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Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Remembering Our Heritage
Dr. Milton Loyer, Conference Archivist
March – 100 years ago
The Central Pennsylvania Conference met at the Newberry Methodist Episcopal Church, Newberry PA, March 16-21, 1921. Superintendent for Sunday School Work, Edwin C. Keboch, reported on the ongoing efforts to organize graded Sunday School classes in rural churches. The 4-week Fulton-Juniata campaign resulting in the following: 20 teacher training classes with 214 enrolled, 97 Sunday School classes organized with 1219 scholars, 106 professed conversions, 109 new church members.
Newberry is now the western part of Williamsport. The former Methodist congregation at Newberry merged into the former EUB congregation there in 2004 to become the present
Williamsport St. John’s – Newberry UMC. The Methodist building that hosted the 1921 annual conference has been remodeled by the united congregation to become the West End Community Christian Center.
April – 50 years ago
The April 1971 Wyoming Conference United Methodist featured a four-page special spread proclaiming April 25, 1971, as Sky Lake Day and announcing extensive expansion plans. The project was to include 28 trailer and camp sites with electric access and a service building for bathroom and laundry facilities. In addition, construction was planned for two 24-30 person lodges similar to the main lodge.
Located in New Windsor NY, Sky Lake was purchased by the Wyoming Conference in 1947. Since the division of the Wyoming Conference along state lines in 2010, this 900 acre site has been operated by the Upper New York Conference and advertised by the Susquehanna Conference – along with its own facilities at Camp Penn, Greene Hills, Mount Asbury and Wesley Forest – as a camping/retreat option, especially for those former Wyoming Conference congregations in Pennsylvania
Discovery Place: Assurance of God’s power, presence, and provision
Discovery Place is open and we would love to help you find a resource to study, either in a group as churches re-open, or for your own personal use. As the pandemic continues, there is much uncertainty and anxiety about the future. Consider the following resources which provide assurance of God’s power, presence, and provision.
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times, by Adam Hamilton. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” For anyone struggling with fear, worry, or anxiety, Unafraid offers an inspiring message full of practical solutions. You can learn to identify fears and discover practical steps for overcoming them, all in the light of Scripture. (5 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, and hardcover book.)
Unshakable Hope: Building Our Lives on the Promises of God, by Max Lucado. In this study we learn that when we belong to God, we can filter our problems through the promises of God. The stories of the men and women in Scripture were different, but the theme was the same: they were People of the Promise. Like them, we can also build our lives on God’s promises, and trust Him to keep them. (12 sessions. Includes DVD, study guide, and hardcover book.)
If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat, by John Ortberg. Peter may have been the first one out of the boat, but Jesus’s invitation to walk on water is for us all. But what does it mean? Walking on water means facing our fears and choosing not to let fear have the last word, discovering and embracing the unique calling of God on our lives, and experiencing the power of God to accomplish what we would not be capable of doing on our own. (6 sessions. Includes DVD, leader guide, participant guide, and book.)
Ordering a resource is easy! Visit our website, www.discovery-place.org and place an order through our online catalog, email discovery@susumc.org, or call 717.766.7968. While we remain closed to walk-in visitors, Discovery Place is open on a limited basis with no set office hours. Your phone call will send me an email and I will respond as soon as possible. I look forward to hearing from you!
Serving Christ with you,
Joni Robison
Mission Central Still Going Strong
Thank you to the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church for your ongoing support of Mission Central. Your monetary gifts, material donations, volunteer hours and prayer help Mission Central with our mission of “Connecting God’s Resources with Human Need.”
Last year, 2020, was a challenging one on all fronts. We are grateful that Mission Central was open throughout the pandemic supporting those in need. Thanks to your support, over 3.3 million people were assisted with over $10.9 million in resources just last year alone. (That is nothing short of miraculous!)
Our medical ministry continues to be Mission Central’s fastest growing ministry. Over $780,000 in supplies and equipment went out to support 241,000 people. Our pet food ministry has grown with the increased needs. In 2020, $369,000 in pet food resourced 73,000 animals.
