Willing to be Courageous

Rev. Lorraine Ceniceros, Conference Minister

Hello, members and friends of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference of the UCC! 

As yet another Covid-19 variant has emerged, and as we enter year three of the pandemic, it appears congregations are adjusting in ways that work for the individual faith communities. Many of our churches are temporarily returning to virtual worship and those who are worshiping in person are masking and distancing as needed. 

We have all experienced the difficulty and frustration experienced with remote worship services. Clergy and technical teams work countless hours recording and editing to bring meaningful services to the congregation and as meaningful as a service can be, we still miss seeing each other in person. Acknowledging the difficult choices that must be made, I give thanks for the care of the community that is exhibited in how these decisions are thoughtfully reached and carried out. Let us continue to be diligent in our care for the most vulnerable among us as we continue to move through this challenging time. 

The pandemic has also put a damper on my being able to go to meetings and worship services and meet the good people of the conference.  For the next year, I will be offering different ways in which I can meet with clergy and congregations. 

For clergy: we’re introducing a monthly zoom session called Clergy, Coffee and Conversation. These conversations will take place on the third Thursday of every month at 10:00 am, beginning February 24. The meetings will have no agenda, just come with your morning beverage, and have a conversation with me and your colleagues. Clergy can soon expect an email with the meeting information. 

Congregations can use this scheduler which allows clergy or lay leaders to invite me to preach, worship with a church community, or attend a Sunday leadership meeting. The scheduler provides a typical Sunday morning time frame that can be adjusted as needed.  I would like to visit as many congregations as possible in person or virtually. Good professional boundaries are important, so I request the serving pastor to be present during my visits. I also make it a practice to call a pastor before planning to attend their Sunday morning worship. 

The current scheduler for one-on-one conversations is still available. My hope is to have as many opportunities as possible for conversation and sharing with clergy and congregational leaders in a space where everyone can share their hopes, dreams, and challenges. 

Plans are in place to continue providing leadership learning opportunities for conference members through the Kansas Leadership Center. More information will be made available through Bobbie Henderson, member of Fellowship Congregational UCC in Tulsa and recent past president of the Conference, who leads the KLC Core Team. The Committees on Ministry and I are also beginning to plan opportunities in 2022 where clergy can gather for a time of connection and restoration.

The theme for my preaching this year is focused on courage; courage to be, courage to grow, courage to shine your light proudly in the world, and acquiring the courage needed to move forward as we strive to bring a living, breathing Christ to our broken world. 

At a recent meeting with other Conference Minister colleagues, our time together closed with the words of Neil Giaman. The words struck a cord with me and I want to share them with you as we begin our journey together, collaboratively learning, growing, and stretching.

I hope that in this year to come 

you make mistakes,

because if you are making mistakes,

then you are making new things, 

trying new things, learning, living,

pushing yourself, changing yourself, 

changing your world. 

You’re doing things you’ve never done before

and, more importantly,

you’re doing something.

Many blessings as we walk this journey of faith together,

Lorraine