Clergy Resources – National Association of Congregational Christian Churches https://www.naccc.org National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:55:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 Thanksgiving Proclamation 2025 https://www.naccc.org/thanksgiving-proclamation-2025/ Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:55:24 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=18418

We Congregationalists are a people of thanksgiving! With gratitude for your fellowship in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, we offer our annual Thanksgiving Proclamation. We invite you to read it from the pulpit, insert a copy in your Sunday’s Order of Worship, publish it as part of your weekly news bulletin, project it onto your screens, or otherwise share it.

The NACCC staff and I pray that you will experience abundant joy and countless blessings during this season of remembering God’s goodness and provision.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be encouraged,

Rev. Dr. Gerry Krupp
Executive Director, NACCC

]]> Guide for Member Resources https://www.naccc.org/guide-for-member-resources/ Thu, 05 Jun 2025 17:45:40 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=17797

The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) is a fellowship of autonomous member churches that recognize the value of mutual support and the sharing of resources to accomplish goals beyond what a church can do alone. This Guide for Member Resources provides access to a wealth of support available to NACCC member churches, providing an outline for how to make the most of your membership.

Explore the Guide for Member Resources

]]> Housing Allowance Resolution for Pastors https://www.naccc.org/housing-allowance-resolution-for-pastors/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:51:12 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=17292

A housing allowance is an important tax benefit for pastors. Church boards can use the language below to create a resolution for a housing allowance. Use it for pastors who own or rent a home.

Important Note: A resolution can only be applied prospectively. It can never be applied retroactively. For a church to have a housing allowance resolution in place for a specific calendar year, it needs to adopt it by December 31 of the previous year. A resolution can be adopted after the start of a new calendar year, but it only applies from the date of the adoption forward.

Sample Housing Allowance Resolution for Pastors:

The following resolution was duly adopted by the board of directors of [Name of Church] at a regularly scheduled meeting held on [Day, Month, Year], a quorum being present:

Whereas, ministers who own or rent their home do not pay federal income taxes on the amount of their compensation that their employing church designates in advance as a housing allowance, to the extent that the allowance represents compensation for ministerial services, is used to pay housing expenses, and does not exceed the fair rental value of the home (furnished, plus utilities); and

Whereas, Pastor [First and Last Name] is compensated by [Name of Church] exclusively for services as a minister of the gospel; and

Whereas, [Name of Church] does not provide Pastor [First and Last Name] with a parsonage; therefore, it is hereby

Resolved, that the total compensation paid to Pastor [First and Last Name] for calendar year ____ shall be [$_____], of which [$_____] is hereby designated to be a housing allowance; and it is further

Resolved, that the designation of [$_____] as a housing allowance shall apply to calendar year ____ and all future years unless otherwise provided.

Source: Hammar, Richard R. “Housing Allowance Resolution for Pastors.” Church Law & Tax, March 6, 2025.

]]> Christian Education and Vacation Bible School https://www.naccc.org/christian-education-and-vacation-bible-school/ Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:10:00 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=16414

Are you looking for new resources for your church’s Christian Education (CE) and Vacation Bible School (VBS) programming? 

Check out the recording of our Christian Formation and Vacation Bible School webinar from November 7th, 2024! 

To watch, click here and enter the password: U6w+s8#j. Skip ahead to 07:15 to get to the start of the conversation!

]]> Celebrating Your Church’s Anniversary https://www.naccc.org/celebrating-your-churchs-anniversary/ Tue, 01 Oct 2024 21:18:55 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=16111

Looking for inspiration for celebrating your church’s next anniversary? Check out this recording of the Congregational Library & Archives’ Celebrating Your Church’s Anniversary: Tips and Tricks for a Memorable Commemoration webinar from September 18th, 2024.

Whether your church is celebrating 25 or 250 years, an anniversary offers opportunities to make meaningful and creative connections with your congregation’s mission and story–past, present, and future. It is a time to learn more about the people who founded and led your church and about the events that have shaped its unique identity. This roundtable discussion featured people from across the continental United States and Hawai’i who had recently helped to plan and lead church anniversary celebrations. They shared their experience and advice on how to research your church’s history, balance planning and implementation, and engage your church and broader community.

This recording offers a great opportunity to hear some ways Congregational churches are celebrating their community histories, and how you might do the same!

To view the recording, click here.

