Kairos & Ambiguities

Real World, GC 2012

While all these seemingly ultimately important matters go on at General Conference. I was reminded today once again how far away this can seem from real life.

Today I learned that Pat Ellis died. I really think it was of a broken heart as his wife died last November. My tie to Pat is we both served the Timblin Charge. Something about that place ties you together in a bond. When my mind relaxes from focusing so hard on lines of legislation to make the world bigger, by eyes weep for a world smaller.

These tears are also added to the grief of Terry Shaffer as he faces this sunrise without his wife Beverly. Lord have mercy.

My Jesus rose from the dead. Pat's Jesus promised even though you die yet shall your life. Terry's Jesus promised you will never be alone.

And that is why I thanks be to God for your prayers for me, for Pat's family and for Terry.

Until next time...Grace and Peace

Voting and Repentance, GC 2012

I finally got to the morning devotions for our Western PA Delegation. It was good to
pray together and it was a good start to a pretty good day. Thanks to Alan, Barb, and Mark and crew in Business office who did the work that got me out of the Committee on Credentials meeting.

My legislative committee is judicial administration and I really feel that we made good progress today. I have just been so thankful for the leadership this time around they have really been top notch!

We have been working on a large piece of legislation. It looks like it is moving in a good
direction after it was initially stalled. Again, one has to tip the cap again to the leadership. The main thrust is to move ineffectiveness completely in the administrative area and stream line the trial process (but it looks like still providing adequate constitutional protections). I think the real tale of the tape will be told tomorrow, but I am hopeful for a good outcome.

Haven't hear much from the other sections work, but I did hear plan B is now plan A.

Tonight we had an authentic worship service on repentance. It did not seem contrived, but one step forward to listening and community. Thanks Tracy for your efforts.

Until next time...Grace and Peace.

Turtles All the Way Down, GC 2012

Today was spend in legislative sections. I am in the sub-committee that is working on the complaint system. This is a large elephant that is very complicated and hard to try and work with. It is also difficult because part of the process is in another section and there has been resistance to move it out andput all the pieces in one place. We will walk through this process slowly, but I hope faithfully.

This has caused me to spend the evening reviewing previous Judicial CouncilDecisions and Constitutional paragraphs. It is truly turtles all the way down. Oh, well I hope the Steelers draft went well.

Tonight's worship service was on healing. Bishop Robert Hoshibata led the worship, which led into a silent protest by those advocating the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals and in support of same sex unions. The chair during the plenary session did a good pastoral job of not allowing the plenary session to be high-jacked for this purpose.

Continue to pray and I will continue to look for Jesus at work here and in me.

Until next time...Grace and Peace.

I Was Looking at the Water, GC 2012

Tonight at General Conference we hear the report of the IODT. Not really sure what IODT stands for, but the changes they recommend are radical. The report was given by Adam Hamilton and other leaders of the Connectional Table.
Recommendations include:

1) Annual Conferences structuring as they like

2) Focus on Vital Congregations

3) Money for Young Clergy Development

4) Set-aside Bishop

5) Centralized structure under 15 member board

The summary of the report was presented in the vision of two different kinds of boats. The current structure was represented by a group kayaks paddling down a river going all which way and the new structure was a crew rowing the boat in perfect order. The presentation focused on the boat which of
course is an ancient symbol for the church.

My problem was I was not focusing on the church, but on the water. We have to get out of the boat and into the water....We have to navigate the waters in the boat. Of course the water for the kayaks was a wild and raging stream, while the water for the crew was a calm steady lake.

A friend called me with the feedback from Twitter saying that the feedback was mostly negative. Disappointed that fear seemed to be the mechanism of the presentation rather that a faithful vision.
What does the water look outside your boat/church and what kind of boat will get us there? I guess that is the question we will ask....answer...and live with this General Conference and into the future....Please continue to pray.

Until next time....Grace and Peace

There's Something I Love About Rules, GC 2012

You know that nothing you ever plan goes exactly the way you expect it to go. This was no different today as we worked together at General Conference. The agenda had to be changed several times to accommodate the body as it worked through its process.

The day started with an energetic episcopal address by Peter Weaver. It has been too many years since I have heard Bishop Weaver preach. Coming through seminary I still remember his "Holy Ground" sermon that he gave at annual conference before he was elected a bishop. What a joy to hear that power in preaching again!

