REGISTER NOW FOR THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION SPRING MEETING
The Spring Meeting for the New Jersey Association will be held on Saturday, May 17 from 9:30 a.m., until 12:00 p.m. at the Community Church of Cedar Grove (65 Bowden Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009). The meeting will be from 9:30 a.m., until 12:00 p.m. On site registration will be from 9:00-9:30 a.m. A light lunch will follow at the conclusion of the meeting. If you’d like to register NOW, click here: NJ SPRING ASSOCIATION MEETING REGISTRATION.
“BEDTIME STORIES & PRAYERS” CONTINUES MARCH 26
We have the perfect midweek ministry connection for your families - “Bedtime Stories and Prayers”! Join us on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-7:15 pm on Zoom to hear a story, pray, and be sent forth with a blessing. Come as you are, even if you are in your car, running home from soccer practice.
Each session is 15 minutes long and perfect for families to add to their evening going-to-bed rhythms. This is a program supported by your local church’s generous contributions to Our Church’s Wider Missions (OCWM). If you would like the Zoom link to attend, contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org. In your request, please include the local UCC church which you attend.
NEXT ONA NETWORK GATHERING MARCH 27
We have established a monthly gathering for those in the Open & Affirming Movement in the UCC. Individuals from churches in the Central Atlantic Conference gather on the last Thursday of the month from 7-8 p.m. (EDT) in the following Zoom room: Central Atlantic ONA Network. Our next gathering, then, will be Thursday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. (EDT).
SATURDAY MORNING CHILDREN’S PROGRAM FOR THE CONFERENCE
Our next round of The Breakfast Club - our Saturday morning online version of “Sunday school” for children conference-wide - will resume on March 8 and run through April 12. The weekly sessions from from 10:00 AM until 10:45 AM. The program is FREE to our local churches here in the Central Atlantic Conference!
We include the lectionary scriptures for the upcoming Sunday, along with creative and engaging ways to explore their meaning. For some children, this is an additional opportunity to learn more about the stories of our faith. For others, it can be an alternative when attending traditional Sunday school is not possible. Children from all five of our associations across the conference are invited to attend!
To get the Zoom link, contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org. In your request for the Zoom link, please include the name of the local UCC church you attend. Please share this information with your families, your educators, and your congregations. All are welcome!
ACM’S UPCOMING SCHEDULE FOR LOCAL CHURCH VISITS
Here is a list of where Associate Conference Minister Craig Peterson will be for the next six weeks:
March 30 - Safe Harbor UCC in Lewes, DE (Worshipping)
April 6 - VACATION
April 13 - AVAILABLE
April 20 - Christ Congregation in Princeton, NJ (Worshipping)
April 27 - Absecon Presbyterian Church in Absecon, NJ (Preaching - Congregation led by UCC Authorized Minister)
May 4 - Glen Ridge Congregational Church in Glen Ridge, NJ (Preaching)
May 11 - First Congregational Church of Montclair in Montclair, NJ (Preaching)
May 18 - Rossmoor Community Church in Monroe, NJ (Installation of Pastor)
“CREATING SANCTURY” NETWORK MEETS APRIL 7
Each month we gather individuals from local churches in the Central Atlantic to talk about ways in which individuals and local churches can get involved to help meet the needs of our undocumented siblings who are our church members, friends, and neighbors. We understand that given the complexities of our times and the variety of our locations in the Central Atlantic Conference (which covers five states and the District of Columbia), each individual and local church will have to find points of entry that work for their setting. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach that will work for every setting.
The conversations will take place on the first Monday of each month from 7:00-8:00 pm. Our next conference-wide gathering will be April 7. If you would like the Zoom link contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.
CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRY WORKERS’ NETWORK APRIL 10
Serving as a Children's or Youth Ministry worker can be an overwhelming challenge as we adapt to a post-pandemic world. To lessen the sense of isolation, the Central Atlantic Conference offers a monthly network meeting for those leading children's and youth ministries.
The group provides an opportunity for participants to share resources, identify projects to collaborate on and share the joys and frustrations of our ministries. It meets on the second Thursday of each month from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM. Our next meeting will be April 10 at 10:00 AM. Here is the link: CHILDREN & YOUTH.
Questions? Contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.
AUTHORIZED MINISTERS’ ONLINE LUNCH APRIL 10
Our next online gathering will be on Thursday, April 10, at 12:00 PM. Here is the link for the online lunch: AUTHORIZED MINISTERS’ LUNCH.
