Today, I woke up at an unspeakable hour and made my way to my second General Synod. I am happy to be back at Synod and in Cleveland for the first time. General Synod is the place where so much of church work intersects, and as a self-described geek for administration and organization, General Synod tickles a special nerve for me.

Since I had some extra time, I went with some folks up to the UCC headquarters building at 700 Prospect Ave. The façade of the building is architecturally pretty, with a tasteful sign bearing the United Church of Christ name. The lobby was full of attractive signage. The beauty of the Amistad Chapel, especially the organ and the fountain, impressed me. But, the most noteworthy thing I have encountered so far has been the people. After all, the church is not bound in by walls but rather bound together by covenant. The chapel, the headquarters building, the resolutions, the by-laws, they all mean nothing without the people. We are here to affirm one another, but, perhaps more importantly, to push, pull, and drag each other in the Godly direction the best we can. I pray that through our work God is like a proud mama boasting about her babies.