Bishop Weaver's theme was on resurrection power and Eastertide. He shared such powerful stories of love overcoming evil in the world. Evil is strong, but the power of our risen Lord Jesus Christ who ultimately stands in judgment over all evil and has defeated our greatest enemy death is stronger still!

The Laity address focused on the phrase..."If it is to be it's up to me." There was a lot of energy around this address in our small group conversation around this theme, especially by the laity. I guess I would have preferred something, "If it is to be it's up to Jesus through me." I know it kills the rhyme and the rhythm, but I don't want all that is facing us up to me. But I am grateful to see the laity energized for the work of the church.

The young people's address followed and centered around the words/chant "Charged, Rooted, and United." This is only the second young person's address in the history of General Conference and I must say that it great in spite of the challenges that one of the speakers (from the Philippines) could not get her visa and had to work via video. Shout out to Keith Kaufold who was featured in the background video. May our church be Charged by the Spirit and rooted and united in Jesus Christ.

The rules have passed and are now in effect, but I hope the energy and good will of the conference was not too taxed by the process. I remember an old army sergeant telling me as young lieutenant, "Fast is slow and slow is fast." Today I think I finally understood what he meant. We tried to do it fast so it was slow....slow....slow. Probably would have been faster if we went slower.

Anyway this pushed all the legislative section organization back, but it all worked out with a little less time for lunch and dinner. Our section is organized with good leadership. Shout out to Eric Park who is the Vice-Chair or the Discipleship section.

Until next time...Grace and Peace

Meetings, Orientations, and Celebrations GC 2012

Today General Conference started with greeting new friends and old friends. I ran into Mary
Jo Dahlberg at breakfast this morning. She is in charge of our prayer group from the General Board of
Discipleship whose prayers along with many others helped me recover from the shingles! It was great to catch up with her and all the exciting things happening in her church, the Minnesota Annual Conference (she is the head of the delegation), and the North Central Jurisdiction.

I have had the opportunity to see many people from Western Pennsylvania who are working to make this event happen.....Bill Jacka and the production work (awesome!)...Alan Morrison and his staff that includes Mark Goswick and Barb Moore...ran into Cindy Bloise who is a marshal and Tom Kennedy as a page....I am sure there are many others, but WPA is doing great work!

After breakfast I headed to the Convention Center for the organizational meeting of the Committee on Credentials where I represent the Northeast Jurisdiction. Once again I was reminded of the amazing gifts that delegates share with The United Methodist Church. Bishop Max Whitfield led the organizational meeting in a gentle and wonderful spirit. It was a joy to see him again and catch up with what has happened in his life since the last General Board of Discipleship meeting.

I was blessed to be elected as Secretary of the Committee on Credentials and I will be serving with Carolyn Johnson who is our chair from the Indiana Conference and Mateus Francisco who is from Angola who will serve as vice-chair.

The orientations this morning went well...I was especially excited at how well the young people's orientation went. The Division on Ministries with Young People's staff and the executive committee
did a great job putting this together. I can remember the briefing at Pittsburgh had about 13 young people present and there were well over 60 today. Great job DMYP!

I had lunch with the United Methodist Rural Fellowship where Sharon Schwab, the Indiana District D.S., was honored with a life time membership in the group. Sharon has worked with this organization since 1976. The Indiana District has raised over $4,000 to date making her contribution for life membership the largest in the organization's history. Once again Indiana District has led the way in this area of important work for our church and Sharon has done a great job in leading us.

Opening worship focused on a water theme and lifted up the indigenous peoples of the church. The music was rock'in, but I did miss Bishop Bashore who is not in attendance. My prayers are with him and he is missed.

The evening session was taken up with rules. Many changes have been proposed and there were many proposed amendments. This will take a lot of time tomorrow and press the schedule of events, but it should work out alright as the rules committee will work through the night.....my prayers are with them.

I hope your prayers are with us as well as we have only just begun, but my hope is that as we go God goes with us and we will lift the name of Jesus high!

Until next time....Grace and Peace

General Conference 2012, Traveling to Tampa

When I called Amy this morning to tell her I had made it safely to Tampa, she told me that the school's were closed and there was snow on the ground. I am sure Polly and Robert are heartbroken that they had to sleep in on Monday morning. I told Amy it was seventy and beautiful here in Tampa.

