Showing posts with label United Methodism. Show all posts

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On behalf of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church I greet you in the name of Jesus the Christ in whom “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven….” (Colossians 1:19-20, NRSV)

On this, the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, I call upon United Methodists and all people of faith to a renewed commitment to ministry of reconciliation, and to being witnesses of God’s love and grace for and in the whole world. As people of faith, we approach this anniversary with the gift of both memory and hope.

None of us who watched in shock and horror as the events unfolded on that fateful day in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington DC will ever forget the images. We remember the innocent lives that were lost on that day. We remember the first responders who put their lives on the line to provide assistance in the midst of the devastation. We remember the ways in which the world reached out to embrace us in our pain and grief. And we remember the generous outpouring of more than $20 million through the United Methodist Committee on Relief and our “Love in the Midst of Tragedy” special offerings.

Even as we recall all of these events of a decade ago, we are also a people whose faith and hope in Christ Jesus turn our hearts and lives toward the future. We proclaim the Resurrection message that the future belongs to God’s reconciled new creation, and we live toward that time when the dividing walls of hostility will come down and God will wipe away every tear, and death will be no more. In a world of violence and revenge, of suspicion and fear, of mistrust and hatred, we dare to proclaim an alternative vision known throughout Scriptures as God’s Shalom. We believe that God works for good in all things, and that the goodness and mercy of God can overcome even the most tragic events and experiences in this world.

In the days and weeks ahead, communities will be marking this anniversary in a variety of ways, and we urge our churches to lead in planning for and providing services of worship and prayer. Let us build bridges of trust and reconciliation through these services by inviting and encouraging people of all faiths to come together for prayer. Let us work for personal and social holiness by practicing John Wesley’s General Rules for the people called Methodist, especially to do no harm and to do good. Let us seek to restore a sense of hope for the future by praying for and working for the healing of broken relationships. Let us remember that day of pain, suffering, and grief; but let us also seek to bind up the wounds and renew our efforts to work for peace with justice.

Above all else let us live as faithful followers of the Prince of Peace and, in the words of the author of the Letter to the Colossians: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other….” (Colossians 3:12-13, NRSV) May our memory and our hope unite to move all of us toward peace and inspire us to live with compassion, confidence and courage.

Larry M. Goodpaster
President, Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church

This is some of our UCC brothers and sisters doing doing a "Flash Communion" at their convention.



Via

Image via WikipediaI was chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry in Alaska for a couple years.  We don't call it the "Board of Ordained Ministry" because we're not actually able to "ordain" anyone up in Alaska.  But, we had oversight of professional ministry issues and were called "The Professional Ministries Unit."  Catchy, huh?  But, as clergy came up to serve here they were already ordained somewhere else.  It was Indiana for me.  In other words, the folks in Indiana gave their official "stamp of approval" to all the papers I had turned in and the interviews and everything else.  They prayed about my potential for ministry.  They sought guidance.  And, in the end, determined that I was "fit" for ministry and that God really had called me to this grand adventure.

That was then.

What about now?

See, I'd still have to turn in all of the papers and do the interviews and enter a period of discernment.  But, now there is a lot more information about me and by me that persons could potentially have access to.  I've posted over 1000 posts on this blog.  (And, let's be frank, not all of it is wonderful).  I have Facebook friends who make occasionally rude and inappropriate comments on my posts and whose rude and inappropriate comments show up on my Facebook page.  While the blog is public and I knew that getting into it, I've always kinda' thought I didn't have to let everyone have easy access to my Facebook stuff--not that I'm ashamed or embarrassed, but because I figure I don't need the whole world knowing I'm going on vacation and will be gone or that I'm a lousy fisherman or am just having a bad day.  I know, believe me, that Facebook isn't private.  And, Lord knows, I have "Facebook Friends" who are merely acquaintances and I really don't know and probably don't trust (although if you're reading this because you came to it through my Facebook Page, please know I'm not talking about you).  That's what all of those so-called "privacy settings" are for.

