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from the Minister & President
We are not without hope

This column is excerpted from the Interim Minister and President’s Report to the Plenary of the 207th Annual Meeting, Saturday, June 10, 2006.

I understand there’s a curse that says, “May you have an interesting year.”  This has been a really interesting year.  When I spoke to you a year ago, I mentioned in theory some of the things that have actually come to pass, and we have learned that

theory sounds better than practice. 

The year 2005 did see the long projected deficit for the Conference materializing.  And we saw our long, almost 40 year trend of membership loss continue.  The challenges that are before you are great and it would be possible to throw up your hands in despair.  We are not the church we used to be, and for that, many grieve. 

But, to paraphrase Paul, we are not like others who have no hope.  In 2005, on an average Sunday in Massachusetts, between 30 and 35 thousand people gathered in Massachusetts Conference, United Church of Christ congregations... 30 to 35 thousand people praying, praising God, listening for God’s new word to be spoken, transforming their lives and the lives of their communities.  Sunday after Sunday, 35 thousand people excited about their church, open to God’s word, centered on the Gospel, come together in praise and prayer.  We are not without hope. 

In 2005, Massachusetts Conference churches supported over 100 different programs geared toward af-fordable housing and homelessness... We are not without hope.

In 2005, almost $1,000,000 was contributed by our members for tsunami, hurricane and earthquake relief, and work teams have begun to travel to New Orleans in support of our Katrina partnershipwith Good Shepard Church, which continues to grow…. All told, the Massachusetts Conference churches of the United Church of Christ in 2005 contributed over $7,000,000 to local mission, Basic Support, Fellowship Dues and special offerings.  We are not without hope.

In 2005, we worked with the Massachusetts Council of Churches and our ecumenical and interfaith partners to defeat a proposed death penalty bill…and with the human rights campaign to educate legislators about the values of equality in marriage….We are not without hope.

Throughout the Conference, churches are coming alive…. New churches are being planned and those new churches that have most recently been started are thriving beyond our wildest expectations.  We are not without hope.

Clergy are being supported through communities of practice and new clergy are provided communities of support in their transitions into ministry.  We are not without hope. 

And the strength and wonder of the Massachusetts Conference, the brightness of its promise and the blessing of its abundance has brought to you a leader of the faith, ability and integrity of Jim Antal.  We are not without hope. 

God is speaking to and through the ministries of the churches and clergy of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.  We are not without hope.…

In my opinion, one of the tragedies of our time is that our churches are so often caught up in internal issues that the great injustices of our time go unchallenged and the spiritual hunger of our people goes unmet.  You have the gifts, you have the resources, you have the faith….  Appreciate what you have, and use it to build your ministry going forward as a strong community of faith in this Commonwealth.

I want to thank you for allowing this simple parish pastor the privilege of serving with you, and I ask those that I have harmed to forgive me; and for those who have provided harm I extend my forgiveness as well.  For mistakes made, I ask your forgiveness.  May God bless you as you continue to nurture the vitality of local churches and the covenant you share as the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, a community of people not without hope. 

Amen.