My father is a mininster at the United Church of Christ

[The Ghost]

i am not religious, but i've attended many worships and events at this church, and rest assured it is one of the most liberal open-minded gathering of people you can imagine. my father was minister at the UCC's in Martinsburg, WV, Martins Creek, PA, Halifax, MA, South Hadley, MA and Newport, NH, and rest assured, it is not some wacky organization some people are trying to make it out to be. if i was religious and wanted to be part of a church, its the UCC. they are a kind, warm and welcoming people and congregation that does a lot of good, and it should be noted and said.

[Adelante]

1. Thank you for the information nt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Worst I've ever seen it.

[LSparkle]

2. THANK YOU! I'm a UCC "preacher's kid" too ...

My father's first church was in a Chicago suburb (around the time the UCC
split from the Congregational Church), then he served in churches in northern,
southern and central California. As a child, we went to civil rights marches
and I was proud to let my friends know my dad once had dinner with Martin Luther
King, Jr.

I'm appalled by the way the United Church of Christ has been portrayed recently
and I'm glad you're helping to set the record straight. You'll be hard-pressed
to find a more open-minded, liberal, kind-hearted group, truly Christian
denomination whose parishioners put their faith into action.

[The Ghost]

3. from your mouth to another 'P.K.'

hehe! :) :)

but yes, let the truth be told!

[NastyRiffraff]

4. I don't think anyone criticized UCC

It has a good reputation overall. It isn't the religion itself that's the problem, it's one wacko pastor.

[ngant17]

9. Churches are social organizations

and if the congregation by and large does not like the preacher or his/her preaching, they can address the issue as a group, then the regulatory agency which in this case is the church hierarchy, it will act on their behalf. It's not for you to decide if this particular pastor is a "wacko", that's just one opinion. It has not weight for the TUCC because I assume you are not a member of the southside Chicago Trinity UCC. But why are you expecting Obama to be the judge and jury in this case?

Obama doesn't have to fret this one. Rev. Wright has officially retired as of last month, and the new preacher will probably be more reserved based on the fall-out of this incident.

I don't approve of a lot of things I hear my paster preach about in church, but I don't stop going because of a few bad sermons. I fall asleep sometimes, the sermons are quite boring and totally uninspiring. I would love to have a preacher that keeps me from falling asleep, and Rev. Wright would be fine with me.

A wacko preacher is something on the order of the Branch Davidians, David Koresh and Heaven's Gate, Marshall Applewhite, et. al. BTW I wouldn't necessarily classify Rev. Jim Jones and the tragedy at Jonestown in the same category, because there is some discrepancies between the official story of the incident and what some of the survivors who escaped from the jungles of Guyana have stated.

If you wanna talk wacko preachers, Rev. Wright is not even close to making that category. You're making a mountain out of a molehill, which is excellent fodder for the MSM.

[thevoiceofreason]

5. I'm a proud congregationalist member of a UCC in Houston

Progressive and a bit wacky sometimes. And we love America. But we don't wear lapel pins (unless they say Obama:))

[Ian David]

6. Here's a TV commercial for United Church of Christ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXCzzNoMeNs


See also:

Tell Viacom to run the new United Church of Christ ads
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x25364

[The Ghost]

11. FANTASTIC ad!!

n/t

[Ian David]

7. If I were Christian, I'd either join The Unitarians or The UCC. n/t

[Coexist]

8. thank you.

[sorrybushisfromtexas]

10. Very good post

As a Christian Liberal Democrat who belongs to a Southern Baptist Church, I must tell you I have always admired your denomination. I know the liberal and SBC don't usually go together, but there are a few of us around.

[bicentennial_baby]

12. w00t for South Hadley!!

Western MAsshole here! :hi:

[The Ghost]

14. HAHA!

I never got to live out in Western Mass myself, just out here in Boston and South Shore, but Western Mass is quite nice indeed!

[bicentennial_baby]

17. I'm on the South Shore now...

Shout out for Quincy!! Or, the Qz, as I call it :D

[yellerpup]

13. Thanks for your insights.

Your personal observation and experience is most welcome. Thanks!

[boston bean]

15. I have no doubt, but Obama's church on the other hand is not what you describe. nt

[cbayer]

18. Kudos from another PK

Disciples of Christ - very similar to UCC.

That being said, Rev. Wright's church is not really a typical UCC church and has probably placed the UCC at risk with the IRS.

But I agree, this should not be used to disparage UCC or other religious organizations that have been historically very progressive and very politically active.