But, what if, as I went through the ordination process, the Board of Ordained Ministry had full access to, yes, all of my blog posts but also everything written about me or by me on Facebook?  Have I said anything that painted too politically liberal or conservative a picture?  Did I express doubt?  Have I shown myself to be careless with words or insensitive to the needs of others?  Did I "like" a comment that someone else might find offensive?  And if I didn't do this all the time, did I let something slip once...or twice?  Or are my friends on Facebook too liberal or conservative or hedonistic or do they use foul language?  If so, why am I friends with them?  Why, someone might ask, would a person with these friends see themselves as a pastor?

In our family, we adhere to the notion that "you shouldn't do something unless you'd want to shout it from the rooftop."  That's a great rule of life.  And yet I know my life has had many an exception to this rule.  And I'm not going to get into the details here.  There are things in my life...things I've said and done that, while I know God knows, I don't really want EVERYONE to know.  And I wouldn't want folks assessing my ministry to know...particularly know out of context to the entire picture of my life.

Which is why I'm uneasy about some news I read last night.  I found out about the actions of the Kentucky Annual Conference from Jeremy Smith's Hacking Christianity blog.  He got his information from a post from Rob Rynders' blog, which is so good I subscribed to it on the spot.

Rob notes that there is a "sign in" agreement for social media for those persons seeking ordination in Kentucky.  It goes as follows (italics mine):

I, ________________________, agree to allow the Kentucky Annual Conference to examine any and all MySpace, Facebook, or other blog and website accounts that I may have. I have added the Kentucky Annual Conference as a friend on these sites. If I do not have a MySpace, Facebook, or other website account at this time, if at any time I should create one of these accounts, I agree to add the Kentucky Annual Conference as a friend. I agree that access to any part of these accounts will not be blocked to the Kentucky Annual Conference. I understand that any information of a questionable nature on these sites that are written and/or posted by me, could affect my status as a Candidate/Resident in the Ordination process with the Kentucky Annual Conference. Further, I also understand that my Barnabas Team will regularly check these sites for inappropriate content. I agree to and understand that material that would be deemed questionable in light of the Social Principles and Doctrinal Standards of the United Methodist Church or that would show lack of judgment in understanding the standards and ethics of a United Methodist clergyperson will be determined by the Board of Ordained Ministry and my assigned Barnabas Team.

• This is not a “policing” effort because it is an impossible request to police. The privacy features of Facebook means that you can hide individual posts from individual people (click the lockbox at the bottom-right corner sometime and play with it). Thus, you would still be able to have private thoughts from a BOM account and they would have zero way of knowing.
• This is not an “online awareness” educational effort because people already know. Looking at the last 10 people the account has friended, every single one of them has their privacy set so that non-friends can’t see their wall (or at least status updates/links). Smart and appropriate…clearly at least those clergy don’t need education on “what not to put on Facebook.” So education of “watch what you write” is not the reason.
• This seems to be an effort to exert control and instill fear. It really seems like a power-trip OR a policy set in place because of a candidate who flamed out fabulously because of online writings (Chad Holtz-ish?). Either way, it feels too overbearing to let slip by.

Image via WikipediaLook, I think one of the things that comes through on this blog and in my reflection is that I have pretty good evangelical roots.  It's not something I got in New York so much.  I was 15 and under when I was there.  But it's something I got in my years in Indiana when surrounded by Wesleyans...not of the United Methodist kind but of the actual "Wesleyan Church" kind.  Evangelicalism was somewhat "in the water" of Indiana, inside and outside of the United Methodist Church.  And it was a pretty conservative sort of evangelicalism.

