Connecting Voices

We are a faith community gathered in over 130 congregations. Visit and join us for inclusive Christianity built upon the foundations of our historic Protestant denomination. We welcome a rainbow of people. Our faith guides us to work for justice and peace at home and around the world! For more information about the Southern California Nevada Conference, click here.

CHURCH LIFE

ECUMENICAL AND INTERFAITH NEWS – February

The latest Ecumentical and Interfaith news brought to you by the joint Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee of the Pacific Southwest Region, Disciples of Christ, and the Southern California Nevada Conference, United Church of Christ.

Creative, Quirky…Loving, Holy: The Fairview Experience

Laughing in community, crying, worshiping, loving: Fairview stretches the boundaries of convention.

2012 SCNCUCC Nominating Committee Want to Hear From You

Have you ever been interested in how the Conference operates? Have you ever had questions about decisions made by the Conference Board of Directors? Have you ever wondered how the Conference budget is put together? Have you ever wondered how you could make a difference in the ministries of the Conference? Here is your chance to get answers to questions…

More CHURCH LIFE

CHURCH VITALITY

Creative, Quirky…Loving, Holy: The Fairview Experience

Laughing in community, crying, worshiping, loving: Fairview stretches the boundaries of convention.

Worship: Does Close Count?

Defining Worship: Not as Easy as it Sounds!

Doing Together

“The Need for a Story:” Key to the Church’s Future?

More CHURCH VITALITY

LEADING TODAY'S CHURCH

Creative, Quirky…Loving, Holy: The Fairview Experience

Laughing in community, crying, worshiping, loving: Fairview stretches the boundaries of convention.

Put Yourself in the Picture: Synod 2013 (Story I)

Why should you attend? What’s in it for you? “Satisfied customers” share the excitement of their Synod adventures. (Story I: Rev. Scott Landis)

Synod 29: Starting the Ball Rolling

Are you ready to go to Synod 29? Learn what’s involved and what you can bring to the table.

More LEADING TODAY'S CHURCH

OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY

Family Promise of Orange County to Open in January 2012

Family Promise of Orange County: Returning Homeless Families to Self-sufficiency.

Maddie’s Musings: Mission Trip 2011 – The Youth of UCCLM Meet the Hmong Kids of FIRM

Teaching and Being Taught by the Hmong Kids of FIRM: A Life-changing Experience.

Hearing Voices

UCC Listening Campaign for Women’s Ministries Survey: The Results

More OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY

Family Promise of Orange County to Open in January 2012

By Catherine Cahill There are approximately 35,000 homeless family members in Orange County today, including 27,000 homeless children. Families account for 65% of Orange County’s homeless population. For parents, homelessness often means a loss of pride and hope. For children, homelessness may mean insecurity and insufficient food. For fathers and older boys, homelessness may mean separation from their families as many shelters can only accommodate either older males or mothers with young children. Family Promise of Orange County plans to change the lives of these families by opening its doors in January, 2012. Family Promise of Orange County is a non-profit, interfaith organization whose volunteers open their houses of worship to provide emergency shelter, meals and support to homeless families. It is one of 165 Family Promise programs throughout the country. The national organization has affiliates in 41 states. Since its founding more than twenty years ago, more than 125,000 volunteers have assisted more than 350,000 guests. On average, families in the program return to self-sufficiency within 2 months. Family Promise of Orange County provides a Day Center, employment assistance, counseling and other services for families in the emergency shelter program at its Family Center in Orange. School-aged children attend ...

The Genetics of Gratefulness

By Rev. Dr. David Alicea, UCC of Paradise Hills In his autobiography, Breaking Barriers, syndicated columnist Carl Rowan tells about a teacher who greatly influenced his life. “Miss Thompson,” he recalls, “reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper containing a quote attributed to Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. I listened intently as she read, ‘Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans, aim high in hope and work. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us.’ More than 30 years later,” he continues, “I gave a speech in which I said that Frances Thompson had given me a desperately needed belief in myself. A newspaper printed the story, and someone mailed the clipping to my beloved teacher. She wrote me: ’You have no idea what that newspaper story meant to me. For years, I endured my brother's arguments that I had wasted my life, that I should have married and had a family. When I read that you gave me credit for helping to launch a marvelous career, I put the clipping in front of ...

