Thank you for a successful Annual Gathering! Please help us plan for the next one by filling out this Feedback Form. We’re the Ones!
We are so excited for this year’s SCNC Annual Gathering, May 29-30 at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, in the heart of the City of Angels. This year’s theme is, “We’re the Ones!” (that God is waiting for). With such a new staff and newly configured Conference structure in addition to the conditions of the world, we decided to focus on both celebrating all the gifts already abundantly within our reach and issuing calls to action, starting right from wherever we may be.
As we gather, worship, learn, fellowship, and do the business of our Conference, we hope our time together will allow us all to reconnect, refuel, and reconfigure our perspectives so we can get back to the work God has for us with purpose and community. We know it cannot be done alone. We’re the Ones!
Please see below for information on registration for Annual Gathering and for our clergy retreat, which will start the day prior. And don’t forget to choose your delegates!
Please reach out to Associate Conference Minister Phiwa Langeni or Moderator Ashley Hiestand with any questions.
It will be so very good to gather again together. See you in Los Angeles, beloveds!
Onsite registration has now ended. You can still register to attend online. Click HERE!
The Annual Gathering takes place Friday, May 29 1:15pm through Saturday, May 30 at 2:30pm at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (FCCLA) in Koreatown. Registration and optional pre-AG activities begin at 10:00am on Friday.
Registration includes meals for your selected days, access to all worship services, plenary sessions, and workshops.
Hotel accommodations are not included in AG registration.
Your registration fee is based on your location and when you register. We offer a deeper discount to those outside of LA or Orange County to help offset travel costs. Onsite registration has now ended!
Our ministry partners are invited to staff a display table at this year’s Gathering to share your work and connect with our community. Please contact Virginia Arroyo (arroyo@scncucc.org) for the info you’ll need to register.
Hotel accommodations are not included in AG registration. We have secured a room block at The Line Hotel, which is also where our Clergy Retreat will take place (more about the Retreat below). The Line is a unionized hotel in the heart of Koreatown, just one mile from FCCLA. Hotel guest parking is valet only – with in and out privileges – at a discounted rate of $40 per night.
You are responsible for reserving your own hotel room even if you’re only staying on Thursday night for the Clergy Retreat. To take advantage of SCNC’s discounted rates, use THIS BOOKING LINK, valid through May 7. Note: the rooms are snug so if you need more space for mobility, select an ADA option. If you run into any issues with the booking portal, reach out and we’ll help you get it sorted.
1:00 pm Registration Opens
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Program Session I
Track 1 – Boundary Training for Authorized Ministers (6 CEUs)
Track 2 – The Art of REPAIR (6 CEUs)
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Free Time
Check into room, rest, and/or hang out
Those attending the evening program may arrive at this time
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Clergy Dinner & Program
8:00 pm ‘til Free Time
7:45 am – 8:45 am Breakfast
9:00 am – 11:30 am Program Session II
Tracks 1 & 2 continued from Thursday
Track 3 – Wisdom-Based Leadership (3 CEUs)
11:30 am Clergy Retreat Ends
Head to FCCLA for lunch and Annual Gathering!
10:00 am Registration Opens
11:00 am – 11:45 am Pre-AG Workshops Block 1
A few opportunities to engage with one another before Annual Gathering officially begins
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch & Conversations
12:45 pm – 1:00 pm Organ Prelude
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm State of the Conference
1:15 pm – 3:00 pm Opening Worship & Plenary I (online and onsite)
Worship: Rev. Michael Lehman preaching
SCNC Business
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm Workshops Block 2A
Includes one online only workshop
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Workshops Block 2B
Includes one online only workshop
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm Reception
Hosted by Pacific School of Religion
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Dinner & Evening Program
Music and SCNC Awards
8:30 pm – 10:00 pm Post-Dinner Entertainment
Bingo, karaoke, and mingling
9:00 am – 10:00 am Sacred Encounters
Three options for morning grounding and reflection
10:15 am – 11:15 am Workshops Block 3
11:30 am – 12:30 pm Lunch
12:45 pm – 2:30 pm Plenary II & Closing Worship (online and onsite)
SCNC Business
Worship: Rev. Chrissy Siva preaching and celebrating communion
We listened to feedback from last year’s Annual Gathering, and while most participants will be onsite, we’ve taken intentional steps to ensure a smooth and engaging online experience through Zoom. It’s important for all attendees to understand how the meeting will proceed — especially those joining remotely.
