wfn.org | UCC leader John Thomas to preach at historic DC church on Palm Sunday

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

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> Contact: Barb Powell

> United Church of Christ

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> E-Mail: powellb@ucc.org

> Wednesday, April 01, 2009

UCC leader to preach at historic DC church on Palm Sunday

Cleveland, OH- The Rev. John H. Thomas, United Church of Christ general minister and president, will deliver the sermon at People's Congregational UCC in Washington, D.C., on Palm Sunday, April 5.

Located at 4704 13th Street NW in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C., People's is a predominantly African-American, progressive Christian community that has been a pillar of Washington's religious community for 118 years.  The congregation is among those mentioned by some press outlets as a possible church home for U.S. President Barack Obama and his family.

In February 2009, the Rev. Michael C. Murphy, a former state legislator in Michigan, became People's ninth senior pastor.

"We are delighted to have the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ in Washington for Palm Sunday," said the Rev. John Deckenback, conference minister of the UCC's regional Central Atlantic Conference. "People's Congregational has a long history of significant witness, exemplified by the marvelous Amistad windows on the sanctuary's western wall."

Thomas is completing his final term as general minister and president. In his current role, he is charged with the care and nurture of the spiritual life of the United Church of Christ. Known for his vibrant and pastoral sermons, he is the principal spokesperson of the UCC's biennial General Synod ? the main deliberative body of the church ? and id is the official representative of the UCC in ecumenical and interfaith relations.

Ordained in 1975, Thomas served as a local church pastor and as the ecumenical officer of the UCC before being elected president in 1999. After the denomination restructured in 2000, Thomas was re-elected as general minister and president. He is a graduate of Gettysburg (Pa.) College and Yale University Divinity School. He also studied at the Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland.

The 1.2-million-member United Church of Christ has some 5,600 congregations in the United States. It was formed by the 1957 union of the Congregational Christian Churches and the Evangelical and Reformed Church.

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