Last night (Monday) and this morning (Tuesday) we have been in plenary sessions having the whole body of General Synod pass the resolutions we had been debating and do other business that we need to do, like elect officers and pass the budget.
Like in our local church money is a little tight. Also, like in our local church the budgeting process is too complex for the body that is supposed to have oversight over the budget to be fully informed. I am glad that at FCS we have put in place to ideas to open our process to the full body.
This morning we did get a chance to work on the Unified Governance resolution that the committee had come up with. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, but that is not the interesting part to me. I felt like the debate on this important issue was cut short by a strict adherence to the rules that we use for meetings. I was saddened that as we debated the ways which we provide access to power in our national church, the rules of our governance worked to silence the voices of the minority. We did obey the rules as advertised, but there was a space for a pause and a chance to take some time, and even a call for prayer that were not taken. I hope to live, work and worship in a church were prayer is never deemed to be “Out of Order”.
The whole thing feels a bit dirty to me. I believe in the outcome, but in the process we failed to live up to our biblical call to love our neighbor. We became hung up on winning and not on loving. I pray that the rest of this process over the next 4 years can be more relaxed and able to listen to each other.
I should not let it go unmentioned that we are also passing some important resolutions publicly commenting on some very important issues. I can not list them all here, but after returning to Somerville (and after sleeping a bit) we will schedule a time to have a debrief and report from Synod. Watch your email.
The main plenary hall is outfitted with a bunch of video gear for web streaming, live i-mag, archival recording, and video presentation for the delegates. Because I find this stuff fascinating here you go.
First off the whole thing is done in Standard Def and recorded to DVCam. I might have made some other choices in this basic question, but I will be honest the images look GREAT! If it were not that they are in this funny old fashioned 4:3 aspect ratio, I might buy that it was HD.
That aside… There is 4 cameras in house, all DXC-D50s, with CA-TX7 backs on them. They use Triax cable to get back to CCUs which are each controlled by RCP-D50s. These signals are fed (SDI I assume) to a Sony 700 switcher.
Then the outputs… Separate ME busses are sent out to DSR-1800s for recording, distributed to 5 screens for i-mag, to a separate output for live web encoding.
IN ADDITION to that, there is is a large (looks like 12×3??) screen in the center of the stage. This is used for beautiful images and (seems like) PowerPoint stuff. Also, the mix, or separate mixes form the 700 can be sent to the main screen in separate windows. This screen is all rear projection using 6 HD projectors. This is cool.
That is the cool stuff, there is also a bunch of mics for the band and the speakers and for video playback. Lighting fo the event is also cool, but is happening in ways I can not explain.
It looks like this is ALL planned by the liturgical arts people in the national office, and executed by CRS a Clevland based AV company. All the folks here with CRS are very knowledgable and willing to answer my questions. Good job guys
For those who don’t know, business at General Synod is done by bringing resolutions to the whole body (something like 800 delegates from all over the UCC). Before a resolution goes to the whole body they are passed through a committee to do some word-smithing, and make a recommendation as to whether the resolution is to be passed by the whole body or not.
Last night (Sunday) and this morning a total of 5 hours is spent in these committee meetings. Because it is me making the report, I love this process! To me this is where I see the still speaking God, in the voices of delegates speaking the truth through resolutions, compromise and relationship with each other.
My committee took on 2 resolutions as you saw in my previous post. Here’s the breakdown.
On good meeting practice: We spent about 2 hours talking over and praying over this resolution. There was broad support for the resolution form the very beginning, we just made some small changes to strenthen the language and recommended that it pass. This resolution does a good job of asking all settings of the UCC to take into account creation, labor policies, accessibility, and social justice when organizing meetings.
In support of those effected by the current economic crisis: We sent about 2 hours debating this resolution. This one also had broad support, we added some language to give it some teeth, and add pieces about our Global Economic System. We did some final word smithing and recommended it pass.
We will see what happens with both of these when we gather tonight at our next plenary session. VERY EXCITED! The work is my favorite part of Synod!
UPDATE: I just heard as people were walking by that one of the proposals for single governance has passed its committee unanimously. We will need prayers for peace on the floor. I pray we can listen AND speak with truth, and love.
First let me apologize, I will get some things wrong here. For details about this issue you can search around the UCC web page and find tons of information including the resolutions we will debate. I still think it is valuable to read how one delegate has heard this issue presented.
In 2000 the UCC national setting was reorganized to its current structure. This was a collapsing of 14 boards into the 5 that we have now. These boards are responsible for separate ministries of the national church. These boards are mad up of people in the UCC Lay and clergy from all conferences with a mix of race, age, and ability. These boards are Local Church Ministries (LCM), Wider Church Ministries (WCM), Office of General Ministries (OGM), Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM), and the executive council.
