Synod 34 Reflections: Marcia Keesee
I am Marcia Keesee a member of Fellowship Congregational UCC in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The expectations for my Synod experience abruptly changed when I agreed to be one of the six delegates that represented the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference. My initial motivations were to be at Synod in person to witness the vote for the new slate of the United Church of Christ Board of Directors (UCCB) as I was one of the twelve on the new slate. In addition, I was eager to fellowship with such a large gathering of those who share my same values and beliefs and was excited for the opportunities to engage with the larger global ministries in an induvial fashion. Synod exceeded my expectations; however, no one could have prepared me for the level of rigor involved.
Beyond the level of work involved, there were a few instances that stood out immensely. There were 3 moments that left the strongest impression on me. The first instance was the initial opportunity for the collective gathering being opening worship. for me, understandably, was being able to personally experience the UCCB vote. In that moment I felt As I walked into the convention space where we met as the collective body, the staging was stunningly beautiful and was appropriately referred to as the Garden of Creation. The vibe was further heightened by the familiarity of the praise team singing gospel music. The music and staging perfectly framed the beauty of the message given by Rev. Jamar Doyle. This atmosphere that harkened back to my Missionary Baptist roots was the perfect blend of my past spiritual home with my current spiritual home in the UCC which I feel aligns perfectly with my personal values. The second instance that stood out and impacted me deeply was the opportunity to cast my vote for the historic election of Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson. That was an incredibly emotional moment and experience that I will forever be grateful. The third moment a deep sense of gratitude.
My time as Synod also brough about a few surprises as well. I was truly surprised and excited to learn of all the work that is being done by the UCC on a global scale. I am incredibly proud of our global and justice ministries and what the UCC is doing to change lives. I did not realize how ignorant I was of the organizational infrastructure and its complexity. It blew my mind to learn that our justice ministries’ operations are so large each warrants its own executive director and staff. Another surprise was witnessing the number of people of color in leadership and ministerial roles at the national level in a denomination that is over 80% white. This was a pleasant revelation. It is clear that the leadership at the national level are very intentional about inclusion so that everyone has a voice at the table.
One aspect of Synod that provided less clarity was the resolution process. I did not expect to dislike the process for voting on the 14 proposed resolutions. The lack of education and pertinent information that would allow delegates to make informed decisions when casting votes led me to believe that the overall process needs to be reworked. The educational intensives about each resolution were designed to educate but fell short; therefore, in several instances voters were not properly equipped to make informed decisions. This was made clear listening to the pro and con arguments for each individual resolution. One could easily believe that most delegates voted their own personal interests instead of what would be best for the greater good.
Overall, the experience was amazing! As an incoming UCCB member, the experience was incredibly educational for me in terms of knowing and understanding people and process. These experiences along with the special opportunities offered by the justice ministries that I participated in such as the Open and Affirming Coalition Dinner, United Black Christians lunch, the Join the Movement dinner with Ibram X. Kendi and the Celebrating Disability, Mental Health, Sexuality and Wellness Justice luncheon were life changing experiences that reinforced the fact that I am exactly where I need to be. Synod is an experience that all members of the UCC should have at least once. There will be no better opportunity for the KO Conference to engage than in 2025 when the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference and the Missouri Mid-South Conference co-host General Synod 35 in Kansas City, MO. I hope to see you there!