Call to Discipleship

In the Gospels we read about the call of the first disciples. Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and he saw Simon and Andrew fishing. And he said to them, "Follow me." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. Then, he saw James and John, and he called them. Immediately they followed him. They heard his voice; they responded; they followed.

The call doesn't always come to us so clearly. At times it is hidden, quiet, appearing only through nudges and circumstances. Either way, though, the call does come today as it did to The Twelve. Today, I talked with one who is sensing a real call, but is uncertain what this means. How exciting to know that we are calling forth disciples. However, what a responsibility to help define that call! One suggestion that I would offer is to read and meditate on a little book called Let Your Life Speak.

The old Quaker adage, "Let your life speak," is used by author Parker J. Palmer as the title of an important book about claiming one's true vocation. Palmer understands that learning to let his life speak means "living the life that wants to live in me." It involves creating the kind of quiet, trusting conditions that allow a soul to speak its truth. It reminds us that we walk a path of hope and understanding of what will be. What great words of encouragement!

Welcome to the Inn

As I walked into our beautifully decorated sanctuary today, I whispered a prayer asking God to make this church not just a showplace, but a refuge, a true sanctuary where all might find welcome. May the stranger, the unwanted, the alone enter in and see the light. Then, we will truly welcome the Christ Child.

Advent

Today the journey through Advent begins. The voice of John the Baptist echoes the Prophet Isaiah, "Prepare the way; make straight the path." The invitation to take the first steps was there on the screen when I opened by e-mail this morning. The seasonal devotion from Upper Room was posted. It seemed to say wake up and get started. Although I had planned for this for months, helped decorate the church, written a prayer for today's worship, and prepared a confirmation lesson on Advent, I was not ready to let go of what is and to discover once again what the walk toward the manger will mean to me this year. As this first day comes to an end, a sense of expectancy is beginning to seep into my soul as I ponder and reflect on the road to be taken. As a sojourner in faith, I know that I never travel alone. For the promise is that God is among us, God is with us, God is for us.

Note: Information about subscribing to the seasonal devotion from Upper Room is near the bottom of their page.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving took on a special meaning for many of us this year as our friend, Joey Park, came home this week from a two month hospital stay that included a liver transplant and lots of ups and downs along the way. Joey, Jackie, Lauren and Elliot have inspired us in our times of fear and concern for them with their abiding faith in an ever present God through the love of Jesus Christ.

Equally heartwarming has been the response of Joey and Jackie’s Sunday school class, New Horizons. These caring persons have chosen to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus as they sought to help their friends. Today, the Parks sent the class the following message:

Can't wait to see each of you in person but wanted you to know in the meantime how grateful we are to you for your continuous support over the past 2 months. You have been with us 24-7 over 100 miles away. All that you have done has been a witness to hundreds of people-believe me, everyone that I met during this time knows all about NEW HORIZONS!! It is impossible to relay the impact each of you has had on us. We felt you living out the scripture of Jesus sharing how if you cared for the "least of these", you are caring for Christ himself....and you have done it over and over and over. We are humbled to be a part of you. How vividly the parable of the talents has been shown to us over and over-each of you has so many talents and you have used them to care for each and every thing that we have needed..... I hope that you have heard the whispers of "well done, good and faithful servant"-it should be resounding in each of your ears, just as His voice has promised to be with our family.

We love each of you so much and look forward to the day we can be back at church with you.....have a blessed Thanksgiving with your families and thanks for being our FAMILY!!!

We love you!
Jackie, Joey, Lauren and Elliot .

This is ministry as it should be known through Sunday school classes and other small groups. What a blessing we have known this Thanksgiving!

UMW Assembly

I have been reading about the UMW Assembly that will be held in May. It reminds me of those that I attended a long time ago in Louisville and Philadelphia. How very special they were. They helped shape a young mother's understanding of how the church can really be a teacher and voice of social justice. I sensed that I was reclaiming the stories of women in my family who were suffragettes and social activists. Through these bus trip adventures, I met women who continue to be very important in my life. These events certainly are part of my call to ministry. It is my prayer that we could make it possible for a young woman in our midst to attend this event in May.

Dinner guests

Recently, I was asked that if I could invite three persons to dinner who might they be? What a difficult question! Tonight, I would like to have a nice roast beef dinner and invite Abraham Lincoln, Wendell Berry, and my grandmother. Why? I could come up with all sorts of explanations, but perhaps a trinitarian response is quite appropriate. A. Lincoln was a redeemer, W. Berry's writings focus on creation, and my grandmother continues to sustain me. To listen, discuss and learn from this experience would truly prepare me for Holy Communion.

I wonder who others would like to invite to their table?

Christ the King Sunday

The liturgical calendar says today is Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday in the church year. We have completed the journey through the life of Jesus Christ. We recognize and worship Christ as king of heaven and earth for all time. However, this king terminology can be bothersome as the 21st century view of a king is not very positive. I read a blog that said perhaps the politically correct version should be the "Culture of Christ" Sunday. Interesting.

