I heard it, but I couldn’t believe it. “Where are the monks and nuns in the UCC?” The question struck me to my core. This question came up in April of this year, as the national leadership of the United Church of Christ hosted a theological formation summit in Cleveland. Entitled “From the Ground Up,”…
More than one person has noted that the current period of change that we are facing in the church may indicate that we are in the midst of another re-forming or reformation. Although there are all kinds of comparisons and observations about what makes this period different from other periods of history, there is one…
This week’s post is written by Rev. Holly MIllerShank, Team Leader of the Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization Ministry Team (MESA) Team in Cleveland. Standing among the big wooden pews with starchy red fabric as a child, I memorized the words “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the…
Last week the gun debate came walking into my community. I mean that literally. A young man began walking around with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder in the suburban community where I live and pastor a church. I heard about it first in an email from the local police chief. There had been numerous…
Let’s talk division. The Pew Center for Religious life recently completed a survey that polled people’s thoughts on key issues that were at play during the Reformation 500 years ago. The headline story being that Reformation era divisions have lost much of their potency. The study found that people were more likely to believe the…
This week’s blog post is by Benjamin J. Roth, PhD, an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina’s College of Social Work. His research focuses on poverty and inequality, especially these issues concerning immigrants and immigrant youth. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a program announced by President Obama in 2012 for unauthorized…
This week’s blog post is written by Reverend David Schoen, Minister for Church Legacy and Closure, for the UCC Church Building & Loan Fund. In the late winter, early spring there’s a lot to do to get fruit gardens ready for the summer. Pruning raspberries and grape vines, as well as fruit trees is something that…
