Saturday, May 30, 2009

Still Knitting

A simple act of knitting three stitches and purling three stitches repeated again and again slowly becomes a prayer shawl. (A 2005 post) The shawl is offered with prayer to those who need to be reminded of God’s presence in their lives. However, this has also been a gift of God’s renewing and sustaining grace in my own life as I have practiced what has become a contemplative act during these last few years.

These days, as the tremors in my right hand challenge me, my knitting has taken on a greater significance in my life. Just as I have to accept that now I knit slower and struggle for even stitches and heartfelt prayers, there has become a greater compassion for others who face physical and spiritual tests. This has opened a door that I have yet to truly enter. I can’t accept my limitations, so it is difficult to honestly minister to others. As I look at my latest half-finished prayer shawl, I realize that God is not finished with me either. I know that I need to keep asking and answering the questions that will reveal a wholeness in this life, but too often the courage is lacking. Let me hear these words: “On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.” Psalm 62:7

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Food for Thought

According to Eric Weiner in The Geography of Bliss, the following hand-painted sign was seen on the side of road in Bhutan:


"When the last tree is cut,
When the last river is emptied,
When the last fish is caught, only then will man realize that he can not eat money.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Twitter

Old dogs can learn new tricks or this one thinks she can. I am now Twittering. Note that Twitter updates will appear on the sidebar of this blog. It seems that this might be a good way to share links to good stuff and for me to offer some brief thoughts and news. I also want to explore the possibilities of this as a communication tool for the church. I wonder how I will do with this new adventure?

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Clergy Home Churches

For various reasons, I recently have been in conversation with those who are beginning their first ministerial appointments. Naming the church that they “came out of” seems always to be part of this. Of course, making such connections is part of South Carolina culture. However, I believe remembering those who have nurtured our call to ministry is an important exercise. It not only gives us a key to who we are, but identifies churches who understand and fulfill their obligation to empower those who have been blessed with special gifts for ministry. I especially think of Socastee UMC who can claim to have called forth at least six ordained clergy in recent years. Personally, I answered a call to ministry while a member of Lexington UMC. What factors make such churches “home” churches for clergy?

I remember Bishop McCleskey reminding clergy to share their personal call story with their congregation at least once a year. This is known to open the door for others to respond to that inner voice that has whispered to their hearts. It seems to be a gift of some clergy to effectively mentor these persons into pursuing ordination. However, it appears to be more often a congregation that is the critical factor for those answering the call to ministry. Persons are encouraged to explore this call through a variety of experiences and are affirmed in their faithfulness.

So, I have to ask –
Am I helping anyone hear a call to ministry? If not, how might I do so?
Why doesn’t First UMC regularly call forth ministers? What must we do to make this happen?

Friday, May 22, 2009

A Hiatus

I didn’t plan a hiatus, it just happened. All at once I was just overwhelmed with lots of busyness and little time for reflection. Bits and pieces of thoughts would drift through my mind as I read and heard of the events of the day, but somehow the habit of developing these into a blog post seemed to be broken. It is now time for me to once again ponder what I am experiencing and to share it with others so that I can ask, “What does God require?” and to claim a clearer understanding of the journey into faithful living.

From family matters to world concerns, the challenge to grow in faith and to act with mercy and justice is ever present. Once again my heart sings, “Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand.” My story needs to go beyond naming the requirements of God. I need to see and hear the hurts of the world and be a part of the healing. This involves sharing these needs with others and taking risks as I attempt to join the cloud of witnesses who touch the souls of those who need to be reminded of the love of God.

I recently attended the funeral of Delos Corderman, a well-known clergy member of the SC Conference, and heard accounts of how he had led a life of faithful servanthood. His strong perspectives on a wide variety of topics and his willingness to expound upon them often generated criticism from those around him, but he never forgot what he was called to do; i.e., proclaim the Good News. Although he had a variety of pulpits, his ability to genuinely care for others will certainly be remembered as his best sermon, a message always delivered with humor and a chuckle. Delos will be missed, but he left us with the challenge to be informed, to speak with passion about what we believe and to enjoy laughing along the way. A Pilgrim’s Perspective allows me to respond to this challenge, so the hiatus has ended.