 Welcome to CTUCC Conference Cast for September 4th, 2014, 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. We begin this conference cast with this meditation from Cecile Gilson, assistant to the Conference Minister. As the busy autumn begins, she recalls these words of Jesus recorded by Matthew in the 18th chapter of his Gospel. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I'm there with them. This Sunday is Faith Formation Sunday. All across the UCC, churches are holding Rally Sundays, our homecomings over the next couple of Sundays to welcome children and families back to the routine of Faith Formation in whatever form it takes in that setting. For over 15 years, I was part of this welcoming process as a Christian Education Director. I remember many late Augusts getting supplies and classrooms ready, reaching out to teachers and families and preparing worship for the students. Some of my fondest memories were of worship with children in our large carpeted sunny space. Thirty children and teachers would sit on the floor in a circle. In the center was always a lit candle with nature items, stuffed animals, or some other objects related to the story for the day. We would share a song, hear a story, and pray together. The story was usually a retelling of a Bible story or some really good children's literature. Only one or two, three or four-year-olds would cuddle up to be sure to see the pictures. Often it would really feel like God was gathered there with us. The sun's rays would shine just right to illuminate the scene, or one of the children would share a special story or event from their lives. Eventually, we moved to having children present in corporate worship every Sunday, and our small worship time went away. It was the right thing to do, but I often missed that sense of community we had. Faith formation has made significant advances in the last 20 years since I retired from that role. This Sunday is a time to celebrate all those who keep faith formation alive and well in our churches. Let us support their work in the building of community among our children, youth, and adults as we form our faith. A hundred and fifty years ago, Horace Bushnell wrote, What is the true idea of Christian education? I answer in the following proposition, which it will be the aim of my argument to establish, that the child is to grow up a Christian and never know himself as being otherwise. Here is a prayer for this week. Creator God, we give thanks this day for our children, youth, and adults as we begin another season of growing in our faith. Bring us joy in learning, safety in our classrooms, and faith-filled role models for our growth. In the wise words of Horace Bushnell, may our children never know themselves as being anything other than loved by God. Amen. In the news this week, Regional Minister the Reverend Mary Nelson Abbott had been to camp before but not as a chaplain or, for that matter, to a camp that had one, which made her week last summer in that role a new and different challenge. What she wondered does a camp chaplain do? But camp, she discovered, is what you make it. So she spent the week reminding the young people that Jesus said that the kingdom of God is among us. Not some faraway place we hope to see someday but here, now, among us, within us. And there is a very particular power and responsibility we have as kingdom people. We are called to live our lives in such a way that the kingdom is made manifest for all. This week, the conference announced the priorities that will guide its ministries into the near future. Leadership development and congregational vitality. Conference Minister the Reverend Kent Solati revealed changes in staff roles and responsibilities to better serve those goals. Some staff will shift into new positions including Charlie Cookenbrod, the Reverend Davida McAllister, Karen Zeal, Cecile Gilson, Sue Willis, Debbie Kirk and the Reverend Eric Anderson. A search is now underway for a new Associate Conference Minister for Transitions to assist local churches who are seeking new leadership. In addition, the sacred conversations on race ministry looks to expand its welcoming initiatives programs with a new part-time acting program assistant, Mr. Isaac Montz, who started his work with us this week. While I was away on my sabbatical this summer, I spent five days in a very different world than the one in which I usually live. At the Carbender's Boat Shop in Pemequid, Maine, I worked with seven others to build a seven-foot monkegon skiff. It was a retreat week for me. I run my fingers over wooden surfaces to find the rough places that needed a sweep of the plane rather than running my fingers over the surface of a keyboard. Our common meals ended with a reflective reading inspired by the traditions of St. Benedict. And in a complex curved piece of wood called a quarter knee, I took on what was a real scary challenge for me. And with a lot of help, I met it. We posted a story yesterday evening to our website about our Connecticut Conference delegation to our colleagues in ministry in the vicinity of Ferguson, Missouri, seeing of neighborhood protests after a police officer shot and killed an unarmed African-American teenager in broad daylight. We'll have more on that story next week, hopefully including interviews with those who went. But right now you can see that story, learn the details about our staff shifts, and enjoy Mary Nelson Abbott's reflection from Silverlake at ctucc.org slash news. The conference annual meeting is scheduled for October 17th and 18th in Cheshire. And we're posting materials to the conference website now at ctucc.org slash annual meeting. Pre-meeting hearings are scheduled for September 13th with one in Guilford and one in Hartford that day, on the 14th in Brookfield and on the 17th in Mansfield. The Just and Holy Food Conference on Food Security will be September 14th in New Haven. A workshop for clergy and lay leaders, show me your faith, show me your wallet, will be at Hartford Seminary on September 22nd. To Tulea 2014, I'm Hispanic, I'm UCC. Will be held in Providence, Rhode Island on September 27th. And on that same day, CT women of the UCC will gather in Portland for a day retreat. This year's General Association, a three-day event for clergy educators and church musicians, welcomes Darkwood Brew Innovator the Reverend Eric Enlness to Silver Lake Conference Center September 28th through 30th. The women's spirit retreat will be at the lake October 3rd through 5th. The annual meeting of the Connecticut Conference will be held in Cheshire October 17th and 18th. And volunteers will help Silver Lake prepare for the winter months on the next weekend, Silver Lake's Action Weekend October 24th through 26th. And you can sign up now to congratulate Silver Lake's outgoing co-director Ann Hughes as she goes to her new career in social work and support our conference's outdoor ministry program at a new annual fundraiser, the Fancy Camp Gala, to be held November 1st in Farmington. To learn more about any of these events, order register, visit us at ctuCC.org slash events. Our spirit at Wednesday Thought this week comes from the Reverend Kathy Peters, pastor of the United Church of Chester UCC, whose dog is one bundle of unconditional love. She writes, if every day we could adopt the ways of my dog, unconditional love, joy in experiencing life, napping often, living the law of love, imagine the possibilities. I hope each day to wake up and be the kind of person my dog thinks I am. That brings this conference cast to a close. Thanks to Cecile Gilson for her 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 Minister of Communications and Technology 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.