Rev. Lauren Beth Bowers

First congregational UCC

Randolph, MA

When Rev. Bowers she arrived in 1998, the congregation was concerned that the demographics were shifting in their community, but the membership did not reflect that change.  Through an intentional process, the church moved through the wilderness and has become a multicultural congregation. 

Rev. Bowers is the author of Becoming a Multicultural Church (Pilgrim Press, 2006) and Designing Contemporary Congregations (Pilgrim Press, release date 2008).  Dr. Bowers is also Adjunct Professor of World Religions at Quincy College.  She is an 8 time Boston Marathoner and an avid quilter.

Rev. Ama Zenya & Rev. Lynise Pinkard

First Congregational Church of

Oakland, CA

Over the last 6 years, First Congregational of Oakland has learned to intentionally engage people of all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds, ages, abilities and sexual orientation in building a multi-cultural, spirit-led, peace-and-justice community.  In the process, the worshiping community has also tripled in size, and the church campus has become an active community center for people of all faiths.

3 BIG IDEAS to take back!

Take a Pulse - - - on YOUR church’s vitality

Rev. David Schoen

Evangelism Team Leader, Local Church Ministries 

The communities our churches serve today are very different than the world in which many of us grew up.  Come hear the latest thinking about why and how to reach out to people in an increasingly pluralistic and unchurched world.  Experience some of the resources available through the UCC’s StillSpeaking Initiative and the Congregational Vitality Initiative, resources that you can take home to make an immediate difference in your church’s ministry.

Step into a whole new world: the multicultural church

Rev. Eric H. F. Law     

Kaleidoscope Institute, and author of The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb, The Bush was Blazing but not Consumed, and numerous other books and articles about the theology and practice of multiculturalism.

The cultural diversity in many of our communities is increasing rapidly, and yet most of our churches serve only one cultural group within their community.   Eric will help us begin to understand some of the assumptions and attitudes which worked for our churches a decade or two ago, but will need to be re-thought for churches to remain viable in the future.

Schoen's Bio

411 - - - Web Sites that Invite

David McCollough     

Webmaster, Cathedral of Hope, Dallas TX

As recently as 5 years ago, church web sites were simple and inexpensive ways to advertise, but little more.  In the last few years, web sites have become the principal way new people find churches, where communities of like-minded people can gather, and relationships are formed around common interests.  Today, even a small church’s web site is potentially a powerful communication tool that is interactive, engaging, and geographically unlimited.  Come to hear learn how your web site can become the focus of a whole new ministry team at your church, with the possibility of transforming everything from your newsletter to how you connect with people interested in your church’s ministries.

McCollough Bio

Special Subjects

9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

1. Roundtable with SCNC/SWC Multicultural Churches  What can we learn from them that is useful in other SCNC/SWC churches?   Led by Rev. Rosario Ibarra
2. Basic Tools for Diverse Communities: Experience 3 helpful tools in beginning cross cultural dialogue in our own churches.  Drawn from the experience, work and wisdom of Eric H.F. Law of Kaleidoscope Institute – Led by Rev. Jake Pomeroy
3. Different strokes in Worship – The different styles of worship that appeal to different generations - Rev. Cameron Trimble
4. Cool Tools for Web Ministry – Blogs, Podcasting & other exotica that can build existing communities, and reach new and younger communities.   David McCollough
5. One Brick at a Time:  Build your church with Justice – Revs. Randy Mayer &  Joe McGowan
6. Starting a small-group ministry:  How to implement this key ministry that can keep a church “small” and intimate as it grows - Rev. Hamleth Terrones
7. Q& A with Laurene – A chance to follow up with Rev. Laurene Bowers
8. YOUR Congregation’s Vitality – time to follow-up with Rev. David Schoen

1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

1. Diversity Training in MY Church -   Programs & assistance for building community in diversity – Rev. Rosario Ibarra
2. What are we afraid of?  An exploration of some reasons multicultural churches are uncommon in a multicultural world – Rev. Jake Pomeroy, Rev. James McKnight, Rev. Lee Tanuvasa and Pastor Guillermo Fernandez
3. Roundtable with New Churches in SCNC/SWC   What can we learn from them that is useful in other SCNC/SWC churches?  Led by Rev. Hamleth Terrones
4. Holy Conversations: Learning to talk about our faith and our UCC church - Richard Peace
5. Evoking Creativity: incorporating people’s stories into the worship experience – Rev. Katharine Harts
6. Emergent Church:  The coffee-house (or wherever) movement – Revs. Cameron Trimble & Randy Mayer
7. STAYING on the message!!:  Tools to keep a church from becoming known as “that church,” but for the wrong reasons - Charlie Cutler
8. Q&A with Ama & Lenise – Follow up with Revs. Ama Zenya & Lenise Pinkard

or By Mail

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Conference Registration

and mail it with your check to

SCNC UCC

ATTN: Church Vitality Event

2401 N. Lake Avenue

Altadena, CA 91001

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First Congregational Church of Oakland, CA

David Mccollough's Bio

David Schoen's Bio

Kaleidoscope Institute

Cathedral of Hope

Still have questions? Contact Gary Roberts