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Dear Folks:
I’ve been back in Ohio this week, for some family time in Cincinnati, and for the Council of Conference Ministers in Cleveland. The CCM overlapped with the United Church Board of Directors, so we spent a half day talking together about shared concerns and joys we have for the UCC. It was a blessed conversation among people from Huntsville, Houston, Philadelphia, and Billings, who dearly love the UCC and want to work together to help it thrive.
We talked about what is giving us hope in the church right now, and we said we saw energy among youth and young adults around service and justice issues. We named that we are a resurrection church, yet something must die to be reborn. We heard that we are in a moment of discernment, a moment of discomfort—and the Holy Spirit is in the discomfort. We wondered together how we are present to the demographic changes in our country and what it means to live as Christ in today’s changing world.
We were asked about what we must not ignore, and we heard about the number of young people in Washington DC unable to find work amidst the governmental layoffs. Our leaders and members need financial literacy, especially around fundraising. We cannot ignore the actions of I.C.E., and we cannot ignore the border. We cannot ignore the decrease in membership and OCWM monies.
We were given a list of 6 programmatic priorities: Strengthening the Church, Leadership Development, Spiritual Formation, Reshaping the Narrative, Decolonization, and Climate Action. When asked which was most urgent, we said that they are integral to each other; we see all of them urgent. [Many of these are priorities the leadership of Montana-Northern Wyoming Conference is working on.] And we look forward to a new strategic plan that focuses on these priorities and shares definition, vision , and direction.
Things holding us back? The words “We have always done it this way.” The narrative that we hold onto. The notion that there is never enough even as we live and breathe and have our being in God’s abundance. Our inability to talk about balance in a way that heals the earth and our relationship with it. What can move us forward? Let go of WHADITW, and let young people lead. Name that we have enough, we are enough, and we are living in God’s abundance. Learn how to the talk about the climate in terms of justice.
There was energy and synergy in the meeting. We shared hopes and concerns. We drew connections across the country. All for our beloved UCC.
In peace and prayer,
Pastor Tony
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