I have often said: “The United Church of Christ is the best kept secret around.” I find myself frequently correcting people: “No, we are not the Church of Christ, we are the United Church of Christ. Thanks to mass media, we are no longer a secret! In December 2004, the UCC aired 30-second commercials on network and cable stations across the country for 26 days as a part of their “God Is Still Speaking” initiative. The goal of the initiative was to strengthen the mission of the UCC by emphasizing it’s distinctive identity and witness, proclaiming that “God is Still Speaking.” Ron Buford, the national coordinator for the initiative, projected that we would reach 60 percent of the population, who would see the commercial four to five times. This included Atascadero!
As a part of the campaign, Gotham, Inc., an advertising company working with the denomination, prepared a brief personality profile, which speaks to the heart of who we are today: “I am the UCC. My roots go back 2,000 years, but I am very much now and today. I am not strict with tradition or dripping in rituals. Instead, I embrace modern intelligent thinking: Acceptance. Inclusiveness. Justice. I can even be lighthearted. My open-armed approach is appealing to people of all races and lifestyles, which might explain why my congregations are diverse and unique. Another funny thing happens when you’re less judgmental. You allow people to search, discover and flourish. My friends come to me to seek their own answers, look inside themselves and explore their spiritual lives. In the end, my personality is reflective of Christ’s. Open. Embracing. Nurturing. And eternally relevant.”
-- Pastor Susan Brecht
The Community Church of Atascadero
United Church of Christ
To find out more about the God is Still Speaking Initiative,
click on the following link:
To find out more about the United Church of Christ,
click on the following link:
