New Hampshire Conference Delegation

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Rev. Dawn E. Garrett-Larsen
Pastor, Nelson Congregational Church UCC

"No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!"

Synod

I am at The General Synod 2015 for the very first time. I am also taking the UCC Polity course as part of my ANTS requirement towards my MDIV. 

This has been a wonderful experience. I have learned a lot about the UCC Polity. I have attended several worship services, both at the convention center and at the the UCC headquarters Amistad Chapel. What a beautiful chapel!!

I can feel the love for everyone - persons with any sexual orientation, any color, any gender, with or without disabilities, physical and mental. The list could go on and on. 

I am so proud to be part of the United Church of Christ!!!  Thank you for such a great experience. 

Peace to all,

Karen Landry

Member In Discernment

Rockingham County Assn

Notes from Workshop: Why Young People Keep Leaving the Church

These are my raw notes from a session led by a group of about 10 young people (teen through mid-20's) who shared their personal opinions and experiences, shared in the suspicion that many will find this unmediated input useful. 

Pew Forums stats: unaffiliated adults increasing and skewing younger.

Biggest difference being a young adult in church vs kid.

No set programming for your age group. Now have to integrate into adult programming.

Not feeling like she had a set place, still in college so not quite adult.

Youth have specific expectations with curriculum and age limits. Young adults expected to find their own place and are not allowed to participate with youth anymore until they are 23-25. Sudden discontinuity.

Feels a need for separate space apart from worship but it doesn't exist.

Challenges faced

Spoken of like a group that needs to be fixed. Spoken of as millennials (born 1981-1996), not people.

Money is a struggle so being an unpaid volunteer is hard. Churches don't put money into developing programs for them.

Doesn't feel like respect is given to them. "That's so cute, thanks. Now sit down." 

Idea of membership. Didn't attend church while at school b/c not home church. Yet home church didn't reach out to them. Some churches reach out to college age students with a "hi, how are you doing?" to keep in touch with former youth.

Stop asking me to be in the choir. Goes to church to relax and spend time with God. Churches treat young people like commodities to be used, not like people. Churches try random stuff to retain young instead of talking to them.

Scheduling is a huge issue. Diversity of work schedules and kids/no kids so communities hard to create.

Why do other young adults you know choose not to participate in church life?

Church doesn't have engaging programs for their kids. Old Sunday School with crappy crafts doesn't engage kids anymore. Need to create SS programs that are more active and engaging. Saw a great CE program at church of the beatitudes - 3year program with rotating schedule. 4 week theme  - math, science, gym. 

What is one change that your local church could make to attract young adults?

Works for self, sometimes 7 days a week. Sunday is a non-work day. Is only day with nothing going on. Don't want to drive to church. Asking church to do Saturday night church, with going to bar for community time afterwards. Or dinner prior to church as a community. Think about what other times will engage younger people to be at church.

Care packages for college age kids with candy, encouragement, literature, CD/DVD sermons. Helps them to feel connected and they subsequently come back to church.

Make sure it's all college age students, not just those in college. Acknowledge those who are in this transitional age.

Acknowledge multi-faith relationships. Is gay and has a loudly atheist partner -> there is no space for them at church. May be accepted as gay but partner is being aggressively approached for conversion. How to create space for the "nones"? How to have members of this type? Maybe they only come to soup kitchens but it may be the gateway. What brings people in is 1 - mission work, 2 - conversations that come with it. Mission work can't be shallow. Soup kitchens are no longer meaningful without a conversation afterwards about why there are so many people at the soup kitchen.

Membership is not sitting in the pews and putting $5 in plate.

Want to see the work being done, not be talked at about faith. Her partner goes to every chili supper and loves church and corny games.

Have to express radical, extravagant love in every way. This is what the young are looking for.

Connect people to the wider church ASAP. Went away to college and didn't find a new church but is connected through nat'l organization. Doesn't go to home church but is still involved.

Another e.g. of multi-faith - culturally Christian but identify with Buddhism.

Authentic worship doesn't mean contemporary music. Many of them like traditional music.

Small churches send kids away but don't help kids transition into being part of worship.

