The Rev. Geoffrey Black
Denomination: United Church of Christ (UCC)
The Rev. Geoffrey A. Black was elected General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ in June 2009. Prior to that, he served as Conference Minister of the UCC's New York Conference for nine years beginning in 2000.
Geoffrey Black previously served as a Minister for Church Life and Leadership with the then-Office for Church Life and Leadership (currently Parish Life and Leadership), a national agency of the United Church of Christ housed at the UCC's national offices in Cleveland, Ohio.
Prior to joining the staff of OCLL in 1994, he served as Pastor of the Congregational UCC of South Hempstead (N.Y.). During his years in ministry, Black also has served as assistant chaplain at Brown University, associate minister at St. Albans Congregational UCC in Queens, Lecturer in the Field Education Department at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and Protestant chaplain at Adelphi University.
In his capacity as Minister for Church Life and Leadership, Black was active in several key aspects of the ministry. In addition to engaging in the work common to all OCLL staff such as ministerial authorization and search and call, he devoted special attention to ecclesiastical endorsement, ministerial formation, congregational life and the development of resources for the multiracial/multicultural church.
During his tenure as a local church pastor, Black also was active in Association and Conference life, serving on several committees and holding a number of elected offices. He served on the Ordination and Standing Committee and the Committee on Church in the Metropolitan Community of the New York Metropolitan Association. He was chairperson of the New York Conference Commission on Mission Priorities and he served as moderator of the Conference.
Ecumenical commitment, concern for equal justice, African-American empowerment, and community improvement have shaped Black's ministry in the church and in the communities in which he has lived. This has resulted in his work with organizations such as the Nassau Coalition for Safety and Justice, The Long Island Interracial Alliance for a Common Future, and the Amistad Cultural Center of Long Island, which he co-founded. While living in Ohio, he has been an active member of Caring Communities of Shaker Heights, Ohio, and Partnership 2000 of the Shaker Public schools.
Rev. Black is maried to Patricia Williams-Black. They have one daugher, Makeda Black, who resides in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Articles by The Rev. Geoffrey Black
Geoffrey Black: A Season of Prayer, a Message of Justice and Peace
Thursday December 18, 2014
In his Reflections video, the Rev. Geoffrey Black urges us not to ignore the realities that face our world during Advent. As our experience of faith is challenged, what better time to consider what God’s love means.
Geoffrey Black: Reflecting on the Future of the Church
Friday April 11, 2014
Reflections is a new series from the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ. In this first segment, Rev. Black reflects on the future of the church and Vision Plan of the national settings, and how the denomination is aspiring to strengthen its bold, public voice in American Christianity.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: Sharing the Joy of Christmas
Friday December 23, 2011
With you at Christmas I share the joy of anticipation of even greater joy: It is the joy that comes in the assurance of God’s love for us and God’s eternal presence with us.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: The Buzz on "Mission 1"
Saturday November 05, 2011
These days there is a buzz throughout the United Church of Christ and it has to do with Mission: 1. There has been growing excitement about this new coordinated effort to address the needs of hungry people in the U.S. and abroad.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: Ten Years Later, Shoulder to Shoulder
Sunday October 23, 2011
September 11, 2011, has come and gone, and I'm feeling that now, the heavy lifting begins again. The period of reflection and commemoration was as rich as it was long.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: In storms' aftermath, give, pray, respond
Monday May 30, 2011
We observe Memorial Day this year with a keen awareness that many in our nation are reeling in the aftermath of several massive tornados and flooding that have caused loss of life and destruction of homes and businesses leaving many homeless and unemployed.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: A Call for Prayer for the Pathways to Peace
Thursday May 05, 2011
While many celebrate the death of bin Laden and feel that it has provided the nation with a fitting response to the horrific and brutal attack on citizens of the United States, there are others who see no reason to rejoice and instead feel a deep sense of disquiet and unease.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: Keeping It Real at Christmas
Wednesday December 22, 2010
In its fullness, the nativity story is about beauty, intrigue, suffering, risk and sacrifice along with the realities of immigration and poverty. It gives cause for hope and expresses our yearning for peace.
The Rev. Geoffrey Black: A Christmas Message
Wednesday December 23, 2009
The new General Minister of the United Church of Christ, the Rev. Geoffrey Black, shares a meditation for Christmas.