Weekly E-News Summer Edition | |  | | |
1) Message from the Conference
2) Latest News
3) Around the Conference
4) Prayer Concerns
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5) Save the Date & Cont. Ed Resources
6) VTCUCC Classifieds
7) UCC News
| | DEADLINE for E-Kit News must be received by Tuesday of each week. Please send any and all information please email: admin@vermontucc.org | | Message from the Conference | | |
Dear Friends,
Summer is such a gift in Vermont, and we certainly had a nice one! We do appreciate the changing of the seasons as well, and with Labor Day now behind us, we look forward to experiencing Vermont’s beautiful fall. Many of our schedules will return to their normal patterns, and activities will begin again at church that may have taken a break for the summer. And the same is true for our Conference! Several of our activities will start up again as well, and I look forward to connecting with many of you soon.
One special activity that many in our Conference are participating in is the Pride parade this Sunday, Sept. 7th in Burlington at Noon! At least ten of our churches are taking part, and even if your church is not, you can march in the parade with the Vermont Conference group! It looks like it will be a nice day weather wise, and a wonderful way to share a witness with our state of who we are and what we stand for.
And Clergy Convocation registration will be opening early next week! It is open to all Clergy and Members in Discernment, and will take place Oct. 6-8th at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. We are so excited to welcome our speaker into our midst, the Rev. Chris Davies, Executive Minister for Programs and Initiatives for the Southern New England Conference of the UCC. If you have never met Chris, you are in for a special treat! She will be talking to us about the power and importance of rituals in our lives and in our ministries, and how to create some new rituals in your ministry that will be meaningful for your people. As she puts it, “How can we, as clergy, proclaim authentically about our faith and how it works in our lives, and provide containers for the movement of the Spirit when words may fail? Participants will leave renewed, with tools to use in their home congregations.”
I hope to see you there! Peace, Paul
| | UPCOMING WEBINAR FROM THE JUSTICE & WITNESS COMMITTEE! | | ACTION ALERT: Gaza Food Relief
-from Charlotte Congregational VT August 2025: | | WORLD COMMUNION RESOURCES FOR LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS! | |
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2025 Suggested Offering Date: World Communion Sunday October 5th
The Neighbors in Need offering supports ministries of justice and compassion, with one-third of the offering given to the Council for American Indian Ministries and the remaining two-thirds supporting UCC justice ministries.
While many of our churches collect the offering on part of World Communion Sunday, contributions to this offering can be collected on any Sunday during the calendar year. Thank you for your support and generosity!
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AROUND THE CONFERENCE
(Please let us know what your Congregation is up to by sending an email to VermontConference@gmail.com .
You may just see yourself or someone you love in the eKit or our Facebook page!)
| | BURLINGTON PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL | Pride Vermont 2025 Parade on Sunday, September 7th at 12 pm! | | |
Good News! We have been accepted for this year's pride parade! Will will be participating in the Pride Parade as the churches of the Vermont Conference and we are inviting all our ONA churches to bring their banners and celebrate together. We need a project coordinator or such to be there physically for the parade itself and be a point of contact for our churches! We have 10 churches signed up with us! Line up begins at 10 am. Please let us know if you are able to be that person by contacting Jackie Lingelbach at jlingelbach@vermontucc.org. If you haven't already added your church now is your opportunity to do so!
The Parade will again end at the Burlington Waterfront Park where we we will have a tent and table to share with folks glitter blessings and other things. Rev. Laura Engelken our new ONA Coordinator is in charge of that and you can reach her at revlaurambucc@gmail.com to help support that event.
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To the Congregations of the Vermont Conference United Church of Christ
From the UCC of Middlebury
August, 2025
Every year our Board of Missions and Social Concerns makes donations on behalf of our congregants to local nonprofits that make a difference doing healing and justice work in our community. This year we made the decision to seek out an organization that is focused on helping Immigrants and Refugees coming to Vermont.
