CWA Reflection: Barbara Carl

We continue our series of weekly reflections on the 2022 Churchwide Assembly with thoughts from Synod Vice President Barbara Carl. Each week we will share a 2022 CWA reflection on how we are church together by our synod voting members. View all our 2022 CWA posts here.

Connections everywhere!

At lunch one day during Chuchwide Assembly, Pastor Chris Stoxen and I sat at a table occupied only by a man from the Midwest, whom we had never met.  After brief introductions, we realized that I had worked with a congregation in the East, where he once had been the pastor. Connection.

After he left the table, two other people whom we had never met sat down.  Both were from Pennsylvania.  We quickly established that Ihad worshipped with their congregation, and I know their pastor. Connection.

When they left, another person unknown to us sat down.  From the Alaska Synod - what were the chances?  But very quickly we learned that she is a long-time friend of our vicar at Holy Trinity in Chandler, AZ, and of his wife. Connection!

Wow.  In about 30 short minutes, we had met four people for the very first time, only to realize that we are already connected through our work in the ELCA.  

In several sessions of the churchwide assembly, we learned about ways that the ELCA connects us with others in the body of Christ.  We heard how ELCA works with related Lutheran church bodies throughout the world. We received greetings from ecumenical partners. We learned about interfaith networking efforts in the United States.  We were reminded of how the 65 synods of the ELCA work together.  We, the Grand Canyon Synod voting members, met for lunch with those of the Southeastern Iowa Synod, our officially-related synod, and discussed ways that we may better work together. We met for dinner with those from Rocky Mountain Synod, with whom we share some staff and projects, and we developed new connections. We became better acquainted with the other individuals from the Grand Canyon Synod who were serving as voting members.  Each of us made our own new connections - at meals, in the hallways, at worship, in meetings.

At Churchwide Assembly, I gained a deeper appreciation that we of this church, the ELCA, are deeply connected. We are truly church together.