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John Thomas, Edith Guffey,
Linda Jaramillo, Joe Malayang, and Cally Rogers-Witte welcome Synod |
HARTFORD (06/23/2007) -- The twenty-sixth General Synod of the United Church of Christ opened in Hartford with playfulness, music, the beginning of a celebration of the denomination's fifty years, and a call to peace.
The Synod delegates' first action on a matter of social concern quickly followed the reading of a Pastoral Letter issued today by the UCC's Collegium of Officers. The letter opens with the words of Isaiah: "God expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry." The letter grieves for the loss of life of American, Iraqi, and other nations' citizens in the five years of violence; decries the abuse of human rights; and laments the diversion of energy from "efforts to restrain the real sources of global terrorism" and other human needs. The Collegium called for "an end to this war, an end to our reliance on violence as the first, rather than the last resort."
At those words, read by Justice and Witness Ministries Executive Minister M. Linda Jaramillo, the assembly broke into a sustained standing ovation.
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| John Thomas Reads the Pastoral Letter |
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| Governor M. Jodi Rell |
The letter, signed by General Minister and President John H. Thomas, Associate General Minister Edith A. Guffey, Local Church Ministries Executive Minister José Malayang, Rev. Jaramillo, and Wider Church Ministries Executive Minister Cally Rogers-Witte, was immediately offered to the Church as a whole for their consideration. Visitors to the UCC web site at www.ucc.org have the option to add their names to the letter at UCC Take Action.
Not to be outdone, delegates from the Massachusetts Conference immediately offered a motion that the General Synod be added as a signatory to the letter. After debate, delegates overwhelmingly voted in favor.
Other highlights of the opening session included the welcome of Connecticut's Governor, M. Jodi Rell, who noted the strong positive influence the UCC and its forebears have had on the state, including their influence on the development of democratic forms of government, the care church members have taken in helping their neighbors and the stranger, and advocating for a just society for all. Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez also brought greetings, and encouraged the hall full of visitors to enjoy the city he celebrated as New England's Rising Star.
Throughout the Civic Center and on the streets of Hartford, volunteers in blue shirts (whose backs proclaim "Volunteer: We Make It Shine!") greeted and directed delegates, dignitaries, and guests with broad smiles. Nor were the essential amenities forgotten, as the first dozens of cookies decked the tables in the Civic Center atrium.
The UCC's creative comic-book film-noir Annual Report received a new treatment, as a live actor created the role of the reporter who goes searching for the truth about the United Church of Christ. To the accompaniment of a magnificent jazz combo, he learned about global and national ministries of faithfulness, genereosity, and service, covering disaster relief and long-term partnerships. Along the way he met the increasingly recognizable figures of Sponge Bob Squarepants and the UCC Answer Guy. At the last, he shared the three words he'd been told God was still speaking for today: "Let It Shine!"