Podcasting

Just when I thought that I was being techno savvy with this blog, I learn about podcasting. To me this means a type of audio on-line broadcast. Podcasts can be downloaded to an iPod, mp3 player or CD. I have been traveling with Rick Steves and having breakfast with Father Roderick in a variety of settings. NPR has a number of interesting podcasts, also. All of this is done when I want to listen and not when it is broadcast. Many church websites are now including podcasts as an option for hearing sermons. This means taking the Word into the world in a very real way. Sermons can be heard while jogging, ironing, raking leaves or whenever one wants or needs one.

I am not ready(yet) to do podcasting. But, I am ready to explore what this means to the way we do ministry. I am amazed at the number of churches that have technology specialists on their staffs. With effective use of the wide variety of technologies available to us, it is exciting to think of the possibilities in reaching out to those seeking to know and claim a faith in God through Jesus Christ. I have heard it said that "technology is the campfire around which we tell our stories."

Building Congregational Strength

We traditionally look to the New Year with optimism and the hope of new beginnings. As a church leader, I read and study as to ways that I can support this thinking and make things happen. I continually find good on-line resources that are helpful in my ministry. Of course, I also find a number that are questionable. Careful evaluation of a web site is always important.

From the Lewis Center for Church Leadership I have found the following downloadable resources for building congregational strength:

50 Ways to Build Strength Caring for Children
50 Ways to Build Strength in Participation
50 Ways to Build Strength in Welcoming New Members

I think that these would be very valuable for us to study.

Too Close to the Edge

I like the story of the little boy who fell out of bed. When his Mom asked him what happened, he answered, " I don't know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in." It is easy to do the same with our faith. It is tempting just to stay where we got in and never move. Yet, that would seem to be a bit risky. I find that those in this position discover that their prayer life is not intentional. All at once they realize that their participation in the life of the church is marginal and that they do not know the joy of sharing their gifts in a regular and intentional way. They are in danger of falling from faithful living. One of the challenges of my ministry is to help folks like this to move to the center where they can explore...even toss and turn at times...and to claim their faith without falling off the edge. Some days this is exciting and other days this is frustrating. Lead us all into a place of trusting and living in your Word, O God.

Sign Language

When I was at Lutheran Seminary I would spend many hours a week intellectualizing God often to the point of losing the experience of faith. However, one semester I took a sign language class. Although I thought that this would be to help others to know God, I learned that it stirred feelings and thoughts that allowed me to experience God in a most meaningful way. The religious signs are iconic. That is, they resemble some aspect or character or the object they represent. An example would be one of the signs for Jesus is pointing to the palm of the hands for the nails. All at once there is an understanding that transcends the moment. This is the faith that I am called to share with others. And, to worship as the hearing impaired, I must keep my eyes wide open and fixed on others. It is only when I see the signs that I know how to lead a faithful life. I often think that this was one of the more valuable classes that I had at LTSS.

Board of Ministry

Thank God, it’s Friday! I do give thanks for this week and what it has been, but I am also glad that it is coming to an end. In addition to a variety of other responsibilities, I attended both District and Conference Board of Ministry meetings. At both meetings we interviewed persons who have answered the call to ministry and are at varying points of the process leading to ordination. At the District meeting we are also responsible for continued oversight for those who serve as local pastors*. I admit to my state of tiredness.

Why do I do this? I feel that it is part of my ordination. I feel that those who have been chosen are to pass the mantle to others and this is to been done prayerfully and carefully. It has long been the tradition of the church that this discernment is done through questioning. Listening for God in this process becomes the challenge as human tendancies of legalism and self-righteousness often surface in our decision making. It is joy when we encounter someone that truly seems to be truly answering a call and is able to articulate all the facets of ministry. However, there are those to whom God has placed a special call on their lives, but to be a clergy person is not part of it. Offering guidance and compassion in these situations is to fulfill our obligation as board members. After six years on this board, I believe that I have good insight into this task and am thankful to be able to serve the church in this way. May God always be my guide.

*Local Pastor - A licensed pastor, approved annually by the district committee on ordained ministry who is authorized to perform all the duties of an ordained minister, including the Sacraments, while assigned to a particular charge under the supervision of a district superintendent. A clergy mentor oversees the local pastor's work in the Course of Study for ordained ministry and advises on matters of pastoral responsibility.

Thought for the Day

My husband, Ron, delights in finding thought provoking quotes and using them in his signature line on his e-mails. I find this one by Wayne Gretzky to be directive when we do planning for the future.

"Most players skate to where the puck is. But I skate to where the puck is going to be."

A Cloud of Witnesses

As we incorporated several themes within our worship yesterday, I observed that faithful Christian stewardship is a discipline of spirit and action...prayers, projects, practice, doing, being. Those who have chosen to walk this path are the true saints among us. They are the ones who surround and encourage us and lead us into the future.

