The ministry of the UCC’s Bill Johnson celebrated in grand send-off service
September 25, 2012
A celebration of four decades of ministry was the centerpiece of Sunday’s send-off service for the Rev. William R. Johnson at a church he helped plant in Lakewood, Ohio. At Liberation United Church of Christ, there were smiles, tears and well-wishes for Johnson, the first openly gay person ordained by a mainstream denomination, and reflections on the strides in equality for LGBT people.

Promoting awareness, solutions during National Bullying Prevention Month
September 25, 2012
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and UCC conferences and churches are finding ways to create awareness and start conversations about bullying.

Church World Service team leader tells how Mission:1 brought drought and famine relief to Africa
September 24, 2012
With the help of money raised by the United Church of Christ's Mission:1 campaign, Sammy Mutia was able to make visible strides in drought and famine relief efforts in the Horn of Africa.

Tennessee UCC joins Fast for the Earth movement
September 21, 2012
The Fast for the Earth initiative is gaining momentum and Pleasant Hill (Tenn.) Community Church has signed on. On Sept. 23, 25 of the congregation's members will declare their fasting plans and receive blessings in a special worship service to kick off the two-week event.

Everett Parker's influence still impacts today's media
September 20, 2012
The landscape of media communications has changed in the 30 years since the inaugural Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Lecture. But the influence of Parker’s groundbreaking work is still significant today.

Chicago pastor helps tell the real story of poverty in America
September 20, 2012
Poverty is the theme of The Line, a 30-minute documentary that premiers Oct. 2. In the film, Rev. Julian DeShazier of University Church Chicago UCC discusses the role churches can play in combatting poverty, while real Americans discuss the struggles they experience living below the poverty line.

Hawaii UCC supports foster children through outreach program
September 19, 2012
Project Visitation relies on community volunteers, like the First United Protestant Church UCC in Hilo, Hawaii, to help organize visits for siblings separated by the foster care system and provide safe locations for the visits.

UCC members appear on Huffington Post's most inspiring LGBT religious leaders list
September 18, 2012
Four United Church of Christ ministers appear on the Huffington Post's list of "Most Inspiring LGBT Religious Leaders.

UCC announces leadership changes to Church Building and Loan Fund
September 18, 2012
A new leadership model and staff transitions will take place within the United Church of Christ’s Church Building and Loan Fund at the start of October in an effort to expand how the fund benefits UCC congregations.

Offer prayers for peace on Friday, September 21
September 18, 2012
This Friday, September 21st, join people of faith all over the world, take a moment from daily life, and offer up prayers for peace.

Commentary: La Mesa UCC’s Welcome Home Ministries fills a void
September 17, 2012
On Sept. 9, the United Church of Christ of La Mesa (Calif.) welcomed home one of its own – Thomas Skinner and his service dog, Scrubs. Tom had recently returned from a cross-country bicycle ride to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

UCC officers stand with fired GM workers in Colombia
September 17, 2012
The national leaders of the United Church of Christ are showing solidarity with and support for a group of injured automobile workers staging a hunger strike in Colombia to protest unfair labor practices.

Missouri UCC changes name to reflect beliefs
September 17, 2012
What's in a name? For the newly-branded Peace United Church of Christ in Webster Groves, Mo., a name is everything. Formerly the Evangelical UCC of Webster Groves, the church changed its name in a ceremony Sept. 9 to better reflect its open and affirming environment and its progressive style of worship.

Virginia church luau honors Hawaiian senator in a spirit of multiculturalism
September 17, 2012
In a celebration of a relationship that goes back centuries, Hope Church UCC in Alexandria, VA hosted a luau on Saturday, in an evening of feasting and fellowship complete with Hawaiian food, music and dance and most important, an esteemed guest of honor.

UCC joins other faith leaders to oppose Ryan budget
September 14, 2012
In response to Rep. Paul Ryan’s comments Friday morning on his budget proposal, Sandy Sorensen, director of the United Church of Christ’s offices in Washington, D.C., and other faith leaders took an opposing view, saying the plan is neither “faithful or fair.”

North Carolina UCC receives heart defibrillator through health and wellness program
September 14, 2012
Parkway United Church of Christ is now ready to take action if someone in the building shows signs of a heart attack. Through the North Carolina Council of Churches' Strive to Revive program, the Winston-Salem congregation qualified for free automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training, and the Rev. Craig Schaub made sure his church took advantage of the opportunity.

Unified governance task force moves forward
September 14, 2012
As a specially-appointed task force hammers out details for the United Church of Christ’s transition to a unified board of governance, UCC leaders involved in the process have experienced a sense of hope and excitement in their collaboration.

Massachusetts UCC environmental ministry team takes climate change seriously
September 14, 2012
Deborah Baldwin and her Environmental Ministry Team have been busy. The members of the seven-person committee from the Congressional Church of Needham (Mass.) United Church of Christ have combined their passion for protecting the planet and have really started making some visible changes.

Passion for justice, extravagant welcome help advance UCC, Fellowship partnership
September 13, 2012
With a shared vision for standing up for underrepresented people, and a mutual passion for extravagant welcome, leaders of the United Church of Christ and the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries came together on Wednesday to begin the next chapter in a partnership of justice work, and to form a foundation for a long-standing relationship.

UCC member supports artistic diversity through National Black Female Photographers Day
September 13, 2012
What started out as a small group on Facebook has grown into an association of more than 450 women across the United States. Black Female Photographers will host its first national event Saturday, Sept. 15, and UCC member Zoraida Lopez can't wait to take part.