The first weekend of Pride month was capped off in Cleveland with a special Love is Louder — “Love Your Neighbor OUT LOUD” — worship service at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Tremont on Sunday, June 2. The church altar was lit beautifully with the colors of the Pride rainbow, and slides of
The United Church of Christ was a participant in Pride Cleveland, as 16 congregations from around Ohio took part in the parade on Saturday, June 1 as a kick off to the UCC Love is Louder campaign. Here is a glimpse of the joy and celebration that was shared along the route: UCC congregations marched
In 2023, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that 110 million people were displaced worldwide due to violence, conflict and natural disasters. And those numbers show no sign of slowing down. By the end of 2024, the UNHCR projects more than 130 million people will be displaced globally. “The number of people forcibly displaced
Get ready to batten down the hatches. Research indicates that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1, could be a doozy thanks to La Niña and increasingly warmer ocean temperatures. With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, which runs to Nov. 30, the
The second Sunday of June is celebrated as National Children’s Day, dating back to over a century ago, when the idea was imagined by a pastor in Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1856, the Rev. Charles Leonard of the Universalist Church set up the second Sunday of June as a time for families to bring their children
“Even the most ardent revolutionist, seeking to change the world, to overturn the tables of the money changers, is trying to make a world where it is easier for people to love, to stand in relationship to each other. We want with all our hearts to love, to be loved.” Dorothy Day, The Reckless Way
The United Church of Christ General Minister and President Karen Georgia Thompson and acting Associate General Minister Shari Prestemon have issued a prayer in response to the conviction of former President Donald Trump of 34 felony counts in a New York courtroom on May 30. The prayer reads, “Dear Lord, in your mercy, hear the
The United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) joined several partners in faith in Washington D.C. for the Ecumenical Advocacy Days’ 2024 Spring Summit. Held May 17-19, the theme was “Faith in Action: Advancing Human Rights and Peace for All.” This first in-person gathering since 2019 was smaller than its pre-Covid years,
Applications of generative artificial intelligence technologies have exploded in the past few years since ChatGPT was introduced by OpenAI, Inc. in 2022. ChatGPT and other large language models are routinely used to conduct research, draft documents and communications, and analyze data. Image generators like Midjourney and music generators like Soundful can produce complex music and
Mental Health Awareness Month is coming to an end, but the work of advocating for mental health, especially among youth and young adults, is ramping up within the United Church of Christ. Beginning in June, the UCC Mental Health Network will begin breaking ground for a new “Youth Mental Health Peer Advocates for the Digital