Interactive music that raises energy levels.

Don't be pushy, be nice.

Often putting together 3 jobs at a time. No more 9-5. Don't say "we missed you the last month" and force people to justify their absence or reveal why they were not there. Have church say "we are so happy to see you." 

A kid wore jeans while serving communion and was chastised about it but reason was they couldn't afford khakis.

Send kids to Synod as guests. Have them understand the wider church. Becca would probably really like this.

Role of conference in bringing young adults to church

Have successful associations share best practices.

Is a loss between national church and local church, e.g. pastor embodied all that UCC represents but she didn't know there was national church until graduation. Only presbyterian church advertised youth activities. Was craving connection with other UCC youth. Need to find what your church's strength is and then do that. Don't force a youth group if it's not your strength. Highlight strength of churches in your area. Let each church provide that to the nearby churches. Association & conference level task.

FL conference excellent at youth programming but then nothing. Worked for him because he was connected to wider church. Try to extend youth programming to young adults. 

Need people passionate about youth ministry - treat them not as the church of tomorrow but as the church of today.

Her youth ministry was very successful. Key was doing stuff with other local churches. Did coffeehouse on Friday eve for teens & young adults, inviting every UCC church in neighborhood with friends and whoever. Had amazing pastors who empowered her to do local job and to extend reach outwards.

Often the only young adult in their church. Join with other churches, advertise on social media ("Progressive Christian Church in your neighborhood"), provide the space for them.

Why do you stay in church? Why part of UCC?

Was loud and obnoxious at conference meeting so was asked to be a Synod delegate. Kept getting asked to be on stuff. Is one of few places where there's an easy ability to lift up leaders who don't have a resume. People who say "I don't agree with you but what you say is important. We have a place for that." Church is one of only places where you can have a meaningful conversation about race. Activist communities not full of grace, accepting of mistakes - have to be in sync with scene.

Church provides many service and leadership opportunities.

Great, supportive peers. Wants to preserve this great denomination.

Feels called. Loves that UCC allows you to come where you are in life. Let you bring your atheist friends. UCC tries to be a welcoming voice in the world. 

Loves community and support from home church.

Sense of intentional community with a specified mission that extends beyond walls - young adults finding it elsewhere.

Other

Kids feel their membership is in one church but attending another. Asking young to connect back to church with updates to cell, email, social media.

Re: spiritual connection, finds it in hands-on work of service followed by connection with people, not sitting in pews droning along to organ.

Another person finds connection with God in the silence. Church is one of the few places that doesn't ask you to be constantly connected. Want deep discussion that comes after mission work, opportunity to be quiet.

Authenticity in worship - explaining theologically why we do what we are doing. Create a deeper meaning to what you do.

Provide opportunity for mission that's not on church council - not rewriting bylaws, etc.

Have spiritual conversations alongside worship. Talk about how current events connect to spirituality - make it real. "When I act, I'm doing something for action."

Remember Jesus did all his work in 33 years, i.e. he was young adult.

Sanjay Cherian

Delegate

Brookline Community Church

The New Jim Crow: It's real!

I invite you to join me in reading The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Then, let us discern individually and separately what we can to to change it.

Kathy Traynor

Rev. Rauchenbush

Inspired to be in unexpected places including our electronic world has inspired me to be more proactive with twitter and blogging.  Breathing the Spirit of a God who is still speaking through the net is an option I cannot wait to engage.  Thank you Paul Rauchenbush and praise God!  Martell

Notes from General Synod Day 1

At the Educational Intensive for the Israel-Palestine resolutions, we were asked to think of one thing we learned at that seminar - here's mine: The speaker, Dr Pete Moore from Case-Western Reserve University, told us that the vast majority of non-tenured professors and career-minded students will not speak or write of the Israel-Palestine issue because they fear reprisals against their careers. Their names and faces are posted on a web site and they are accused of anti-Semitism. I had heard of such things in online debates but never directly stated by a credible individual.

