Statewide ONA Worship Celebrates Community And God’s Extravagant Welcome!

The Spirit shone on the ONA Celebration Worship Service, called “We’re 90 in ’09,” when we celebrated the over 90 ONA settings in the MA Conference.  Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, Conference Minister and President and a vocal justice and ONA advocate, inspired the congregation to the theme of Cornel West’s words that “Justice is what love looks like in public.”  There was abundant music (drumming, organ, piano and rap), church and Conference banners in procession, and a brightly decorated sanctuary as a setting.  The host church, the Hadwen Park Congregational Church, UCC, is well known as an authentic ONA-living place and a noisy advocate for justice.  Hymns included “Ours the Journey” and the lovely “For the Children,” written by David Lohman to honor the Rev. Ann B. Day and Donna Enberg of the UCC Coalition.

The ONA Task Force thanked Ann for convening the first ONA Task Force and serving on it for twenty-five years.  They recognized Susan Dickerman, Associate Conference Minister, for her service as staff to the Task Force for over a decade.  The Rev. Judy Brain was recognized for serving in the early years of the Task Force and for being one of the original writers (along with Ann) of the ONA study materials. 

Four ONA witnesses told their stories.  Rev. Tadd Allman-Morton told of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the Westhampton Congregational Church’s ONA process.  Rev. Judy Hanlon described Hadwen Park’s unique ministry to save the very lives of Jamaican lgbt immigrants.  A couple, Krysia Villon and Louis Mitchell, self-identified as a “Latina Lesbian and a Black Transman,” told of their faith and their affirmation as full human beings in the welcoming environment of the City of Refuge, UCC, in San Francisco and later in two ONA churches in Springfield, MA.  It was a day to remember – and build on!