Calvin Synod Herald, 2006 (107. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2006-07-01 / 7-8. szám

6

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

My Reflections on our 68th Annual Meeting

As we return home from our week long Calvin Synod Conference Meeting, I would like to share with you some of my personal observations. By and large, it was a very positive and moving experience. And most of the membership was together on the issues that were decided.

When we arrived, Rev. Sutto, our General Secretary, preached at the opening worship service asking us “Why are we here?” The General (which some of us call him) enlightened us with wonderful biblical, theological and practical answers to this question. For me, there is only one answer: to represent our local congregations. Without our local congregations, there would be no Synod. So let’s look at the week from this perspective.

First, we did do a good job sharing our joys and hardships. We had congregational sharing, Classes reports from our Deans, and various committee recommendations. We all witnessed a moving experience on Wednesday when our Bishop Ludwig led a prayer service at the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel and we visited the crash site in nearby Shanksville.

Unfortunately, toomuchtimeisspentmakingrecommendations and debating issues that create tension and division within our own local congregations. We did do some of this, but it was not as ugly and personal as in past years. Some of the good recommendations that passed include the endorsing of Faith and Welcoming Churches, a wonderful report from the Youth Work and Family Life Committee, and the urging of all our members to participate in all Classis, regional and local church events. Disappointing were the Classis Committee reports. In the past, we had some good work completed by those committees. They provided useful information for our local congregations. These committees need to work this coming year. These are the areas where our local congregations need something from. I urge each committee chair to step up and get those committees working on these issues. We all need this to happen. Evangelism and Worship, Stewardship and Welfare, Ecumenism and Social Action, Christian Education, and Lay Life and Work are all important areas where our congregations need help.

Interestingly, we were ahead of schedule and ended the meeting at 10:15 on Friday morning. Led by our Bishop, Rt. Rev. Karl Ludwig, that morning devotion reflected on our week. (He really has a way of “telling it like it is!”) Here are some thoughts on how we did help our local congregations: Look again at the Bishop’s Report. He did a lot for and spent a lot of time in our local churches. Read the Conference Council Minutes. We spent a lot of time discussing the issues that affect our local congregations and tried to reach out to them. We now have an updated Catechism Book available. Purchase and use them in your local congregations and for your confirmation classes. We are very close to having an updated Lay Ministry Program. It should be in place by year end. We honored several of our dedicated church workers at our Synod Banquet. Each congregation has many of their own dedicated servants. We extend thanks and gratitude to them all. We also helped two of our congregations with Home Mission funds. This fund, set up in 1999, is there to help all of our local congregations in times of need. Coming events include Youth Camp, a Christian Education

Program in Lorain, Church Workers and Presbyters Conference in Cleveland, and a Ministerial Retreat in September. All are encouraged to attend and participate in these events.

One last thought on the financial picture. Every congregation struggles with their finances. We have to exhaust ourselves with constant fund-raisers to keep our churches going. Membership is the key. It’s all in the numbers. If our membership grows, so does our income. It affects the entire structure of the church; the denomination, the Synod (Conference), the Classes and the Local Congregations. So as we serve and do our work for this year, keep this in mind: Nothing should be more important than the strengthening of our local congregations. All other levels of our church structure exist because of the local church. If there are no local congregations, there will be no UCC or no Calvin Synod. Our life is in the Local Congregation.

Mr. Jim Balias, Synod Presbyter UCC Bridgeport, Connecticut

Four Days in May: Is That All There Is?

“No one, after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light,” Jesus’ tells us in Luke 8:16-17. What Jesus says makes sense: if a person lights a lamp, he does not then put the lamp in such a place that the light it gives off - it’s very purpose for existence - is kept from lighting that place to which it is designed to bring light. If one does that, one is not committed to the purpose of the very creation of that light, that oil lamp in Jesus’ time.

It always reminded me of the verse in Revelation 3:16, speaking to that church which apparently had taken the steps it felt were necessary to conform outwardly as a church, actions without conviction, without any real dedication to the purposes of the church.

The complaint in verse 3:17 is that “You say (to yourself), I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, naked.” So to that angel of the church of Laodicea are written the words “you are neither cold not hot... Because you are lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth.”

Why would a person light a lamp, then hide it under a bed? Well, someone told him he must light the lamp, but he really doesn’t subscribe to the purpose... As one of the “lamp-lighters,” in terms of final results, he does not meet the criteria.

Dedication to any lifestyle is exemplified by fully committing to the tenants of that lifestyle. Anything less is “lukewarm” - anything less is “lighting the lamp,” then hiding it under a bed or bushel basket.

I am impressed by the contrast between American political parties and the traditional European political parties. In America, political parties come to life prior to elections. We start hearing about the “family values,” the goals of the parties, the promises the parties make to the “American People” as the election draws near.