From the President

Ministry in Action

By Michael Readinger | July 10, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

In this issue of Diakonie, the CHHSM Board and Staff are pleased to present “Ministry in Action,” the 2017 Annual Report of the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, United Church of Christ.  I hope that you will read it with care so that you can enjoy the stories of the hands and feet…

Read More

Inspired Leaders (with a) Bold Vision (and) Shared Values

By Michael Readinger | June 14, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

Every June and November, I attend a full week of back to back Board meetings for CHHSM and then the National Benevolent Association (Christian Church, Disciples of Christ). Two weeks ago, I was with the CHHSM Board and Staff in Cleveland from Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, I went to St. Louis to meet with…

Read More

Creating a Movement

By Michael Readinger | May 14, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

There is a season, turn, turn, turn. — Pete Seeger It looks like summer is finally here in the Midwest. May days will soon lead to June, July and August. As I am writing this, we have an upper 80-degree day with sunny skies! For some odd reason, Peter Seeger’s lyrics from The Byrds’ 1965…

Read More

Alleluia is Our Cry

By Michael Readinger | April 13, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

We are an Easter people. And Alleluia is our cry. — St. Augustine Life is so beautiful. The glories of every sunrise, every sunset, every full moon, every starlit sky. The joy of all those children, neighbors, the Earth, our pets, our friends, the sense of accomplishment or congratulations for a job well done, that…

Read More

One Voice

By Michael Readinger | March 13, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

The CHHSM Annual Gathering has come and gone. But, for those of us who attended last week in St. Louis, the voices we heard will stick with us for quite a while. So many voices, from so many places, across so many miles, in more than one language. All coming together. As. One. Voice. Before…

Read More

Extravagant Welcome

By Michael Readinger | February 14, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

It has been a couple of years since the United Church of Christ migrated away from the branding and marketing language that included Extravagant Welcome. But, as we finalize our preparations for the CHHSM Annual Gathering in St. Louis from March 1-3, 2018, it is clear that this language still applies whenever we gather as…

Read More

In Covenant, Effecting Change

By Mary Paxton | January 15, 2018

Micah 6:8 tells us that we are required “to do justice, love kindness and to walk humble.” I have had the pleasure of having positions in my career that I considered to be a ministry: a ministry of touching people’s lives. My own life experiences, along with my work in the nonprofit sector, keep me…

Read More

New Year News

By Michael Readinger | January 15, 2018
Michael J. Readinger

Welcome to 2018 Friends! As we enter the new year, I thought it would be nice to share the current state of affairs in the CHHSM world. This may be the first time you have heard some of this and some of this may be familiar, but it is worth telling you what has occurred…

Read More

The Intersection of Faith, Healing and Public Policy Advocacy

By Guest Contributor | December 13, 2017

By Sandy Sorensen, Director, Washington Office, United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries; CHHSM Board Member Healing and public policy advocacy go hand-in-hand. That may seem to be a surprising combination to many people, but after years of working as a faith-based public policy advocate for the UCC, I have found it to be…

Read More

What are you waiting for?

By Michael Readinger | December 13, 2017
Michael J. Readinger

Maybe it’s me just getting older, but recently I find myself thinking of all the things I have to do — NOW! Of course, it’s only natural for me to then want everyone to march to the same tune as me so that I don’t have to wait for others to catch up. And then…

Read More
Join Our Mailing LIst

Follow on Facebook

Quick Links