By Tiffany Vail
Associate Conference Minister for Communications

Delegates to the 151st Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference on Saturday passed five resolutions on justice issues, including an emergency resolution condemning the separation of immigrant children from their parents. 

The last-minute resolution declared that delegates to the meeting "condemn in the strongest terms possible the outrageous, inhumane, and unjust treatment of those 'strangers' seeking refuge at our southern border. The deliberate and cruel separation of infants and children from their parents must cease at once, and a kinder, more compassionate, and more just policy - one that reflects the 'better angels' of our national nature - must take its place."  (Full text to be posted)

The Annual Meeting was held as part of the second joint Annual Meeting with the Massachusetts and Rhode Island conferences in Springfield, MA.
 
At the meeting, delegates also approved a resolution calling on the Associations of the Conference to adopt a policy requiring all Authorized Ministers to receive at least a one-day racial justice training workshop every three years, and for all members in discernment to receive training prior to ordination. 

The resolution also calls for expanded racial justice training for Christian Educators, youth leaders, music directors, organists, choir directors and other lay leaders, and asks that more anti-racism resources be made available.  Find the full resolution text here.

Delegates also approved:

• A Resolution of Implementation Recommending Working Together to End Bullying
• A Resolution of Implementation for Transparency of Information About Infrastructure Development (related to the construction of energy infrastructure)
• A Resolution of Affirmation Denouncing Acts of Violence, Hatred, and Racism Carried Out in the Name of Neo-Nazi and White Supremacist Ideologies

These votes were taken in addition to the vote in favor of joining with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts conferences to form a new, unified Conference. That vote was taken by paper ballot at the request of some delegates. Read more here. The meeting also elected representatives to the new conference's Board of Directors (see the slate here.)

In addition to the resolutions, the Connecticut meeting heard greetings from The Rev. Jeung Gun-Yeung, Moderator of the Gyeonngi Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea, with which the Conference has had a 24-year partnership.  Also, the Living Waters Award was presented to Marjorie Roach of the First Congregational Church of Coventry and Hugh and Kate McLean the The First Church in Windsor. (Read more here.)