Reflecting on the Biennial Convocation

AllianceQ Council Member Rev. Tana Roseboro Marsh attended the Biennial Convocation this summer, and her reflection of that experience was published in SELAH – the newsletter of the Convocation. Here is the text of her reflection. The National Convocation is the made up of Disciples African American churches.

The 25th Biennial National Convocation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was my inaugural introduction to this expression of worship, training, and leadership.

The connection of the Holy Spirit during the Bible Lecture, through the wisdom of Dr. John W. Kinney, was instant. Rev. Yolanda Norton urged me to “Get in Formation” to fight for all injustices, (with many bodies as one voice), at the Clergy Women’s breakfast.

I was most inspired by the Emerging Voices who spoke ‘defining truth to aging and traditionalist power’ with clarity; in particular their calling out the lack of acknowledgment of the injustices to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQI+) communities.

These young adults spoke to that which had given me initial pause about attending the grand meeting. As a black, same gender loving (SGL) woman, I was hesitant. There were fears that became reality during sprinkled moments of the meeting, however, these bold, emerging voices provided a salve and gifted me hope.

The hope was so powerful that it gave me and my wife of almost four years courage to be bold at the dinner, and dance in our fullness of two ordained, southern, black, SGL women who undoubtedly love God and each other.

After that nervously, brave moment, some unimaginable connections of some Elders who became “mothering trees”, fed our souls. There also has been young adults who pressed for our information to keep in touch.

What I hope is that our churches of the National Convocation not only heard these Emerging Voices call for visible action, but that they also hear my voice, and see our faces when I say that if they/we do not take the care to intentionally name all the injustices, such as homophobia and xenophobia, then we are not fully enacting justice at all, nor for all.

It is my hope that we, the church, truly “plant new trees” (Rev. Shannon Walker Dycus); trees by name, so we can honor their full and complete gifts and anointed, thriving existence.