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THE WEEKLY NEWS

November 21, 2023 | Volume 15 No. 46

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CONFERENCE NEWS

 

A Letter/Litany of Lament, Confession, and Commitment

from the United Church of Christ Council of Conference Ministers

Scripture tells us that, “we are one body in Christ.” That if, “one part of the body suffers, we all suffer, and if one rejoices, we all rejoice” (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). Trans and nonbinary youth and adults are sacred members of our collective kin-dom. Without their tapestry woven into our story, we are missing vital pieces of God’s creation...


Today is a critical moment in which we are called to confess our missteps, ground our feet, and act in protecting and celebrating the lives of trans and nonbinary youth and adults...


Therefore, we embrace our siblings, sisters, and brothers in Christ who are trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive. With them, we rejoice in their resiliency and joy in the face of unprecedented legal and bodily assaults on their personhood. With them, we grieve and decry all attempts to erase them and their experiences from schools, libraries, hospitals, and other public spaces. We remember those who have been killed and grieve with those who love them still...


Read more...

11A

Common Global Ministries Board adopts statement on the situation in the Middle East

"Our two churches have long sought a just resolution to the conflict in Israel/Palestine. The current escalation only reaffirms the necessity of a lasting, durable, and just peace that affirms the rights, dignity, freedom, and equality of all the people there – Israeli and Palestinian; Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Druze – so that all may enjoy life in all its abundance."


Read more...


Get more global ministry news here

11A

Clergy Conversation - Israel-Hamas War - Resources

Recently many gathered over zoom to share thoughts, reflections, hopes, and fears about the deadly conflict in Gaza and Israel. Out of that conversation many resources were named that people found helpful and together expressed a desire that they be shared with the larger NHCUCC community.



Here is a listing of those resources with a huge thank you to Rev. David Grishaw Jones for his vetting and contribution to this list.  Link to resources here


All clergy are invited to participate in a second Zoom conversation regarding the implications and impacts of the Israel-Hamas war. The Zoom conversation will take place on Thursday, November 30th at 2 pm,  If you would like to participate in this Zoom Clergy Conversation, please register here and a Zoom link will be sent to you.


The Peace with Justice Advocates (Mission Group) have issued a call for congregations and pastors to join the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. See the statement here

11B

Friends in the New Hampshire Conference,

Cindy Bradley, the Administrative Assistant for our Conference, has announced her retirement effective March 15, 2024. In January, Cindy will have served on the Conference staff for nine years. Many know Cindy as the person who greets you when you arrive at the Conference Office or call the Conference Office, but her responsibilities have been broader than her gracious hospitality ministry. She has been the primary keeper of our database, Conference directory, and Conference calendar, overseen all mass mailings, been the primary person responsible for tenant relations, conducted the background checks for our pulpit supply list and Horton Center volunteers, provided the initiating leadership for our Administrative Assistants Day events and so very much more. We are abundantly grateful for the many ways Cindy has helped the work of the Conference thrive.


A celebration of Cindy's ministry is being planned and will be announced shortly after the first of the year. 


Information regarding the hiring of a new Administrative Assistant will also be announced early in 2024.

11B

LAST CHANCE: Calling all NH UCC Confirmation-Age Youth!

We are excited to offer this Conference-Wide Confirmation Program to any youth who are interested in taking part in this Confirmation experience! Whether you come from a church with a confirmation class and you're looking to continue that learning and faith exploration with our group OR if you are the only confirmation-age youth at your church and you want to be a part of our awesome community, you are welcome! This program is designed to supplement ongoing work and learning with your local church. We will gather together once a month either over Zoom or in person for fun, exploration, learning, bonding and faith discovery. You won't want to miss our final gathering and worship service aboard a sailboat in June 2024! 


THIS SUNDAY: 12:30 Orientation for pastors, mentors and parents/guardians, 1:00-2:00 Zoom call with all registered confirmands


Email Tivvi Pare for more information and to sign-up for this FREE program: tpare@nhcucc.org

11B

Updates to the 2024 Clergy Compensation Guidelines

The Clergy Support Ministry Group of the Conference has made some significant changes to the 2024 Clergy Compensation Guidelines, including streamlining and shortening them for ease of use. We want to highlight some of these changes for you.


The most significant change is a revision to the housing allowance portion of the compensation package. Due to the continued rising costs of housing in New Hampshire, the minimum housing allowance is now 40% of base salary. However, we recommend, if possible, calculating the housing allowance based on fair rental value of housing in the county the church is located in. These figures and further information can be found in the Guidelines and Appendix. Link here


Other changes include a COLA for the base salary, an increase in the amount of compensation for pulpit supply ($250 + mileage), and a new section for very part-time churches called Sunday Plus. In addition, the paid holidays have been changed to include all major federal holidays.


We hope these new guidelines will be helpful for churches and clergy of the Conference.

