United Church of Christ
Last month, I wrote about why voting and civic engagement are important expressions of faith and why they matter to the work of faith-based health and human service organizations. As we continue this election season reflection, I would like to focus on a related topic that sometimes makes people uncomfortable: advocacy. For many people, the…
CHHSM is inviting proposals for workshops for the 2027 Annual Gathering, to be held March 16-18, 2027, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Houston-Greenway Plaza. Moving forward with courage and hope is the emphasis of the gathering, based on its theme, “To the Stars through Difficulties.” The theme recalls not only Houston’s nickname—Space City— but the human…
Sometimes, a pause is the best prescription. The UCC’s Education for Faithful Action Ministries (EFA) team leaders recently took the opportunity to take a breath, reflect, and renew their commitments to their work and each other, thanks to a one-day staff retreat led by CHHSM. Held June 29, 2026, team members gathered with CHHSM’s the…
What began in Spring 2023 with a 10-gallon fishtank with removable screen top and lots of willpower in Fairhaven Senior Services’ lobby is now a year-round process, and all to save the monarch butterflies. Tena Engels—Fairhaven’s Monarch Queen, receptionist, and unit clerk—is the driving force behind the effort. Engels had been quietly nurturing caterpillars, giving…
Michelle Just, president and CEO of Beatitudes Campus in Phoenix, is the recipient of the 2026 Arizona LeadingAge Award of Honor, the organization’s highest individual recognition and one of the most prestigious honors in the field of aging services. The Award of Honor recognizes an executive leader who has demonstrated an exemplary career of service,…
For the past four years, Doorways in St. Louis has participated in the SURE Housing Initiative, a national research project exploring how stable housing improves the health and well-being of people living with HIV. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau, the initiative brought together 10 organizations across the country to study the…
Archway Communities recently celebrated the groundbreaking of Creekside Flats, a new 150-unit affordable housing community in Denver. Designed to provide safe, stable and transit-oriented housing, Creekside Flats will expand access to affordable homes for individuals and families while supporting long-term community stability in the Denver Metro area. Creekside Flats will serve low-to-moderate income households that earn…
By Sheila Helgerson, Executive Director, Cornerstone Community Housing, Inc. When Earl’s Place, part of Cornerstone Community Housing in Baltimore, opened almost 28 years ago, I was proud to show people the freshly painted bedrooms, the kitchen where meals would be made, and the dining room. I believed we had created a home. But over time,…
Kim* had been using a food pantry before coming across United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) in Wyoming, Mich. It met a basic need, but it was too far from her home. When Kim found out about UCOM, she was surprised by all there was to offer. “I needed a pantry, and this one works better for me…
In February, Isaiah 58 Ministries in St. Louis welcomed Dr. Teresa Crist as its new full-time development manager. Crist brings a unique blend of academic scholarship, denominational leadership, and deep faith to her work. She earned her Ph.D. in religion and theological studies through the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology Joint Doctoral Program, where her research…
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