Rev. Phyllis Richards Named as Child and Elder Sponsorship Program Manager
Global Ministries is very happy to announce that Rev. Phyllis Richards will begin as the Child and Elder Sponsorship Program Manager on January 18, 2022. Phyllis has been a part of the Wider Church Ministries (UCC) staff for 21 years. She currently serves as the Minister for Offering Development and Grants for Global H.O.P.E.
“I look forward to continuing the wonderful work of the Global Ministries’ Child and Elder Sponsorship Program that my colleague, Linda Lawrence, so capably nurtured for many years,” shares Rev. Richards. “The program helps to provide a better world for children and elders worldwide. I am also excited to begin working within Global Ministries and share in work with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as well as the United Church of Christ.”
Rev. Richards is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the Chaplaincy Internship Program of On One Accord Ministry. She completed her seminary education in May 2018, graduating from Ashland Theological Seminary with a Masters in Pastoral Counseling and Care. Phyllis has worked at the national offices of the United Church of Christ since 2000.
With a special passion for families and youth, Rev. Richards began working with youth in Ohio over 30 years ago, who were associated with agencies including the Positive Education Program (PEP), Child Services, and Parmadale. In 2006, Rev. Richards began volunteering at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility. She graduated from the Chaplaincy Internship Program through On One Accord Ministries where she continues to volunteer and teach others about prison ministry and ways to offer pastoral services to the adjudicated and their families. In 2007, Phyllis Richards received her license for Ministry and was registered with the State of Ohio in 2011. In 2013 she was ordained and installed as Associate Pastor of Restoration Family Worship at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility.
Rev. Richards works for the UCC promoting the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, an ecumenical offering in which several denominations and Church World Service are participants. Working together, they share Gods love around the world raising funds and sharing funds where needed most. Approximately $10 Million is raised annually through this ecumenical offering that responds to disasters in the States and around the world, supports sustainable development in the areas of health, education, and agriculture internationally, and addresses and supports refugee and immigration concerns. Rev. Richards, as part of the National Headquarters of the UCC helps its 5,000+ churches promote the offering.
Through the UCC’s commitment to monitor, evaluate and be accountable to how offering dollars are spent, Rev. Richards has travelled internationally to several countries including: China, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia (East Timor), Japan, Jerusalem (Israel/Palestine), Jordan, Laos, Morocco, Philippines, South Africa, Lebanon, and Switzerland.
The UCC lifts up John 17:17, “That we may all be one”. Rev. Richards believes that we are all called to be one, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.