Our Vision:
A Restored Unity in the United Church of Christ

The United Church of Christ is fast approaching the fiftieth anniversary of the historic merger that brought together four distinct traditions of Christianity. Our forebears bound themselves to each other in a humble and prayerful attempt to fulfill the prayer of Christ that became our motto, "that they may all be one." (John 17:21a)

To anchor this hope more firmly, the Preamble to the UCC Constitution proclaimed that the new denomination was formed "in order to express more fully the oneness in Christ of the churches composing it, to make more effective their common witness in Him...."

This is a vision of the Church that still exhibits power and offers possibility. It is a way that invites ever wider participation by those who seek to follow Jesus Christ and would call themselves by his name. And it holds out the realization of Jesus' promise that "there will be one flock, one shepherd." (John 10:16c)

What might the specifics of such a vision be? We see a United Church of Christ in which embodied unity is ever a priority, in which the compassionate hospitality of the Gospel is manifested as we work to make others feel welcome, even and especially when they challenge our most deeply held judgments.

We are a denomination of more than 5,700 unique and varied local congregations, each expressing its discipleship in ways that reflect its own understanding of God's will and that respond to its own community's needs. It is these local congregations that the denomination was formed to unite and assist, even as they unite and support their diverse members.

Article V of the UCC Constitution begins by proclaiming that "The basic unit of the life and organization of the United Church of Christ is the Local Church." This means that the Church's ministry and witness begin in and center on what local congregations themselves, guided by the Holy Spirit, discern the will of God to be.

For the agencies and officers of the United Church of Christ to take that vision seriously would mean that the concerns, perspectives, and ministries of local churches will receive priority over wider considerations, on occasions when they might be in conflict. It would suggest that actions and statements of regional or national bodies and officers should always seek to effectively unite rather than divide local churches from each other or from the wider Church.

Such a restored unity in the United Church of Christ can be encouraged in several ways. First, local congregations and their leaders need to engage in active dialogue with each other and with the regional and national bodies of the UCC. These wider bodies provide important services, but they cannot replace the viewpoint and understanding of the local congregation. Nor can they make the immediate, concrete difference in relieving human suffering that local congregations can and do.

Regional and national bodies, however, can and whenever possible should provide resources to local congregations that address issues of doctrine or justice in non-directive ways, providing resources from the full theological range of the UCC's local churches and allowing congregations to determine what answers best fit their sense of God's will and the needs of their varied communities. Issues might be suggested by a local congregation, a regional or national body, or the course of world events, but response would always be one of encouragement and support along the journey, with action, if any, to be directed by the concensus of the local congregations.

Second, regional and national bodies can and should continue to focus on aspects of witness and mission that have broad and demonstrated support among the UCC's local congregations. Such issues might include coordinating wide responses for disaster relief, hunger, combatting abuse, caring for the needy, and so on.

Third, regional and national bodies can develop and provide resources that assist local congregations in doing the work they are called to do. These resources could include curricula for Christian education, leadership training, theological education, and worship materials. It could also include avenues of communication and cooperation among congregations.

In all aspects, larger settings of the Church should seek to ensure that it be possible for any local UCC congregation to be proud of and feel accurately represented by resources, statements, and actions issued under the name United Church of Christ. A process which incorporates responsible restraint and respect for disagreement can be better appreciated, even in dissent. In this way, unity is not only created but honored, not only reinforced but prioritized, not only proclaimed but exemplified, existing not only as a possibility but in reality.

The United Church of Christ began with enthusiasm for ecumenism, in the belief that it was possible to bridge the gaps that had long separated Christian from Christian, which confused our witness and hindered our mission. As many Christians and churches recognized how much more united them than divided them, Peter Meiderlin's irenic vision seemed within reach: "in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity."

The present mood of antagonism, divisiveness, and polarization causes some to wonder if that vision is, instead, out of reach. Yet the message of the United Church of Christ is a message for just such a time as this - a message of hope in the midst of cynicism and despair, a message of reconciliation in the face of confrontation and contempt, a message of unity that challenges hardened barriers and widening divisions.

We believe that the state of the world, our nation, and our denomination calls us to rekindle the excitement that attended the UCC's birth, the spirit of cooperation that midwifed it into being, and the humble renunciation of self and certainty that allowed it to be conceived at all. If we accept this vision as our own, as did our denominational forebears, our commitment to its promise will lead to actions and attitudes that reinforce unity and rebuild relationships.

We know that our history encourages both embracing unity and defining conviction in varying degrees, at various times. Our Congregational predecessors were split among Puritans and Separatists, those who would reform from within and those who would create a more faithful way on the outside. Our Christian ancestors had to form new structures in order to promote the unity of all Christian believers. Our Evangelical forebears were forced into a unity that ignored and overruled their differences. And all four traditions include powerful examples of prophetic witness ahead of, even in conflict with, its time.

There may be times when honest, committed dissent leads a congregation to disaffiliate from those with whom it cannot in good conscience agree. This is always sorrowful, but it is a necessary part of our firm belief that each local congregation is itself the whole and complete Body of Christ, under the Headship of Christ alone. Perhaps the most painful aspect of such a decision is that fellowship is broken with other congregations in the Association, those close sisters and brothers in Christ whose joyful responsibility it is to engage with and encourage each other for mutual benefit.

But we continue to believe that increased involvement in and communication with the various settings of the wider Church is the key to effecting responsible change, both in ourselves and in each other. There will always be conflict in an imperfect world, but we do not have to respond to conflict as something to be feared. The writer of the First Letter of John reminds us that "perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18b) Our embodied love for each other as fellow disciples of Christ can help us overcome the fear that separates us, that causes us to retreat into false certainty, that leads to violence of word and attitude as we demonize and threaten others.

If this vision were to be followed intentionally and with full commitment, we conceive of the UCC's fiftieth anniversary as a celebration of a renewed, more vital, larger, and more beloved denomination. We hope and pray that this will be the case, and we place ourselves at the disposal of the Church to aid in making it happen.