The Election of the General Synod Nominating Committee Class of 2023

A Formal Motion to the Thirty-first General Synod

On March 10, 2017 the United Church of Christ Board of Directors, acting on the recommendation of its Special Committee on Selection, nominated the following members of the United Church of Christ for election to the General Synod Nominating Committee, Class of 2023. The Board of Directors submits its nominations for consideration by delegates to the Thirty-first General Synod, meeting June 30-July 4, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reginald Brantley is an African American male holding Ministerial Authorization, 60+, a member of Corona Congregational United Church of Christ in Corona, New York, New York Conference. He is a retired lawyer, formerly serving as an Administrative Law Judge for the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Earlier in his career he served as the Supervising Attorney-Social Security and SSI Disability Law Unit of the Nassau/Suffolk Law Services. Mr. Brantley is the President of the Metropolitan Association of the New York Conference and previously served as the Association Moderator and Vice-Moderator. He was nominated by the Conference and will serve in the Class of 2023.

Rachel Ditch is a European American lay female, 19-29, a member of Homer Congregational United Church of Christ in Homer, New York, New York Conference. She serves as the Director of Christian Education and Youth Fellowship at Homer Congregational and is also the Executive Director of the Cortland County Council of Church. She holds a Master’s Degree in Theology. Previously she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader, overseeing 15 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers. Ms. Ditch was a delegate to the Thirtieth General Synod in Cleveland and will complete her term as a delegate at the Thirty-first General Synod in Baltimore. She was nominated by the Conference and will serve in the Class of 2023.

Christopher Gilmore is a European American male holding Ministerial Authorization, 40-49, the Pastor of Sixth Avenue United Church of Christ in Denver, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Conference. He holds a Master’s Degree in Divinity. He has previously served local churches in the Illinois, Pacific Northwest, California-Nevada Northern and South Dakota Conferences. Under the former governance structure of the church Mr. Gilmore served on the Executive Council. He served on the Conference Minister Search Committee, the Conference Annual Meeting Planning Committee and has been a Conference Leader at National Youth Events. He was nominated by the Conference and will serve in the Class of 2023.

Roberto Ochoa is a Hispanic/Latino lay male, 60+, the Pastor of Lake View Congregational United Church of Christ in Worcester, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Conference. His call to Lake View is part time. He is also a student working on a Masters of Divinity in Parish Ministry. Previously Mr. Ochoa served as the Transitional Director of Admissions at Andover Newton Theological Seminary. He also previously served as a HUD-certified Housing Counselor. He is active in the Council for Hispanic Ministries, serving as its Treasurer. Mr. Ochoa was nominated by the Council for Hispanic Ministries and will serve in the Class of 2023.

Foai Tanuvasa is a Pacific Islander lay female, 50-59, a member of The First Samoan Church of Los Angeles United Church of Christ in Los Angeles, California, California-Nevada Southern Conference. She is a Secretary. She has spent the last 11 years as the Christian Education Director at her local church. Ms. Tanuvasa was a member of the Conference General Synod Planning Committee prior to the Twenty-ninth General Synod in Long Beach in 2013. She is a former member of the Wider Church Ministries Board of Directors and a former Moderator of the Central Association of the California-Nevada Southern Conference. She is a Food Bank of Los Angeles and Toys for Tots volunteer. Ms. Tanuvasa was nominated by the United Samoan Ministries and will serve in the Class of 2023.

Lee Foley
Corporate Secretary-The United Church of Christ Board of Directors February 23, 2017