Faithful & Welcoming Churches Holds Annual Mtg

Faithful & Welcoming Churches (FWC), a renewal movement within the United Church of Christ (UCC), of which I serve on the Board, held their annual meeting in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, January 19-20.

20 board members met to review the past and plan the future. 2006 began with our incorporated in January. Our regional workshops, where FWC introduced itself and laid out its view on the current state of the UCC, were presented to 1,600 people in 20 towns in March-April. Our national gathering in Bechtelsville, PA gathered 150 people in August, including various leaders in the UCC for face-to-face discussions. There, I presented a theological analysis of the "God Is Still Speaking" identity and advertising campaign. 66 UCC churches have declared themselves "Faithful and Welcoming." Our treasury had an end-of-year balance of $4,557.86.

In 2007, we're planning another round of regional workshops across the country. This year, we'll be focusing on local church health--identifying biblical principals and offering examples that have proven effective. We're also promoting passage of a resolution submitted to General Synod 26 coming up this June in Hartford, CT.

The glory of the UCC is its opportunity to meet Christians of all different stripes--from liberals to conservatives. I'm glad to know the people of FWC and the camaraderie we find in Christ.