COREM

Happy Pride Month Siblings,

🌈 BIG NEWS! 🌈

We are overjoyed to officially announce that Rev. Derek Terry has been appointed Executive Director of the Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC! 🎉

Rev. Terry has faithfully served our Coalition as Program Director and most recently as Acting Executive Director for over a year while leading with compassion, vision, and an unwavering commitment to extravagant affirmation.

Under his leadership, we have:
✨ Continued certifying congregations as Open and Affirming
✨ Expanded partnerships across faith communities & conferences
✨ Grown deeper connections throughout the UCC and beyond

Rev. Terry is a servant leader, a fierce advocate for LGBTQIA+ people and communities, and a living example of faith and justice in action. We are so honored to have him leading the organization and the movement officially!

As we celebrate this exciting news during Pride Month, we invite you to celebrate with us by supporting the work of the Open and Affirming Coalition through Give OUT Day, the nation's largest day of giving for LGBTQ+ organizations.

Your gift helps sustain LGBTQ+ affirmation, advocacy, leadership development, educational resources, and communities where people can find belonging, hope, and courage.

Make your Give OUT Day gift:
https://www.giveoutday.org/story/39a45g

Please join us in congratulating Rev. Derek Terry and helping us continue building a world where LGBTQ+ people are fully welcomed, affirmed, and celebrated.

Congratulations, Rev. Terry! The movement is stronger because of you.

Please join us in celebrating and welcoming Rev. Derek Terry as our Executive Director!

🇨🇺 The United Church of Christ is proud to co-sponsor the Cuba Faith Action Hour, happening Monday June 15th!

The humanitarian crisis in Cuba continues to worsen. Church partners report severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies, fuel, and food that are affecting communities across the island. Hospitals struggle to obtain essential supplies, blackouts regularly disrupt daily life, and many families are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic needs. For some, these shortages have become a matter of life and death.

At a time when the stakes are so high for the Cuban people, Congress needs to hear from constituents who support policies that promote peace and help alleviate suffering.

▷ Learn more and register here: https://ow.ly/4j1e50Z9Fwq

✨The quest to “make America great again” is confounding with the accompanying roll back on rights which are being taken with the stroke of a pen, the complicity of the Supreme Court and the Congress. The attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs that promote and highlight the achievements of people of color and the historically marginalized have resulted in changes on university campuses and in schools.

✨ The return to what was, does not represent the teachings and ministry of Jesus, who fed the hungry and advocated for the poor, a ministry that was against the Empire of his day and the religious zealots who were unconcerned with the needs of the people and content in ensuring their place and commitment to the cruelty of the day.

-Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
General Minister & President/CEO, UCC

👉🏾 Quote from her latest On My Mind Today blog post, “More Greatness: A New Guilded Age?”
https://ow.ly/xxaf50Zafus