Search for Associate General Minister – Love of Neighbor

Ms. Bathke serves as the current Co-Chair of the Common Global Ministries Board and is a member of Faith United Church of Christ in Wentzville, MO. Ms. Bathke is a retired Chief Operating Officer for the St. Louis Regional Chapter of the American Red Cross. She served Wider Church Ministries Board under the former governance structure and completed her last two years serving on the new UCCB Finance Committee. Ms. Bathke currently serves on the Missouri Mid-South Conference Council and chairs the Personnel Committee. As a member of the Eastern Association, she serves on the Committee on Ministry. Ms. Bathke attended Washington University with a BS-Liberal Arts.

The Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson is the General Minister and President and CEO of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Thompson is the first woman and first woman of African descent to serve as leader of the denomination. Prior to this call, Rev. Thompson served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ for 14 years – two years as Minister for Racial Justice, eight years as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations and four years as the Associate General Minister for Wider Church Ministries and Co-Executive for Global Ministries. She was elected as AGM in 2019. Her passion for justice and equity 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.

Rev. Thompson 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. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Heidelberg University.

Rev. Doty was baptized and confirmed in the United Church of Christ. Rev. Doty attended Bowling Green State University (OH) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He taught music in the public schools of Ohio for four years before answering his call to ministry. Rev. Doty earned his MDiv degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston, IL.) Rev. Doty served UMC churches in Illinois and Ohio. Upon receiving Privilege of Call in the UCC, Rev. Doty served as Senior Minister of Trinity UCC (Wadsworth, OH) and The Bath Church (Akron, OH). He served as Interim Minister of the Westerville Community UCC (Westerville, OH.) Doty is actively involved in Kirchengemeinschaft and currently serves as the co-chair of the UEK Forum for the national setting.  Rev. Doty is a classically trained opera singer and lived in Italy and sings with symphonies and community bands throughout the Midwest. In May of 2017 he made his singing debut in Carnegie Hall NYC. Currently Rev. Doty serves as the Senior Minister at First Congregational Church of Tallmadge. 

Rev. Richardson serves as the Associate Conference Minister for Church Vitality and Transitions in the Michigan Conference UCC and as the chair of the United Church of Christ Board Development Committee. He is a doctoral candidate at Berkeley School of Theology, and when he is not ministering, researching, or writing, Rev. Richardson enjoys trying different cuisines, traveling, music, spending time with loved ones, and empowering people to live life from a place of joy, abundance, faith, and gratitude.

Ms. Delcorazon is a student at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities pursuing a Masters in Divinity and is a Member in Discernment with the Minnesota Conference. Ms. Delcorazon serves on the board of the Colectivo Latinx Ministries and Encuentros Latinx and co-chairs the UCC student group at United. Ms. Delcorazon holds a Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University and a Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Smith School for Social Work. She has trained as a spiritual director with Still Harbor and has worked in social services and community mental health. She is interested in the evolution of the church and the intersection of racial justice, queer and liberation theology, reconciliation, and the beloved community.

Ms. Booker is a member of Plymouth United Church of Christ, Detroit, MI, and has served in several capacities within her local church. As a member of the Michigan Conference’s Faith Formation Mission Area Team and Prophetic Integrity Mission Area Team, and the Michigan Conference Nominating Committee, Ms. Booker is honored to serve a wider community regarding church growth and social justice issues. She also serves the United Church of Christ as a member of the Committee on Ministry, Detroit Metropolitan Association. During the Michigan Conference’s pursuit for a Transitional Conference Minister, Ms. Booker led the process as Chair of the Search Committee and also served as a member of the search committee for the Associate Minister of Church Vitality and Transitions. In addition to her current leadership roles, she was the Moderator of the Detroit Metropolitan Association, the Michigan Conference UCC and Board President of the Conference for three years. She continues to champion the Michigan community as a Board member of the Michigan Emergency Food and Shelter Program, United Way, and a member of the Anti-Racism Task Force for the Michigan Conference UCC.

Rev. Freeman L. Palmer serves as the Conference Minister for the Central Atlantic Conference United Church of Church. Rev. Palmer began this call in February 2019 after serving nine years as Associate Conference Minister, Congregational Development, for the New York Conference of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Palmer was ordained at The Riverside Church in 2004 to his call as Associate Minister at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan, where he served for five years.  He is member of the Reformed Church of Highland Park in Highland Park NJ.  Rev. Palmer is also an original contributor to the African- American Lectionary, an online worship, scriptural, and cultural resource used principally by African American congregations. 

Originally from Washington DC, Rev. Palmer is a second career minister, attending Seminary after a fifteen-year career with CBS Inc. He had several positions in television and radio financial management before serving as head of Finance and Administration of WCBS-AM News Radio 880 in New York City. After graduating from Georgetown Day High School in Washington, Rev. Palmer’s educational background includes a BA in Economics from Swarthmore College, an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a M.Div. with honors from New York Theological Seminary, where he served as Comptroller while a student and received an award from the faculty for excellence in theological studies.