YDS Alumni take the lead at General Synod 2013

The YDS community is proud to recognize a number of alumni who played prominent roles at the General Synod 29 of the United Church of Christ which took place from June 28 – July 2 in Long Beach, CA. These leaders represent four decades of YDS alumni working to continue the faith and action of the UCC.

YDS Alumni gathered for a luncheon on the fourth day of the Synod meeting. A highlight was welcoming the reelected General Minister and President of the UCC, Rev. Geoffrey A. Black ‘72 M.A.R. and introducing him to a room full of excited YDS alums.  During the lunch, alumni took the time to go around the room and briefly described their remarkable work in parish ministry, academia, social justice and missions. Constance Royster, Director of Development, gave a presentation about highlights from the past year at YDS. She reported, “Our conversation became particularly animated as each alum enthusiastically vowed to be an ambassador for recruiting UCC students for YDS.”

Neichelle Guidry Jones ‘10 M.Div. brought the “Pentecostal proclivities” of Trinity UCC in Chicago to the pulpit and preached at the Opening Plenary and Worship. She called the audience to live by the spirit, reminding them that not only “God is still speaking, but God is still working.” Read more here. Watch her sermon here.

Martin Copenhaver ‘80 M.Div. preached at Sunday Worship, beginning with an amusing riff on the UCC’s embrace of the comma then leading the gathered delegates to consider deeply the question Jesus asked in Luke 7, “Do you see this woman?” Watch his sermon here.

Lillian Daniel ‘93 M.Div. spoke to youth of General Synod (Y@GS), as they launched a new program called YouthRead with her book When “Spiritual but Not Religious” is Not Enough (Jericho Books, 2013).

Kelly Forbush ‘12 M.Div. was spotted among a dance troupe that led the Synod delegates in a dance routine for the “Let’s Move” campaign.

General Synod 29 was convened during the week that the Supreme Court invalidated the federal Defense of Marriage Act. General Synod attendees celebrated the decision at a marriage equality rally where Black urged them to continue to work to extend equality to all. Read about the celebration here.