One of the most powerful moments of the evening was when Vincent shared a poem he had written, titled “Home.”

CAC Happenings

November 20, 2025

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,

Whatever You Did for One of the Least of These…

In 1993, Rev. Eugene Bartell and volunteers from The Supper Club at United Evangelical Church in East Baltimore took these words to heart. They founded United Ministries—now known as Cornerstone Community Housing—believing they could “do more than serve a meal once a week.” Their faith and dedication led to the creation of Earl’s Place, named in honor of Earl Johnson, a Supper Club guest who inspired their mission. Since opening in 1997, Earl’s Place has provided transitional housing and hope for more than 500 men experiencing homelessness. In 2015, Prospect Place was established in Baltimore County, offering permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless men as they rebuild their lives.

At our recent Opening Doors Dinner on October 9, we celebrated the residents of both programs—men like Vincent, who has found structure, stability, and purpose at Earl’s Place. After years of hiding his addiction and losing everything he held dear—his family, his home, his job—Vincent came to us seeking more than a bed; he was looking for a home. At first, he was surprised by how often staff asked about his well-being, but he soon realized it came from genuine care. “It had been a long time since someone asked if I was okay,” he shared. Now working and reconnecting with his family, Vincent is embracing a second chance at life.

One of the most powerful moments of the evening was when Vincent shared a poem he had written, titled “Home.” In it, he reflects on his lifelong search for belonging and ends with a line that moved everyone in the room: “I walked in this door that had Earl’s on the front. Thank God, they mean it.”

Home

Home has always been a foreign place for me

Going straight, left, right, no matter which way I go

I'm never there

Trying to figure out what this place is.

Does it have a door, a heart, a hug?

I don't know if it says welcome on the rug.

Maybe they mean it.

This place — home — I've never seen it.

I walked in this door that had Earl's on the front.

Thank God they mean it.

— Vincent K., Earl’s Place Resident, 2025

Being poor, in recovery, or homeless is not something anyone dreams of, and in today’s world, it’s even more challenging. Yet through your support, compassion, and prayers, men like Vincent discover that home—and hope—are within reach. Thank you for being part of this work, not just during events or holidays, but every day.

Sheila Helgerson

Executive Director / Commissioned Minister

www.cchbaltimore.org

Clergy Support Call

Authorized ministers in Central Atlantic Conference are welcome to a drop-in Zoom call. The next call will be November 20th at noon and will be hosted by Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice. The purpose of the call is connection and support with no set agenda.

Zoom Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 830 3832 3153

Passcode: 147995

ONA NETWORK GATHERING NOVEMBER 20

The ONA Network will have an important meeting on Thursday, November 20, from 7:00-8:00 PM to discuss whether the network should continue. The meeting will be facilitated by Rev. George Rizor, Jr. Here is the Zoom link for the gathering: ONA NETWORK GATHERING.

LAY WORSHIP LEADERS’ NETWORK NOVEMBER 24

The monthly Lay Worship Leaders Network will gather on Monday, November 24, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Here is the Zoom link: LAY WORSHIP LEADERS NETWORK.

The group meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. The network’s purpose is to build relationships between lay worship leaders, share resources, and extend support. The group is designed for those who might occasionally serve as pulpit supply for their congregation or a nearby congregation, as well as those considering getting involved. If you have questions, please contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.

MANUAL ON LOCAL CHURCH NETWORK MEETS DECEMBER 7

The Manual on Local Church Network (MOLCN) will gather on Sunday, December 7, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Here is the Zoom link: MANUAL ON LOCAL CHURCH NETWORK.

The MOLCN meets on the first Sunday of each month, from now through May 3, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. Its purpose is to help authorized ministers and lay people incorporate the Manual on Local Church into the life of their congregation.

Each month, we explore three pieces of the Congregation Code and one of the Eight Marks for Faithful and Vital Local Churches. This month, we’ll explore Mark Four (“Organizing Community with Intention) and three pieces of the Congregational Code. Each session is free-standing – so if you haven’t attended a gathering before, please know you are welcome to join us. If you have questions, contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.

Journey to Bethlehem: Liturgical Resources for Advent through Epiphany

The UCC Movement for Palestinian Solidarity Liturgical Resources Team is honored to offer a selection of 2026 worship resources designed to aid congregations in incorporating themes of Palestinian liberation, solidarity, and justice into their Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany worship services.