Both plenaries, as well as the opening and closing worship, will be hybrid. There will also be two online only workshops for online attendees.
Click HERE to read important details about participating virtually.
Friday 11:00 am – 11:45 pm
Christoph Bull, Organist-In-Residence at FCCLA, will lead us in a show and tell of The Great Organs. The Great Organs At First Church are the largest working church organ in the world. Dr. Bull will introduce some of its unique elements and play some organ classics integrating his favorite features.
Sanctuary
Whether this is your first Annual Gathering or your twentieth, this informal session is a chance to orient yourself to the weekend. Phiwa Langeni and Chad Tanaka Pack will share what to expect, how the Gathering works, and what makes this year’s theme, “We’re the Ones!”, particularly meaningful. Come with your questions, practical or theological.
Shatto Chapel + Zoom
We’ll have some “unstructured” time for people to mill about with Mafutaga Talifau and Friends.
Mayflower Court
Friday 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
Nina Fernando, Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, Live Oak UCC in Brea
We’re the ones to build a more pluralistic U.S. by countering hate, discrimination, and violence. In this workshop, participants will explore Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign’s faith-rooted messaging and communications tools to better understand and more effectively address anti-Muslim discrimination among other intersecting forms of bigotry showing up in our communities today. Participants will gain tools, tactics, resources, and thought partners to more effectively address anti-Muslim discrimination, among other intersecting forms of bigotry, in our communities so that we can meet the moment with faith and moral clarity.
Nina M. Fernando serves as Executive Director of the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign: Standing with American Muslims, Advancing American Ideals, a multifaith coalition of religious denominations and faith-based organizations (including the United Church of Christ) committed to building pluralism and countering and preventing anti-Muslim discrimination and violence in the United States.
Sanctuary
David Vasquez-Levy, Pacific School of Religion
Migration is at the core of many of our sacred stories. Abraham and Sarah venture out with nothing but a promise; Jesus begins his life as a refugee hiding from Herod; the Hajj re-enacts the Prophet Mohamed’s journey to Mecca; and the path to enlightenment for Prince Siddharta begins with a journey of discovery throughout his kingdom. Part of the sustaining power of these religious narratives is drawn from the fact that they speak profoundly to our own stories of change—migrations across national or physical boundaries or beyond personal boundaries of belief and experience. Participants will have a deeper understanding of how sacred scriptures provide a more life giving way to guide our conversation about immigration and our engagement with a world on the move.
Mayflower Court
Tina Datsko de Sánchez
Join us to experience how poetry can deepen our personal devotion. This workshop is a time to become peaceful and centered, and explore how poetry can be a part of our spiritual journey. Together we will experience a flow of spiritual practices including gentle movement, mindfulness, reading poetry, and journaling. Tina will share insight on the writing process and invite attendees to reflect and to craft contemplative poetry of their own through writing prompts. We invite you to come to this workshop with your favorite writing implement and an open heart.
Shatto Chapel
Friday 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Cheryl Farrell
Personal storytelling is a process that allows us to support one another while working on a shared goal of church governance. A story exercise within the workshop can be replicated in church settings to inspire participants to connect in ways beyond knowing a person’s physical traits and their profession of faith. Jesus spoke in parables [Matthew 13:34-35] knowing what neuroscientists discovered centuries later: the human brain is wired to receive and retain messages found in stories. Wherever there are people, there are stories, and that’s where hope lives. Participants will have greater awareness about the power of stories in their church groups to work well together.
Shatto Chapel
David Harris
Messages about the voice (singing and speaking) across disciplines and practices tell us that we aren’t enough, and that our voices don’t work right. The human voice is a miracle of possibility. We’ll explore some compassion-based and science-informed ways of expanding curiosity around our voices so that we can belief in the promise of change for ourselves and those we lead. In this session, we’ll develop tools for asking questions about the voice, and about our experience while voicing.
Sanctuary
Noel Anderson, UCC National/ Church World Service
Jesus was a community organizer! This workshop will provide an introduction to follow in those footsteps adapting to our modern context through utilizing the skills of faith rooted community organizing and advocacy to strengthen and enhance congregational ministry. Highlighting the role of strategic social change work and building power as part of a ministerial calling to a congregational setting and applying the practices of building relationships through one to ones, accompaniment, leadership development, setting strategic and winnable shared goals and creating authentic relationships of mutuality with impacted people. This workshop will draw on concrete examples from issue areas of immigrant’s rights, health care and living wage campaigns.