And, to this day, I really do believe that being an authentic follower of Jesus Christ requires one to have some type of conversion experience ("justification" for my good, old Methodist friends out there) and some type of growth in faith (regeneration or "sanctification" for said Methodists).  I believe in confession of sin and I believe that Jesus Christ is the only way for this to happen, and, therefore, it is right and good and important to share the message of Jesus and live in such a way that persons can see Christ's love through one's actions.  Saying all of this, I think,  makes me an evangelical in a pretty classic sense.

That said...I think there is a lot of room for interpretation in there.  There's a lot unsaid in all that's said above.  And, in spite of believing all of this, I know that my theology is sometimes questioned and sometimes questioned to my face...even believing all that I do about Jesus.

(Please note, this really isn't commonplace for me...the whole questioning thing.  I don't walk through life with persons shaking their heads every time I open my mouth.  I am surrounded by a bunch of people who know me and appreciate me and, I pray, see Christ working through me and can hear the depth of my faith in my preaching, my speaking, and in my writing.  But I do occasionally get the "head shake" or the "I'll pray for you."  Some base it on nothing other than knowing I'm part of the United Methodist Church.  And some within the United Methodist Church base their opinions on nothing more than my location, now, in the West -- a bastion of what some see as liberal Methodism.)

And so, I was more than a little amused as I stumbled over to The Pangea Blog and a post by Kurt Willems.  It's entitled "You Might Be an Evangelical Reject" and I resonated with many of his bullet points.  Clearly he has struggled with self-identity over the years, probably from a much more evangelical side of evangelicalism.  His points made me think and ponder...which is a good thing.  See the original post for a complete list of his bullet points.

In so far that evangelical means the belief in repentance and conversion into a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, the term describes me.  What I continue to find, is that such a central conviction is NOT enough to appease those who want the term to mean other things.  So, based on my experiences, I want to let you know that: You Might Be an Evangelical Reject If…

• You’re uncomfortable calling other branches of Christianity “apostate.”
• You have significant questions about controversial theological “hot button” issues of the days and are some-what comfortable with the subsequent cognitive dissonance.
• You read theologians from all across the spectrum.
• You think that science and scripture both reveal God’s truth in complementary ways.
• You think that what we believe about the so called “end times” actually matters for how we do mission today.
• You recognize culture wars as pathetic attempts for Christians to grab for power.
• You don’t use the word inerrancy to describe biblical authority because its too rigid a definition and a modernist categorical imposition on the Holy Spirit inspired Scriptures.
• You think women should do anything BUT be silent in the church. (Can I get an AMEN from my sistas?)
• You think that postmodern philosophy helps theology more than it hurts it.
• You drink alcohol sometimes (in public).
• You believe that there are significant parallels between the Roman Empire of the 1^st Century and the United States of modern day.
• You believe social justice is central to the gospel of the Kingdom.
• You’ve said “I’m not that kind of Christian…”
• You considered or actually voted democratic in the last two elections.
• You think that African American Activists have valid points when it comes to justice issues.
• You have gay friends.
• You’ve been in a conversation where the other was appealing more to the constitution of the USA than actually biblical theology.

Ministry WITH* -- A new video by the General Board of Global Ministries, highlighting ministry with the poor of the world.

Image via WikipediaIt's a long ride from Homer, Alaska back home to Girdwood.  The 3.5 hours may not be "long" by Alaskan standards, but it's pretty long when you have 7 family members and 7 bikes in the car, along with luggage and all.

We were down in Homer for the Alaska United Methodist Conference's Annual Conference session.  Four nights away from home.  The whole family in a little cabin.  A whole lot of togetherness.  And our little twins (the "Short Louds") met some new friends and played hard the whole time.  Last night when I was getting them ready for bed back at home, I asked what their favorite part of being in Homer was.  I was thinking they would have said "the playground" or "the beach."  Bethany said, "When we got to play in that little room."  That "little room" was the childcare room at the Homer United Methodist Church.  They had fun at the provided childcare...which is not something that happens at every Annual Conference gathering.

