News

Jul 15, 2025

Rewriting the ‘we need more children’ narrative: Focus on building and nurturing relationships with kids, say Love of Children execs

The Rev. Trayce Potter, the United Church of Christ’s youth and young adult engagement minister and director for Love of Children and the Rev. Tyler Ung, minister of children and youth and assistant director for Love of Children came to the GS LIVE studios at General Synod 35 on July 14 to talk about the exciting possibilities for churches to minister to children and youth.

Jul 14, 2025

Photos: Youth @ Synod- Communion Service Ends with Inspiring Dialogue with UCC GMP, Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson

Sunday morning at General Synod 35 brought another unforgettable worship experience for the Youth@Synod, centered around Communion and Baptism.

The service began with another original performance by KinShift Music, setting the tone for a vibrant and reflective time of worship. Youth participated in the call to worship and then gathered to receive Communion together.

Jul 14, 2025

Beyond Lament, Big, Joyful Service calls UCC Worshipers to go ‘Deeper’

The United Church of Christ always has this megachurch moment at the midpoint of its General Synod.

It’s an experience most UCC people don’t get every Sunday. A thousand worshipers gather in a convention hall. Multiple video cameras and screens share the ambient beauty of a lavish stage. Singers harmonize from a row of mics, backed by a crackerjack band – guitar, drums and keyboards.

Jul 14, 2025

Photos: Synod workshops create intimate spaces to build knowledge, connection, joy

In one Synod workshop, people in a wide circle sang together, “We believe what we need most are the hearts of each other right here.”

These words, taught by leaders from Music that Makes Community, exemplify the kinds of deep connection, spirituality, and resource-sharing enabled when people gather.

And that’s what General Synod workshops are all about.

Jul 13, 2025

Synod luncheon honors ‘trailblazing leadership’ of BBZ

Stories and gratitude poured out from many gathered at the luncheon for Zikmund – who is widely known throughout the denomination as BBZ. Several reflected on the impacts of either having studied or taught BBZ’s writings in seminary and polity classes.

Jul 12, 2025

Casting nets and building faith: Children/youth kick off Synod with welcome party

The Youth@General Synod programing launched in lively fashion, or more accurately, in perfect harmony, as opening worship was energized by the musical talents of KinShift Music, led by Rev. Monty Jackson of Kindred UCC in Maplewood, Missouri.

Jul 12, 2025

General Synod 35 opens to visitors as well as delegates

A steady stream of attendees visited the registration tables at General Synod 35 on opening day. Many of them walked away with a white badge signaling they were visitors—non-voting attendees—to the assembly.

Jul 09, 2025

UCC News launches daily, live talk show at General Synod

The United Church of Christ news team is launching a live, daily talk show at the 35th General Synod. This year’s Synod runs from July 11-15 and is being held in Kansas City, Missouri.

The talk show — GS LIVE — will stream via the UCC YouTube page daily from 11:30 – Noon CST, starting Friday, July 11. Co-hosts are Charles Jefferson, news director for UCC News, and Donna Frischknecht Jackson, UCC’s communication specialist.

Jul 01, 2025

General Synod 35 plenaries to be livestreamed; Sunday worship invites surrounding communities

As many plan to gather for General Synod in Kansas City in just a few weeks, the United Church of Christ National Setting has prepared special options for people to tune into parts of Synod’s work and worship from near and far.

Jun 17, 2025

Call for General Synod 35 worship and choir volunteers

Want to be a part of General Synod in a more meaningful way? There is an opportunity to do that in Kansas City. Registered attendees of General Synod 35 may join the General Synod choir, or volunteer to participate in movement and drama teams to help enliven the worship experience. Those interested should contact Cheryl Lindsay, minister for Worship and Theology at lindsayc@ucc.org to sign-up. There will be zoom rehearsals prior to General Synod as well as onsite during the gathering.

May 27, 2025

Service Project at General Synod 35 encourages churches to build ‘banned book’ libraries

The practice of banning books has been at an all-time high. Last year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reported more than 4,000 unique titles were challenged in public libraries, and schools, which is the most the office has reported since it began tracking censorship efforts.

These efforts have been fueled by conservative groups across the country to ban books they deem inappropriate for children.

To that end, General Synod 35 this summer in Kansas City, will organize the Banned Books Service Project, which aims to equip churches in both the Kansas-Oklahoma and Missouri Mid-South Conferences to build their own banned book libraries.

May 22, 2025

General Synod 35 workshops are here! Opportunities for connection, resources, leadership development, and more

Attendees at this summer’s General Synod 35 will have plenty of learning opportunities to choose from through a slate of 35 workshops.

Workshops are a hallmark of General Synod, giving attendees from across the denomination the platform to share and learn together their various knowledge, resources, and skill sets with the wider church, and for visitors to learn more about the various resources, and opportunities available to them in the church.