The Northfield Conference

Faith first stepped into the Northfield Conference in 1980 when she was 10 years old. She and her family were introduced to Northfield by Emily Mitchell, who brought many beloved members of our community to the Conference. Faith’s energy, enthusiasm and her deep love of Northfield was a gift that shone strongly for 17 years until her death in 1997 at the age of 27. Those who remember her, remember her bright smile and infectious laugh, her love of Families and the Northfield community. It was Northfield that encouraged her to become a lawyer; she had graduated from law school and landed her first job at a Boston law firm just before she died, leaving a huge hole in our community and our hearts.

In 1993, Faith wrote the following poem about Northfield, which was printed in the Grapevine:
COMMUNITY
What a gift we have in each other
for it is through living together and loving each other that we discover and define our own selves.
It is when I hold your hand that I feel the contours of my own palm
when I embrace you that I wrap around my own arms
and when I hold you close that I feel my own heartbeat.

It is when I hear your story that I recognize my own
when I see your tears that I uncover my own sadness
and when I see your smile that I know my own joy.

It is when I worship with you that my spirit soars
when you share your faith that I define my own
and when your soul connects with mine that I know I am truly alive.

What a wonderful gift this little community is
for we are not perfect
but it is not in perfection that the great joy of life lies: it is in the journey.

And isn’t it amazing that we have found
so many people willing to walk this part of the journey together?
Time after time meeting on our sacred ground?

For we do not always hear each other,
but we are willing to listen
we do not always understand,
but we do question
and we do not always know but we desire to learn.

What more could we ask for?
Thank you Creator for your impeccable wisdom, and may this journey never end.