On the way we back we also stopped at Dairy Queen (always a treat when passing through the town of Soldotna) and spent a couple of hours with some old friends.  Talking.  Eating.  Sharing life.  Laughing.  And, for the little ones, running around the restaurant.

Well, on the next part of the journey on our way home, after the stop for ice cream, dinner, and visiting, young Abigail, age 4, started crying in her car seat in the way back of our Suburban.  This was not a "hurt" cry or a "frantic" cry.  This was a "sad" cry.  In between the tears she kept calling out to my wife and saying, between quiet sobs and sniffles, "Mommy, I wanna' snuggle with you.  Mommy, I wanna' snuggle with you."  

I asked my wife if she was tired.  My wife said, "She just doesn't do transitions well."  She was going to have to wait another couple of hours until we got home for her snuggle time to reassure her that things were OK...that she'd see her new friends again, that it's OK to miss them.

Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a time of transitions.  Sometimes we do them well. Sometimes not so much.  It's a great time to get together with clergy and families we haven't seen in months and share some life with each other.  The singing is always dynamite.  The worship is usually inspiring.  And, this time in particular, the preaching from our leadership was awesome.  But in the midst of all of this celebration we say goodbye to friends.  This is the time when people we have loved and have served with...for me, as long as 14 years...move on to something else...a new state, a new position somewhere else, perhaps retirement.  We are all travelers through this life and sometimes our journeys take us in different directions.  Annual conference reminds us of this.  And, it's the time when all the rest of the clergy who are left behind are reminded that they aren't going to stay forever in their present churches or ministries no matter how much we want it to be the case.

Transition time comes for all of us.

And, while "snuggling" may not be required, we may just need that time of Annual Conference to hold on to each other for a little while, affirm each other, celebrate all that is good and holy and right about our lives together, be challenged to be more faithful, individually and collectively, and transition ourselves into another year.  I do so appreciate the time we share as a conference.  While I don't consider myself to be a very "needy" person and try to portray myself as pretty independent, I know the time we have together is deeply meaningful to me.  It's "family time" at a conference level.

I'm thankful that there is no move with my transition into this new year...my 12th here in Girdwood.  However, I've had my share of hellos and goodbyes over those years, even if I haven't had to move.  I will count my blessings and thank God for another year of ministry in this place.

My thoughts and prayers go with my clergy friends and families who are moving on to something else, someplace else.  Thank you for all that you have done for the glory of God in our time together.

May you transition well.

May you get the snuggling...or holding...or affirmation you need.

May you cast yourself on the providence of our God who is always bigger than any difficulty you face.

Image via WikipediaI thought THIS POST by David Hayward has some good insight on fundamentalism.  I, too, wonder if the the more conservative side of evangelicalism will become more and more entrenched in fundamentalism and grasping at certainty as things in the world seem to become more and more uncertain.  Or, will folks find some ancient, historic roots in finding beauty and truth in mystery.  I don't think that's only a concern for right-leaning evangelicalism, but also churches such as The United Methodist Church as we discuss issues such as hospitality and homosexuality.  Where will we draw the lines?  And is our line drawing based on how we understand the truth of God's revelation to us or based on the fear or those who think differently or are different than us?

David's post gave me pause today.

Go check out David's blog (and his art...and his book),  but his whole post is printed below:

Fundamentalism, in many ways, used to rely solely on the inherent truth of its system as the source of its certainty.

It has become more complicated. Now, fundamentalism, although it still depends on the inherent truth of its system, is more of a reaction to the increasing mystery and uncertainty of our world. Fundamentalism is only going to become more rigid as our world becomes more unpredictable. As innumerable questions mount, the ground of fundamentalism will rise to meet them.

I have seen this in my own life as well as in others: I’ve seen conversion to fundamentalism when the questions and uncertainties are just too overwhelming to be assimilated by the mind. I’ve also seen conversion away from fundamentalism for the exact same reasons.

