I promised a final reflection on General Synod, but just didn’t get around to it until I had been home a few days.  The trip to Tampa was more of a whirlwind than I expected!  Our son and daughter-in-law live in Tampa, so the time before, after, and even during Synod included “family time.” 

It’s interesting to be at a UCC General Synod meeting on July 4.  The only mention of the USA’s birthday I heard at Synod yesterday was at the beginning of the day:  “Happy Independence Day to our country, and Happy Interdependence Day to the United Church of Christ.”  No visible US flags, no singing of [...]

This afternoon the General Synod will vote on a number of proposed changes to the UCC constitution and bylaws related to the structure of the national UCC.  The vote will culminate years of study and dialogue. Rather puzzlingly (from my point of view), a constitutional change has been included (line 82) in the section about [...]

On a day like today it’s easy to understand why ECOTs get frustrated with the UCC, and that frustration leads to something between apathy and separatism.

As I write from the General Synod of the UCC in Tampa, FL, I’m listening to Leonard Pitts, Jr., a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist.  He makes some important points about the need for change, advocacy, and the theme of “Imagine What’s Possible.”  His story of Rev. David Bowers daring to target the elimination of murder in [...]