"We will be as worshipful as it's possible to be in a business meeting," she said. She meant it. We opened with prayer, received communion from our brothers and sisters in The Fellowship, and prayed throughout.
 
"The Moment" began rather inauspiciously.  We were voting on a bylaw revision to how we amend bylaws. Really. A proposal was made that stated: Before a bylaw amendment can be brought before the General Conference, it must have the support of one congregation plus the support of one congregation from each of two other countries.
 
Now don't get caught up in that; it's not the point.
 
Here's the point. The proposal was defeated. Actually, it was approved in the clergy house--the clergy voted for it. But it was defeated in the lay house--the lay delegates voted against it.
 
I personally was disappointed with the result because I take that MCC globe logo very seriously, and that has only been intensified by the amazing experience of meeting, worshipping with, and being prayed, sung, and preached for by beautifully, ethnically, and linguistically diverse people.
 
It seemed to be over, but then a gentleman moved to the microphone. He was visibly trembling. He was recognized by our Moderator and began to speak in a halting, heavy German accent.
 
"I am Rev. Axel Schwaigart from Stuttgart Germany. I have been to five General Conferences. I want to remind you about the difference between impact and intent. I have never been as hurt as I am today. I have never lost hope like I am doing today. I keep hearing and hoping that MCC really does want to be an international church, a worldwide movement. Now we outside the U.S. thought we were going to be invited to be a part, a legitimate part, of the work of the denomination. And now you have said, 'No. We don't really want to be international, diverse, and inclusive. We're fine with the imbalance of voice and influence.'"
 
I can't remember the response of the whole body, but I felt my own response deeply. I was back in another church, at another time, feeling hurt, letting go of hope because the arms of the Body of Christ could not manage to reach wide enough to gather me in.
 
Before Rev. Schwaigart reached his chair, a woman from the lay house rushed to the microphone.
 
"I didn't understand," she said, shaking her hand. "I want to change my vote."
 
"A member from the prevailing side can call for a reconsideration of the vote," our Moderator said.
 
Two more people held up their green "yes" cards and said in unison, "I will change mine, too."
 
The lay house reconsidered the proposal. The air filled with green cards and the proposal passed.
 
What happened in that moment? I believe that in that moment we, as a body, reconsidered all those other moments. Like the moment when women first asked the General Conference, "Do you mean what you say about the priesthood of all believers?" Reconsidered our people of African descent saying, "Do you mean what you say about all being God's children?" Reconsidered the youth and the diversely abled and the old and the young and the transgender and the queer saying, "Do you mean what you say about that open table and God's invitation through you? Do you really mean it?"
 
For a moment yesterday, I believe we all meant it, and our actions showed it. We were people of grace, people of welcome, people of conversation and reconciliation.
 
Ah, to live in that moment always.

 

Love and Peace,