Section 2. UCC Identity for Ministry

Section 2. UCC Identity for Ministry

Part A — Acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as a head of the church and a passion for the oneness of the body of Christ.

• 1. Acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as sole Head of the Church.
• 2. A passion for the oneness of the body of Christ as expressed through commitment to ecumenism, justice, and the full embrace of all persons in the radical hospitality of God.

Part B — Active membership within the local church and connection to the larger body of the UCC.

• 3. Active membership in a local church of the United Church of Christ.
• 6. Ongoing demonstration of commitment to the United Church of Christ.
• 7. Stewardship of resources, including financial support of the church in all of its settings.
• 8. Participation in the various settings of the United Church of Christ, including the conference/association and local church.

Part C — The ability to articulate the diverse histories that comprise the UCC and understanding the concept of covenant.

• 4. The ability to articulate diverse histories that comprise the United Church of Christ, to situate them in the broader evolution of faith traditions and to relate them to the theology, polity, and practices of the Member’s local church, association, and conference.
• 9. An understanding of the concept of covenant and how it informs the nature, purpose, and polity of the United Church of Christ.
• 10. The ability to explain and work within the current polity of the UCC and its denominational structure, and to describe the covenantal relationships among the General Synod, national setting, conferences, associations, and local congregations of the UCC.

Part D — A willingness to live into the covenant and the ability to live out the mission of the UCC in the world.

• 5. The ability to share key elements of the UCC’s statement of faith, constitution with its preamble, and bylaws regarding the governance, mission, and theologies of the UCC and their implications for the life of the church.
• 11. A willingness to live in the covenants of mutual accountability that characterize authorized ministry in the United Church of Christ.
• 12. The ability to articulate the UCC’s commitment to being a united and uniting, multiracial and multicultural, open and affirming, accessible to all and just peace church.
• 13. The ability to envision how the UCC in its various settings may respond to religious, social, economic, and political trends, changing demographics, and other emerging factors.
• 14. The ability to use and promote the informational and educational resources available through UCC publications and websites.