In order to make the monthly lunch for Authorized Ministers in the New Jersey Association more accessible to those for whom the distance and time was prohibitive, we have adopted a new schedule for the monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month from 12:00-1 PM. We will have in-person meetings once a quarter at the Reformed Church of Highland Park. The next in-person lunch will be May 8. During the other months between September 2024 and May 2025, the gathering will be online. We’ll take a break from the lunches during the summer months of June, July, and August.
We hope our authorized ministers will take this opportunity to find the support they need in their ministries and extend their support to their beloved colleagues!
RETIRED CLERGY NETWORK MEETS APRIL 15
A monthly gathering for retired clergy who served in the Central Atlantic Conference will be held on April 15, from 10-11 AM. The group meets on the THIRD Tuesday of each month from 10 to 11 AM. Here is the Zoom link: RETIRED CLERGY NETWORK. Questions? Contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.
LAY WORSHIP LEADER NETWORK MEETS APRIL 28
The Lay Worship Leader Network usually meets on the fourth Monday of each month from 7-8 PM (EST). During our time together, we share resources that can help in the planning of worship; discuss ways you can pull together a message for Sunday morning; share best practices; and answer practical questions that can help you feel more confident in your role as a temporary lay worship leader. Our next meeting will be April 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM. We will use this Zoom link for our gathering: LAY WORSHIP LEADERS. Individuals can also attend by phone by calling 301-715-8592 and entering Room ID 747 888 8349 when prompted.
UPCOMING CHURCH TRAINING CENTER PRESENTATION MAY 6
On Tuesday, May 6, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., Keith Clark-Hoyos (Executive Director of the Church Training Center) will present what the organization can do to help your council or consistory adapt past practices to meet current realities. To register for the free presentation on May 6, click here: CHURCH TRAINING CENTER PRESENTATION.
For those who want to learn more about the Church Training Center, they are offering FREE membership to the Effective Church Leadership Community to church leaders in the Central Atlantic Conference. The Effective Church Leadership Community is an online gathering place designed to empower church leaders with peer support, collaboration, and best practices in governance and administration. This community provides:
Live Webinar Events – Free access to training on governance, finance, budgeting, fraud prevention, and more.
Recorded Webinar Access – If a church leader is unable to attend a webinar, they can access the recording anytime.
Governance and Finance Best Practices – Regular insights from Keith Clark-Hoyos to enhance leadership skills in church governance and finance.
Resource Library – A growing collection of sample policies, training materials, and leadership resources.
Cohort Training Discount – Special discounted access to targeted training programs on various leadership topics.
Governance & Treasurer Mastery Coaching Group Discounts – Reduced-cost participation in coaching groups, including a dedicated group for Church Treasurers that meets weekly to discuss best practices and tackle challenges collaboratively.
The Church Training Center would love to offer this resource at no cost to the churches of the Central Atlantic Conference. By partnering together, we can strengthen congregations and help them thrive in their calling.
At Church Training Center, our mission is: "To transform churches and ministries into cohesive, mission-driven communities that faithfully fulfill God’s calling by empowering leaders with transformative leadership support, strategic resources, and financial clarity."
Join here FREE: https://community.churchtrainingcenter.com/plans/1515404?bundle_token=2d66faf8155050c1486cf3e6084f67c5&utm_source=manual
INSTALLATION OF ROSSMOOR COMMUNITY CHURCH’S PASTOR MAY 18
Rev. Ann Schoonover will be installed as the new settled pastor at Rossmoor Community Church on Sunday, May 18 at 11:00 am. While installations are usually held on Saturday afternoons to allow lay and clergy members of the association to attend, the situation at Rossmoor is different than most. The church is located within a gated retirement community with limited access. The church also has limited access to their worship space so afternoon services are difficult to accommodate. There will be representatives from the NJ Association in attendance to participate in the installation liturgy. We are thrilled to help Rossmoor celebrate this important moment.
RECORDING OF PRESENTATION ON SCHOOL SEGREGATION IN NEW JERSEY NOW AVAILABLE
On Wednesday, April 24, a few leaders from the New Jersey Association talked with Sarah Blaine, lead organizer with the New Jersey chapter of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism about current expressions of racial segregation in New Jersey public schools. We had hoped to have Tom Puryear from the NAACP in the conversation as well, but he was unable to attend due to technical difficulties. If you missed the conversation but would like to hear this important information, please click here: DESEGREGATING NJ PUBLIC SCHOOLS.