Lake Edge United Church of Christ

As their co-workers ponder lunch options and errand runs, a health-hungry group of Church House employees dons sweats and sneakers three times a week for an invigorating "WOW" experience.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Several dozen human-rights advocates, bracing for the long haul in comprehensive immigration reform, made their concerns public June 2-5 during a 72-hour fast in multiple New York City locations.

It started out as a loving favor for her Navy chaplain husband. But now it has turned into an inspiring symbol of affirmation and connection for a growing number of UCC military chaplains serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lynn Redgrave, renowned actor and a member of First Congregational UCC in Kent, Conn., died May 2 after a seven-year journey with breast cancer. She was 67.

The Rev. Cameron Trimble eagerly expects elevated participation in this summer's New Church Leadership Institute. But, she says, don't look too high into the sky when "Seven Secrets" for vital, transformational church leadership takes place Aug. 9-13 in Atlanta.

While the United Church of Christ continues to lose both members and congregations, the decline may be slowing.

As the World Council of Churches commemorates its World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, the co-executives of Global Ministries, the joint world mission organization of the UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), have asked that their member churches join in prayer for peace in the region.

The United Church of Christ has raised nearly $19,000 from more than 370 contributors nationally for the purpose of placing a full-page ad in the statewide Arizona Republic newspaper on Saturday, May 29, the day when 500,000 protesters are expected to march in Phoenix.

The much-publicized, initial splash of the UCC Stillspeaking Ministry’s “The Language of God” video message continues to make waves across the internet.

Members of the United Church of Christ from Arizona and around the country joined an estimated 20,000 protesters May 29 to march in opposition to the state's SB1070 immigration law that, according to critics, targets Hispanics and could leave the door open for racial profiling by law enforcement agencies.

“We need UCC chaplains in the military,” insists the Rev. Donald P. Troast, a U.S. Navy captain and commander of U.S. submarine force chaplains, offering his own “commercial” at the outset of his sermon at the UCC’s Amistad Chapel on May 26.

The UCC's National Office budget, recently presented to the Executive Committee, paints a picture of declining donations and return on investments that will require creative fundraising and staffing plans for programs in the coming years.

The UCC's Calvin Synod recently elected its new Bishop while the Boards of Directors of two other UCC Conferences have voted unanimously to recommend Conference minister candidates.