Table of Contents 

1) Message from the Conference

2) Latest News

3) Around the Conference

4) Prayer Concerns

5) Save the Date & Cont. Ed Resources

6) VTCUCC Classifieds

Message from the Conference

Dear Beloved Community in the Vermont Conference,

Last week I was in Cleveland attending the annual meeting of the Council of Conference Ministers. It was a chance to connect with colleagues from across the denomination, to have generative conversations, to talk about what we can do to support our Conferences, Associations, churches and clergy for such a time as this. We also spent time in dialogue with our UCC General Minister and President, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, with partners from the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team and with UCC General Counsel, Heather Kimmel. We convened as the Board of Directors for the UCC Insurance Board, a ministry of the denomination that insures many of our Conferences and churches and enables numerous UCC (and partner denomination) churches to be insured when they are unable to find a commercial carrier. We met for conversation with members of the UCC Board of Directors (UCCB) to discuss ways we can support and cooperate as leaders in our denomination. Throughout the week, we worshipped together, including on Ash Wednesday. We prayed for and with each other and for the deep needs of our church, nation and world.

During one of our sessions, my colleague, the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, CM of the Southern New England Conference said, “Our task over these next few years is to get as many people as possible safely through the valley of the shadow of death.” This resonated deeply with me. It feels like we are indeed walking through a shadowed valley with very real and grave dangers, especially for the most vulnerable. This is the time to follow the Good Shepherd and stick together, be beacons of hope and leaders in compassion, inclusion and welcome, keeping always before us the vision of a just world for all.

Courage in the struggle, dear companions, Lynn

Rev. Dr. Lynn Bujnak. Conference Minister

_{Latest News}

Join Us for the 230th Annual Meeting!

Equip Your Church!

MORE UPCOMING JUSTICE & WITNESS ONLINE SEMINARS

Thank you for attending the webinar “Response to Project 2025,” sponsored by the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ. Your friends on the Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) Committee of the Conference hope that you got a lot of good information and inspiration on the challenges facing our country today. Please be sure to check out the links and resources below to follow up on the webinar.

Also please attend JWM’s additional webinars:

Immigration

Presented by Migrant Justice

Thurs, March 20 at 6:30 pm

Register here.

Community Organizing

Presented by Vermont Interfaith Action

Thurs, April 3 at 11:00 am

Register here.

As you can see, one focuses on an issue that is relevant to migrant workers here in Vermont that

many of our congregations care about, and the other offers a path forward for our congregations

throughout the state to impact what is happening in our country and make our voices heard.

Also consider yourself invited to join our Justice and Witness Ministries Committee so that you

can help us connect like-minded people throughout the conference around social justice issues.

We meet on the first Thursday of each month from 5 to 6 pm on Zoom. Please contact Debbie at

jwm@vermontucc.org if you would like to receive the link to check us out!

“Response to Project 2025” Webinar Recording: [Video Link Here]

Slides from the webinar: [Can be downloaded here]

Additional Resources:

"Countering Project 2025 with Love" https://www.ucc.org/countering-projec...

-UCC JPANet Center https://www.votervoice.net/JAWM/Home

-Resources for the First 100 Days https://www.ucc.org/first100days/

-Faithful Witness Wednesdays https://sojo.net/join/events/faithful...

-JPANet Newsletter archive https://www.ucc.org/category/column/j...

Our interfaith partners https://washingtoninterfaith.org/members

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST stance on Immigration:

*the old link (https://vermontucc.org/open-and-affirming-ona/)is no longer working so please update your links

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!)

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR CHURCH'S INFORMATION CLICK ON START NOW BELOW

The Shoreham Congregational Church is celebrating Pi Day again this year!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE CONFERENCE GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HERE:

PRAYER CONCERNS

Prayers for Ukraine, Gaza, Congo and other places in the world with ongoing wars.

