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Equipping a courageous Church alive with Christ's transforming love

Volume 24, No. 31 | October 1, 2026

Clark-Grace UCC to host workshops led by Dr. LaDonna Butler beginning Sunday, October 4

Clark-Grace UCC, which recently celebrated 13 years as a multicultural community, will host a six-month journey of “Radical Welcome” workshops beginning in October. Each workshop will build shared commitments and sustainable congregational practices. The workshops are made possible by funding from the Minnesota Conference UCC’s Committee to Dismantle White Supremacy. All UCC congregations are encouraged to attend.

The workshops will be led by Dr. LaDonna Butler, a beloved community leader in South St. Paul. Dr. Butler is a counselor, educator, licensed clinical therapist, organizational consultant, and ministry leader, with more than 20 years of experience in facilitating courageous conversations across differences. 

“Radical welcome asks us to intentionally examine power, confront exclusion, and create practices that support equity, accountability, and genuine belonging,” Dr. Butler said. “Belonging requires more than being invited into the room. It calls us to listen deeply, make room for difference, tell the truth with love, remain curious about one another, and create communities where people can experience both healing and delight.” 

Beginning October 4 and continuing one Sunday per month, the topic of the workshop will be introduced at the worship service at Clark-Grace. A one-hour workshop immediately follows the service. The workshops will first examine how faith invites us into radical welcome and how we are all deeply, unconditionally loved by God and called to reflect that love by living into radical welcome. The workshops over the six-month journey will also include building relationships, examining power, strengthening practices as a congregation, and identifying ways to intentionally continue radical welcome into the future. 

The goal is for churches such as Clark-Grace, says Dr. Butler, is to be “better equipped to live into its vision of radical welcome, as a beloved community—formed by Christ, grounded in truth, committed to liberation, sustained by joy, and sent into the world as a witness of God’s welcome, justice, and love.”

Clark-Grace and Dr. Butler invite any and all congregations to join the worship and workshops. Dr. Butler’s sermons will also be posted on the church's website. Monthly updates and insights from the workshops will be shared in COMMAntary.

“Applying what we will gain from this insightful and motivative workshop has the potential to dramatically enhance our sustained mission to become a radically inclusive congregation," says Rev. Oliver G. White, pastor at Clark-Grace. "Ultimately, we will be empowered to establish meaningful and loving relationships with everyone who enters our faith communities."

The first service/workshop in the six-month journey is Sunday, October 4, at 10 am. Clark-Grace UCC is located at 779 15th Ave N, South St. Paul. If you are unable to attend in person, you can find the Zoom link on the Clark-Grace website.

Conference News & Events

A Report from Autumn Equinox Retreat

Seventeen people gathered in the beautiful lakeside forest at Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN, September 25–27 for "Where the Light Turns," the Conference's Autumn Equinox Retreat. Attendees came from as far as Grand Marais and represented five UCC congregations. We also welcomed friends from beyond the UCC.

Facilitator Heidi Steffens guided us through breathwork, meditation with Reiki, and reflection through artwork. Bree of Creekside UCC led a spiritual crafting activity, and on the second night we gathered around a campfire. (After "attempting" a campfire the first night!) One of the most moving moments came as Heidi went slowly around the circle, resting her hands on each person's shoulders in healing energy work, inviting us to reflect together on what we had experienced.

Keep an eye out for next year's Equinox retreats! 

Faith Formation Leaders: Join Us for FourTHursdays



Calling all faith formation leaders! Join us for lunchtime gatherings for clergy, lay staff, and volunteers to come together for conversation, connection, mutual support and resourcing. The next gathering is October 22. REGISTER

Help Your Congregation Cultivate Generosity

Enhance generosity ministries in your congregation! This workshop, designed for a team of pastor and leaders, helps you map the new landscape of religious giving and stewardship and provides tools to build a culture of generosity unique to each congregation’s needs and challenges. REGISTER for the November 7 in-person seminar!

Coach Training for Christian Leaders

If you are looking for a way to develop your coaching skills with congregations, staff, committees, members – whether you are a minister or a lay leader – this is the training for you! Hone your skills to better equip others along their journey as faithful leaders of the church.

Led by Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates; Interim Conference Minister, Sunday, November 8–Tuesday, November 10, at Mount Olivet Retreat Center

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Upcoming Covenant Days: Detroit Lakes Area on October 24, Henderson Area on November 14

Deepen your connections across the Conference! Covenant connection is at the heart of what it means to be a member of the United Church of Christ. Gather with sibling churches and Conference staff as we explore together what it means to be One Church, One Body through worship, storytelling.

We will gather in Detroit Lakes at The Congregational United Church of Christ and in Henderson at St. Paul's UCC.