As we looked at increased needs throughout Pennsylvania, we added a school partnership where Mission Central supplied medical support, school supplies, musical instruments, hygiene items and food to struggling students and their families. Over 13,000 students and their families received support from Mission Central. This will be an ongoing program.
While curtailed briefly at the beginning of the year, we had 42 international shipments that went out supporting Zimbabwe, Romania, Ghana, Liberia and beyond. In this epic year for disasters, we supplied $433,000 in Flood Buckets/Cleaning Kits through UMCOR to Louisiana, Florida and Texas. This recovery work will continue in the year(s) ahead.
Mission Central continues to supply low cost, no cost warehouse space to our in house partners. Through their food banks, furniture ministries, diaper banks and electronics ministry, we further our reach.
Now is not the time to slow down. We expect to see needs increase as the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt. And we know (with your support), we are called to do this important work.
Thank you again for your steadfast commitment to Mission Central. We appreciate the prayers, material and monetary gifts and your ongoing support. You are truly a part of this wonderful family.
We wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2021!
***
WEB: missioncentral.org
CALL: 717-766-1533
GIVE: missioncentral.org/donations/
Wandering Through a Pandemic
By Douglas Hoy, Disaster Response Coordinator
As we approach the one year mark since the pandemic forced us all to change the way we go about daily living, I am reminded of the challenges faced by the Israelites in Egypt. While enslaved there, God protected them and provided for their needs. He sent Moses to demand their release. Each time, when Pharaoh refused, God inflicted plagues on Egypt. He turned the Nile into blood, covered the land with frogs, turned dust to gnats, brought flies into the houses of Pharaoh, and sent disease and disaster to kill Egyptian livestock and people and destroy crops. Exodus 12 reveals to us that God then brought about plague to kill all firstborn Egyptian males. Before doing so, He instructed Moses to tell the Hebrew people to cover their door in the blood of a lamb, leaving a sign of protection for their families. After spending more than 400 years suffering in slavery, God, through Moses, led them to freedom.
As they made their way to the “land of milk and honey,” the people began to question if they would survive or die in the desert. Their fear grew as the armies of Egypt pursued them. God provided a miracle by allowing Moses to part the Red Sea. After crossing the sea to safety, the people praised God but soon began to question their supply of food and water. Again, God provided, sending manna from heaven. The Israelites faced war during the exodus, and God provided them with victory. For months, God provided safe passage, eventually bringing them to Mount Sinai. And, during this time, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and covenanted with the people.
Of course, there is much more that occurred during the Israelite’s trip to the “promised land,” a trip that eventually lasted 40 years. But, each step of the way, God met them where they were. He provided for them in his own time. And, He did not keep them in the desert forever. It wasn’t easy. But, in the end, it was worth it.
As we continue to face the challenges presented by the pandemic, consider looking back over the last year. Think about the trials you faced? Did God meet you there? If you are like me, you certainly had questions. Did you take them to Him? And, did He provide you with answers? What miracles have you experienced during the pandemic?
I pray we do not have to wander through this pandemic for 40 years. The days and months ahead may be difficult at times. And, we will become frustrated and have questions. But, we must rejoice in difficult times “…knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4). Remember your covenant and find hope and reassurance that God is with you, just as He was with Moses. He promised “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). Commit to trusting Him every day. He will answer your prayers, provide for your needs, and give you rest. It will be worth it.
***
Contact Doug at drc@susumc.org. Check out the Disaster Response Weekly updates at tinyurl.com/DRweekly
VIM Journeys to McCurdy Ministries Community Center
By Linda Gilgore, York, PA
It has been 14 years since my first of many trips to McCurdy Ministries Community Center in the beautiful Española Valley of Northern New Mexico. At the time, I was a senior high youth leader at a United Methodist church in York, PA.
That first trip turned out to be much more than I expected. It took very little time for me to decide that McCurdy would always be in my heart and that the staff at McCurdy were the best examples I had ever seen of walking in faith, being Christ-like humble servants, and truly being a light in a community. It was both heartbreaking and refreshing. Their struggle was real and their commitment to making their corner of the world a better place was inspiring.