Founders Day at Chapman University

[caption id="attachment_4215" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Felix Carrion, Preacher"][/caption] All UCC pastors and people are invited to Chapman’s Founders Day events, March 23 – 24. On Friday, March 23, we will feature the teaching of Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, a Jewish New Testament scholar as she helps us understand Jesus as a Jewish storyteller. On Saturday, March 24, we welcome Rev. Felix Carrion, Coordinator of the StillSpeaking Ministry of the United Church of Christ. We will also posthumously honor Joan Rich of Atascadero as the United Church of Christ Church Leader of the Year for the Conference. For more information, schedule and to register, click here. [caption id="attachment_4218" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Joan Rich, 2012 UCC Church Leader of the Year"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_4222" align="aligncenter" width="118" caption="Friday Speaker: Dr. Amy-Jill Levine"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_4398" align="alignright" width="114" caption="Rev. Ed Lindberg, Disciples Church Leader of the Year"][/caption]

Doing Together

by Mary Domb Mikkelson, Senior Editor Connecting Voices You are alone…invisible… indistinguishable from the trash pile into which you’ve burrowed for warmth. You are alone…shunned…a drug mule wanted only for your body cavities You are alone…illegal… a stranger in a strange new world. You are alone…homeless …amidst faded memories You are alone…helpless…an unwanted infant tossed into the trash. You are alone…a surly recluse with neither family nor friends. You are alone…and now, unnoticed, you are dead. Alone forever, your story unknown, untold. Unless you died in Amsterdam. Every year up to 20 people die completely alone in Amsterdam. Completely alone and, yet, not finally alone, thanks to a civil servant, Ger Frits, and a poet, Frank Starik, who make sure these lonely souls receive respectful and personal burial (chapel, flowers, three pieces of music, four pall-bearers and a poem). Frits brings the flowers, selects the music and sees each to his or her final resting place. Starik eulogizes them. “One of man’s essential qualities is the need for a story,” he explains. “Our job is to return to people their stories that have somehow been lost along the way.” (1) People, Frits explains, are, essentially, “story machines…making and remaking their ...

Mission Grants: Can we help make your vision a reality?

Perhaps you are furthering your education or developing a new mission/outreach project at your church. If so, perhaps a SCNCUCC Mission Grant might help make your vision a reality! Mission grants are made possible by donations to the Southern California Nevada Conference from individuals, congregations, and foundations. As part of the Conference, you, your congregation, or your SCNCUCC-related group are invited to discern how God is still speaking to you and develop your mission! In order to help you further your mission, you are invited to apply for a SCNCUCC Mission Grant. Mission Grant applications are accepted on a continual basis and are reviewed by a sub-committee of the Conference Board of Directors at their bi-monthly meetings. You are invited to apply for one grant per calendar year for a particular project. You may apply for multiple grants in the same year for multiple projects. Grants are reviewed and awarded based on the following considerations: Availability of funds Consistency with SCNCUCC mission priorities and intended uses of the particular mission grant fund to which you are applying Clarity of purpose and scope of project Fair and reasonable dispersal of funds to various individuals, groups, and congregations across the Southern California Nevada Conference A ...

UCC CONFIRMATION CAMP

UCC CONFIRMATION CAMP March 16-18, 2012 Pilgrim Pines Camp The Journey Begins led by Rev. Heather Miner Plan to join us on the mountaintop with other young people who are beginning their journey with Jesus! Come to know what it means to be a member of the United Church of Christ as you find your way in faith. Learn how scripture speaks to you. Hear God’s word in prayer. Play and sing and shout with old and new spiritual friends. A weekend can change your life, and you, and the world! Heather Miner, M. Div. (Yale) is an ordained minister who has served churches in a preaching, teaching, and pastoral ministry for the past 12 years. A key element of Heather’s call is a heart to open up Christian scripture in ways that connect people to God. Her goal is not to tell you how to live, but to allow you to find your way, with Jesus as a guide, to a meaningful life filled with grace. Registration Form for Churches and required Health Form available at www.pilgrimpinescamp.org. (See the retreats link at the bottom of the face page.) Registration with payment is due March 2, 2012.

Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts

The Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts, one of the premier juried art shows in the West, is excited to announce “The Pop Folk Art Quartet” as the Featured Artists for the 52nd Annual Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 24, 25 & 26, 2012. As always, it is free admission and free parking for all attendees. The festival has an extensive variety of art available for purchase at a wide range of prices: watercolor and oil paintings, unique jewelry, ceramics, acrylics, pottery, hand-woven clothing, photography, stained and fused glass, metal and wire sculpture, woodworking, and a great selection of handcrafted gifts in the Arts & Crafts Boutique. There will be many artists demonstrating their skills throughout the weekend. Children can participate in the free art workshops on Saturday and Sunday, where they can make their owncreations. Festival attendees can browse, shop, enjoy musical entertainment, and have lunch or a snack at the Starving Artist Café. The “Pop Folk Art Quartet”, featuring Annette Atwood, Joel Nakamura and Artist Sisters CJ and Miss Mindy, will be the Featured Artists for the 2012 Festival. ANNETTE ATWOOD, a resident of Whittier, is a renowned ceramic artist whose work has been called whimsical and ...

First Congregational Church Riverside UCC calls Associate Pastor

First Congregational Church Riverside UCC is pleased to announce the call of a new associate pastor. Hannah Burke has been called to walk with us on our faith journey beginning January 30. After almost a year of searching, Hannah and the congregation found each other and it was an instant recognition that we wanted to move into the future together. Hannah comes from New Jersey where she is currently serving as a chaplain resident at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital. She graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2011. Hannah will be serving our congregation full time with primary focus on Youth Ministries.

Spiritual Accompaniment

Rev. Dr. James D. Findlay now offers a new ministry, Spiritual Accompaniment Services. Its current offerings include: Spiritual Accompaniment Support. For clergy, lay leaders, and others committed to spiritual development. Participants receive feedback, support, and guidance to work within themselves to deepen and enrich their spiritual lives, and to become more aware of their gifts, skills, power, and possibilities. Retreat Design and Leadership. Retreats designed for a range of persons, congregations, and organizations to empower participants to engage in the deepening of spiritual practice and growth. Community Building Events. Utilizing Scripture and group exercises to heal, empower, and expand community life and interaction. Consultation with Educational Leaders. Learning program designs, expansion of biblical knowledge, and spiritual growth activities for all ages and groups. Spiritual Discernment. For individuals, organizations, boards, congregations. Presentations and Discussions. Educational events for adults on biblical, theological, ecumenical, interfaith, and spiritual practice issues. The Practice of Spiritual Reading. A practical process of engagement with Scripture, for the clarification and deepening of the spiritual life of persons and groups, and the increased effectiveness of preaching, teaching, and ministry. Dr. Findlay can be reached via telephone at 323-271-6422, or by e-mail at sleight_of_time@yahoo.com. He looks forward to further collaboration with the Conference community.

Occupying The Beloved Community

OCCUPYING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY a conversation with RITA NAKASHIMA BROCK TUESDAY, JAN 17, NOON-1 PM - Free free lunch served FISHBOWL CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY RELIGIOUS CENTER, USC Rev. Rita Nakashima Brock, Ph.D., a native of Fukuoka, Japan, is Director of Faith Voices for the Common Good, an educational nonprofit she founded in 2004, and a Visiting Scholar at the Starr King School for the Ministry in the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. A Commissioned Minister of the Northern California and Nevada Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), she has been a core member of the Interfaith Tent at Occupy Oakland since its inception and was among 14 religious leaders arrested on Nov. 14 during a police raid of the occupation. She has worked with The New Press in New York as Senior Editor in Religion. During 2001-2002, she was a Fellow at the Harvard Divinity School Center for Values in Public Life. From 1997-2001, Dr. Brock directed the Fellowship Program at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University. Her life story is told in her book, co-authored with Rebecca Parker, Proverbs of Ashes (Beacon, 2001). Dr. Brock is the author of several award-winning books: Journeys By Heart: A Christology of Erotic Power; Casting ...

