86^th Annual Meeting
London Conference of The United Church of Canada

President's Address: 'The Church in Exile'
May 30, 2010
Hellenic Centre, London, Ontario
hosted by Lambton Presbytery

---

by President of London Conference, 2009/2010, Doug Wright

One of the privileges of being the President of London Conference is the opportunity to travel to every Presbytery to learn about the wondrous things that are happening in our local churches as we seek to remain God's faithful people in the midst of our Exile. Like the Hebrew people in the heart of the Babylonian Empire - we are finding ways to keep what is valuable in our traditions - while adapting to the changing realities of the world we find ourselves in. In visiting the Presbyteries I have found...

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When 13 small congregations north of London, meet together for an annual worship event so large none of the churches can hold it, and they need to gather in a community centre. Their small choirs sing together, their different coloured gowns making them look like a musical spring flower garden.

Algoma Presbytery hosts a ‘Focus On The Gay Family' conference.

Kintore United Church celebrates their counter-culture rural roots with ‘Bring Your Tractor To Church Day'.

Comber United Church forms three congregations rolled into one, requiring an extension to the building. A new youth group is formed and 48 people come out for Bible study.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When Fingal United Church sends the entire congregation to conduct Nursing Home worship.

Alvinston United Church runs a day camp in the summer. They hire seven students to run it and get an $8000 grant from Libro to buy canoes and equipment for a week long canoe trip.

Huron Perth Presbytery celebrates 14 years of chaplaincy - ministering to the ministers.

Turin United Church has 30 children in its Sunday School.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When I can't single out specific congregations and presbyteries because these things are happening all over the place.

Prayer shawls ministries...free breakfasts and meals provided for the community on a weekly or monthly basis or on special days like Thanksgiving or Christmas...computer labs are set up for youth and for seniors...milk bag mats are made...the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is supported...and the regional co-ordinators are our own David and Kathryn Mayberry.

There are Christmas basket and adopt a family programs...Habitat For Humanity builds...mission trip volunteers...all manner of alternative worship events... sock knitting, neo-natal blanket and quilt making for women's shelters, hospitals and people in need...benevolent funds help those who have slipped between the cracks...home baked cookies are taken monthly to the Bluewater Youth Correctional Centre...there are music jams and back porch parties...snacks prepared for school children.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When we're not just thinking outside the box...or how to get rid of the box...but how to faithfully use the box...by supplying space in our church buildings to food banks, thrift stores, co-op nurseries, scouts and guides, drop-ins, meals on wheels, drum circles - and all manner of community groups.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When congregations are talking about sharing resources and working together...congregations step into the unknown to experiment with clustering...congregations are joining in ecumenical worship opportunities throughout the year in their communities...congregations see new life rather than painful death in amalgamation.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When our nine presbytery camps - and local congregational camps and vacation bible schools and after school programs and Professional Development Day fun days - reach out to share to good news of Jesus Christ with not only our own children but to the unchurched and the marginally churched.

The Swell.

Our presbytery resource centres serve not only us but the public at large.

The United Church Women - or the local equivalent - do anything they are asked and more.

We reach out across Canada and around the world through the Mission and Service Fund.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When Oxford Presbytery holds Emmanuel College Sunday when students and staff are brought out to preach and connect with congregations.

Lambton Presbytery shaves the head of the Presbytery chair in a food bank donation challenge.

Middlesex Presbytery Division of World Outreach holds a concert for Haiti Earthquake Relief.

There's a Hockey Day service in Huron-Perth.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

Cottam United Church holds 40 days of community - tackling one big local mission project and nine smaller ones.

Blenheim United Church awards up to six $500 bursaries a year to High School graduates for essays on how faith applies to the post-secondary and career paths.

Central United in St. Thomas does a Spirit Given Gifts inventory and discovers it has the Spirit given gifts to form a worship band.

Willowgrove United Church has envelopes in the pews to support the training of their candidate for ministry.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange nlad...

When Courtright United Church, destroyed by arson is resurrected and re-built.

Exam time care packages for University and College students are assembled and distributed.

Huron Perth Presbytery holds a Bethlehem walk.

Chernobyl children are hosted in Kent Presbytery.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When we are singing the Lord's song in a strange land. Where else in our society can just absolutely anyone go and sing in public than in a church service?

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...

When we each in our local congregations offer people a place to gather to worship God as revealed in Jesus Christ, Sunday by Sunday.

We are singing the Lord's song in a strange land...
Yes, we are. God being our helper.