Heading Home

I am in the Grand Rapids airport waiting for my plane to board. As I think back to the things I have written in this blog. I fear that I have left the impression that there is noting at General Synod except business. This is not the case! I happen to find the business we do very important, and I love these meetings. As I think back that is not what I remember most fondly.

I look back and remember great times with my Massachusetts delegation. This group of people is diverse in experience and personality, and all very loving Christians. To a person, I think we were all FUN! From 6:30 am to (sometimes) 1:00 am, whether working or chatting, at a table or over dinner they were great. This much time with a small group, one should be sick of them, but I am not. I wish I had more time here.

I also look back with joy on the time I have spent with other people from around the UCC. It is unique to church people that one can greet a stranger with a smile and expect the same in return (well, church people or anyone from Minnesota). I have had deeper conversations with strangers both going for the same cookie then I can with some people who live in my neighborhood. A young women from South Carolina who I sat next to in one of my committees just crossed the airport lobby to say hello, and goodbye, and introduce me to her youth group. This is what I am talking about.

Other joys in random order include, the cookies everywhere, the speakouts, the music, the singing everywhere, the workshops, time with friends and family, the children in the pool, great preaching and worship, worship, worship.

Lest you think it was some kind of sugary sweet perfection, there was a few down sides. The coffee across Grand Rapids is really bad and usually served in a Styrofoam cup, and my hotel was 20 minutes from the convention center, but the relationships formed make all of this fall away.

Thank you for reading, if you have made it this far. As I have said before I love to talk about this so feel free to grab me at coffee hour and ask about Synod, but be warned, I might go on a bit long.

Bless,
Ian

Final business session

Last night we had our last business session. This one went very well. For a church with diverse points of view we do seem to be of one mind on many issues. I think this comes from the fact that we all tend to have a commitment to justice. One of the speakers here reminded us when speaking about churches involvement in politics that “Justice is not a political idea it is a Theological idea.” I really like this. Not only do we have the privilege to comment on political issues, but when they are related to justice (as they always are) we have the NEED. If we as a church do not witness to the world about injustice then who will. This is true on the national and local church levels.

I will spend some time going over what has happened here with a direct eye to how it effects our local church.