September Message from Conference Minister Rev. Lorraine Ceniceros
As the days shorten and the air cools, we are reminded that all of creation moves through seasons. The turning of leaves into brilliant shades of red and gold is not only beautiful, it is also a sign of transition. The trees let go of what has given them life, and here in the middle of the country the grass dies away, trusting that in time, new growth will come.
In the church, we also live within these rhythms of death and rebirth. Congregations, like people, have life spans. There is birth and energy in the early years, seasons of flourishing and growth, times of stability and middle age, and eventually, periods of decline. Just as with our own lives, none of these stages are wrong. Each one has its unique gifts, challenges, and wisdom to offer.
This season invites us to take an honest look at our congregations. Where are we in the life cycle? Are we in a time of vibrant growth, of steady maturity, or perhaps nearing the closing chapters of our communal story? Naming our season truthfully does not diminish our ministry, it helps us live it more fully.
Just as autumn teaches us that letting go is part of the path to renewal, congregations can discover new possibilities when they embrace their season. For some, that may mean reimagining ministry in new ways, planting seeds that will grow in fresh soil. For others, it may mean faithfully concluding a chapter, knowing that God’s Spirit carries the story forward into new forms and places.
The United Church of Christ has a companion for congregations discerning these questions. Rev. David Schoen, D. Div., Minister for Church Legacy & Closure, provides resources for churches to begin assessing their longevity at least ten years before the possibility of closure. These resources are not about hastening an ending, they are about planning wisely and faithfully. In fact, engaging them often helps congregations discover more life and vitality than they realized was still present, even as they plan for the future.
Resources for Congregations
For those ready to begin the conversation, here are a few helpful tools to explore:
Living the Legacy: Church Legacy & Closure Workbook can be found here.
Conversation with Living Legacy Workbook Writers Video (password: LivingLegacy2025Writers) – Presentations by Evan Pence, Chris Mereschuk, Matt Wagner, and David Schoen, with Q&A.
Building a Legacy: Establishing Lasting Legacies through Strategic Institutional Planning – A United Church Funds Video presented at General Synod.
Church Legacy & Completion on UCC.org – The central hub for UCC legacy and closure resources.
This fall, I invite pastors and church leaders to take a first step: explore these resources, begin the conversation, and trust that God will meet you in the questions.
The church, your church, our conference, the whole body of Christ, lives not in fear of endings, but in the promise of resurrection. Like the trees preparing for winter, we trust that after every death, new life waits to rise.
Good Work in Our Conference
Even as we reflect on the natural seasons of life and ministry, we also celebrate the good work that is unfolding among us right now. One example comes from Fellowship Congregational UCC in Tulsa and its long-standing partnership with Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry (TMM).
TMM is an 88-year-old multi-spiritual organization dedicated to building bridges across faith traditions in Tulsa. Fellowship has been deeply connected to this work for decades, with several of its pastors and members serving as leaders on the TMM board. Rev. Chris Moore continues that tradition today as the current board chair. You can read more about TMM’s history here.
One of TMM’s most powerful initiatives is the Guns to Garden Tools program, launched about three years ago through the vision and dedication of Rev. Twila Gibbens, a retired United Methodist clergy and then-board member. In collaboration with the Tulsa Police Department and a local group of blacksmiths, the program transforms surrendered firearms into garden tools. These events not only reduce the presence of guns in the community, they also create instruments of life and growth from instruments of harm.
Each year, the program holds a special remembrance for those lost to gun violence. Families of victims are invited to receive a garden tool made in memory of their loved one—an act that brings grief and hope together in a tangible symbol of transformation.
Our conference is proud to support Fellowship UCC and TMM in this ongoing work. It is a clear witness to how the church can bring healing, creativity, and justice to the heart of our communities.
Faithful Advocacy on the National Stage
Another way our conference is living out its call in this season is through public witness. This month, Rev. Jacob Poindexter is traveling to Washington, D.C. to join the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance, which will hold a faith leader fly-in September 8–10.