Each summer we return to McCurdy for a one-week trip. We love the relationships we have built with the staff at McCurdy, we love the variety of projects that we work on, we love the gratitude shown us for literally the smallest of tasks completed, and we love the traditions and history of Northern New Mexico. Each night at devotions we would hear from the team members about their experience. We love to have youth on our trips because it is a rare opportunity to see how other youth live and how they can survive and even thrive with very little “stuff”. I would venture to say that most nights on most trips there are tears of being overwhelm at the magnitude of the struggles in the area and tears of joy being the hands and feet of Jesus for a moment in time.
Every year the dynamics of the team going to McCurdy are different, but the mission of each team is the same. The variety of the projects needing completion is different, but the purpose of each project is the same. Having the opportunity to lend a hand to the important ministries of McCurdy to their community has been and continues to be incredibly challenging, as well as incredibly rewarding and often life-changing. When realizing that cleaning, stripping, cleaning, and waxing floors in a building will make an impact on the school year for the kids, it makes the task so much more relevant and enjoyable.
Not being able to go to McCurdy in 2020 for our annual trip was disappointing for us but even more disappointing for McCurdy, who were left with a lot of projects to complete during a pandemic without the much-needed help that comes from VIM teams. As a result, we decided to lead a Zoom virtual mission trip to McCurdy. By participating in a virtual mission trip, we were able to promote VIM trips in general and McCurdy specifically. We have been able to share our love for McCurdy and the importance of connecting as a team for a common purpose and to connect with some of the beloved McCurdy staff.
Each year at the end of our week at McCurdy it is bittersweet. We have laughed and cried, worked hard, and enjoyed the beauty and majesty of Northern New Mexico with some side trips. And we are always reminded that there are “McCurdy’s” in every community. Even though we will keep returning to McCurdy, we can also find ways in our own communities to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The same underlying issues are in lots of communities such as, poverty, mental illness, addiction, etc.
Over 100 years ago, one person made one decision that changed the trajectory of Española, New Mexico. You, too, can choose to be the light in your valley.
God is Doing a New Thing
On Sunday, October 18, 2020, the third of four services celebrating the appointment of our four new district superintendents was streamed from Watsontown UMC. (View here: tinyurl.com/DSinstallGW) This service celebrated the appointment of Rev. Dr. Gary D. Weaver as the new Lewisburg District Superintendent. Following is an edited version of his installation address.
Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19, Psalm 100, Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
Rev. Dr. Gary D. Weaver
Good and Gracious God, may only your word be spoken and may only your word be heard. AMEN.
In the scripture from Ephesians, the Apostle Paul does not ask us to lead a life worthy of the call, he does not encourage us to lead a life worthy of the call and he does not challenge us to lead a life worthy of the call, he begs us to lead a life worthy of the call. (v.1)
I don’t know if you have ever begged anyone for anything. If you have you know it was a desperate time. You were in a situation, a place, a season when you really needed things to change or you desperately needed things to remain the same.
I must admit, I am not sure if the Apostle Paul needs us to change our practices of humility and gentleness, but he begs us to practice them, in what seems to many to be a world gone off track, with greater patience, bearing with one another in love as we make every attempt to maintain a unity of the Spirit as we are called to.
On this Laity Sunday (October 18, 2020), where we celebrate the role of laity in the church – which needs to be a year-round celebration – the appeal is to join and knit together as we promote the building up of the church, but more importantly the building up of the Kingdom of God as we know it.
Although Installation Services focus on the District Superintendent being installed, what is worthy of celebration today is the cooperative mission and ministry of lay folk and clergy together, as we humbly attempt to be a part of God’s vision for God’s people.
Little could any of us predict where we are today. Who could have imagined us sewing masks, wearing masks, fighting over masks? Who could have imagined this awkward season of opportunity that we call Covid? And on a personal note, who could have imagined me serving as a District Superintendent in the Lewisburg District?!
