Last fall, I did not know what a Synod was, who went, or why. Fran did, however, and patiently explained while nudging me to become a delegate. She finally won me over with her persistence and humor (you know how Fran can do that!)
Synod is a national UCC gathering that happens every two years. Delegates from all over the country meet for 5 days to review, debate and finally vote on adopting new resolutions. Many of the resolutions address issues of social justice, environmental action, and responses to national issues.
In late April, Rev. Liz Garrigan-Byerly and other conference staff led a training to help prepare delegates for Synod. Liz and I will be going to Indianapolis from June 30-July 4, along with over 90 delegates from just our region, Southern New England Conference! Along with many more UCC folks from all over the country, we will wrestle with current issues to discern positions that reflect our commitment to caring for our planet and actively making the world a more just place.
Resolutions this year include gun violence prevention, abortion as healthcare, freedom from plastic pollution, affirming trans and nonbinary rights, and confronting white supremacy, among many others. Please send prayers our way, and hopefully we will bring back some resolutions that our congregation might find useful and informative.—Heather Gonzalez