Keystone west trying to decide which action is most @ackerman156.bsky.social: A.) printing his itinerary on paper B.) waiting until the airport to check in C.) despite somehow receiving an A boarding pass, selecting a seat five rows from the back of the plane. We vote D, all the above. #UCCsynod

Ah, now it makes sense: we were waiting to light the candle until we could wave long diaphanous flags around it. (Also that was genuinely cool.) #UCCsynod

Heartland Conference convinced they are going to surprise everyone. #UCCsynod

The “Palestinians are Semites too” trope is used exclusively to diminish attention to anti-Jewish sentiment, rhetoric, and violence. #UCCsynod

Delegate suggests that decades-old resolution against antisemitism is sufficient, whereas we need a new resolution about Palestine every Synod. #UCCsynod

FASCINATING how everyone expressing distrust and disagreement in our first woman GMP begins their remarks by saying “in all due respect”… #UCCsynod

I’ve been dreaming of writing a DMin thesis on “Power in the United Church of Christ” for *years* and this discussion is only fueling that wish. #UCCsynod

Fred Rogers, we’re sorry that you must always be compared to a saint. You have a better mustache than him. #uccsynod

I love that this is a church where we can all say “here we are.” Blacks trans vets unjustly discharged People remembering tragedies recent and long ago Theologians in glory like Walter Brueggeman Small town church folk Immigrants Kids who tell delightful jokes Here we are. Here we are. #UCCsynod

First shout out to the Heidelberg Catechism from the stage this year. #UCCsynod

“If you are part of an exclusively or predominantly white congregation, you are also part of an immigrant church.” We don’t need to draw unwanted attention to churches of color; we can use our own privilege and identity to stand up for immigrants. #UCCsynod

Thrilled to celebrate my Antoinette Brown Award sisters! #UCCsynod

Jean tells us to cast votes now. Synod does not give enthusiastic informed consent. #UCCsynod

Original members of 2030 Network embrace new identity as “in-between people.” #UCCsynod

Convention center architects: “How many stalls are needed in the women’s restroom of this massive event space? How about six? That should be about right, surely?” #UCCsynod

I was going to ask if the conference ministers felt pressure to choose a different word from last time, but then Lillian Daniel grabbed her thesaurus and made it clear that: yes. #UCCsynod

Don’t be too jealous, but the western part of the Keystone Conference has milk and cookies at our table. #UCCsynod

Shari Prestemon entered this General Synod with a three-word mantra: Scooter. Bandit. Pickles. @generalsynic.bsky.social #UCCsynod

“Make an easy online gift!” the UCC invites, and then points you to a form that doesn’t correctly auto-populate with any of your saved info, forces you to look up the address of your local church, and asks you to identify eight blurry photos of fire hydrants. #UCCsynod

I could have watched committee wordsmithing, but decided instead to send prayers from across the street. #UCCSynod #Can’tStopEcumenning

Morning Keystone caucus: Q: How do you always wear white and never get dirty? KGT (momentary pause and smile, clearly discerning if it’s right to go there, deciding it is): It’s a reflection of my greatness. The crowd goes wild. #UCCsynod

“You have to stay safe” is not how the early church answered the question of how to love our enemies. #UCCsynod

@generalsynic.bsky.social Having a hoot with @liddybarlow.bsky.social !

John of Patmos writes in technicolor, influenced by psychedelic resolution. #UCCsynod

In response to mention of a five-minute standing ovation, Synod offers 8 seconds of tepid applause. #UCCsynod

“Live into the ethos of the United Church of Christ’s becoming”? What in the jargon? #UCCsynod

I’m being followed on BlueSky by @ackerman156.bsky.social and now it feels like I’ve been making dirty jokes in front of my dad. Or like I’m corrupting an innocent youth. #UCCsynod

Dairy cow delegation udderly delighted by Rev Prestemon’s shout out. #UCCsynod

“I’m not going to tell you all of Shari Prestemon’s accomplishments” is the perfect way to begin a list of every position Rev Prestemon has held since age 16. #UCCsynod

David Ackerman groupies thrilled by the report of the Committee on Disposition. #UCCsynod

Nominating Committee presents a naughty, naughty noncompliant slate. #UCCsynod

Inspired by Tyla, the agenda is fluid. #UCCsynod

This is the kind of thrilling discourse that keeps me coming back to Synod. #UCCSynod

Polyamorous delegates urged to bring with them to the microphone those who will third, fourth, fifth the motion. #UCCsynod

What does the UCC need from all its settings and contexts? KGT says: to stop fighting each other over things that are petty, to stop competing with each other, because we have more important work to do in this moment together. #UCCsynod

KGT at the conference moderators brunch: We talk so much about declining numbers, but “numbers have never been where the church is at work.” #uccsynod

Bring back *everyone* who was sent from the U.S. to CECOT in El Salvador. *No one* should be sent there. ALL their rights were violated. ALL of them should come home.

American soil cannot bear tyrants for long.

My feed has gotten so dang heavy, as of course matches the tone of the world in general — But folks, who are the BlueSky follows who are making you laugh out loud or notice beauty or feel awe? I used to like the other site’s witty noticings and absurd humor. Who’s doing that here?

the thing most people, and most notably white people but this applies across the board, is that resistance to oppression is neither a marathon nor a sprint but a diverse and multi-faceted effort, much of which will result in no victories whatsoever but you do it anyway, the little things

Malcolm Guite is one of the voices I miss most from the other place, and this (here and in the replies) is my favorite of his sonnets. I literally gasped out loud the first time I read it. O come, thou Wisdom from on high …

Convinced 70% of parenting sons is yelling ZIP YOUR COAT. The other 30% is snuggling.

Perfect for every brood of vipers on your list!

“Man’s [sic] real work is to look at the things of the world and to love them for what they are. That is, after all, what God does, and man was not made in God’s image for nothing.”–Robert F. Capon, The Supper of the Lamb

An essential Thanksgiving observance!

Thanksgiving Eve is when we make the carrot Jello.

Ok, @generalsynic.bsky.social has made it here; now we can prepare to go … into the deep. (Where’s #OurWholeLives?)

The apocalyptic key that ends one church year and begins another reminds us that in a world that is falling apart, full of reasons to fear, God’s reign of love looks like disruption. The hope of new life emerges as the stones in which we previously trusted fall away.

It feels optimistic to join an app called “Bluesky” when one lives in Pittsburgh in November.