I will be brazen enough to say that not so long ago, none of us imagined…and yet God knew and our God continues to know.
The chosen scriptures takes us into the Old Testament and into the present day movement of God. These words tell us—remind us—that our God declares, that our God saves and that our God proclaims; that our God makes a way in the sea, a path in the waters; that our God does and is doing a new thing! A new thing!
Now a bit of self-disclosure. Interestingly enough, I am not a car guy. Our oldest son, Isaac, is a car dealer in Arizona. I appreciate cars and I am thankful for my car and all that it provides me, but I am not a car guy. I married into a car family though, when families were strongly brand-and-maker-loyal—remember those days? There was only one car in Cindy’s family and that was Ford. I am absolutely sure that my father-in-law, if he were alive today, would roll his eyes to the fact that I drive a Mini Cooper!
But I do, like most of us, love the smell of a new car, the freshness of a new car. That smell and freshness offer possibility. Maybe it’s because people associate the smell with the luxury of having purchased a new set of wheels, or for me the idea that a Mini Cooper makes me look cool — the smell of a new car offers possibility.
That is what, I would say, the scripture offers us today. Possibility.
I would like to zero down on Isaiah 43:18-19.
“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
I hope we can get behind that today. We can get behind the idea—we might even say, “amen!” to the idea—that God is doing a new thing. We might even enjoy what God is doing. Today, we gather in the Lewisburg District where new things are happening, where new things are springing forth.
And so just like the freshness of a new car, the possibilities that lay before when we embrace that God is doing a new thing call out for an “amen.”
I love a good amen—I believe we all love a good amen whether we proclaim it out loud or sing it silently. Amens are living testimony that our God is doing a new thing even now. Even now.
In the Lewisburg District we are saying, “Amen!”:
“Amen!” to local church hospitality that feels very different in this Covid season, yet is spiritually radical.“Amen!” to churches where pastors and leaders are creating discipleship pathways while we are all trying to simply find our way.
“Amen!” to a communion table where all are invited and welcomed, even when done uniquely.
“Amen!” to a cluster that is planning to celebrate Christmas at a drive-in theatre.
“Amen!” to the local church that brought in 14 new members in the Covid season.
“Amen!” to an offering plate that is more full of sacrifice than full of money.
“Amen!” to virtual nativities offered to the community this Advent Season.
“Amen!” to a full back pew of those who can’t hear yet are present each Sunday.
Dr. Todd Allen of Messiah University shared during a “Dismantling Racism” conversation the idea that conversations that end with “amen” are needed but conversations that end with “ouch” are needed as well.
Not many of us love a good “ouch.”
It has been said that “When it hurts, don’t be afraid to say ouch!” (Mary Buchanon)
As a church, as those who sit in the pews, as those who stand behind the pulpits, as those who lead outside the local church, and as the man who stands before you, we need to be able to say, “ouch” to where the church has been, “ouch” to where the church is, and maybe even “ouch“ to where the church may go.
As a people of faith and as faithful people we live between the “amens” and the “ouches.”
We can embrace that God is doing a new thing—”Amen!”
When Isaiah spoke to the people of the day, the new thing that God was about to do signaled the freshness of God’s ways and the continual possibility of a sudden, unexpected turn of fortune.
Throughout scripture the amen idea that God is doing a new thing appears frequently enough that we ought to be sure we understand it. It is fundamental to how our God works over time, as much now as in Isaiah’s time.
Yet, being told to not remember the former things may seem a bit ouchy.
I like to remember the former things; recall the days gone by. I like to look back and act like there was a better time.
Remember, Isaiah’s writing is to the children of Israel at a bleak period of their history: They are in captivity. They have lost everything they thought they would keep forever. They were homesick for the land and the blessing God had promised them.
And the words, “do not remember the former things” really say, “change your focus.” Quit looking behind, start looking ahead to a new thing. You see, if you are continually looking behind you can’t see where you are going and more importantly you can’t see where God is. If you are ever going to move on to new things in Jesus Christ, you must learn that you cannot depend on your past victories to sustain you.
