United Christian Church, Miles City, MT
An Open and Affirming church affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ

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2015  THE MINISTRY TEAM

When our pastor, Amber Richardson, resigned to work full time with her husband as an insurance adjuster, we were ably served by Lay Pastor Bob Zadow for a year, and during that time decided to form a Ministry Team and not call a new pastor.  For the past six years, our Ministry Team has shared the ministry of preaching and worship, pastoral visitation and counsel and planning.  It has been made up of Rev. Bob Thaden (UCC) Rev. Amber Richardson (DOC),  Ms. Dixie Rieger and Pastor Bob Zadow (Right to left) 


As volunteers, working with the laypeople of the congregation, this team approach has worked quite well.  Since the Team Members have served in virtually a non-paid capacity, the church has been freed up to be seriously generous with mission support and projects, including denominational support to both denominations, significant support for the local soup kitchen and food bank, refugee relief both internationally and with the Refugee Resettlement program in Missoula, and a host of other worthy agencies.


LATE 2019    OPEN AND AFFIRMING

United Christian Church has, from its beginning, been committed to a compassion for all people and welcome for all, without regard to race, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.  The church has had numerous gay and lesbian friends and members, and went through a discerning process in 2019 with the whole congregation to ask and answer the question, "Do we wish to become an "open and affirming" congregation (which is the language used by both the UCC and DOC for churches that are officially LGBTQ+ friendly.)  On the first Sunday in Advent, 2019, the church voted unanimously during worship to be Open and Affirming.  Our rainbow flag which we proudly fly, issues a welcome to all in Jesus' words— "Come unto me, ALL of you, and I will give you rest."