NCNC News 12/12/2019

The Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ seeks to be a community of diverse congregations which nurtures, supports, and unites local churches in faithful covenant in Christ to carry out ministry and mission in the world.

Lets Talk: About Race

Our Let’s Talk article this week is by Rev. Cheryl Ward, inviting us to sacred and difficult conversations on race. This initiative is part of the work we have agreed to at our last Annual Gathering—a commitment to difficult conversations in the hopes of bringing awareness and forward movement in hearing other stories and seeing how we are called individually and together to work for racial justice and equality. We invite your participation in this work. Please click HERE to respond to a brief survey indicating your interest and availability to be part of these small group conversations in the new year. Responding to the survey will help us determine interest and the number of groups we will create. In the next week or so we will be sending out an invitation to register for these groups based on survey responses so please respond as soon as possible to help us plan.

When I was a little girl, my family and I sat at the table each evening to have dinner and discuss the events of the day. When I was approximately seven years old, we moved to a new neighborhood where I attended a school with children from many different backgrounds. I immediately made friends with a little girl who lived across the street from me, and we played together every day after school. It wasn't long before I was told I could not come inside her house because her father did not like "Negro's" - the term used at the time to identify African Americans. That night at dinner, I asked my parent's why my friend's father did not like me? They did their best to offer an explanation of prejudice and racism in a manner which my seven-year-old mind could comprehend.

As I got older, our family dynamics changed, and we no longer sat together in the evenings to have dinner. Our family discussions became far and few in between, and my friends and neighbors gradually became all African American. By the time I enrolled in Seminary in Berkeley, I found that I was often the only African American in many of my courses. It was a totally different world that gave me a clear view of the "real" world. I enrolled in classes throughout the various schools in the Graduate Theological Union and made a few lifelong friends with persons of various ethnicities. However, it also became clear to me, the ways I was viewed as "invisible," as there was a scarce number of Professors who looked like me or taught theological subjects from a Liberation Theology or Womanist perspective. Click HERE to read more.

Furniture Sale and Giveaway!

The Conference Office is having a huge furniture sale and some furniture giveaways! If you or someone you know is interested in buying new to used furniture such as conference tables, chairs, file cabinets, floor and wall cabinets, book shelves and plenty more please give us a call at 510-247-8990. Click HERE to see a list of other furniture we have for sale and to view pictures of the furniture click HERE, you do not want to miss out!

The NCNC Staff needs immediate help this week or next week loading furniture into the POD at 16190 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro. We also need volunteers to help unload boxes from the storage pod at our new location 1320 Willow Pass Rd., Concord on January 2, 2020. Please give us a call at 510-247-8990 if you are able to help!

The Second Helping Hands Fundraising Concert

You are invited to the second Helping Hands Fundraising Concert on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at St. Johns UCC, 501 Laguna Honda Blvd, San Francisco at 6 PM. All proceeds go to aid the communities and victims affected by the Kincaid fires. To find out who's performing click HERE.

The Dolly Mama Daylong Retreat with Donna Schaper
Brought to you by: First Congregational Church Berkeley

Donna Shaper, who sometimes goes by the title Dolly Mama and other times by The Rev. Dr., who teaches leadership at Hartford Seminary to Doctor of Ministry students and is senior minister at Judson Memorial Church in NYC, the perfect church for imperfect people, will come to say what little she knows about mature and humorous spirituality at First Church Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley, on Saturday, January 11th, from 9 AM to 3 PM. Click HERE for more information.

2019 Advent Series Why We Welcome
Brought to you by: UCC Refugee and Asylum Ministries

The Why We Welcome series, launched during Advent 2019, asks United Church of Christ churches around the country to answer the question: Why do we welcome refugees and asylum seekers? As the U.S. government slashes the number of refugees allowed to enter the country and turns away those desperately seeking asylum at our borders, God's word made flesh in Christ continues to be lived and spoken boldly through God's children and their commitment to welcome. Click HERE to learn more.

