COMMAntary

The newsletter of the Minnesota Conference UCC

Volume 23, No. 6 | March 19, 2026

Equipping a courageous Church alive with Christ's transforming love

Following in Jesus’ Footsteps: Walking the Palm Sunday Path

On Sunday, March 29, churches around the country and around the world will remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will recall how he stood up to the authoritarian regime of Rome — not with guns, not with armies, but with a parade created out of relationships and trust he had built. Jesus was celebrated by the people he touched, healed, fed and loved. He is lauded for welcoming the stranger, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick. His was a ministry that frightened the Roman empire.

That is the ministry we are called to – one of building relationships of love, healing, support, and trust. It is one that so many of our churches and members and clergy have been about for many, many years. On March 29, around the state in Moorhead, Mankato, Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Paul, we will have the opportunity to embody that ministry of love and justice through The Palm Sunday Path. A witness of Christian faith in the face of authoritarianism.

From the website Palm Sunday Faith Actions 2026: Reclaiming Christianity in the Public Square:

“Christians stand for loving our neighbors. We stand for healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger. We stand for telling the truth and honoring the dignity and worth of every child of God. On Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026, Christians across the country will stand up to the rise of authoritarianism and white Christian nationalism. We will stand against the politics of greed, cruelty, and oppression by continuing to show the country that our central commandments, to love God and love our neighbors, is our way forward.”

This is the work of our time – to show up in the public square in as many different ways as we can: mutual aid, school patrol, rent assistance and Palm Sunday Marches – to claim that as people of faith we will not step aside for hatred and authoritarianism to reign.

I was heartened and humbled by this email sent to colleagues from the Rev. Sarah Campbell from Creekside UCC in Minneapolis who is retiring later this spring. I hope we can all do what is ours to do in this time. Here are Sarah's words:

“This is going to be the most intense holy week most of us have ever experienced. As it should be given the increasing authoritarianism in our country.

I'm in my last three months of 35 years of ministry, and I've never felt more proud of my religion and my colleagues…How we're resisting authoritarianism. Minnesota clergy…reminiscent of the Confessing Church of Germany in the 1930s…how we're putting our teaching 'love your neighbor' into action.

I went into ministry because of what I learned in Sunday School as a little girl in UCC churches in the Northland and the Midwest about God’s dream of justice… and what we’d say in worship every Sunday…'thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth…as it is in heaven.' My last prophetic action of my ministry career will be Sunday afternoon on Palm Sunday. I’m going to wear my stole and my robe and join other clergy, following the clergy of the Black Church Power Project, followed by church members, including 200 from my church, in a processional to the State Capitol, the heart of the power in our state, at 1:30 pm on Palm Sunday afternoon. Will you join me? We need to proclaim what Christianity is really about on our holy day!”

See more Palm Sunday Faith Actions Info and Resources

Conference News & Events

Building a More Just Church Through Our Words and Our Work

—The Committee to Dismantle White Supremacy

As people of faith, we are rooted in the power of both spoken and written word. Scripture, covenant, and community life all remind us that language shapes who we are and who we are becoming. In this spirit, the Conference is embarking on a thoughtful and deliberate journey to ensure that the documents guiding our shared life reflect God’s hope for a just and inclusive community.

This work is part of a broader commitment within the Minnesota Conference UCC to dismantle systems of white supremacy and to cultivate practices that honor the dignity and worth of all people. By examining the language we use—and the assumptions embedded within it—we seek to create organizational documents that align with our deepest values of equity, belonging, and justice.

Our Purpose

We believe that written materials are not merely administrative tools; they are expressions of our identity and our aspirations. By approaching our documents with intention, we hope to contribute to a cultural shift within our conference—one that actively resists institutional racism and fosters a more just environment for all.

Short‑Term Outcomes

Over the coming months, our team will focus on three foundational steps:

• Review all existing documents to understand their current language and structure.

• Develop proposed wording that better reflects anti-racist values and practices.

• Meet with each committee to share recommendations and gather feedback.

These steps will help us build a shared understanding and ensure that every ministry area has a voice in the process.

Long‑Term Vision

Our long-term goal is clear: Organizational documents free from inherent bias toward institutional white supremacy or racism. This is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment to aligning our written expressions with our faith and values.