Participants will learn how community organizing can serve as an imperative tool in simultaneously building congregational vitality and contributing to critical social change initiatives that make improvements in people’s lives. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with the material provided and be able to come away with the workshop with concrete implementation steps.
Narthex
Hazel-Grace Yates
This interactive overview introduces participants to the core principles of The Art of REPAIR and provides practical tools that can be applied immediately in relationships, congregational leadership, and community life. The REPAIR Process helps individuals shift from fear of conflict to confidence in navigating it with skill and compassion. When practiced consistently, this process transforms conflict from something people fear into a pathway for greater understanding and connection. These tools have supported individuals, couples, educators, and community leaders in navigating difficult conversations and repairing relationships with greater clarity and confidence.
Choir Room
Saturday 10:15-11:15
Pauline Pisano and Anu Yadav
Songs in the Key of Resistance (SKOR) is a cross-movement project, hosted by the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice, for artists, organizers, faith leaders, and community members to come together in song. We gather to learn and share music for demonstrations, direct actions, and community rituals; to tell stories of hope and resistance; and to create the world we know is possible. Together we will strengthen our spirits, pray through our music, and prepare our communities to protect one another and take meaningful action in these times.
Barnum
We’ll explore several short musical pieces that we’ll sing in the afternoon worship. Sing and connect with other workshop participants, leaders from the FCCLA choirs, and The Great Organs. You’ll also experience the compassion-focused, artist-centered practices that are at the center of the FCCLA music experience and David’s leadership. By the end of the session, you’ll learn and sing several pieces for afternoon worship, and experience new tools for ensemble leadership and experience.
David Harris specializes in new music, American music, and the intricacies of communication in singing, writing, and conducting. Through his “compassion-focused, artist-centered” rehearsal process, David opens vocalists into personalized discovery spaces.
Sanctuary
Carol Traylor, Anaiya Griley, & Jonathan Malleis-Sternberg
During this workshop, we’ll bring a little bit of the camp magic to Los Angeles. Camp is such a special place where you can truly be yourself, build community, and briefly forget about what’s going on “down the mountain.” We’ll spend time getting to know one another, playing games, making crafts, and embracing a spirit of fun, friendship, and acceptance. If you’re looking for a chance to relax, meet new people, and make a cute craft, join us! Everyone is welcome. Participants will experience some of the camp spirit that our campers and alumni hold close to their hearts.
Mayflower Court
Tracy Kariya
This workshop offers a practical, immediately usable summary of evidence-based church growth methods that have been tested and retested in dozens of churches over more than twenty years. If you have a steady stream of visitors each month but can’t figure out why they don’t come back, if your parishioners are hesitant to invite folks, or if Pledge Sunday is more of a slog than a joy, this is the workshop for you. The most effective methods for church growth generally don’t cost anything. Participants will learn evidence-based, cost-free methods of newcomer retention and effective progressive outreach that participants can apply this Sunday, including: how to get 85% of your first-time visitors to return the following week, how to encourage your parishioners to invite folks to church, and how to increase weekly donations long before stewardship season.
Sanctuary Narthex
Craig Tyrl
The Gospel Project is a Conference-supported initiative now actively unfolding at Irvine United Congregational Church, where theatre arts, music, and sacred storytelling come together to reimagine worship, deepen community engagement, and build partnerships that expand both outreach and rental income. This workshop is designed for leaders and congregations interested in expanding the arts in the life of their church and exploring creative, outside-the-box approaches to outreach and facility use. Grounded in Pastor Craig’s work as an acting teacher, participants will engage in playful, low-stakes exercises that invite imagination, connection, and a willingness to be a little goofy, discovering how embodied storytelling can open new possibilities for ministry.
Choir Room
Saturday 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Rest, Resonance, and Inner Alignment is a restorative sound bath experience inviting deep stillness, reflection, and inner listening. Through the gentle vibrations of singing bowls, gongs, and guided awareness, the nervous system is soothed, the mind settles, and heart-mind coherence is supported. You are invited to come with an intention you hold as sacred, allowing the sound to deepen your connection to it. Begin your day immersed in presence, and align with your deepest sense of peace.