To that end, we are donating $800 to the Vermont Afghan Alliance (VAA), and we suggest that you make a gift too if you have a community support program like ours. Here is why we think VAA is deserving of support from all of us in Vermont.
Since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, Vermont has Welcomed more than 600 Afghan allies who risked their lives to assist our military personnel on the ground during the long conflict. Just last year VAA provided direct services to 300 of these new Vermonters:
· Employment: 99% have secured long-term jobs with a living wage and health benefits
· Housing: 95% have secured long-term housing
· Driver’s license: 95% who completed the driver training program got a license
· Language learning and interpretation: helps all of our new neighbors thrive
· Legal: All VAA clients came here through valid immigration or refugee channels, and are helped to navigate their way to citizenship
You can learn more, and see their recently released annual report, at www.vtafghanalliance.org/
All of our Afghan-American neighbors are sending money home to relatives, hoping to be re-united with them in our brave little state. But new immigration regulations are making VAA’s job more and more difficult. And the third year of a federal grant is uncertain, creating a $256,000 budget shortfall.
With resilience, VAA is pursuing a new strategic plan and exploring new revenue sources, which we hope will include the Vermont UCC Conference. You can support them at Vermont Afghan Alliance, 60 Main Street, Suite 102, Burlington, VT 05401, or online at https://bit.ly/VtAfghan
Perhaps it boils down to this. Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Blessings to you all,
Middlebury UCC
Board of Missions and Social Concerns
Justice, Compassion and Love Team
Questions? Email wstugis44@gmail.com
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Post Mills Labor Day Parade
On Monday Post Mills had a Labor Day Parade. They had a table with cloth squares and markers and asked folks to write something about peace. Here are a few pictures of the event!
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United Church of Ludlow Disaster Hub
We at the United Church of Ludlow have completed our Disaster Hub and are ready to get them where needed should a disaster strike in Vermont. Thank you for the $3000 grant that helped us complete the hub. We will likely continue to add a few more buckets and supplies as we can.
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Bible Camp and "Blessing of the Backpacks" at Stowe Community Church
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JWM Recommends Ways to Amplify our Presence around Justice
Many people of faith in the Vermont Conference of the UCC are extremely concerned about the assaults on social justice by the present federal administration. Many of our Vermont churches are taking action to witness to our faith values and to speak out against these injustices, from rallies in Montpelier to weekly roadside demonstrations in local towns.
The Justice & Witness Ministries (JWM) Committee encourages all UCC members in Vermont to strengthen our outreach work and to emphasize our faith-based public witness. Upcoming opportunities are the Labor Day rallies on September 1 and the Burlington Pride Parade Festival on September 7. If you attend these rallies, please indicate that you are UCC and that you’re speaking for our church’s faith and values. A suggestion is to attend the rallies with other congregation members and carry signs identifying your congregation and your faith.
JWM also encourages observance of Sun Day, a time of action to support clean energy, over the September 20-21 weekend. To help us prepare, JWM is sponsoring a webinar on Thurs, Sept 4 at 6:30 pm (please see the related article in this week’s E Kit). Additionally, JWM is planning a webinar to follow up on the presentation by Rev. Marvin Ellison and Rev. Carter Heyward on our response to Christian Nationalism on Thurs, Oct 16 at 6:30 PM. Details on how to register for this webinar will be in a future E Kit.
Now is the time for all of us to get involved in action for justice!
UCC resources
VT UCC resources
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Pastor Cordelia's Retirement Celebration
Please join us for Pastor Cordelia's retirement celebration on Sunday, September 14 from 2:00PM - 4:00PM EDT at the Fellowship Hall Congregational Church of South Hero, 24 South Street in South Hero, VT.
Please RSVP before September 7th, 11:45PM to longmiddleton@comcast.net.