The big storm did manage to affect me in Baltimore (I flew Southwest from Pittsburgh via Baltimore to Tampa). The rain was so heavy in Baltimore that the plane was delayed an hour and when my bags were transferred they got so wet from the rain that all my clothes were soaked inside. Fortunately, I made it to mom's house and have all my contents drying out around the house.

It has been great visiting with my mom (I doubt I will see much of her until after General Conference). Sharing dinner tonight with my sister and mother after my sister gets home from school and then she will take me to the Westin Harbour Island where I will be staying for the conference.

Lakeside UMC made prayer tents to remind people to pray for me and Luella Krieger who also is a delegate to General Conference from the church. I am so thankful for their prayers and your prayers as well as we wrestle with such difficult issues facing the church. We all need them (especially me) as we walk through these days.

Until next time...Grace and Peace

Ash Wednesday Ritual

I am pulling out the ashes again for tonight's service and have said my prayers for David Frantz and others who have touched me and others in Western Pennsylvania in significant ways for Jesus Christ. I have been reminded again this year that although we may no longer be working together in the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference, many are working in other places in God's Kingdom.

I am rejoicing this year that Jay Tennies has returned in a part-time way to ministry and is serving as the Kane First Associate and the pastor of the Johnsonburg United Methodist Churches. Praise God for this grace.

As I have written before, I used the money I received from helping a friend David Frantz move away from Pennsylvania and ministry in the United Methodist Church to purchase the container that holds the ashes for tonights service. As I remember these folks again, I remember that each left for different reasons, but I again give thanks for what they have done for us here in Western Pennsylvania and pray that as they work for the Kingdom in other places and in other positions they may be blessed.

1999 David Frantz

1999 Mary Catherine Haldeman (she received the cloak for my ordination class)

2003 David Lee

2003 Joe Wilcher

2004 Niel Leftwich

2004 Clark Kerr

2004 Chris Heckert

2005 Cristen Decious

2005 Gary Shockley

2005 Jack Roble

2005 Randy Roda

2006 Martha Orphe

2006 Vivian Waltz

2006 Douglas Heagy

2006 Rich Nulph

2006 Ron Geisler

2007 Tim Emmett

2007 Jeff Greenway

2008 Paulo de Silva

2008 John Shaver

2008 Maria Baugh Barontini

2008 F. Jayne Verner

2008 Paul Wilson

2008 Lee Moore

2008 Keith Cutshall

2009 Ernie Perry

2009 Brett Probert

2010 Matt Johnson

2010 Aaron Kerr

2010 Sue Sphar-Calhoun

May God bless them where ever they are are working and living, they are missed.

Until next time...Grace and Peace

Memory Refreshed

I have been working with Rev. Bill Saxman to help a young woman explore the possibility of entering the ordained ministry. He was kind enough to give me a copy of Lovett H. Weems and Ann A. Michel's book on The Crisis of Younger Clergy. An excellent read and it address a problem I have poured my energy since first attending Exploration 98 in LA.

The book outlines the dramatic decline in young clergy in The United Methodist Church. It also lifts up several solutions including:

1. Creating a Culture of Call
2. Challenging Young People about Vocation
3. Supporting Youth Ministry
4. Financially & Emotionally Supporting Young Clergy

 

I am packing up for SPARK (the WPA Conference Youth Retreat). I hope that we will challenge young people to give their life and vocation to Jesus Christ. I hope that the weekend will be an encouragement and support to local church youth ministry leadership and provide fruit in local churches that youth ministry is worth the effort! I hope you will pray for this with me as well.

One of the most satisfying opportunities I have had in ministry is to administer the clergy debt reduction program that the conference afforded clergy out of seminary who were struggling with educational debt. I hope that the opportunity will come again quickly when a program similar to this will be offered again. We need to help young clergy who have taken on such a load of debt to meet our educational requirements. The future fruitfulness the UMC depends on it.

Until Next Time...Grace & Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something Drastic

Well I just finished sending out my Christmas Cards for the season and I did something drastic. I included my dusty blog page in the newsletter with the promise of a New Year's Resolution to post a little more often. So I thought I better start out well anyway. I do hope that you and yours have a wonderful Christmas celebration. To help I have included a video from Youtube a friend posted on facebook, Chris Eversman. It flooded my minds of Christmas in Desert Storm and my rejoicing at the troops coming home as well as remembering those who still keep watch.

 

Until Next Time....Grace & Peace