]]> Plentiful Gifts Program https://www.naccc.org/plentiful-gifts-program/ Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:14:54 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=16044

“Plentiful Gifts” is a partnership with the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary to help small congregations with part-time clergy nurture lay gifts and leadership. Participating churches will work to identify their mission and talents, after which select members will receive training and support in ministry areas such as preaching, worship, pastoral care, and community engagement. Each church will have a mentor and support network. Funded by the Lily Foundation’s “Thriving Congregations Initiative,” the program is offered to churches free of cost.

The Plentiful Gifts program requires a two-year commitment, starting with a six-month study phase followed by up to 18 months of tailored learning. Approximately 4-7 churches will be selected from those that apply, and 3-4 individuals within each congregation will receive training and support.

For more detailed information, review the Plentiful Gifts program description and program presentation. To apply, complete the 2024 Plentiful Gifts Program Application by October 31, 2024.

For more information, contact Scott Chase at sgc.bts@gmail.com.

]]> 2024 Annual Meeting & Conference Resources https://www.naccc.org/2024-annual-meeting-conference-resources-2/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 20:16:52 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=15637

Our 70th Annual Meeting & Conference in Spokane, Washington was a hybrid event which was both an in-person and virtual attendance meeting.

Welcome Sister Churches!

As part of our celebration, we welcomed four new churches into our historic fellowship:

PLENARY SESSION VIDEOS

View the plenary sessions by clicking the links below. 

For Your Review ~ 2024 Annual Reports

Future Annual Meeting & Conference Dates:

June 21-24, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri

2025 Promo Video and Sneak Peek

]]> 2023 Annual Meeting & Conference Resources https://www.naccc.org/2023-annual-meeting-conference-resources/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:15:48 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=12277

Our 69th Annual Meeting & Conference was a hybrid event which was both an in-person and virtual attendance meeting.

Welcome Sister Churches!

As part of our celebration, we welcomed four new churches into our historic fellowship:

PLENARY SESSION VIDEOS

Click to view. Videos will open in a new window.

MEETING INFORMATION

Vote Required:

For Your Review ~ 2023 Annual Reports

FUTURE ANNUAL MEETING & CONFERENCE DATES:

June 22-25, 2024; Spokane, Washington

2024 Promo Video and Sneak Peek

]]> Ministers’ Convocation https://www.naccc.org/ministers-convocation/ Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:34:28 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=1922

SAVE THE DATES!

2025 Ministers’ Convocation: April 27 – May 1, 2025, Celebrating 55 years!

Location: Siena Retreat Center
5637 Erie Street, Racine, WI 53402

2026 Ministers’ Convocation: April 13 – 16, 2026

Location: University of Saint Mary of the Lake
1000 E Maple Ave, Mundelein, IL 60060

]]> 2022 Annual Meeting & Conference https://www.naccc.org/2022-annual-meeting-conference/ Thu, 25 Aug 2022 14:22:37 +0000 https://www.naccc.org/?p=6454

2022 Annual Meeting & Conference

Our 68th Annual Meeting & Conference was a hybrid event which was both an in-person and virtual attendance meeting.

Welcome Sister Churches!

As part of our celebration, we welcomed six new churches into our historic fellowship:

Second Church of Plymouth
Manomet, Massachusetts

Mendota Heights Church
Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Westfield Congregational Church
Westfield, Iowa

Union Congregational Church of Amesbury
Amesbury, Massachusetts

First Congregational Church of Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut

Pilgrim Trinitarian Congregational Church
Dorchester, Massachusetts

Congregational Talk – Ashley Cleere Executive Director, NACCC
View Congregational Talk

View Missionary Presentations

Meeting Information

Important Documents and Links:

Vote Required ~ 

For Your Review ~ 2022 Annual Reports:

Love Talks ~ Saturday Afternoon with Book Signings
Love of God:  Diana Butler Bass
dianabutlerbass.com

Love of Neighbor:  Valarie Kaur
valariekaur.com

Love of Self:  Mihee Kim-Kort
mkimkort.com

Workshop Presentations:
How Does Your Garden Grow?

Wichita Promo Video

MORE RECENT ANNUAL MEETING & CONFERENCE DATES:

2023 Annual Meeting & Conference: June 24-27; Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Watch the Promo Video

2024 Annual Meeting & Conference: June 22-25; Spokane, Washington

]]>