Reflections on the General Assembly

           
            It was an honor and privilege to serve as a Young Adult Steward at the recent general assembly of the National Council of Churches in New Orleans, Louisiana.  To be present at the table of dialogue, representing not just myself but also the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and how my thoughts and convictions about Christianity, Justice and Ecumenism were shared in light of the tradition of which I belong.  If I could sum up my experience at the General Assembly in one word, it would be “relationships”.  Relationships are the key to embodying the unity God has already given to God’s Church.  At the General Assembly, I was able to form relationships with my fellow Young Adult Stewards and many others who see our unity and diversity as gifts from God, as opposed to stumbling blocks towards unity.

          The time I spent at the General Assembly was a reminder that my own personal faith journey has been an Ecumenical one. My faith has increased and deepened over the years because of the Holy Spirit working through members of the body of Christ; people who gave witness to the gospel through the lens of their faith tradition.  This assembly brought opportunities for fruitful dialogue, by having formal conversations through the Cafe’ and informal conversations between sessions.  I encountered participants who were individuals that took seriously Christ’s command for “all to be one” and the gifts their traditions had to offer to the entire Church.

          The study paper that I choose to engage in during the Assembly was Christian Understanding of Unity in an Age of Radical Diversity.  One of my favorite statements from the paper was this, “The goal of the ecumenical movement is not to unite those who are diverse – that is the goal of political parties and governments.  The goal is to celebrate the wondrous diversity of our God-given oneness as God’s people, Christ’s body, the Spirit’s temple.”  I could see this truth embodied through our holy conversations, when breaking bread together and worshiping as one at the assembly.

          This experience gave me the opportunity to meet new friends, who I have always been in connection with as sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus.  The group of Young Adult Stewards that attended this General Assembly this year came from a variety of Christian traditions.  To be able to form relationships with them that have lasted long after the end of the assembly is priceless.  It is because of the gift of relationship that we have with each other and our Lord that I rejoice and give thanks.  Bonding with my fellow Young Adult Stewards gave me hope, not just for the future of the Church and ecumenism, but for the mission of the Church that we are engaged in right now.

          The paper of Unity in an Age of Diversity also stated that, “the church must turn again to scripture and tradition in order to hear what the Spirit is saying to us.”  I can affirm that across, denominations and generations, this is being lived out.  As a member of the body of Christ, I pray that the experiences and relationships formed at gatherings such as the General Assembly of the National Council of Churches may be more common in local communities.  I know that Ecumenism is alive and well across the country; those of us that gathered together for this Assembly have now been scattered back out into the world. Commissioned to proclaim and witness, with all Christians, God’s gift of unity and diversity that shines a beacon of hope in a broken world.