Rick Ufford-Chase
Encyclopedia
Rick Ufford-Chase, born in York, Pennsylvania
, is a peace activist and long-time member of the Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona
. He was elected Moderator of the General Assembly
of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
on June 26, 2004. Ufford-Chase was 40 years old at the time, the youngest PC (USA) moderator in recent history. Ufford-Chase was the first Presbyterian Church (USA) moderator to serve for two years. Previous moderators served one-year terms.
, he has a bachelor's degree from Colorado College
and entered Princeton Theological Seminary
, but says he soon discovered that his call was not to be an ordained minister, but to serve in ministry as an elder. He has received honorary degrees from Hastings College
and Bloomfield College
(2006), Austin College
(2007), and Eden Theological Seminary
(2008). He also received the Dignitas Humana Award for Human Rights work from St. John's School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, MN
(2007).
border. He had served BorderLinks for 17 years prior to being elected as the Presbyterian Church's moderator. He leads a Migrant Trail walk, a 120-kilometre trek, in early June through the Sonoran Desert
.
Ufford-Chase also worked with the Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America in Guatemala
, and has been a co-moderator of Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
. With his wife, Kitty, he has been trained to serve as a reservist with Christian Peacemaker Teams
, an organization that has sent teams of "accompaniers" to Colombia
, Iraq
, Palestine
and the U.S./Mexico border region.
On December 12, 2005, he spoke at Arizona Major State Day, at the Washington National Cathedral
.
In April 2006, he visited the First Presbyterian Reformed Church of Havana.
In June 2006, after the end of his term as PC (USA) moderator, Ufford-Chase accepted a call as the Executive Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
. While there, and acting as the first full-time appointed Executive Director, Ufford-Chase was a founding member of both the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, and the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership.
In March 2008, Ufford-Chase with his wife Kitty were named transitional co-directors of Stony Point Center
, a conference center of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
in Stony Point, New York
. While assuming this position with his wife in August 2008, Ufford-Chase continues half-time as Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
.
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
, is a peace activist and long-time member of the Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. He was elected Moderator of the General Assembly
Moderator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
on June 26, 2004. Ufford-Chase was 40 years old at the time, the youngest PC (USA) moderator in recent history. Ufford-Chase was the first Presbyterian Church (USA) moderator to serve for two years. Previous moderators served one-year terms.
Biography
Ufford-Chase is a graduate of Dallastown Area High SchoolDallastown Area High School
Dallastown Area High School is an American High School with approximately 1,900 students located in Dallastown Area School District in Dallastown, Pennsylvania in York County, Pennsylvania...
, he has a bachelor's degree from Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
and entered Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
, but says he soon discovered that his call was not to be an ordained minister, but to serve in ministry as an elder. He has received honorary degrees from Hastings College
Hastings College
Hastings College is a private, undergraduate, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Hastings, Nebraska, USA.- History :The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards...
and Bloomfield College
Bloomfield College
Bloomfield College is a four-year private liberal arts college located in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Bloomfield College is chartered by the State of New Jersey and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools...
(2006), Austin College
Austin College
Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated by covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church and located in Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles North of Dallas....
(2007), and Eden Theological Seminary
Eden Theological Seminary
Eden Theological Seminary is a seminary of the United Church of Christ in Webster Groves, Missouri, near St. Louis, Missouri.The seminary was established in 1850 by German pastors in what was then the American frontier. The pastors soon formed the German Evangelical Synod of North America. This,...
(2008). He also received the Dignitas Humana Award for Human Rights work from St. John's School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, MN
Collegeville Township, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,516 people, 669 households, and 559 families residing in the township. The population density was 111.1 people per square mile . There were 721 housing units at an average density of 22.8/sq mi...
(2007).
Activism
Ufford-Chase founded BorderLinks, a bi-national organization that tries to connect and educate people of faith on both sides of the U.S./MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border. He had served BorderLinks for 17 years prior to being elected as the Presbyterian Church's moderator. He leads a Migrant Trail walk, a 120-kilometre trek, in early June through the Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
.
Ufford-Chase also worked with the Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, and has been a co-moderator of Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship is a peacemaking organization affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its offices are in Stony Point, NY....
. With his wife, Kitty, he has been trained to serve as a reservist with Christian Peacemaker Teams
Christian Peacemaker Teams
Christian Peacemaker Teams is an international organization set up to support teams of peace workers in conflict areas around the world. These teams believe that they can lower the levels of violence through nonviolent direct action, human rights documentation, and nonviolence training. CPT sums...
, an organization that has sent teams of "accompaniers" to Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and the U.S./Mexico border region.
On December 12, 2005, he spoke at Arizona Major State Day, at the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
.
In April 2006, he visited the First Presbyterian Reformed Church of Havana.
In June 2006, after the end of his term as PC (USA) moderator, Ufford-Chase accepted a call as the Executive Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship is a peacemaking organization affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its offices are in Stony Point, NY....
. While there, and acting as the first full-time appointed Executive Director, Ufford-Chase was a founding member of both the Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, and the Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership.
In March 2008, Ufford-Chase with his wife Kitty were named transitional co-directors of Stony Point Center
Stony Point Center
Stony Point Center is one of three conference centers of the Presbyterian Church . The other two conference and retreat centers include Ghost Ranch and Montreat....
, a conference center of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
in Stony Point, New York
Stony Point, New York
Stony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
. While assuming this position with his wife in August 2008, Ufford-Chase continues half-time as Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship is a peacemaking organization affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its offices are in Stony Point, NY....
.
Works
External links
- Bio on PCUSA Website
- U-C: What I See Rick's blog
- Rick's twitter
- Borderlinks Website
- Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Website
- Christian Peace Witness for Iraq Website
- Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership Website
- Stony Point Center Website
- "Following Luke’s Jesus in a Time of Fear", 30 Good Minutes, Chicago Public Television
- Declaration of Peace Speech, 9/26/2006, T&B Press, U-Tube
- Rick Ufford-Chase becomes Executive Director, December 21, 2007, U-Tube
- "Illegal Immigrants Divide Churches, Politicians", Ted Robbins, Weekend Edition Saturday, National Public Radio, March 4, 2006
- Presbyterians take action on Israel, 23 February 2005, ABC National Radio