Nov 24 2025 – A Reflection by Rev. Roberto Ochoa
“And Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel of all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
Thanksgiving Greetings my friends of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ.
Many of my reflections have been on the many visits of local congregations and Association gatherings that I have had the good fortune of attending. Reflecting on the people, church missions and the ministries of our UCC members and friends in the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences.
Another means of connection that I have found so useful is through the church newsletters that are either mailed to our conferences offices or emailed to me. In reading them, I get to know and experience the joy, excitement, ministries and sometimes sadness of the everyday life of a local congregation. I personally enjoy reading them. Often my favorite part of a newsletter is the reflection by the pastoral leaders…and many times I am blessed by these pastoral “epistles”. One such reflection that touched me deeply was written by my friend the Rev Keith Kraft, pastor of First Congregational Church UCC in Redfield, SD in the church’s newsletter this past October. In his reflection, Pastor Keith reminds us that all of us in the UCC are connected with one another in our spreading and working the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.
May you find his words to be a blessing as they were on me. And on behalf of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences ministerial and administrative staff, may you and your loved ones have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto
18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:18-23
Greetings from the Pastor’s desk,
“Army of One” was a relatively short lived slogan for the United States Army from 2001 to 2006. The slogan was meant to emphasize individual strength and capability, promote the idea that one person could make a difference, encourage responsibility and initiative, foster a sense of empowerment and self-reliance, while maintaining the importance of teamwork while valuing individual contributions. The slogan did not last long as it seemed that too many recruits were putting the emphasis on individual accomplishments and not enough on teamwork. They seemed to be missing the understanding that as a member of the US army; they were one in purpose.
That type of thinking is understandable in a society that puts so much emphasis on individual accomplishments and very little value on working together. That understanding is perpetuated in rural settings where a person has to be pretty much self-reliant if they are going to get ahead in life. As the saying goes, “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.”
Unfortunately, we tend to carry that type of thinking into our Christian faith as well. “It is my personal faith that matters.” Which is true to a point. Each of us needs to wrestle with our own understandings of faith individually. But an individual Christian is an oxymoron. Jesus did not call just one disciple. Jesus called followers …plural. We might have different understandings of faith, but we live out our faith in community with others. We are of one purpose when it comes to living out the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ.
It is sometimes easy to forget that in rural South Dakota. This month we have three opportunities to remind ourselves that we are connected to the wider church. October 3rd – 4th is our SD UCC conference annual meeting in Placerville Camp in the Black Hills. Rev. Roberto Ochoa will be installed as our conference minister as part of that gathering. Our Prairie Lakes Association meeting is in Brentford on Sunday October 26th. The meeting will begin with a meal at 12:30 followed by the business meeting and worship led by Rev. Ochoa. Our youth will have the opportunity to gather with other youths throughout the conference at the annual Fall Youth Event in Placerville October 31st– November 2nd.
With all of the animosity and division that is going on in our country and even with our churches, sometimes I think we need to be reminded that…
We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord.
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
Blessings & peace,
Pastor Keith
Gracias/Thank you to the following local congregations that have mailed newsletters to our Conferences offices or have emailed them to me:
Plymouth UCC – Aberdeen SD First Congregational – Pierre SD
First Congregational – Rapid City SD South Park UCC – Rapid City SD
First Congregational – Redfield SD First Congregational – Sioux Falls SD
Spirit of Peace – Sioux Falls SD Yankton UCC SD
St Lukes UCC – Columbus NE Harvard UCC NE
First Plymouth UCC – Lincoln NE Vine UCC Lincoln NE
Countryside UCC Omaha NE First Central UCC Omaha NE
Sutton Federated Church NE New Horizons UCC – Akron IA
Peace UCC – Bennett IA First UCC – Charles City IA
St John’s UCC – Clarence IA Immanuel UCC – Clarksville IA
Plymouth UCC – Des Moines IA First Congregational – Dewitt IA
St Paul’s UCC – Donnellson, IA Earlville United Parish IA
Peace UCC – Elkader, IA Denmark UCC – Fort Madison IA
Peace UCC – Gladbrook, IA Zion UCC – Hubbard, IA
Ionia UCC IA Immanuel UCC – Klemme, IA
Immanuel UCC – Latimer, IA Congregational UCC – New Hampton
Osage UCC IA United Church of Rowan IA
Electronic Newsletters can be sent to Rev Roberto Ochoa at revroberto@ucctcm.org
Or mailed to the conferences office:
Rev Roberto Ochoa, CM
c/o
Iowa UCC Conference office
Plymouth UCC, 4126 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines IA 50312
Nebraska UCC Conference office
First Congregational Burwell UCC, 657 H Street, Burwell NE 68823
South Dakota UCC Conference office
First Congregational Pierre UCC, 123 N Highland SD 57501