I’ve been a part of the United Church of Christ since 2010. During that time, I’ve visited 14 UCC congregations. Each has impacted me in a unique way.
Currently, I’m a Member in Discernment in the United Church of Christ and hope to be ordained later this year (see Midlife & MiD Life: A 9th Update for more about this process). In this reflection on my journey in my denomination of choice, I explore the contributions of these 14 congregations.
For the sake of simplicity, I’ve organized them alphabetically by state and also within each state. Each entry includes information about the congregation’s senior or lead clergyperson at the time of my experience and a summary of my visit or extended experience.
California
City of Refuge United Church of Christ (Oakland)
- Lead Pastor: Bishop Yvette A. Flunder, Founder and Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I visited City of Refuge as part of the third of three retreats I experienced as an Adese Fellow. During my time at City of Refuge, I had the opportunity to learn from some amazing leaders in and beyond the United Church of Christ, including Bishop Flunder. In the space pictured below, we concluded the year long fellowship with a ceremony that included the laying on of hands and blessing of each fellow for their ongoing work in creating a more just world through social enterprise. (My posts about the Adese experience began with Adese Fellowship (Social Enterprise), included reflection on the launch of my social enterprise project: Now Open!, continued with reflections on specific learning experiences: Love the Problem – Not Your Solution and Spiritual Entrepreneurship, and concluded with a reflection on my first year working in this space: My Year of Social Enterprise.)
Florida
Coral Gables Congregational United Church of Christ (Coral Gables)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Dr. Laurinda M. Hafner, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I visited Coral Gables UCC for the Florida Conference’s Annual Meeting in 2015. During that experience, I sat at the feet of many leaders in the denomination including the denomination’s then General Minister and President, Rev. Geoffrey A. Black. I also participated in worship led by Rev. Dr. Laurie Hafner. (During this time period I was writing about what was happening in Florida in the UCC. For more on this see I Am-Ness, More Decline in the Mainline: UCC in Florida and Declining Worship Attendance. I also shared a bit about the declining financial resources at the denominational level in Declining Denominational Budgets.)
Naples United Church of Christ (Naples)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Dr. Rev. Dr. Ron Patterson, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I visited Naples United Church of Christ in 2011 to attend a Sunday morning worship service after completing my ministry in a nearby congregation of a different denomination. A few months later I joined the staff in a position focused on Adult Discipleship. I continued in that role until 2015. In addition to Rev. Dr. Patterson, I served alongside a number of other UCC clergy including Rev. Beverly Duncan, Rev, Cathy O’Connell, and Rev. Dr. Dawson Taylor. Additionally, during my ministry in this congregation, I completed a course in UCC History and Polity taught by then Conference Minister, Rev. Kent Siladi and became a Member in Discernment. (Posts focused on my experiences at Naples UCC include Returning to Parish Ministry, Reuniting Old Friends, Prayers of the People – A Different Approach, Life-Giving Wind, Sermon: Faith in Naples, Ministry Reflection: Getting Started in the UCC, Learning from Diana Butler Bass, Pastoral Prayer: Love, Labyrinth Dedication, Living the Overflow, The Church of Unsticking, Marketing Adult Ministries, A “So What” Faith, My Summer Vacation Worship Report, Pentecost – The Power of Love, and First In Person Worship Service in Florida)
Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ (Fort Myers)
- Lead Pastor: Dr. Greg Smith, Interim Pastor
- Visit Summary: In 2014, I preached for four consecutive Sundays while the congregation’s pastor, Rev. Phil White, was away on his final extended vacation before retiring. I then returned in 2015 to serve as Interim Pastor in 2015. (For more on this experience see My New Role: Transitional Minister, The Church of Renewal, Fort Myers Congregational UCC, Most Popular Sermons of 2015, Sermon: Living Well, Living Wisely, Sermon: 1967 Sundays and Counting, Prayers for Racial Justice, No Sermon Sunday #1, and all sermons can be watched or read on Sermons.)
