Living Stones—Hearts Alive and Into the Deep at General Synod 35

In a world that often feels uncertain, we find ourselves returning to the things that anchor us—those quiet, deep, powerful moments that remind us who we are—living stones— being built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), stronger together and an essential part of the larger ecosystem, reliant upon hope, peace, joy, and love.

At General Synod 35, the Pension Boards invited attendees to partake in a special reflection experience where each one shared a thought, a prayer, and celebrated or honored someone special in their life or ministry—while recognizing that we are the hope, peace, joy, and love for one another.  Together, living stones, alive in spirit and connected with purpose.

Hope begins with a spark—a voice raised for justice, a child’s laughter, a prayer whispered into the silence. It lives in the resilience of communities resisting injustice, in the strength of those who keep going when the road is hard. It grows in the soil of relationships, like mycelial webs nourishing one another beneath the surface. Hope is found in the pews, in the faces of youth, in the arms of family and friends. It’s passed from one person to another: “You have hope, so why wouldn’t I?”

Peace is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of connection. It’s found in the balance of home life, in the quiet of Sabbath, in the smile of someone sitting beside you on a Sunday morning. It’s the calm that comes from faithful service, the stillness of prayer, the security of knowing your family is safe. Peace is when we forget our differences and come together to change the world.

Joy dances in the everyday moments—children’s laughter, the wag of a fur baby’s tail, the warmth of a colleague’s encouragement. It’s in the sacred work of helping others, in the truth-telling that sets us free, in the deep knowing that comes from walking through life’s seasons together. Joy is found in collaboration, in poetry, in prayer that touches someone’s heart. It’s in the possibility of transformation, and yes—even in African elephants.

Love is the thread that binds it all. It’s a clear sense of purpose, a calling that carries us through every season. It’s in the wide welcome of community, in the stories we share, in the bridges we build. Love shows up in the people who carry us when we can’t walk alone, in the names we hold dear—Ernie, Lily, Evelyn, Rodney, Kim, Gary. It’s in the support of a church that never lets go, and in the sacred act of showing up for one another, again and again.

Together, these voices form the stories of living stones—who we are and what we believe. And here, we find not only ourselves, but each other.