THE WEEKLY NEWS
November 14, 2023 | Volume 15 No. 45
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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.
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Advent - Christmastide Devotionals | The Pilgrim Press has the 2023 Advent-Christmastide devotional now available. Link to order | | |
Clergy Conversation - Israel-Hamas War - Resources |  | |
Last Thursday 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
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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.
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National UCC Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil
November 20 at 7:00pm
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Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil will be a time where we collectively hold space to honor and remember the names of trans siblings we know and may never know lost to violence this year. Just as we hold space for All Saints Day, may we hold space for our transgender saints in this special offering from Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries.
Register Here
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NHCUCC Anti-Racism – Recent Developments and Path Forward
By Bruce Kinney
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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.

Continue Reading...
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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
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Calling all NHCUCC Confirmation-Age Youth!
Conference Wide Confirmation Programing
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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!
See what months are scheduled to be in-person or over Zoom
Email Tivvi Pare for more information and to sign-up for this FREE program: tpare@nhcucc.org
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Fall Boundary Training Opportunities | |
The Foundations of Understanding Boundaries:
(A Basic Boundary Training Session)
Facilitated by: the Rev. Gordon Rankin
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Date: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Format: via Zoom
Fee: $25.00
Register Here
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The Fruits of the Spirit are ALIVE at Horton Center!
2023 Horton Center Video
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Watch our BRAND NEW 2023 Horton Center video to see and hear about the amazing things happening at camp.
Please consider giving to the Horton Center Annual Appeal to make more summers like this possible.
Click HERE to make a contribution that will change lives!
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Vermont Public Radio airs broadcast of "Stitch, Breath, Speak" | |
Rev. Mark Koyama and Dr. Harriet Ward recently spoke to Vermont Public's Mary Williams Engisch about the film that documented what began as multiple quilt panels and turned into a ministry.
View video here
11B
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UPCOMING CONFERENCE EVENTS | |
| National Setting Trans Day of Remembrance Vigil
Zoom | Learn More
Nov 20 | | |
| The Foundations of Understanding Boundaries
Zoom | Learn More
Dec 5 | | |
| Prepared To Serve 2024
Pembroke Academy (now with hybrid offerings) | Feb 24 | | |
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Holy One, we come to you with so many prayers in our hearts- but especially this day, for all those dealing with war’s destruction, the violence we humans inflict on one another. We pray for an end to hostilities in the Middle East, for the people of Palestine and Israel, Ukraine and Russia, for those in harm’s way, those grieving unbearable losses, those fleeing terror. We pray, God, for peace in all the many places encountering war. And closer to home we remember those encountering violence in our own country. We continue our prayers for our neighbors in Lewiston, Maine, and for all those affected by gun violence. We pray for our Trans siblings on Trans Day of Remembrance, and all those who are victims of hate and intolerance.
God, we are a people of resurrection hope. Help this hope to flower in our own hearts, that we might be bringers of justice, conveyers of compassion, enactors of your peace which passes understanding.
Holy One, in your mercy, hear our prayers.
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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.
John Torrey will be ordained at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College on November 19 at 2pm.
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. Paula Gile has announced her resignation as Pastor and Teacher of the Sanbornton Congregational Church, UCC and her retirement from active ministry. Rev. Gile’s last Sunday will be December 31.
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.
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Sunday Schedule: November 19, 2023 | |
The Conference Minister will be preaching on November 19th at the First Congregational Church of Wakefield, where the Rev. Larry Brickner-Wood serves as Interim. | |
The Associate Conference Minister will represent the NHCUCC at the Ordination of John Torrey at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, UCC. | | |
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Monday - Friday | 8:00 am - 4:30 pm | |
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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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