UCC 50th Anniversary Synod

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

All I can say so far is WOW! I have been to many Synod's as a visitor but this one tops them all. On Saturday for the birthday party there were 10,000 people including 1,000 youth and young adults! It was awesome.
I hope you are watching it on the web in streaming video or at least you can watch the archives as they are posted on the web at www.ucc.org.
Bill Moyers talk is posted now. He said he was a member of a UCC church even though he could be a Baptist minister. His talk is worth watching. I ran into Julie Yarborough and told her that Chuck should invite him to speak at Christ Church. She said Chuck has been trying. Maybe we as private citizens should also try. Some sound bites from Bill Moyers speech:

• About founding fathers and race "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal..... But some of them had slaves
• About Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemming. Upon his death all the slaves were sold except Sally. Sally's children were set free. Moyers said: (Jefferson about the declaration of Independence) got it right --- but lived it wrong"
• Moyers also said "(Jefferson) "knew the truth but lived it wrong as we are today."
• "Churches of conscience must take the lead (against racism and poverty) or we will lose our democracy"

These are the sound bites that were of interest to me. I urge you to listen to the whole speech to make your own judgement.

• Senator Barak Obama spoke that afternoon (Saturday). His speech was billed as a non campaign speech and we were told not to wear campaign tee shirts. He was invited as a member of Trinity Church in Chicago to speak about his faith journey. He started out that way but then launched into a campaign speech. His speech is posted now on the web. The sound bites are:
  

• He would start universal health program.
• About poverty "If you work a 40 hour week you should not be living in poverty."
• About immigration "we must secure our borders, but we can't just walk away from the undocumented immigrants that already here, we must give them a chance to stay here"

On Saturday for Synod in the City it was a wonderful day. Even the weather cooperated, it was not hot in fact I wore a jacket! There we so many things to do that it was hard to chose. I chose to attend two workshops:
Stem Cell Research. The UCC has a science group that cautiously support Stem Cell research and funding by the federal government. If you attend the adult education about Stem Cell Research at Christ Church you have the same information that was given at the workshop.

No Child Left Behind: The UCC is the only denomination that has a staff member who is dedicated to support public education. This is because of it's history of starting schools and colleges especailly in the south after the Civil War. The UCC is working to change the No Child Left Behind Act during this year's re-authorization to be of better service to teachers and children. In fact there is a letter that you can sign and send to your senators and congressman in the UCC take Action. I have already signed this letter and I urge all of you to do so as well. You can read and change the letter before you send it. For more information about UCC and education I urge you to look at the the UCC website. The future of our government depends on an educated workforce for all people not just the few who can afford it.

Sunday June 24
This was an easy day for me. The morning was free so that people could attend community groups or a local church service or just chill, which was my option. Since I was singing in the choir I had to be at the Civic Center at 11:30 for rehearsal. I had not had a chance to review the music and as it turns out, it was not hard to learn on the fly. After two runs through I knew it. Don't tell my voice teacher as she is trying to turn me into a musician! I used my old skill of learning by hearing it. Singing is such a large choir 700 was great! The composers were over whelmed to hear their compositions sung by so large a group!
The church service was great. John Thomas preached and then we had communion. This was the reinactment of Jesus feeding the multitude! Imagine communion for 10,000 people!
In the evening I attended the Wider Church Ministries dinner and then came back to my hotel to chill. Delegates had to work and I could have watched them but bed seemed to be more what I wanted!

Monday June 25.
Today is Service Day for me so more later.