Barb Powell

Advocacy and Ministry: United Church of Christ’s Servant Leaders to Explore the Voice of Faith at Annual Gathering

By Barb Powell | January 12, 2018

The United Church of Christ’s health and human service ministries vary greatly in size, scope, and populations they are called to serve. But they all have one thing in common: searching for solutions to how best to minister to the people they serve. In March, the role of advocacy in ministry takes center stage at…

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Ohio Teens’ Desire to Volunteer Inspires Intergenerational Program at United Church Homes’ Fairhaven Community

By Barb Powell | January 11, 2018

 Teen Impact volunteers Ellie Barnett and Jordan Franz explain the program to viewers. It all started with a teen “who walked into the room and expressed an interest in volunteering,” says Becky Johnson Blocksom, community engagement coordinator at Fairhaven Community, a full-service senior living community in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. After that, word-of-mouth took over,…

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United Church of Christ’s ‘3 Great Loves’ Initiative Inspires Two Senior Communities in North Carolina to ‘Reach Out and Read’ and ‘Share the Warmth’

By Barb Powell | January 10, 2018

When two United Church Homes and Services senior communities in North Carolina read about the UCC’s ‘3 Great Loves’ initiative, they knew they had to participate. Piedmont Crossing, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Thomasville, decided to show its love of children through a book purchasing fund raiser sponsored by a local pediatrics office. Each…

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Listening to Teens: Conversations Lead to Renewed Partnerships Between United Church of Christ-related Organizations in Chicago

By Barb Powell | January 5, 2018

When a group of executives from United Church of Christ-related Advocate Healthcare recently sat down with youth from the UCC’s UCAN in Chicago, the outcome was beyond the average “let us give you advice” results. “Our purpose was to help our senior leaders experience UCAN firsthand through a visit to its new facility, and to…

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The UCC’s Renewed Elon Homes Gives Foster Youth a Safe Space to Grow

By Barb Powell | January 4, 2018

A 65-cent donation has come a long way. That’s how much a young girl put in the offering plate at a church meeting in 1892, saying she’d like it to grow into an orphanage for children. Her dream was realized 15 years later and, today, the United Church of Christ’s Elon Homes of North Carolina…

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Unexpected Gift Connects Two United Church of Christ Health and Human Service Ministries Through Love of Neighbor, Love of Children

By Barb Powell | December 20, 2017

Sometimes the best Christmas present arrives in the form of a small gift from the heart. For two United Church of Christ-related partners, such gifts also exemplify God’s call to love one another, and neighbor as self. When Donna Smith-Pupillo, executive director of Deaconess Nursing Ministry in St. Louis, visited a developmentally-disabled woman in November…

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Advent Season Candlelighting Service a Highlight of Cape Albeon Christmas

By Barb Powell | December 11, 2017

It’s all about blessings and the Christmas story at United Church of Christ-affiliated Cape Albeon Senior Community in Valley Park, Mo. Each year, Chaplain Le Remington holds a service in the dining hall that features a narrator to assist with the storytelling and a tenor soloist to provide music. “The service begins with scripture readings…

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UCC Servant Leadership Explored through CHHSM’s Nollau To You and Diakonal Minister Retreat

By Barb Powell | December 11, 2017

The UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries held two servant leadership events during the first week of December. Both were part of its ongoing work to teach and nurture servant leaders in its member ministries. The first-ever “reunion retreat” of UCC Diakonal Ministers took place Dec. 5 and 6 at the Franciscan Renewal…

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United Church of Christ-related Advocate Health Care to merge with Wisconsin-based Aurora Health Care

By Barb Powell | December 8, 2017

United Church of Christ-related Advocate Health Care, based in Chicago with nearly 400 sites of care, announced Monday (Dec. 4) its plans to merge with Aurora Health Care, a nonprofit health care provider serving communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. Both organizations are known for their track record on clinical quality and outcomes. The…

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Things are Looking ‘UP’ Towards ‘Unleashing Potential’ for Children and Families Served by UCC-Related Neighborhood Houses

By Barb Powell | December 8, 2017

In a move to remain at the forefront of children and family services in St. Louis, the United Church of Christ-affiliated Neighborhood Houses of St. Louis, announced recently that it is changing its name officially to Unleashing Potential (UP). Along with the name change is a shift in how services are delivered to children and…

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