Hi Em - welcome to the Wondercafe! Have you checked out the Discussing GC41 thread?

I wasn't able to get on to much of the live feed chat because of the work (I was only on it on the first day). I did however, watch a fair amount of it on my own time. I think the most moving moment, for me, was when, just after the moderator had been elected, the other nominees stepped up to the mic and moved that the selection be declared unanimous. That was a truly beautiful moment!

I miss it to, em! (Em-dash!) I said on the last day that I was becoming a GC junkie.

I really liked being able to ask questions on the livechat, and getting answers from people. I found out where David Guiliano is now, and I found out what the card colours represented, and so much more.

It was moving to exchange peace around the virtual table.

My favourite part was listening to the moderator nominees addressing GC. I really liked that the talks weren't run together; that they were in groups of five spread out throughout the day. I could see the special gifts that they all had, and what good moderators they would have been.

Hello my "virtual table" friends and livestream 'delegates'!!  Thanks for starting this thread em-dash.  I was signed in there as JanH1911 and I, too, became a GC junkie for that week.  Can only imagine the withdrawal the participants had and I pray they got caught up on some sleep!

I made a comment in the final moments that I had to make reparation and reconciliation with my spouse and I wasn't kidding!  I was online through my tablet by 8:30 each morning, sharing with fellow members of my congregation at our church several mornings, and then back home hogging the desktop the rest of the week.  With my earbuds in, I would break into song, or chair dancing, or prayer, or clapping or crying, and my family had to guess what was taking place (and sometimes tell me to keep it down).

There were so many moments of deep connectedness with what was taking place but one which I will always cherish was when the two Youth delegates addressed the Court at the beginning of the service of Installation for Rev. Dr. Paterson.   They were so uplifting, and then followed by the laying on of hands and the presentation of the gifts of his office...the prayer shawl, the words of the children (have fun), the Talking Stick.  How sad it's lost to the crash of the software so not available to watch over and over.

Lots of discussion taking place on the FB UCC page!!

I was a commissioner and am slowly catching up on my sleep, and getting back into my own time zone. It certainly was an intense experience! I had a few highlights. One was during the commissions when we ended with worship. We sang "Breathe on me breath of God". It started in unison and gradually became harmony.....an amazing end to the session. Another was when things were getting tense during the Israel/Palestine discussion. A lone voice started singing "Lord, listen to your children praying" and soon everyone in the room was singing it, in harmony. It truly was a prayer that changed the energy in the room. I was impressed that we could discuss such a difficult topic with goodwill and respect. 

I enjoyed watching the induction of our new moderator and his response to the gifts. He was delighted with the signed t-shirt from the youth and the prayer/wish that he keep a youthful sense of joy in his work. I do not believe he will have a problem with that! 

That which was lost, has been found!  (Well, sort of.)  Came across this which is the first part of the Service of Installation.  There is hope that other footage is out there somewhere. 

I am severely capped in internet usage. I was, however, glued to the naming of moderator, and able to share it at church within an hour of it happening thanks to the feed.  It was so nice, to watch how many people were not wanting to leave work and miss the feed and the moment. The chat capability made it all the better as people talked about the nominees, moderators in history and UCC polity.... It was a wonderful commentary and community that seemed to be present ( I was on as "space2be").

For me, the most moving thing was right before the moderator was announced. They were going around the room with the microphone asking for a few words describing how they felt. A voice said, "passionately excited". Another voice said, "hopeful, connected, refreshed" Another voice said, "community not structure" which resembled someone else's "more movement, less institution". They were faces and voices... and then someone said they were discouraged or disillusioned and "questioning". That is when I wasmost moved. Someone typed with lightning speed, "I hope someone goes to them". They, some person sitting who knows where, were concerned and caring about someone they did not know far away.

It moved me because it spoke loudest why I love the church , whether we agree or disagree.... no matter the "issue".... we can (if we choose to) meet in some place of common ground, our humanity.

Anyone who says virtual worship or gathering is not meaningful, I disagree.

Hi space...that was my 'lightening fast' prayer that someone with minister to that young woman. (With thanks to my HS touch- typing teacher.) I was online as JanH1911. So many of us shared the same prayer. Hope you made it to church on time Wed. None of us wanted to leave our virtual table.

