COMMAntary

The newsletter of the Minnesota Conference UCC

Volume 24, No. 28 | August 6, 2026

Equipping a courageous Church alive with Christ's transforming love

Welcoming Change

"Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (NRSVUE) — Isaiah 43:18-19

Hello friends,

The scripture noted above is one of my favorites. I am one of those people who is not afraid of change. In fact, I welcome it. That is not the way everyone feels, and I understand that change can bring anxiety, worry, fear, and even a sense of loss. How do we let go of what we love so much and walk in a new way, to a new place? I have a different question. What happens if we stop changing, stop evolving, stop growing?

There is a geographic example of this concept. If you have never been to the Dead Sea in Israel, let me share that it is smelly, filled with bromides, excessively salty. Really a non-living place. It is fed by the Jordan River but doesn’t have an outlet for the water to continue to flow. Contrast this with the Sea of Galilee, also fed by the Jordan River, but which has water both flowing into and out of it. It is alive, full of fish, nourishing the land surrounding it. The flowing of water, the changing, the journey feed the Sea, and it retains life.

I believe it is the same with the church. If we get stuck, we don’t grow. Contrary to what the doomsayers profess, I don’t believe the church is dying. I think the church is being pushed to evolve, to transform, to encounter the world, the culture, and the people of faith (or those seeking a spiritual community) in new ways. Yes, I believe we need to hold to the values that Jesus called us to: loving God, loving our neighbor, caring for the lost and the least, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing those with no shelter, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, seeking justice, living in compassion. It’s a tall order and we cannot accomplish the will of Jesus by staying stuck in the places we have always been. We need to step out. We need to take a deep breath and move forward in courage, accompanied by God all along the journey.

Interim times are stressful. You have been through a lot in the past few years, as a conference, as congregations, as communities, and as a state. There will be changes. There will also be some things that stay exactly the same. I will be traveling around the state, changing locations monthly.

I will be holding some Grief Debrief conversations, attending retreats, meeting with pastors and church leaders, and trying to be present while we explore the best ways that we, as a conference, can accomplish our mission to equip a courageous church alive with Christ’s transforming love. Please join me. Please reach out with concerns, questions, and ideas. I welcome getting to know you all as we transform and spring forth in new ways, doing new things.

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, Interim Conference Minister

Conference News & Events

OWL for Senior High Students Starting this Fall

Lyndale UCC and Spirit of Peace Church, Minnetonka, are co-hosting Our Whole Lives (OWL) for senior high students in the West Metro. The session runs September-April, with 12 in-person, 90-minute sessions on Wednesday and Sunday evenings, roughly twice per month.

OWL is a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum that addresses all that makes a person a sexual being: sexual identity, intimacy, sensuality, and sexualization, as well as sexual health. And it does so while centering the beliefs and ethics at the heart of the UCC's theology that all humans - no exceptions - are beloved by our creator, that our bodies are gifts meant to be honored and enjoyed, and that we have a profound responsibility to care for others through mutual respect, transparency, and compassion.

Check out the program slide presentation, then fill out the sign-up form for the required parent orientation on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Moderator Gathering Planned for August 24

Monday, August 24 from 7-8:30 pm via Zoom

The presiding officer of the church has many names and many responsibilities! Inviting all moderators, council chairs, and consistory presidents to an online gathering on Monday, August 24. The purpose of this first gathering is to meet colleagues, share challenges, ask questions, and to talk about desired resources and support. We hope to offer ongoing gatherings throughout the year to deepen connections and support the development of leaders in our congregations.

This first session will be facilitated by Ministry Partner Sarah Lehman. Reach out to Sarah at sarahl@uccmn.org with any questions.

Registration Open for Women's Retreat: How the Wild Blooms Within Us

Friday, September 11 (arrive 4:30 pm) through Sunday, September 13 (depart 11:00 am)

Camp Onomia
LEARN MORE & REGISTER

There is a wilderness blooming around us: woods, sacred water, birdsong, the slow turning of late summer into fall. And there is a wilderness blooming within us: something sacred, alive, and seeking to thrive.

This September, we invite self-identifying women from across the Minnesota Conference to spend a weekend among the woods and waters of Camp Onomia, exploring how the Sacred Wild blooms within and through us. Guided by Rev. Claire Klein (& a special surprise co-facilitator), we'll deepen our connection to the wilderness surrounding us and the wilderness within — through music, movement, and embodied practice. Come rest. Come breathe. Come bloom.