Moving Forward Together

This work is both practical and deeply spiritual. It calls us to examine not only our documents but also our assumptions, habits, and hopes. As we move through this process, we invite the entire conference to hold this effort in prayer and to remain open to the transformation that God continues to call forth in us. Together, we can build a church whose words—and actions—reflect the justice and love at the heart of our faith.

Join the Damascus Project's Monthly Stewardship Webinar

March 25, 6:30 pm – Understanding Your Why

Being able to effectively communicate your purpose as a congregation is a vital step in animating generosity. Join Rev. Kent Siladi and Rev. Wendy Vander Hart to explore why your “why” connects to giving and how you can discover and effectively communicate it. Clergy and key lay leaders will find inspiration as they dive into this vision work.

Congregational Boundary Training with Rev. Diane Weible Offered

Tuesdays, April 21 and 28, 6:30-8:30 pm via Zoom

Congregational boundary training is an opportunity for communities of faith to explore ethics in ministry. This training will define boundaries and define what a healthy boundary looks like. It will include topics that lay leaders encounter in their ministry as well as offer an understanding of boundary concerns specific to ministers, such as when a minister leaves a church and expectations for ordained ministers who are members of a local church.

The training will include opportunities for small group discussion and questions. Participants are encouraged to bring questions related to their own experience.

Youth Voices: Bold Faith

Speaking Truth to Power for a Just World for All

When: July 12-17, 2026

Who: Students currently enrolled in grades 9-12

Cost: $550 (with significant subsidy from the Ashley Endowment of the MN Conference (total cost is ~$1,100); cost includes airfare from MSP, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and program

Are you ready to make your voice heard? Join other high school students from the Minnesota & Wisconsin Conferences of the United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C. for Youth Voices: Bold Faith, a week-long immersion in faith-based advocacy, justice, and community. Together, we’ll explore how our faith calls us to speak truth to power, stand up for what’s right, and work toward a world where all can thrive.

Participants will:

• engage with leaders making change on Capitol Hill and beyond;

• learn practical tools for organizing, advocacy, and public witness;

• engage in Youth Leadership Development;

• build deep connections with peers who share their passion for justice and hope for the world

Registration is limited to the first 30 youth who register, and we will have space for 10 adults (or 1 per congregation). All adults will need to complete a comprehensive criminal background screening and complete online training by June 12, 2026.

Good Friday Walk Through Sites of Crucifixion in South Minneapolis

April 3, noon to 3 pm

Led by Lyndale UCC pastors Rev. T. Michael Rock and Rev. Rebecca Voelkel

The walk will begin at Say Their Names Cemetery at George Floyd Square. We will pause and hold space at George Floyd Square, at the Renee Good Memorial, at the Karmel Mall, at an abduction site at 29th and Pillsbury, and end at the Alex Pretti memorial. We will hear from a storyteller, a theological reflector, have some simple ritual and song.

People are free to walk, drive, or bike – the distance is about two miles one way. We welcome all to be present in this powerful witness in whatever way you can join. There will be poetry, prayer and singing at each site as well as time for quietness and honoring the tears on this land.

A part of our community has died. We are called to remember and honor this journey. This will help us prepare for Easter. Questions? Contact T. Michael Rock or Rebecca Voelkel.

Outdoor Ministry Offers "Spring Equinox: Awakening the Wild Holy Within Us"

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE FOR THIS WEEKEND RETREAT!

March 20–22, Camp Onomia, Onamia, MN

As winter softens, melts, and early breaths of spring blow across the land, the Spring Equinox invites us into a moment of balance where light meets dark, stillness meets movement, and each of us can move with the Earth toward renewal. This retreat is a time set apart for healing, sacred meditation, reflection, spiritual grounding, and inner awakening.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Nominating Work Group Seeks Candidates for Conference-wide Positions

The Nominating Work Group asks for your help in identifying folk to serve in Conference-wide, elected positions. Our work rests on finding well qualified persons willing to volunteer and your help is needed in helping us find such folk. We frequently hear from those who have volunteered for an elected position that their volunteer time was rewarding. They met new friends, engaged in important work, and gained greater insight into the Conference’s ministry.

