Who We Are
Global Ministries is a common missional witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Global Ministries works with approximately 290 faith-based international partners in close to 90 countries.
Our Vision
That all of God’s people and creation share in God’s abundant life.
Our Mission
To receive and share the Good News of Jesus Christ by joining with global and local partners to work for justice, reconciliation, and peace
Core Values
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Building interdependence and unity among all of God’s children |
| Communities can stretch across boundaries and borders, across cultures and languages, while providing mutual support and collective dreams for the future. By weaving our lives together with those of international partners, we find new ways to nourish each other’s ministries |
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Walking in hope with others in God’s mission |
| Mutuality means sharing in the visions of partners instead of trying to guide them, and listening instead of lecturing. International partners offer unique projects and programs to serve the needs of their communities as they see them, and Global Ministries offers support of these visions, just as international partners in turn support the work of our denominations in the United States and Canada. |
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Living out God’s radical love by confronting powers that deny the fullness of life and the integrity of creation |
| When partners voice their concerns and take action to confront injustice in their communities, Global Ministries joins with them in advocacy. Through statements, Bible studies, denominational resolutions, letter writing campaigns and educational events, we work to amplify the voices that often go unheard in our uneven world. |
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Embodying reconciling relationships with God, humanity, and creation |
| Peace is more than the absence of war and violence, it provides a vision for finding new ways of encountering and engaging with the other. Joining with partners whose communities have faced decades of brutality, we lift up opportunities for reconciling relationships with God, humanity and creation. |
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Manifesting God’s love by living in intentional, committed relationships |
| Presence provides a bold vision of togetherness. In many cases the most powerful witness we can offer partners, is the willingness to share personally in their times of challenge and of joy. We are also grateful for the presence international partners offer the Church in the United States and Canada, as they share their experiences and understandings of God. |
Global Ministries Co-Executives
Rev. Julia Brown Karimu
Co-Executive Global Ministries, President, Division of Overseas Ministries
A native of Mississippi, Karimu started work at the Indianapolis General Office of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1977, serving as Director of Voluntary Service at what is now Disciples Home Missions. Eight years later, she moved to DOM as a Vice-President and Mission Personnel executive. Karimu, earned her Master of Divinity Degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis in 1986. She holds a B.S. degree in history and political science from Jackson State University.
Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson
Co-Executive Global Ministries, Associate General Minister, Wider Church Ministries and Operations
The Rev. Karen Georgia A. Thompson served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ for 10 years – two years as Minister for Racial Justice and 8 years as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations where she was instrumental in reshaping the ecumenical and interfaith efforts of the WCC. Her years in the global ecumenical community led to her service in the leadership of the National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, and other global and national ecumenical and interfaith bodies. Her passion for racial justice moved her work on behalf of the UCC into a global context, affording the opportunity to participate globally in efforts to reduce the marginalization experienced by African descendant peoples and other communities globally. Before joining the national staff of the UCC, Karen Georgia served in the Florida Conference United Church of Christ as a Pastor and on the Conference staff as the Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery. She also worked in the nonprofit arena for over 10 years in senior leadership positions.
Karen Georgia earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in New York, a Master’s in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, and a Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. She also studied Public Policy at Duke University and earned her Doctorate in Ministry at Seattle University.
Learn More About Global Ministries
Guiding Principles
History
Origin and legacy of the Common Global Ministries Board
2012 Long Range Plan
Global Ministries Staff Contact Information