I thought I would write every day while I was at General Synod, but there hasn't been time.  General Synod, the national meeting of the United Church of Christ, is meeting in Atlanta with over 800 delegates and another 2000 visitors.  It began on July 1----with wonderful worship and many reunions of old friends.  On July 2 I was bible study leader of a small group----of a hundred!  Yesterday, those small groups, now transformed into committees, began to deliberate on the various issues.  Today is Independence Day.  We---the very independent United Church---will begin to consider business, including our resolutionsm, on the floor in plenary.

We have a number of terribly controversial issues to consider.  We'll be talking about marriage equality for same gender couples, and strategies for bringing pressure for peace in the Middle East.  We'll be talking about what route one takes to become an authorized minister in the United Church of Christ.  As you read this, I invite you to pray for us--for all of us and not just the 31 delegates of the Penn Central Conference.

What is absolutely unique about the United Church of Christ is that we----any of us---can bring anything to the table to be discussed.  This is healthy.  This is the way the world should work in my opinion.  If we could all talk about anything, with respect and civility, this would be a differenet world.  Let's pray for that too.  Peace,  Marja