Joy as Resistance and Refugia

We are living in a collision of crises right now. Amid that collision, the MN Conference UCC is offering a series of three in-person retreats between August 2026 and February 2027. Each retreat stands on its own and is related to the other two in the series. All three retreats will be hosted at Mount Olivet Retreat Center. The registration fee for each retreat is $175, and participants who register for all three will receive a 25% discount for all three retreats.

Retreat 1 – Reconnections

August 6-8

Retreat 2 – Rest and Resilience

November 5-7

Retreat 3 – Remembering New Beginnings

February 25-27, 2027

Registration is Open for Fall Equinox Retreat: Where the Light Turns:

Camp Courage

Friday, September 25 (arrival at 5:00 pm); depart Sunday, September 27, by 11:00 am

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

At the autumn equinox, day and night coalesce into balance for a breath before the year tips toward dark. An ancient threshold, it’s a time to give thanks for the harvest, to release what we've outgrown, and to turn inward as the light draws down.

You're invited to meet that turning on the wooded shore of Cedar Lake. This is a contemplative, deeply restorative weekend grounded in equinox spirituality with guided meditation, breathwork, drumming and sound, time outdoors in, and energy healing. Together we’ll call in the directions and the Sacred in wind, water, fire, and falling leaves, creating space to quiet the mind, tend the spirit, and journey in the company of open-hearted mystics.

Come to release the summer, gather what you'll carry into the coming season, and reconnect with the Holy that moves through a living world and you.

Save the Dates for the Fall Clergy Retreat

Registration opening soon!

Location: Dunrovin Retreat Center

Dates: October 27-29, arrive 5 pm Tuesday & depart 11:30 am Thursday

Cost: $250 (scholarship support is available; MIDs receive a $200 registration discount)

All authorized ministers of the Minnesota Conference UCC and members in discernment are invited to be part of this year’s clergy retreat. Plan to pause from the rhythms and demands of daily life with a community of colleagues in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley. This retreat is core to deepening our connections in the Conference and to supporting our talented, committed clergy.

Save the Date for a Cultivating Generous Congregations Workshop

November 7 from 9 - 4 p.m., United Theological Seminary

This workshop will help you learn how to enhance generosity ministries in your congregation. It is designed for a team of pastor and leaders. Say tuned for registration details.

Order Neighbors in Need Resources

Resources are now available to prepare your congregation for this year's campaign. Posters and envelopes are now available. Most congregations will receive the Neighbors in Need offering September 10, though gifts are received anytime. Gifts support UCC ministries of justice and compassion across the U.S. and contribute to the Conference's priority to do justice and mercy in our communities.

One third of this offering supports Native American ministries like our own All Nations Indian Church in Minneapolis. ORDER HERE.

Partner News & Events

Sacred Reckonings Trainings Scheduled for September-October

Join us in person for two days of immersive learning at New Branches (5011 31st. Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55417) and a pilgrimage with Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs from B’dote to George Floyd Square and the memorials for Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The place-based story-telling about the history of the Doctrine of Discovery with Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs (Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican) is a new and powerful addition to the training.

Join us in person in Minneapolis for Sessions 1 and 2:

Fri., Sept 18: 5-8:30 pm CT
Sat., Sept 19: 9:30 am-4:30 pm CT

Then continue your learning online for Sessions 3 through 5:

Mon., Oct. 26, 2026: 6:30-8:00 CT
Mon., Nov. 9, 2026: 6:30-8:00 CT
Mon., Nov. 23, 2026: 6:30-8:00 CT

The featured guest is Sam Daley-Harris who has been equipping people of faith and conscience to advocate with members of Congress for over 45 years. He has coached and encouraged advocates as they have achieved tangible results in working to pass legislation. He is the founder of a highly successful anti-poverty organization called RESULTS and the author of "Reclaiming Our Democracy: Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy."

Joys & Concerns

The Conference offers condolences to the friends, family, and colleagues of Rev. Rosanna M. Walker, who died July 11. Rosanna was the called pastor of Granite Falls United Church of Christ and of the Rainy River Regional Parish UCC churches (First Congregational UCC in Baudette, United Congregational UCC in Birchdale, and Pilgrim Congregational UCC in Williams). She was a committed attender of the Annual Meeting even when she could no longer travel and this year served as our online chaplain during our Annual Meeting. We could always count on Rosanna to attend all the hearings with questions, challenges, and a deep interest in the future of the church. She will be dearly missed. Read her full obituary.

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.