Made for this Moment
Thirty years ago, two denominations did an extraordinary thing: they chose to join hands to do all their global ministry work together. Ever since then, the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have been fully partners in our Global Ministries. Co-Executives, one person from each denomination, lead the work. Co-Chairs, one from each church, preside over Common Global Ministries Board meetings. We share financial resources, staff, programming, global mission personnel, planning, and historic relationships with partners around the world.
Today, this unique joint venture of two denominations offers a witness that this world sorely needs. We understand the substance of authentic partnership and what is required to maintain vital partnerships over time. We offer an alternative model for how to engage in and with the world. We are made for this particular moment.
The United States operates in the world today with an “America First”, isolationist framework, which is increasingly resulting in America alone. We have alienated many of our historic allies and friends. We have abandoned “soft power” – like USAID and an authentic commitment to diplomacy– and gone all in on exerting our hard, military power. Everything we do is transactional at best. We intervene in other countries in ways that invite no wisdom from others and show no care or concern for others’ daily lives as long as our country’s narrow, short-term interests are supposedly served.
This is not the way we choose to function as Global Ministries. When we engage with global partners we choose to be relational instead of transactional. We choose not to ‘fix’ but to accompany, not to impose our outsider view of what we think should happen but to respect local discernment and decision-making. We know that wisdom is mutual. We commit to listening so that we might understand. We have our own histories of colonial models of mission to confess, for certain, yet we strive toward a fully de-colonized way of being in mission now. We don’t pair the American flag or U.S.political interests with our passion for the Good News of the Gospel, and we reject the heresy and harm of white Christian nationalism. We offer a different witness of engaging in and with the world that is absolutely essential right now, and a theological viewpoint that is imperative.
Thirty years after our formal agreement to be full partners in our global ministries, the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are envisioning a future where our unity of purpose remains not just one of practicality but a calling from God we joyfully accept. We choose to offer a collaborative witness of faithfulness, love, deep listening, and steady accompaniment in this turbulent and hurting world. That matters now more than ever.
The Reverend Shari Prestemon began her service with the national ministries of the United Church of Christ in January 2024. As the Associate General Minister & Co-Executive for Global Ministries she has the privilege of overseeing several teams: Global Ministries, Global H.O.P.E., Public Policy & Advocacy Team (Washington, D.C.), and our staff representative to the United Nations. She previously served as pastor to local UCC congregations in Illinois and Wisconsin; the Executive Director at the UCC’s Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi; and as Conference Minister in Minnesota.
Related News
Made for this Moment
Thirty years ago, two denominations did an extraordinary thing: they chose to join hands to...
Read More
Easter Persists
Do you feel it too? The heaviness of these days. The weight of so many seemingly intractable...
Read More
Courage Among Us
“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the...
Read More