REGISTER FOR DETROIT LAKES

REGISTER FOR HENDERSON

Chapel Hills UCC Opens Applications for Grants

For more than 20 years, Chapel Hills UCC has made grants to a broad range of local, regional, and international organizations. Grants can vary in amount and range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. While there are no specific limitations on the types of projects that can be funded, special consideration will be given to well-defined projects that support children and youth, address food and housing insecurity or strengthen communities.

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION & INSTRUCTIONS

Joy as Resistance and Refugia Retreats

November 4–6, Rest & Resilience

We are living in a collision of crises right now. Amid that collision, the Minnesota Conference UCC is offering a series of in-person retreats. All retreats are hosted at Mount Olivet Retreat Center. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Next Moderator Gathering is Set for November 12

Inviting all moderators, council chairs, and consistory presidents to an online gathering on Thursday, November 12 from 7-8:30 pm. The November gathering will be co-hosted by Interim Conference Minister Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates and Lynnhurst UCC Moderator Michael Peterson. The focus will be governance, specifically the Hotchkiss's Governance and Ministry Model. Come learn about this model and deepen connections with colleagues across the state.

The registration link will be available in the next COMMAntary. Reach out to Associate Conference Minister Kelly Gallagher at kellyg@uccmn.org with questions. 

Partner News & Events

You're Invited to a Book Study!

The Damascus Project and the BTS Center invite you to join a book study of "Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation," on Thursdays in October beginning October 1. An author talk is included on October 29.

REGISTER

Small-town and Rural Churches Invited to Join STAR Coalition

The STAR Coalition is a self-identified group approved for inclusion in the UCC bylaws at the 2025 General Synod. It focuses on resourcing and supporting self-identified small town and rural churches, often in more isolated locations and led by lay people. The Coalition meets on Zoom on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:30 pm CT. Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, Interim Conference Minister, serves on STAR's steering committee, and several pastors and Rev. Mallory Everhart, the Conference's Covenant Organizer, regularly attend the meetings. Folks who are interested in learning more can contact Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates or Rev. Amelia Price, co-facilitator of STAR.

Also, STAR is supporting a weekly lectionary group for lay worship leaders beginning Monday, October 5, from 5-6 pm CT. Spearheaded by Rev. Craig Peterson, this is an intentional outreach to those stepping up in their congregations. The Lectionary Group will explore the Bold Focus Scripture from the UCC Desk Calendar & Plan Book for the coming week. To register, contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org.

News from United Theological Seminary

Homecoming is October 26-27

United will host its annual United Days—rebranded this year as Homecoming—on October 26–27. The event will welcome Rev. Dr. Cláudio Carvalhaes, an earth thinker, theologian, liturgist, performer, artist, and author. Rev. Dr. Carvalhaes teaches at Union Seminary and is this year's Picard Lecturer on Environmental Theology and Ethics. LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Thrilling Enrollment News!

For the second consecutive year, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to welcome its largest-ever incoming class of degree-seeking students. With 85 new degree-seeking students, the seminary is celebrating a total fall term enrollment of 288 degree-seeking students and 7 certificate students, representing the largest total enrollment in United’s history.

UCC Webinar: Taking Action on Data Centers

Concerned about the pollution from hyperscale data centers powering Artificial Intelligence and cryptocurrency? On Wednesday, October 14 at noon CT, the UCC will offer an action-focused webinar on data centers. The webinar will begin by hearing from Alexis Humphreys, a grassroots leader in the struggle to confront Elon Musk’s xAI data center in Memphis, Tennessee. We will then take action in solidarity with Memphis and other communities across the country that are contending with data center pollution by offering a brief training on writing letters to the editor in support of current legislation in Congress that addresses data centers. As we write our own letters, we'll enjoy harp music played by Amy Kercsmar. SIGN UP

IMN Fundamentals of Transitional Leadership Training

IMN offers timely, relevant training for leaders who are leading faith communities in transition. LEARN MORE

Joy & Concerns

Ecclesiastical Council for Anna Jeide-Detweiler, hosted by the Committee on Ministry

Thursday, October 15, 6:00 pm, Plymouth Congregational Church, 1919 LaSalle Ave, Minneapolis; Zoom link

Delegates and guests are invited to join in person. This is an opportunity for our member churches to participate in the Conference’s discernment for our candidates for ordination. We must have a quorum for this candidate to move forward in their process. Learn more about Anna here. Contact See Hernandez at COMadmin@uccmn.org with any questions or for more information.

Service of Installation for Rev. Cynthia Coffin-Langdon

Sunday, October 11, 10am, Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2310 East 4th St., Duluth

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. 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.