New and Renew Conference, 2023
From May 17 to 19, around 50 people from across our denomination joined together at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Il for the 2023 New and Renew Conference. In addition, there was around another 50 people joining in online from around the country. As we worshiped and spent time in sessions, we were reminded of the importance of discipleship, of equipping the church, and of going out into the neighborhood to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
This year’s conference was the latest in a long line of conferences our denomination has put together on church planting and church revitalization. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to attend many of these, and have been part of the planning committee for several of them at this point. It’s always a wonderful conference to attend, as it is one that reminds me each time of our calling to share the message of Jesus, as well as being one of the most diverse conferences that our denomination puts on.
As I look back on the conference this year, a couple of experiences came to mind for me as ones that will stick with me in my work in ministry. The first I shared about during a sermon on Pentecost at Wabash, and it revolved around an experience during worship. I was surprised when on Thursday afternoon as we began transitioning into our worship time for the afternoon, that we were told that the sermon would be given in Spanish, and translated into English using that same technology. Our Hispanic brothers and sisters who work hard to provide the English to Spanish language translation had to show the rest of us how to use the receivers so that we could understand the sermon that evening. And then, again, our Friday morning worship service was also translated from Spanish into English via that technology.
For me, it was an interesting experience, one that helped to show me and remind me of the importance of being able to understand what is being said in a worship service or any other situation, really. And what it’s like to be the one who needs to have such translation. For most of us, we likely have not and likely will not face many situations where we need translation like that. But the reminder that we don’t always understand what is being said, as well as hearing a sermon delivered in another language, stuck out to me.
It got me thinking about how we might need to “speak in tongues,” for those who are outside of our congregation. For those of us who have grown up in the church, or who have been coming for a significant portion of our lives, we begin to talk in specialized language that doesn’t translate or make sense outside of our gathering. We begin to talk in church English, and quickly forget the need to be sure to talk with others in ways that they understand. And we can easily forget that, when we are in another context, we may be the ones who need things translated to us.
The second thing that stuck out to me from the conference was the spirit of those gathered. For everyone who was there came with the conviction that the church, while changing, will continue to move forward to share the Good News. It’s easy for us, especially those of us in a small congregation, to begin to feel like there is no long-term hope or future for us. Yet, gathered there in Elgin, I was reminded and inspired that, no matter what, God is indeed working with us and through us even in the midst of small congregations (or larger ones!) to share God’s love with the world. We can and should be out in our communities, making disciples, and sharing what God is doing through our ongoing work with God.
As I go forward, I reflect back on this experience and see that we can move forward in faith, trusting that God will use whatever small or large contribution we may be able to make to continue God’s work among us. Whether that is in revitalization of older congregations, or in planting and developing new worshiping communities, or rather, in both forms, God’s work continues in our world. Our call is to step forward, and to work together with one another and with God to share that Good News.
In Christ,
Pastor Doug Veal
Wabash CoB