News

Jul 28, 2025

Turf, truth, and the Spirit: A radical rewilding of faith at closing worship at Synod

The closing worship service of General Synod 35 was a vibrant celebration of spirit, art, and community.

Jul 14, 2025

Shari Prestemon elected to serve full term as Associate General Minister, Co-Executive of Global Ministries

The Rev. Shari Prestemon was elected the Associate General Minister, Co-Executive of Global Ministries by delegates to General Synod 35 on Monday, July 14 after serving in that capacity as the acting AGM for 18 months.

Jul 14, 2025

General Synod Elects At Large Members to United Church of Christ Board

The General Synod elected 12 at large members to the United Church of Christ Board at its Plenary session on Monday, July 14.

The UCC Board comprises up to 52 members, of whom 36 are elected by General Synod. Under the current UCC Bylaws, members serve over the course of three General Synods, or six years. With the change to a triennial Synod, this would result in nine-year terms for UCC Board members.

Jul 13, 2025

Keynoter: Bible is a Handbook for Resisting Tyranny

The Rev. Jennifer Butler did not mince words during her keynote address to the 35^th General Synod of the United Church of Christ, saying “these are terrifying times.”

Jul 12, 2025

Living Beyond the Numbers: A Call to the UCC’s Embodied Future

Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, UCC General Minister and President/CEO offered a reflection on the state of the church that moves beyond metrics into something far more spiritual and urgent: a reckoning with who we say we are, and what we’re truly called to be.

Jul 12, 2025

Reckoning, Revival, and the Risk of Connection: A Reflection on Justice and Worship

In today’s opening worship service, the congregation was grounded in the rhythms of justice and communal confession, gathered to do more than sing and pray—to reconcile.

Apr 07, 2025

Thompson to bring a ‘prophetic and pastoral’ message to Synod: ‘We are not all the same, but still one body’

On Sunday, July 13, the Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson will take the stage at the 35th General Synod of the United Church of Christ in Kansas City, Missouri, not to address the state of the denomination in her role as General Minister and President. Rather she will be speaking as a spiritual leader — one who can preach intimately on what it means to heed God’s call, daring to venture deep into the waters of faith.

Mar 18, 2025

General Synod opening preacher is ready for the church to ‘go deep or go home’

The Rev. Marilyn Pagán-Banks serves many roles in her hometown city of Chicago.

She pastors at San Lucas United Church of Christ, serves as the executive director of the organization A Just Harvest to combat hunger in the city, teaches seminary classes, and was recently elected as a member of the Chicago Police District Council.

Mar 04, 2025

Preacher for General Synod aims to cultivate deep belonging, deep hope

On most Sundays at First Congregational Church of Memphis, the Rev. Tony Coleman delivers his sermons surrounded by large, brightly colored art and a diverse group of congregants gathered in a circular arrangement.

First Congo, as the church is often called, includes three buildings that house the church’s food justice ministry, a bike co-op, a hostel – but “the center of gravity,” as Coleman described it, is the sanctuary.

When a group of United Church of Christ National staff traveled to Memphis in January to hold a national interfaith service and mass meeting, General Minister and President the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson and several others gathered in this sanctuary for Sunday worship.

Feb 04, 2025

General Synod 35 keynote speaker is a minister at the intersection of faith and civic engagement

The keynote speaker for this summer’s General Synod 35 is a faith-based activist and author with a long history of working to build public attention for issues of faith and justice.

The Rev. Jennifer Butler is perhaps best known for her role in founding and leading the organization Faith in Public Life – a coalition of influential and diverse faith leaders that work toward a just, inclusive, and equitable country – from 2005 to 2022.