News

Rev. Karin Case: A Commitment to Programs that will Support the Church: For the Next Generation

One in an occasional series of articles about the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Endowment Campaign. Rev. Dr. Karin A. Case, who currently serves as interim pastor at the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, has a deep commitment to offering “the best ministry I can” to her congregation. An experienced interim minister, she has ministered to and with the church to help them move through several complicated transitions. Case, who leads a Clergy Community of Practice...

MACUCC now accepting church contributions online

Church treasurers may now make their church’s contributions online via the Massachusetts Conference website, including gifts to Our Church's Wider Mission Basic Support (OCWM), special offeirngs, designated giving and disaster relief. Hampden Association churches may also pay their Fellowship Dues online. "Electronic banking is a regular part of the lives of many people today. The papr check may be going the way of the cassette tape," said Associate Conference...

Seafarer's Friend Celebrates 185 Years of Ministry in Boston

Seafarer’s Friend is celebrating 185 years of ministry in the Port of Boston, and will host a fund-raising celebration at the New England Aquarium in Boston on Friday, May 4, at 7:00 PM. The cost is $50 per person until April 30; $60 thereafter. To receive a formal invitation and register, go here.   As port chaplain, Seafarer's Friend is an important humanitarian and supportive part of the port community, providing emotional, spiritual and practical...

Closing church brings hope to Tropical Storm Irene victims

Seven months after Tropical Storm Irene devastated portions of Northwest Massachusetts and Vermont, the situation remains difficult for many victims in Williamstown, Mass. (Read more about the struggles in a recent Boston Globe article.) Thanks to a gift from Adams Square Congregational Church in Worcester, which closed last year, the Massachusetts Conference has been able to make a $7,000 grant to Higher Ground, a non-profit led by First Congregational Church, Williamstown.  Our UCC...

40 MACUCC Churches Reach 5 for 5 Status in 2011

In 2011, 40 churches in the Massachusetts Conference were recognized as “5 for 5 Churches”. This means that in the calendar year 2011 they have contributed to Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support and all four of the Special Offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing Neighbors in Need Strengthen the Church Christmas Fund "These churches exemplify excellence in Christian mission by supporting all the ways the United Church of Christ is changing...

Sustaining the Church - Now and in the Future

One in an occasional series of articles about the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Endowment Campaign. Chris Barensfeld, who has been an active member of the Second Congregational Church of Boxford for the last twelve years, is focused on the future. Barensfeld, who serves as a member of the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Endowment Campaign’s Executive Committee, says, “I am concerned about the longevity of Protestantism in this country, and I think it’s important to find ways...

Sixteen Gather for Anti-Racism Workshop

Last month, 16 lay people and clergy from Massachusetts UCC churches participated in two days of anti-racism training with Melanie Morrison and Diane Schmitz from Allies for Change. The participants report that it was a powerful experience for them personally, and that they now hope to raise the issue of eliminating racism more effectively in their own churches and beyond. The training was sponsored by MACUCC and the Anti-Racism Task Force. For more information, contact the MACUCC...

Donations, prayers, sought in response to storms

In response to the severe storms that have swept across various part of the country, Minister and President Jim Antal yesterday sent out the following letter to churches: As you are aware, the recent tornado outbreak has caused severe damage in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama and Georgia, and caused at least 39 deaths.  Our prayers are with those who have lost loved ones, homes and even whole communities.     Donations to aid those affected by these storms may...

More than 300 attend Super Saturday

More than 300 people from across the Conference headed to Ludlow High School Saturday morning for the Conference's fourth Super Saturday, a full day of worship, a marketplace and workshops. Worship was led by Patrick Evans, Assistant Professor of Sacred Music at Yale Divinity School.  That was followed by morning and afternoon workshops covering topics from stewardship to disaster relief to "prayer 101" to doing Bible study and worship with youth. Super Saturdays...

Conference 2011 income below expectations

By Tiffany Vail Associate for Communication Church contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission Basic Support and Fellowship Dues came in at about $29,000 below expectations in 2011. Contributions to OCWM Basic Support - one of the Massachusetts Conference's two main sources of income - were down 5 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. A total of $1,736,916 was contributed, down $99,356 from the previous year. Of that, the Conference retained 47 percent and remitted the other...