United Church of Marco Island (Marco Island)
- Lead Pastor: Dr. Greg Smith, Interim Senior Pastor (assisted by Rev. Ron Thompson as Interim Associate Pastor and followed by Rev. Dr. Mark Williams as Settled Senior Pastor)
- Visit Summary: From 2013-2014, I served as the second of two interim pastors between settled senior ministers at United Church of Marco Island. While I firmly believe all ministry is temporary, this was my first experience as an interim and also my first experience as a senior minister in a congregation with multiple clergy. (For more on this experience see My New Call, The Church of New Beginnings, A Sensory Maundy Thursday Service, Sermon: The Next Chapter, Sermon: The Best Sermon, Sermon: A Welcome Back Party, and The Non-Violent Radical)
Kentucky
St. Peter’s United Church of Christ (Louisville)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I visited St. Peter’s United Church of Christ as part of the second Adese Fellowship retreat on the occasion of the MOLO Village CDC Ground Blessing Ceremony. The 30,000 facility opened in 2021. This $7 million project was the first investment in decades in the long-neglected Russell neighborhood in Louisville’s West End and was built on a former church parking lot. MOLO Village houses social services, businesses, a bank branch, a restaurant, and more (This experience was mentioned in God is Doing a New Thing – My Experiences in UCC Congregations.)
Massachusetts
Old South Church (Boston)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I visited Old South Church – a congregation that was organized in 1669 – as part of the initial retreat for the Adese Fellowship in 2018. Rev. Taylor welcomed us to Old South and encouraged the group to do the important and groundbreaking social enterprise work to which it had been called.
Texas
Cathedral of Hope (Dallas)
- Lead Pastor: Dr. Neil G. Thomas, Senior Pastor (Other clergy on staff include Rev. Dr. Michael Diaz, Rev. Dr. Andria Davis, Rev. Jeremy Rose, and Rev. Yinessa Romero)
- Visit Summary: I visited Cathedral of Hope on multiple occasions in late 2016 before joining the congregation in February 2017. In March 2022, I began serving as a small group host and a small group facilitator. That summer I added on the responsibility of shepherding and resourcing the leaders of all small groups that met in person (a responsibility that has since evolved into leading half of the small group leaders regardless of whether their groups meet virtually or in person). In late 2022, I started a conversation with Rev. Dr. Thomas and Rev. Dr. Davis that led to Cathedral of Hope supporting me in my current journey toward ordination in the United Church of Christ. (Some of the most significant related posts include Cathedral of Hope – The Church of Hope and 6 Years & Counting, which includes links to a dozen earlier posts and Midlife & MiD Life: A 9th Update, which links to nine additional posts about my journey toward ordination. During my time at CoH, I’ve also written a number of posts about the denomination that have been some of the all time most popular posts on So What Faith, including UCC Decline Enters 7th Decade, 6 Decades of Decline in the United Church of Christ, and Open and Affirming: Significant New Stats.)
Central Congregational Church (Dallas)
(photo by Greg Smith)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Jenny Davant, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I attended the Spring 2023 Meeting of the North Texas Association of the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ, which was held at Central Congregational Church. The experience included a brief worship service with a message from the host pastor, Rev. Jenny Davant. (For more on this experience check out Seeking Ordination – Update #7.)
Cosmopolitan United Church of Christ (Carrollton)
- Lead Pastor: Unknown
- Visit Summary: I attended a Sunday morning worship service at Cosmopolitan United Church of Christ in May 2016.
Embrace United Church of Christ (Richland Hills)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Ken Ehrke, Pastor
- Visit Summary: I attended a Sunday morning worship service at Embrace United Church of Christ in August 2018.
First Community Church (Dallas)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Ray Jordan, Pastor
- Visit Summary: In March 2022, I attended the congregation’s final Sunday morning worship service at their campus on Ferguson Road. Additionally, I’ve been blessed to interact with Rev. Jordan and many members of this congregation in their role as member church of the White Rock Center of Hope. First Community volunteers spend a Saturday once a quarter volunteering at WRCH where I serve as Executive Director.
First Congregational Church (Fort Worth)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Lee Ann Bryce, Senior Pastor
- Visit Summary: I attended the Sunday morning worship service at First Community Church three times in 2018, including on Easter Sunday. I returned in 2019 for an event sponsored by Brite Divinity School that featured a lecture by United Church of Christ Executive Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries, Rev. Traci Blackmon.
Round Grove United Church (Lewisville)
- Lead Pastor: Rev. Dr. Byron S. Wells, Pastor
- Visit Summary: I attended a Sunday morning worship service at Round Grove United Church of Christ in December 2015.
So What?
I came to the United Church of Christ after serving congregations affiliated with three other Mainline Protestant denominations (and after earning three theological degrees from schools affiliated with three other Christian traditions). I arrived in 2010 and realized I had found my theological home shortly thereafter.
This post focuses on congregations I’ve visited and experienced in person. I’ve also been fortunate to have mentors, friends, and colleagues from a number of other congregations and from other settings of the United Church of Christ.