Special Meeting of General Synod 35 to take place in May

To accompany the announcement of a candidate for Associate General Minister for Love of Church, the United Church of Christ General Synod 35 has been called for a Special Meeting.

The meeting is planned as a virtual gathering on May 9, 6-9:00 p.m. ET. Delegates to the Special Meeting will be the same delegates who served at the regular General Synod meeting in 2025.

“This will be the first time a special General Synod was called for decision-making purposes,” said General Minister and President/CEO, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson. “To be able to bring the General Synod back together for this important decision in the life of the church, affords the church to live into the governing documents and allows the wider church to elect and affirm the ministry of the AGM.”

The search committee has presented the Rev. Jennifer Sowell, who currently serves as senior pastor of St. John UCC in Collinsville, Illinois, as the candidate.

The need for a Special Meeting was anticipated following a search for the “AGM for Love of Church” position, begun in September 2024, which resulted in having no candidate identified. A new search committee was appointed, due to normal transitions on the UCC Board, and the committee launched a new search for the position in August 2025. Once Sowell was selected as the candidate, the UCC Board voted on Jan. 12 to hold the Special Meeting of General Synod, and Thompson issued the official call on Jan. 23, in accordance with UCC Bylaws.

‘We are the church – together’

The AGM election is the only item of business to come before the General Synod Special Meeting, and Thompson notes that the meeting also affords an opportunity for gathering in community.

“By coming together in this moment, I hope that people will experience the connection of the church, the joy of worship, and the spirit of our polity,” Thompson said. “Sometimes, we are challenged by timing and convenience. Synod, whether online or in-person, whether gathering for days or a few hours, is an opportunity to worship, fellowship, and be reminded that we are the church – together.”

While details and decisions for the meeting are still in progress, Thompson invites the wider church into prayer.

“I invite the prayers of the church for our candidate, for the United Church of Christ, and for the leadership called to serve in the many settings of the wider church.”

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