The symbol of the United Church of Christ comprises a crown, cross and orb enclosed within a double oval bearing the name of the church and the prayer of Jesus, "That they may all be one" (John 17:21). It is based on an ancient Christian symbol called the "Cross of Victory" or the "Cross Triumphant." The crown symbolizes the sovereignty of Christ. The cross recalls the suffering of Christ—his arms outstretched on the wood of the cross—for the salvation of humanity. The orb, divided into three parts, reminds us of Jesus' command to be his "witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The verse from Scripture reflects our historic commitment to the restoration of unity among the separated churches of Jesus Christ.

Andover Newton Theological School of Newton Centre, Mass., and Meadville Lombard Theological School of Chicago have agreed in principle to form a new interreligious university-style theological institution that seeks to become an innovative center for educating religious leaders for service in a pluralistic world.

The world's largest association of Reformed churches can now break bread together as the World Communion of Reformed Churches following the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council.

Two years ago, Massachusetts Conference Minister and President the Rev. Jim Antal sounded a trumpet signaling UCC churches’ commitment to the green movement. The “trumpets” were actually church bells – and Rev. Antal invited local churches to ring their bells 350 times “to inspire communities to make the necessary changes in our behavior so that our grandchildren will enjoy the Eden into which we were born.” Why 350 times? That’s the number of parts per million of carbon in the atmosphere that is sustainable on a long-term basis. Churches across the Conference took up the cause, responding by reusing, reducing and recycling. Dennis Union Church was one of three congregations nationally to receive the EPA’s Energy star award after a building renovation lowered their energy consumption by upgrading lighting, plumbing and heating systems. Rev. Chris Ney of West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church said, “stewardship is about how we use all the resources at our disposal for the benefit of our community and future generations.”

It's probably a blessing that her car was parked when the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper learned that she is this year's recipient of Yale Divinity School's William Sloane Coffin Award for Peace and Justice.

Gail Schneider reviews the history of her church: “Originally, a small flock of German immigrant farmers established the German Evangelical Church, Des Peres in November 1838. We became Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church and now Parkway UCC. Along with these name changes we have also come into a deeper sense of identity and purpose. We are strongly connected with the United Church of Christ and are proud to be an open and affirming congregation. Our senses are always open to the Spirit as we deepen and widen our mission and ministry.”

In 1999, Rev. La Verne Gill came to be the first female and African-American pastor of Webster UCC, Dexter, MI. Rev Gill went on a UCC mission trip to a Sanzule refugee camp in Ghana. When she came back, she inspired some members of our church to go to Ghana, too. When they got there, they saw so many refugees from war, children and families nearly forgotten by the world, in a far corner of the small country of Ghana. The group returned to their congregation with a strong will to do something to make a difference. Now they have their own refugee ministry. They return to Ghana every year. At first, it was a mission trip. Now it is a spiritual journey and a renewal of faith for them. The congregation says, “We are now pilgrims to Ghana.”

Rebekah Cypert didn’t quite know what to expect while visiting China on a Global Ministry People-to-People pilgrimage. The number of skyscrapers and the friendliness of the people in places like Shanghi were among the surprises for her but what amazed her perhaps the most was her experience at a worship service at Gospel Church. “I immediately noticed all of the people scurrying out of their cars, mopeds, and bicycles eager to get there and this spirit of eagerness continued to be felt during the worship service,” Rebekah said. “This was the second service of the day and every seat was occupied.” This sharing, eager spirit was also felt later during a visit to a local YMCA/YWCA where the mission is to help children, people with autism and migrant workers who come to Shanghi for employment but are brought up short by the high cost of living. Everywhere, it seemed, Rebekah was faced with God’s loving presence.

In June 2008, Scott Nicholson of University Congregational UCC in Missoula, Montana, experienced first hand the herbicide spraying of crops in Colombia, part of the U.S.-financed war on drugs. The planes spray the crops in hopes of eradicating the coca crops (the raw material used to produce cocaine). Nicholson reported that the planes flew directly overhead, each escorted by machine-gun toting helicopters. A few days later, he visited farms that had been fumigated in Arauquita, Colombia. One couple, Luis Alfonso and Amilia, and their four children live in a small, dirt-floor home next to their fields of corn and yucca (cassava). They don’t plant coca, but their farm was one of those fumigated. That summer, the crops withered and did not produce a harvest. The family borrowed money to plant the crops and was unable to repay the loan. They are just one of many families who have lost the ability to support themselves due to the indiscriminate crop spraying. Although the policy of massive aerial fumigation has failed to reduce the coca cultivation in Colombia, regular rounds of spraying continue. For example, although nearly 60,000 acres were fumigated during five rounds of spraying in 2007, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reported that the amount of coca detected at the end of the year was 5,300 acres – the largest since 2001. The spraying also has generated substantial income for several U.S. corporations that provide the planes, helicopters and herbicides. Citizens’ groups in Arauca, Colombia have called on their government to halt aerial spraying. Farmers have offered to manually remove the coca in exchange for assistance with alternative crops that would enable them to provide for their families. Many UCC members and congregations are working to stop human rights violations in Colombia, including the aerial spraying of crops. Global Ministries missionary Michael Joseph serves in Colombia with the Restoration, Life and Peace Commission of the Council of Evangelical Churches (CEDECOL). He provides pastoral critical presence to church leaders and lay people who are living in life-threatening situations.

