WORKSHOP CHOICES
2007 Annual Meeting
These workshops will be held at the DCU Center, The Crowne Plaza Hotel, and the Wesley Methodist Church, Worcester, Massachusetts
on Saturday, September 29, 2007, following lunch
Please review. You will be asked to indicate your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices on your registration form.
1. Basic Issues of Hospitality. Leader: Peter Larsen, a member of South Church in Andover , UCC, a trained Vitality Coach and Chair of the Commission for Evangelism and Congregational Vitality. How wide, how genuine, how memorable is your welcome? Join with members of the Commission for Evangelism and Congregational Vitality for a spirited introduction to hospitality for everyone in your church.
2. A Different Kind of Outreach: Churches as Sponsors of Local Community Dialogue. Leader: Alice Mann, Senior Consultant with the Alban Institute. This workshop will explore a different (and historically resonant) role for your congregation—building the “new common” by becoming a sponsor of creative and inclusive community dialogue around issues that matter to your community’s present and future.
3. Hope is Not Hopeless: Grassroots Peacemaking and Interfaith Dialogue in Israel and Palestine. Leader: Polly Hamlen, a member of Hope Church, Jamaica Plain and Chair of the Commission for Ecumenism for the Massachusetts Conference, UCC. Explore the role of dialogue and grassroots efforts in building bridges and helping create a foundation for future peace.
4. Roundtable for Pastors of Multi-denominational Churches. Leader: Cathy Turrentine, member of the Commission for Ecumenism. Pastors who serve federated and dual-aligned churches, and those who are in churches outside their denomination of ordained standing are invited to this roundtable session. Topics will include common problems in serving multi-denominational settings, shared wisdom for dealing with these issues, and ways the Conference can support and assist pastors in these settings.
5. Emergent Churches. Leader: Chanta Bhan, a member of First Church in Swampscott, Congregational and a member of the Evangelism and Congregational Vitality Commission for the Massachusetts Conference, UCC. Come and learn about emergent worship and how emergent churches are reaching new populations. cancelled
6. Just Peace Players. Leader: Fran Bogle, a member of Church of the Covenant, Federated is the Just Peace Coordinator in the MetropolitanBoston Association. Join us for our premiere performance of “Fifty is Nifty: Happy Birthday UCC.” This play is a wonderful resource as congregations celebrate our birthday as the United Church of Christ.
7. Targeting Hunger: An Understanding of Community Food Security and What We Can Do About It. Leader: Jo Comerford, Director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts . This is a participatory workshop focused on the Food Bank’s hunger initiative. cancelled
8. Fixing No Child Left Behind. Leader: Jan Resseger. Jan is the UCC Minister for Public Education. In this workshop you will learn how your congregation can faithfully help Congress understand the racial and economic injustices in NCLB.
9. Making Disciples: Nurturing Spirituality and Deepening Adult Faith Formation in Small Groups . Leader: Debbie Cipolletti is a member of North Congregational Church, Middleboro and is a trained Vitality Coach. This workshop models facilitative small group leadership to nurture faith development in small group settings. FULL
10. Restorative Justice 101 . Leader: Mike Rich, a member of Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC in Arlington and Chair of the Restorative Justice Task Force. This workshop will bean introduction to the concepts, practices and foundations of Restorative Justice.
11. Vision and Vitality in the Small Church . Leader: Sue Moenius, pastor of the Westport United Congregational Church, a Vitality Coach and member of the Board of Directors of Massachusetts Conference, UCC. Small membership congregations have unique characteristics and dynamics. Come and be resourced on how your congregation can grow in vision and vitality.
12. Inspiring Generosity . Leader: Bill Green, Minister and Team Leader of Stewardship and Church Finances Ministry, UCC, Cleveland , Ohio. How can we motivate stronger stewardship and help people feel better about giving? Look at ways to overcome the most frequent problems encountered when the church seeks financial support .
13. Church Finances for Treasurers, Trustees, and Pastors. Leader: Karen McArthur, a member of the Congregational Church of South Dartmouth, UCC is a trained Stewardship Associate. Churches are called to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to them. Learn how congregations can build trust and support for their ministries through straightforward financial reporting.
14. Annual Enlistment Programs. Leader: Andy Gustafson, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship and Financial Development and a member of Townsend Congregational Church. This workshop will discuss the elements of a successful program, compare the various methods, and look at what other churches have done successfully. Participants will be prepared to choose or design the program that will work for their unique congregation. cancelled
15. OCWM. Leader: Jean Souther, a member of the Federated Church of Orleans and the Massachusetts Conference Stewardship Commission. This workshop will help participants gain a deeper understanding of OCWM as well as learning ways to inform their congregation about this wonderful opportunity to advance Christ’s mission. cancelled
16. It’s 2007: Do You Know Where Your Old Reports Are? Leader: Peggy Bendroth, a member of First Church in Cambridge , Congregational, UCC and Director of the Massachusetts Congregational Library. This workshop will inform churches about microfilming grants from the Congregational Library and it will also provide basic instruction in the best ways to store old and valuable church records.
