Arlington, VA – April 22, 2010 – The Rev. Dr. Arthur B. Keys, Jr, President & CEO of International Relief and Development (IRD) and the Rev. Dr. John R. Deckenback, IRD Board Secretary, attended the celebration and installation of the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black as General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ on Friday and Saturday, April 16 & 17, 2010 in Cleveland, OH.  This also marked the 20th anniversary of the move of the UCC’s national offices to Cleveland.

Keys and Deckenback were on hand for the reception and dinner on Friday, April 16 in the Grand Ballroom at the Renaissance Cleveland hotel.  The evening featured an opportunity to meet Rev. Black and his family. About 500 persons attended the reception and dinner.

Black’s installation was held on Saturday, April 17 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Federated Church UCC in Chagrin Falls, OH.  Nearly 600 people witnessed Black’s installation and the charge given to him by the UCC.  A reception followed Saturday’s installation. 

“The UCC has been a great partner of IRD’s for a long time, having funded some of our earliest programs in Macedonia and Serbia,” Keys said. “We are thrilled to be able to support Geoffrey in his new position as General Minister and President.”

Black commented on the IRD – UCC partnership by saying, “IRD’s mission to help those most in need is certainly a central theme of the UCC.  My predecessor had a good working relationship with Arthur Keys and IRD, and I expect to have more of the same.”