FCS connections to this structure currently include: FCS has received a grant this year and next from LCM (Thank you!), and Jason Donnelly serves on the executive council.
So all together these boards have something like 284 members. With 5 boards, and 284 members each meeting twice a year, we have seen that it is difficult to get significant strategic planning done effectively, and the expense of these meetings, with a shortage of money, has become stifling to the work of the church.
In 2003 an evaluation of this structure was conducted. Following this evaluation, the national church started looking at other ways we could organize. This process went on for the past 6 years, through 2 separate committees gathered to look at this issue. The wisdom in these committees has suggested that we condense from 5 boards to 1 executive council made up of 84-87 people, tasked with directing the work of the entire national church. So… The one board model has become known as “Single Governance”
In March one of the “Covenanted ministries” (this is what the 4 boards of ministry are called), JWM, voted against the by-law changes that would have allowed this General Synod to vote on these changes and moved us to a single governance model.
With that process ended, General Synod is now in the position to weigh in on the issue. We will consider resolutions to require again for a single governance model to be developed. The other option will be to take a “pregnant pause” in the process.
This debate and process has raised a lot of issues of race. The reason to stop the process in March is over some disagreement about the racial makeup of the proposed board. I have enjoyed, and look forward to, more conversations on race. The work we have done over the past few months at FCS is coming in very handy. I have a different understanding about race as a human construct, and my position as a straight white man. I am really looking forward to deliberations on this topic.
If you can believe it, that is the short version. More to come!
As we get down to work tomorrow, we will start by working with the resolutions in committees. These committees are assigned at random, and those assignments came out today. I will be working tomorrow (Sunday) on Resolution 9 – On responsible meeting practices, and a resolution added as new business, Ministering to those Struggling and Suffering in the Troubled Economy.
Should be fun.
Today there was bunches of events throughout the city. I spent most of my time at workshops and worship. Many people here look to have gotten some sun out on the river. There was kite flying, service projects, concerts and other performances. I missed most of that, but people are in a relaxed, spirit filled, refreshed mood after a good day.
I started with our Massachusetts Conference morning caucus. 6:30 AM… At least they provide coffee and breakfast. Not much to discuss yet, as we have not started our committee reports, but we did continue the breakdown of Single Governance. I keep thinking this will get repetitive at some point because I have heard the story a lot of times, but every time we talk about it I get more nuance and insight. I know I have mentioned this topic a bunch and I promise I will go into it for one of these posts, but I am still wrapping my own head around it.
I then went to morning worship, which was great. Bigger then morning prayer services at FCS, but still a great way to ease into the day. This was followed by a presentation about the new Prayer and Praise song book. Branden, of FCS, has worked very hard with a team of people to get this hymnal out and the music sounds great. A lot of singing to start the day.
Following a nice lunch with Melissa (she says hello), my dad, Branden, Sonia, and Jason, I went to 2 workshops. One on making the work (committees and stuff) of the church a full opportunity for individuals to grow spiritually, and another dealing with Church multipying, where one vital church “Births” a new church. 5 Year plan anyone?
In both of these workshops it was mentioned that as a church we need to move from our head to our hearts. One leader pointed out that in the UCC we do a great job of intellectual theology, which is really great, and perhaps better then other churches. He suggested that we could work on keeping that thought process and moving more into a personal experience of a developing spirituality. I think we do a pretty good job of this balance at FCS, but more faith and spiritual development never hurts.
Following my dinner I am off to a celebration of the work of Rev. John Thomas. Looking forward to it. If there is one thing that General Synod seems to do well it is CELEBRATE!
OK, so I am new to blogging. No time to learn like jumping in feet first. Let’s see how it goes.
Today was the first official day of General Synod 27, in Grand Rapids MI. The city is great and the weather is very good. It seems really hot after coming form Boston’s cold rainy version of Summer. In reality I think I will not get to see much of the city as I will be in the very nice and seemingly newish DeVos Place. Melissa swam in lake MI today and says it is beautiful. We learned today that we, the General Synod of the UCC is the largest conference, at 4000 strong, EVER in Grand Rapids. We also got welcomed to the city by the mayor who is also an ordained UCC minister. Cool.
The day started slow for me breakfast with Melissa and my dad, Rich. I had a meeting to be trained on being a teller (Vote Counter), a big honor I am told, and then had the opportunity to give blood. I got my sticker then it was off to business.
Hearings about the Constitution and By-Law changes, and the single governance issue were next. This single governance thing will be big and I am sure I will post more later. We then started our first Plenary Session. Highlights included an inspiring speech from Stephen Sterner, mentioning a bunch of great stuff about developing leadership in our churches and bringing “Young People” to the church.
