“Which do you support more: religious freedom or LGBTQ+ rights?” This question has been posed to me more times than I can count by well-intentioned but deeply misinformed friends and family. I am a staunch advocate for religious freedom. I believe religious liberty and freedom of conscience are essential to a diverse democracy and have
The Democratic National Convention is underway in Chicago, Illinois, and the Rev. Anthony Williams is hoping to get the attention of Vice President Kamala Harris and other party members by asking them to declare civilian violence as a national healthcare crisis. Williams lives in Chicago and has the support of DNC Delegate La Shawn Ford
“Voting is a civic sacrament.” Rev. Theodore Hesburgh’s words remind us that voting is not just our responsibility as a citizen, but a sacred act. Voting is one of the ways that we participate in creating a just world for all. As we approach the upcoming election season, the importance of engaging with the electoral
In [a] beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light was good…
This August, the United Church of Christ is observing Make-A-Will Month by providing a free will-writing tool. This is done in partnership between the National Ministries, The Pension Boards, and FreeWill. It’s a moment to be thoughtful stewards of family, finances, and faith. Nearly two-thirds of American adults do not have a will, and this
“To rest in a capitalist world takes practice and meticulous care.” “Rest is my foundation to build, invent, restore, and imagine the world I want to see” – The Nap Ministry’s Rest Deck: 50 Practices to Resist Grind Culture, by Tricia Hersey Will you read this blog post in one sitting? Will you be able to? For
13,000. That’s how many Palestinian children have been killed in Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas, as estimated by UNICEF this spring. 1,195,070. That’s how many deaths in the United States have been attributed to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to the CDC as of mid-July. 1 in 5. That’s how many
It’s a digital world, and for United Church of Christ congregations struggling with a web presence, there is help. The UCC Everywhere (UCCE) program is open to assist more churches with creating a user-friendly online presence. Now using an updated and more user-friendly platform, UCCE is making it easier than ever to reach potential and
Before August 6th, 1965, the sacred right to vote was inaccessible to most people of color because of both explicit law and normalized systemic voter intimidation. Discrimination tactics, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, made the voting booth unavailable to entire communities. Throughout the 1960’s, activists in Birmingham and Selma organized powerful protests and
Nearly 250 members of the churches of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ met on June 1 for a spirit-filled day entitled, “Love4 Revival: A Festival Worship Service for Connection, Community, and Celebration.” It was held at the Peoples Congregational UCC in Washington, D.C. Re-energizing ourselves “We really wanted to re-energize
