Letting Down Our Nets: Catching Possibilities
Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ
61st Annual Meeting
at Little River United Church of Christ
Friday, October 24th – Saturday, October 25th, 2025
The Central Atlantic Conference (“CAC”) of the United Church of Christ (“UCC”) will convene for its 61st Annual Meeting on Friday, October 24 – Saturday, October 25, 2025, at Little River United Church of Christ,
8410 Little River Turnpike, Annandale VA 22003
Child Care for AM61
This year, we are offering child care (age 12 and under) for the Annual Meeting! It will cost $10 per child per day. Please fill out this form by October 3. One child per form. If you have any questions, please contact admin@cacucc.org
Clergy and Church Leader Event Thursday, October 23
Join your fellow disciples in an engaging workshop on Cultural Humility on October 23rd from 10 am to 4 pm at Little River UCC in Annandale, VA. Lunch will be provided. The cost is $15. Led by the Rev. Dr. James Knight, this is a must not miss opportunity to dive deeply into the importance and personal nature of equity and inclusion. As the conference lives deeply into its identity as a racial justice conference, we are challenging our clergy to do their own work around growing edges and expanded thinking and this is exactly the kind of training that will invite individuals into deeper conversations. As has been the case in prior years, clergy are invited to a dinner afterwards compliments of the conference.
Annual Meeting Mission Project
At our 61st Annual Meeting we will be working together as a conference to support the work of HomeStretch, a housing stability non-profit that works to address the core causes of homelessness and lift up families for new beginnings. You can learn more about their work at https://www.homestretchva.org/
Your congregations can participate by donating: gift cards to Aldi, Lidl, Giant, Safeway; new or very lightly used reusable shopping bags; Hats and scarves for children.
We encourage every association to participate. Let's show Homestretch what the caring folks in the Central Atlantic Conference can do!
Special Guest for AM61
Julian DeShazier
Director of Experiential Education and Affiliate Faculty at McCormick Theological Seminary
Julian serves as the Director of Experiential Education and is affiliate faculty at McCormick, co-teaching the MIN-404/405 courses. Before joining the McCormick family, Julian began as Senior Minister at University Church Chicago in 2010, where he still serves as pastor in conjunction with this role.
A Chicago native and graduate of both Morehouse College and the University of Chicago Divinity School, Julian is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow (since 2020), recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as “40 Under 40” Leaders in Chicago, and has worked extensively with University of Chicago Medicine (serving as inaugural chair of its Community Advisory Council) and Forum for Theological Exploration.
Julian is also an Emmy Award-winning hip-hop artist, known to many as “J.Kwest.” He is a regular contributor to The Christian Century and serves on the board of the Southside Healthy Community Organization.