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!
Registration is now open! Click HERE!
The Annual Gathering takes place Friday, May 29 1:30pm through Saturday, May 30 at 2:00pm 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. See the pricing chart below for details.
Tabling and Organizational Sponsors
If you are part of an organization that would like to participate in tabling at Annual Gathering, please contact Virginia Arroyo at arroyo@scncucc.org.
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. The Line is in the heart of Koreatown, just one mile from FCCLA, and it is unionized. Please note, hotels as well as parking can be expensive in Los Angeles. Hotel guests will have a discounted parking rate $40per night, with in and out privileges. The daily amenity fee will also be waived. If you prefer, you are welcome to leave your car at FCCLA and carpool, walk, bus, or Lyft to the hotel, as there is ample parking at the church. There are also other hotels in the area.
Please use THIS BOOKING LINK to receive our group rate. This rate is valid thru May 7th.
THURSDAY, MAY 28th at 1:00p.m. through FRIDAY, MAY 29th at 12:00p.m. – Clergy Retreat at nearby hotel.
1 p.m.
Registration opens
1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Programming Tracks 1, 2, & 3
4:30 – 6 p.m.
Social & free time
6 – 8 p.m.
Clergy dinner & evening programming
8 p.m.
Free time
Friday
7:45 – 8:45 a.m.
Breakfast
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Programming Tracks 1, 2, 3, & 4
12 p.m.
Head to FCCLA for lunch and Annual Gathering!
FRIDAY, MAY 29th, 2025 at FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES
10 a.m.
Registration Opens
10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
Workshops Block 1A
11:30 – 12:15 p.m.
Workshops Block 1B
12:15-1:15 p.m.
Box Lunch and Affinity Group Conversations
1:30-3 pm
Opening Worship & Plenary I
3:15 – 4:15 p.m.
Workshops Block 2A
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Workshops Block 2B
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Reception hosted by Pacific School of Religion
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Dinner & Evening Program
8:30-10 p.m.
Post Dinner Entertainment
SATURDAY, MAY 30th at FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH LOS ANGELES
9-10 a.m.
Encountering the Sacred
Sound bath or scripture meditation
10-10:45 a.m.
Devotion and Ministry Milestone Recognition
11a.m.-12 p.m.
Workshop Block 3
12:15-1p.m.
Lunch and Affinity Group Conversations
1:15-2:30 p.m.
Plenary II & Closing Worship
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 virtual 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.
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.