Frames No Frame

Welcome to the Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ — a community of faith that seeks to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. We are a people of the Sierras, the Valleys, the City and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. We are a justice-seeking people, a celebrative worshiping and prayerful people, and a visionary, future-making people: we believe God is Still Speaking! We are a peace church, we proudly call ourselves a multi-racial, multi-cultural, anti-racism church, and we are open and affirming, embodying God's beautifully diverse rainbow world.

•  Gast on May 26th •  Psalms for Easter •  100K Run: We're Running! •  Annual Gathering Events •  UCC Identity Seminars •  The new Pacific •  Conference Directory •  W. Christian Educators •  Voices against Prop 8 •  Rhythm of Abundance •  Sacred Conversations

PACIFIC CURRENTS — Reflections of our Conference Minister Rev. Dr. Mary Susan Gast Click here for previous editions of "Pacific Currents" FROM YOUR CONFERENCE MINISTER May 26, 2009 It’s not unusual for me to wake up with a song rambling through my brain. This morning, though, it wasn’t the usual fragment of a Gospel hymn, or snippet of reggae, or the odd phrase from Handel, that led me out of my dream state. For the first time ever it was a patriotic song. “My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my parents died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside let freedom ring!” [Samuel F. Smith, student at Andover Newton Theological Seminary, 1831] Waiting for the California Supreme Court’s decision on Proposition 8 to be made public at 10, I wondered whether I would be singing that song in today’s full light with joyful tears or with wistful longing. Now option B is checked. Our Conference Council is preparing an action for Annual Meeting this Saturday. Meanwhile the ring of freedom sounds a bit off-key, clanking against the realization that, in California, a simple majority vote on a referendum is enough to crumble the bulwark of equal protection under the law. A simple majority vote on a referendum is sufficient to restrict human rights.   “Our parents’ God, to Thee, Author of Liberty, to Thee we sing;     Soon may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light;     Protect us by Thy might, Great God Living.”                                        [Samuel Smith’s words adapted, 2009] Mary Susan Gast, May 26, 2009

Latest News: the UCC Newsroom

INVITATION FROM RON BUFORD, NCNC's DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
100K RUN - Move with the Rythm of Abundance!

Now you can view, download and print The Pacific Online! Founded August 1, 1851, The Pacific is the oldest continuously published newspaper in California. The newsprint (paper) edition is mailed monthly - for free! - along with our national newspaper, United Church News.

Subscribe to the United Church News - Online Edition.

Also, UCC News Headlines gives you up-to-the-minute UCC News Releases, Weekly Religion News, Religion News Archive, and other significant documents concerning the continuing life of our church. (The 3 most recent of these headlines are carried via rss feed, above on this page.)

Subscribe here to Keeping You E-Posted, a weekly, coordinated e-zine of news, featured items, resources, worship materials, and justice-action items. It is e-mailed each Tuesday mornings to UCC members and supporters.

ALL LAYPERSONS AND CLERGY ARE WELCOME
UCC IDENTITY SEMINARS - AND CHURCH DAYS

Our NCNC congregations are embarking on a series of four "IDENTITY SEMINARS," two of which will be held in conjunction with our new "CHURCH DAY" events.

The UCC Identity Seminars are packed with information, insight and answers to many questions about how we operate as the United Church of Christ and what it means to be a member of the United Church of Christ. To learn more, raise MORE questions, understand and expand UCC identity, plan to take part in the upcoming UCC Identity Seminars. Send members of your governing board, your church growth team, your pastoral support committee, your in-care support committee, your church's long-term members and your newest members, and those in between .... More information on UCC IDENTITY SEMINARS, including registration information.

Seminars 2 and 4 will be part of CHURCH DAY on March 21 and October 3. Inspired by the successful Forums for the Future held in 2005-06, the name Church Day came from the German "Kirchentag" held since 1949. More information on CHURCH DAY, including registration information.

STATEMENTS ON PROPOSITION 8
RELIGIOUS VOICES AGAINST PROPOSITION 8

Our Conference Minister, our Conference Council, and delegates to Annual Meeting have all offered reflections on the controversial California Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. See our Justice and Witness pages to read the statements.

OCTOBER 11-14, 2009
WESTERN CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS' CONFERENCE

ASILOMAR
NCNC ANNUAL GATHERING

Beginning in 2009, the "Annual Meeting" (business session) will take place during the "Annual Gathering!" Visit the Annual Gathering Page on this website for more information. Annual Gatherings in coming years: 2009 Annual Gathering May 28-31, 2009 (draft schedule updated) 2010 Annual Gathering May 13-16, 2010 2011 Annual Gathering May 19-22, 2011

Annual Gathering pages Annual Meeting at Asilomar Conference Grounds , in Pacific Grove, California

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STUFF FOR UCC YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS!
LINKS TO NATIONAL YOUTH EVENT AND MORE...

There's a lot going on with UCC Youth and Young Adults. Here are a few links to information and events.

Calling all YOUTH! NCNC OUTDOOR MINISTRIES Find more information about these and other events on the NCNC Outdoor Ministries Page
	Take a look at the national UCC Youth Page!
	Here's a page for those of us who are 18-30!
	Here's our Campus Ministry at SFSU, The Edge

OPPORTUNITY FOR MINISTRY
EMERGENCY RELIEF & DISASTER RESPONSE
We are there whenever, wherever...

Whenever disaster strikes, many of our churches respond immediately with extra financial gifts through the Northern California Nevada Conference United Church of Christ. Our gifts are routed quickly through the UCC's Wider Church Ministries, One Great Hour of Sharing and/or Church World Service, all of which are on alert and ready to send help immediately wherever and whenever there is a crisis. Every dollar goes directly for emergency relief.

