NURTURING UCC IDENTITY
Holding active membership in a Local Church of the United Church of Christ
I am a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dubuque, Iowa. I have been a member since 2011.
Participating in the various settings of the United Church of Christ, including Local Churches, Associations, Conferences, General Synod, and global ministries
It has been an honor to participate in various settings of the United Church of Christ. I am currently a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dubuque, Iowa. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Conference of the UCC. During my time at First Congregational United Church of Christ, we have started to participate in special joint worship services with Summit UCC and Immanuel UCC.
Knowing and appreciating UCC history, polity, and theology.
One of the things that I love about the United Church of Christ is its history of firsts: taking an early stand against slavery, ordaining the first African American, female and openly gay pastor, as well as advocating for individuals with disabilities, the end to racism and care of all creation. The basic unit of life and the organization of the United Church of Christ is the local church. An interplay of wider interdependence with the local autonomy characterized the organization of the United Church of Christ. Each congregation, association and conference relates in covenant with one and other, their actions speaking to but not for each other. The ethos of the United Church of Christ is "covenantal."
Exhibiting a commitment to the core values of the United Church of Christ: continuing testament, extravagant welcome, and changing lives.
I think it is safe to say that I am passionate about the UCC! I often have the opportunity to talk about our denomination with strangers who are often amazed that congregations like the UCC exist! My fiancé’ will often cringe when someone asks what I do for a living because he knows it will end up in a long conversation. The fact that I am a minister is surprising or even shocking for almost everyone I encounter outside the walls of the church. Given the time, I will talk about my church and my denomination- our open and affirming stance, our extravagant welcome and the families I serve.
People always seem to be amazed that we don't read the Bible literally but we do hold it as sacred; we take a lot of time to study and learn what passages meant when they were written so we can understand what they can say to us now. Part of why I could never fit in at churches who only use a literal translation of the Bible was that it did not ring true to me that the books were meant to be read as science, history, and rules. Learning that a deep reverence for scripture allows us to interpret in other ways made the Bible real to me, opened up worlds of meaning in its pages.
People always seem to be amazed that we don't read the Bible literally but we do hold it as sacred; we take a lot of time to study and learn what passages meant when they were written so we can understand what they can say to us now. Part of why I could never fit in at churches who only use a literal translation of the Bible was that it did not ring true to me that the books were meant to be read as science, history, and rules. Learning that a deep reverence for scripture allows us to interpret in other ways made the Bible real to me, opened up worlds of meaning in its pages.