What? Is that really my name?
Greetings from your friendly neighborhood Gypsy Seminarian, reporting to you live from Metro Chicago Synod Assembly!....
...actually it happened this past weekend.
Spring not only brings the flowers that leaped forth from Mother Earth and yelled "Hello world!"; Spring not only brings brightly colored homemade fruit and veggie stands with red and white awning, bursting forth with a wonderful harvest and awakening our taste buds to new and interesting foods. Spring gives the floodgates a shove as all the Synod Assemblies begin.
Awaiting the masses of the faithful
The Tinley Park Convention Center was transformed almost into one of those mega churches (perish the thought) with beautiful banners proclaiming the power of the risen Christ but of also the throng of witnesses proclaiming the Good News in every tongue.
Interesting that the next weekend, the Illinois GOP would be meeting in the same space.
Glad a little Jesus got a chance to bless this place...
It seems like the years I have been able to go, I have gone in a volunteer capacity: I served on a Committee, greeted people at check in and this year, I initially participated in both Worship Services but also was asked to sit at the Lutherans Concerned/Chicago booth.
Collectively, we as a Synod are speaking with one voice. Perhaps we don't understand everything or even why we need to stand with those who historically some aspects of humankind tend to damn altogether. There were those during the hearings and debates didn't want us as a Church to speak out on this resolution supporting the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Act; that we should advocate individually.
Yet what about the Church's voice during the Civil Rights Movement? Didn't people of God, brothers and sisters in Christ come from the confines of their four sacred walls and walk through the streets proclaiming that restricting, limiting, enslaving a people just because of this or that or the other was wrong? Perhaps people are afraid to step out on faith, and it's alright because we as children of God are not perfect. We are ever changing, growing, learning and sometimes just being who we are and remembering whose we are.
My Synod passed this resolution but there is still more conversations to be had, and even more so, prayers to be joined together holding hands when we agree to disagree. Hearing those voices speaking out in that hearing room whether they agreed or were unsure or even frustrated meant that our spirits were alive, calling out our prayers to Our Creator knowing that He was also in that room with us, listening, surrounding and loving us.
Oh yeah..as a post script..someone nominated me to be a part of the Synod's delegation to Churchwide's Assembly next August 2013. I didn't know about this until well into that Friday afternoon. I have my suspicions about who did and well, it's awesome and humbling to be recognized and as I delve more into my Church and the people who link hands with me, I realize that my vocational walk becomes more and more real.
Until next time, Lape Bondye! God's Peace!
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