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Annual Meeting is a time to nurture friendships

Annual Meeting planning chair and acting PNC moderator Andy CastroLang said Annual Meeting is meant to be more than doing business.  It’s about renewing our friendships and building new friendships.

“Welcome Home” is the theme for Annual Meeting, which will be held Friday to Sunday, April 25 to 27 at University Congregational UCC in Seattle.

“Our team wants it to be a celebration of our love of, caring for and concern about each other,” she said.  “That’s why the banquet at First Presbyterian Church is included in the registration.”

Andy, pastor of Westminster Congregational UCC in Spokane, added that along with considering issues, discussing theology, doing business and sharing in worship, Annual Meeting is about “strengthening each other across time and distance, because these are hard times for churches.  Many are facing economic difficulties and many are in transition.

“This is also a time with American churches are marginalized.  We need to gather as a conference to laugh and sing as a vibrant, warm body of people,” she said.  “Many small churches especially appreciate the chance to gather and sing with 300 other people.”

Andy described Annual Meeting speakers Christena Cleveland, a social psychologist, and Lillian Daniel, who has written some “Still Speaking” devotions, as funny, irreverent, faithful women. 

“Christena invites us to talk about differences among denominations and will offer strategies for unity.

Lillian, the senior pastor of First Congregational Church in Glen Ellyn, Ill., will share in the Sunday sermon reflections on why religious community matters, Andy said.

There will be two art installations.  One is an open table by Kris Garratt of University Congregational UCC.  The other is an open door by Scott Ward of Magnolia UCC.

For information, call 206-725-8383 or visit www.pncucc.org.

Copyright © April 2014 Pacific NW United Church of Christ News

 

 

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