Mardelle Bourdon/Pond, member of Pleasant Hill Community UCC in Pleasant Hill, TN relates, for about two years, I was on the committee to prepare for and welcome a refugee family. This was a highlight of my experience as a church member. The Mijatovics are from Serbia. They came with goals and skills that would be useful anywhere and they quickly found work in nearby Crossville. Today, both husband and wife are employed in management positions. The children are engaged in activities at school and at Cumberland County Playhouse. With good reason, we are greatly proud of these neighbors.

Carter Cassion tells of his inspiration: “When I first connected with the Rhode Island Conference’s Mission Evangelique Baptiste Bethesda (MEBB) in Haiti, I was about 17 years old with minimal spoken English. I learned English so that I could have an opportunity to start translating for the mission. I grew up in a very poor family and my parents could not help with my education. I met people from this mission and they were willing to provide my tuition for high school and college for my degree in computer science at a university in Haiti.

The Abdulai family arrived in May 2001 as refugees from strife-torn Sierra Leone. With no idea what lay ahead, they were met upon their arrival, by twenty members of St. Peter’s UCC, West Seneca, NY. Through all the turmoil of finding shelters and jobs, enrolling the children in school, learning to drive, and getting along, the church guided and supported the family. Mother Phebian graduated from nursing school, they became U.S. citizens, bought a house, and the children went to school. Two of the children now plan to become doctors, hoping someday to start a school in Sierra Leone. Pastor Hope Harle-Mould says, “We welcomed this family and ended up opening our own doors to the world.”

A Northern Virginia developer is proceeding with a plan to create a day-laborer site behind his Centreville shopping center despite the objections of hundreds of area residents and shopkeepers.

Nativity UCC in Buffalo NY sponsored a Laotian widow and her with four children in 1981. Then the congregation sponsored nine more families from Ethiopia, Laos, Iran, Liberia, Serbia, and Somalia. Their present family, Ali Kadhum, Emaam Saad, and daughter Noor, arrived in May, 2008 from Iraq. They had no family in the US and weren’t sure who would meet them.

Although the United Church of Christ is declining at a slower rate than in years past, the denomination's leaders are not complacent about numbers. Fostering growth and vitality at a time when mainline denominations are shrinking means taking risks, reaching out to young adults and youth, and rethinking what it means to be church.

No sooner had Darlene Collins helped set the wheels in motion for the Stillspeaking Voices campaign than she heard God speaking to her – about five times faster than usual.

Did you know that, on the average, only 11 cents of every dollar spent on coffee makes its way back to the coffee grower? The injustice of that system prompted the UCC Jubilee Justice Task Force to visit fair trade and free trade coffee farmers in Chiapas, Mexico. After meeting with coffee growers and leaders of co-operatives, the group came away realizing that fair trade and co-operatives do make a difference. They experienced a people who are learning to stand together, allowing small growers to keep their land. Schools are sprouting up, new agricultural methods are being tried – all aimed at preserving the dignity and livelihood of the community. John and Han Will, two of the 18 who visited Chiapas. You can visit the UCC Coffee Project from the UCC website. For those congregations who already serve Equal Exchange coffee, cool beans!

The Unified Governance Working Group met recently to review governance dialogue and discernment feedback.

“We had no knowledge what lay ahead of us when we came to the United States in 2001. Leaving everything behind, we got used to a fearful life in a refugee camp. Upon our arrival at the Buffalo airport we had a warm welcome from members of St. Peter’s UCC of West Seneca, NY. Our fear dissolved; hope revived. Since that day, St. Peter’s has been a strong support giving us hope and a new life. Two of our children have graduated from high school and I have graduated from nursing school with as a CMA (Certified Medication Aide). In all these celebrations, St. Peter’s church was there as a family.” Phebian Abdulai

Named and Sent Matthew’s account of Jesus’ ministry is thrilling. We read story after story of amazing transformations. A leper’s sores disappear! A paralyzed man walks! A girl rises from her death bed! A mute person gains voice! These astonishing encounters are accented with stories of spiritual healing. People heard a marvelous word of hope in Jesus’s simple invitation, “Follow me.” Crowds formed in town after town to hear Jesus teach about a new way to live. Seeing the people’s eagerness, he empowered his disciples to extend this ministry. Healing and telling, telling and healing... the heart of ministry is the same today as it was then. People still experience spiritual and physical pain. We still are eager for messages of hope, love and faith. In 2007, the 50th anniversary year of the United Church of Christ, the faithful are still called to serve. Astonished, we receive the gift of grace to continue the ministry of Jesus. Just as Jesus brought the disciples from the sidelines to the forefront, so do we come together with the holy purpose of bringing God’s healing to the world. Time and time again, people are transformed by the power of the one great story. In the United Church of Christ, we are bound together by covenant in the shared purpose of God’s mission. No person, no congregation, no Conference, no national ministry body, no seminary, no council, not any of us stands alone. Together, we are named and sent.