David Runnion-Barefored reports from the UCC General Synod:
Jesus or Bureaucracy?
Over the last two years still another effort to restructure the UCC has failed in stalemate. These efforts are motivated by financial crisis as OCWM basic support has declined from $13,000,000 to $9,000,000 over the last 20 years. Now UCC related endowments have declined $77,000,000 in value. As a result no less than 9 resolutions calling for solutions have been submitted to Synod. At last nights hearing, however, it became clear that the underlying crisis is a crisis of faith. Delegate after delegate called for service to Jesus Chist to replace “governance”, for leadership to replace beaurocracy. The hearings also revealed that the marginalization of racial minorities in the power structures of the UCC is a deep and painful reality. Among the comments:
* ”The churches are withholing their money because there is a disconnect and a distrust. If we stop restructuring and start doing the work of Jesus Christ this will change.”
* “The problem of finances is not a problem in need of a fix, but a symptom of a condition.”
* From a young adult delegate: ” Most young adults would rather do a 30 hour famine than attend a UCC Conference or national board meeting.”
* An African American Conference Minister Camp said, “We have asked for a fair hearing and have not received it – everytime we have followed the process the rules are changed. Every time there has been a ‘no’ it has mysteriously become a ‘yes’, and the process continues.
*”Racism is still very real in this church, we have to find a way to become an anti-racist church.”
*”Only when we are acting as God’s people can we even have a ‘governance.’”
