National Association of Congregational Christian Churches:
Community Connections
Leadership Council Highlights
Laura Hamby, Moderator

The primary work of the Leadership Council is programming, membership, and service to our Churches; and vision for the NACCC. Here is a sampling!
 
NAPF/ HOPE PIEDMONT 2017 youth meeting is Rooted in Him. Piedmont College is assisting with the expenses, which will allow the price to be $335, considerably lower than most years!
 
VITALITY MINISTRY COUNCIL Chair, Mike Fales, hosted an excellent vision discussion regarding the need to create a variety of paths to support people of all ages called to the ministry. The main speaker for the Minister's Convocation in May is a leading expert on The Missional Church. 
 
GROWTH MINISTRY COUNCIL is revising their SMART goals for mentoring churches and assisting remote churches connect in fellowship and to take advantage of NACCC support and programs.
 
MISSIONS AND OUTREACH MINISTRY COUNCIL would like to thank everyone who made a donation to our missions between October 20th and November 18th . We were able to send $52,000 to our "missions" which they will receive before Christmas.
 
A NEW TASK TEAM was established to develop ideas and language for helping member churches, congregants and ministers to understand and cherish the broad diversity represented in the Congregational Way as a fellowship of NACCC churches. 

A current Goal of the Leadership Council is to provide the process and means for youth to actively serve on NACCC boards and ministry councils. 

Wishing you and yours the light and love of this Christmas season!


East Orrington Congregational Church, of Orrington, ME, hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner on November 24th. They had over 80 people in attendance.
Our Congregational Future
Jim Waechter, Vice Moderator

What a joy to have celebrated Thanksgiving, the beginning of Advent and later this month, Christmas, with my one year old grandson James. Earlier this year James was baptized at Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York. While sitting in the pew  listening to his parents voice their promise to raise him as a Christian I had a sudden, overwhelming and tearful sense that the hundreds of hours consumed on every task force, committee, council and NA church member boards is worth every minute spent. Passing on the Congregational Way to young James, and to the many children attending Congregational churches, has mine and your Board of Directors full and unwavering support. 

Congregational Foundation, The Basics
Edith Bartley, Secretary, Board of Governors
 
T he Congregational Foundation (CF), is run by its Board of Governors (BoG), currently consisting of 9 members-all with long NA involvement-plus liaisons from the Leadership Council and Board of Directors. The CF is a separate corporation from NACCC Inc., but is a "supporting corporation" whose sole purpose is to raise money for the NA and to manage those funds responsibly. All income goes to the NA, which has exclusive authority to decide how to spend the funds. (Only exceptions: the recipients of two small funds, the Providence Fund and the Richard Fund, are selected by the BoG, at the request of the NA.)   

Learn more about the Providence Fund here and the Richard Fund here.

 
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From Our Churches

The Congregational Church at the Villages, of Summerfield, FL, hosted their 2nd Annual "Red, White & Blue Revue" Concert, honoring veterans. Proceeds benefitted the church's Infant & Toddler Pantry and a scholarship fund.

South Congregational Church of Braintree, MA filled 126 bags with food on November 13th for their Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Members of First Congregational Church of Fall River, MA came together to paint a canvas for the church on November 20th.

Congregational Church of Soquel, CA hosted a FRIENDSgiving for their church members on November 20th. 

First Congregational Church of Newton Falls, OH will host a Breakfast with Santa event on December 10th. 

The Phoenix Congregational Fellowship recently launched their online Advent program.
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Merry Christmas!
Attention:
 
The NACCC office will be closed from December 23rd-January2nd.
 
Send Me Your News
Submissions for the January edition are due by
December 20, 2016
 
National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
8473 South Howell Ave
Oak Creek, Wisconsin 53154
[email protected]
800-262-1620 ext. 1615