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A Comma Connection is a people-based, spiritual community with three primary foci:
- Worship – The Practice of Celebration
- Discipleship – The Practice of Becoming
- Community Service – The Practice of Shalom
Each group, numbering between 12 and 50 people, gathers for the express purpose of forming an intimate spiritual community guided by progressive theology committed to the UCC ideals of radical hospitality and welcome of all people.
CCs can be developed and led in any number of ways. They can self-designate an ordained clergy or in-care student to organize and lead them. They can rotate leadership responsibilities as the group develops. They can meet in people’s homes, the local coffee house, restaurant, theater, wherever. The meeting times and locations are to be determined by the local group. Additionally, each CC can determine the “activities” of the meetings. The structure is intentionally flexible allowing for creativity to meet the needs of the participants.
However, this flexibility must and should exist within the basic structure of the three foci – worship, discipleship and service. Whenever and wherever CCs meet, the meetings need to have a worship element, a discipleship element, and a service element to them. These expressions can be lived out in any number of ways and creativity based upon the desire of the local community is highly encouraged.
Within the larger UCC context, CCs are sponsored by the Southeast Conference and would have the support and resources of the Conference at their disposal. They would be supervised by the Conference and recognized by their Association Church and Ministry Committee as a Comma Connection. After one year, Comma Connections are eligible to become new church starts with the Southeast Conference and should apply to their Association’s Church and Ministry Committee.
Each group would be expected to fund itself and structure a budget that allows for its support. Assistance with this process is available through the Southeast Conference office. Additionally, each group is asked to tithe 10% of its budget to OCWM Basic Support for support of the larger denomination (i.e. helping to start more Comma Connections!).
Comma Connections have one purpose – to reach people who might not set foot in a traditional church but long for a spiritual community. The group might one day decide that it wants to be a “church” at which point they will go before the Church and Ministry committee with that request, or they may decide that they want to stay as a Comma Connection.
Comma Connections are about planting seeds and seeing what God can do with them. People in our communities are longing for a fellowship that honors their spiritual journeys and will walk with them as they journey through life. Comma Connections are the answer.
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