Standing Rules of General Synod Survey
Brought to you by: UCC Governance Committee

The UCCB Governance Committee subcommittee on the Standing Rules of General Synod is reviewing the Standing Rules for updating and possible revision. They are looking at several aspects of the Standing Rules and the Resolution process from drafting through presentation as well as information and feedback to assist in this process. All responses will be kept confidential and your participation is voluntary. Click HERE to complete the survey.

Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry Training
Brought to you by: Interim Ministry Network

This training includes two courses, The Work of the Leader and The Work of the Congregation. The Work of the Leader is a three day course that introduces theories that are foundational to interim/transitional ministry. There is opportunities for experiential learning through case study and sacred story. Click HERE to learn more about the first course. The Work of the Congregation is a five day course that provides information to folks that are in congregational leadership roles during the transition times. The training will offer a variety of tools for this work and will prepare participants to know when where and how to use these tools. Click HERE to learn more about the second course.

Installation Service for Elizabeth Robinson as Associate Pastor at Orinda Community Church

Click HERE to view more photos.

A Christmas Fellowship
Brought to you by: Berkeley Chinese Congregation

The Berkeley Chinese Community Church, a United Church of Christ congregation, cordially invites you to a Christmas Fellowship on December 21 at 5:30 PM to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. All ages are welcomed to join for Carol Singing, Tong Yuen and Chow Mein Meal, and White Elephant Gift Exchange in the Fellowship hall, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley.

Foothills Church would like to donate boxes of children's books of different categories and Bibles that can be offered to any church. Please contact info@foothills-church.org for more information.

REGISTRATION

Mid Winter - January 18-20, 2020
Feb Camp - February 15-17, 2020, Click HERE to view the flyer!
Annual Gathering - June 18-20, 2020
Annual Gathering Youth Stewards Application - June 18-20, 2020
National Youth Event (Youth) - July 21-26, 2020
National Youth Event (Adult Chaperone) - July 21-26, 2020
Caz You and Me Adult - July 10-12, 2020
Caz You and Me Child - July 10-12, 2020
Caz Junior - July 26 - August 1, 2020
Caz Jr. High - July 19-25, 2020
Caz. Sr High - July 12- 18, 2020
Caz Community Adult - August 7-9, 2020
Caz Community Child - August 7-9, 2020
CAZ CIT application - July 26 - August 1, 2020
Tam Junior - July 12-18, 2020
Tam Jr. High - July 19-25, 2020
Tam Sr. High - July 26 - August 1, 2020
Tam CIT application - July 12-18, 2020
For Churches giving campership to their members: request Campership Discount codes for your church HERE.

Conference Calendar

Dec. 21 Helping Hands Concert, St. Johns UCC San Francisco, 501 Laguna Honda Blvd., San Francisco, 6 PM - 8 PM

Dec. 28 Helping Hands Concert, Pioneer Congregational UCC, 2700 L. St, Sacramento, 6 PM - 8 PM

Jan. 5 Davena Jones at Suisun Fairfield Church, 701 Suisun St., Suisun City, 10:00 AM

Jan. 11 Ordination for Sophia Jackson into the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, City of Refuge, 8400 Enterprise Way, Oakland, 5PM - 8PM.

Jan. 18 Conference Council Meeting, First Church Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley, 10 AM - 3 PM

Jan. 26 Installation Service for T'Shala Auroralaia, 2 PM, La Selva Beach Community, 26 Florido Ave., La Selva Beach.

Feb. 15 Conference Council Meeting, First Church of Redwood City, 1155 Broadway #130, Redwood City

March 21 Conference Council Meeting, First Congregational Church Ripon, 100 N. Acacia, Ripon, 10 AM - 3 PM

May 15-16 Conference Council Meeting, Camp Cazadero 23500 King Ridge Rd, Cazadero, 10 Am - 3PM

June Conference Council Meeting, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park