*Monetary donations made payable to Congregational Church of South Hero
**Personal cards or notes- bring to church office or reception
***Bring or send to church office to arrive by Sept. 7th
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Help with Research Project about Healthcare Access in Vermont
Rev. Laurie Krooss, pastor of Second Congregational Church in Londonderry, VT is asking for our help on behalf of her son, Matthew, who is a med student at UVM:
My name is Matt, and I am a third-year medical student at The Robert Larner College of
Medicine at the University of Vermont. As a native Vermonter, I am passionate about
rural healthcare in our amazing state! I am helping UVM's Center for Biomedical
Innovation to assess the need for remote health technology in rural areas of Vermont. If
you have 10 minutes, please read about our project and take our survey about your
experiences and opinions on remote health technology!
Project information:
We are the Center for Biomedical Innovation at the University of Vermont. Our mission
is to design, evaluate, and deploy health technologies and systems with a focus on rural
healthcare. Your input will help us understand the healthcare needs and opinions of
rural Vermonters. This survey aims to assess your attitudes towards healthcare
accessibility and the implementation of health screening technologies at easily
accessible public sites in rural community settings. Examples include general stores,
libraries, schools, houses of worship, and town halls - all with provision for privacy. Your
responses are anonymous, and recorded information is deidentified. This information
will contribute to improving healthcare services in your community.
Take our survey:
https://redcap.link/UVM-SPHT
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Our hearts are with The Rev. Tracy Weatherhogg and her family following the unexpected death of her husband, Rev. John Weatherhogg. We ask that you keep them in your prayers. We will share additional information as we receive it.
Please hold Rev. James Semmelroth Darnell, newly called pastor of the Barre Congregational Church, UCC, and his family in your prayers. James' father died July 24th.
Please keep family, friends and the larger community in your prayers at the sudden loss of the Ven. J. Stannard Baker. Stan was a Cathedral Deacon at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Burlington and an Arch Deacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. He was a gifted psychotherapist. Stan and his husband, Peter Harrigan, were part of the original six plaintiffs in Vermont’s historic civil unions law in 2000. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Our dear friend and colleague Carrie Bail's husband, Darius Jonathan, is in urgent need of a kidney transplant. You can make an incredible difference by considering becoming a living donor or by simply sharing his story. Please visit nkr.org/XAX634 to learn more about Darius and how you can help save a life. Let's spread the word and help him find his match! #KidneyTransplant #LivingDonor #HelpDarius #MedicalFundraiser #ShareToSave
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Save the Date & Cont. Ed Resources
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Apple Crisp Day - Fall Open House on the Mountain (September 27th)
RSVP HERE: https://forms.gle/v8zvWCrX9MKwGHrr7
The site and trails will open for your enjoyment starting at 9am and ending at 5pm.
You are welcome to come on your own, bring a friend, or bring your family! Come enjoy the foliage from a rocking chair on Madison Porch or take a hike up to one of the ledges and take in the view from up there. Bring everything you need for a picnic lunch, a book, a craft, your hiking boots, a musical instrument, or whatever else you need to make your day enjoyable. Horton Center will provide restrooms, coffee/tea/water, and delicious homemade apple crisp, of course!
Pieceful Quilting and
Yoga and Meditation on the Mountain: September 5th-7th
Pieceful Quilting Info Packet
Yoga and Meditation on the Mountain Info Packet
There will be two retreats going on simultaneously during "Work in Progress Weekend" at Horton Center: Pieceful Quilting and Yoga and Meditation on the Mountain. Regardless of which retreat you register for you are welcome to pick and choose activities from both program offerings to take part in. All retreat attendees will enjoy meals all together as well as some activities such as morning watch and evening campfires. We will practice welcoming and inclusive community building among all who attend the weekend!
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WELLNESS MINISTRIES VOLUNTEERS SERIES
The fall Orientation of Wellness Ministries Volunteers Series will be offered on Tuesdays, September 23rd - October 28th 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM ET.
This 6-session series prepares you to share information about Wellness Ministries within the UCC, a process to orient volunteers, and the development or enhancement of current health and wholeness ministries within the congregation and the community.
As a service to congregations registration for the series is free. Register now:
https://UCC.zoom.us/meeting/register/LpP0-b4fT6urwU3fNxHMqA/
Registration is limited to ensure a more personalized experience for individuals.