17. Hope and Faith: Stories of the Open and Affirming Process and Ministry. Leader: Kathie Carpenter, a member of the Congregational Church of Needham and Chair of the Open and Affirming Task Force. Come and explore the issues involved in the Open and Affirming process and the blessings of an Open and Affirming ministry.
18. Church Tools in the 21 st Century. Leader: Tiffany Vail, Associate for Communications and Technology and a member of the Original Congregational Church, UCC. Today’s churches no longer need an in-house technology expert to look good online. Learn what internet tools exist to help your church create a professional website, send out attractive newsletters and more.
19. Curriculum Resources for the Future. Leader: Elsa Marshall, Commissioned Minister for Educational Ministries and a staff member of the Maple Street Congregational Church, UCC in Danvers is a Christian Education Consultant for the Massachusetts Conference, UCC. This workshop will introduce the newest curriculum of the UCC, “ Gather Round.” There will also be updates and comparisons of other denominational curriculums and resources.
20. The Challenge of Welcoming Young Adults. Leader: Kris LoFrumento, Associate for Young Adult Ministries and a member of Edwards Church, UCC in Framingham . Are there people in their 20s and 30s active in your church? Come and hear from young adults about our experiences in church life, what we look for in a faith community, and what we have to offer to our local congregations.
21. The UCC at Fifty! Our Heritage, Our Polity, Our Hope! Leader: Dale Hempen , Associate Conference Minister and a member of First Church of Christ, UCC in Sandwich . Come and learn and grow in appreciation of the United Church of Christ’s story and the core value that has made us the denomination that we are. - cancelled
22. Faith and Leadership in a Time of Environmental Challenges. Leaders: Elizabeth England, a member of Old South Church in Boston and members of the MACUCC Environmental Ministries Task Force. Come and learn about major global issues, solutions that are available and ways to educate our congregations.
23. Town Meeting Discussion. Leader: John Thomas is the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Join John for an open forum on pressing issues confronting the United Church of Christ.
24. Church Structures that Multiply Mission. Leader: Paul Nickerson , Associate Conference Minister for Evangelism, Vitality and New Church Starts and a member of Church in the Cove, UCC. Many congregations are struggling with church organizations that do not produce disciples and mission. Come and learn of new ways to structure your congregation.
25. From Jubilee to the World Bank. Leader: Stan Duncan, pastor of the United Church in Abington is the Chair of the Jubilee Task Force. Come to hearhow trade caused poverty and inequality in Ancient Israel , and how faith and activism can help alleviate it today. We will reflect on case studies on coffee, international debt and Naboth’s Vineyard. cancelled
26. Tell It Like It is: Reclaiming the Practice of Testimony. Leader: Lillian Daniel, Senior Pastor of the First Congregational Church, Glen Ellyn , Illinois . In this workshop we will explore the practice of testimony and its continuing relevance to congregational life. The workshop will place testimony in the larger theoretical context of history and faith practices, as it relates to church vitality. We will also examine practical strategies and challenges to implementing testimony, using real life stories from churches as well as role plays.
27. Moving From a Board to a Ministry Culture. Leader: Larry Peers , an Alban Institute Consultant and Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Consultant to Massachusetts Conference, UCC. This workshop is designed for moderators and deacons to learn how to make the church meeting process more fruitful. - cancelled
28. Boundary Issues. Leader: Peter Wells, regionally deployed Associate Conference Minister and a member of Faith United Church in Springfield . A discussion for lay leaders around boundary issues of ministry and mission. cancelled
29. Mission Societies Make Mission Work. Leaders: Bob Bachelder, Executive Director of the Worcester Area Mission Society, UCC and Carl McDonald, Boston Urban Outreach Director of the City Mission Society of Boston . Come and learn how the Worcester and Boston Mission Societies make mission work in the community and in your congregation.
30. Mass ReLeaf Ministry: Planting Trees for Human Justice and Environmental Stewardship. Leader: Neal Seaborn, Director of Mass ReLeaf Ministries and a member of The Wellesley Congregational Church. Many congregations are learning the value of planting trees in blighted urban areas. Come and see how your church might be involved. cancelled
31. Making a Dent in Homelessness. Leaders: Fran Bogle, a member of the Church of the Covenant, Federated in Boston and Task Force to End Homelessness members. Come and learn of resources to help your congregation combat homelessness in Massachusetts. cancelled
32. Hurricane Recovery Offers Exciting Possibilities. Leader: Shantia Wright-Gray, Mission Educator, Worcester Area Mission Society. MACUCC has a partnership in Mission with the Good Shepherd UCC in Metairie LA. Through them we are working with the UCC disaster Recovery Team in New Orleans doing reconstruction, we have a Teachers-in Residence Program, a history road show which tours the schools, we are training MACUCC folk to lead workshops on Post Traumatic Stress andare participating in their political advocacy network. Come and see how you can help here or there. cancelled