Resurrect Conference: Update from Nik Sloat, Family Minister Support Worker
Resurrect was a huge success! Resurrect was a conference hosted by First Metropolitan United Church in Victoria, BC. It was organized primarily by Rob Crosby-Schearer, who is a minister with Abbey Church, and is the regional Minister of Church Planting for the Pacific Mountain Region, as well as Amy Haynes, who has been actively involved with the Chinook Winds region united church, primarily in Pastoral Care, and has studied at Vancouver School of Theology. This conference was held to discuss church planting and new church initiatives, primarily from the perspective of those on the margins of both Church and Society.
Indigenous relationships within the context of church initiatives was a central theme, including some of the legal struggles churches have when trying to share their buildings, land, and finances with local Indigenous folks, inasmuch as when government policies have intervened in the process of reconciliatory work. The highly esteemed Indigenous scholar Randy Woodley and his partner Edith Woodley spoke several times throughout the weekend, and shared cultural and academic wisdom as it pertained to the healing of land and relationships.
Other speakers throughout the weekend included Carmen Lansdowne, the Moderator of the UCC, and Michael Blair, the General Secretary of the UCC. One of my favourite quotes from the weekend came from Rev. Blair's preaching. He was speaking of resurrection as the hope that we all participate in as The Church, and how it can be a disorienting process. The power of life re-inhabiting a place, people, and land is wonderful, but it can leave us feeling dazed and confused as to what God is doing. The specific quote of his that really stuck with me was in the context of a church who was drained and tired, close to giving up hope on the work they were doing, someone noted after they had worked on a particular project through the night "Look. The sun has come up - and we had nothing to do with it." Speaking there of how God is at work constantly, and even though our efforts may at times seem like they aren't accomplishing much, there is always reason to find hope.
I very much look forward to building relationships with and working alongside all of these wonderful people more in the future. This conference restored in me much hope about the future of the UCC, The Church Universal, reconciliation, and our work in creation. It's very important to occasionally step back from our own contexts, and realize that we are participating in something much larger than ourselves and our immediate surroundings.
Pictured below: First Met United Church's sanctuary, me with Rec Michael Blair and finally Me, Amy, and Rob standing on the balcony
