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RMC Youth Shine at General Synod

By David Popham

We stood on the wharf as the Amistad Freedom Schooner set sail to Europe and Africa. Carrying with it, the principal that equality and freedom are human rights to be granted to all and denied to none. For the Conference youth contingent that went to General Synod, there was a special connection as we had spent the night in the church which supplied the first lawyers for the ex-captives and continued financial support as their case was tried before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Later our youth took to the main stage at General Synod to be part of a “living” time capsule as youth from around the country brought objects to be sealed away until the 100th anniversary of the UCC. We placed a La Foret banner in the capsule as a sign of the sanctuary our Conference affords the many campers whose lives are touched in this beautiful setting. Whether the campers be adults or children, whether they attend a Conference sponsored event or a church family weekend, we celebrated the one sacred place as a sign of all the many sacred places found throughout our local churches.

The youth were impressed with the messages of hope they heard from people like Bill Moyers, Barak Obama, and Lynn Redgrave. Some even made the local Hartford paper as a cast of folks enthused with God and God’s work through the UCC. Some enjoyed the business sessions and were taken by the free flow of ideas and the give and take of the conversations that were going on. Some were impressed by the shear number of people and strengthened by the knowledge that we are not alone. Several commented on how they liked the up-beat services and their sense of the abundance of welcome, hospitality, and talent in the UCC.

Standing on the beach, during our day off, it was obvious that one of the favorite things the youth enjoyed was each other. Many commented on how easy it had been to fit into the larger group. While how just hanging out with each other talking and sharing stories was one of the highlights of the trip. This would explain the impromptu dancing in the park, the rugby game, and all those chatty conversations in the vans and shuttles.

Our youth represented the Conference well. Not only with the Time Capsule at the 50th Birthday Bash, but also in volunteering to do some rather menial tasks during the large Sunday worship service. By way of creativity, spontaneity, and a lot of improvising our youth came, partook, and connected to the larger and wider picture of who we are as the United Church of Christ.