August 17, 2014:

Ponderings of a Pilgrim Pastor

August 17, 2014

“Please, God, We’d Rather Do It Ourselves”

            Those new to Pilgrim and maybe even some “old-timers (!)” may not fully understand how our denomination, the United Church of Christ, is organized.  Let me try to explain.

            The U.C.C. is very much like a layer cake.  Each layer is distinct in function but all are bound together with the sweet frosting of the Holy Spirit and mutual love, respect and concern.  To continue my bakery analogy, without the “frosting” there can be no cake.  Nothing would hold us together as a United Church of Christ.  But without the other layers there would be no cake worthy of the name!

            The top layer of the cake is made up of local U.C.C. congregations.  While other denominations may have hierarchies, bishops and the like who give leadership and “marching orders” to local churches, in our denomination local congregations are the hierarchy.  All important actions and decisions depend on the involvement and agreement of U.C.C. congregations.  To put it negatively, no one else in the U.C.C. can dictate what we in Pilgrim should do.  To put it positively, we as local churches are responsible for decisions and actions of our denomination.  This kind of freedom demands responsibility if our “cake” is to hold together.

            There are other important layers in our “cake.”  Groups of U.C.C. churches in a particular area are joined together in Associations or in larger geographical groups call Conferences.  Associations and Conferences assist local churches to ordain clergy and to help churches find good pastoral leadership.  Associations and Conferences also provide educational and leadership development and help to establish mission work that no individual church could carry out on its own.  Pilgrim is a member of the Southeast Conference of the U.C.C. ably led by our new Conference Minister, June Boutwell, and other staff.

            Our national church “layer” is headquartered at Cleveland, Ohio led by our General Minister and President, Geoffrey Black.  The national staff assists local churches with stewardship, and media resources, local church support, justice and witness ministries, global and national missions, pensions for U.C.C. clergy and staff as well as health and other forms of church insurance, investment funds, and connecting us with our seminaries and cooperative denominations.

            I’m proud to be part of the marvelous “cake” that is the United Church of Christ and I hope you are, too!

Love,

Dave