wfn.org | John Thomas is nominee for President of United Church of Christ

[George Conklin <gconklin@wfn.org>]

United Church of Christ
Office of Communication
700 Prospect Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
contact: Barbara Powell
phone: 216-736-2222
email: powellb@ucc.org
http://www.ucc.org

PROVIDENCE, RI - July 4, 1999 -  Connecticut is the old stomping ground of
General Minister and President nominee the Rev. John Thomas. Having grown up in
and been ordained at First Congregational Church, UCC, in Stamford, Conn. --
where his mother has been a member for more than 70 years) -- and having served
with the First Congregational Church of Cheshire and the Center Congregational
Church of Torrington, Thomas’s Connecticut connections run deep.
        On Saturday, July 3, Thomas took time to meet informally with delegates
from the Connecticut Conference at historic Benificent Congregational UCC in
Providence, and share elements of his vision. He identified three places he
thinks the UCC needs to direct its focus.  
        First, “we need especially to nurture and engender confidence in local
churches that we have compassionate, competent, courageous leadership
nationally,” he said. The second area involves the national setting of the
church. “The new structure,” said Thomas, “offers the opportunity to put into
place ways of working, living, and dreaming together.” Finally, Thomas
suggested, “We need to keep the fundamentals before us — the main issues in our
lives:  We need to renew our attention to the liturgical life of the church and
to the lives of broken persons throughout the world.”
        When asked to explain briefly what he envisions for the UCC 10 years
from now, Thomas replied, “I see vital congregations with a biblical vision and
inspired worship -- reaching out and touching others with compassion and care.
I also hope for congregations that have grown in their sense of connection to
other UCC congregations and the wider ecumenical community.”
        “We will be a part of something larger than the place where we find
ourselves,” he concluded, “older than our memory; broader than the concerns at
our doorstep.”