by Davida Foy Crabtree
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Davida Foy Crabtree, Conference Minister |
HARTFORD (08/03/2007) -- “In order to make room for our children’s story today, I need some help from someone very strong. Who can help me?” I asked. Predictably the fifth grade boys all volunteered. I selected one I thought could handle this, and told him I needed him to move the piano – a grand piano. With excitement that he was going to prove his strength, he strode over and started to push as I told him where it needed to go. It wouldn’t budge.
So I asked another boy to join him. It still wouldn’t budge. And a third, with the same result. “Well, I guess we all need to help!” I stationed a deacon at the far side (so we wouldn’t ram the wall!) and we pushed and it was easy.
Well, you know the lesson. And we have just demonstrated its truth as we have hosted the General Synod. No single church could have undertaken this adventure alone and succeeded, no matter how large or strong it is. But with all of us working together, we accomplished the task with relative ease after investing a huge effort. Not only that, but as I told the children that Sunday, the great thing about working together is not just that we achieve our goal, but we all grow stronger in the process.
Sure, maybe a few large churches could have done this, but the rest of our churches would have been deprived of the strength that results. Together we planned, baked cookies, knitted prayer shawls, welcomed our guests, attended to details like registration, transportation, street guides, logistics and data entry. Together we gave the whole United Church of Christ an extravagant welcome that had them saying things like “I never touched a door in the Civic Center all five days!” “Everywhere I looked there were blue volunteer shirts!” “I’ve never felt so welcome anywhere as I did here!” “I never considered moving to Connecticut to pastor, but this has me thinking…”
Well over 1,100 volunteers stepped forward at the last count, to serve almost 10,000 guests. And most of those volunteers also got to experience the General Synod in glorious and inspiring worship, in difficult deliberative sessions, in a celebration looking forward to our next fi ft y years through that remarkable array of speakers and presenters. All of us have come away stronger (though a tad tired!) because we moved that piano!
It will be a long time before I come down to earth from the inspiring heights of Bill Moyers’ keynote and the sermons of Da Vita Carter McCallister and John Thomas, before I forget the stunning visual experience of the arena bedecked with cross, baptismal fountain, chalice, symbols of our heritage, and color – vivid, ever changing imagery that took my breath away. I won’t soon forget the grace of large numbers of persons with disabilities adapting to difficult challenges in that setting (one elevator! 45 wheelchairs, one at a time!) Hearing Senator Barack Obama, Marion Wright Edelman, and our own Lynn Redgrave; seeing Connecticut youth leading, dancing and singing on stage; seeing the look of astonishment on the faces of keynoters as I gave them their prayer shawls; watching our volunteers manage challenges with grace.
We have every reason to be proud. We did it! And both the United Church of Christ and Hartford are forever changed. Future Synods will draw more and more people, who won’t want to miss the experience. And Hartford now has a new model for large conventions, thanks to UCC creativity. Together we make each other stronger and we grow in the process. Together, as the Body of Christ, we have caught a vision of our life together and its importance to this nation and the world as a sign of hope, a place of refuge, and a courageous community of proclamation.
Thanks be to God!