Growing in Community: The Promise of the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Campaign

The Rev. Angela Menke Ballou is settling into her new call as the pastor of the Federated Church, Cotuit. Prior to receiving her new call in November, Rev. Ballou served as Associate Pastor at the Second Church of Beverly, MA.    When asked about her path into the ministry, she reflected on the near-fatal car accident she had suffered while a freshman in college, which demonstrated to her the power of faith and having a spiritual home.   “Ninety people from...

Disaster Recovery: The Unprecedented Year Proceeds

An update from the Rev. Don Remick, co-chair, Disaster Resource Team of the MA Conference, UCC For many of us this seems like old news. Tornado damage, snow laden trees and flooded homes are almost a distant memory. For others this is a new daily norm as they continue to try to find stability in a new world where home and possessions have been blown or swept away. The scar of the tornado track is still visible as you drive through parts of western Massachusettts. If you travel...

Thibeault hired as new Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries

The Rev. Kelly Thibeault, pastor of the First Congregational Church in North Attleborough, has been hired as the Massachusetts Conference’s part-time interim Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries. Thibeault will be working 10 hours a week, taking over from Kris Lofrumento. Lofrumento has moved out of state for family reasons, and Friday, Jan. 13, was her last day with the Conference after more than seven years. Thibeault will fill the role on an interim basis until September,...

An Unprecedented Year for Disasters

An update from the Rev. Don Remick, co-chair, Disaster Resource Team of the MA Conference, UCC This has been an unprecedented year of disasters. There have been three federally declared disasters since last winter's snow melted. With families displaced, homes destroyed, power outages, roads washed out it has been challenging to try to even begin the long road to recovery. And each disaster has added a cumulative impact to the recovery efforts, in many cases setting them back...

UCC Reporting forms now online

The United Church of Christ Research Services office collects and maintains data pertaining to all UCC churches and clergy, and each year asks churches to fill out a variety of forms.   By completing these forms, you enable the United Church of Christ to maintain accurate and current information on UCC churches and ministerial staff, as well as provide information that will assist Conferences, Associations and the national ministries of the denomination to identify and understand...

David Shumway sees future of church in Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Campaign

David Shumway moved to Newton with his wife in 1966. As members of the United Church of Christ faith community, they joined the church around the corner, Central Congregational Church in Newtonville. Shumway and his wife became very active in the church until its closure, serving as the church’s treasurer for eight years in the 70’s and 80’s. He recalls, “On a fluke, my wife decided to volunteer us to take someone’s place at the MACUCC Annual Meeting. I...

Pilgrim Association Women urged to help youth experiencing homelessness

The Pilgrim District Women's Association recently had an eye-opening discussion about the issue of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, thanks to a presentation by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless (MCH) at their fall meeting. “We learned so much. I don’t think anyone fully understood the extent of the difficulties unaccompanied youth who are homeless now face in their daily struggle to survive. Especially surprising was the impact on the youth who...

Court ruling allows for modifications of restrictions on gifts

The state Supreme Judicial Court has issued a rule allowing for the modification of restrictions on small funds where the restriction has become unlawful, impracticable, impossible to achieve or wasteful, according to Andrew Gustafson, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship and Financial Devlopment. The restrictions may be modified administratively with the consent of the Massachusetts Attorney General. "This will be particularly helpful for churches with small, permanently...

MACUCC's Edwards House receives facelift - physically and virtually

Visitors to the Massachusetts Conference’s Edwards House – both those coming in person and online – have been seeing a lot of changes lately. Changes to the physical property include the addition of a stone and brick labyrinth on the front lawn of the house, new furnishings in the bedrooms, cloth table covers in the dining room – and even some new faces in the kitchen during weekday meetings. In the virtual world, Edwards House has a brand new website at...

UCC Pension Boards announce 2012 health and dental plan rates

The United Church of Christ Pension Boards has announced the health and dental plan rates for 2012. Download the 2012 Pension Board rates (PDF) ...