Wider Church Ministries
Wider Church Ministries (WCM) encourages and supports local churches, Associations, Conferences, and the national expressions of the United Church of Christ to participate in the global, multiracial, multicultural church and to support United Church of Christ ministries around the world and the nation.
WCM assists the Church in all its expressions, provides support for the Church’s ministry of service, and provides public witness on behalf of the policies and resolutions of the General Synod.
WCM in the News
A three-denomination delegation begins a nine-day journey of the Middle East
Seven faith leaders from three Protestant denominations are coming together for a nine-day journey to the Middle East this week. Executives of the United Church of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Church of Canada will visit common and unique partners in Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.
Support menstrual justice with ‘Period Packs’ donations, kits for General Synod
Menstruation is a normal, healthy bodily function for half the world’s population. But not everyone who gets a period can afford hygiene products. That’s why the United Church of Christ plans to create menstrual hygiene kits or period packs as a General Synod 34 service project.
Webinar Series: Wednesdays with
the World
Wider Church Ministries is pleased to offer an ongoing webinar series that shares stories and concerns from around the globe.
Global Ministries is the shared world mission board of the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Established in 1996, it represents a step toward the Christian unity we proclaim through global partnerships, the presence of mission co-workers, insightful perspectives on the world, advocacy for justice, and prayers for peace.
Global H.O.P.E. encompasses the domestic and international humanitarian ministries of the United Church of Christ and distributes One Great Hour of Sharing offerings.
The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Ministry guides and coordinates relationships between the United Church of Christ and its ecumenical and interfaith partners, including full communion partners, conciliar bodies and partners in mission agreements.
WCM Special Mission Offering:
One Great Hour of Sharing
Through the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special mission offering, the United Church of Christ collaborates with domestic and international partners to support humanitarian aid and sustainable development, bringing needed assistance to communities in need of long-term recovery and economic sustainability. Gifts to OGHS also provide much-needed resources to assist our partners in providing clean water, food, education, health care, small business micro-credit, emergency relief, advocacy, and resettlement for refugees.
Thursdays In Black
Thursdays in Black is a global advocacy campaign focused on ending rape and gender-based violence. This initiative of the World Council of Churches is a global movement for justice on behalf of millions. Globally, 1 in 3 women will experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to data from the World Health Organization.
About Karen Georgia A. Thompson
Associate General Minister, Wider Church Ministries and Operations and Co-Executive for Global Ministries
The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the Associate General Minister (AGM) for Wider Church Ministries (WCM) and Operations in the United Church of Christ and Co-Executive for Global Ministries with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is an inspiring preacher and theologian, who shares her skills and gifts in a variety of settings nationally and internationally, often using her poetry as a part of her ministry.
Wider Church News
Disaster Ministries to assist victims of deadly California storms
United Church of Christ Disaster Ministries is tracking a series of deadly storms surging up…
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Corporate grants, church gifts, volunteers — all help people recover from floods
The United Church of Christ is using grants from the home-improvement chain Lowe’s to help…
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In the aftermath of Ian, community is key
Clergy and lay leaders in areas of Florida devastated by Hurricane Ian Wednesday, Sept. 28,…
Read MoreMore about Wider Church Ministries
WCM holds programmatic and relational ministries for the commitments to mission, advocacy, humanitarian aid and sustainable development. While primarily responsible for overseas engagement, WCM is also involved in domestic ministry. WCM ministries are glocal – globally focused and locally rooted.
The ministries of WCM are internally and externally collaborative working across ministries in the UCC and with partners in the United States and overseas for higher reach and greater missional impact. By joining with partners to leverage resources and maximize expertise. WCM works in interactive partnership with local churches, Associations, Conferences, national expressions of the United Church of Christ, and with ecumenical and interfaith groups and community organizations.
In its commitment to Christian unity and ecumenical witness, the United Church of Christ is intentionally engaged in common missional witness with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) through Global Ministries, which is the joint mission agency of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This joint commitment is expressed through the collaborative work of Wider Church Ministries (UCC) and the Division of Overseas Ministries (CC(DOC)).
