HARTFORD (08/11/2008) -- This month's issue highlights May's inspirational Annual Meeting and its celebration of creativity and the arts. It also tells the story of the end of Amistad's year-long Atlantic Freedom Tour, considers the effects of racial discrimination on health care, and tells the stories of a number of recent mission trips in and out of the country.
CLEVELAND -- While on vacation a couple of years ago, my wife Pat and I scheduled a summer day's visit to the Church House, the UCC's headquarters at 700 Prospect Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. I highly recommend this occasion as many of you are already planning ahead to travel to the 27th General Synod in Grand Rapids, Michigan next June. 08/11/2008
MIDDLETOWN -- About 500 pastors, church leaders, delegates, young people, and creative souls gathered on Saturday, May 10, at South Congregational Church UCC for the Spring Session of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference. Those present explored their place as co-creators with God in a celebration of music, dance, drama, and visual arts, led by keynoter the Rev. Cliff Aerie, Minister for Special Events, Creativity and the Arts of the United Church of Christ. 08/11/2008
HARTFORD -- It has been nearly three years since the devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck along the Gulf Coast in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. During that time, local churches and individual church members in the Connecticut Conference have offered an overwhelming response in prayer, donations and hands-on work. 08/11/2008
HARTFORD -- The Connecticut Conference has announced the creation of a new Associate Conference Minister position, that of Generosity Ministries, which will function at the Conference's senior staff level. 08/11/2008
OAXACA, MEXICO -- In the 1980's and 90's, Bryan Nurnberger grew up in the Naugatuck Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, absorbing a message of compassion from his parents, pastors, teachers, and youth leaders. This April, he played guide and host to an eleven-member Silver Lake mission team as they lived in Oaxaca, Mexico with needy children and constructed a home for a family living at the local dump: working hard, laughing often, cementing friendships, deepening faith, and opening their hearts. 08/11/2008
MANSFIELD -- A year ago, the delegates to the annual meeting voted in favor of a resolution that called for quality, affordable healthcare for all. There was no debate on the floor and the vote was nearly unanimous. Most of us, it seems, understand that the present system of delivering healthcare is not working well and that change is imperative. 08/11/2008
HARTFORD -- Do you have a passion for mission? Are you interested in energizing your congregation through global mission involvement? Have you had or would you like to have an experience serving overseas? 08/11/2008
NEW ORLEANS -- In April, a small but mighty band of Nutmeggers (Maryland Grier and Suzanne Robinson of Faith Congregational Church in Hartford, and Anne Kirkpatrick and I from Somers Congregational Church) traveled to New Orleans with our limited construction skills and big hearts. We came back with the ability to tile and grout a floor, but also with saddened hearts that so much more still needs to be done. 08/11/2008
HARTFORD -- Through distressing events this spring, the American public, and members of the United Church of Christ in particular, were reminded how painful the issue of race continues to be in this country. Following the publicity generated by remarks made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Rev. John Thomas, on behalf of the Collegium, issued an invitation to the churches of the UCC to inaugurate Sacred Conversations concerning race on May 18. Many pastors accepted the invitation, preaching on the issue then or a Sunday soon after. 08/11/2008
BLOOMFIELD -- The Rev. Dr. Samuel W. Fogal died on Saturday, July 5, 2008. Sam served churches in Baltimore, Maryland and Darien, Connecticut before joining the Connecticut Conference staff in January, 1984. He was the Minister of the Department of Church Life and Leadership for the twelve and a half years he was on the staff, and he also served for a number of years as an Area Minister, providing Conference connection to the churches of the Southwest area of the state. 08/11/2008
NEW HAVEN -- The year-long, 14,000 mile international "Atlantic Freedom Tour" of the Freedom Schooner Amistad ended as she docked safely at New Haven's Long Wharf on Saturday morning, June 21, successfully completing her journey's challenging final legs, first from the Cape Verde Islands to Charleston, South Carolina and then up the eastern seaboard to Connecticut. 08/11/2008
HARTFORD -- We live in an era that celebrates the individual. Across our societal constructs -- our institutions, government, towns and cities, corporations and even our dreams -- the odes of the day are to the rights and privileges of individuals. Never mind that nothing could be more unChristian and unBiblical. 08/11/2008
MANSFIELD CENTER -- Recently, a small but mighty high school youth group from the First Church of Christ UCC in Mansfield -- whose motto is "Where Faith Takes Action," -- chose to offer up their school vacation, and instead traveled to Boston for a week of mission work. 08/11/2008
