Friends,
It has been difficult to try to blog over the past 48 hours, as my heart continues to ache over decision made by the General Conference most recently. While some of the General Conference's decision have been good and uplifting, those are overshadowed by those which I believe do not follow the way and teachings of Christ.
The actions of the General Conference which continue to exclude and harm our GLBTQ folks. The new Plan UMC for our general church structure eliminates the General Commissions on the Status and Role of Women and Religion and Race. These two monitoring and advocacy agencies have done amazing work to promote the value of women and persons of color on every level of church life. The centralization of general church power and authority in the person who will occupy the new position of Executive General Secretary is frightening, and leaves the denomination more vulnerable to corruption. The elimination of guaranteed appointment for ordained elders makes it increasingly difficult for persons of color, women, people from "other" cultures, to receive an appointment where folks will give that pastor a chance to establish relationships which will positively effect the ministry of the church and the pastor.
I celebrate the gracious way in which "demonstrations" were handled yesterday, and pray that we will be as gracious again today. Please pray fervently for our church! May be way of Christ be seen and the love of Christ prevail.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wednesday May 2
Here we are in the middle of the week of plenary sessions at General Conference!
I had a surprise last evening when the secretary of the General Conference announced the 20th anniversary of my marriage to Birney Kellogg. We spent part of our honeymoon at the 1992 General Conference in Louisville, KY, where Sister Spirit was one of the musical groups!! It hardly seems like it has been 20 years since then!
Yesterday, I spent the lunch time listening to five of UMPH and Cokesbury authors speak about their latest writings. Bishop Schnase offered some especially profound words as he reminded us that the median age in the UMC (US, I think) is 59, and the median age in US society is 33. That means that the leaders making decisions for our church are almost two generations removed from those with whom the church needs to be relevant. At General Conference, he reminded us, we work on matters within the church, rather than sharing the gospel with the world. We are too often focused on blaming and gaming, rather than on using the nuances of our organization to change the world for Christ, as we employ scripture and Wesleyan theology. We need to pray for a leadership initiative which breaks from the deadlock that tradition has placed upon us. Rather than building on our tradition, we are sometimes held captive by it, and those who work to preserve what has always been.
Today's deliberations were quite discouraging to me. We were expected to take action on major items of denominational restructuring without having the necessary details before us. The request was made for accurate numbers (members of boards, etc...) and financial implications. But those would not be provided to us. I was seeking not to know the advantages of any group or geographical region, but rather the implications for the denomination as a whole.
While my angst is growing, my hope is Christ is still very much alive and vibrant. Please continue to pray for the United Methodist Church as this work continues!
I had a surprise last evening when the secretary of the General Conference announced the 20th anniversary of my marriage to Birney Kellogg. We spent part of our honeymoon at the 1992 General Conference in Louisville, KY, where Sister Spirit was one of the musical groups!! It hardly seems like it has been 20 years since then!
Yesterday, I spent the lunch time listening to five of UMPH and Cokesbury authors speak about their latest writings. Bishop Schnase offered some especially profound words as he reminded us that the median age in the UMC (US, I think) is 59, and the median age in US society is 33. That means that the leaders making decisions for our church are almost two generations removed from those with whom the church needs to be relevant. At General Conference, he reminded us, we work on matters within the church, rather than sharing the gospel with the world. We are too often focused on blaming and gaming, rather than on using the nuances of our organization to change the world for Christ, as we employ scripture and Wesleyan theology. We need to pray for a leadership initiative which breaks from the deadlock that tradition has placed upon us. Rather than building on our tradition, we are sometimes held captive by it, and those who work to preserve what has always been.
Today's deliberations were quite discouraging to me. We were expected to take action on major items of denominational restructuring without having the necessary details before us. The request was made for accurate numbers (members of boards, etc...) and financial implications. But those would not be provided to us. I was seeking not to know the advantages of any group or geographical region, but rather the implications for the denomination as a whole.
While my angst is growing, my hope is Christ is still very much alive and vibrant. Please continue to pray for the United Methodist Church as this work continues!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday at General Conference
What to write, dear friends! The General Conference is slowly getting to the legislation which is most controversial. That is of course the legislation which has the greatest impact on the denomination, conferences, and local churches. In a group this large, it is a challenge to carry on meaningful conversations which foster relationships of understanding our common bond in Christ. Now is when I realize the tremendous benefit of the subcommittees which met together last week! There, conversations were geared toward understanding and learning how very different people can walk side-by-side as members of the body of Christ which we call the United Methodist Church.
I pray that we would have that same spirit today as we, in this enormous body, endeavor to worship and do God's work, the business of the General Conference.
I pray that we would have that same spirit today as we, in this enormous body, endeavor to worship and do God's work, the business of the General Conference.
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