Dear sisters and brothers of the Southern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ,

What is God doing in your life? What is God doing in your church? What is God doing in our conference? What is God calling us to do together?

Our conference's Self Study Task Force would like to hear from you! Our conference is in a time of transition, as we look towards calling new conference minister leadership, and as we look once more at our ministry priorities, our finances, our staffing, but most of all our calling from Jesus Christ to live the good news in our world!

We have put together a survey that begins to look at our ministry together in this conference of the United Church of Christ. The survey is available on paper and online, in Spanish and in English, and we will seek to work with any other special needs in filling out the survey. We would prefer that you do the survey online if possible - it will make our tabulating job much easier!

But most important is that as many people as possible fill out this survey! So, after you answer the survey yourself, please forward the email or hand the paper to anyone in your congregation, or association, who may not have received it.

Some people who fill out the survey may not know a lot about the work that our conference does - no worries! This is a chance for us to think in new ways about our ministry together and hear new voices along with long-time participants in our conference. If you'd like more information about any of the programs or alphabet-soup-acronyms that are mentioned in the survey, This is the page created to help you.

All surveys need to be received by December 20, 2008.

Then, you will be invited to join us at one of a series of gatherings in February and March of 2009, where we will hear a report from the survey, and we will discuss in person some other important questions about our life and ministry together in this conference. At the Conference Annual Gathering in June of 2009, the Self Study Task Force will give a final report that will inform the work of the Board of Directors and Search Committee as we move forward from here.

Thank you very much for your participation in this survey.

In Christ's peace,

Your Self Study Task Force

Take the Survey in English here ->

Responda aquí la Enquesta en Español ->

Glossary of Terms

The following list of terms are found in the survey. Some are linked to information. Others give a brief description.

Annual Gathering

Associations

Building Community in Diversity
Building Community in Diversity is one of our Conference Priorities. It is that part of our ministry which seeks to bring people together in multicultural settings both in local churches and wider gatherings to build a strong and faithful community with shared leadership from all people. Association based Ministry Teams and Church Vitality events have offered workshops and local church training which address issues of diversity in our church and world. In recent years, the Conference has worked with staff and consultants to offer Spanish language and culture classes, to offer UCC polity classes in different languages, to build networks that strengthen racial and ethnic churches and their connections with each other, and to offer ways for all local churches to grow in multicultural competency for shared leadership. The Conference Board of Directors is in the process of creating an Interim Implementation Team for Building Community in Diversity to continue our work on this priority.

Candidates for ministry

Centro Romero

CAIM
(also see Council for Racial & Ethnic Ministries)

CHM
(also see Council for Racial & Ethnic Ministries)

Christian Education
The Southern California Nevada Conference resources local churches through Association Ministry Teams and through Partners in Education.  List of Partners:  Ernie Reyes, Los Angeles Filipino American UCC, Sepulona Tanuvasa, Foai Tanuvasa, First Samoan Church of LA, Wally Hoeger, First Congregational Church of Long Beach, Santina Poor, Mission Hills UCC, San Diego.

Church Development and Renewal

Coalition

Conflict resolution/mediation
Association Church and Ministry Committees are charged with the welfare of churches and pastors.  These committees can provide resources to address conflict.  The Interim Conference Minister, Interim Associate Conference Minister, and Conference Ministry Associates in each Association are also available to work with churches and pastors.

E-News

Evangelism

Identity and mission of the Southern California Nevada Conference

Identity and mission of the United Church of Christ

Latino Table
Pastors from the Latino churches meet monthly for fellowship and to discuss items of common concern.  The Conference has several churches identified as Latino churches which are established, churches in development or churches in care.

Legal/Insurance/Financial resources and Information

Multicultural

Newly affiliating churches

PAAM
(also see Council for Racial & Ethnic Ministries)

Peppermint Ridge

Pilgrim Pines Camp

Response to Natural Disasters

Retirement Housing Foundation

Samoan Ministries
Representatives from the Samoan churches in the Conference meet periodically to promote the identity, welfare, and spiritual strengthening of local congregations and pastors.  Moderator: Dr. John Mailo, Vice Moderator: Sepulona Tanuvasa, Secretary: Andy Leavasa, Treasurer: Ekepati Panama

Search and Placement

Social Justice & Peace, Prophetic Voice

Stewardship
also see OCWM

Strategic Plan adopted in the year 2000

UBC
(also see Council for Racial & Ethnic Ministries)

UC News

Values and Beliefs of the UCC

Vitality Events

Worship/prayer/spirituality
also see i.ucc.org
also see S.A.M.U.E.L.

Youth Ministry

Young Adult Ministry

Youth Round Table