Day One

The General Assembly is open.  After we picked up our name tag holders early this morning at the convention center, we planned to go to the exhibit hall.  We planned that anyway.  Every time we started to move, another friend greeted us with hugs, smiles, and stories.  The General Assembly is the family reunion of the church and it very much felt like it.

When we did finally get down to the exhibits, well, it was the same thing.  Friends from the Pennsylvania and West Virginia regions, friends from undergraduate days at Culver-Stockton, friends of Tim from New Church Starts, friends of Dad's from his time in Oregon in the early 1960s.  And with every one, we Told It.  The theme of General Assembly is Tell It! - tell the Good News.  I had a realization of all the people over the last 30 years in this denomination who Told It to me.  I was surrounded by the host of witnesses, and it felt good.

Unfortunately as the day progressed on the concrete floor, my back did NOT feel good.  I finally surrendered around 3:30pm and had Tim bring me back to the hotel.  Pain meds and a nap later, I was able to get a sandwich and hook up with the live stream of music and then the service.  Thank you Church for providing this for everyone who could not be at the General Assembly.

It was different -being in the room with 4,000 other Disciples is an experience of the Holy Spirit that is indescribable.  But being able to sit here, back propped, and participate was good, too.  Holly McKissick preached a powerful prophetic word.  "It is was not denominationism with Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone and it better not be with us."  She told the truth about the Church and its state - not great.  But if we just Tell It, tell the stories of our faith, THAT will change the world. Amen, Sister.  In poll after poll, she said, what people (general population) wanted from "the church" is what the CCDOC is - a church with room for all.

Church is over for the night and my back is over for the day.  Blessings to all.