Since the churches I grew up in were more traditional and not at all inclusive, I have sometimes struggled to understand or explain to friends the UCC's fixation on underrepresented groups. Yesterday I heard from the Synod stage the metaphor that clarified things for me: Jesus said "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" but there are seats at His table that remain empty. I would not dare point at a single person and say that salvation is not for that one, so what makes it possible to point at a group and say the same? All the seats must be filled before the party can start.

Sanjay Cherian
Delegate
Brookline Community Church

Blog Post

I graduated from The College of Wooster in 1985. My Independent Study research paper focused on the ecumenical movement and what it means to be a united and uniting church.  Over the past 40 years of ministry there have been times when I have lost sight of the importance of the larger church as I found myself caught up in the minutia of the everyday running of a small church.  We seek to recruit Sunday School teachers, staff the chicken barbecue and plan the next worship service and sometimes we forget to look beyond our own four walls.  Today at General Synod 30 I was reminded of the interconnectedness of our denomination with other parts of the body of Christ from across the world.  We welcomed to our meeting representatives from Zimbabwe and Korea, from Canada and India, from Germany and Mexico.  Our partnership with the Disciples of Christ was evident as we celebrated the ministry of missionaries placed jointly by the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.  Our mission partner from India spoke beautifully and profoundly about the ways we welcome others and his challenge to us was this:  "We all know that God is still speaking…the real question is 'Are we still listening?'"  May we all listen for God's voice throughout this 30^th General Synod!  

Rev. Dawn Garrett-Larsen (Delegate) 

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Rev. Dawn E. Garrett-Larsen
Pastor, Nelson Congregational Church UCC

"No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!"

1st Timer at General Synod

I arrived with no expectations and a bit of apprehension as was not sure what to expect. I am impressed with the organization and the focus on how to make the world better with our initiatives. The speakers have been very powerful and I am so glad to be here.

Joe Calabro

1st Congregational Church of Pelham, NH

General Synod Gala

Last night I had the privilege of attending the General Synod Gala. The theme of the gala was "Re-Imagine" and it was discussing the importance of literacy and how it changes lives. Our keynote speaker was Antwone Fisher, an African-American man who was born into the foster care system as his mother was incarcerated. Antwone continued to grow up in the foster care system, however he was in a very abusive household, where his foster parents were simply interested in fostering as it paid the bills. He then described his experience as he was sent off to a boys school when he was 16, and when he graduated he had aged out of the foster care system. He was taken from the school by his social worker and was dropped off at the Cleveland YMCA, as he was an emancipated minor. He was then forced to take his well-being into his own hands. He proceeded to live on the streets of Cleveland among the hustlers, and it took him a while to get on his feet. He later proceeded to join the U.S. Navy, and Antwone Fisher spent 11 years serving his country. While he was in the Navy he was able to receive the emotional and social support required to reflect on his past. After his time in the navy he was approached by Sony pictures and a movie was made documenting his life. Unfortunately Antwone's story was cut short as we ran out of time at the gala, but not being able to finish the rest of his story has left me wondering, and I will be sure to watch his movie to learn more about his life, and I encourage all of you to do the same, as it's a very inspiring story.

Katie Howe
Third Congregational Church of Alstead, Alstead, NH
Cheshire County

Love Wins

News of the Supreme Court ruling has come to the Cleveland Convention
Center!

It is possible, from where I am sitting, to hear the news move through
those who have assembled a bit early. Shrieks, whoops, laughter,
high-fives, tears of joy. Total strangers hugging, brought together by this affirmation of love.

When my wife and I married, nearly nine years ago, our marriage was legal in one state: Massachusetts. I never would have believed, then, that a few short years would change so much, for this nation and for families like mine.

As much as I would love to be able to celebrate this with her, I am glad
that I am with my church today. I am glad to celebrate with the community
that has supported us all these years. I am glad to see the power of this
ruling upon this gathering of the church - the power to bring us together, to remind us that justice can be done, that love will win.

May we carry this knowledge deep within us, during these days of Synod. May we feel clearly the power of love, the power of justice, the power of
witness, as we seek to live into our covenant as church. May we carry with us the love that makes strangers embrace.  May we seek, during these days, the love that makes us one body, one church, united and uniting.

Rev. Eliza Buchakjian-Tweedy