Fast Five

Persistent Pentecost

A Prayer

Loving God,

Pour out your Pentecost Spirit

And saturate our souls

With Your renewal

Forming our words and ways

Into an invitation to others

That heals, renews, and blesses.

Teach us every language necessary

To move beyond what we know

Fashioning us as channels

Of Your loving grace

Made known in Christ Jesus.

Remove from our hearts and minds

Any barrier of human design

That divides, or dissuades

Us from your deep desire

For a human family fully alive

And at peace with each other

And with the planet we inhabit.

Form us, heart, mind and soul

With Your language of love

Seeking the good of the other

Making possible the impossible

With Your resurrection renewal

Again and again and again.

Surprise us and those around us

With this of Your Pentecost presence

Transforming the fires of the world

With Your Holy fire of love

That lights every corner of despair

With Your uncontainable delight.

Yes, O Love,

Pour out Your Spirit on us

For nothing less than this

Of your persistent Pentecost promise

Amen and Amen and Amen!

-DMLH, May 2026

In 2028 the Heartland Conference will be hosting General Synod in Cleveland, Ohio! The support of our delegates for next Synod is already underway when you give to the Strengthen the Church offering!

These servants of the church are giving of their time and energy to serve on our behalf in the national assembly of the United Church of Christ. We encourage you and your congregations to support them financially through this year’s Strengthen the Church offering. Strengthen the Church is the one national offering for which the Conference can retain half of what is given for needs within our conference community.

You may give by clicking here or the image above!

Get Your Strengthen the Church Resources Here!

Join us on Tuesday, May 19, for a lively and interactive session using Zoom whiteboard and post-its:

Generate outcomes for the fall Climate Action Summit
Name the resources & experiences you seek for both vitality and impact in environmental ministries in your area
Consider projects that connect communities & build relationships

In the meantime, mark your calendars for another revitalizing multi-denominational Climate Action Summit, Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Camp Christian!

Zoom Link

Rev. Derek Terry and members of the congregation will share the transformation that is happening, which began when they looked around and realized that they were not doing anything to meet the needs of women who were in their 60s, a key demographic group. Today, they have a group of women who are very active in the congregation’s mission.

As we prepare for PRIDE join the ONA Ministries Network, as we discuss when and where PRIDE Events are happening throughout the Heartland Conference, what different communities have found to be best practices and so much more. See you Thursday, May 21, at 6:30pm on ZOOM.