The children of Israel had many victories in their past: leaving Egypt, conquering the land of Canaan, fighting prospective conquerors, and surviving a split in their country.
But, now they are in captivity. All their previous victories were doing nothing to set them free. They needed a new work, a new miracle, a new victory, a new thing.
The question isn’t ‘What has God done?’, the question for you, for our church, and for the Lewisburg District must be ‘What is God doing right now – what is the new thing that God is doing?’
Just like we cannot lie in the past successes, we also cannot allow your past failures to possess us. Do not dwell on the past.
The children of Israel had failed God miserably. Every time God blessed them with good things, they returned to God evil things:
- God gave them the Temple: They gave God idol worship.
- God gave them truth: They lived and proclaimed a lie.
- God gave them commands: They lived like they were suggestions.
- God gave them wealth: They used it to abuse the poor.
Like us today, the children of Israel did not deserve to receive anything from God. Yet our God still loved them and still loves us.
As we hear today, being told not to remember the former things does not fully entail a criticism of them. What these words say to us is that we need to let go of the former things in a way that allows God to be praised; to let go of the former things that continue to separate us from the fullness of knowing our God.
Isaiah’s word is to encourage us. Make no mistake, God truly is doing a new thing even in this Covid season. Do you not see it? And the scripture asks, “do you not see it?”
I want to take you to a place where many of you have been professionally and personally—to a bedside.
This happens to be the bedside of my mother. Now there are a few things you need to know about my mother and my growing up. I had a childhood that was best described as eclectic. You know when I first jotted that word down I started to wonder what would eclectic means in reference to a family?
In the world of design, eclectic is about harmony and the coming together of different styles, juxtaposing textures, and contrasting colors to create a cohesive beauty. That just might be my family: different, juxtaposing and contrasting and coming together to create beauty.
My father died when I was young and in that time I became aware, in a new way, of my mother’s sister, Aunt June, and Uncle Manny and my cousins. My mother and her sister had a very close relationship and so when my Uncle Manny died after my father died, my mother and aunt made a covenant that they would never leave each other. Throughout the years, that played out in many ways as they lived out their lives as widowed sisters.
But let me take you back to my mother’s bedside.
My mother lived her last several weeks in an in-house hospice in Lancaster County. In those weeks my sister was that amazing family member who was by our mother’s side constantly. My Aunt was there often and not being able to be there always she needed to know that someone would be there. Simply, she did not want my mother to ever be alone.
In that time I was serving in the then Wellsboro District, appointed to Calvary Church, Lawrenceville on the Pennsylvania-New York border, so I would visit when I could.
One day, my sister, my aunt and myself were gathered around my mother’s bed and were silently counting her breaths, wondering, feeling lost, but valuing the sacredness of the moment. Many of you have been in that place as you anticipate a life-well-lived ending.
None of us are sure how, but somehow the three of us found ourselves in the communal kitchen across from my mother’s room—my mother was alone. We were not there but a moment when a nurse came to us and said, “You will want to come back in, your mother’s breathing has changed.” Your mother’s breathing has changed. What a gentle way to tell us that the life-well-lived was over.
The church, as we know it, is in the midst of its breath changing. Some of us stepped out of the room even for a moment and the church changed and to be honest because I believe we can be honest, parts of the church need to change.
Now, let me make myself clear, I am not painting a picture of a dying church. I am painting a picture of a church that just might, like my mother, find a new life in the release of heaven.
I can not bring my mother back, and we can not bring the pre-Covid church or the church as we idealize to have been years ago, but we can forget the former things and we can stop considering the things of old as we see the new things that God is doing in our midst.
God, through Isaiah’s voice, is calling us to release heaven to the people around us as God makes a way in the wilderness and as God makes rivers in the desert.
The Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Ga., once said, “You and I have been called to release heaven wherever we are. And you and I have been given the capacity to release heaven wherever we find ourselves. And the more heaven gets released every day, you and I press on with Jesus.”