Cara is the founder of SONA·VELA, a Los Angeles–based sound bath practice offering experiences that invite deep rest, reflection, and inner listening. Through the use of singing bowls, gongs, and guided awareness, she creates a space for participants to reconnect with a sense of peace and clarity within. Her work honors the idea that the wisdom we seek is already present, waiting to be heard.
Shatto Chapel
The story of Exodus has played a central role in inspiring, sustaining, and guiding social change throughout the centuries. In this session we explore how those who could easily be dismissed become God’s agents of transformation. Reading Exodus (and other biblical texts) with deep awareness of the fact that they are the stories of immigrants.
David Vásquez-Levy (he/el) serves as President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. A committed pastor, a nationally recognized higher education and immigration leader, and a sought-after speaker, Vásquez-Levy leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change.
Sanctuary
Laurie Dill, the Director of the Community Gardens & Urban Farm @ the Cathedral, will lead participants on a morning sensory tour of our Community Gardens & Urban Farm, beginning with our Medicinal, Culinary, Butterfly Garden; touching, breathing in, and tasting the multi varieties of herbs and pollinator plants along the way! We will head into Amanda Scott Teaching & Learning Garden, full of Citrus and Stone Fruit trees, and Passion Fruit vining our fences. We will taste from the herbs and greens, in our many raised beds, also full of vegetables and tomatoes, all which we grow, to feed our neighbors. You will learn about our twice monthly Food@First food donation program, and community Sunday Morning Harvests, where we gather and bundle up to share, whatever is in season.
Lastly, we will stop by our Cathedral Farm, to witness another 21 appropriate fruit trees,12 more raised beds, now, brimming w Tomatoes & Peppers, our Twin Compost Bin, and hour hill of artichokes, milk weed for our Monarchs, and a Mango, Mulberry and, new Meyer Lemon tree, putting down roots. Come join, and wake up to the beauty and bounty within, and around us at FCCLA!
Meet at the Medicinal Culinary Butterfly Garden
Workshops are a cornerstone of the Annual Gathering, offering space for learning, connection, and conversation across a range of topics relevant to ministry and church life. This year’s sessions will be offered in multiple blocks throughout Friday and Saturday.
Full descriptions, presenter bios, and scheduling details will be available in a separate document closer to the Gathering.
Block 3 Workshops 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Our Annual Gathering is being held at FCCLA, which has a school that will still be in session during our time there. As a result, everyone attending the Gathering — no exceptions — will be required to complete a background check. We are working with FCCLA to finalize the details of this process and will update this page and reach out directly to registered attendees as soon as that information is available. Stay tuned.
Cole Arthur Riley is a writer and poet. She is the NYT bestselling author of This Here Flesh and Black Liturgies. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, Guernica, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post. Cole is also the creator of Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. Read more…
Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy serves as President of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California –a progressive, multidenominational seminary and center for social justice that prepares spiritually rooted leaders to create a world where all can thrive. A nationally recognized leader and a sought after speaker, he leads at the intersection of faith, higher education, and social change. Read more…
The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the newly elected General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Thompson is the first woman and first woman of African descent to serve as leader of the denomination. She is a writer, poet and theologian who has contributed to numerous publications. Her book of poetry Drums in Our Veins, was published in 2022. Read more…
DOWNLOAD WORKSHOP SCHEDULE HERE.
FRIDAY, MAY 30
WORKSHOPS BLOCK 1 AT CLAREMONT UCC
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Immersive Experience: SONA·VELA Sound Bath with Cara Kinkel
Begin the day with a grounding refuge of sound. This one-hour experience offers spacious rest through the calming tones of crystal and Himalayan singing bowls, gongs, and chimes. You are invited to step into a peaceful sanctuary of sound designed to calm the nervous system, quiet the mind, and open the heart. Come as you are, and let the sound gently guide you inward.
Location: Claremont Sanctuary
11:30 – 12:30 p.m.
Church World Service: Before Disaster Strikes: Let’s be ready to serve, not just survive. Join the CWS team in learning how to be prepared for the next disaster.
In uncertain times, being prepared is one of the most powerful ways we can care for ourselves, our families, and our community. Join us for a short, practical workshop designed to equip you and your congregation with the essentials of disaster preparedness.
