On Saturday June 7th, Mark and I attended the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ’s Annual Meeting.  Because General Synod takes place this year (the gathering of the whole denomination that Nicole will be attending in July as a lay delegate!), the meeting was virtual.  It was quite a feat as the Conference organized delegates voting on business virtually and everything.  The theme of Annual Meeting was “Into the Deep” from Luke 5, that wonderful Gospel story where Jesus encouraged Peter and a few other disciples to row out father into the deep water to drop their nets for a catch.  

Our Conference Minister, Rev. Darrell Goodwin, encouraged us to push into the deep and to not dwell on the nostalgia of what used to work.  Rev. Goodwin encouraged us to consider who we might be as a Conference and as individual churches.  We can push out into the deep even when we are afraid.  We hear so often about church decline, but what if this isn’t really a season of scarcity, but a season of redefinition? 

We also heard a Keynote Address from Jamar Doyle, President and CEO of CHHSM (The Council for Health and Human Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ).  Mr. Doyle shared information about CHHSM and an inspirational message about service in the Church.  He believes that the revival of the Church today can be achieved through service and knowing our sacred purpose.  What if we thought of Church as not just Sunday morning worship, but what happens in our buildings from Monday – Saturday too?  Just think about all the groups who meet in our building here at CFC throughout the week.  Our congregation is providing hope and healing for people well beyond anything we experience in worship on Sunday morning.  Mr. Doyle also invited us to consider a Japanese concept called ikigai (a reason to live/a reason for being) as a means to consider who we are individually and what we do in our local congregational contexts. 

It is always important to remember that we are not alone in ministry. 
I give thanks for denominational leaders encouraging us to go out into the deep and to consider our reason for being. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren 

Cover Photo by Cristian Palmer on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 6/12/25