UnitedMinistry

04/08/2026

🙌🏾"There was a once upon a time, not too long ago, when compassion was an expectation from leaders. Jesus’s commandment to love is rooted in compassion.

"The call for change is a cry for mercy in a world where compassion is lacking from the highest offices. The church and communities of faith should be at the forefront calling for mercy as Bishop Budde and others have done. Instead, the call for silence is supported by the church. Those who continue to claim that the church has no place in the public square. Prophetic witness demands different when there are voices in the chair who claim the anointing of this president and support his actions as being sanctioned by God.

"Across faith traditions and spiritual practices, love and compassion are cited repeatedly as God-centered values. To miss these essential elements and claim faith as a part of one’s life is counter intuitive."

-Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
General Minister & President/CEO, UCC

👉🏾 Quote from her latest On My Mind Today blog post, “A Compassionless Culture:” https://ow.ly/UrOp50YFgMP

04/08/2026

: God of Glory, help us talk honestly about sinful crimes, pursue justice against those who commit them, and carry on toward You.

04/08/2026

Roberto Gonzalez was a trail-blazing gay pastor and LGBTQ-rights activist in Argentina. He founded the nation’s first church for LGBTQ people in 1987 and was the first religious leader to publicly defend LGBTQ rights there. He marched at the head of the first Argentine Pride parade and even chaine...

04/05/2026

Happy Resurrection Day /Easter Sunday!!

🙌🏾 Happy Easter!

"Holy Love, May the promise of new life enable us to end the things that do not serve us, to end the attitudes that do not honor you, and to end the ways in which we are complacent and complicit in the world.

"Empower us to leave those things in the tomb and follow your trail. Jesus, you have demonstrated the path of your kindom, keep us on the road of abundant and transformed life as revived and encouraged participants in your resurrected and glorified body.

Have mercy on us, Holy One. Amen."

-Rev. Dr. Cheryl A. Lindsay,
Minister for Worship and Theology, UCC
From “Resurrection Sunday,” Worship Ways: https://ow.ly/6B4K50YEiCs

with: Sermon Seeds (United Church of Christ)

04/05/2026

🙌🏾 Happy Easter!

Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!
May this Easter bring joy, hope & fresh inspiration.

04/05/2026

✝️💜👐🏾🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Today, we proclaim:

"He is not here; he has risen!"

On Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate the living Christ, who meets us not in the tomb, but in the fullness of life. Where we expect endings, God brings new beginnings. Where we see loss, God reveals resurrection.

This is the heart of Easter: that death does not have the final word. Love is alive. Hope is alive. Christ is alive.

May we live as resurrection people—carrying that hope into every place longing for renewal, and bearing witness to a love that makes all things new.

03/03/2026

03/03/2026

Malcolm Boyd is a pioneering gay Episcopal priest, activist and author who died at age 91 on Feb. 27, 2015. He left a successful career in the Hollywood film industry to become a priest in 1955, was a “Freedom Rider” for racial justice in 1961, and officially came out as gay in 1977. He wrote 35...

03/03/2026

✝️🩷🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Shine bright in all your colors. 🌈

Every part of who you are — your joy, your strength, your creativity, your courage — reflects the light God placed within you. You were never meant to dim yourself to make others comfortable. You were created to shine.

Step into this week boldly, fully, and unapologetically you.

01/27/2026

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Pastor Jerrell Walls, who went home to be with the Lord on January 18, 2026 following a brief illness. A steadfast and compassionate servant of God, his life was defined by faith, courage, and an unwavering commitment to loving all people.

Raised by pastor parents in Northwest Texas and called to ministry at a young age, Jerrell’s gifts were evident early—teaching Bible lessons to neighborhood children at just ten years old and leading with purpose throughout his youth. A lifelong learner and devoted pastor, he founded Christ Chapel of the Valley in 1992, creating a spiritual home rooted in grace, truth, and inclusion.

Through deep personal reflection and faith, Jerrell reconciled his calling with his identity, answering God’s tug to reach those too often excluded from the church, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. His ministry brought healing, restoration, and belonging to countless lives, extending beyond the pulpit through interfaith leadership, civic service, and advocacy.

Pastor Jerrell Walls leaves behind a powerful legacy of love, integrity, and radical welcome—one that will continue to guide and inspire all who were blessed to know him.



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01/27/2026

We are deeply saddened to share that, on Friday, Dr. James (Jim) Brownson passed away at the age of 70, surrounded by his family.

Dr. Brownson was a New Testament professor at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, and the author of the seminal 2013 book "Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships."

Jim was an early supporter and board member of The Reformation Project, and his contributions both to our work and the church overall were extraordinary. He was a profoundly gifted teacher and scholar, and the original series of lectures he gave at our inaugural conference in 2013 are still available to watch and learn from on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1f0KD-B0Z8).

But even more than his mind, what stood out most about Jim was the depth of his character and his faith. Many church leaders become affirming privately but opt not to share their views publicly. Jim could've taken that path, but instead, he chose to speak out about what he believed to be right and use his gifts to elevate the theological debate about same-sex relationships.

In the process, Jim produced the single finest academic work about the Bible and same-sex relationships, significantly strengthening the quality of the affirming case and powerfully changing the conversation in the church. His work touched and transformed the lives of thousands of people, including countless Reformation Project supporters, ambassadors, and conference attendees who were able to share their gratitude with him in person over the years.

If you would like to send flowers to the Brownson family or leave a tribute to Jim, please visit this link: https://www.langelandsterenberg.com/obituaries/james-brownson. We are deeply grateful for this wonderful man, a fierce and brilliant advocate for gay, bisexual, and transgender Christians who we know has now been told, "Well done, good and faithful servant."