -- In an effort toward environmental awareness, Columbia Congregational Church has been looking at God's world in a number of ways leading up to and including the Mission 4/1 Earth campaign. Some are continuing, some completed, and others still in the planning stages. 04/12/2013
LEDYARD -- On a Sunday in February, the First Congregational Church UCC of Ledyard hosted the first in a series of educational events on genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and GMO labeling practices. This discussion was sponsored by the Connecticut Conference's Environmental Ministry Team as part of their efforts to fulfill a resolution calling for the study of GMO labeling passed at the 145th Annual Meeting of the Conference last October. 04/12/2013
LEDYARD -- For sure, children can be excused for thinking that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. But when young adults have similar issues, this is of concern to all of us. Last year an organization called LEAF (which stands for Linking Environment and Farming) did a survey in the United Kingdom. They questioned 2,000 16-23 year olds. These young adults were asked to match up images of staple foods -- such as milk, butter, bacon, and oil (in the UK bacon and butter are staple foods) -- with where those foods come from. Four out of ten young adults did not connect milk as coming from cows. 04/12/2013
GRANBY -- Granby, Connecticut. Forty-one square miles of rural beauty. A town where over one-quarter of the land will be forever preserved as open space. A community where, according to some local folklorists, horses and cows outnumber people. It's no wonder, then, that the members of the First Congregational Church UCC of Granby have embraced Mission 4/1 Earth in a big way. 04/12/2013
GLASTONBURY -- In this edition of Youth Speak, Connecticut Conference Media Assistant Drew Page interviews Piper Swinton, age 15, from the South Glastonbury Congregational Church UCC, Glastonbury. 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- Among the stories of congregational plans for Earth care during the 50 great days of Mission 4/1 Earth, there are these: 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- Did you know that there is an active Green Movement in our Connecticut Conference churches? It takes various shapes and forms. In some churches it has been a part of the congregational landscape for a long time, while in others it is a brand new phenomenon. 04/12/2013
WOODSTOCK -- The First Congregational Church UCC of Woodstock (Hill Church) will culminate fifty days of earth care with a celebration concert of the Missa Gaia/Earth Mass by Paul Winter on Sunday, May 19. "This is a wonderful piece that incorporates calls of wolves, whales, and other animals into the music," said choir director Ted Bradley. "It's a perfect way to wrap up our seven week focus on earth care!" 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- If you're not distracted by the moustache in my photo, you'll notice the glasses. I've worn corrective lenses since I was six. My parents knew they needed to have my eyes checked because, when the family took car trips, I stopped announcing the exits on the highway. I couldn't read the signs. 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- The Wildman Farm was known throughout its region as a successful and efficient operation. Location, weather and soil favored the reliable production of the corn, oats, soybeans, and livestock typical of the Upper Midwest. In one challenging year, my grandfather declared, "We've always had a crop. 'Guess we always will." The 2012 growing season strongly challenged my grandfather's assumption. 04/12/2013
HARTFORD -- The Connecticut Conference Minister Search Committee and Board of Directors announced March 4th the recommendation of the Rev. Kent Siladi, the Florida Conference Minister and a former Regional Minister in Connecticut, to be the next Conference Minister. The Conference will hold a Special Meeting on April 20th at the First Church of Christ in New Britain, at which time Conference ministers and delegates will be asked to formally vote to extend the call to him. 04/12/2013
WINDSOR -- You never know where a relationship will take you. In the case of the First Church in Windsor UCC, a partnership with the Farmington River Watershed Association is taking the congregation of 500 members into a significant riverfront cleanup project as part of Mission 4/1 Earth. "Our church overlooks the river, and our property goes right down to the river," said the Rev. Rick Huleatt, senior pastor of one of the oldest churches in the country. "So we decided -- what can we do to help?" 04/12/2013
NEW BRITAIN -- Over the course of about eight hours on Good Friday, mural artist Kevin Boudreau repeatedly climbed a stepladder balanced before the doors of South Congregational UCC/First Baptist Church in New Britain, bearing the cans of spray paint from which emerged the startling image of Christ on the cross. This bearded Jesus, however, bore a set of contemporary looks, both masculine and feminine. The word "Faith" was tattooed on his outstretched right arm where it emerged from a tattered sleeve, and his hands bore the fingerless gloves so beloved by today's urban youth. Above the completed work, South Church's lead pastor the Rev. George Harris nailed a hand-lettered cardboard sign bearing the famous words from Matthew 25: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." 04/01/2013
