“As we begin the next century, does the name Mayflower Community Congregational United Church of Christ continue to reflect our identity, mission and vision as a church?”
The What’s In A Name committee is commissioned by the Mayflower Council to convene for a two year period of spiritual discernment to answer this question and make recommendations to the Council and Congregation.
Core Questions
Since March 2023, eight listening sessions were held with nearly 200 individuals in attendance to discuss core questions:
- What are some reasons to change or not the name of the church?
- What could be some positive or negative results if we change our name (and it’s manifestations)?
- What should the church name say about who we are?
- What should be the next steps in the process?
What’s In A Name 2.0
- The What’s In A Name Committee and David Carey created a video summarizing the spiritual discernment process of the Congregation to date entitled “What’s In A Name 2.0” as discussed at the November 5th, 2023 Congregational meeting.
- The UCC News recently published an article “Who We Want To Be” about Mayflower Church’s ur What’s in a Name process.
- Feedback Summary from 10.8.23 Session: Reasons we should or should not change the name of the church
Timeline
The committee established a regular check in process with Council and the Congregation:
- Oct 7, 2023: Council Update
- Oct 8, 2023: Congregation Listen & Feedback on Aggregated results to date, Discernment Process
- Nov 5, 2023: Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting
Related Work
- Rev. Campbell has returned from her pilgrimage from Plymouth, MA. Please view Rev. Campbell’s blog and a video of the Day of Mourning ceremony that Rev. Campbell attended.
- The 2023 Summer Sermon Series provided perspectives on some of our most treasured symbols and traditions.
Learn More
Committee Members
Kate Andrews Van Horne
Jim Bush
Sarah Campbell
Lisa Cargill-Romsaas (on leave)
Gloria Englund
John Fredell
Chuck Gross
Beth Kittleson
Stan Kusunoki
Kathy Lafayette
Susan Lampe
Maureen Lunde
Bruce Nordstrom-Loeb
Jeff Richards
I was part of Mayflower Congregational from 1949-1968. My Mom, Dorothy Boler, worshipped there until her death in 2015. As a child I attended Sunday School in the old building across the street and then the high school class in the basement of the old parsonage where the current building now stands. Mayflower is where I was Confirmed and later Ordained in the United Church of Christ. It is time to find a new name for the faith community I love, the place where my faith was formed, and the congregation I am proud to call my “home church.”