Notes from the Pastor – May 2022
It’s hard to believe that Regional Assembly is already less than a month away! This will be our very first in person Regional Assembly as the Northern Lights Region in the Christian Church Disciple of Christ, since the merger of the Northwest, Montana, and Alaska regions.
Regional and general assemblies are something I eagerly look forward to; I just love getting to see Disciples from different churches and remembering the things that we hold in common. It’s a great time to learn something new through workshops, to make new connections with other Disciples, to participate in the nitty-gritty and holy work of “church business.”
If you aren’t able to join us in Post Falls, there is an option to participate virtually in much of the assembly, including all business meetings and worship sessions. Sunday, May 22nd we will be livestreaming the final worship session during our regular worship time in the church sanctuary.
The theme for Regional Assembly 2022 is Authentic Unity. Sometimes when we hear about unity, what is really meant is conformity. But authentic unity means a unity where we don’t have to sacrifice the things that make us who we are, or accept mistreatment for the sake of keeping the peace. Authentic unity can be much messier than a unity based in conformity, but I am of the opinion that usually messy means real. Whether you’re joining us for Regional Assembly in person, online, or not at all, I invite you to think about what authentic unity means to you and what it might look to put it into practice as Central Christian Church of Great Falls. How can we bring our full selves to the table in a way that shows we care enough about unity to work for it? How can our authenticity be an invitation for others to be authentic as well?
Yours in the mess and the music that true unity brings,
Pastor Stephen
pastor@gfccc.net