"For all that has been--Thanks!
For all that will be--Yes!"
Dag Hammarskjold

A New Thing

My office has been in a chaotic state for several weeks as a new space for a program assistant is being created. Finding books and resources in boxes isn't fun and everything is covered with a fine dust. The good part of all of this is that I am finding interesting things. Yesterday, I found some undocumented notes that were thought-provoking. Included was the following:

Lovett Weems* says that the task of leaders is not to resolve conflict through victory for one side or compromise for the other, but to watch for God's new creation to emerge. Often a third alternative becomes the "new thing" God is doing in our midst.

As church leaders we often strive for the former and not allow the latter to happen. However, when we patiently let the process of hearing God's Spirit speak to us exciting new life seems to follow. Give us the vision to listen as we move through what Ken identifies as transitional time in the life of this congregation.

*Dr. Lovett Weems is past president of St. Paul School of Theology and now serves as the Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and Distinquished Professor at Wesley Seminary. Both are United Methodist seminaries. I have read several of his books and been fortuate to hear him speak several times about church leadership.

Charge Conference

As we prepared to gather for our annual charge conference on Tuesday evening, I once again realized that our members really don't understand the meaning of a charge conference. Briefly, this basic governing body of each United Methodist church is composed of all members of the Administrative Board or Council and must meet at least once a year. This yearly meeting reviews and evaluates the ministry of the church, sets salaries for the pastor and staff, elects lay leadership for the coming year and recommends candidates for ordained ministry. The District Superintendent usually presides. To me one of the more important aspects of this conference is that it reminds us of our Wesleyan heritage and connects us with the greater United Methodist Church as we follow certain requirements of THE DISCIPLINE. Congregations are held accountable to one another. Next year, I need to offer more explanation to the congregation about the purpose and importance of a charge conference.

Our District Superintendent, Rev. Quay Adams, presided at this year’s charge conference. He asked us two questions that should serve as an evaluative guide to our current and future ministry.

“What are you doing to make disciples of Jesus Christ?”
“What are you doing uniquely?”

These are certainly good questions to keep before us as we plan and do in the coming year.

John Wesley

For the past few years five days a week, I have been reading an e-mail message from Conrad Archer, a United Methodist clergy person from Texas, about John Wesley. He has offered insight into Mr. Wesley by quoting short passages from Wesley's extensive writings in a chronological order. Today is the last regular offering of Days of Wesley. I have found the following to be a good summary by Rev. Archer of what we have gleaned and worth pondering.

The Character of the Man: John Wesley

John Wesley was one of the finest Christians this side of Saint Paul. He was not a great philosophical theologian; but very few could claim to outrank him in terms of practical theology. We see him fully enmeshed in the culture of 18th century England; yet, his life-style could easily be adapted to any time, any location.

He lived in a time colored by beliefs in supernatural entities, e.g. witches, ghosts and demons; but his rational thought would not allow him to be detracted from a positive spirituality. In an age of predominantly deistic thought, he unwaveringly perceived the active intervention of God in all aspects of human life. He was among the most active evangelists of all ages, yet his focus was on spiritual growth into holiness.

His thirst for knowledge pushed him into being among the most learned men of his age, yet he balanced his vast knowledge with an always present quest for vital piety. He was totally dedicated, for all his life, to the proposition that each Christian should strive for, and could achieve, having the mind of Christ within. Few scholars could claim to have read more works of history, medicine, literature, science, etc. But, no man of his time knew and used the contents of the Holy Bible more than he did.

He was a proper English gentleman, yet he strode out into the middle of pastures, drawing thousands of listeners to hear him preach. Often standing on city streets, he would break into a psalm, singing until a small crowd had gathered. Then he would begin his sermon.

When his people were sick and no doctor was available, he treated their illnesses with practical remedies. When banks would not loan money to the poor, he started a "credit union" to help the poor make their way. When hunger plagued the people, Wesley himself would walk the streets begging for resources to feed the impoverished.

Wesley was amazingly inclusive of people with different religious views; but, was exceedingly intolerant of people who argued about their beliefs. Contentiousness was a certain invitation to leave a society. Wesley's main concern was that his people would be holy people, filled with God's love. In 1746, in a preface to a collection of sermons, he wrote:

For how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth lf without love. We may die without the knowledge of many truths and yet be carried into Abraham's bosom. But if we do without love, what will knowledge avail?
John Wesley, WORKS (Bic Ed) 1, 107, 1746.

Conrad Archer

Issac J. Bailey

I regularly read Issac Bailey's column, A Different Perspective, in THE SUN NEWS. I don't always agree with what he says, but I always find it well written and thought provoking. So, when I read this morning that he is now writing a blog, A Different World, I immediately logged on and found a compelling interview of a visiting journalist about the genocide in Rwanda. Tonight, I revisited this blog to read the comments to it and was encouraged with the initial response. I think Mr. Bailey has given us a legitimate opportunity for thoughtful dialogue and I commend it to others to read.