This is one of a series of reflections on the joint gathering of the board members of Together, As One Board with the members of the boards of the historic Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island conferences. Find them all here.
To gather with the other members of our three Boards of Directors from the historic conferences alongside those now representing us as the Together As One Board proved to be both an educational opportunity as well as quite inspirational. Over the past few years as we have gathered in this way to be about the work of discerning God’s vision for us here in Southern New England, relationships have grown and we have truly become a microcosm of that which we will experience on a larger scale once the new conference is birthed.
Our day together consisted of hearing various updates on our combined work, celebrating in worship as well as taking a look at our timeline… where we’ve been, what we have accomplished and what we have left to finish in the next few months. And in the midst of it all, I felt the all-too-familiar blend of joy and sorrow, excitement and grief experienced as we birth something new together. The day, surrounded by those whom we have grown to know and admire over these many years, was bittersweet.
Our closing Blessing made it clear that the work we have been about is coming to an end… at least for those of us serving as members of the historic conference boards. And new seeds have been planted which we trust will be nurtured by God to burst forth in ways we have yet to envision.
It has been such a joy to journey with these folks and shared days such as this past Saturday fill me with hope for the church’s future to know that there are so many committed, faithful, inspired (and inspiring) folks willing to be about this work together.
The Rev. Timoth Sylvia is the Senior Minister at Newman Congregational Church UCC in Rumford, RI.
To gather with the other members of our three Boards of Directors from the historic conferences alongside those now representing us as the Together As One Board proved to be both an educational opportunity as well as quite inspirational. Over the past few years as we have gathered in this way to be about the work of discerning God’s vision for us here in Southern New England, relationships have grown and we have truly become a microcosm of that which we will experience on a larger scale once the new conference is birthed.
Our day together consisted of hearing various updates on our combined work, celebrating in worship as well as taking a look at our timeline… where we’ve been, what we have accomplished and what we have left to finish in the next few months. And in the midst of it all, I felt the all-too-familiar blend of joy and sorrow, excitement and grief experienced as we birth something new together. The day, surrounded by those whom we have grown to know and admire over these many years, was bittersweet.
Our closing Blessing made it clear that the work we have been about is coming to an end… at least for those of us serving as members of the historic conference boards. And new seeds have been planted which we trust will be nurtured by God to burst forth in ways we have yet to envision.
It has been such a joy to journey with these folks and shared days such as this past Saturday fill me with hope for the church’s future to know that there are so many committed, faithful, inspired (and inspiring) folks willing to be about this work together.
The Rev. Timoth Sylvia is the Senior Minister at Newman Congregational Church UCC in Rumford, RI.
Author
Timoth Sylvia
The Rev. Timoth Sylvia is the Senior Minister at Newman Congregational Church UCC in Rumford, RI.