11B

Horton Center Church Visits

During the off-season of camp this year I made it my goal to visit as many of our New Hampshire UCC churches as possible for a Horton Center-themed Sunday worship service. This gives me an opportunity to connect with local pastors and congregations to spread the news about the amazing things happening at our summer camp. I love to share how the people in the pews can come be a part of the next life-changing summer on the mountain. On November 5th I had the pleasure of being with the Community Church of Dartmouth College for a Climate Justice themed service and on November 12th The First Church in Jaffrey invited me to co-lead a service with camp songs and camp messages of love and hope. January and February are nearly fully scheduled out but there are still openings in March through May to bring the magic of Outdoor Ministries to your church. Please reach out to me so we can schedule a Horton Center Sunday at your church for spring 2024!


Tivvi Pare - Horton Center Executive Director

11A

NHCUCC Anti-Racism – Recent Developments and Path Forward

By Bruce Kinney

Changes are in the works in the New Hampshire Conference’s anti-racism efforts, coordinated by the Anti-Racism Ministries group (ARMg), part of the Justice and Witness Ministry. The ARMg’s mission, as expressed on their website (link here), is simple: Expressing God’s love through anti-racism work. This work involves both educating the ARMg members about anti-racism, encouraging churches and individuals throughout the Conference to engage in this work, and providing resources to support this work across the Conference.


My purpose in this article is to inform Weekly News readers about recent actions taken by the New Hampshire Conference Board of Directors, in consultation with the ARMg, that relate to some of the resources the ARMg is providing. Full disclosure: I am an active member of the ARMg and was President of the Board at the time these actions were taken. First, a little background.



Read More...

11B

The New Thing Task Force Workshops

The New Thing Task Force is scheduling workshops at your congregation for 2024. Let us know if you’d like to host one of these: 

1. Spontaneity: Lessons from Jazz Improv 

2. New Forms of Church: Lessons from Quilting

3. Build the Spirit: Lessons from Theatre Improv 


We’ll help you work out how to fund this and how to involve other churches. Email ANewThingTaskForce@gmail.com

Annual Meeting Speak Out Video

11B

Advent - Christmastide Devotionals

The Pilgrim Press has the 2023 Advent-Christmastide devotional now available. Link to order

11B

More E-News, Right in your Inbox! Christian Education & Formation Newsletter (For all ages and stages)
November Newsletter
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UPCOMING CONFERENCE EVENTS

 

The Foundations of Understanding Boundaries

Zoom

Learn More

Dec 5

Advent Open House

Conference Office

Dec 6

Prepared To Serve 2024

Pembroke Academy (now with hybrid offerings)

Feb 24

Conference Calendar
 

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

 


We pray for those in zones of conflict, struggling to survive in the midst of war, violence, disease, poverty and oppression, both here in our own nation and across the globe. 

We pray for a day when war will finally cease, peace will be the norm, and justice a way of life. 

We pray that we might be God’s hands and feet this world as co-creators of justice, bringers of hope, makers of a way out of no way, that God’s kindom of love might become a reality for all. 

And we give thanks to our ever loving, always present God, 

Who has created us, given us the gift of life and set us to live on this beautiful earth; 

Who has given us work to do, and guidance as we do it; minds open to new ways of living, hearts receptive to the needs of others, their pain and joy. 

God of all, teach us to use your gifts wisely, help us to feel the love of your presence which is with us whenever we need it, grant us ever thankful hearts and a loving concern for all people.


Holy One, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

 

ACROSS THE CONFERENCE

 

In October 29, the Rev. Cheryl Stromski was called as Pastor and Teacher of the Kensington Congregational Church, UCC. Rev. Stromski will continue her service at Newfields Community Church, UCC, making her pastor in both Newfields and Kensington. Rev. Stromski began her tenure at Kensington on October 30.


First Congregational Church of Manchester called the Rev. Christopher Stevens as their new Senior Pastor. He will begin his ministry on November 27, 2023. 


The Rev. Kathy Youzwak has announced her resignation as Pastor of the Hampstead Congregation Church in Hampstead, NH. Her last Sunday will be February 4, 2024.


The Rockingham Association will hold an Ecclesiastical Council to consider approving Karen Landry for Ordination on Sunday, December 3rd at 2 pm at the Congregational Church of Atkinson. A Zoom option for attending the Council will also be made available.

 

WIDER CHURCH RESOURCES

 

United Church of Christ

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Association of UC Educators

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Global Ministries

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UCC Volunteer Ministries

Click Here

Responding to Media Inquiries

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Conference Center

Monday - Friday | 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Gordon Rankin

Conference Minister

Sara Marean

Associate Conference Minister

Cindy Bradley

Administrative Assistant

Lydia Frasca

Finance Officer

Susanne McCarron

Search and Call

Tivvi Pare

Horton Center Executive Director, Christian Education Specialist

Thaddeus Sieverding

CTE Specialist


Phone Number:

603-225-6647

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The Weekly News is published to promote the mission and ministry of the New Hampshire Conference of the United Church of Christ.


These announcements are intended to be brief, timely, and of a general interest to our Conference readers. Supportive links are provided whenever they are available. We encourage you to forward these materials to others in your church using the link below and to share them in your bulletins and local church newsletters.


Send your items to Communications@nhcucc.org. The deadline for submitting items for the next issue is Thursday at 12:00 PM.

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