United Church of Christ General Minister and President the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson has named the Rev. Josh Baird to serve as her chief of staff, starting Sept. 18. Baird was selected after a national search. He joined the UCC’s national staff in November 2020 and has been the team leader for Global H.O.P.E. “He
Ecumenism has long been an important part of the mission and ministry of the United Church of Christ and remains a priority. That’s why recently elected General Minister and President the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson and other national UCC leaders traveled to Puerto Rico over the weekend of Sept. 15 to make a pastoral visit
Love is louder. That’s the message at the heart of the month-long webinar series led by the Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries of the United Church of Christ that is now available for viewing. The four-webinar series was designed to offer “deep intentional dialogue around the experiences that queer folks have, what the state of
Getting Started Outdoors When I started at Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg, Wisconsin as the Director of Faith Development, I knew I wanted to start offering summer Sunday school. I also knew I wanted to take advantage of the church’s five acres of land. The first few summers we had outdoor walks, nature
What if Jesus’s main goal had been to raise awareness? Imagine Jesus as a non-stop marketing-machine with a single-minded focus on telling people to love their neighbor. In some respects, it’s an alluring idea. If everyone in the world had “love thy neighbor” firmly imprinted and ingrained in their consciousness, wouldn’t the world be a
On Saturday, Aug. 26, a white man shot and killed three Black people in Jacksonville, Fla., in a racist attack. The Officers of the United Church of Christ grieve for the loved ones and communities of those who lost their lives, and they call once again for responsible gun legislation and an end to the
Does the person who answers the phone at your Local Church know what to do if the caller is a reporter from the local news network? What if your office administrator or pastor receives an email from a reporter asking for information on a recent crisis in your church? Perhaps your church and pastor have recently parted
The United Church of Christ’s 34th General Synod, held June 30-July 4 in Indianapolis, included historic moments, joyous reunions, communal prayer and faithful witness. Many of these have been captured in a newly released highlights video, showcasing the impact and significance of this year’s gathering. Watch the 17-minute condensed version below. For even more Synod
Applications for the United Church of Christ’s 2024 Justice and Local Church Ministries grants, which support the work and mission of local churches, are now open. The deadline for congregations to apply is Sept. 15. “From immediate financial aid to churches in crisis to seed funding for justice advocacy and innovative programs, the opportunities are
With the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson beginning her new role as General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, a vacancy has been left in her previous one. Thompson has been serving as Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive of Global Ministries since 2019. Beginning Aug. 1, she now will
