Sorry, I can't tell you. I wanted to go for 20 years but never got picked.

Well then, read along crazyheart and we'll both find out :-)

okay, I will

I was at the last GC in Ottawa. I will have to think about what to say. It was a powerful experience on many levels. It was inspiring. It was frustrating. As a side trip, I was able to reconnect with an old friend in Ottawa. Overall I'd say it was a valuable experience.

Ditto to northwind.

more to follow tomorrow

Hi Carolla,

Yup, Commissioners is the right designation.

I think the experience is personal and in chats with more experienced members no two General Councils are the same.

Not for everyone.  The work can be intense and the discussions frustrating.  Even more so when future direction is being discussed.  That said, there are also times when as difficult and as hard as the work is it is also very rewarding.

The toughest thing we did at GC 40 was sit and listen to the stories of 3 residential school survivors as a prelude to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  They were expecting that by the end of the process they would have heard from 80, 000 participants.  So magnify that afternoon of three by X number of afternoons neeeded to hear 80, 000 and calculate the cost of that for the Committee of three.

GC 40 was, for me, an exercise in frustration.  It was so F that T types went nuts.  Every time some of the reflectors stepped to the mic and said, "we think we hear you say . . ." it was all I could do to stop myself from packing up and going for a stroll.

It felt very much like they were trying to recapture something that the Commissioners to GC 40 didn't really care for.  And, from reaction around my table they were spectacularly unsuccessful at hearing anything we were saying even remotely closely.

Yeah.  General Council isn't magical.  It is like any other meeting from the local congregation to Conference on a larger scale.  So if you are every frustrated by those levels you will be frustrated by this one.  Of course if those levels energize you General Council can do the same.

Having perspectives from all across the country can be helpful, or not.  Particularly if you intend to listen to those other voices.  Sometimes you find that the pockets of activism behind certain initiatives are really just that.  Pockets of activism that the rest of the country really has little time for.

Grace and peace to you.

John

What's it like?

Lots of walking.

Highly stressful.

You see behaviours which cause you to question the future of the United Church and challenge you theologically.

You discover "decisions made by a herd".

You see and experience "decisions made through the Spirit".

You meet new people.

You get tired.

You get bored.

You may be picketed.

You may be verbally assaulted (although that is shut down pretty quickly after the first instance).

You realize that the United Church is a whole lot bigger than you ever imagined and the Holy Spirit is truly at work.

I would recommend the experience to any United Church member, once.

I have been a commissioner and worked in a support role several times.

That is, unfortunately, the manipulation that happens at GC. It has been happening for years. I also found it to be one of the frustrations, and I am an ENFP/J!

Some things to think about then ... opportunities, and lots of challenges!  Prepare for frustration & inspiration;  to be heard and not heard in a gathering of such size.  Some learning - of lessons intended and unintended.  

I understand that there are responsibilities leading up to the GC gathering, and in the year following.  How was that for you - when you returned were your messages & learnings sought or found bothersome? 

Carolla, I did a few blog posts  from my time at GC40.  http://pingadohtor.wordpress.com/tag/gc40/

Hi Carolla,

The workbook for GC 40 was available a couple of months before General Council convened.  Enough time to read the commons material and the material pertinent to the commission I had been assigned to.

Enough time to study the mateiral, highlight material formulate questions to apply to the material and not enough time to ask those questions because of somebody else's agenda.

The follow up for us was pretty slight.  There is always a possibility that General Council might have to reconvene.  GC-41 had to.  GC-40 didn't  So for the vast majority of the triennium you are a liason between the Presbyteries and the General Council Executive.  It is On-Call work mostly.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I was at GC 97.  Loved the trip to Alberta.  The GC was hard work and my table group got on my nerves (they were into hugging).   The best part was the music - they had a great team and were introducng Voices United at the time.  Also the whole enterprise was very well run ie excellent audio/visual (made Conference look a bit like amateur hour in that regard).  I am glad to have had the experience but have no desire to go again.

In those posts, you will find some totally inspiring moments.

It is hard work.  

It requires gifts from individuals such as you.

It is inspiring to see the church.

It is a challenge to those of us who make decisions and see them enacted.  It is slow...it is full of beauracracy ....and it is worse in my opinion as the church is choking to death on its own structures.