Which makes one wonder if the actual root of fundamentalism is fear.

Image via WikipediaGreat quote from missional leader, Alan Hirsch, when talking to Steve Manskar of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church:

Image via WikipediaFrom the United Methodist Call to Action Report, the definition of vitality is:

“…the dynamic, forward leaning, state of engagement that connects people to God, each other, and the world in profound ways.”

I was sharing with my friend Adam Hamilton not long ago that contemporary worship has become boring for me. Those of us influenced by the Jesus' movement of the 60’s and 70’s pioneered early models of contemporary liturgies, which began in the informal gatherings of believers meeting together on college campuses, apartments and coffee houses, along with the influences of Christian rock and Jesus music festivals. The fresh new forms of relevant music, participatory sharing and free flowing spontaneous prayer created a welcoming space for our friends who had no connection to the ancient forms of traditional worship and for those of us who were just plain bored by tired repetitive traditional liturgies that had no connection to daily life. As many of us began to find our way back into the traditional church, we brought our guitars and new contemporary styles with us. I participated in some powerful guitar masses in Cincinnati in the early 1970’s. Contemporary worship forms were bringing Christians together from many different traditions. The Catholic and Protestant Charismatic renewals brought Catholics and Protestants together in conferences and worship experiences with the promising hope of a new horizon for Christian unity. The movement peaked in the 70’s and began to decline, somewhat due to emotional and theological excesses, in the 80’s. The contemporary movement became more distinctly evangelical protestant, connected to the church growth-seeker model in the 80’s. Drama, media and other artistic forms were also introduced during the next decade. Mainline churches began to experiment with the addition of contemporary worship services while maintaining traditional worship options.

So what are my issues with contemporary worship, which is a form that I have advocated and helped pioneer? 

•So much of contemporary worship has become a tired and predicable ritual. The same old-same old that begins with three songs, a drama, film clip, announcements and message, week after week after week after…

•Much of the music is just plain trite. Nothing like the words written by some of the early pioneers of the Jesus’ movement (check out Larry Norman).

•In our attempt to be relevant have we focused more on methodology than theology?

•I had an opportunity to worship with the good people at Custer Road UMC in Plano, Texas last week. Affirming our faith together through the Apostles Creed and the communion liturgy was meaningful. Much of what we have done in contemporary worship has lost all connection to the creeds and ancient traditions of the past.

I am not advocating for a return to traditional worship, which doesn’t work for many of us in the church nor is it relevant for those on the outside. What is a third way beyond traditional and contemporary that is ancient and future? Jim Belcher in his book, Deep Church, says: “Deep worship is rooted in two thousand years of the church and the historic flow of worship. The order of the service, the liturgy, should be both old and new. The goal is to take the best of the tradition and breathe new life into it for the 21st century.” He goes on to state that relevant worship “combines the best of the free church-moving extemporaneous prayers, longer sermons and room for the Spirit- with the ancient church’s commitment to set prayers and a liturgy of Word and Table.”

Image by Hot Flash Photography via FlickrThe United Methodist Church is a "connectional" church.  We are connected together into some semblance of a "whole"--even with all of the known differences that divide us into factions and competing interests.  We're divided theologically.  We're divided racially.  We're divided nationally.  We're divided regionally.  And, really, that's to be expected.  Our various perspectives shape who it is that we are and what it is that we believe and, therefore, what our vision is for this thing we call "The United Methodist Church"--our peculiar embodiment of Christ in the world.

In the Western Jurisdiction, that spreads from Colorado and Wyoming, down to Arizona then to the coast and all the way up to Alaska, we have a reputation of being one of the more liberal segments of the whole body of the United Methodist Church.  That comes, mostly, from our vocal support of gay and immigrant rights.  Let me be clear, we're not all of one mind here and it's hard to speak with one voice.  Just like, politically, there really are no "red" or "blue" states but really just a bunch of purple states.  So, too, in the West, we have to deal with a bunch of diversity among our members.