All reading materials are found on the 2025 Wellness Ministries Toolkit flash drive, available at the UCC Resources Store - https://www.uccresources.com/
Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions because each one provides the foundation for the next session. However, we understand that sometimes that is not possible.
If you have questions please e-mail wellnessministries@ucc.org.
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Emerging Strategies to Fight AI Data Centers
Emerging threats demand emerging strategies. The rise of AI data centers has been a driver in the rise in power demand and increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. To address what is at stake and point us toward emerging strategies, we will hear from Anthony Rogers-Wright from the Black Hive of Movement for Black Lives, Nayyirah Shariff from Flint Rising, Wanda Mosley from Black Voters Matter, and Lindsay Harper from Arm in Arm.
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Home About Us Programs For Authorizing Bodies Contact Us Donate
PATHWAYS Fall 2025 Schedule, Six-week courses
What is the Bible? (Dickinson/MBS) 9/17/2025
Professional Boundaries and Ministerial Self-Care 9/17/2025
New Testament Hermeneutics 10/8/2025
Practicing Our Faith in the Public Square 10/8/2025
Living the Heart of Progressive Christian Theology 10/8/2025
Ecological Theology 10/8/2025
Preaching Liberation Theology 10/8/2025
Introduction to Spiritual Health (Pastoral Care) 10/15/2025
Go to the PATHWAYS website (pathwaystheological.org) to learn more and to apply for this and other courses.
| | UPCOMING ONLINE BOUNDARY TRAININGS FOR CLERGY | | |
UCC MESA Trainings – Boundary Training for Ministers in Specialized Settings with Rev. Tara Barber and Rev. Anissa Glaser-Bacon
Sept 4, 2025, 6:00pm-9:00pm
This training is open to ministers serving in specialized settings throughout the United Church of Christ. Serving in specialized settings requires particular attention to boundaries within the ministry setting and home church that are challenging and different from those serving as local church pastors. This training will focus on matters that relate specifically to issues that these ministers face, providing opportunities for clergy to reflect on best practices and growth in their practice of ministry.
REGISTER HERE
UCC MESA Trainings – Boundary Training for Retired Ministers with Rev. Tara Barber and Rev. Melanie Oommen
Sept 24, 2025, 1:30pm-4:30 PM
Maintaining healthy boundaries is challenging at any stage in ministry and it is particularly tender and difficult attending to boundaries as we transition out of our last call, and while in retirement. "A Sure Foundation", "The Ministerial Code" and Rev. Dr. Bruce Epperly's new book, "The Jubilee Years" along with case studies, will provide the content of this training. Rev. Tara Barber will offer this focused Boundary Awareness Training for those entering and living in retirement. Note - This training completes individual requirements for boundary training ONLY WHEN authorized by a local Committee on Ministry. Participants must be able to use zoom chat and breakout room functions.
REGISTER HERE
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Welcome, Farewell, and Blessings
Pastoral Transitions
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Pastor's Death
August 19, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Reverend Robert Maury Hundley on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Rev. Hundley’s life was defined by his commitment to his faith and community. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York in 1969, he was ordained on November 8, 1970, with his ordination sermon delivered by UCC President Avery Post and his seminary classmate, Scudder Parker. He was ordained at the Second Congregational Church of Hyde Park.
His ministry spanned 55 years and included many roles:
- Instructor and Chaplain at Johnson State College in Vermont.
- Associate Clergy at the Manhasset Congregational Church in New York.
- Chief of Staff of the Narcotics Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Chaplain at the Soldiers Home, Silver Spring, and Bethesda, where he served with some Episcopal Churches at the invitation of UCC Clerics & Episcopal Bishop Nathan Baxter and Bishop John Chane.
We recently celebrated his 55 years of ministry at this year's the Annual Meeting.
Our hearts and prayers are with his wife, Joy, and his family and friends during this difficult time. We will update you when we have more information.
