The Commission for Educational Ministries

Staff: Ms. Susan Dickerman, Associate Conference Minister, MACUCC

Chair:The Rev. Ms. Sherril A. Willis, First Congregational Church, Sunderland

The Rev. Ms. Shirley Anderson, First Congregational, Millbury
Ms. Terry Ebner, South Church in Andover
Ms. Cheryl L. Kerr, Hancock United, Lexington
Ms. Corey Lincoln, Pilgrim Church, UCC, Sherborn
Ms. Betsy Miller, West Parish of Barnstable
The Rev. Ms. Susan Remick, Hingham Congregational
Ms. Christine Stahlinski, UCC Congregational, Burlington
Ms. Robin Withers, Foster Memorial Church, Springfield
Nancy Yesu, First Church of Christ in Longmeadow

Link: Christian Education Page

Meeting Dates: 2007-2008

October 3, 2007

November 7, 2007

January 9, 2008

February 13, 2008

March 5, 2008

May 7, 2008

All meetings are held at the Framingham Conference Center in Edwards House from 5 pm - 8 pm.

All are welcome but please contact Susan Dickerman

(dickermans@macucc.org) if you plan on attending a meeting.

MACUCC Staff Information

Susan Dickerman staffs the Commission for Christian Education through Leadership Development. The Rev. Ms. Sherril A. Willis, First Congregational Church, Sunderland will serves as the chair of the Commission in 2007-2008.
Elsa Marshall serves as a national UCC Christian Education consultant with leadership responsibility for Education for Effective Youth Ministry and Learning to Teach. Additionally, she offers support to educators seeking certification through the national setting of the United Church of Christ. Elsa is a Commissioned Minister of Christian Education and a Commissioned Minister of Youth Ministry. Elsa is also a Partners-in-Education (PIE) consultant and serves locally at the Maple Street Church, UCC, Danvers.
Martha Cook serves as the part time Director of the Resource Ministry and will coordinate the popular Open Houses. She will also create an online forum for educators to connect with one another and share resources.
Cindy Bolton, Administrative Assistant, will continue to be available to answer your questions and concerns about CORI checks and registration details for programs. She is available Monday through Thursday from 8:30 until 3:00.

The Partners in Education Consultants will be re-trained for consultations with local churches in the areas of curriculum selection and teacher training and will be available for work with local churches after the first of the year.
Christian Education Communities of Practice will be created this fall and will be facilitated by seasoned church educators in local settings and resourced by Martha Cook.
A newly designed Educational Ministries E-Mail (E-Connections) Newsletter will be sent monthly to educators and youth ministers to keep everyone posted about upcoming training dates and resources.

Last spring the Board of Directors created a Steering Committee to coordinate a Conference wide listening campaign to: “discern the key needs and priorities of the major constituencies of the Conference – laity, clergy, congregations, Associations, Conference volunteers, and Conference staff – in our primary, shared goal of nurturing local church vitality, as well as the covenant among the churches.” Using the results of the listening campaign, the Board of Directors will recommend a new Conference structure and staffing pattern to a Conference meeting in 2007 for a one year trial period to begin in January 2008. This is indeed an opportune time for the members of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ to consider how staffing needs will be met for the future of youth ministry and Christian education. Please know that during this transition your questions will continued to be answered by qualified staff and resources will be developed as needed to respond to requests of local churches.

Blessings to each of you in your ministry. Please do not hesitate to be in touch with any of us if you have any questions during this important time of transition.