I'm just came back from San Francisco where I met with other leaders from our Western Jurisdiction to talk about issues relating to hospitality and episcopal support and youth and Korean congregations and Volunteers in Mission…a whole lot of stuff.  And, while our task was somewhat unclear (which, in itself is an "unclear" statement) we could hear perspectives bubble up to the surface trying to define what it is that we believe about the saving message of Christ and what it is that the Western Jurisdiction has to offer the WHOLE CHURCH. 

Sometimes it's hard to look at a system when you're standing right inside of it.  Sometimes it's hard to have any sense of perspective when your eyes already see that which you have around you.  And so it is as we look and pray and discern what it is that we have to say and how it is that we need to say it and do it in the world.

So what is it that we have to offer. 

We can offer our diversity.  The West is, perhaps, the most diverse of our Jurisdictional Conferences…at least in the US.  And that diversity can shape how it is that we work alongside our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world where the United Methodist Church…as we become more diverse as an entire denomination.

We can offer our hospitality.  There are many within our Jurisdiction that wish we would be more hospitable to homosexuals.  That's the big issue that comes up concerning hospitality and welcoming.  But, we need to be aware that we can offer a perspective that, outside of homosexuality, is welcoming of persons of differing perspectives.  Even among our clergy, we are not of one mind.  That's a good thing.

We an offer experience and guidance on some social issues that may affect the West more than other areas.  In particular, we can offer leadership and guidance on what ministries to and with immigrants looks like.  I know that our point of view, which, as The United Methodist Church in the West, is probably more welcoming and "liberal" than many would like.  However, there is a value to this that I think we need to offer.

We can offer a more obvious post-Christian or secular environment. Hey, we're not the Bible Belt over here. And some of the issues that we face are really growing edges for other Jurisdictions. We are are on the cutting edge of what Christian ministry looks likes when our primary method of introduction is not "Where do you go to church?" 

We can offer a lot of creativity.  We're used to doing things differently and, perhaps, have fewer organizational "sacred cows."

Then again, it's hard to look at our own system when we're standing right in the middle of it.   But, in part, that's just what we've done. Here we have persons in the West saying what the West has to offer.

Image by churl via Flickr

Ministry With The Poor In Nicaragua from Sushil Bhujbal on Vimeo.

Denominations appear to have fallen on difficult times. Theological controversies over core Christian beliefs have weakened some denominations. Others have succumbed to classic liberalism. A handful of denominations have reaffirmed their commitment to theological orthodoxy, but even many once-growing conservative denominations have experienced difficult days. All in all, membership in 23 of the 25 largest Christian denominations is declining (the exceptions being the Assemblies of God and the Church of God). ....

Given all that, call me a cautious believer in the idea that we can do more for the kingdom of God by doing it together with people of common conviction—which usually means in a denomination—than by doing it alone....

In my view, denominations are certainly not the answer to the world's ills, nor are they our last and only hope. But a denominational structure can be a valuable tool for the church to use in her mission.

When I hear about a pastor's revolutionary idea to partner a local congregation with congregations overseas to work together in mission, I say, "Great. Be sure to learn from the Wesleyan Church. They have been doing just that, very well, for a long time."

When I hear about a start-up church-planting network, I'm excited—but hope its leaders know what the Presbyterian Church in America's (PCA) Mission to North America is doing well, and will not try to independently discover what others already know. Many ministries that have gained national prominence in church planting, such as Redeemer (New York City) and Perimeter (Atlanta), have been more effective because of their partnership with the PCA.

Denominational ministry is often much quieter than similar efforts from independent start-ups. (No surprise there: Novelty gets attention, and entrepreneurial networks and churches need to make a splash in order to win people to their new effort.) But make no mistake: The vast majority of world missions, church planting, discipleship, and other forms of ministry are done through denominational partnerships.