Facilitators: Zachary Wolgemuth & Melissa Reece
Location: Robert’s Room and Online
I Wrote a Children’s Book: Crafting Narratives for a Young Audience
Explore storytelling for children and how we can use it to reach audiences in (and outside of) the sanctuary with writer and actor Josh Banday, author of Rain, Rain. We’ll also have an opportunity to learn about the publishing process in children’s lit. Josh Banday is a former educator for middle and high school and an accomplished actor, known for his roles on ABC’s Not Dead Yet and Amazon’s Upload. When he is not dreaming up new tales, Josh enjoys dancing, painting, and baking with his kids. He’s a member of one of our SCNC congregations and his grandfather was a UCC pastor in Los Angeles.
Location: Sumner Room
WORKSHOPS BLOCK 2 AT CLAREMONT UCC
3:30 p.m.
How does the discipline of wonder keep us from despair? FEATURED SPEAKER COLE ARTHUR RILEY
Explore the practice of engaging in “rituals of beauty” as we wrestle with emotions of fear and anger, and a longing for action, in the face of a new wave of harm, oppression, and racialized violence impacting our nation and our communities. After Cole’s address, we’ll move into an introduction to letter writing as liturgical act (as in Black Liturgies) and an invitation for participants to engage in their own practice of letter writing.
Location: Claremont Sanctuary and online
Immersive Experience: Claremont Affordable Housing Developments
Hit the road with retired community organizer and UCC minister, Rev. Gene Boutilier. Together, we’ll caravan over to Larkin Place less than a mile away, and view an in-progress affordable housing build supported by Pilgrim Place. After a site visit and brief encounter with the developer, we’ll move two blocks to St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, to learn how the congregation committed to partner in developing affordable senior housing on their church property. We will meet in the church with time for Q&A. Inland Abundant Housing, a chapter of Abundant Housing Los Angeles, is a source of advocacy and guidance in missional use of faith group-owned property for affordable housing or services for homeless people. Participants will depart from Claremont UCC at about 3:15 p.m. The workshop will end before 5 pm and participants will then travel three miles to the Sheraton Fairplex.
WORKSHOPS BLOCK 2 AT SHERATON FAIRPLEX POMONA
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
More Room for Rentals? Maximizing Church Property Potential
Church buildings are more than places of worship—they’re vital community assets. Yet many of them sit mostly empty throughout the week. What if your unused space could support your mission, strengthen community ties, and generate sustainable income?
In this breakout session, you’ll discover how thoughtful facility rentals can become a powerful ministry tool. With minor adjustments and the right rental partners, churches can transform underused spaces into hubs of activity and service without compromising their values.
Join Eric Knowles, Senior Vice President at Kidder Mathews and leader of the firm’s Religious and Educational Facilities Group, along with colleagues Robert Fletcher and Riley Rohde, for an eye-opening look at the church rental landscape in our region. This session will:
Whether your church is just beginning to explore rentals or looking to expand an existing program, this session offers the vision and tools to steward your space wisely—and impactfully.
Location: Chardonnay Room
A Right-Sized Resource for Lay Leadership
This hybrid workshop will be hosted virtually by Leslie Robb LeSieur (she/her) of Phillips Theological Seminary’s Center for Ministry and Lay Training. Our participants will gather in person and on Zoom as we learn about an affordable and approachable way to help encourage and support local church leaders who have gifts for ministry but may not (yet) be thinking about ordination. Many of our clergy are familiar with CMLT’s UCC Polity offering, but there are additional courses for a wide range of interests. Come and find out how this online program can be a source of foundational learning for new leaders, or a path to discernment for those considering a more comprehensive call to ministry.
Location: Vineyard Ballroom 1 and Online
SATURDAY, MAY 31
WORKSHOPS BLOCK 3 AT SHERATON FAIRPLEX POMONA
9:20 – 10:20 a.m.
Faithfulness Beyond Boundaries: Bible Study with Rev. Dr. David Vasquez-Levy
The book of Ruth is a book of reversals that starts in famine and ends in harvest, begins in death and ends in birth. Driven by the faithfulness of an outsider, a people in crisis find a way to hope. Join us as we read portions of this text with the voices of migrants and people on the move.
Location: Chardonnay Room
Open and Affirming 2.0 Hybrid
Do you want to continue the work of living into your Open and Affirming status as a congregation? Are you interested in understanding the role churches can play in creating safe and welcoming spaces for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive people? Developed by a team of queer and trans facilitators from Juniper Formation UCC (Rocky Mountain Conference), this workshop is designed to help congregations and our Conference continue the ongoing work of truly living into being Open and Affirming. Led by facilitators Theo Isoz (they/them) and Rev. Candace Woods (she/her), who each have long histories in faith formation, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and sexuality education.