The Interfaith Working Group brings together about a dozen faith-based organizations committed to issues such as hunger relief, global health, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and HIV/AIDS response. In light of recent changes to U.S. engagement in foreign assistance, as well as upheaval affecting institutions such as the United States Institute for Peace and the United States Agency for International Development, the need for strong advocacy has become urgent.
The group’s unified ask is simple but vital: increased funding for foreign assistance programs in the 2026 Fiscal Year budget. For our conference, the primary advocacy focus will be directed at Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, who serves on the Appropriations Committee’s State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee.
We are proud to support Rev. Poindexter as he represents not only our conference but also the United Church of Christ in this important moment. Advocacy is another way we live the Gospel—speaking up for the vulnerable, insisting on compassion in policy, and working toward a more just and peace-filled world.
Conference Minister Witness in Washington
October 27-30, I will travel with a cohort of Conference Ministers to Washington, D.C. for meetings with our state Senators. This gathering is not about lobbying one specific piece of legislation, it is about lifting up the voices of our churches and communities with a united message so our voices will be heard. The actual theme is being worked on.
The theme will take seriously the April 2025 Council for Racial and Ethnic Ministries (COREM) resolution, which named with clarity the “spiritual violence” being carried out through attacks on immigrants, refugees, trans people, Black and Indigenous communities, and on democracy itself. To not be silent is to stand in faith against these forces and affirm that our stories, our democracy, and our existence matter.
By framing our advocacy in broad-scope concepts such as spiritual violence and due process, we create space to address many urgent issues—immigration, voting rights, trans rights, refugees, gerrymandering, while leaving room to adapt our specific talking points to the legislation at hand.
How Congregations Can Join Us
We want to carry your voices with us. In the weeks ahead, the conference will provide postcards and letter templates that congregations can use to send their messages to Washington. Imagine the impact of arriving in our Senators’ offices with stacks of postcards and letters from our churches, a visible sign of a people refusing to be silenced.
Social media content will also be available to help congregations spread the message online. Together, through prayer, word, and witness, we will declare that God’s beloved people cannot and will not be erased.
Preparing for Advocacy Education in 2026
Looking ahead, Rev. Regan Saoirse will be gathering leaders in 2026 to help roll out a new Advocacy Education Program. This effort is designed to equip congregations with practical tools to engage in advocacy at every level.
The program will introduce UCC resources for advocacy and public witness, highlight state-level opportunities where local voices can make a difference, and share real examples of congregations already living this out. Whether your church has never dipped a toe into advocacy or has been active for years, this program will provide fresh ideas and accessible ways to participate.
At its heart, this initiative is about helping people in the pews discover how they can “do something,” how to connect their faith with action that impacts their communities and the wider world.
More information will be provided at a later date.
A Time for Every Purpose
As we mark the turning of the seasons, I am reminded of the words from Ecclesiastes 3:1:
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”
This truth is with us now as we say goodbye to our Associate Conference Minister, Rev. Nikki Stahl, who completed her time serving with us on September 5. Nikki came to us in a time of transition for our conference, and she served us with grace, steadiness, and expertise. She guided and supported our two sections of the Committee on Ministry, helped plan many of our gatherings, and brought her calm presence to moments that required clarity and care. Nikki, you will be missed. We are grateful for all that you brought to this season of our life together.
Read Nikki’s Farewell Letter here.
At the same time, we give thanks that God continues to provide for our conference in new ways. I am pleased to announce that Julia Gaughan will begin serving as our new Designated Term Associate Conference Minister.
Julia is no stranger to our conference. She most recently completed her term as the Chairperson of the United Church of Christ Board, bringing valuable experience in national leadership. Within our own conference, she has long served as Consultant for Equity and Inclusion, offering Boundary Training and, more recently, Racial Anti-Bias Training. Julia is also a Member in Discernment, working toward ordination in and on behalf of the United Church of Christ. We anticipate she will complete the process in early 2026. As one of our authorized ministers, she pastors Peace UCC in Alma, Kansas. We are grateful for her deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and the life of the church, and we look forward to the gifts she will bring in this new season of ministry with us.
With gratitude for Nikki’s faithful service, and with joy in welcoming Julia, we trust that God’s Spirit is guiding us through every season.
Walking this journey of faith with you,
Lorraine