Grace and peace, friends in Christ!
On Sunday evening the, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries, gave a stirring re-election speech to the virtually gathered General Synod of the United Church of Christ. Her theme – straight from the core of the Gospel – emphasized Christ’s beloved community. “It’s not about the me,” she declared, “but about the we!”
As we emerge from this anguishing pandemic, we are only beginning to recognize its toll. Beyond the deaths and economic devastation, COVID brought long-haul symptoms to many, and levels of depression and anxiety to nearly all of us. We are reckoning with the fact that this prolonged time of isolation was punctuated by a bitter partisan divide, a surge in senseless violence, climate crisis-induced natural disasters, and an urgent push for racial justice.
To be sure, we have witnessed beautiful acts of neighborly care, giving us a glimpse of what life might look like if we lived by the motto “We’re all in this together.” But such grace has not translated to wider systemic issues. Intolerance and polarization are entrenched in tragic ways. No doubt our current statewide vaccination rate of 51% would be way higher if more people operated on the premise that it’s more about the we than the me.
Nothing is more central to our nation’s healing than the notion that we’re all in this together. In my view, our spiritual values (as of late prioritizing covenant more than autonomy) will be key to the reinvigoration and regeneration of every local congregation in the United Church of Christ. It is all about the WE!
Just as the early apostles were anxious and confused about a way forward for the Jesus movement, so do we in the Church of today find ourselves at a critical crossroads. The Pentecost story tells us “they were all together in one place” when the Holy Spirit united them in a purpose! (Acts 2:1) Although we may not have the luxury of being in one place – gathered as we are both virtually and in person – we nevertheless can be of one mind and one accord. (Philippians 2:2) The way forward will be daunting for many of our congregations, especially when individual desires become elevated over collective needs. But if we choose to unite ourselves spiritually as the body of Christ, opportunities to flourish will abound!
If Jesus teaches us anything, it’s the power of community. Congregational life is about caring for one another, loving those we don’t always like, and concerning ourselves particularly with the relief of the hurting and justice for the oppressed. In the words of Paul, “If one member of the body suffers, we all suffer.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) Yet even in the parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son, rescuing and returning home were not merely about saving the one, but about a vision of wholeness and restoration for the entire community.
Lately, I’ve been pondering ways that emphasizing the “we” can be a catalyst for the adaptive changes necessary to become the Church of tomorrow. Our new (or next) normal will include both on-site and online community building. This requires gracious provisions beyond our personal preferences. Clarity about our purpose – both the inner building up of the body of Christ and the mission to serve a wider community – will appeal widely to spiritual seekers.
One reason the Church has regathered more cautiously than other institutions is that we are Rooted in Love (the General Synod 33 theme). Jesus taught us (very counter-culturally) to resist the temptation to make it all about our individual rights and our personal desires. Instead, we in the United Church of Christ preoccupy ourselves with compassion for the whole family of God. Thus, even as we widen our worship capacity and ease COVID restrictions, we do so ever mindful of the vulnerable among us.
I recently worshipped with a church that has eliminated mandatory mask wearing. But instead of simply eliminating a rule, they clung to a value – and committed to a wonderful covenant of care. All are asked to keep a mask on hand so that when they encounter a masked person (child, immunocompromised, unvaccinated) they can quickly pop on the mask and engage in safe conversation. Such solidarity is a sign of our loving commitment to the WE!
Finally – since we’re all in this together – we would love to hear from you about the ways your congregation is regathering and adapting to the new realities before us. We invite you to complete this brief survey, and look forward to sharing the responses as a way of helping all of us gain insight and ideas for the next chapter in our journey of faith.
Blessings!
Franz
