Introducing the Rev. Dr. Dick Hamm

Richard L. Hamm attended Butler University (B.A. Religion, 1970) and Christian Theological Seminary (Dr. of Ministry, 1974) in Indianapolis. Dick is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served congregations for 25 years in Indiana, Kansas and Missouri.  He has served in rural, exurban, urban and suburban settings and has been an associate minister, founding pastor of a new church, and senior minister with multiple staff. He has twice been recognized for mediating settlements in school districts and thus averting teachers’ strikes. He received the “Model Minister” Award from the Indiana Region in 1990.

Dick served as Regional Minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tennessee (1990-1993) and was named “Tennessee Ecumenist of the Year” in 1993. He served as General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada from 1993 to 2003. He served from 2007 – 2012 as the first Executive Director of Christian Churches Together in the USA, a new and very broad ecumenical organization that includes 36 communions from five “families”: Mainline Protestants, Historic Black Churches, Evangelicals/Pentecostals, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox as well as several Christian organizations including Bread For The World, Christians for Social Action, Habitat For Humanity, and Sojourners. See www.ChristianChurchesTogether.org .

Dick is the author of three books, 2020 Vision for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and From Mainline to Front Line and Recreating The Church: Leadership For The Post-Modern Age. He teaches occasionally at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. He serves as a trustee of Christian Theological Seminary and previously served as a trustee of the Pacific School of Religion (Berkeley). He is Vice-Chair of the National City Christian Church Foundation Board in Washington D.C., and is board chair of the Center For Congregations in Indianapolis. He serves on the Advisory Committee of the National Fund for Sacred Places. He is a member of the Leadership Team for Bread For The World in Central Indiana. He chairs the “Engagement and Growth Team” at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Indianapolis.

Dick is part of an interfaith effort to improve relations between Pakistan and the United States, UPIC (U.S. Pakistan Interreligious Coalition). As part of this effort he travels in Pakistan. He also serves as a board member of the Center For Interfaith Cooperation in Indianapolis.

Dick has served as a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and was a Vice President of the National Council of Churches in the U.S.A.  He is the recipient of eight honorary degrees (Bethany College, Butler University, Chapman University, Christian Theological Seminary, Eureka College, Lynchburg College, Phillips University, and Transylvania University). In 2000, he participated in the Jubilee Celebration in Rome at the invitation of Pope John Paul II.

Dick has consulted, written, and spoken extensively on the subject of church renewal and transformation and was a founding partner of The Columbia Partnership.

Dick and Mindy live in Indianapolis. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. Dick also enjoys astronomy, camping, and gardening.