August 1, 2023 – Community Connections

August 1, 2023 Community Connections

NACCC

NEWS

Racial Justice Task Team Update

Rev. Arthur Ritter, Moderator

At the Annual Meeting and Conference in June, delegates received the final report of the Racial Justice Task Team (RJTT). Inspired by the discussion and approval of the Cadman Resolution at the 2020 AMC, the team was organized by then-Moderator Cindy Bacon Hammer, to “provide resources in a safe space to address the difficult topic of racism and how we need to live into God’s justice.”

In the final report, the RJTT offered questions that encourage our member churches to reflect upon in prayer. They presented ways that the leadership of the NACCC might pursue “greater sensitivity, ethical engagement, social responsibility, and resource development around the concern for racial justice.” At the July meeting of the Leadership Council, we discussed ways we might intentionally continue the discussion in our councils and committees, framed by the work of the RJTT.

We thank the members of the RJTT for their three years of service and for the thoughtful and challenging report they presented.

2023 Elected Officers

Jodee Lord, Vice-Moderator, Chair, Board of Directors 

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank the Nominating Committee for their dedication in selecting this year’s slate of officers. They have worked diligently to fill positions with individuals who share a passion for the Congregational Way and are willing to share their talents.

Moderator: Rev. Art Ritter, Novi, Michigan

Vice-Moderator: Jodee Lord, Staten Island, New York

Secretary: Dr. Kathleen (Kate) O’Dell, Anchorage, Alaska

Treasurer: Patrick Stewart, Marshalltown, Iowa

Historian: Rev. Norm Erlendson, Stonington, Connecticut

LC Youth Representative: Melinda Jaster, Elkader, Iowa

AMCC Member-At-Large: Rev. Dr. Karen Robu, Wichita, Kansas

Board of Directors: Robert Weers, Soquel, California

Growth Ministry Council: Rev. Irven Gammon, Florence, Massachusetts

Growth Ministry Council: Sharon Brown, Novi, Michigan

Mission and Outreach: Joanne Simpson, Lynn, Massachusetts

Mission and Outreach: Rev. Richard Miller-Todd, Berwick, Iowa

Vitality Ministry Council: Rev. Mark Tanner, Skowhegan, Maine

Vitality Ministry Council: Rev. Dr. Robin Carden, Suttons Bay, Michigan

Nominating Committee: Rev. Justin Nierer, Jackson, Michigan

Nominating Committee: Joelle Sommers, Madison, Wisconsin

For a complete list of our new and continuing leadership team click here.

Considering volunteering for a future leadership position? Click here.

Shrinking Endowment? Unbalanced Budget?

Sandra Leonard, Congregational Foundation Board of Governors

Many of our NACCC member churches need a financial boost. The Board of Governors of the Congregational Foundation is pleased to offer the opportunity to earn an Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) through the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving.

The course provides the research, tools, and customized training to meet the growing needs of leaders in religious communities and is available to members of our churches at a highly discounted rate.  I’m excited to be enrolled and hope you will join me in the eight-week online course.

View the AMC plenary session by Rev. Meredith McNabb for a preview of the valuable information this course contains and sign up soon on the NACCC website!

Listening Tour Side Trip

Rev. Dr Ashley Cleere, Executive Director

July brought a side trip on the Listening Tour. I joined four dozen Congregationalists and friends in Nadi, Fiji for the International Congregational Fellowship meeting. A longtime strategic alliance of the NACCC, this group gathers, typically, every four years. The gathering included a traditional Fijian welcome, cultural and sightseeing activities, worship, dialogue, and home visits. Listening in faraway places provides another lens for hearing ourselves and understanding who we are.