The Nativity story that we collectively steward takes place in the very location where an ongoing genocide has extended decades of oppression of the Palestinian people. It is always time to speak up and speak out about what is happening in Gaza, but it is even more relevant during this season of expectation and epiphany in the same land where our tradition tells us a new kind of liberatory love was not only born but protected, personified, and pushed toward a future where all would be free.

Our 2025-26 collection includes a unique prayer for each Sunday, crafted to reflect both the weekly liturgical season theme and the ongoing call for Palestinian solidarity (intended for Advent candle lighting, but adaptable for your local context and liturgical forms) and an Advent communion liturgy that can be threaded throughout the season.

You can access all resources for free on their Substack page.

At last year’s Annual Meeting, Rev. Mia Michelle McClain led a 90-minute workshop titled “Decolonizing Worship” that began a conversation about ways in which we preference one group’s experience over all others. In 2026, we will continue this important conversation.

Rev. Mia Michelle McClain will work with Rev. Benjamin Boswell to present a three-part workshop series in 2026 titled “Decolonizing Worship: Unmasking Dominance and Embracing Diversity”. Each workshop will begin with a Thursday evening Zoom conversation to get participants thinking about their cultural practices in a specific context. Rev. McClain will then follow up the Thursday evening Zoom conversation with an on-site workshop (which will be hybrid so individuals can also attend online). Each workshop will be held in a different association in our conference so as not to preference one area over others. We seek to practice what we will teach.

Cost for each workshop is $50. This includes both the Thursday Zoom session and the Friday in-person workshop. Attendance at all three workshops will be just $125. The registration link will be available soon.

Here is a list of workshop dates and topics:

Workshop 1:

Thursday, January 29, 2026 – “Divesting from Colonial Theologies” from 6:30-8:00 pm (Zoom)
Saturday, January 31, 2026 – “What’s Worship Got to Do with It?” from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm (In-Person at Riverside Baptist Church in Washington, DC)

Workshop 2:

Thursday, April 23, 2026 – “Confronting Whiteness in Worship” from 6:30-8:00 pm (Zoom)
Saturday, April 25, 2026 – “We Flesh: Embodiment, Location, and Proclamation” from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm (In Person at St. John’s Grace UCC in Catonsville, MD)

Workshop 3:

Thursday, September 17, 2026 – “The Post-Eurocentric Church” from 6:30-8:00 pm (Zoom)
Saturday, September 19, 2026 – “Making Music in the Midnight Hour” from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm (In Person at Christ Church in Summit, NJ)

If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.

Clergy Retreat 2026

Mark your calendars for the clergy retreat on February 3-5, 2026. The event will take at Bon Secours in Marriottsville, MD. Our speaker for the event is Rev. Dr. Marcia McFee. Our theme is "Purveyors of All." Registration will be advertised in December.

CONTACTS FOR LOCAL CHURCH LEADERS IN 2025-26

The Church Revitalization Working Group (CRWG) is working hard to provide excellent programming for our local churches in 2025-26. For the programs to succeed, however, the CRWG needs the names of your ministry leaders who could benefit from the programs so we can email them with information about upcoming programs.

If you are the pastor or lay leader of a local church, we invite you to take a few minutes and complete the contact list for your leaders: LOCAL CHURCH CONTACTS.

The form asks you to identify leaders in the following eight areas: (1) pastor; (2) president of consistory/moderator of council; (3) church treasurer; (4) children & youth leader; (5) social justice coordinator; (6) worship chair; (7) music director; and (8) missions’ leader. You can fill in the names and emails for the positions that are filled and leave the unfilled positions blank.

Questions? Please contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.

WORK CAMP OPPORTUNITIES

There are two opportunities in 2026 for members of the Central Atlantic Conference to participate in helping our neighbors in North Carolina – April 12-18 and June 21-27.

Click the respective dates above to see more details. Contact CAC Disaster Response Coordinator, Barbara Kershner Daniel (bkdaniel@cacucc.org) for more information. Please note that there is a limit of 20 participants per trip.

SAVE THE DATE: REGIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE JULY 23-26

The Mid-Atlantic Region will be having its first Regional Youth Conference since COVID. The conference will take place Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26, 2026 at the Laurelville Retreat Center (941 Laurelville Ln, Mt Pleasant, PA 15666). The theme will be “I Am”. The theme is inspired by Jesus’ “I am” statements in John’s Gospel.

The full cost of the event is $600 per participant. We are asking families to contribute $300. Our hope is that their local church can contribute the balance. We don’t want the cost to be prohibitive, however, so if a youth is in need of additional support, please contact the event planner Rev. Shannon Garrett-Doge at shannon@pennwest.org.