“REJOICE IN THE WELCOME” SIGN UP & RESOURCE LIST
Our third annual “Rejoice in the Welcome” Sunday will be Sunday, September 7 (though some churches may choose an alternate date in September if needed). If your church will participate in the weekend, please let Rev. Craig Peterson know by emailing him at cpeterson@cacucc.org.
The Church Revitalization team is in the process of compiling resources that can be used by local churches. If you would like to view the list, click here: REJOICE IN THE WELCOME RESOURCE LIST.
If you would like to add to the resource list, contact Rev. Debra Peters Wilcox at debra.peterswilcox@gmail.com.
TRINITY TRUST GRANT APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE NOW
Applications for 2026 Trinity Trust grants are now available to complete online. Click here to complete the application: TRINITY TRUST APPLICATION. Completed applications are due Tuesday, September 2, 2025 by noon.
If you are unable to complete the form online, email Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org and ask for an application. He will email you the form for you to download, print out, complete, scan, and then return.
Local churches may apply for a grant of up to $5,000 for projects in one of five areas: (1) justice and witness; (2) community outreach (including publicity through traditional or social media); (3) faith formation; (4) trainings and seminars; and (5) minor building improvements and capital repairs.
A local church can receive Trinity Trust Grant money for up to three consecutive years. Local churches MUST re-apply for the grant each year of the three year cycle. Renewals of a grant from one year to the next are NOT automatic.
One of the deciding factors in the consideration of applications is whether a local church contributed to Our Churches Wider Mission (OCWM) in calendar year 2024. The process is also very competitive. Last year, the trust had $79,000 to award. Requests for grant money totaled $173,000. The grants that were awarded the most tended to be those involving community engagement, social justice, and ministries of compassion as these efforts move local churches off their campus and into the world.
Questions? Contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.
LOCAL PASTOR SEEKS ASSISTANCE WITH SPIRITUAL DIRECTION TRAINING
Rev. Matt Murphy, one of our pastors in the NJ Association at St. Paul’s Milltown, our New Jersey Association Secretary, and Rutgers Chaplain is training to be a spiritual director. This fall he needs two people to take spiritual direction that he can practice on. These would be real spiritual direction sessions, but he will write verbatims after each session to review with his Spiritual director for feedback. If you are interested, you can contact him at pastormatt@stpaulsmilltownnj.org.
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:
August 3 - Margate Community Church in Margate, NJ (Preaching)
August 10 - Plainfield UCC Congregational Church in Plainfield, NJ (Preaching)
August 17 - Union Congregational Church in Montclair, NJ (Preaching)
August 24 - Holmdel Community UCC in Holmdel, NJ (Worshipping)
August 31 - Rossmoor Community Church in Monroe, NJ (Preaching)
September 7 - UCC of Toms River in Toms River, NJ (Worshipping)
“BEDTIME STORIES & PRAYERS” WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
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.
RETIRED CLERGY NETWORK MEETS AUGUST 19
A monthly gathering for retired clergy who served in the Central Atlantic Conference will be held on August 19, 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 AUGUST 25
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 August 25, 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.
CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRY WORKERS’ NETWORK RETURNS SEPTEMBER 11
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. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM. We will take the summer off. Our next meeting will be on Thursday, September 11, at 2:00 PM.
Questions? Contact Rev. Craig Peterson at cpeterson@cacucc.org or 609-929-7585.
NEXT ONA NETWORK GATHERING SEPTEMBER 25
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, September 25 from 7-8 p.m. (EDT).
FREE WEBINARS TO STRENGTHEN THE LIFE OF YOUR CHURCH
The Central Atlantic Conference is a member of Practical Resources for Churches (PRC). This gives our local churches access to a wealth of free resources that can help strengthen the life of YOUR local church.
The free webinars cover topics including “Legal and Tax Arrangements for Space Sharing Agreements,” “Legacy Giving 101,” and “How Healthy Is Your Church Culture”. To find a full listing of upcoming webinars, click here: PRC UPCOMING WEBINARS.
If you can’t attend a webinar live, you can still register for the webinar so you can receive a link to the recording after its conclusion.
There are a variety of other consulting services available through PRC at reduced rates for those in our local churches. To learn more, contact their Executive Director, Charlaine Apsel, at charlaine@prc.org and let her know you belong to a local church in the Central Atlantic