Musings Whilst Wandering the Holy Doughnut

by Jerrod Hugenot

This year, I begin a four-year term on the General Board as a nationally-elected member. In preparation for the work entailed by this commitment, I was flown to Valley Forge along with other incoming board members to be oriented properly to the "nuts and bolts" of General Board service. Over the four day period, I deepened my respect for the American Baptists' commitment to gender inclusivity, racial and ethnic diversity, and theological difference as marks of unity. You can rest assured that this year's batch of General Board members come with great commitment to the furtherance of our common ministry and mission while speaking out of their unique contexts.

Plus, the plea for "adults under 35" has certainly been met. I was delighted to find that I was not the only 'young' person in this batch. The biennium's President David Hunt isn't much older than myself, so times are a'changing in denominational life. Perhaps now the General Board will be more reflective of the intergenerational family it is meant to represent!

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Toward the end of my visit to the Holy Doughnut, I was given a tote bag marked "Orientation to ABC Life" by the folks at Educational Ministries (the program board on which I will serve). This tote bag is a replica of a tote bag I received at the 1998 Orientation to ABC Life for seminarians and new pastors, the conference where I (and many others) became acquainted with the Roger Williams Fellowship. The tote bag reminded me of the last few years I have spent being part of a grass-roots interest group within the denomination.

Of course, the tote bag reminded me of the cynicism I carried within myself at the time of the 1998 ABC Orientation Conference. When asked why I was interested in being part of the RWF,  I commented that I wanted to make sure there was still a denomination around by the time the fracas was over. That cynicism carried through the Des Moines Biennial Meeting and the General Board actions that preceded it. I joined the RWF Board of Directors to be pro-active about the situations at hand, but I still wondered if the ship was sinking. (The onslaught of fundamentalist posturing within another certain grass-roots group can drive one to despair!)

Now I have moved toward just wondering how the ship will continue to stay afloat. The tensions of the late 90's need to give way to a time simply "to watch and pray" as our denominational structure stabilizes. One of the realities of my tenure on the General Board will be the continuing dialogue about regional affiliations. Currently, I serve on the General Board with a young clergywoman who attends FBC Granville, OH, which is now part of the Rochester-Gennesse (New York) Region. The ways of being American Baptist are shifting with fault lines appearing underneath ideological/theological understandings rather than geographic proximity.

While the denomination looks forward to 2010 with its "New Life 2010" emphasis, we're also learning how to rebirth our covenantal relationships with one another. Some may mourn the passing of the ways things currently are between our churches, but others may perceive the Spirit guiding us into new prospects for witness and mission in partnerships and relationships previously inconceivable. What may look like a number of rowboats circling the sinking ship may indeed a perception obscured by the fog of uncertainty, hiding a greater, more powerful way of being Baptist, just now coming into our horizons.

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While at this meeting, I heard Dr. Roy Medley, the new ABC General Secretary, give brief devotional moments. Right before Roy moved from his post as Region Exec. for ABC-New Jersey, he received a stole from his staff. This stole has the ABC/USA logo, surrounded by thirty-four different stripes representing the Regions that comprise our denomination.

Roy talked about the origins of the stole as a symbol for the towel used to wash the feet of others. And, you know, when Roy held the stole in his hands, the evocation of the image of a servant/leader was unmistakable. Roy has spoken of his new role within denominational life to be General Secretary as well as a pastor and shepherd to the churches entrusted to his care. In hearing Roy's talks and speaking one-on-one, I have every confidence that Roy Medley is already living into this role as "pastor" in his capacity as our new General Secretary. In a denomination wounded by too many power plays and political posturing, Pastor Roy is a welcome presence in leading us into a hopefully brighter future as a diverse people of God.  

One would hope that the next decades of our denomination's life together (in all its diversity) will take on the historic pattern of being faithful to Baptist beliefs, welcoming of all Baptists (regardless of difference) to the task of furthering the Reign of God.
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Jerrod H. Hugenot is a May 2002 graduate (M.Div and M.A.) of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, KS. A life-long American Baptist, Jerrod works with a variety of congregations as a supply preacher. His other publications include book reviews for Review and Expositor and the American Baptist Quarterly. Jerrod is joined in ministry by his spouse Kerry Shermer, also an M.Div student at Central.  Correspond:  reverendbubba@juno.com