For hundreds of years, the United Church of Christ has been symbolized by the white steeples that rise all over the New England landscape. But the church, now one of America’s most progressive Christian denominations, has a new symbol: Darrell Goodwin, the first openly gay African American to lead a UCC conference.
Goodwin sees his mission as offering an aggressive welcome to all of God’s people — a calling that began when he was a teen, writing sermons in his bedroom and working off of feedback from his grandmother.
In remarks before his election, Goodwin articulated his vision: “Might we set this church and this world on fire.