Relevant, Contemporary, and Creative Worship

Come join the conversation about Relevant, Contemporary, and Creative Worship. Tuesday, January 17 – 10:30am to 2:30pm at San Marino UCC 2560 Huntington Drive San Marino, CA 91108-2214 Phone: (626) 292-2080 www.sanmarinoucc.org We are a group that began gathering in October 2011 to discuss emergent forms of worship within the UCC as well as other Mainline Churches. This continuing conversation will shift to all forms of relevant, contemporary, and creative worship, especially as it relates to worship planning and resources for the Lenten and Easter Seasons. ALL are welcome! For lunch we will walk across the street from the church to Tony’s Pizza. Hope to see you there! Donald Shenk Dave Sigmund PS...This is an OPEN group! Please feel free to invite anyone.

Ready or Not: Disaster Survival Seminar

Presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society at the The United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM) Are you prepared for disaster? Equipped for survival? Know what to do, what to have ready to use in the event of a flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake or volcanic eruption? In the face of nuclear, biological and chemical hazards? An epidemic? Problems caused by our crumbling infrastructure? Terrorism? No? Susan Conniry and Tom Beasley, authors of Ready or Not: A Disaster Survival Handbook, can help. Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for women educators, invites you to meet Susan and Tom, who will share their preparedness expertise in a seminar covering such survival topics as shelter, water, fire, food, sanitation, first aid and essential supplies for home, “grab and go” pack and car. The seminar will be held at 9:30am, Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the United Church of Christ of La Mesa, 5940 Kelton Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942 (619-464-1519, www.ucclm.org). A continental breakfast will be served at 9:30, followed by the authors’ presentation at 10:00. No charge. Please RSVP by February 8 – to Patty Bender, 619-463-3385 or pbenderec@aol.com.

Lay Academy

Lay Academy Begins Feb. 25, 2012 A two-year program of study for lay leaders begins with a retreat and orientation on February 25, 2012. The first course is Introduction to Biblical Studies, taught by Rev. Dr. David Cortes-Fuentes, PC (USA), starting on March 7. Rev. Dr. James Findlay, UCC, will teach Old Testament beginning April 10. New Testament, Reformed theology; Worship and sacraments; Christian education; Homiletics; Pastoral care; Polity; Christian ethics; Church, community and society; and electives will be offered. Those completing the program may qualify as commissioned lay pastors, according to their denominational requirements. All courses are five-weeks long and meet once a week, 6:30 – 9 P.M. Classes will be held in churches in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Tuition is $275 per course, or $3300 for the program. Financial aid is available. Dr. Jane Atkins Vásquez and Rev. Dr. David Cortes-Fuentes are directing the program. For more information and application for admission contact info@nscsem.org or 626-765-9500. Beginning Jan. 6, 2012 Lay Academy office hours are Monday and Friday 1-4 P.M at 54 N. Oakland, Pasadena, CA 911107.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Leadership Training in Laguna Beach

A Training Day for Church Leaders led by Rev. Myron Wingfield and Rev. Mary J. Scifres in Laguna Beach March 3.

UCCLM Presents Covenant of Grace, a Lenten Cantata

Covenant of Grace celebrates with stories, hyms and anthems the promises made to Abraham and David and their fulfillment in Christ Jesus.

How New Generations Of Christians Are Evolving: A conversation with Rachel Held Evans

Join a vital voice of the Millennial and Gen-X generations, Rachel Held Evans, as she shares with us how these generations of Christians are evolving, and how we can respond and engage from our core values.

More ACTIVITIES & EVENTS