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This newsletter is made possible by Our Church's Wider Mission and Friends of the Conference, Thank you!


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.

Tis the season! We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the melody and spirit of the holidays fill your home with love and peace.

Stay Warm!
The Conference Staff
  Let's Talk: About the Evolution of Slavery
By Conference Minister Diane Weible

This is the second part in a series about impressions and thoughts from the trip I took to Alabama with the other Conference Ministers in November. We visited Civil Rights sites in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham.

One of the things that made a huge impression on me last month when Conference Ministers visited the Civil Rights sites in Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham, Alabama, was that slavery did not end with the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation or even the 1865 passage of the 13th Amendment. Slavery just evolved.

After slavery was abolished there was a very short-lived attempt to truly free those who had been held in bondage and redress the inequities of slavery. Land taken by the Federal Government during the Civil War was promised to the freed slaves so they could start a new life and farm their own land. But within months, President Johnson returned all the land to the former white owners and the freed slaves were forced to ask those white land owners for jobs. While they may have been free in name, they continued to be treated as slaves. Click
HERE to read more.
  The Conference Office will be closed beginning December 23, 2019 through January 1, 2020. 
  UCC National Officers Send Christmas Greeting

National leaders of the United Church of Christ have sent a Christmas greeting video to the Church.
Watch their message of blessings and love in this sacred season.
News and Events Section
  The NCNC Staff needs immediate help next week loading furniture out of the POD and into our new office at 1320 Willow Pass Rd., Concord on January 2, 2020. Please email Miranda 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.
  Bethlehem Christmas Simulcast Service
Brought to you by: UCC Palestine Israel Network

Share the heart of Christmas with the people of Bethlehem as the congregations of Washington National Cathedral and the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, Palestine, come together in a joyful celebration of the birth of Christ. Join us for this live simulcast of prayers, readings, and hymns in both Arabic and English, bringing together those of different lands, languages, and backgrounds. This event is happening on Saturday, December 21, at 9:30 AM at the Washington National Cathedral, if you do not live near Washington, watch it live by going to youtube.com/wncathedral.
  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.
  New Plan Offering in 2020: Plan HSA
Brought to you by: The Pension Boards

Effective January 1, 2020, the Pension Boards will offer an additional health plan option to participants of the Non-Medicare Health Plan. Plan HSA is a high-deductible health plan ties to a Health Savings Account. A Health Savings Account allows participants an opportunity to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to help pay for qualified medical expenses. View the plan highlights
HERE, or listen to the podcast HERE.
  Our Whole Lives Newsletter
Brought to you by: United Church of Christ

In early 2020, the UCC will be launching an Our Whole Lives newsletter, to be delivered quarterly. This will include information on how Our Whole Lives and Sexuality & Our Faith help to dismantle shame and stigma around bodies and relationships. Our hope is that this venue will help spread the good news about OWL, answer commonly asked questions, share a scripture focus, and give people ongoing info about upcoming training. Click
HERE to subscribe to the newsletter!
$25k Charitable Feeding Grant Pilot Program Opportunity
Brought to you by: Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency


Are you a 501 (c)(3) charitable feeding organization or own approved permitted commercial kitchen space? If so, the County of Santa Clara wants to partner with you to meet the challenges facing our food insecure community members. This month, the County of Santa Clara Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency is excited to launch a $25,000 Charitable Feeding Grant Pilot Program. Beginning Dec. 10, 2019 through March 18, 2020, the Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency (CEPA) will award up to $1,000 to charitable feeding organizations while funds last, to pay for costs associated with renting commercially approved permitted kitchen space. The efforts of this Charitable Feeding Grant Program will provide an avenue to enhance food safety and food availability to the food insecure. To learn more click HERE.
     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, 230 Twin Dolphin Dr., Suite D, 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
Make a Donation to the NCNC
Share your news! Please submit newsletter items for consideration by noon on Monday to miranda@ncncucc.org
United Church of Christ in Northern California Nevada
16190 Foothill Blvd., San Leandro, CA 94578
(510) 247-8990 + ncncucc.org

Rev. Dr. Diane Weible, Conference Minister
Rev. Davena Jones, Associate Conference Minister
Rev. Daniel Ross-Jones, MPA, Associate Conference Minister
Joy Davis, Conference Administrator
Miranda Samaile, Administrative Assistant






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Northern California Nevada Conference, United Church of Christ · 1320 Willow Pass Rd, Suite 600 · Concord, CA 94520 · USA

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