Join The Journey And Be Part

As my time in Sandy Point draws to a close my energy and thoughts turn to the upcoming meeting of the General Council in Corner Brook. A great deal of our time as congregations is spent working in our own little unit, in our own little corner of the world. While we are aware of the wider church and support it through our gifts to things like the Mission and Service Fund, for the most part we are our own body living and working in our communities for the gospel. When we gather at General Council our connection to and covenant with others becomes tangible. It is an awesome experience of the body of Christ!!

Daunting! Amazing! Life-Giving!

In our Sacred Story it is said that we are all members of the body of Christ and dependent upon one another for the work and ministry that has been entrusted to us. This is never more evident than when we gather together from coast, to coast to coast. In this place we will discern matters that are of concern for us and for our world and reflect our commitment to justice and peace. In the past few weeks I have waded through the 190 or so proposals and the accompanying 400 or so pages of documentation. While this is daunting in one way, it is also amazing and life-giving in another.

We Must Ask Questions

One of the focal pieces of business will be the Comprehensive Task Review and the proposals that have come out of that piece of work. The restructuring that is being proposed will have an impact across our church and invites us to envision a new way of being. It is not what we have always known and that brings anxiety for some. Change is never easy and not all change is good. We must ask questions like:

“Is this where we are being called to move?”

“What must we leave behind?”

“What must we carry into the future?”

… just to mention a few. Personally, I find my Spirit energized by the possibilities that lie before us and I pray that we will have the courage to step out in faith.

Can’t Be Present? Join The Journey And Be Part

Not everyone who is United Church can be present at the General Council. There will be 356 commissioners and some 200 more staff, guests and staff present on site. As commissioners the wider church has entrusted us with the honour of discerning the Spirit and making decisions that will move us into the next three years. However, while you may not be physically present there are ways for you to join the journey and be part of this experience. Plenary sessions will be live streamed at www.gc42.ca/live. Visit www.gc42.ca/social-connections for more on General Council content on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr. Take a moment in your day to hold the Council and its deliberations in prayer. If you are part of a drumming group perhaps you can take a moment each day to drum, connecting with the energy of the Universe that weaves through all.

Blessings
Valerie