Trip of Transformation
The Transformation Team with Rev. Ken Bickle and Rev. Nancy Bickle
From September 10th through the 18th, a multi-denominational, multi-generational team from the World Council of Churches headquarters in Geneva and office in New York took a road trip from Dubuque, Iowa to Minneapolis, Minnesota visiting along the way with colleges and seminaries affiliated with WCC member churches. This was the first of what will hopefully become an annual trip to different regions of the United States to build relationships with young adults and strengthen ties with member communions.
Trip of Transformation team members Dr. Guillermo Kerber, Rev. Deborah DeWinter, Jessica Ralph, Kent Yoder, and Tricia Nolan were warmly welcomed along the way by the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dubuque, the University of Dubuque, University of Dubuque Seminary, Wartburg Seminary, Luther College, United Theological Seminary, Augsburg College, Macalester College, Luther Seminary, and Trinity Church at Augsburg.
The hospitality offered to us by the churches, universities and seminaries was remarkable.
– Guillermo Kerber, Program Executive for Impunity, Justice and Reconciliation and Latin America & the Caribbean at the International Affairs, Peace and Human Security Team, WCC
It was a joy to have you and your team for the "Trip of Transformation" begin your journey at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dubuque, Iowa. The five of you put a face of caring and diversity on the World Council of Churches for the people of our church. They had considered the WCC to be a far away organization and you brought your work and your vision to our worship and our community. Also, Nancy and I enjoyed getting to meet all five members of the team. I hope the rest of the journey went well. You are always welcome to come back to Dubuque for worship or to speak about your mission.
- Rev. Dr. Ken Bickel, Senior Minister, First Congregational United Church of Christ in Dubuque
At each stop, the team shared about the work of the World Council surrounding the Decade to Overcome Violence, truth and reconciliation initiatives, and the upcoming 9th Assembly. Jessica Ralph the team’s accomplished dancer, shared her gifts of dance in eight worship services and classes along the way.
Viewing Jessica’s performance really put a new twist onto my previous notion of what makes dance powerful. I had considered technical ability the pinnacle aspect of executing a very good and appealing routine. Jessica’s ability was very good, but her emotional appeal to the audience is what made the piece powerful and captivating. It not only kept my attention, it also enhanced the expression of the movements and paralleled each step, turn, twist and jump.
- Jason Groth, Student, University of Dubuque
Worshiping with Jessica dancing for God was a highlight of the trip for me. She is a young adult who is using her amazing talent and love of Christ to bring the arts into worship. Jessica’s use of athleticism and passion in her dances really brought me to an emotional experience of the texts and sermons. In fact, never before has watching a dance made me cry!
- Tricia Nolan, WCC Intern
The importance of this trip became clear as the team realized that the majority of the students they met had never even heard of the WCC, but they were curious. They wanted to know what the World Council of Churches is and what it does, they were often surprised to find out that many of them are, through their churches, part of the WCC. They were very excited by many of the initiatives of the WCC, especially by the Decade to Overcome Violence, and by Dr. Kerber’s work in truth and reconciliation. Many of these young people have been thinking and working ecumenically for years, and now there is a connection between their grassroots efforts and the wider ecumenical movement.
The evening we spent around a very crowded table with representatives from World Council of Churches "Trip of Transformation" provided a glimpse into the work of the WCC and powerfully awakened students to the impact of this amazing global force of love and tending. Students lingered following the formal presentation to see how they might find ways to put their passions to work through opportunities afforded by the WCC. Thank you for partnering with my work in ministry at Macalester and enlarging our students' vision for their work in the world.
–Rev. Lucy Forster-Smith Chaplain, Macalester College
The Transformation Team's Midwest tour brought face time, real live interactions between vibrant, thinking, faithful, and seeking young adults and the vibrant, thinking, faithful, and seeking people who are part of the WCC in the US and beyond. To the skeletal understanding of the institution, flesh and stories and experiences brought life. This one stop on the tour's crowded itinerary offered what words can never fully do justice-it offered another type of living letter to add to the WCC's mail bag, and to share with God's world.
- Jen Nagel, Young Adult
The team members were energized by the encounters with amazing young adults who are committed to peace, justice and ecumenism. It became very clear that this was a transformative experience for the representatives of the WCC as they had the opportunity to learn about the calling these institutions of higher education are clearly fulfilling in the lives of the young adults they serve, as well as the sense of vocation to service felt by the young adults themselves.
Encountering each school and how it dealt with the issues of ecumenism, spirituality, peace, justice, internationalism, global awareness and other issues that were addressed in the WCC presentations was very intriguing. Each school had a unique and exciting mission and vision.
- Jessica Ralph, Young Adult Arts-In-Worship Consultant to the WCC
The opportunity to speak to these young members of the World Council of Churches has given me great hope for the future of the church. In them I have seen incredible talents and a sense of vocation, which will give a new, dynamic face to the changing shape of ecumenism.
– Kent Yoder, Program Assistant for the Decade to Overcome Violence
Faculty & Students showed an incredible commitment in their responsiveness and openness to what we were communicating with their excitement and willingness to be involved in the Decade to Overcome Violence, the Assembly and the young adult gathering this October in Chicago.
– Guillermo Kerber, Program Executive for Impunity, Justice and Reconciliation and Latin America & the Caribbean at the International Affairs, Peace and Human Security Team, WCC
In light of the incredibly positive reception of the team by every college and seminary along the way, it is clear that there should be more “Trips of Transformation” throughout the United States and the world to engage member institutions and individuals in the global, national, regional and local work of the WCC. An important lesson from the trip is that we need to be intentional about continuing the relationships between young adults and the WCC that have been established, and that the WCC needs to institute a comprehensive communications policy to reach and interact with constituents at colleges and universities. This experience shows that when there are concrete efforts engage youth and young adults with the WCC, young adults respond with enthusiasm.
The Trip of Transformation Team would like to express gratitude to their hosts, for their warm reception and generous hospitality as they travelled from Dubuque, IA to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN!First Congregational Church, Dubuque, Iowa |
Link:
Pictures of the trip
Downloads:
Deborah DeWinter's reflections on the Transformation trip
Guillermo Kerber's reflections on the Transformation trip
