Author: Davena Jones

In Valarie Kaur’s newsletter last week, she explored the topic of Wonder. In the work I do in the practice of coaching, wonder is something near and dear to my heart. I see wonder as being what allows us to approach something with an open heart and curiosity. I see it at the opposite of certainty. When we are certain about something, sometimes, it means we have already made our assumptions and judgments and we have closed ourselves off from other stories, of other ways of seeing an issue or an individual.Valarie says in her newsletter that who we wonder…

Years ago, while I was in discernment around my own call to ministry, I was in a small circle of a group of faithful women and men – all of whom have since joined the great cloud of witnesses. One of the men, a retired clergyperson himself, asked me to describe what I saw the church like in 2020, knowing he’d not live to see it. I shared my dreams and ideas, infused by my own love of then-emerging communications technology that we now know as ‘social media.’ As I spoke, one of the women smiled and took my hand…

Last week I learned about a racial justice initiative of the United Parish Church in Brookline, Massachusetts, called “The Negro Spiritual Royalties Project.” To best explain this initiative, I have copied some information from their website: We will begin the practice of collecting "royalties" ​for the African American, or “Negro,” Spirituals we sing in worship. (Negro Spirituals is the term most commonly used by Black Americans and historians for this body of music. The term itself makes many white Americans uncomfortable, but I believe the discomfort is a necessary part of the process.) Unlike other hymns and worship music, Negro…

by Conference Minister Diane Weible The war in Ukraine is heartbreaking. We lift up our prayers for those who are fighting and for those who are fleeing to find safety, leaving behind family members who remain to fight. We pray for God’s peace to prevail in the midst of this horrendous war and look for ways we can make a difference. The tragic war in Ukraine dominates the news cycle but we all know it is not the only place where people fear for their lives and are forced to flee. From violence on our own streets to the real…

by Associate Conference Minister Daniel Ross-Jones I was sitting with a group of leaders from a small church that were daunted by the task in front of them: completing the Local Church Profile as part of the process to find their next Pastor & Teacher. For those who are unfamiliar, the Local Church Profile in the United Church of Christ answers three broad questions: Who are we? Who is our neighbor? Who is God calling us to become? This church had struggled with their own identity for quite some time. It had a storied past, one of a timeless legacy…

We are all paying attention to the news reports that are coming from Ukraine. Valarie Kaur sent out an email last week and she has given me permission to share it with you today. I cannot think of any words better than hers in this tender time. Be safe and well, My Friends, and please take care of yourselves even as you are working to care for others. My loves, I have been breathless watching the terror in Ukraine unfold. Russia’s invasion comes in the midst of nearly a decade of escalating tension, violence, and antagonization. Since 2014, at least…

by Rev. Dr. Diane Weible I have a favor to ask of the members of our Beloved NCNC Churches. You may have seen the announcement for a Coach Training event we are doing May 13-19. This training will offer participants the 63 classroom hours they need to be certified as a Level 1 coach with the International Coaching Federation. Once the classroom hours are complete, they will need to log coaching hours in order to request credentialing but the classroom hours themselves are the most intense part of the process. A few of our NCNC Authorized Ministers have been selected…

by Conference Minister Diane Weible If you are signed up to receive emails from Valarie Kaur, as I am, you may have already seen this video, which she sent on Valentine’s Day. Her book, “See No Stranger” is the book that the Conference Council is reading right now. Her movement, “Revolutionary Love,” is something that inspires me every day. In her email on Tuesday she offered this quote, “Love is sweet labor—fierce, bloody, imperfect, and life-giving. When we labor in love in a time of rage, love becomes revolutionary.” One of her primary concepts is about the importance of stories.…

Editor's note: this week's Let's Talk is a column published by the Minnesota Conference Minister, the Rev. Shari Prestemon, and shared with her Conference on February 2, 2022. In our Northern California Nevada Conference, we have invested in training and equipping a team of legacy coaches who are individuals ready to assist with creating healthy, vibrant spaces for exploring church legacy, resourcing lay and clergy leaders to make difficult and life-giving decisions about their church's legacy. You are encouraged to reach out to Associate Conference Minister Daniel Ross-Jones to learn more or to be connected with a legacy coach. "Carve your…

by Conference Minister Diane Weible I’m going to keep it short today because what I have to say feels obvious for those of us who wholly embrace the values of the UCC and, yet, it has become even more obvious to me that there can never be too many reminders. Sometimes the best reminder is served short and to the point. My biggest issue with Black History Month is the word month. Why do we think that delegating the importance of black history to one month out of twelve is the way to change the dominant cultural waters we all…