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The United Church of Christ (UCC) is set to review and vote on several proposed amendments to its Constitution and Bylaws during the 35th General Synod, scheduled for July 11-15 in Kansas City, Missouri. To facilitate understanding of these changes, the UCC Board has organized a series of webinars and released a question-and-answer document addressing frequent inquiries.
The upcoming General Synod will consider three sets of amendments. The first two involve adjustments to the terms for Directors on the United Church of Christ Board of Directors and the United Church Funds Board of Directors, as well as Members of the General Synod Nominating Committee. Previously, terms were aligned with a biennial General Synod schedule. However, after shifting to a triennial format at General Synod 34, term lengths are now under review. Proposed changes suggest reducing service from nine years (three terms) to six years (two terms).
A third set of amendments pertains to the election process for Associate General Ministers (AGMs). Since 2017, AGMs have not been chief executives but rather have roles assigned by and accountable to the General Minister and President (GMP). This restructuring aims to clarify governance roles within the church's leadership.
The UCC Board plans at least two webinars for further discussion: one on May 20 from 12-1:30 pm Eastern Time and another on June 3 from 5:30-7 pm Eastern Time. These sessions aim to present proposed changes in detail and gather feedback from church members.
For more information or detailed discussions about these proposals, interested parties can contact UCCB Chair Julia Gaughan via email at gaughanj@ucc.org.
