Who is my neighbor? The Least of These

Program Details

Our 2026 SoulCare Summit considers the question: "Who is my neighbor?" as we prepare for our 2026-2027 theme, In All Things, For Every One. Contemplative spirituality is not just a "navel gazing" experience but one where our contemplation leads to action as we recognize the Holy Presence in everyone and everything.

Join us for our Day One event in our Soul Care summit as we look at: "Who is my neighbor? The Least of These." Together, we will heed Jesus' call to care in Matthew 25 as we consider the needs of marginalized communities. Presentations and Q&A with three local activists will frame the day as we first look at immigration in the morning. Julio Mejia of the Merrimack Valley Project will join us in the morning to share about how to support our immigrant communities. Grace Pugh Hubbard, the Climate Care Coordinator, for the New England Annual Conference, will join us in the early afternoon to share about how to care for the environment. Rev. Renee Manning will close out the day by sharing about the current realities of the trans community. You will be challenged and inspired by stories from the front line and will come away with a deeper understanding of how to be an advocate and ally.

We do not want costs to limit participation as we want all people in our community to join us. Thus, there is no registration fee for this event. It is being offered "by donation." Please pay whatever you can afford. The suggested gift is $25 to cover the meal. However, if you are able to give more to help offset expenses for another person, we would appreciate the generosity. Thank you.

Overnight options Friday and Saturday night are available with dinner and breakfast options to create a full weekend event connecting our Saturday event with our Sunday event, "A Priest, Rabbi, and Reverend walk into Rolling Ridge..." Add options upon registration. We hope that you will join us for the entire SoulCare 2026.

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Overnight options to create a one or two night retreat for yourself:

* For one night = add $128 (includes dinner the night before, overnight in a private room, and breakfast the next day)

* For two nights = add $256 (includes 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, and 2 nights overnight in a private room.)

* For the full weekend, arrival on Friday after 3 pm. Departure on Sunday by 4 pm.

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Overnight guests have the option to add one or more spiritual direction sessions or Reiki sessions to their stay. If you choose to add a spiritual direction or wellness session, we will connect you with one of our practitioners. Time to be arranged after registration.

* Spiritual Direction = $68 for one 45 minute session or $125 for two.

* Reiki = $50 for one 20 minute session or $90 for two.

* If you are interested in adding other Wellness Treatments to your stay, please contact our team.

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About the Leaders

Renee Manning

Rev. Renee Elaine Manning has lived near Boston her entire life. After retiring from a 38-year career as a CAD illustrator for Raytheon, where she worked on the PATRIOT Missile Project, she received her Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in 2018. Called by West Parish Church UCC in Andover, MA, she was ordained in 2023 as a “Minister in the Community”. Rev. Renee is also a facilitator for the Merrimack Valley PFLAG and a Transgender advocate through which she has presented her own “Transgender 101” educational series throughout New England. She lives in Andover, MA with her wife Serena. Their combined family includes two sons and two daughters. Her hobbies are astronomy, NASA spaceflight and aviation, model building, model rocketry, and studying history.

Julio Mejia

Julio Mejia is the Executive Director of Merrimack Valley Project.

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Grace Pugh Hubbard

Grace Pugh Hubbard is Climate Care Coordinator for the New England UM Annual Conference. In this role Grace works with the Creation Care Circle to resource local churches in the areas of Eco-spirituality, Education, Energy Efficiency, and Legislative Advocacy across our six states and seven districts. She is a commissioned EarthKeeper and an Artist Advocate. Grace and her husband Joel live in Essex, Vermont and have four children and two grandchildren.