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Garden of Grace
Reports:
Pastor's Annual Conference Meeting (Atlanta), 2007
ATLANTA – Nineteen Garden of Grace United Church of Christ people took part in at least a portion of the worship, business, and fellowship of the 2007 Southeast Conference annual meeting at Central Congregational UCC in Atlanta .
The Rev. Dr. John H. Thomas of Cleveland, general minister and president of the UCC, led a Friday morning convocation in which he spoke of the tension of religious respectability and evangelical faith, with which UCC church people are now struggling.
“The church doesn't realize how unethical a respectable life can really be,” Thomas said, quoting noted theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.
“Church has been seduced by respectability to ignore call of evangelical faith.” Thomas added that churches struggle because they are no longer at the center of the culture. He is the first UCC conference president not to be invited to the White House, which he called a symbol of the change.
“We allowed our culture to carry our freight for us....Culture no longer conforms with (church) way of life.”
He listed 11 contrasts between respectable religion and evangelical faith.
Thomas also preached Friday night, talking about the rebuilding of “This Old House,” our churches and denomination into new and exciting places with focus on those yet to be gathered.
The Rev. Dr. Donna Allen, pastor of New Revelation Church in Oakland and a seminary professor of preaching, delivered a Saturday morning message that drew a standing ovation. She spoke of a building a house of God for all people as an act of mercy for the good of all. She called this more than a justice issue – but a living into God's love.
Both Thomas' convocation and sermon and Allen's sermon provided inspiration and insight for use in our pulpit. Thomas joined a table for lunch and chatted about ministry with me, Kevin Dove, and the Rev. Susannah Davis, pastor of Kirkwood UCC, a new church with which I am working.
The choir of Victory for the World UCC in Stone Mountain , GA , provided music Friday night during worship before a packed sanctuary of people from South Carolina , Georgia , Tennessee , Alabama , and Mississippi .
Our Music Team leader Mike Hughes led music for the Saturday morning worship – and a similar crowd. Our choir sang gathering music, an anthem, and with a youth choir and a conference choir led by Hughes. Trustee Cora Davis was a beloved soloist. The Garden of Grace entire choir was well received.
The Rev. Dr. Edwin Aponte of Dallas presented a leadership convocation, “Globalizing the Sacred: Latino/a Theologies, Immigration, and Biblical Justice,” in which he spoke of the projected growth of Christianity in South American, Central America, Africa, and Asia .
He spoke of the difference between Christendom and true Christianity.
As a member of the conference's New Church Development Committee, I met with the Rev. Lewis Kola, who has been authorized to move forward with plans for Emmanuel Christian Ministries UCC in Atlanta 's Tucker neighborhood.
Also, I met informally with three Clemson people, guests of the meeting, who are working with a pastor, the Rev. Suzie Smith moving from Pennsylvania to start a church there as early as this fall. The Clemson congregation plans a field trip to Garden of Grace .
I received recognition for my service on the committee during the report to the annual meeting by the Rev. Cameron Trimble, associate conference minister. Garden of Grace also received recognition during a report by the Rev. Kathy Clark, associate conference minister, for our new Theology Among the People ministry.
Also recognized in the meeting booklet were our in-care students Carolyn Hayford and Elizabeth Lorick.
Garden of Grace received a certificate of appreciation from Dr. Thomas and conference minister, the Rev. Timothy Downs, as a Covenant Bearer for giving 10 percent of our operating income to Our Church's Wider Mission in 2006. Since May 2006, our giving for that year was $3,589 to Our Church's Wider Mission, $497 for Neighbors in Need, $354 for Strengthening the Church, and $401 for Veterans of the Cross.
A $300,832 budget of 2007 was approved. The budget includes an $80,000 deficit, smaller than the projected deficit from last year but larger than the actual deficit.
A narrative budget shows 31 percent for church development, 24 percent for education and leadership, 21 for national UCC, 11 percent for administration and operations, 7 percent for governance, 3 percent each for communications and direct support to congregations and clergy.
The Southeast Conference is a debtor conference, receiving more from the national headquarters than it submits. The conference plans to give 11 percent of its operating income to the national headquarters. Conference income also includes several grants for the Nehemiah Initiative (church development) and TAP ministry.
Presenting the budget information at a hearing in which I attended was outgoing treasurer Jim Crabb and stewardship leadership Nancy Corpenning, both of Atlanta . They presented the budget at the annual meeting. It was unanimously approved as was a new set of bylaws and constitution, presented by Ginny Nixon of Pleasant Hill, TN.
Besides church development in Kirkwood and Tucker neighborhoods of Atlanta and in Clemson, Sandy Creek UCC has been started in Lafayette , AL .
The annual meeting, including Garden of Grace delegates, myself and Jennifer Spears, also approved some new board members and a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty in Georgia .
Jennifer attended a hearing on a proposal that the date for future annual meetings be moved to the fall. Next year's meeting will be June 13-14 in Pleasant Hill , TN.