wfn.org | Geoffrey Black elected; ministries of Jaramillo and Sterner affirmed

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Geoffrey Black elected; ministries of Jaramillo and Sterner affirmed

> Written by J. Martin Bailey
> June 30, 2009

The Rev. Geoffrey Black, who has served for nearly a decade as
minister of the UCC's New York Conference, was called by election
Tuesday evening to succeed the Rev. John Thomas as General Minister
and President of the United Church of Christ. Thomas was ineligible
for an additional term.

The announcement of Black's election was greeted with a standing
ovation. In brief remarks, the new general minister and president
thanked the delegates and spoke of his high expectations of working
with other members of the UCC's five-person Collegium of Officers.
Echoing his remarks at the time of his nomination, Black affirmed, "We
are in this together."

The Executive Ministers of two covenanted ministries also were called
by election to new terms. The Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo was re-elected
as Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries and the Rev.
Stephen L. Sterner was chosen as Executive Minister of Local Church
Ministries. All will serve four-year terms beginning Oct. 1, 2009.

Jaramillo oversees the denomination's work in human rights and social,
racial, and economic justice. She told delegates earlier in the day
when she accepted re-nomination that "when we are told that the church
should not meddle in politics, we need to answer that justice is not
political ? it is theological." She also said that justice work
requires interdependent leaders. Ours is not an isolated task but
requires many hands, she said.  "A leader is most effective when he or
she is barely visible."

Sterner originally was elected to complete the term of the Rev. Jose
Malayang, who resigned. The present election was for a full four-year
term.  Before coming to Local Church Ministries, Sterner had served
local churches and as a staff member of the former United Church Board
for Homeland Ministries.  His pastoral experience was in historic old
churches and in a new church start.

Other members of the Collegium joined the three who had just been
elected on the stage. Following warm mutual greetings, Thomas stepped
to the microphone and offered a prayer written by Dale Bishop four
years ago, when Bishop completed his service on the Collegium.