Prayers for those caught in natural disasters

From: Centre Congregational Church, UCC:

As a faith community, we deeply mourn the loss of our member, Judith Myrick (1931-2025), died peacefully on February 8 in Pennsylvania. Her health had been declining in the last few months due to heart failure. And then her body began to give out. Her son and daughter were able to be at her bedside the last few days, time for which they are grateful. A service in Judy’s memory will be held at the gravesite at the cemetery where her husband, Allen, is also buried. Her obituary will be published in the March Centre Bells. I have reached out to the daughter, Helen Davis, to express to her the church’s condolences.

See obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/wfmz/name/judith-myrick-obituary?id=57503074

Judy and Allen were champions of the Wider Church and were long time UCBWM and GM missionaries.

Members of Centre Congregational Church, UCC

Reverend Ben Thurber , age 92, died peacefully in his home after a long illness of vascular dementia. He received a certificate this past year for 65 years of ordained ministry. He was also a masterful artist (https://www.benthurberart.com/). Bev Thurber's wife, Beverly is one of United Church of Craftsbury's accompanists. Our prayers are with the family.

A celebration of Ben’s life and legacy is planned for Memorial Day weekend (details to be announced later). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Craftsbury Church on the Common’s Deacons’ Crisis Fund, PO Box 46, Craftsbury Common, VT 05827, or Orleans/Essex VNA Hospice, 46 Lakemont Rd., Newport, VT 05855.

Find his obituary by clicking here

Rev. Dr. William Ellis Cobb “Bill”, age 87, passed away in the early morning hours of April 12, 2024, at his home in Lexington, TN with his family by his side

Find his obituary by clicking here

Save the Date & Cont. Ed Resources

2025 Racial Justice Trainings

This 6-hour training for authorized ministers, uses videos, articles and small-group conversations based on a unique tool that lifts up the need for work in the area of respect and affirmation when looking at the four realms of racism.

• March 18 and 20
• May 12 and 14
• September 9 and 10

Home       About Us   Programs   For Authorizing Bodies     Contact Us     Donate

The next UCC History and Polity course begins May 7 and ends on August 19, 2025.

UCC History and Polity explores the history, polity, theologies, and practices of the United Church of Christ and its predecessor denominations. The course will include an exploration of denominational identity, hidden histories within the denomination, case studies around current issues of polity and structure, current ecumenical conversations, emerging trends within the United Church of Christ, and more. Successful completion of this course will fulfill the history and polity requirement for authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ in many associations and conferences.

Go to the PATHWAYS website (pathwaystheological.org) to learn more and to apply for UCC History and Polity and other courses.   

Teeny Tiny Church Services: Supporting Smaller Congregations

Looking for ways to enhance your worship services this summer and beyond?

Teeny Tiny Church Services offers a range of resources to meet your congregation's needs, whether you have a full-time pastor, rely on supply preachers, or have lay leaders presiding over worship. 

 Welcome, Farewell, and Blessings

Pastoral Transitions since the 2024 Vermont Conference Annual Meeting

A Memorial Service for The Reverend Roger Brown will take place on Saturday, April 12 at 11:00 am at Centre Congregational Church, UCC. A graveside service will take place on Sunday, April 13 at 1:00pm.

VERMONT UCC CLASSIFIEDS

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

Click here to Sign up to stay connected, be nourished and keep updated on racial justice work happening around the world.

For the latest news click here



The Online Learning Platform of the United Church of Christ

How to Contact Vermont Conference Staff

For our Conference Minister please email Rev. Dr. Lynn Bujnak at: lbujnak@vermontucc.org

For our Associate Conference Minister please email Rev. Paul Sangree at: psangree@vermontucc.org

For Ministries Coordinator (search & call, ministerial standing, pulpit supply list, etc.) Jackie Lingelbach at: jlingelbach@vermontucc.org

For Office Administrator (event registration, financial, governance other business) email: admin@vermontucc.org

For Disaster Ministries please email Rev. Greg Briggs at: disasterministries@vermontucc.org

 For Dean of Ministry21 please email Rev. Susie Webster-Toleno at: VTDean@min21.org

DEADLINE for E-Kit News must be received by Tuesday of each week.

 Please send any and all information please email: admin@vermontucc.org

Connect with us on:

visit our website at http://www.vermontucc.org/