Currently there are multiple openings including:

Board of Directors: the governing Board of the Conference (subject to action taken at annual and special meetings of the Conference), providing guidance, oversite and support to staff and committees.
Committee on Ministry: responsible for the oversite of all authorized ministers in the Conference, including those seeking ordination, Dual Standing, Privilege of Call, Licensure, and other forms of specialized authorization.
Committee to Dismantle White Supremacy: our newest Conference Committee, working collaboratively with the Board of Directors, committees and work groups to ensure they remain aligned with the Conference’s anti-racism work.
Finance Committee: prepares and monitors the Conference budget, makes and monitors investments, assesses and monitors risk, obtains insurance, and manages Conference funds.
Development Committee: promotes the financial development of the Conference, and reviews and implements the Conference’s fundraising plan.
Personnel Committee: provides oversight and establishes policies in relation to employment, staffing and other human resource matters.
Annual Meeting Planning Work Group: oversees all matters related to the annual meeting.
Nominating Work Group: nominates persons to fill elected positions in the conference.

If you or someone you know is interested in serving in an elected position, please contact Eliot Howard, Chair of the Nominating Work Group at eliothoward930@gmail.com. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Save the Date for Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar

May 30, 9 am–4 pm

Save the date for this one day plus one Zoom follow-up seminar. The Minnesota Conference UCC and United Seminary are partnering to bring this generosity program to teams of pastor and lay leaders. Registration and more information soon to come.

News from Churches & Partners

Canadian Congregations Raise Funds for Minnesota Conference's Emergency Grant Fund

On March 26, the Transcona Memorial United Church in Winnipeg will host a "Wind Blows Benefit Concert" to raise awareness of and support for those engaged in seeking justice and resisting evil, in the face of and wake of the insurgence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota. Proceeds will go to the Conference's Emergency Grant Fund.

The concert will provide a venue for local musicians, singer-songwriters, and poets to offer their creative gifts to advocate for justice and human rights, and to raise financial contributions to support this work, as it is being undertaken on the ground in Minnesota.

We are so deeply grateful to our friends in Canada for this incredible tribute and commitment!

ConNext Summit 2026:
Beyond Belonging - Branching Out - Bringing In - Building Together

October 11-13, Clearwater Forest Camp and Retreat Center

Faith leaders strive to create places of deep belonging. We long to branch out beyond belonging to bring into the center children, youth, and adults forced to the margins so that together, we can build a more beautiful community in which all God's beloveds flourish.

How can we develop more emotionally- and systemically-aware mentors - adults and peers - capable of more joyful and meaningful welcome for children and youth whose identities place them on the margins and increasingly in danger?

In the face of Christian Nationalism and other radicalizing ideologies, how do we create communities in which vulnerability, compassion, and gracious conversation are norms that shape open, compassionate, gracious children, youth, and families?

Faith leaders working with all ages and in all contexts (geographic and ecumenical) are invited to this ConNext Summit.

Learn more and register here.

Early-bird registration is available until May 31!!

Love Knows No Borders Toolkit from National UCC

We as a nation stand at a moral crossroads. We are facing a rising tide of systemic hatred and fear directed toward our immigrant, refugee, and LGBTQIA neighbors. In this Lenten season, we are called lament and confess the sin and evil in our world. But we also remember that we are not without hope. We know that Love wins in the end. We in the United Church of Christ must claim that hope to meet the challenges of this moment through action, intersection, and solidarity.

View the resources, including a toolkit, to respond to this time with relevancy, urgency, and love.

Gather Members to Watch the UCC Earth Summit on April 25

April 25, Noon CT

The theme for the fourth annual UCC Earth Summit is "A Future with Hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). To ground and inspire us as people of faith in difficult times, the Jim Antal Keynote Lecture will be delivered by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Samuel, a renowned advocate and organizer for justice who serves as the pastor of Victory for the World Church in Decatur, Georgia. This two-and half-hour summit will additionally feature a panel discussion entitled “Power to the People: Energy Justice for an Equitable Future.” Panelists will include Dr. Shalanda Baker, who headed the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the Department of Energy under the Biden Administration, and Chandra Farley, who serves as the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Atlanta. Celebrations at the summit will include the announcement of the winners for both the Dollie Burwell Prophetic Action Award and the Climate Hope Art Contest for children and youth. Moreover, we will recognize our newest Creation Justice Churches and our first Climate Hope Affiliates.

You are Invited to a Service of Ordination for Sana DelCorazón

Saturday, May 24, 3 pm

Living Table at New Branches, 5011 S 31st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

Please join the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ as together we ordain Sana DelCorazón. Clergy are invited to robe and process; please wear red stoles and arrive at 2:30 pm. Reception to follow.

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.

EMPLOYMENT: Check out the employment opportunities page on the Conference's website for all open positions.