 Greetings friends. Welcome to CTUCC Conference Cast for April 17, 2015, the regular podcast of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ. Whoever you are and wherever you may be on life's journey at this very moment, you are welcome here. This week's conference cast is coming to you from Silver Lake Conference Center, our outdoor ministry center and retreat facility in Sharon, Connecticut. We begin this week's conference cast with this meditation from the Reverend Dr. Michael Seba, Senior Regional Minister for the Southwest Region of the Connecticut Conference. In the 24th chapter of Luke, Jesus comes and appears to the disciples as they are talking about two other disciples having seen him on the road to Emmaus. He eats a piece of broiled fish that they give him and he explains to them about the prophecies that he has fulfilled. Then he leads them out to Bethany and lifting his hands, he blesses them. Other stories of Jesus post resurrection appearances are better known than this one. If we've been in church during the Easter season, we probably remember the encounters with Mary Magdalene in the garden, doubting Thomas, the road to Emmaus, and the fishing trip by the Sea of Tiberias. But this somewhat scattered text illustrates several important aspects of the Easter story. First, Jesus proclaims that he is more than a spirit. He invites the disciples to see and touch his hands and feet. He eats. The resurrection is not just a spiritual experience. It involves the whole human being, body and soul. The resurrection of the body affirms the goodness and worth of all that is created, each and every one of us. Next, Jesus links the resurrection to what was, what is, and what will be. Jesus encourages the disciples to see how the witness of Scripture can help them make sense of their own experiences. He invites them to see how their stories are part of a much greater story of God's loving activity in the world. He points them toward a future in which they will have a key role in sharing God's good news with all people. Third, Jesus assures the disciples that they do not have to rely only on themselves. They will be clothed with power from on high in order to do the work that God calls them to do. It's okay that they don't feel ready right now. God will empower them when the time is right. As Easter people, we proclaim with confidence God's declaration that all creation is good. As Easter people, Scripture helps us to see how God's story and our story intersect. As Easter people, we know that we don't have to rely on ourselves to do it all. As Easter people, we, like those first disciples, worship with joy and bless God continually. Here is a prayer for this week. Life giving and life restoring God, we thank you for your creation that is all good and always good. Speak to us through the words of Scripture and the words we share with one another. Strengthen and empower us for the work you call us to do. May all we are and all we do praise you in Jesus' name. In the news this week, leaders of the United Church of Christ conferences from around the country gathered at the headquarters of the United Church of Christ this past week for a two-day conversation on making church leadership more representative of the multicultural church of Jesus Christ that they serve. The consultation on diversity was organized by UCC general minister and president, the Reverend Joffrey Black, and it was facilitated by three UCC conference ministers. In this sacred conversation, they discussed ways church leadership can identify, foster, and develop people of color as future leaders of the denomination. So, Conference Cast is coming to you from Silver Lake Conference Center this week, and I'm here with Tim Hughes, the executive director of Silver Lake. Tim, welcome to Conference Cast. Hi, Eric. It's great to be here. It's great to have you here. Actually, it's great to be here with you. Because we're out here in what we call God's Backyard. Tim, tell me a little bit about what makes this place so special. Well, as you know, Eric, young people from going into fourth grade all the way to high school can come up here for a week in the summertime and have an outdoor ministry experience, and they'll meet people they've never met before, and they'll get to be good friends with new people and play in the trees and swim in the lake and all kinds of fun things. What are some of the activities that they might participate in? Well, we love to go swimming in the lake, and of course, that's a big draw, and we have a great big inflatable mountain called Mudge Mountain, and you climb up on one side and you slide into the water on the other. It's really fun. We also have a new thing that we got last year called the Jesus Walk, and it lets you walk on water. Pretty amazing, right? Only a church camp. We also do a lot of other things outside, like climbing the trees on our high ropes course and our low ropes course. We play games, field games. We have a nature program. We do a lot of singing and a lot of sports and really getting to know each other and finding out about God's creation. That's great. Now, there are plenty of camping programs around. Some of them are associated with some sort of faith group, and many are not. What separates Silver Lake? What makes this program so special? Well, of course, being a United Church of Christ camp, we are open and affirming, and we are welcoming to everybody who wherever you are on life's journey, whoever you are, you're welcome here. The thing that the young people say to me the most is that they feel like Silver Lake is a place they can be themselves, and they can be accepted for who they are, and how important is that for a young person to have that opportunity. People make friends very quickly here, and very long-term friendships. People make friends that they'll have for the rest of their lives here. I think it's really important that there's a spiritual aspect that we do Bible study, although a lot of times the young people don't know that's what we're doing, but I think that's an important thing that we do here that isn't at many camps. I think it makes this place be the kind of place that it's safe to be yourself. What's that thing that you tell conferees on that first afternoon? What is it that they're about to do in order to make themselves a great week? Well, I asked them to do three things while they're here this week, and those three things are to love God, to love your neighbor, and to love yourself. And you know what? When they do those things, it's a great week. All right. Thanks so much, Tim. Oh, wait a minute! There is one other thing we should probably let folks know. What's that? How on earth do they get themselves registered for a week at Silver Lake? Oh, well, it's really easy. All you do is go onto our website at www.silverlakect.org. And there's a button that says register. You can click right on that button, and it'll bring you to our registration page. And you can even see our brochure online if you want to on our website there. And there's actually another place where you can go and look and see all the different conferences and choose which one you want to do before you actually register. Of course, if people have questions, they can always call us here at the office at 860-364-5526 on our brand new phone system. So if it takes a minute to answer, you'll know why. Thanks so much, Tim. And I know I'm looking forward to a great week up there as a chaplain this summer. It's always a real blessing to me to be here with all those young people at Silver Lake. Thanks so much. Thank you, and we'll see you at camp. Our Spirited Wednesday thought this week comes from the Reverend Sidot Bel-Gobin, a retired pastor of the Connecticut Conference. In his experience, we in the UCC have become timid about being witnesses to our faith. But he writes, I believe there is another way to witness to our faith. Which is this? Live it. Be the change and forgiveness. Jesus proclaims to his disciples, which we know is meant for us too. It's been said that religion is optional, but spirituality is not. We don't need to shove our beliefs onto others. Yet if we want real repentance and forgiveness to blossom, we need to witness that within ourselves, one step and then another. And that brings this conference cast from Silver Lake Conference Center to a close. Thanks to Michael Seba for our reflection and to GarageBand for our music. Primary funding for conference cast comes from your congregation's gifts to our church's wider mission, Basic Support. Changing lives through the United Church of Christ. This is Eric Anderson, the Associate Conference Minister for Proclamation, Identity and Communication for the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ. Praying that your days this week may be filled with the presence, the guidance and the grace of God.