Today, the UCC is launching “100,000 for Health Care,” a massive 10-day viral campaign to gather 100,000 signatures to a UCC petition that will be presented to bipartisan leaders and members of Congress, starting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s in-district office where the Rev. Geoffrey Black, general minister and president-elect, will hand deliver the names while visiting several churches in San Francisco area on Sept. 18-20.

The campaign site is now live.  Take a look, sign the petition … but also help us spread the word!

http://www.ucc.org/justice/health/100k-for-health-care/

While resonating with the successful and popular “100,000 for Peace” campaign of 2007-2008, this monumental effort is even more daunting, given the short timeframe we’ve outlined. Gathering 100,000 in 10 days is going to take intentionality on the part of all of us!

A series of messages and engagements will take place over the next 10 days to build momentum and report progress toward reaching our 100,000 goal.  We’re hoping that each of you will work your networks to help build support among UCC churches, members, friends, allies and supporters.

Through the campaign, ‘100,000 for Health Care’ supporters will be able to:

• Add their names to the big tally.
• Message their representatives and senators directly.
• Add individual photos to the scrolling “We are the 100,000 for Health Care” image montage.
• Invite friends to join the campaign.
• Support the UCC through Our Church’s Wider Mission: National Basic Support

This campaign is building on the great work that has been driven in recent weeks by Justice and Witness Ministries, especially Barbara Baylor.  We also see this as a “seize-able moment” in the nation’s history and in our church’s work where we can come together, in common witness, to speak a word about health care for all.

We believe that each person is unique and valuable. It is the will of God that every person belong to a family of faith where they have a strong sense of being valued and loved.

We believe that each person is on a spiritual journey and that each of us is at a different stage of that journey.

We believe that the persistent search for God produces an authentic relationship with God, engendering love, strengthening faith, dissolving guilt, and giving life purpose and direction.

We believe that all of the baptized 'belong body and soul to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.' No matter who – no matter what – no matter where we are on life's journey – notwithstanding race, gender, sexual orientation, class or creed – we all belong to God and to one worldwide community of faith. All persons baptized – past, present and future – are connected to each other and to God through the sacrament of baptism. We baptize during worship when the community is present because baptism includes the community's promise of 'love, support and care' for the baptized – and we promise that we won't take it back – no matter where your journey leads you.

We believe that all people of faith are invited to join Christ at Christ's table for the sacrament of Communion. Just as many grains of wheat are gathered to make one loaf of bread and many grapes are gathered to make one cup of wine, we, the many people of God, are made one in the body of Christ, the church. The breaking of bread and the pouring of wine reminds us of the costliness of Christ's sacrifice and the discipleship to which we are all called. In the breaking of bread, we remember and celebrate Christ's presence among us along with a 'cloud of witnesses' – our ancestors, family and friends who have gone before us. It is a great mystery; we claim it by faith.

We believe the UCC is called to be a united and uniting church. "That they may all be one." (John 17:21) "In essentials–unity, in nonessentials–diversity, in all things–charity," These UCC mottos survive because they touch core values deep within us. The UCC has no rigid formulation of doctrine or attachment to creeds or structures. Its overarching creed is love. UCC pastors and teachers are known for their commitment to excellence in theological preparation, interpretation of the scripture and justice advocacy. Even so, love and unity in the midst of our diversity are our greatest assets.

We believe that God calls us to be servants in the service of others and to be good stewards of the earth's resources. 'To believe is to care; to care is to do.'

We believe that the UCC is called to be a prophetic church. As in the tradition of the prophets and apostles, God calls the church to speak truth to power, liberate the oppressed, care for the poor and comfort the afflicted.

We believe in the power of peace, and work for nonviolent solutions to local, national, and international problems.

We are a people of possibility. In the UCC, members, congregations and structures have the breathing room to explore and to hear ... for after all, God is still speaking, ...

United Church of Christ Statement of Faith
Adapted by Robert V. Moss

We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, who is made known to us in Jesus, our brother, and to whose deeds we testify. God calls the worlds into being; creates humankind in the divine image; and sets before us the ways of life and death. God seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin. God judges all humanity and all nations by that will of righteousness declared through prophets and apostles. In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Lord, God has come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the whole creation to its Creator. God bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues and races.

God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship; to be servants in the service of the whole human family; to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil; to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table; and to join him in his passion and victory. God promises to all who trust in the gospel forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace; courage in the struggle for justice and peace; the presence of the Holy Spirit in trial and rejoicing; and eternal life in that kingdom which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto God.

10. What if church is like spinach ...?
You know, like something that you hated as a kid but you love as an adult because you eat it in ways that suit you much better. Guess what? A lot of people are having the same sort of experience with church . . . In the UCC, things are often quite different and worth checking out.

9. Variety...
UCC churches tend to tailor themselves to fit the people they feel called to serve in their local community. The result: A wide variety of musical traditions, expressions and values that have integrity and purpose. From conservative to liberal, we're not short on variety.

8. No apologies...
You are what you are...and so are we – we like ourselves just fine. Find a church where you will fit in, be nurtured and challenged to grow.

7. No waiting...
You don't have to join to be active in many UCC churches. If you want to get involved, many of our churches will find a place to help fulfill your need to give – whether or not you decide to join.

6. No boxes
God can blow the lid off any box, unfold it and turn it into a dance floor. We tend to be the "out of the box" people. Among our many firsts, we were the first mainline church to take a stand against slavery (1700), the first to ordain an African American person (1785), the first to ordain a woman (1853), the first in foreign missions (1810), and the first to ordain openly gay lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons (1972). We value education for all people. We founded Harvard and Yale, as well as many historically black colleges, six of which remain affiliated with the UCC to this day.

5. One God, One Faith, One Baptism for All
When we baptize you into our community, we promise that we will never take it back – no matter what you discover about yourself or what others discover about you along life's journey. We believe that baptism places each of us into the "body of Christ" and lasts forever. Some are baptized as infants, others as adults. Some are sprinkled. Others are immersed. Some reclaim their baptism from a previous church life. For each of us, however, baptism is big enough, strong enough and cleansing enough to last forever. We believe that everyone – old, young, straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, physically or emotionally challenged, rich or poor, sure or unsure, lost or found, Democrat or Republican has a place in the body of Christ. Baptism is like a badge that says, "you're a full member of the church and no one can take that away from you."

4. Good News People
We believe that No. 5 is good news!

3. "Party" Church
God is having a party and we are all invited. At God's party our spiritual hungering is fed and our thirsting is satisfied. At God's party we get strength, stamina and community support that helps us through the tough times that come to everyone. Feeding our spiritual hunger helps reduce those, "I can't believe I'm so stupid" moments – but we'll never eliminate them all. That's why we need friends and companions and not judges (no offense to judges) for the journey.

2. Spiritual Guidance...
It's not about commandments. It's about relationships – even with God. The most important relationship is our relationship with God. Second most important is our relationships with the rest of the human family. In balance, these relationships produce justice amid injustice, kindness in the face of meanness, and the humility of self acceptance that comes as we sense the presence of a God who knows our inmost thoughts and loves us uncontrollably – just as we are. Spiritual journeys can be like the exercise equipment we buy and leave under the bed. Without coaches and workout partners, most of us don't stick with it. We're the "Journeys Wanted" people . . . bring yours.

1. We're waiting for you.