It is a thing of beauty to meet all the people passionate about teh church. Those who are wise and struggle to make things happen.

It is a wonderful to meet the volunteers.  I would love to volunteer some time (one of my post-retirement items)

It made me want to be a part of someone who helped people develop good proposals...ie ones that had been beaten up / taken apart and put back together ....so that by the time they got to GC they were actually ready for discussion.

Thanks for the link to your posts pinga - I recall reading them at the time & will enjoy reviewing. 

Thanks Meredith - note to self - no hugging without permission!  ;-) 

John - that gives me a better sense of potential  'workload'/time demand - thanks. 

Hi carolla,

This Triennium will be slightly different.

For starters all Conferences will elect Commissioners this year and all commissioners will be expected to participate in training events in the year leading up to GC-42.  How many events and when I do not know.

Restructuring may be called for by General Council (Few people understand the implications but boy howdy are they sure it is the right thing to do!)  If so there will be no time for grass to grow under foot.  Remits will go out and then depending upon the remits I suspect General Council will be reconvened and I strongly suspect that it will be a physical gathering due to the nature of the work they will be asked to complete.

Of saner heads might prevail.  I'm sure it has happened before.

Grace and peace to you.

John

You're sure about that eh? LOL!

Yes, I have a sense there is quite a lot afoot at the present time ... which could make GC very interesting or unbelieveably more distressing!  Or maybe both!  But you know it is at least in NFLD! 

Hi carolla,

Not so sure as hopeful.

That fact has not been lost on me.  I'd likely be in the province during the time anyhow.

If I am not a commissioner it would take little arm twisting to get me to pop down the coast for a visit.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Hmmmm if comissioners are being elected this year-our Presbytery did not choose any.

Aren't they usually chosen from Presbytery and then from the big slate a few are voted to go at Conference?

It is a Conference year for us-in May. (Presbytery meets 2x a year-Oct and Feb. but we are having a 1 hour meeting over lunch at Conference)

I'd be honoured and much enjoy going. I really liked Pinga's notes and the feeds we could get from other GCs.

Hi Tabitha,

No.  All Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the Conference which elects them.

Where this gets muddied is in the distribution of Commissioners.

Hamilton Conference will send 33 Commissioners to General Council..  Some time ago it was decided that The Presdient of Conference gets a seat as does the President Elect and Past President.  So we will actually cast votes for 30 Commissioners.  Of those 30 15 will be lay members and the other 15 will be clergy.

There are six presbyteries in Erie Presbytery and each Presbytery will indicate two preferred clergy and 2 preferred laity.  Those preferences will be indicated on the ballot there is no obligation to vote for any preferred  nominee.

We may nominate as many clergy or laity to the position of Commissioner we desire.  We can only elect 15 of each.

When I served in N&L Conference we elected equal representation from the East and West Districts.  Typically at the Fall meeting in the year prior to a GC.

Grace and peace to you.

John

The amazing people you might meet include people of all ages.  We had a young woman who I believe was aboriginal at our table at GC41 who was very inspiring.  The planners for each GC try to blend what seemed to be the best in structure and process from past General Councils with one or more new ideas.  I don't remember much pretense about listening at GC41.  Sometimes you need to deal with petitions/motions that are poorly worded or structured, but, because of the source, you need to weigh your conflicting values very carefully.  Some petitions/motions are based on well-researched and carefully examined work, and some are embarassingly shoddy.

There is an activist group in Toronto that generated an large number of petitons/motions which tended to be more emotional than factual.

And there are administrative motions that can generate headaches in perceiving their implications.

GC 42 will probably be the most challenging General Council in many years as we contemplate the continued existence of the Unitd Church of Canada as a national institution.

And NL is awesome in the summer!

You might even get to meet great WC'ers there. I got to meet Jim K. :)

I enjoyed meeting such a variety of people. We had an 18 year old at our table who we decided we'd nominate for moderator in 20 years. We also suspected he was a 50 year old in disguise because he had so much wisdom.

One of the most memorable moments for me was when we were discussing something and it got challenging/heated. I think we were talking about the Israel/Palestine issue. A small voice came out oft he crowd of 800 or so singing "Lord listen to your children praying". The voice was joined by others and soon the entire room was singing. I get goosebumps thinking of it even now. It changed the tone of the discussion.