COMMAntary

The newsletter of the Minnesota Conference UCC

Volume 23, No. 4 | February 19, 2026

Equipping a courageous Church alive with Christ's transforming love

Caring for Our Community

"Comfort, O comfort my people," says our God. —Isaiah 40:1

While the federal government has stated that Operation Metro Surge is coming to a close, the reality for many across the Minnesota Conference UCC is that brutal abductions, coercive intimidation, and needless trauma are still the order of the day. In dozens of faithful acts of neighboring, members of the UCC have used their resources in innovative ways to care for the most impacted and vulnerable in our midst.

Though the focus of media attention has been on the Twin Cities, the reality is that many of our faith communities in greater Minnesota have been on the front lines of support in their contexts, leaning into solidarity and, in some cases, scaling up ministries to meet a greater demand than ever before left behind by ICE’s destructive tactics.

The Conference's mission statement calls us to “equip a courageous church,” and that has been a guiding principle for the staff team in navigating these days. The ways clergy, laypeople, and partner organizations have responded to this time of terror has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Even though some aspects of the crisis may have lessened, the truth of the matter is that the impacts of the last 11 weeks will echo far into the future. The Minnesota Conference staff is committed to supporting response and recovery efforts, knowing that some needs may not make themselves immediately known. In partnership with the national setting of the UCC and drawing on many new and longstanding ministry relationships, the conference is providing a multi-pronged approach to supporting communities and ministers:

Emergency grants – up $1,000 for UCC churches, affiliated leaders, and partner organizations meant to relieve immediate material needs following the impact of ICE activity in your area. Funding from the national UCC setting has made these grants possible. APPLY

Clergy and Leader Self-Care Salons – based around the Twin Cities area with plans to bring similar programming to sites in Greater Minnesota in the future. The next gathering is scheduled for March 22. REGISTER

Funding for Clergy, Authorized Minister, and Leader Mental and Spiritual Care Support – details will be sent soon directly to Authorized Ministers.

Funding for Clergy, Authorized Minister, and Leader Spiritual Retreats – including connections for free or low-cost retreat housing; details will be sent soon directly to Authorized Ministers.

As we navigate the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge together, the Conference staff, fellow faith communities, and the wider church stand ready to live into our shared covenant and companion each other through the days ahead. Undoubtedly, there are aspects that have not yet made themselves known and the Minnesota Conference is committed to remaining responsive to the needs of our people as they arise.

With gratitude,

The Minnesota Conference Staff

Conference News & Events

Conference Launches Preaching Series for Rural Churches

The Minnesota Conference is overjoyed to offer a new preaching series created specifically for our rural churches and ministries. This resource comes from a collaboration with the Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown (pictured) whose work and heart have called her in this time to ministry to rural communities around the conversation of race.

Rev. Jia has curated 12 amazing sermons from clergy around the country for your use and reflection. The topics and scriptures are meant to be relevant and accessible, offering insight from a myriad of voices. The sermons are set up for a flow through the year, beginning with January and winter and moving through the rest of the months with attention to time and season.

ACCESS THE SERIES

Read the Newest Edition of Provoking Generosity Newsletter

The latest edition of the quarterly Provoking Generosity Newsletter is here. This newsletter is full of information, events, tips, and more to inspire generosity in your congregation. Read it here, and subscribe for future editions here.

Generosity Officer Rev. Wendy Vander Hart is also available for consultation, presenting and preaching to provoke generosity in your setting. You can contact her at wendyvh@uccmn.org to schedule a conversation and follow-up.

Check Out These Upcoming Faith Formation and Outdoor Ministry Offerings

FourThursday: Poetry, Practice, and Prayer: A Lenten Mini-Retreat

February 26, 11:30 am–2:00 pm

Please make plans to pause your work for just a little while and enter a space of respite and retreat with a community of colleagues. The February FourThursday will provide faith formation leaders (clergy, lay staff, and volunteers) a “mini” retreat opportunity – a time to simply be together in community for relational connection, spiritual renewal, and shared contemplative practice. Learn more and register.

Book Study: Church of the Wild – Reimagining Church Beyond Walls

Four Tuesdays, beginning March 3, from 12:30 pm–1:30 pm, OR four Thursdays, beginning March 5, from 7:00–8:00 pm

What if church didn’t begin with a building, but where we connect with land, water, and Spirit? Join us for a book study of Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred by Victoria Loorz, a movement-inspiring exploration of Christian faith rooted in ecological spirituality, ancient wisdom, and deep connection with the natural world. Church of the Wild invites readers to rediscover the wild roots of Christianity and to imagine worship and community as a living relationship between humans, creation, and God. Learn more and register.

Spring Equinox: Awakening the Wild Holy Within Us

March 20 - March 22

During the Spring Equinox, we are balancing the energies of the Divine and the Earth. Spring represents the element of air, which is essential to life. We emerge from the winter cave, breathing in the Divine spirit and releasing the intentions we’ve nurtured over the winter into the universe. We send these intentions across the land like dandelion seeds carried on a spring breeze. This weekend is filled with the balanced breath of the Divine and meditation led by Heidi Steffens. Through group meditation, each breath nurtures harmony within and without, welcoming us into the season of emergence. Learn more and register.

