January 11, 2024

 Long, long ago, in a time far, far, away, before anyone could ask Siri, or use their mobile device to ‘google it’, or before there was anything with the prefix ‘wiki, there was something called an encyclopedia. For those of you who were born after a certain year, MerriamWebster.com defines an encyclopedia as “a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge usually in articles arranged alphabetically often by subject.” As a student in elementary school before that certain year, my parents were of sufficient wisdom and means, and more than sufficient love, to purchase an encyclopedia as an investment in my sister’s and my education. There was a choice between the two major encyclopedias during that time, Encyclopedia Britannica and World Book. Being one that likes visuals, I preferred World Book, whose entirety of volumes sit prominently in the basement of my childhood home in Washington. Published since 1917, the World Book is the only American encyclopedia that still offers a print version in addition to its digital options.

Alongside the volumes of World Book in my childhood home sit volumes of the World Book’s Yearbook. Since the World Book edition was published in a given year, the Yearbook was a very useful supplement that provided readers as yours truly important information about events, discoveries and developments occurring during the year. Similar to school yearbooks, it provided a snapshot of the life of the world in a given year.

At a fundamental level, this too is the purpose of the United Church of Christ Yearbook. Our Yearbook is a highly valuable resource that gives a snapshot of the life of our denomination for a given year. There are several good reasons why our churches should report information to the UCC Yearbook. First, participation of our churches allows for accurate and comprehensive record-keeping of our denomination's activity and progress. This information can be used to identify trends, assess the impact of various programs and initiatives, and make informed decisions regarding resource allocation and strategic planning. Second, reporting statistics to the yearbook can allow our congregations to see how they compare to others in terms of size, demographics, and ministry focus, potentially inspiring collaboration and the sharing of best practices among congregations, fostering greater connections and ministry possibilities for our churches individually and together. Lastly, the UCC Yearbook is a valuable resource for researchers, scholars, and individuals seeking information about UCC congregations. It provides data that can be used for academic studies, demographic analysis, and historical research. By contributing to the yearbook, our congregations contribute to the collective knowledge and understanding of the UCC’s history and current life and is a way for our churches to actively participate in the life and growth of our denomination while also benefiting from the insights and resources the Yearbook provides.

While the above are more practical reasons why our churches should participate in the Yearbook, there is I believe, a compelling spiritual one. As you probably know, I have much experience with numbers. And I know from my experience that statistics, as in all numbers, tell a deeper story. Your Yearbook numbers help tell the story of how God has blessed and kept your church and its people over the past year. Was there a baptism of a child? That is the story of a child’s recognition as beloved by God and the pledge of the community to nurture that child as God’s beloved. Were there new members? That is the story of people hearing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and desiring to joining your church in changing individual lives and transforming the world. Did your church sadly lose members who passed away last year? That is the story of those servants who have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, and now rest in the embrace of God’s arms. The numbers of your church may be lower than last year or many years, but they still tell the story of God has graciously kept your church through another year, and that God is still in your midst.

You will see immediately following these words information about how your church can participate in the UCC Yearbook. I encourage you to ensure your church participates. Your Conference staff is here to help you in any way can, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us. Thank you for your ministry as part of the United Church Christ in 2023, and may our Yearbook, in some way, help us count our many blessings and see what God has done in the past year.