Board Member Spotlight: The Reverend Alyssa Lodewick

An article from Table Settings, The Newsletter of the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ (MEUCC) Board of Directors, Issue 2

Warm Summertime Greetings from the Maine Council of Churches! Seeking Common Ground, Working for the Common Good. That’s the motto of the Maine Council of Churches (MCC). At a time when social discourse and political debates all too easily devolve into uncivil arguments and obscene shouting matches, I believe that the Council and its commitment to the common good are more crucial than ever – which is why I feel privileged to serve as the Maine Conference, United Church of Christ’s denominational representative to the Maine Council of Churches.

The contemporary Council is a statewide ecumenical organization with a history that stretches back to 1869. Today, the following seven denominations send representatives to sit on its board of directors: The Episcopal Diocese of Maine; The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (New England Synod); the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ (that’s us!); the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church; the Northern New England Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church, USA; the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers); and the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (New England Region). Together, the Maine Council of Churches’ member denominations encompass more than 550 local faith communities – and thousands upon thousands of individuals – across our state.

One of the things I most value about the Maine Council of Churches is its willingness to bring faith into the public square; as part of its activity portfolio, the Council participates in conversations about legislation and public policy. The MCC takes its mission statement – “Rooted in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, our mission is to inspire congregations and persons of faith to unite in good works that build a culture of justice, compassion, and peace – seriously, and it views advocacy, the legislative process, and public policy as tools for building healthier, safer, more just communities. Denominational representatives to the Maine Council of Churches work with at-large board members* and members of the Council’s public policy committee to shape the Council’s positions on public policy concerns and determine what actions the MCC will take.**

As the Maine Conference, UCC’s denominational representative, I seek to reflect and lift up the Conference’s viewpoints and positions when discussing the issues that come before the MCC. In this work, I remain ever mindful of the fact that I personally do not speak on behalf of the Maine Conference. Instead, the Conference’s Annual Meeting is the body that is authorized to speak and make decisions on behalf of the Conference. Thus, I look to Annual Meeting resolutions for guidance when I am discerning how to vote in my role as the Maine Conference’s denominational representative.

In Isaiah 43:19, God says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it?” It turns out that this spring was a season of “new things” for the Maine Council of Churches— and not all of them had to do with public policy! Over the past few months, the Council has:

• Testified before the legislature in favor of reproductive justice. • Marched in Portland’s Pride Parade.
• Offered a statewide symposium on the faith community’s response to the overdose crisis.
• Incorporated time in MCC board meetings for the study of White Privilege

If you’d like to learn more about any of the above activities – or about options for getting involved with the Maine Council of Churches – please feel free to contact me via email ([email protected]) or give me a call (Mobile: 207.712.3606). More information about the Maine Council of Churches is also available at www.mainecouncilofchurches.org.

*At-large board members are either (a) unaffiliated with denominations, or (b) not charged with representing their denominations’ views during Council votes. The Maine Conference, UCC is fortunate to have The Reverend Carolyn Lambert serving as an at-large representative to the Maine Council of Churches.

**If you are interested in examining public policy concerns through a faith lens, the Public Policy Committee of the Maine Council of Churches always welcomes new members. You do not have to be a board member of the Maine Council of Churches to participate. Email me ([email protected]) for more information.

Board Member Spotlight: The Reverend Alyssa Lodewick