CLEVELAND, March 6, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The United Church of Christ is ready to make a historic decision.
After a year-long processThe UCC board Voted March 4 to nominate Assistant Secretary General Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson for Secretary General and President.
When elected by the General Synod this summerThompson would be the first woman—and the first woman of African descent—to lead the denomination.
“We could not have more faith in Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson,” said Rev. Cameron Barr, UCC Board Chair. “She has expressed our shared values on a global scale as Ecumenical Officer and Deputy General Minister, and now, provided she is elected by the General Synod, she will be our spiritual leader.”
“We sought a leader who would represent UCC’s mission and values both inside and outside the church, embody an adaptable, resilient leader who can lead UCC through rapidly changing times, and a foundation for future stability and that growth of the Church,” he said Rev. Emma Brewer-Wallin, Chair of the search committee The Thompson recommended. “And the Search Committee recognizes that we have found such a leader in Rev. Thompson.”
Thompson’s vision for the future of UCC embodies the values at the heart of her work: religious diversity and diversity, justice for marginalized communities worldwide, and a broader affirmation of spiritual practices beyond mainline Christianity.
“My hope is that we, UCC, will begin to live more fully what it means to be a church that professes to be God-centered and Spirit-filled,” Thompson said. “It’s not just about the head, it’s also about the heart. How do we become missionary? How do we show ourselves? How are we present for communities that are on the fringes – not just here but around the world?”
Thompson would bring a global, interfaith perspective to the UCC’s highest office. In her current role, she leads Broader Church Services and serves as the co-executive of Global…
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