Location: Vineyard Ballroom 1
Spiritual Resilience in Times of Crisis: Lessons from a Red State
Join Rev. Dr. Mandy Todd (she/her), UCC pastor and Director of Engagement and Development for Kansas Interfaith Action, to explore ways to practice hope and pursue justice when the obstacles feel overwhelming. Many of us know the basics of advocacy, but how do we nurture and sustain communities to continue seeking liberation for the long haul? Learn from the experience of progressive faith communities working in theologically and politically diverse conditions, and begin to build partnerships for moving forward with your SCNC neighbors. Mandy has a Masters degree in Theological Studies from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO, and a Doctor of Ministry in Public Theology from Drew University in Madison, NJ, where her research focused on the intersection of social justice, spirituality, and the arts.
Location: Merlot Room
Disaster Pack Assembly with Church World Service
Join Church World Service in packing specialized kits that include items such as a fire-proof and water-proof documents bag, a crank-operated transistor radio, and more. CWS is a partner of the national and the Global Ministries settings of the United Church of Christ, and are expert leaders in disaster response. Well known for their “Response Kits” programs that provide churches with hands-on ways to respond in times of crises while also learning more about communities and partners around the world. CWS will share these kits with families who have already lost their homes in the fires as we enter another fire season and, as always, the prospect of further evacuations. CWS has identified a goal of 1,500 kits by the end of the summer, with 300 being packed this weekend.
Location: Syrah Room
Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland holds degrees from Miami University (Bachelors of Creative Writing and Mass Communications), Chapman University (dual Master of Fine Arts in English Literature and Creative Writing), Princeton Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity), and Duke University (Doctor of Ministry). Pastor Jen grew up in a UCC church, was ordained in the Presbyterian (USA) Church, and now has dual standing in both denominations. Having previously served at churches in Philadelphia, PA, Liberty, OH, Prairie Village, KS, and Lincoln, NE, she is passionate about incorporating creativity, art, and fresh liturgy in worship, connecting people of faith in fellowship, and teaching the rich stories of the Christian faith to disciples of all ages. When she isn’t writing a sermon or dreaming about the Church, Jen can be found playing with her daughter Clementine, walking her rescue dog, cuddling her 2 potbelly pigs, reading fiction, drinking lattes, cooking vegetarian food, watching movies, or sitting on the beach. She and her husband love to travel and find out what God is up to in other parts of the world..
The Rev. Petra Malleis-Sternberg has been ordained as a Minister in the United Church of Christ since 2001, serving two other UCC congregations in Southern California before moving to First Congregational Church of Long Beach as the Senior Minister in 2023. Before ordination, she also worked as lay staff for youth and Christian education with several congregations for six years. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona and the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, and has been a leader in the wider UCC and in community and interfaith groups. Petra has lived in six different US states, but now has been a resident of California for 22 years. She is married to David, and they have four teen and young adult children. They are enjoying putting down roots in Long Beach and becoming a part of the beloved community at First Church. Petra has deep love for the intergenerational beauty of church that brings together a widely diverse group of people to work for justice with the wider community. She celebrates creative worship, spiritual growth for all ages, and the power of inclusive community to bring support in both challenging and joyous times, in love.
Rev. Michael Schiefelbein served as pastor for 16 years at College Avenue UCC in Modesto, California, following a career as an English professor. Upon Michael’s retirement in 2022, he and his husband, Steve Klinkerman, moved to Palm Springs, California. Michael is in training with the Enneagram Prison Project to teach the Enneagram in California prisons. He is a member of First Congregational Church, Los Angeles.
Cheryl Farrell is a corporate communications consultant and performance storyteller. Her eclectic career includes roles as vice president of HR communications for a major U.S. bank as well as a recurring television personality on the popular quiz show Jeopardy! Raised in the Baptist church as a child, she joined the United Church of Christ in 1985. She currently attends Pasadena UCC and serves as a liturgist and singer. Cheryl previously served as a board member of the Southern California Nevada Conference. Cheryl has a master’s degree in communications from USC and bachelor’s degree in economics from UCLA. She earned the BSBC Certificate of Non-Profit Governance from Arizona State University. Cheryl is married with two adult children. Cheryl finds God in all things and believes her calling is to use diverse skills and talents to spread the good news.