More than 50 people from the Connecticut Conference attended the United Church of Christ General Synod June 30 - July 4 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Among the business conducted, delegates passed two resolutions that had been backed by the Conference - one on minimum wage, and one on protecting the environment - but declined to pass a third related to the right of adoptees to access their birth certificates. Excerpts from and links to the United Church News articles are here: 

• Delegates Approve Economic Justice Resolution and $15 Minimum Wage
  Delegates to the United Church of Christ's General Synod 2017 voted in favor of a resolution advocating for economic justice, including calling for churches to support legislation that raises the minimum wages to $15 per hour. The final resolution was a combination of two resolutions brought before Synod for consideration.​
   
• Adoptees' rights resolution falls short of required votes
  Delegates to General Synod 2017 voted against a resolution Monday calling churches to identify the difference in rights of adult adoptees as a human and civil rights issue. Proponents of the resolution argued that disparities in adult adoptees"  access to their original birth certificates violated equal protection laws. 
   
• Declaring the Earth is the Lord’s, UCC calls for environmental imperatives for a new moral era
  The United Church of Christ, noting both the urgency of climate change and the continued debate over its existence, is "raising its prophetic voice" to urge the "healing of the Earth." (This resolution was endorsed by the Conference Board of Directors)
   

Other Synod headlines:

United Church of Christ emphatically affirmed an Immigrant Welcoming Church
Underscoring the love of neighbor, with several speakers proclaiming that no human is illegal, delegates to General Synod 2017 overwhelmingly declared itself an Immigrant Welcoming Denomination and called on all settings of the United Church of Christ to do the same.

UCC marchers demand immigration justice
In its first action as an Immigrant Welcoming Church, the United Church of Christ marched with the family and friends of an Annapolis, Md., artist and grandfather, seized outside his home on his way to work and detained the past three months by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Three Great Loves initiative launched to 'embody love and incarnate justice' to build a just world
To follow God's call to build a just world for all as a united church, United Church of Christ General Minister and President John C. Dorhauer is calling the entire denomination to pull together under a new, shared mission — the Three Great Loves initiative.

Youth voices lead the way on gun violence resolution
Guided in large part by the voices of youth, General Synod 2017 enthusiastically passed a resolution of witness Monday urging the recognition of gun violence as a public health emergency deserving of federal funding for scientific research.

Medical aid in dying fails to win approval of Synod delegates by just a few votes
The "Resolution of Witness in Support of Legislation Authorizing Medical Aid in Dying" narrowly failed to achieve the required support of two-thirds of the 737 delegates, and was not adopted by General Synod 2017.  

Synod delegates reshape UCC leadership with constitution and bylaws changes
After two lengthy years of conversation, deliberation and collaboration, delegates to General Synod 2017 approved a set of changes to the United Church of Christ's Constitution and Bylaws that will reshape the leadership of the church. Those amendments will allow the denomination's national setting to be more nimble, flexible, and adaptive as the church lives into the vision of creating a just world for all.

General Synod Complete List of News Stories

General Synod Southern New England Synod Photos

General Synod 2017 Photo Gallery

General Synod 2017 Video Clips