#LoveOfChildren
Some 25 years ago, St. Louis-based Unleashing Potential (UP) started the William Diersing Scholarship Fund to help lower-income youth and families in St. Louis further their academic goals. In June, eight UP program participants were honored as this year’s fund recipients. At an awards ceremony June 10, Darlene Sowell, president and CEO, presented the $1,500…
Read MoreDelegates to the United Church of the Christ’s Thirty-Second General Synod, meeting in Milwaukee, Wis., today (June 22) approved a resolution recognizing opioid addiction as a health epidemic, ensuring access to treatment and pharmaceutical corporate responsibility. The Resolution of Witness passed with 97 percent — 629 votes — in favor, 11 opposed, and 8 abstaining.…
Read MoreEach day, in UCC churches across the country, pastors and lay leaders serve their congregations and communities. Often, that service includes helping neighbors and family members deal with the effects of the current opioid crisis. To help shed additional light on the crisis and paths for treatment and solutions, the UCC Council for Health and…
Read MoreEvery day, the staff at UCC-related UCAN in Chicago works hard to help teens turn their lives around through counseling, advocacy, family and individual social service programs, youth leadership development, and education. But on June 6 at UCAN’s 20th annual Youth Leadership Awards, the staff and the wider Chicago community had the chance to hear…
Read MoreA terrific idea has turned into a successful program and partnership for UCC-related St. John’s Community Care in Collinsville, Ill. St. John’s is partnering with We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym in nearby Edwardsville to host intergenerational music classes called Grandfriends. We Rock The Spectrum is a gym where children of all abilities can play…
Read MoreRecently, UCC-related Orion Family Services in Madison, Wis., published this article in its newsletter. Orion — a private, nonprofit CHHSM member that serves children, adolescents and families throughout Wisconsin — wanted to share the experiences of four of its staff members who have completed the Nollau Leadership Institute and become consecrated as Diakonal Ministers. Orion’s…
Read MoreThe Bismarck-Mandan Business & Professional Women’s Club (BPW) of Bismarck, N.D., announced May 17 that Rhonda Styles-Rohde is the 2019 recipient of its Woman of the Year Award. Styles-Rohde is director of marketing and communications for UCC-related Charles Hall Youth Services. The award is designed to honor a local business and professional woman that has…
Read MoreFor more than 100 years, UCC-related Elon Homes in Charlotte, N.C., has been a safe haven for children and youth, providing education and employment opportunities to guide low income or otherwise disadvantaged children and youth toward fulfilling, independent adulthood. Now, a grant from the Cannon Foundation in Concord, N.C., is helping Elon Homes extend those…
Read MoreFor Tomi Cimarosti, UCC-related Charles Hall Youth Services’ residential director, angels can be found anywhere, including local pawn shops. “The at-risk youth we serve most often come from dysfunctional family backgrounds, where they did not receive the nurturing and guidance necessary for personal growth and successful development,” says Rhonda Styles-Rhode, director of marketing and communication…
Read MoreIf you are wondering about the name of this column, I assure you that it is intentional. Yes, we have been talking about the 3 Great Loves for more than two years now. And, I am happy to say, the United Church of Christ has committed to continuing with this initiative for the next biennium!…
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