A dozen people from the Rhode Island Conference attended the United Church of Christ General Synod June 30 - July 4 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Among the business conducted, delegates passed a resolution - which had been endorsed at the Rhode Island Conference Annual Meeting in June - that calls on clergy across the life of the church to preach about the moral obligation to protect God's creation, and appeals to its members to lead efforts to educate and advocate for legislation to reduce the human impact on the environment. Read more
Other Synod headlines:
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.
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.
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.
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