Led by the Holy Spirit, in September 2015 each of the Boards of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut conferences voted unanimously to adopt a resolution committing to join one another in using the 2015-2016 program year as a season of discernment to listen to how God may be calling us to either federate or merge. The fundamental question is: Is this collaborative ministry among the three Conferences of Southern New England something God wants us to do? How might it be a sign of faithfulness to God’s call?

Two Approaches to Discernment

We invite you to engage in discernment both as part of a group and as an individual:

• GATHERINGS - In 2015-2016 various UCC gatherings (small groups at Conference gatherings or Association meetings; Communities of Practice; Church Councils or Committees; Super Saturday; Committees on Ministry; etc.) will use the resources below to engage in conversations.  Events are listed at the right.

• SURVEY - We hope that every one – whether or not you participate in one or more of these conversations - will take a few minutes to respond to this survey at: https://www.research.net/r/RIMACT. 

Resources

• Sample article to announce your church's discernment discussion (Word)

• Frequently Asked Questions about what a merger or federation might mean

• New! More about our Conferences - statistics and visions

• The Resolution passed by the three boards (PDF)

• Facilitator's Guide (PDF)
  Facilitator's Guide for Leading a Structured Conversation. Use the Participants Guide in conjunction with this resource.

• Participants Guide (PDF)
   

Guidelines for Communal Discernment

• Discernment begins by welcoming the presence of the Holy Spirit as your guide, and others as your companions on the journey
• Discernment seeks to align our life’s direction and decisions with our sense and experience of God’s call
• Discernment is intentional – it doesn’t just happen; and it requires that we be radically open to where the Holy Spirit might lead us
• Discernment is more about generous listening than about expressing our views
• Discernment appreciates the many ways we can hear God together
• Discernment is grounded in prayer and scripture
   

Discernment resources:

• Guidelines for Communal Discernment  (PDF: 1.3 MB)
  A group can better discern how the Spirit is leading when it engages intentionally in a process that nurtures community, is rooted in prayer and reflection on Scripture, deepens listening, weighs options, and seeks consensus.  These guidelines describe steps and tools for such a process for groups as small as a committee and as large as an assembly. Published by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
   
• The Discernment Process: 10 Movements
  A resource from the Connecticut Conference, UCC, developed from Discerning God’s Will Together, by Olsen and Morris
   
• Toward a Working Definition of Discernment
  A resource from the Connecticut Conference, UCC, developed from Worshipful-Work Center for Transforming Religious Leadership

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