Dear friends,

Andy, Talia and I were meeting the other week to look more closely at our worship plans for the coming weeks and months, and as we came to plotting out our Lenten schedules, we wracked our brains for the details of recent years’ services. How many pandemic Ash Wednesdays have we had?  What about Maundy Thursday? Were we in-person for Easter last year? What about the year before?

It’s been a long time. A long time of Covid nuggets, of zoom meetings, of masking and distance. Of changing plans, of hoping and pivoting and grieving.

But one of the many things I appreciate about UCG (and our amazing leaders – clergy, staff, and lay) is that we have continued to go forward, together, dreaming big and making plans: caring for and praying for our community, feeding folx’ bodies and minds and souls. We just had our Winter Congregational Meeting, passed a budget, formed some new ad hoc committees, and now are looking to start the process of nominating our next moderator-elect. Our Council Executive Committee met recently and realized just how much change and activity our most recent moderators have overseen and guided us through.

Sunday, during that congregational meeting, I was on the road with Judy Parsons, longtime UCGer, young adult ministry coordinator, and member of the Vinery Lead Team, heading to Clemson University for the inaugural retreat of this, the inaugural Vinery Cohort. Our connection to the meeting wasn’t always great, but I’m so grateful for everyone’s patience, because the gathering with the other congregations and the leaders of the Vinery was a tremendous gift. We had delightful worship, heard a powerful speaker on the current cultural moment and how congregations locate themselves within it, and began to learn and practice the model of storytelling that will shape our process of exploration over the coming months.

Unfortunately, on Monday night, we learned that one of the Vinery leaders had tested positive for COVID, and the rest of the conference moved online. I was happy to return to my family a day earlier than planned, but it was a disappointment to so many of us who had gathered at Clemson nonetheless.

Still, if there is anything we have gotten good at over these last years (years!), I hope, it is naming our disappointment and grief – feeling all the feelings – and then continuing on with our lives, with our ministries. Judy and I talked nonstop for those seven hours home and will be debriefing with our third lead team member, Emily Anderton, shortly. We will, too, be starting to share more about the Vinery process and encouraging others to join us in envisioning what our relationships with our local campus communities might look like.

I am excited. For the Vinery, for Lent, for these warmer days, for a life in ministry with you.

Grace and Peace,

Bromleigh