The Power of Partnerships

Partnership is central to who we are and how we operate as Global Ministries. Global Ministries itself is a partnership between the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) formalized nearly 30 years ago in 1996. Our two denominations have chosen to share in this blessed work together — combining our staffs, our historical relationships around the world, and our financial resources — because we believe our ministries of witness and presence around the world are stronger when we engage in them together rather than apart.

Partnership is also at the heart of how we actually conduct our ministries around the world. Our global partnerships are formal, often deeply historic, relationships with denominations in other countries, with ecumenical bodies, or with organizations advocating for human rights, justice and peace in their particular context. In some cases, the church or organization with which we partner was one actually founded by our forebears in the United Church of Christ or Disciples of Christ, hospitals or schools established by mission co-workers of our churches decades or even centuries ago.  Other partners emerged over time as we discovered organizations doing work aligned with our values that we wanted to accompany and support for the long term.

These days I have the privilege of meeting our global partners face-to-face on a regular basis. But I learned a lesson about just how transformative authentic partnerships can be many years ago.  It was 2005, and I was serving as the Executive Director of the UCC’s Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi.  Two months earlier, Hurricane Katrina had left us utterly devastated. I’d been asked to come to the Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference, a long-time partner of the Mission, to speak about the impacts of the hurricane on the Gulf Coast region and on our ministries. 

As I sat in the audience that day, emotionally exhausted from the enormity of the disaster and the upheaval it had caused to Back Bay Mission and everything I knew, a delegation from the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea (PROK) stepped onto the stage.  The PROK and the Connecticut Conference also had a long-term partnership, and the South Korean delegation was bringing greetings. Suddenly, I heard my name called, and was asked to join the Korean delegation on stage. There the PROK members presented me with a generous financial gift to aid in the Mission’s recovery efforts. They explained to me that, though we had never met and they had no personal familiarity with Back Bay Mission at that time, they knew that the Mission was, like them, a partner and friend of the Connecticut Conference.  And that was all they needed to know. They wanted to help the partner of their partner. For them, it was just that simple.

I was overwhelmed that day by their profound grace; even now I’m moved to tears remembering it.  That experience taught me something about the beauty and power of partnership that I still carry with me now. Partnership widens our mercy and care.  Healthy partnerships are characterized by mutual respect and sharing. An authentic partner hurts when the other hurts, and rejoices when the other rejoices. Partnership draws us together in an inescapable bond of the Spirit.

The Reverend Shari Prestemon began her service with the national ministries of the United Church of Christ in January 2024. As the Acting Associate General Minister & Co-Executive for Global Ministries she has the privilege of supporting several teams: Global Ministries, Global H.O.P.E., Public Policy & Advocacy Team (Washington, D.C.), our staff liaison at the United Nations, and our Gender & Sexuality Justice Team. She previously served as a local church pastor in Illinois and Wisconsin, the Executive Director at Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the Minnesota Conference Minister. Her call to ministry grew, in part, from early Global Ministries experiences, especially service as a Peace & Justice Intern in Dumaguete City, the Philippines.