This year’s 134th
Annual Convention was held in Urbana, Ohio. Convention returns to
Urbana every few years in part because Urbana University, where we
held our meetings, was founded by Swedenborgians in 1850. To this
day, the church maintains a presence on the Board of Trustees and
does what it can to support the University’s growth and
development. We tasted some of the benefits of that support this
year when we stayed in the University’s newest dormitories, which
are delightfully air-conditioned. As Urbana Conventions have built
a reputation for being held during Ohio’s hottest time of the year,
the air conditioning was a welcome development for most of us.
This year’s
theme was
Walking a Sacred Path.
This theme was expressed in many different ways throughout the
week. During the Council of Ministers’ meetings, which are held
before Convention officially opens, our clergy has made a strong
effort in recent years to conduct its business with a deep and
continuous awareness of the divinely inspired use that underlies all
of its work. There were several opportunities to reconnect with the
Lord’s Presence during these meetings, which made the process, the
decisions and the time spent with each other a holier experience.
Conducting business can become
Walking a Sacred Path.
Our Youth League conducts a devotional service at every Convention,
and this year they incorporated a huge canvas labyrinth. They
invited people to walk the labyrinth as a meditation, and it was
left available for people to walk on even when the business sessions
of Convention were convened. Several learned that reports might be
received in a more meaningful way when they listened while they
walked. Even listening to a financial report can become
Walking a Sacred Path.
As usual, many people offered “mini-courses” during Convention—brief
lectures or workshops designed to help others apply Swedenborgian
theology to life and to the work of the church. From applying for a
grant to expressing oneself through art to understanding our natural
environment, it came as no surprise to anyone that nearly every
endeavor can become
Walking a Sacred Path.
At the end of the week, we enjoyed the opportunity to walk a
literally Sacred Path as a local band of Shawnee held a traditional
dance for us, complete with native music and storytelling.
We also honored
the Sacred Path of five individuals who entered into the ordained
Swedenborgian ministry this year. Four had graduated from the
Swedenborgian House of Studies in Berkeley. The fifth was inducted
into our church from another denomination and is currently serving
our church in LaPorte, Indiana. Each shared a bit of their
individual stories during the ordination service, revealing that our
Sacred Paths are indeed diverse. The service itself was held in the
Church of the New Jerusalem—Urbana’s Swedenborgian church that is
even richer in its history than the University.
Although this
year’s Convention was smaller than usual by a small percentage, it
was still a meaningful event to experience. Next year’s Convention,
the 135th,
will be held in Holland, Michigan at the invitation of the Michigan
Association. Being the only Swedenborgian church of our
denomination in the state, it is easy to feel a bit isolated in our
work, but attending Convention reminds us that we are not alone in
our appreciation for this uniquely rational theology. We are part
of a larger network of people and churches that share our mission.
We strongly encourage you to represent our church at the next
Convention, June 24th
to July 1st,
2007. Make the classes, the discussions, the worship and the dance
part of
your Sacred Path.