I did not want to leave the virtual space... but boy oh boy the real space that evening

I stood outside a pioneer log church that dates to 1884, knowing I had been asked to lead worship and we just named Gary as the new moderator.

I whispered to the winds,

"We have come a long way, baby.... "

SG I was moved when a group of LGBT clergy hugged and cried after the announcement that Gary was our new moderator. You probably saw Barb Janes stand up and speak to that later. A white male clergy I know wondered why that was necessary. I tried to explain to him, but of course he would not understand. He had no issue with Gary being gay, he just didn't think it was necessary to point it out. He didn't understand the validation and acceptance that meant for the LGBT community.

Northwind, I did not even see Gary's speech, I was running late for church  LOL

People who want it to not be a big deal often made it a big deal in the past and want to "move one". Like when you get in an argument with a spouse and once it is over rather than say they were wrong, or they are sorry, they just want to forget it and move on.

Or, they do do not understand it being a big deal (positive) , when it was a big deal (negative) for so long.

It sadly, most often still rooted in ignorance.

As it can be when people say "Affirming is a waste" or "why do you have to broadcast it" or "I do not get why Pride is necessary" or "why have a LGBTQ group when you want inclusion?" 

For me, it makes as much sense LGBT clergy hugging and crying as it did for people of colour to hug and cry when they saw Barack Obama elected in the US.

We would never say, "I have no problem with him being a person of colour but I do not think we need to point it out or talk about it."

It is part of who someone is, how much of a part is up to that person.

The same way as for some, being single is something they say talking about themselves or they point out they have never been married... If they have been hounded about common-law or living together they may put out there "we are married". Some point out they are a parent... some point out they are from a big family..... some say they are Irish or Italian or Greek....

Saying "that could be left out" usually, in my experience, signals we have a problem with it or worry someone else will or their identifying is different than ours and we think they should be more like us or rank things in our order.

SG check out Gary's sermon on Saturday. It was excellent. I enjoyed watching him receive his gifts when he was being inducted. He particularly liked the t-shirt the youth gave him. It was fun to see him almost leap for joy when they presented it to him. 

To all...thanks for helping me see this in a different light.  I must admit my first reaction when I saw The Observer's comment "The @UnitedChurchCda just elected its first openly gay moderator: Rev. Gary Paterson." was to ask if that was really the main criteria to be listed.  Why not say we elected our first Rhodes Scholar?  (At least I think he is)  What I saw and heard in him was  his passion and love for God and this church, and his dynamic engagement.  This was a man I believed would lead us with grace and courage into the next triennium.  

Having read all the Q&A's each week, I was still unaware of his orientation.  If I had been, it wouldn't have been a consideration for me. other than I might have thought "Cool, we've come a long way since 1988".

However I now realize I was looking at things through the eyes of a white, middle-class, heterosexual - a person of "privilege" if you will. My comments, though rooted in a desire to NOT pigeon-hole someone, could have been misconstrued by those I least wanted to offend.

Sometimes in our desire not to cause hurt, we do just the opposite. Thanks for opening my eyes.

Hello everyone!

I'm so happy that you found this discussion, GO_38383, lolarae1911/JanH1911, and SG/space2be! The moments of online community and worship were wonderful and I'm glad they're not ended. Welcome to the discussion, Northwind and somegalfromcan. I have browsed Discussing GC41, but was wanting something a bit more positive, inclined to a continuation of the grace I found online on the live feed.

I think I heard our new moderator comment that one of the most remarkable things about electing him as an openly gay moderator, was that it wasn't a big issue. In some ways I think that's a beautiful way of thinking about it's significance: it is a historic moment, but a decision that did not come down to orientation as the deciding factor. He is an inspiring preacher, and speaks with a genuine love for others and for the church. I also love that he is poetic, and the direction he brings for the church. I hope this makes sense!

Another moment that I loved was when we prayed together online, adding to each other's prayers while they were praying in the final worship. I haven't spent much time thinking about how technology can be used meaningfully in worship, but the live feed has made me start to think about how computers can be a way of connecting over distances that can be quite meaningful. On the other hand, I also think physical spaces and presences are important. Has anyone else been thinking about the implications of expanding church into the online world?