Thy will be done... the pilgrimage continues...

I am honored and excited to be the Moderator of the 54th Annual Meeting of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. We will be meeting in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which is not only the place where Congregationalism in the New World began, it is also my hometown. Plymouth is no longer the small town it was when I was growing up. It is the hub of the South Shore, mid-way between Boston and Cape Cod. It is a destination in and of itself because of what it has to offer historically, culturally, and recreationally. All of these things will make your experience here truly enjoyable and memorable at the same time.

Someone once said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who say to God, “Thy will be done.” and those to whom God says, “thy will be done.” To seek and follow the will of God is not optional for the follower of Christ. At our meeting in Plymouth, you will gain a sense in how this was true for our Pilgrim ancestors. Beyond politics, culture, and polity, the Pilgrim story is one of a dedicated group of people seeking to do the will of God. Their story is part of His-Story and so is our-story.

As wonderful as Plymouth is from an historical standpoint, we would be remiss to sentimentalize or idolize the past. Such a thought would be abhorrent to the Pilgrims themselves. In seeking the will of God, they were prepared to go where the Spirit of God led them. They did so a great personal sacrifice and in the face of enormous danger and risk. The aim of this meeting is for their zeal and their faithfulness to God to be a springboard for us to be like them in seeking the will of God in the world in which we live today.

Our task is to seek God’s will together in the ongoing pilgrimage of faith that is laid out before us. That’s what it means to be Congregational! To that end, you will be edified by worship and prayer. You will be informed and challenged by the preaching and Bible lectures of Dr. David Fisher. History will come alive as you discover the historical and spiritual motivation that powered the Pilgrim experiment. And you will take with you fuel for the fire of your own, ongoing pilgrimage individually and collectively.

Come to Plymouth for what promises to be a time that is both full and unforgettable!