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This is my favorite photo of the 171st Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia! If you look closely, you will see our young people in front, holding the regional assembly banner. This signals to me that they are ready to lead this region into God’s new thing. The entire Assembly filled my spirit with excitement and hope for the future of the Christian Church in Georgia, from beginning to end.
We opened with the Church Narrative Project/Transformative Community Conferencing. Rev. Yvonne Gilmore, Project Director, and Dr. David Hooker, founder and principal of Counter Stories Consulting, led us in understanding how the stories we tell live inside a larger schema of narratives that shape how we move in the world. Most of the narratives we inherit from family tradition, cultural norms, and systems. Dr. Hooker pointed out that we are rarely aware of just how much these narratives impact how we choose to live out our lives, especially in our faith communities. Once he established the power of narrative, and how it operates in our congregations, he proposed this idea:
“People are not the problem. The problem is the problem.”
Well, that statement was a shocker for most. As Dr. Hooker unpacked this proposition, we began to see the problematics that generate conflict in our churches. The good news is that the church narrative team also helped us see where God’s “kin-dom” was breaking through, in and among us, at the same time. I could sense God moving among us as we began to name where we already saw God’s presence at work in our congregations.
Storytelling hour had us on the edge of our seats, as we listened to seven storytellers from across the region share a "eureka" (a time of seeing the light, a revealing) moment in their lives. I left that evening changed by the stories of each of them. After each storyteller, Rev. Yvonne would state:
“True stories change lives… True stories save lives.”
.... And they do! They give us hope. They inspire us. They give us spiritual audacity. You can view their stories on the Christian Church (DOC) Facebook or YouTube.
Another special moment for me was at the Communion Table, where Josiah Trusdale, Rev. Sarah McClelland-Brown, and I, gave a Dayenu. A Dayenu is a testimony or recounting of the saving acts, kindness, and goodness of God in our lives -- personally and as a community of faith in our congregations/neighborhoods. Its origins come from the Jewish Passover Seder, where annually, our Jewish siblings retell the stories of how God delivered them.
Example: “It would have been enough for God to deliver us from Egypt and not split the Red Sea. It would have been enough if God split the Red Sea and not given us manna. It would have been enough.”
When we take the time to recall God’s goodness to us, we renew our hope in our own futures, express gratitude to God, give encouragement to others, and open the space for others to come to know the God who loves and cares for us. The scriptures tell us that we overcome by the words of our testimony.
“But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.” Revelation 12:11
I know, I know, some of you have a problem with blood and sacrifice theology, especially in our hymns, Gospel, and contemporary Christian music. But let’s have a discussion about it as it relates to the Black Church sometime.
In the Church Narrative Project, Dr. Hooker encouraged us to rethink how we practice the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist based on the Passover tradition -- the reminding and retelling of God’s amazing grace at the Table. Let’s make space at the Table, for all people, to share a Dayenu. They do not always have to be pastors or elders.
The Narrative Team closed out the beginning of their work with us by calling us to work with the General Church to create a new narrative of being the Church that welcomes all into a community where we can all flourish. God’s beloveds, be clear that this is not just a one and done workshop. This is a movement of transformation where the whole Church comes together, region by region, church by church, ministry by ministry, to shape together a new narrative as God calls us into co-creating the beloved community with God. If you are interested in becoming a regional trainer in the Narrative Project please send me an email of your interest: joan@gadisciples.org
The worshipful work of our business session began in the afternoon of our last day, with acknowledgement of reports from our Moderator, Treasurer and me, your Interim Regional Minister. Please take time to read them here.
You will see how faithful God has been to us, and how faithful you, your congregations, ministries, and leadership have been in staying the course during this season of uncertainty and challenge. I thank God for your faithfulness through it all!
I also thank God for your generosity of gifts in time, talents, and finances. However, I invite you, your congregations, and ministries, to prayerfully discern consistently giving to the ongoing worshipful work of the Region/General Church through Disciples Mission Funding, and through the denomination’s annual Special Offerings. This is how we equip and resource you, and your congregations, to be visible witnesses of Christ presence “in a fragmented world, from your doorsteps, to the ends of the earth."
The biggest hurdles we currently face are long overdue repairs at Camp Christian. In this calendar year alone, we have had to replace the pool and do major repairs on the camp managers' home -- including replacing the flooring throughout the entire house, addressing black mold, fixing leaks in plumbing, and the repainting of the house as a result of major renovations.
We are also in need of funding to educate and equip this community to make disciples, which will resource you live out your witness as agents of Christ, bringing healing and justice to your own communities.
Worship, the election of new board officers, and the installation of your new leadership was spirit-filled. In fact, I felt and witnessed the presence of God throughout the whole of the Assembly, beginning with the Narrative Project, ending with the Women’s Ministry Luncheon and Men’s Ministry Luncheon. I am sorry I could not be in two places at once, or I would have also been at the Men’s Luncheon to hear Rev. Kyle speak.
I am grateful to the Executive Team for their steady and exuberant leadership, the entire Regional board, Regional Assembly Planning Team, program participants, and all of you, for your prayers and investment in the 171st Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (DOC) in Georgia. It was truly amazing! I have been changed -- and I hope you were too.
Let’s create a new narrative together, where we make space and place for all to flourish. Where we make room for our children, youth, and young people to lead. Where all are welcomed to the Table as God’s beloveds.
Ours is the journey,
Rev. Joan
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