News - Southern New England Conference of the UCC

03/22/2023 - Kristen Kirby Dragalin Named New Director of Pilgrim Day Camp

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Conference staff

Helping campers to be their best selves will continue to be the focus.

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03/22/2023 - 2023 Silver Lake Award Celebration will honor Whendi Cook-Broderick April 16

Outdoor Ministries

Congratulations to Whendi Cook Broderick, the 2023 Silver Lake Award honoree! The celebration takes place on Sunday April 16, 2023, 2-5pm at ...

03/21/2023 - Flowering the Cross With Kindness

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Lent Spotlight

Plymouth church in Framingham covers Easter cross with kindness hearts instead of flowers.

03/15/2023 - 70 Attend First G.R.O.W. Gathering

By: Tiffany Vail

Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Rev. Bette McClure and Rev. Liz Garrigan-Byerly welcome attendees Seventy people from the four Associations of the Southeast Region of the Southern New England Conference came together on Sunday, March 12, for the first of six G.R.O.W. ...

03/15/2023 - UCC General Minister Nominee to Give Annual Meeting Keynote

By: Tiffany Vail - Annual Meeting

The Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, the nominee for United Church of Christ General Minister and President, will give the Keynote Address at the 4th ...

03/09/2023 - FALMOUTH ENTERPRISE: 'Citizen Of The Year'; Minister Preaches Openness, Social Justice

Local Buzz

A look at why Rev. Nell Fields, pastor of Waquoit Congregational Church, has been named by the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce as 2023 “Citizen of the ...

03/07/2023 - 2022 Giving to SNEUCC Exceeds Expectations

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference budget Stewardship

Local church giving to the Southern New England Conference came in over budget for 2022 – welcome news as the new Conference emerges from the pandemic. In a video message, Conference Board President Tracy Keene thanked everyone for their contributions. "Despite the...

03/07/2023 - Initiating OWL: Our Whole Lives

By: Deborah Kirk - Making Disciples

“It is transformative to have a positive, sacred frame for all that sexuality encompasses in our lives. Children are learning about it all the time, whether we’re in the conversation or not. So why wouldn’t we be? If we are not, we are abdicating to purity culture and ...

02/28/2023 - Churches Warned About Risk From Firms Offering Tax Credit Assistance

Coronavirus

Warnings have been issued this week by Heather Kimmel, United Church of Christ General Counsel, and by the editors of the website Church Law & Tax ...

02/28/2023 - SNEUCC Co-sponsors CHHSM Gathering

Covenant Partnerships

The Southern New England Conference is one of the sponsors of the UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries Annual Gathering, being held March 7 - 9 in Denver, CO. "Together through Mountains and Valleys” is the theme of this year’s Annual Gathering, a ...

02/27/2023 - How Sewing Masks for School Children During the Pandemic Led to Making Desks For Veterans

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

Members of Somers Congregational Church found ways to help the community during the pandemic.

02/22/2023 - Conference Offering Regional G.R.O.W. Together Gatherings

Conference programming

Recognizing the need for in person reconnection after so much time apart due to the pandemic, and the need to develop new connections in this new ...

02/21/2023 - Massachusetts Emergency Electronic Meeting Law Expires March 31

Many local congregations have been conducting Annual Meetings remotely, or in a hybrid on-site and remote manner, since the start of the COVID-19 ...

02/14/2023 - Promoting a Gospel of Radical Inclusion

Justice and Witness

A message from the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Executive Conference Minister, in response to the "He Gets Us" Super Bowl ads: As a progressive Christian leader in a polarized world, I am always hoping to find ways to share a more inclusive, historically accurate and tangible...

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02/08/2023 - A Multitude of Multi-Church Youth Group Models

By: Deborah Kirk - Church Innovation Making Disciples Spotlight

Rev. Jack Davidson, pastor at Spring Glen UCC in Hamden, CT convened a virtual meeting of clergy and youth leaders in late January to discuss various models for multi-church youth ministry. The meeting was a forum to share successes, struggles, and creative ideas for ...

02/08/2023 - New Partnership to Bring Incredible Days to Edwards House

Justice and Witness Outdoor Ministries

The Southern New England Conference's Edwards House Meeting and Retreat Center will be bustling this summer with folks young and old eager to ...

