We welcome our newest staff! Heather Dewar, Communications Strategy Specialist; Chad McGinnis, Worship and Music Coordinator; and Ellen Ribe, Pastoral Care Coordinator. Heather Dewar – Communications Strategy Specialist Heather Dewar is a native Floridian who grew up exploring Biscayne Bay and the Keys. For 28 years, including 16 years on the environment beat, she…
DetailsWhen Andy announced his retirement in January, Talia and I began to look at past transition strategies at UCG, and to partner with Barb Gibbs, Jeremy Archer and others to imagine how to both continue our vital day-to-day ministries with one less minister on staff while also creating space for the work of envisioning our…
DetailsSunday again reminded me of how lucky I am to have been called to serve as a pastor of the United Church of Gainesville. I’m still flying high after that incredible day. Thank you so much for coming out and celebrating with us. I am grateful and proud of our work together these past twenty…
DetailsThank you SO MUCH to those folks who have made the most recent contributions to the Building Improvements Designated Fund. It has allowed us to proceed with the next things on our list. Do you remember playing Red Light Green Light when you were growing up? That’s what it feels like on our committee sometimes.…
DetailsAs I mentioned in my first Moderator’s Minute in June 2022, my theme for the year was Into the Light: Together Again. It seemed like wishful thinking when I decided on this while I was Moderator-Elect. At that time there were highly contagious Covid variants causing spikes in cases and we were wondering if boosters…
DetailsThe Friday Women’s Lunch Group is back to meeting on UCG campus after 2+ long years of Covid imposed Zooming! We meet in Reimer Hall every Friday from noon to 1:00 PM and we welcome all UCG women- members, friends, friends of friends. Everyone is welcome to drop in occasionally, or frequently or however fits…
DetailsJoin our Eat Local Grow Hope Global Break-Fast potluck celebration on May 4 at 6 PM. Through Eat Local Grow Hope Global we are acting together to ensure access to local food. We are giving together to improve access to food for our global neighbors in Guatemala https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/programs/#filter=.guatemala And, we are growing hope together as…
DetailsThe idea of a capital campaign was first raised over a year ago by then Board of Business chair Maureen Killoran, and was one of the first questions considered by the Financial Sustainability and Stewardship Committee that was formed at the 2022 winter congregational meeting. We had an assessment of our buildings and campus in…
DetailsLearn how to DO THE WORK! Learn how to not be overwhelmed by racial injustice and white supremacy in our country. We will be studying DO THE WORK: An Antiracist Activity Book by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz. This is an opportunity to work with a partner on completing a challenging and creative activity…
DetailsJoin us this month for our Sunday Seminars in Reimer Hall or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 829 6457 0385 Passcode: 1624. See the offerings below: May 7th – Your Gut Microbiome, Health, and Emotional Wellbeing – People are composed of equal numbers of human cells and bacterial cells with intermingling activities. We co-evolved to be…
DetailsFriends, thank you all so much for your continued engagement with our process, considering whether or not UCG is called to become a Creation Care, Climate Justice Congregation (a designation through our denomination, the United Church of Christ). Over the past seven months we have posed questions and solicited responses, had great discussions and gathered your thoughts which are now compiled…
DetailsWe’re t-minus what feels like 20 minutes until Holy Week, and I am ready. Maybe not exactly ready, ready — there is still a good deal of work to be done — but emotionally ready. For Christians, Holy Week is the most important time of the Christian year: the time of pathos and passion, of…
Details