Volume 17, No. 41 | October 20, 2021  View as Webpage

COMMAntary Equipping a courageous Church alive with Christ’s transforming love

Seeking Your Input on Racial Justice Needs

The Amos Task Force, appointed by the Board of the Conference last year to help advance our racial equity work, is seeking your input and wisdom to guide its planning in the coming year. Please take a few minutes to complete a survey to help the task force get a clearer picture of the work currently being done by local churches in Minnesota. Some congregations are directly engaging in work for racial equity, while others are addressing it indirectly through various social justice programs. The Amos Task Force wants to hear what you are doing and what would help you continue or expand this work. Please consider these questions and complete the survey by November 22. More information is available here.

Take the survey here

Conference News & Events

Registration Extended to End of Day, Wednesday, October 20 Grit & Grace Workshop: October 22 & 23 Advent Prep: October 20 & 27, and November 3, 10 & 17 Grit & Grace is a personalized learning experience—for clergy, lay leaders, and all people of faith—that you direct, at your own pace and on your own time! Advent Prep is great for preachers, faith formation, and adult study leaders. This low-key, online lunch-hour lecture series will equip you with fresh perspectives on the Advent texts. Each week features a different faith leader, including Justin Sabia-Tannis, Karl Kuhn, Rachael Keefe, Shannon Kearns, and Alika Galloway & Carolyn Pressler. Meet our biblical commentators. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER BY END OF DAY, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

Explore, Deepen, Renew and Connect Your Faith through "Faith Foundations" This great program for laypeople, brought to you by The Damascus Project, is now open for registration October 15. Download the flyer to learn more and watch the video below.

The Ministry Lab Hosts "Gentle" Re-Opening In-person hours resume October 20 & 21, from noon–5 pm. Visitors are asked to be vaccinated and wear a mask at all times. You can: Consult with Rev. Emily Meyer on Wednesdays. Meet our new assistant, Bridgette Weber, on Thursdays. Find hidden treasures in our gently used book giveaway on Wednesdays October 27 and November 3 Check out our new, FREE resources for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and more! Reserve a labyrinth for Advent, New Years, Lent, etc., by emailing Emily Meyer.

Joys & Concerns

We celebrate the ministry of Rev. Dr. John Ross, who had his last Sunday at Wayzata Community Church (UCC) on October 10. Rev. Ross served at WCC for 17 years. He will now be the Executive Director of the St John’s Bible (Heritage Edition) program at St John’s University.

Resources & Clergy Clusters

Check out the employment opportunities portion of our website for all open positions. Send story ideas, insights and more to [email protected]. COMMAntary is published on Wednesdays; submissions are due the Monday prior to publication at noon. The Conference website offers a wealth of resources related to Covid, racial justice, and more. Congregations may also apply for emergency grants to cover operating expenses, technology needs, or community ministries; grants to cover the cost of website development; or counseling assistance grants for authorized ministers.

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This newsletter is brought to you by generous contribution to Our Church's Wider Mission. The Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ (UCC) equips a courageous Church alive with Christ’s transforming love. Through advice, support, and resources, we strengthen the 126 congregations throughout the state to do the redemptive work of God in the world. www.uccmn.org

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