Less disagreements, please

The Rev. Bob Thompson's column [Opinion Matters, Aug.-Sept.] on his reaction to Synod and the effort he feels is needed for the UCC to truly be inclusive struck a nerve.

ECOT (evangelical, conservative, orthodox or traditional) is a new term for me, another piece of shorthand to define yet another separation. I'm saddened. It tells how far we are from actually being accepting of each other. The minute we have to define our differences, we cease to be whole.

We've become uncivil to each other. Whatever happened to the old idea of disagreeing with the ideas of another, but defending their right to hold those ideas? Can we not be principled, and strong minded in our beliefs, yet still accept the word of Christ to love one another — even when we totally disagree on principles?

The boundary fence of our denomination can be stretched and expanded to include many divergent views, based on a simple core of the most basic of agreed upon beliefs.

Marion J. Durham
Desert Palm UCC
Tempe, Ariz.

No applause for reporters

The only times I've ever heard of the media counting applause times have been during presidential addresses to Congress or during political rallies. I think counting applause times, in summaries of the key speakers' remarks at General Synod [Aug.-Sept.], was obscene. Each of those people talked about faith, God and the church, and to demean their heartfelt stories with political and competitive overtones was completely unnecessary, cruel and bad journalism. Weren't the counters even listening?

Diane Schnaars
223 South Walnut St
Slatington, Pa.

The integrity of 'green'

We are excited as a church that, in our annual congregational meeting in June, we voted to go "green" by purchasing energy from New England Greenstart. Despite being a church with very limited endowment and financial resources to meet our ever-growing faith community, we are committed to the integrity of creation and wondered how many other UCC churches are "going green" as a faithful response to the urgent need to combat global warming.

The Rev. Joy Utter
Seekonk (Mass.) Congregational UCC

'Take' not appreciated

Thank you for your fine coverage of the exciting and challenging events of Synod 26! I have to question, however, your coverage of the offerings and your words, "Here's the take." [Tabulations, Aug.-Sept.] I happened to be one of the volunteers who passed the "offering buckets" at the Hartford Civic Center.

We didn't "take" anything. There was no use of force, no arm twisting, no cajoling; only the free-will giving of a generous and thankful people. I had hoped that the stewardship emphasis of "taking" had disappeared long ago.

Furthermore, it is hard to believe that the amounts stated are correct. Did we really receive an even $16,000.00, $44,000.00 and $18,000.00 as reported? The chances of that happening are infinitesimal. In a denomination where everyone is accepted and everyone is valued, we don't round off numbers. Every dollar, every dime, every widow's mite is counted and celebrated. What are the correct numbers for the offering?

The Rev. Allen M. Humes
Winchester, N.H.

Editor's reply: The post-Synod edition went to press quickly and before bank misers had supplied us with an accounting of every widow's mite. The real totals are $16,473.00, $43,690.20 and $17,909.00.

As for the header, our goal — in an appeal to younger readers — is to use less "church speak" and write with an edge, especially in departments like "Tabulations" [Opinion Matters, pages 4-5]. "Synod Offerings" might have been a safer headline, but frankly that's boring. Cleverness, unfortunately, is something few people ever expect from church publications these days. We're trying to change that, yet we're still sorry when our words offend.

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