Sincerely,
Paul
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We are saddened to share the news of the unexpected passing of Rev. John Weatherhogg. Please hold John's wife The Rev. Tracy Weatherhogg and his family and friends in your prayers during this difficult time. A
celebration of his life is being planned on Saturday, Aug. 23rd at 2 pm at Grace Church, Rutland. We will provide more details as they become available.
| | YAMAHA BABY GRAND PIANO LOOKING FOR A HOME | | |
Looking to give away a Yamaha baby grand piano to a passionate instrument lover who will take good care of it!
If interested, please contact here
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The Vermont Conference Seeks Disaster Response Coordinator
The Vermont Conference is seeking a dedicated individual to serve as our new Conference Disaster Response Coordinator. This vital role is central to our mission, ensuring that our churches and communities are prepared to respond effectively in times of crisis and natural disasters.
The Disaster Response Coordinator plays a key role in coordinating efforts with local churches, providing resources and training, and liaising with the national United Church of Christ (UCC) Wider Church Ministries. This position is essential for mobilizing our collective efforts to offer support, hope, and resilience to those affected by disasters.
Although this is a volunteer position, there are funds for supplies and for reimbursement for travel expenses, including getting to national training and support events for Conference Disaster Ministry Coordinators. There is also a commitment by Conference staff to recruit a small Task Force to work with the Coordinator.
This is an opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of many and to embody our commitment to care for our neighbors in their greatest time of need. If you are passionate about community service and disaster preparedness and response, we encourage you to consider this important role.
For more information on the role and to apply, please contact Rev. Dr. Lynn Bujnak (lbujnak@vermontucc.org, 802-505-3980).
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Mission and faith identity support:
Applicants should demonstrate full support of the mission, values, and faith orientation of the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, UCC and the United Church of Christ as a welcoming, historic, and progressive Christian faith community. The applicant will unreservedly support the church’s identity as an Open and Affirming (i.e. LGBTQ+ affirming) congregation. For more details regarding the position, please visit our website: https://www.fccej.org/v5/who-we-are/work-with-us/ FCCEJ is an open and affirming church, serving all in the spirit of Christ.
Please send resume and cover letter to: welcome@fccej.org
| | FOR MORE CONFERENCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES | |
Important Announcement Regarding Federal Grants
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The United Church of Christ's Office of General Counsel has issued an important notice for all local churches considering applying for federal grants, including the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Recent changes to grant terms and conditions may include requirements that could impact a church's ministry and theological positions.
These new terms may require recipients to cooperate with immigration officials, avoid promoting certain diversity and equity programs, and refrain from participating in boycotts related to Israel.
It is crucial for local churches to review all grant terms carefully to ensure that accepting federal funds does not compromise their mission or the principles of the separation of church and state.
For more information and to read the full article, please follow the link below.
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‘Strength is at the Table’
PA UCC churches celebrate 300th anniversary of German Reformed communion.
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‘Make a Joyful Noise’
UCC ukelele groups share a love of music and community.
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Global Ministries Calls for Release of Minor Held in Israeli Detention
Global Ministries joins over 100 other faith-based organizations calling for the release of a 16-year-old Palestinian American who has been detained for half a year in Israeli detention.
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The Latest Culture Wars
UCC GMP writes on the attack of Democracy and what the church can do to counter in this latest ‘On My Mind Today’ entry.
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Porch Talks Speaker Series Continues Legacy of Dr. King
East View UCC hosts annual speaker series featuring Rev. Velda Love.
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Join the Movement toward Racial Justice
The United Church of Christ invites you to participate in the Join the Movement Campaign, a three-year initiative that recognizes local churches’ works towards racial justice. Together, we can advocate for all people to live without acts of violence or structures and systems that harm God’s human creation.
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Global Ministries is a joint witness in mission between the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Join us in our mission to receive and share the Good News of Jesus Christ by joining with global and local partners to work for justice, reconciliation and peace
Become a Global Mission Church!
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Thank You for Your Support!
Our Churches Wider Mission Basic Support, Association Dues, and
Friends of the Vermont Conference make this communication possible.
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