Lake Edge United Church of Christ

The United Church of Christ is launching a fundraising effort to raise $50,000 to mount a public response to Arizona’s stringent immigration law, enacted April 23, that makes racial profiling permissible by allowing police to detain those of Hispanic origin suspected of being undocumented immigrants.

Receiving affirmation that the crucial contributions of their day-to-day administrative work comprise "more than just office work," 43 members of the UCC Office Support Staff Network (UCCOSSN) gathered last month for the group's 23rd annual meeting at the UCC's Church House in Cleveland.

An unprecedented 17 workshops, two prominent keynote speakers and the first-ever staging of the event west of the Mississippi River will trumpet the 2010 UCC Musicians National Network event June 28 – July 1 in suburban Denver.

A diverse array of protests, boycotts and de-facto economic sanctions have been levied against Arizona and it's businesses in the wake of Gov. Jan Brewer's April 23 signature of SB 1070, a bill that makes it illegal not to carry immigration documents and broadens law enforcement powers in immigation matters.

As the recession puts added financial pressure on seminaries, the case for online theological education might seem like simple math. Add more students, subtract costly services such as housing and food — which online students don't need — and improve the bottom line.

In a society increasingly Balkanized by technology, faith communities may have a unique contribution to make when building community on the Internet.

"We are often in conversation with one another, and we know that God is still speaking to us," the Rev. Joan Ishibashi told worshipers May 12 at a service titled "Building Bridges: Interfaith Encounters With God," held in the Amistad Chapel of the UCC’s national headquarters. "But even God is silent sometimes. There is truth in silence as well as in speech."

Two United Church of Christ pastors were part of the People's International Observers' Mission delegation that monitored Philippine elections. In a country that has reported widespread fraud in previous presidential races, Philippine officials and international observers are reporting "no major discrepancies" in the 2010 election process.

Sponsored by the UCC's 2030 Clergy Network, "Shepherding the Shepherd" is billed as a three-day opportunity for renewal, connection, professional resourcing and vital worship for UCC clergy in their 20s and 30s. The event will take place June 1-3 at Chicago Theological Seminary.

Three weeks after the April 20 explosion and fire on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, a potentially devastating domino effect from the subsequent spill is looming larger with each passing day.

As rainfall subsides and floodwaters recede, monetary relief is beginning to flow into Tennessee, where 52 of the state’s 95 counties have been declared eligible for both individual and public federal funding.

In a landmark decision granting individual citizens the power to sue federal agencies, U.S. District Judge Ann Aldrich forced the Federal Communications Commission to make it easier for minorities to own radio stations in the South.

Two weeks after the April 20 explosion and fire on an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the potentially devastating domino effect of the subsequent spill is looming larger with each passing day.

Citing a highly polished, eye-catching quality that complements a diverse collection of inspiring stories, readers of the debut edition of the UCC's StillSpeaking Magazine are already anticipating the fall edition.

As the United Church of Christ commemorates the second anniversary of Sacred Conversation on Race, the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, minister for racial justice, is pleased with the engagement this initiative has inspired across the life of the church.

Affirming one facet of its ministry while shining more light on another, the UCC has unveiled its possibility-filled theme and colorful logo for General Synod 28 in Tampa. Fla. The biennial conference, to be held July 1-5, 2011, has the theme “Imagine what’s possible. God is still speaking.”

In a statement issued April 30, UCC General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black and Executive Minister for Justice and Witness Ministries the Rev. Linda M. Jaramillo, called Arizona's new immigration legislation "nothing less than a modern day Jim Crow law."

A broad, diverse range of faith and civil rights groups and leaders representing more than 40 organizations and communities convened April 27 in San Diego to demonstrate their opposition to Arizona's immigration reform bill SB 1070.

In the 12 days since its April 16 launch via the UCC web site, Facebook and Keeping You e-Posted, "The Language of God" video has been viewed more than 70,000 times on YouTube nearly 55,000 on Vimeo.

The National Council of Churches and other religious organizations have sharply criticized Arizona's new immigration law as fundamentally unjust, dangerous to citizens and non-citizens alike, and a rejection of centuries-old biblical precepts of justice and neighborliness.