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Transitions announced

Elsa Peters ended her ministry with the United Churches of Olympia in February.

Eastgate Congregational UCC welcomes the Renee McCoy as its new bridge pastor.

First Congregational UCC of Bellingham is installing Sharon Benton as lead minister on April 17.

John Gibson, who served Plymouth UCC in Seattle for 40 years and from 1955 to 1959 served with the Washington North Idaho Conference, died Feb. 28 in Seattle. He graduated from Boston University School of Theology in 1951. With the conference, he helped make Pilgrim Firs, Eastgate Congregational and Horizon House realities. His wife, Margie preceded him in death in February 2014.

Pilgrim Congregational UCC in Anacortes has sold its historic building, its third home since its 19th-century beginning, and is now meeting in Diehl Hall of the Anacortes United Methodist Church. As it seeks a new spiritual leader, it is focusing on its mission of increasing the love of the earth.

Clergy boundary training set

There will be Clergy Boundary Training for clergy with standing in the PNC from noon to 4 p.m., Thursday, April 23 and 8 a.m. to noon, Friday, April 24, at Bethany Presbyterian Church, 2607 S. Ray St. in Spokane. It is sponsored by the PNC-UCC Committee on Ministry and led by the Rev. Tara Barber.

The training is required for clergy once every three years, except for retired clergy with inactive status. Members in discernment are also required to be trained before beginning any internship.

With approval from Committee on Ministry, UCC clergy and others who work with children and vulnerable people may substitute a class offered by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American Northeast and Southeast Washington Synods from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, May 29, at Christ Lutheran Church in Federal Way.

The training will be led by the Rev. Mark Nelson, coordinator for missional leadership of the Region 1 of the ELCA and the Rev. Susan Kintner, assistant to the ELCA Bishop of the Oregon Synod.

For information on either event, call or email Marj Johnston, Eastside chair, at 509-730-9969 or pastormarj@gmail.com or call or email Tara Barber, Westside chair, at 425-213-9335 or barbertara@hotmail.com.

Godly Play Training planned

Northwest United Protestant Church (Disciples of Christ), Shalom UCC and All Saints’ Episcopal Church are co-hosting a Godly Play storyteller training on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Richland.

Godly Play is a way for young children to explore their spirituality, learn sacred stories, and become familiar with rituals and ideas that are foundational to church life.

Training runs 6 to 9 p.m., Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It will be led by certified trainer Cindy Spencer.

To register by April 15, call the Rev. Liv Gibbons at 541-543-7448 or email gibbons.liv@gmail.com or visit nwup.church/…/godly-play-worship-and-wonder-training/

Churches co-sponsor concert

Eastgate Congregational UCC and Kirkland Congregational UCC are co-sponsoring a concert by the Total Experience Gospel Choir at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 18 at Eastgate CUCC.

Pastor Patrinell Staten Wright started the group as a gospel music class at Seattle’s Franklin High School in 1973. Since then, the choir, hailed as one of the Pacific Northwest’s finest soulful ensembles, has grown to become a nationally and internationally known gospel singing group. Eastgate CUCC also sponsored them last year as a means to raise funds to support Our Church’s Wider Mission.

For information call or email Linda Lynch at 425-970-3441 or linda.lynch@comcast.net.

Traveling art exhibit on display

A Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA) traveling art exhibit, “Touch, Anoint, Heal,” will be on display in the chapel at University Congregational UCC in Seattle from April 30 to May 17. There will be a reception from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, April. 30.

Since 1977, CIVA has encouraged artists to pursue “serious art and serious faith” and to create “a culture that magnifies God’s kingdom.” “Touch, Anoint, Heal” is one of six traveling exhibits on different themes.

For information on the show and CIVA, visit CIVA.org.

Plymouth offers day camp

Plymouth Church UCC in Seattle will offer a Music and Arts Day Camp for Students, aged seven to 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily from June 22 to 25. Children will connect through drumming, hand bells/chimes, xylophones, mixed media art, ukulele, recreation and singing.

For information, call Rosemary Hashimoto at 206-290-0502 or register at plymouthchurchseattle.org.

Spring environmental justice training will be May 13-15

Worship resources for Earth Day on April 22 and ideas for church “green” teams to make their buildings more energy efficient are available in the menu at the right margin of the Environmental Ministries page at ucc.org/environmental-ministries, said Meighan Pritchard, minister of environmental justice.

Carbon Neutral Congregations resources are a ucc.org/carbon_neutral_web_resources_for_congregations. In 2013, the UCC passed a resolution urging congregations to be carbon neutral. This guide suggests resources to help congregations reduce their carbon footprint.

There will be an Environmental Justice Train-the-Trainer workshop from dinner Wednesday to noon Friday, May 13 to 15 at N-Sid-Sen.

The event will include a field trip to Kellogg, Idaho, to learn about contaminants leaching from abandoned mining sites into the water supply, cleanup efforts and impacts on communities and individuals.

Participants will explore how people of faith can work for environmental justice and create a sustainable, healthy and inclusive community that empowers conversation and actions for environmental justice.

They will discuss a faith-based approach to environmental justice—gratitude, humility, responsibility, justice and community. Materials include biblical readings, selections from the video “Renewal,” insights from respected writers and suggestions for further study.

Registration is at n-sid-sen.org or call 208-689-3489. For information, call 206-370-4142 or email pritchardm@ucc.org.

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