Month: January 2014

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A Longing for Liturgy

At this blog, I try to strike a balance in the material that is presented. For that reason, I’m happy to share this quote from an article in The American Conservative.

“If you ask me why kids are going high church, I’d say it’s because the single greatest threat to our generation and to young people nowadays is the deprivation of meaning in our lives,” Cone says. “In the liturgical space, everything becomes meaningful. In the offering up of the bread and wine, we see the offering up of the wheat and grain and fruits of the earth, and God gives them back in a sanctified form. … We’re so thirsty for meaning that goes deeper, that can speak to our entire lives, hearts, and wallets, that we’re really thirsty to be attached to the earth and to each other and to God. The liturgy is a historical way in which that happens.”

If you’re not familiar with the term liturgy, it refers to both the elements in the order of worship (the prayers, sacraments, call to worship, scripture readings) as well as the order of worship itself. I love liturgy, and I think the article undervalues the richness and depth of the liturgical options available in our own United Methodist tradition, but the points it makes are valuable none-the-less.

Link: http://goo.gl/CQ830B

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A Response to the Controveries Over Homosexuality

This past week Jenny and I were at the Great Plains Conference Orders Meeting in Leawood, Kansas. The bishop addressed the current controversies (plural) concerning the issue of homosexuality in this speech. I understand and support the bishop’s desire to uphold United Methodist Doctrine and Polity, but on the issue of homosexuality I find myself disagreeing with the church’s official position. I have no intention to leave the church, and I do not intend to violate The Book of Discipline, but I will voice my disagreement through the institutional channels that are available to me.

Why do I stay? Because I believe the United Methodist Church has gotten the matters at the heart of the gospel correct. We combine an emphasis on the preeminence of God’s great love and God’s desire for social and personal holiness in a way that no other church does.  When it comes to the core of the gospel message, I believe we are closer to the truth than any other church (and I would trust that members and clergy of other denominations feel the same way about their churches). I can’t think of another significant theological or doctrinal issue where I disagree with the church’s official position (actually I can’t think of any other disagreements period, but I’m pretty sure there are some out there somewhere).

I could write a lengthy post on why I stay, but Rev. Jeremy Smith has already laid out many of my arguments in an excellent post arguing against schism. He’s making what he calls “a progressive argument” against splitting the UMC in two (which is what happens when a whole bunch of people leave a denomination at once). But if his perspective is reversed, the same lines of reasoning become a conservative argument against schism. I encourage you to take the time to read it.

Links: http://bit.ly/1jdlRiy and http://bit.ly/1e1mqVt

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Voice of the Day: Henry Nouwen

There is a reason the congregation vows to help raise a child during the baptismal liturgy:

“But children are not properties we can control as a puppeteer controls his puppets, or train as a lion tamer trains his lions. They are guests we have to respond to, not possessions we are responsible for. Many parents question the value of baptism of newborn babies. But one important aspect of early baptism is that when the parents bring their child to the church, they are reminded that the child is not their own private property, but a gift of God given to a community that is much larger than the immediate family.” — Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Spiritual Movements

Hat Tip: Phil Hamner

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$538.55 for AMA Relief Fund

We received $626.18 in donations at the chili and chicken noodle soup luncheon this past Sunday (January 12, 2014). After deducting expenses of $87.63 we netted $538.55 for the Abilene Ministerial Alliance Relief Fund. Jenny and I want to thank everyone who helped and everyone contributed.

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Youth Skating Party

This morning at our Staff Meeting, Wendy Robinson reported that Yesterday’s Youth Roller Skating went well with about 17 youth attending. That was the first time I heard of yesterday’s party. I love the fact this church has so many things going on that I can’t keep up with all of them.

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Open House Thank You

Jenny wrote this last Sunday (January 5, 2014), but I forgot to post it. Sorry.

Thank you to all who braved the cold and snow to come to our open house this afternoon. We had about 50 people stop by. And thank you to Abilene First United Methodist Church for providing us with a lovely place to call home.

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New Ministry: Comfort Crosses

While I was visiting a parishioner in the hospital at a previous appointment, I noticed that she had a small item from home on her bedside table. It consisted of a block of wood with the name Jesus on it in such a way that it took me a moment to figure out what it said. It was a small item that had obviously been brought from home for the comfort it gave her. I thought that it would be a good idea of have some small token like that to hand out to those who were hospitalized and shut-ins.

Going further back to the 2012 Kansas East Annual Conference last year there was a booth by Holy Land Gifts (www.Holyland-Gifts.com). From them, I had purchased a “comfort cross” made of olive wood by Christians living in Bethlehem. I’ve long been concerned about Christians living in the Holy Land (they’re caught in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute) and this seemed a great way to support them. It occurred to me that comfort crosses were just the thing for shut-ins and hospital patients and they have the added benefit of supporting hard-pressed Christians.

This past Tuesday night, January 7, 2014, the Outreach Team approved the purchase of 75 comfort crosses (we received a bulk discount, and paid only $5 per cross). We’ll take up a special offering to help defray the cost and allow you to participate in this ministry.

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Chili and Chicken Noodle Soup Luncheon

There will be a chili and chicken noodle soup with dessert luncheon this coming Sunday (January 12, 2014) following the 10:30 Worship Service in Wright/Fellowship Hall. There will be a free will donation for the Abilene Ministerial Alliance’s relief fund to help those in need.

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"Table Talked" Postponed Two Weeks

Between first and second services this morning Jenny and I realized that we would be unable to teach “Table Talk” on Wednesday, January 15, 2014, because we’ll be at an Orders Meeting. We took a quick poll before the second worship service and decided to postpone our start of this new curriculum until January 22. Our apologies for any inconvenience. All other Wonderful Wednesday activities will continue as scheduled.