So today, together, we must keep our spirits open to the new things that God is already doing. And to that I say, “ouch” and “amen.”
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
From Bishop Park
The following announcements from Bishop Park were features in Susquehanna LINK, March, 2021:
2020 Apportionments Paid in Full:
https://mcusercontent.com/46f000aa27de6426a3e2286a3/files/7ce091d4-536e-4ec2-8a34-10722cdf029b/1.29.21_Apportionments_Thank_You.01.pdf
Cabinet Position Extended:
https://susumc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=46f000aa27de6426a3e2286a3&id=72dac88134&e=ac3ca27d43
Reopening Guidelines:
https://mcusercontent.com/46f000aa27de6426a3e2286a3/files/4099932d-c762-470d-b339-5f4d8cffdcc8/2.2.21_On_Reopening_and_Guidelines.pdf
Lent & Easter - God With Us:
https://susumc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=46f000aa27de6426a3e2286a3&id=63cd1e7dcb&e=ac3ca27d43
General and Jurisdictional Conferences:
https://susumc.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=46f000aa27de6426a3e2286a3&id=9e71b7b50a&e=ac3ca27d43
Equipping Vital Congregations - Becoming a Vital and Thriving Post-Pandemic Church
There’s quite a bit of speculation going on right now about what the church should look like post-pandemic. For sure, it will look different. The idea of going back to normal is a fantasy because “normal” has changed.
Like many of you, I’ve been reading blogs of popular authors and church experts and have read books seeking to describe what a post-pandemic church might look like. This is my attempt to summarize.
My goal here is to give you the broad categories and encourage you to have conversation, in your own context, about what this means for the future of your church. Please know that the offices of Grow, Equip and Connect are available to resource, coach and consult your congregation in this time of transition.
Churches that will thrive post-pandemic…
#1 Get clear about and stay focused on WHY. “Why do we exist?” This doesn’t require a lengthy process a developing a finely crafted mission or vision statement but simply to go back to the beginning of what Jesus intended the church to BE and Do. I would invite you to read the following scriptures, preferably with a group, and then write in your own words a Why Statement of less than 15 words that begins with, “Our church exists so that…” Once you have agreement on the WHY, everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) your church does should align with that WHY. (Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 25:31-46 and Matthew 28:16-20)
#2 Focus on formation rather than information. Discipleship is less about knowing who Jesus is and more about doing the things that Jesus did. Being formed in the image of Jesus is vastly more important than being informed about Jesus. We already know more about Jesus than we need to do be about his WHY for us! What are you doing, or will you do, to help your people become formed in the image and likeness of Jesus?
#3 Recapture a sense of being a neighborhood church. Your church exists in the community for a reason. Do you know what that is? When we begin to see our community as part of our church parish (and vice versa) we will begin to treat those who live around us as though they already belong to us. We will learn their names. We will hear their stories. We will feel their pain. We will recognize their needs. And we will become their friends. Together, we will be on the journey as God’s beloved people transforming the neighborhood and the wider community for good. Is your church neighborhood friendly? Well, how thick is your policy manual designed to protect your building from outsiders? Do your policies make it easier for the people of your community to use your facilities? Do you understand your buildings as God’s gifts intended for your community?
#4 Move more fully into the digital world. In person worship will continue post-pandemic but will likely be smaller in attendance for some time. Online worship, online small groups, virtual community engagement, are not just temporary things we do until the pandemic is over. Our digital presence will become one of the most essential evangelism tools we have to fulfil our mission. Much like God used the persecution of the early church to move it out of its comfort zone (Jerusalem) God is using this pandemic to move us out of our comfort zones to meet people where they are…online! How wonderful that many of our congregations have experienced a growth in worship attendance through digital means. Maintaining and growing our digital presence will ensure that we stay connected with those whom we have met online (maybe God has sent us) during this pandemic. How will we continue to connect with people we may never see in person and disciple them in the ways of Jesus? Think Both/And when planning worship with a mixture of in-person and virtual experiences.
