August 2, 2021
Dear Minnesota Conference UCC clergy:
The latest resurgence of COVID-19 due to the Delta variant is raising new questions and concerns for all of us, including in regards to our in-person activities as congregations and Conference. On Thursday, August 5, 3:30 pm-4:30 pm, you are invited to a Zoom conversation with Marge Higgins (and potentially others) from the MN Department of Health. Marge will offer an overview of the situation in Minnesota (vaccination rates, community spread, etc) and will then respond to your questions. You may send any specific question you have for our MDH guests to me at [email protected] by Wednesday @ 12 noon and I will forward those to Marge Higgins for her awareness. The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86249438194.
Additionally, I would like to share updates with you about Power and Boundary Training and Racial Awareness/Diversity Training that will be available in the coming months.
Power and Boundary Training
The conference will be utilizing the services of Leaderwise to provide online power and boundary training on Wednesday and Thursday October 20 & 21, 2021. The hours of the training will be 9:30-12:00 both days. If you would like to register or if you have any questions please email the Registrar for the Conference, Catherine Cejda at [email protected]. In order to ensure that your training is recorded, please email your certificate of completion to Catherine Cejda at [email protected]
Racial Awareness/ Diversity Training
United Theological Seminary will offer a training entitled, “Discerning Whiteness: The Unacknowledged Barrier” over the course of two sessions held on Wednesday evenings- Sept 22nd and 29th, 2021, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. You must complete both sessions. You may register using this link: www.unitedseminary.edu/event/discerning-whiteness-the-hidden-barriers/2021-09-22/ In order to ensure that your training is recorded, please email your certificate of completion to Catherine Cejda at [email protected].
Alternate choices for Racial Awareness/Diversity Training
Those wishing to complete an alternate training should fill out a request form and submit it to Catherine Cejda, who will place it on the Subcommittee for Authorized Ministry’s monthly meeting agenda for approval. Please make note that the training must be 6 hours minimum, have an interactive component, and aim to be transformative. Once the training is approved and completed, email your certificate of completion to [email protected].
I send each of you my prayers in this season of ongoing uncertainty, and pray that you are finding ways to grant yourself rest and seek renewal amidst all else. Thank you for your ministries of care, presence, and witness.
Grace and peace,
