General Synod

It is great to be in Long Beach at General Synod!  Synod really is a sort of family reunion.  There are folks here I love and get to see only rarely.  Between the business sessions, workshops, and worship services there's a whole lot of hugging and catching up to do.  Leroy is doing a marvelous job of fitting in and making new friends.  It's sort of like my thirtieth college reunion; by the time it was over, he knew more people from my graduating class than I did!

The first day of Synod was mostly about getting oriented.  We practiced the electronic voting system which worked a whole lot better than when it was introduced two years ago.  The worship band kicked off our plenary sessions, and the preacher for opening worship last night was Neicelle Guidry Jones, associate pastor at Trinity UCC in Chicago.  In the afternoon, there was a marriage equality rally held on the steps of the convention center celebrating the return of same-sex marriage to California just one hour earlier.  Following the rally was the annual ONA banquet.  The 250 people present contributed over $40,000 during the meal toward a new staff person to resource churches in process toward becoming Open and Affirming.

Leroy and I are fortunate to have friends with a car here, allowing us to avoid the shuttle system that has had more than a few kinks.  Last night as we finished our end-of-the-first-day wine debriefing on the hotel terrace, the last bus from the convention cetner pulled in at nearly midnight.  Days start early here; tomorrow N.Y. delegates are up and out of the hotel shortly after six a.m.

Today we heard various presentations, including an inspiring message by NPR's Maria Hinojosa.  Stories and perpectives n from her tireless work reporting on the lives of undocumented residents held the audience captive for forty-five minutes.  Our General Minister and President, Rev. Geoffrey Black (formerly the NY Conference Minister) is up for re-election and spoke to the body.  I was privileged to be part of a procession celebrating the new churches that have been started or have joined the UCC since last Synod.  I held up a sign recognizing East Aurora (NY) Christian Church's recent dual affiliation

In the evening, we enjoyed a great concert by Bernice Johnson Reagan, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock, and her daughter, Toshi Reagan.  Bernice is a member of Peoples Congregational UCC in Washinton, DC.  The acousitc guitar-accompanied and acapella harmonies were stellar, along with the powerfully sung, biblically rooted message on social and environmental justice.

A great day at General Synod, with more to follow!