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207th Annual Meeting: “Transforming Worship”
April/May 2006

This year’s Annual Meeting will be less business and more

“worship, workshop, and fellowship,” promises  Joanna Bickford, Conference Associate for Administration. “The event will be filled with worship services  that  will enable attendees to experience a music and worship style that will fill their souls and praise God.”

Worship Is The Theme

Worship, the central act that grounds Christians, giving vitality to individuals and to faith communities, will be the central act of this year’s Annual Meeting.

Friday Morning Worship

Meeting attendees will be able to choose from three different worship services running simultaneously  on Friday morning.  The services will all focus on Baptism but will celebrate music and worship styles from various cultures.   Lisa and Cesar DePaz, new church start pastors at the Hispanic Community Church, UCC, Lowell and The Hispanic Community Church, UCC of Boston with musicians from their congregations will lead members in a bi-lingual and bi-cultural worship service in the tradition of their native Costa Rica. 

Wanda Harris-Watkins, pastor of Pakachoag Church, Auburn, and gospel singer/pianist Linda Brown-San Martin (along with Willie Sordillo, Doug Rich, and Stanley Swann) will lead members in worship which honors African-American spiritual practice and perspective. 

Liz and Matt Boulton, pastors of Hope Church in Jamaica Plain, along with Hope’s musical ensemble, “Sweet the Sound”  will lead members in worship rooted in early North American sacred music and bluegrass traditions. 

Friday Evening Worship

The candidate for Minister and President, who will be presented at Plenary, will preach at Friday evening’s worship service, which will focus on Call. (Election will follow immediately after the close of worship in Abbey Chapel, and a reception is planned following the election.) 

Saturday Morning Worship

Saturday morning’s worship will focus on imagination and will include Sid Fowler’s keynote address “The Tranforming Heart of Worship.” As Minister for Worship, Liturgy, and Spiritual Formation in the national setting of the UCC, he was responsible for coordinating the denomination’s “Worshiping Into God’s Future” initiative. Presently he assists congregations in becoming centers of spiritual formation through worship, sacraments, prayer, education, the arts, and spiritual discernment.     

Saturday Closing Worship

Interim Minister and President Steve Sterner will preach during Saturday’s closing worship, which will include communion and focus on Annointing and Sending Forth.   

Other Events             

In addition to a multitude of worship services, the Meeting will address clergy compensation, the resolution process, and the budget.  For this first time, a vacation Bible camp will be offered for elementary school children.  A calendar of workshops will be offered twice for easier decision-making.  For those arriving a little earlier, there will be an old-fashioned hymn-sing and two storytellers performing on Thursday night.               

“This is an opportunity to share your experiences with other members, and learn from their experiences,” says Bickford.  “Attend the Annual Meeting to network, be inspired, celebrate, and worship together.”  

Registration information is available online at http://www.macucc.org/xnews/207AM.htm.