Final Session of the day had a good introduction to Geoffrey Black, the nominee for General Minister and President. He seems really great for the position. Thoughtful, friendly, and a talented leader
This was all followed by our opening worship. It is too late and I am too tired to put into words how exciting, moving, deep and… just wow, the preaching of Rev. Otis Moss III is. He is the pastor at Trinity, UCC in Chicago. This is the UCC church of recent news about a certain president and his former pastor. It was really moving to hear about the support the UCC gave to this church during the past year, and the vitality this church gives right back. Wow, When the video of this is available I will try to post it here, and you can hope to get a piece of the energy that there was amongst 4000 UCCers.
OK, I have to get up early tomorrow for our Mass Conference caucus, so I will sign off for now. All in all I think this is more blow by blow then you will want, but I am still learning. Bless you all.
Ian Tosh, our moderator nonpareil, is in Grand Rapids, Michigan this weekend for the 27th General Synod (a fancy word for meeting) of our mother church, the United Church of Christ.
He has graciously offered to document the experience for our blog, kicking off a new “Field Reports” section in the process. Watch this space for Ian’s tales of homilies and hotel rooms in the coming days.
If you are out in service of our church community, consider getting in touch with our ministers to file some field reports of your own.
Dear Beloved,
Molly suggested that while she was away on sabbatical, we should try to hear some of the top preachers in our area. We should invite them to guest preach. We have followed Molly’s advice and invited some fabulous preachers. Our first guest preacher is the Rev. Dr. Mary Luti, a renown liturgist and excellent preacher. Mary is the Visiting Professor of Worship and Preaching, and Director of the Wilson Chapel at the Andover Newton Theological School. She will be with us this Sunday, preaching, “No One Is Alone.” And Mary will lead our prayers. We invite you to come hear Mary preach, to come and pray, sing and be in community this Sunday.
Ian is our liturgist. Tim Duhamel and Jen Purves are our greeters. Deb Duhamel and Peter Baskette are in the Nursery. Erin Iwanusa will teach Sunday School.
Erin is beginning our new curriculum for our children this Sunday. The curriculum is called Godly Play, and is based in a Montessori style of teaching. The Godly Play story for this week is the Good Shephard.
Just after services and coffee hour, there will be a Safe Church Training for all who work with or are interested in working with our children. This training will be led by Ellen O’Donnell, the chair of the Safe Church Committee and a Deacon.
The Sacred Conversations on Race Steering Committee will also meet.
Before Sunday is Saturday. On Saturday, during the day, some of us will go to Maine, departing from the church at 11:30 AM to canvass door to door for marriage equality. In the evening at 7 PM is our monthly Game Night. There will be, as usual, a wide array of amazing games set out by the Yeagers. In addition, the game Guitar Hero will be played. One can, for a donation to the handbell fund, be the Guitar Hero.
I pray your night is filled with peace, I hope to see you on Sunday.
Love,
Laura Ruth
Dear Beloved,
This Sunday at First Church is a Jubilee Sunday. Our children will be in our service with us, learning by doing with us adults, how we practice our faith by praying, singing, listening to a simple sermon, and shouting, “Amen!” at appropriate times.
Ian Tosh will announce that God is Good! Jason Donnelly will read our scripture and be our liturgist. Our Scripture is the anointing of David, destined to became King of Israel, while he was still a young man of maybe 20 years old.
I’ll preach a sermon is entitled, “Who We Are Becoming.”
We will also do two very important things, we will, with the Children’s Ministry Team, introduce and commission our new Sunday School teacher, Erin Iwanusa. We will also make vows to and receive the newly baptized Leo Benjamin Frank-Douglass.
After services, we have our coffee hour. Can we say a heart felt thank you to our fellowship team?!
Afterwards in the chapel, Kelley Faulkner who is related to us through Christy Zuzelo, Molly Baskette, and Jocelyn will tell us a true word about her project, the African Birth Collective.
Now about Pride – the theme this year is “Trans-forming Our Communities.” Tonight is the Somerville Interfaith Pride Service at the Havurat Shalom, 113 College Ave. We will welcome the sabbath lover at 7 PM. The service will be in English and Hebrew. There will be a potluck at the Unity Church just after.
The Boston Interfaith Service at Old South, UCC is at 10AM. Our Marching Band is leading the UCC delegation in the parade that begins at 12:01 PM. We are to be on Tremont Street, Section E, between Pembroke and W. Newton at 11 AM. Email Jenny U. if you want a big beautiful hat to wear. See you there.
Love,
Laura Ruth