During an emergency, make checks payable to NCNCUCC, and mark it clearly on the memo line for the crisis to which you are responding. Send your check to:
    The Northern California Nevada Conference UCC
    21425 Birch Street,
    Hayward, CA 94541-2131
Questions? Please email David Bergman-Hill, Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship, Administration and Finance.

OCTOBER 2007 UPDATE - Our United Church of Christ had a goal of raising $3 million from members and congregations to support long-term hurricane relief, recovery and rehabilitation.  So far, over 6 million dollars has been raised! Here is the latest report (October 2007) on funds received and expended through the One Great Hour of Sharing special fund, Hope Shall Bloom. The need for volunteer work groups continues (see http://www.ucc.org/volunteer/hurricane/). For more, please see our GULF COAST HURRICANE RELIEF PAGES

 NCNCUCC in Action!
JUSTICE & WITNESS - NCNC IN ACTION

Overview Board for Justice and Witness Ministries

Check out OUR Justice Action pages - information and stories about our efforts in the Northern California Nevada Conference United Church of Christ.

You can always find the latest on our NCNC Justice & Peace Priority, Disaster Relief, and other Justice and Witness Ministries of the Overview Board for Justice and Witness Ministries ..by clicking the "Mission and Action" button on the menu above left.

The Overview Board for Justice and Witness Ministries exists to express the Word of God beyond the membership of the Conference through action and proclamation, telling the stories of the Gospel and acting upon the mandates of the Gospel through community development, working for justice, equity and peace. For LOTS more information (including links to many other Justice and Witness sites) click "Mission and Action," or click on the OBJWM logo or click here.

• Click here for the UCC's Justice and Peace Take Action! page.
• Click here for our Earth Stewards pages!
• Click here for our War Awareness Page - our regularly updated, vigilant witness against the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan

Communities of Compassion Confronting Genocide
DEAR SUDAN,

Tim Nonn, member of our Petaluma United Church of Christ, had a wake-up call in 2004 - something HAD to be done to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

From the website: "It began in Petaluma, California as 'Dear Sudan, Love Petaluma,' a local interfaith campaign to support humanitarian relief in the Darfur region of Sudan. The goal: raise enough money to feed 55,000 refugees for one day--equal to the population of Petaluma. Since each Sudanese refugee requires only 16 cents per day for food provided through a program supported by Church World Service, the goal was $8,800. continued...

ONE VOICE
       NCNC PACIFIC ISLANDER, ASIAN-AMERICAN MINISTRIES

NEVER PLACE A PERIOD WHERE GOD HAS PLACED A COMMA [Gracie Allen]
GOD IS STILL SPEAKING,

The Stillspeaking campaign is alive and well!

Stillspeaking.com  Find a UCC church  Contribute Online!  FCC Challenge site  See the ads

The UCC's Stillspeaking Initiative is our identity campaign - it aired nationwide, stating that - like Jesus - the United Church of Christ seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation. CBS and NBC refused to air our advertisements! Highlighting Jesus' extravagant welcome, the ads were called 'too controversial. Read more about the refusal of NBC and CBS to run the ads: our NCNC "COMMA" pages... Pastoral Letter from UCC Conference Ministers

Our Conference Minister, Rev. Mary Susan Gast, has written a resource, Redemption Songs, A 21st Century Descant on the Psalms.  She writes, "Between Walter Brueggemann and Bob Marley I never stood a chance when it came to a passion for the Psalms. Throughout my life as a pastor, I’ve wanted a theologically reliable volume of the Psalms which I could use with ease in preparing liturgy. I’ve wanted a faithful wording which would not constrict the vocabulary to current vernacular or totally disregard the Psalms’ poetics. During my sabbatical in 2002, I began to tread the corridor between scholarship and art, arriving at a 'descant' on the Psalms, which is not so much a paraphrase as a harmony and counterpoint upon the established themes...."

These “Redemption Songs” are the Psalms selected for use in liturgical years A, B, and C of the Revised Common Lectionary. You are free to use them, noting credit to Mary Susan Gast, Redemption Songs, A 21st Century Descant on the Psalms, © 2002.

“Won’t you help me sing these songs of freedom…redemption songs, these songs of freedom.”

Bob Marley, “Redemption Song”

NOW ONLINE!
MANUAL ON THE MINISTRY, SUPPLEMENTS AND APPENDICIES

While the Northern California Nevada Conference follows the spirit, processes, and terminology of the United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry, there are certain distributions of responsibility and general procedures which are unique to the history and structure of this Conference and its Associations. Thus we have the “Manual on the Ministry, Supplements and Appendices” (MOMSA), which highlights the practices which differ from those described in the Manual on Ministry and includes those policies which go beyond what is covered in the Manual on Ministry. The latest revision of MOMSA has resulted in Supplements, divided into 3 sections, which are, as of September, 2004, posted here on our Conference website. Appendices to each of the sections will be posted as soon as possible.

OUR DOOR IS OPEN - WELCOME!
NCNC OFFICES IN HAYWARD

NCNC offices are located in Eden UCC, at the corner of Birch Street and Grove Way in Hayward, just between Foothill and Mission Boulevards. Drive a little bit down Birch Street from Grove -- there is street parking and also a large parking lot. Just below our offices (look for the 21425 number on the upstairs window), there is an entryway into a lobby for both the new Oliver Hall and the elevator going up to our offices. If you prefer the stairs, they are just inside the hallway to the left.