Here’s This Month's Roundup of News and Notes from the Wider Church

As we celebrate Earth Day this week, did you know the UCC has a blog focused on environmental justice?  It’s called The Pollinator, and the latest post is about a UCC church creating a natural play space for children in the middle of an urban city center.  You can read more about the efforts of the First Congregational Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by visiting the Pollinator blog.  You can also go there to sign up for the Pollinator e-newsletter and receive news, education, and inspiration centered on faith and the environment.

The spring meeting of the Metro Boston Association of the UCC is scheduled for 1 pm on May 3 at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church.  Our association gathers together twice a year for worship, business, and education, and as a member church we are allotted two voting delegates in addition to Pastor JT.  This spring meeting will address votes on the 2026-2027 association budget, electing officers and committee members, and updating the MBA Requirements for Standing for Authorized Ministers.  There will also be training inspired by the Freedom Trainers' approach to collective non-cooperation and planning collective actions for the year to come.  If you’re interested in learning more or would like to attend the meeting, please contact Pastor JT.

UCC churches have a history of setting precedent in United States court decisions when it comes to matters of faith and action, and a church in our association has done it again.  First Church Somerville has been working for years to host a homeless shelter in their building, and a recent Land Court ruling has affirmed that housing the homeless is a protected right for Christan organizations as a practice of their faith.  Read more here about that court decision and the journey First Church Somerville has taken to get there.

The Southern New England Conference has set a date for 7^th Annual Meeting of the Conference.  Scheduled for September 25-27 at the DCU Center in Worcester, the Annual Meeting will be full of worship, workshops, and plenary sessions.  As a member church, we are allotted three voting delegates in addition to Pastor JT.  On Sunday morning, September 27, the Annual Meeting will gather for a worship service that will be livestreamed, and all Southern New England Conference churches have been encouraged to use the livestream for worship that morning as a way to share a communal event across the conference.  You can read more about Annual Meeting here.  If you’re interested in learning more or would like to attend the meeting, please contact Pastor JT.