Category: January 2021

The U…C…What?!

The U…C…What?!  For those not familiar with us, it can be a little confusing!:

               “Oh, yeah…You’re Unity, right?”    Nope.  We share their focus on community, positivity, and education, but that’s not us. 

            “So, then, you’re the Unitarians?”   Nuh uh.  We share their value of other religions and spiritual paths, but that’s not us.

            We are the United Church of Christ. 

            “Wait!  You mean the ones who don’t use music instruments or allow women to preach?”   Nope.  While we love our conservative brothers and sisters (and man, can they sing!), we are waaaaayyy on the other end of the political and theological spectrum.

            The United Church (pause here) of Christ, is a Protestant (like Methodists and Lutherans) denomination that began when 4 denominations united in 1957.  There are tons of us in the Midwest, Northeast, West Coast, Hawaii (yes, please!), and we’re growing in the South. 

            We’re about as far left as you can go and still be considered Christian.  Our Unitarian friends affectionately joke the UCC stands for “Unitarians Considering Christ” because we are similar, just with a much heavier emphasis on Jesus (as Trinitarians, we’re big fans of the Holy Spirit, too!)

The UCC is a mainstream Christian denomination with deep roots in social justice, peace movements, activism, and support for the environment. Our ancestors were educators, abolitionists, civil rights and healthcare advocates, and folks of radical love and extravagant welcome.

            We ordained the first openly gay man in 1972, voted to affirm full rights and participation in the Church and society for transgender persons in 2003, and became the first mainline Christian denomination to support equal marriage rights for all in 2005. 

            We’re relatively light on dogma; extremely light on judgment (we try hard never to be but, hey, we’re human); and heavy on standing with people Jesus hung out with—those cast to the margins by society, those treated as any way less than, and those oppressed (like Dr. King, we even try to love the gremlins in our own and others’ hearts that lead us to oppress others).

            We often say, “Jesus didn’t turn anyone away, and neither do we.”  Micah 6:8—seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God—sums up what we seek to do, pretty well.  We’re imperfect, ever-growing, and try to have a hella lotta fun together along the way.  So, come hang out awhile, let us love on ya, and see if maybe we, and the UCC, are for you.

Peace, Pastor Carla

Info from the Conference and National Offices:

UCC Webinar—What’s Possible?:Faith and
Climate Policy in 2021 -January 13, 2021

After the Georgia Senate runoff election on January 5th, we will know the legislative landscape for the new Congress. What will be possible for climate policy? Aside from congress, what might President Biden accomplish through executive orders? This webinar will address these questions with an eye toward what faith communities can do to put their values into action in pressing for the kind of climate policies urgently needed in this time of crisis and inequality. The featured panelists will be Anthony Rogers-Wright from the Climate Justice Alliance, Emily Wirzba from the Environmental Defense Fund, and Clarence Edwards from the Friends Committee on National Legislation.Even if you can’t make the webinar’s scheduled time onWednesday, January 13th at 1 pm ET, still sign-up, and we will send you a recording of it.Register at https://www.ucc.org/event/whats-possible-faith-and-climate-policy-in-2021/


Save the Date – January 27, 2021 – 6p CST
Quarterly Just Peace Webinar

The UCC Just Peace Committee is inviting you to the next quarterly Just Peace Webinar to take place on January 27 (7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT/5 p.m. MT/4 p.m. PT/2 p.m. HT).Details and log-in instructions will be sent in the New Year but please mark your calendars now!The topic will be, Wheredo we go from here? How do we engage? What should be our Just Peace priorities in 2021 as individuals, congregations, Associations, Conferences and the National Setting. What might we expect in our global community? And, finally, let’s talk and share ideas and plans.


Save the Date
UCC 2021 General Synod
July 11-18, 2021

Our first ever virtual Synod promises to be an exciting time of connection, discernment, and renewal with special opportunities for youth and young adults!Learningmore about your denomination’s process, leadership, and your covenantal siblings across the country has never been easier or more affordable. Find out more at http://www.generalsynod.org/welcome-message/

Thank you from Pastor Scott

Thank You!

     Let me say once again that is has been an honor, a privilege and a blessing to serve as pastor of Faith UCC in New Braunfels these last 15 years.  Thank you very much for all your cards, kind words, gifts and well wishes over Christmas and for my retirement!  I would like to thank all those who made my retirement send off possible.  Doing this over zoom and not in person complicated all of this.  I love the memory book!  A great deal of work went into it.  What a surprise to see letters and cards not only from the members of Faith UCC but also former conference ministers and even my Old Testament professor from seminary!  I would also like to thank the church for the very generous check.  Once we are able to travel again I will put that to good use and will think of you all and remember the many years we have journeyed together here at Faith UCC.

    I wish Faith UCC and each of you individually all the best as our paths diverge for awhile.  May God be with you. 

Grace and Peace, Pastor Scott

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