02/07/2023 - Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal

Justice and Witness

The news continues to unfold about the devastating earthquake on the border of Turkey and Syria. The death toll continues to rise – numbers are pointing to over 47,000

01/25/2023 - Covid in Winter 2023

By: Deborah Ringen - Conference programming

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the reality of living in March of 2020. The world went into lockdown. We thought it would be under control by spring, then summer, fall and winter brought another surge again and again. Here we are in January 2023, tired of Covid testing, ...

01/25/2023 - Dawn Hammond Announces Plans to Retire

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

Dawn Hammond, who has served in Conference ministry for more than 34 years, has announced her plans to retire. Hammond, who began serving the historic Massachusetts Conference as a part-time accounting manager in 1988, currently serves as the Southern New England ...

01/24/2023 - SPOTLIGHT: Feeding the Hungry in the Spirit of Tzedakah

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Spotlight

For First Congregational Church of Chicopee, food ministry is an act of justice.

01/20/2023 - Proportional Giving Video & Infographic Available to Churches

Stewardship

The following letter was sent to churches, pastors, moderators and treasurers. If the proper people at your church did not receive it, please log in ...

01/18/2023 - Director of Philanthropy Takes Permanent Position

Conference staff

David Figliuzzi, who began working for the Southern New England Conference in September as the Interim Director of Philanthropy, has now accepted a permanent position with the Conference. “David began his journey as the Interim Director, and it quickly became ...

01/17/2023 - Videos for Month of Prayer Posted

In January, you’re invited to pray together with our siblings from the Central Pacific Conference, the Kansas Oklahoma Conference, and the Pacific Northwest Conference. Each week, we’ll be led in prayer by one of our Conference Ministers. Week 1: Prayer for our Lay ...

01/06/2023 - Conference Boosts Biblical Literacy Programming with Mass Bible Society Partnership

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Covenant Partnerships

The Massachusetts Bible Society is now part of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ.

12/22/2022 - Christmas Message from Rev. Darrell Goodwin

Christmas

A Christmas Message from Executive Conference Minister the Rev. Darrell Goodwin: As we celebrate the birth of the Christ child into this world, we also hold that we are in need of hope as much as our forbearers of old. However, I am persuaded that this HOPE that we ...

12/20/2022 - 8 Stewardship Webinars Scheduled for 2023

Stewardship

Best practices, the changing landscape, discovering your why, and engaging donors are just a few of the topics to be covered.

12/13/2022 - Churches Called to Offer Additional Time for Clergy Renewal in 2023

Leadership Development

Rev. Liz Garrigan-Byerly, Executive Minister for Area Conference Ministry, sent this letter to pastors, churches and moderators on Dec. 14 on behalf ...

12/13/2022 - Spread the Christmas Story with a Pic and a Hashtag

By: Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane - Church Innovation

Barnstable church asks folks to take pics of Nativity scenes at their favorite spots and post on social media with the hashtag #MyCrecheTake.

12/08/2022 - Affinity Group for Clergy of Color to Begin in Late February

Conference programming

Registration will open in early January for the second affinity group created specifically for clergy of color. The group will be led by Rev. Dr. ...

12/08/2022 - Train-the-Trainer Event for Racial Justice Workshop Facilitators

NOTE: THIS TRAINING HAS BEEN POSTPONED. IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE NEW DATES ARE DETERMINED. If you are an experienced ...

12/07/2022 - Rev. Bennie E. Whiten Jr., former Mass. Conference Minister and President, Remembered

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

Rev. Bennie Whiten during his days with the historic Massachusetts Conference. This piece looks at Rev. Whiten's impact in Massachusetts. ...

12/06/2022 - Director Hired for Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff Outdoor Ministries

By Tiffany Vail The Rev. David Camphouse, a Methodist pastor with 30 years of camp leadership experience, has been hired as the new Director of ...

12/05/2022 - SNEUCC Congregations Embrace Our Whole Lives Sexuality Curriculum

By: Deborah Gline Allen - Making Disciples

Creating disciples of healthy, faith-based sexuality.

11/30/2022 - Webinars, Resources Offered Regarding Grants for Nonprofit Security Improvements

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security are inviting nonprofit organizations to a series of informational ...

11/29/2022 - Two New Associate Conference Ministers Named

By: Tiffany Vail - Conference staff

The Southern New England Conference has called two new Associate Conference Ministers, both of whom have extensive Committee on Ministry experience and are currently serving within the Conference. Rev. Carol Steinbrecher will serve as the ACM for the North Central ...