November 30, 2010

The Reverend Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, will present "God is Still Speaking: A Conversation on Faith" at Elmhurst (Ill.) College on Dec. 9.

"I've had the pleasure of speaking with Rev. Black about our heritage and mission," says Elmhurst College President S. Alan Ray, noting his school's affiliation with the 1.1-million member UCC, which Black came to lead in September 2009.

"The United Church of Christ and Elmhurst College share much in common, especially our commitments to social engagement, self-formation and respect for faith, meaning and values," says Ray. "I am delighted to welcome Rev. Black back to our campus to continue and advance this dialogue."

Black's ministries, both within the church and in the communities in which he has lived, have been shaped by ecumenical commitment, concern for equal justice, African-American empowerment and community improvement. He has worked with such organizations as the Nassau Coalition for Safety and Justice and the Amistad Cultural Center of Long Island, which he co-founded.

Black served as conference minister of the UCC's New York Conference for nine years. During his years in ministry, Black served as pastor of the Congregational UCC of South Hempstead (N.Y.), assistant chaplain at Brown University, and lecturer in the field-education department at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

His visit is part of a yearlong series of dialogues on faith – its varieties, contradictions and influence in the modern world. Still Speaking: Conversations on Faith includes lectures and cultural events, service and outreach projects, and academic work.

The series takes its name from the UCC's "God Is Still Speaking" initiative, an ongoing campaign to reaffirm the church's role as a welcoming, justice-minded community. Still Speaking is Elmhurst's way of marking the graduation centennial of two of its most esteemed alumni, theologians Reinhold Niebuhr (Class of 1910) and H. Richard Niebuhr (Class of 1912).

Black will speak at 7 p.m. in the Founders Lounge of the College's Frick Center, 190 Prospect Ave., in Elmhurst. The event is free and open to the public.

Elmhurst College (at http://www.elmhurst.edu/) is a leading liberal arts college 8 miles west of Chicago. Its mission is to prepare students for meaningful, ethical work in a multicultural, global society. Approximately 3,400 full- and part-time students are enrolled in 22 undergraduate academic departments and nine graduate degree programs.

United Church of Christ News Service