#5 Learn how to pivot more quickly as the world around us changes at a dizzying pace. They will learn how to abandon the things that no longer work in fulfilling their mission. They will practice simplicity by letting go of those things that drain away energy and limited resources and may not serve the mission (the WHY). They will encourage families who have found opportunities to spend more time together during the pandemic to continue doing so rather than creating new ministries and programs that will try to pull them back into business.
#6 Take seriously a call to prayer. May I ask you directly? When was the last time you prayed for your church? Your pastor and staff? Your leaders? Your community? Your people and your newcomers by name? Now, when was the last time you sat and listened for response from God? I’d like to add a simple prayer for your use especially as you move back to in-person gatherings: “Lord, what do you want to do through ME (or US in a corporate setting) to fulfil your WHY for my/our church?” Simple. Powerful. Revitalizing. Take time to sit and listen. “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” (Martin Luther)
Many more books and blogs will likely be written with better lists than mine. But this is enough, I believe, to get us started. I encourage you to print this and use it for conversation with your leadership team.
These are the things we in the church should have been doing all along. We lost our focus (our WHY) became distracted by our own needs and desires and forget to stay focused outward where God is working in the world.
Isn’t it wonderful how God is using this present crisis to bring us back to center? How exciting to contemplate the marvelous works of God ahead of us and to know that we are still invited to be partners in it!
Growing Spiritual Transformational Leaders: Courageous Conversations are Possible!
One of my blessings during this pandemic and the resulting consequences of working from home, lots of Zoom meetings, and some opportunities for introspection has come through a new focus on the last statement of Micah 6:8 “...walk humbly with God”. The Courageous Conversations course became an avenue in which I learned more about how walking humbly is tied to listening to understand and even picking up the adage that, ‘I could be wrong.’ The humble statement about being wrong allows me to be more present with people as I learn from them and expand my understanding. Even if we disagree, we are able to preserve our relationship because we understand each other, without having to convince the other person that I am right.
The Grow, Equip, and Connect ministry areas of the Susquehanna Conference are partnering with Discipleship Ministries to present Courageous Conversations, a four-session online course that will help us to gain confidence in how we have hard conversations. The instructor (and creator) of Courageous Conversations is Rev. Scott Hughes. Scott is the Director of Adult Discipleship and Executive Director of Congregational Vitality & Intentional Discipleship for Discipleship Ministries, an agency of the United Methodist Church. Our partnership with Discipleship Ministries will allow participants to use the course – a special edition that will be only available to the Susquehanna Conference – and offer CEU credits for taking it.
Registration for the course is now open at: https://susumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Courageous-Conversation-flyer.pdf. Be sure to use the special code that allows 100 participants to take the course without cost.
The course is organized in four sessions which include a video teaching from Scott, additional articles to read, and an opportunity to answer questions in a format that will allow you to interact with Scott and others taking the course. There is a downloadable booklet that accompanies the course. This material embodies the Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control in order to have Courageous Conversations! Against such things there is no law! (Gal 5:22-23)
Connecting Ministries: Future Trends That Will Shape Church Ministry
If we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that the world can change in what seems like an instant. And the fact that the pandemic continues even after a year proves that we cannot simply hunker down and wait until we can go back to what we were doing. We could do that—but if our aim is to invite, form, and send disciples to help transform the world into the realm of God, our old familiar ways won’t get us there.
We also learned last year how difficult it is to predict the future. But we can observe trends that could help us invite and welcome new people into a relationship with God and God’s people.
Here are a few trends I’ve learned from a variety of sources and some possible implications for churches.
Story and experience
Virtual reality—computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that allows people to interact with it in a way that seems physically real—will continue to grow, writes Prasenjit Roy in “Marketing in 2025: Five key trends that will drive the future.”
I’m not suggesting we abandon reality in favor of virtual reality. But we can adapt two aspects of this technology: storytelling and customized experiences. The church has something real to offer the world. If virtual reality orients our culture toward story and custom experiences, the church can offer these through engagement with real people.