All Things Annual Meeting

"When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’”

June 12-13, 2026 | College of St. Benedict

Keynote Speaker: Jessica Vazquez Torres

We are excited to welcome you for a few days on the beautiful campus of St. Benedict’s College this June. We invite you to join us in-person or via Zoom as we explore “Into the Deep”—defying division and celebrating our strength, unity, and resolve as Minnesotans and children of God.

All the hearings for the budget, compensation guidelines, and resolutions will be available via Zoom Monday – Wednesday (June 8-10) in the evenings of Annual Meeting week. Watch for more information on the schedule and links.

Our workshops and fellowship time will dive deep into the challenges and blessings of being church like only we can be in the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ, especially at this important moment in time.

Worship and music will be led by the The Many, an uncommon, intentionally diverse collective making music for people to sing together about peace and justice and a world where all belong! The members of The Many came together around their shared love of music and commitment to honest expressions of faith, peace-making, economic and racial justice, and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Clergy training prior to the Annual Meeting (on June 11) will be facilitated by Stephanie Perdew (boundary training) and Jessica Vasquez Torrez (anti-racism training).

Registration will open soon. More information is available on the Conference's website. Learn more.

Join a Webinar: OCWM Special Offerings Orientation for Mission Teams

Join Rev. Rachel McDonald, Generosity Officer for OCWM and Special Mission Offerings, to learn how to confidently promote and celebrate wider giving in the UCC. Explore how a yearly cycle of Special Offering gifts provides a curriculum of generosity—already built into your church calendar! Clergy, mission committee members, and anyone interested in giving will receive an overview of how Our Church’s Wider Mission giving works in the UCC and gain helpful tips to bring back to your congregation. REGISTER

Clergy: Please Complete the Annual Information Review Form

Clergy are required to fill out an Annual Information Review (AIR) form yearly so the Conference can maintain the most up to date ministry setting and contact information. It is also an opportunity to report on other standing requirements as well as request contact or other information from the Conference.

Fill out the AIR form online.

Download and complete AIR form.

Partner News & Events

Access a Lenten Toolkit and Sign Up for Midweek Retreats and Cohort Support Sessions

We are journeying through an unprecedented Lent. Cruelty is running rampant, everything is being weaponized, our democracy is tattered, and environmental destruction threatens human existence.

Communities are pouring out love, grace, provision, and safe-keeping.

No one can walk this road alone. You don't have to.

The Ministry Lab supports those preparing for ISAIAH's Palm Sunday Path and/or EcoFaith Network's From Fear to Fire with From Ash to Action: Even the Stones Cry Out, an intergenerational toolkit for worship, faith formation, spiritual and community organizing practices and action.

An Ash to Action Toolkit Cohort meets weekly for mutual support. The link is in the toolkit introduction. Experience the Divine Presence walking within and alongside you in our midweek retreat, a weekly half-hour somatic and contemplative practice designed to release overwhelm and renew weary souls. Register here for the link.

Leaders from any and all denominations are welcome to utilize resources and participate in the cohort and retreat free of charge through the generous support of the MN Conference UCC, the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies. Thank you, leaders, for your powerful and gracious neighbor-love.

Healthy Conflict for Strong Churches Workshop with Rev. Dr. Diane Weible

Church leaders often say they want to find a way to avoid conflict. The reality is that conflict is what allows us to grow. What we really need is a way to engage in healthy conflict that invites churches to respond to the polycrisis in our world today. Enkei Resolution's The Healthy Conflict for Strong Churches workshop looks at the anxiety our systems are facing, invites curiosity as to what that anxiety might be stirring for us, and offers healthy conflict practices that can further our mission and ministry. This workshop will focus on embodied practices, tools and resources that church leaders may use to create strong teams that can not only address conflict in their leadership body in a healthy way but then use that conflict to engage the change and transformation that is desperately needed a time such as this.

The workshop is February 25, 10 am to 2 pm CT via Zoom. Cost is $50/person and a reduced rate of $25/person is offered for churches sending three or more people. Learn more. If you plan to register three or more from the same church, email Sarah Lehman for a special registration link. Register here.

Applications Being Accepted for 2026 Faith and Justice Summer Academy

Since 2022, the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University has run a Summer Academy program designed specifically for pastors, seminarians, graduate students, and those serving in ministry at the intersection of faith and public life. The program equips participants with a faith-based vision and practical skills for effective civic engagement, advocacy, and nonviolent civil resistance. It serves as a bridge between academic theology and public prophetic witness and brings together participants across the diverse traditions and theologies of Christianity.

The in-person summer academy will be held June 14-18, 2025. The program cost is $3,000, which includes all meals, lodging, and activities. Learn more.

Employment Opportunities

The Conference maintains an up-to-date listing of authorized minister, interim minister, and other positions available in Minnesota, as well as positions with the UCC National setting. This site is frequently updated.

Newly posted positions include a Youth Coordinator for St. Croix United Church and a part-time Settled Pastor at Wabasha UCC. See the current listings.

More Resources & Opportunities

STORY IDEAS: Have a story or idea to share in COMMAntary? Send an email to communications@uccmn.org. COMMAntary is published every other Thursday. Submissions are due Tuesday prior to publication at noon.

PROGRAMS & SUPPORT: Check out the wealth of resources available on the Conference's website for authorized ministers, local churches, and faith formation leaders.

EMPLOYMENT: Check out the employment opportunities page on the Conference's website for all open positions.