October MESSAGE FROM REV. LORRAINE CENICEROS, CONFERENCE MINISTER
It’s the middle of October and I’m still feeling the warm glow of our Annual Meeting.
Many have shared with me how much they enjoyed the overall meeting. Being able to connect with members of other congregations they would not have met otherwise, along with several new aspects to our meeting this year, made the meeting a memorable one.
First, we went back to the local church for our meeting! A relatively simple move, maybe not for the hosting church folks (thank you Mayflower!), seemed to change the overall feel of the meeting. We are church folks, so meeting in a fellowship hall for business of the conference and round table discussions felt like we were at home in our own local church.
Also new were the Holy Conversations. For those who did not attend, Holy Conversations were small groups in which over 100 people from 51 congregations representing the diversity of our Kansas-Oklahoma Conference were carefully grouped by affinity, such as retired pastors, or members of small or large congregations, for example, for conversation. The groups were asked what brought them joy in their church and what their concerns are for the future. Some conversations went deep, and others stayed light, depending on the folks present. The outcome of the conversations was that people discovered they were not alone in their joys or their concerns. Note-takers gathered information into themes which will help our Board plan their work for 2024. A summary of the Holy Conversations, written by Emilee Bounds a member of Fellowship Congregational UCC can be found here.
Another addition to the Annual Meeting was the youth program provided by our Annual Meeting youth staff Callie Rivera and Justin Dametz who led our students through a Friday night escape room activity. It was a fun evening for all as they shared pizza, ice cream, snacks, and laughter together.
I would be remiss if I did not again thank the five financial ministries for their financial support of our meeting. The five ministries include, The United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund, United Church Funds, The Insurance Board, the Church Building and Loan Find, and the Pension Boards. Thank you also to Kent Siladi the UCC Director of Philanthropy who generously covered the cost of breakfast items, drinks, and snacks for the meeting. If you enjoyed a sweet or salty snack, or piece of fruit throughout our time together, you could thank Michael Vollbrecht for his help in purchasing the food and Kent Siladi for generously covering the cost.
Of course, a great chorus of thanks goes to the good people of Mayflower Congregational Church and those who were part of the planning team. We found we were certainly better together!
Attendees have been sent an email asking for their thoughts about the meeting and suggestions for next year’s meeting. Please fill that out if you have not already done so.
The UCC General Synod 34 might feel like it is disappearing in our rear-view mirror but there is still good news to share from the June 30 - July 4th event. Previously, in our Synod summary individual reflections were offered from our six delegates. Today, a video of Synod highlights presented by the national setting is available and can be accessed here. This Saturday, October 20 at 4:00pm central time, is the historic installation of our 10th General Minister and President, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson! There is still time to register to witness this event through livestream. Join me as we install Rev. Thompson, the first woman and first woman of African descent to serve as leader of the denomination. Registration can be accessed here.
As we say goodbye to General Synod 34, Synod 35 is quickly approaching. When I visit congregations, the question is often asked if congregants will be able to attend the 2025 General Synod that will be held in Kansas City. The answer is a resounding yes! This upcoming Synod, jointly hosted by the Kansas Oklahoma and Missouri Mid-South Conferences will be an all hands-on-deck affair. Many, many volunteers will be needed from both conferences to come together to plan, organize, and host the event. Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about serving on the local planning team. Our local planning team will begin their work with the Missouri-Mid South folks at the beginning of 2024.
On another note, I am happy to announce Rev. Peter Luckey will soon begin gathering retired and retired/exempt clergy for monthly conversations. Our authorized ministers who no longer feel called to serve as a settled pastor with a local congregation still have ministry to share with each other and the larger church. Rev. Luckey will facilitate helpful and heartfelt conversations with those who have served the church so well. If you are retired or hold exempt standing, please be on the lookout for an email from Peter.
Friends, as always, I pray you keep stretching out of your comfort zone to share the love of Christ with others. Relationships are an important ingredient to help sustain hope in our strife filled world. Build the bonds of relationship with others in your congregation, your neighborhood, your community, and your sibling UCC congregations. In that stretching out toward and connecting with others, may you feel a deeper connection to the Holy.
Many blessings as we walk this journey of faith together,
Lorraine