Story is something that should come naturally to the church. After all, Jesus frequently taught by using stories. Story, unlike simple instruction or direction, draws people into being full participants in their spiritual growth.
Story also communicates wisdom. While knowledge is information (and that is necessary), wisdom entails deeper virtues of gratitude, wonder, humility, forgiveness, and more. It’s obtained through life experience and transmitted through media such as art, music, drama, and story.
In some ways this also speaks to “customization.” Story communicates on many angles. The hearer brings to her listening her own experiences and concerns. The gathered group listens to the same story, but each person may walk away having learned something different, based on God’s leading.
Furthermore, each person has their own stories from their own lives. When given a safe place in which to tell others of these experiences, people learn from each other. Relationships are strengthened among people and with God.
Moments
Churches habitually turn to events and gatherings to teach or otherwise communicate. In his “6 Disruptive Church Trends that Will Rule 2020,” pastor and author Carey Nieuwhof observes people today have different expectations for gatherings. These still have value; we simply need to use them for different purposes, he says.
Information is much more easily obtained in the age of the internet, so that need not be a significant part of a gathering. People do not have to be in the same room to obtain information, and they are less likely to come to an event—even weekly worship—for that purpose. However, people will still gather for “movements, moments, and missions,” as Nieuwhof calls them.
Worship and sacraments have long been the church’s way to connect people with God and each other. Avoid letting Intentional, reverent, creative, and thoughtfully planned worship get bogged down by information-sharing or announcements.
Further, don’t use music primarily as a tool to energize worshipers or otherwise influence a group mood. Rather, incorporate art and music to illuminate who God is and how God acts in the world.
This is also true when inviting people to explore Scripture or engage in compassion ministries together. “People don’t just want to know what’s true; they want to know what’s real,” Nieuwhof says. “And what’s real is deeper than just an idea—it’s an experience.”
This suits us as Methodists. After all, Charles and John Wesley, the founders of Methodism, both had “heart-warming” experiences of assurance from God and considered such experiences important. Why not reclaim this?
Mission
Nieuwhof reminds us that our task is to invite people not only to attend worship, but to take part in the church’s mission. Many people, especially young adults, are not looking for ways to fill their calendars with activities and committee meetings. However, they do want to make a positive difference in the world. The church calls this mission, and this passion among young adults is a gift from God that the church can embrace and harness.
How is your church making God’s realm a reality in your community? Providing groceries for school children to bring home to their families who would not otherwise have enough? Organizing visits to legislators to call for public policy that would honor God’s good creation or confront discriminatory housing practices? There are people, including young people, who are eager to take part in this.
Movements
Don’t assume that your church has to invent these opportunities. It is likely other organizations in your community are addressing them. Demonstrate your church’s commitment to the wellbeing of the wider community by collaborating with these efforts, recommends Dr. Penny Edgell, a prominent sociologist of religion. (These are what Nieuwhof calls “movements.”)
These are opportunities not only to follow the prophets’ instructions to love our neighbors, but also provide us a chance to build relationships with our neighbors. Make sure to meet those who are attending, particularly those who are not part of your church. Listen to their interests and concerns. This information will help your church know how to provide meaningful community that introduces others to the unconditional and life-changing love of God.
People are finding out about events largely online, and particularly through social media, Edgehill told me. This winter, I helped welcome visitors to Mount Asbury’s Christmas lights display. When we asked our guests how they found about the event, many said they saw it on a community Facebook page or received a friend’s recommendation. Be sure to use these ways (among others) to invite others.
Ultimately, we hope to help people experience the power of God’s grace that transforms lives. Moments, movements, and mission cannot manufacture life transformation, but they can set a hospitable environment for people to encounter God and find a home with God’s people.
Our mission is the same as it has been for 2,000 years. Regardless of what the future holds for The United Methodist Church or the world around us, our mission remains. Over the centuries, the church has adapted to change in order to stay faithful to its mission. This is the church’s task in all times. When we have a missionary passion to bring God’s love and grace to their neighbors, though words and actions, we will learn new cultural languages to tell the “old, old story” of God’s love.
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