A number of people have reached out to ask about what my experience was, what they need to know, what all is involved. Here are some of my initial thoughts… and if there are comments/questions I’ll continue to expand and update this in response. I am still praying and discerning whether I want to do…
United Methodist Church
General Conference Reflections #gc2019
I knew that whatever decisions we made or didn’t make during this past week in our General Conference that this Transfiguration text would be appropriate to frame our conversation. You see, in the three synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke – the three that see together – the Transfiguration represents a turning point. Where…
Surrounded #gc2019
I’ve been here in St. Louis for two days now because of some committee responsibilities and it is hard to imagine that we are here and ready to get started. We have been talking about this special called conference for a long time. And a big part of me really just wants to be on…
GC2019: Committee On Reference
This past weekend, I was part of the meeting of the Committee on Reference for the General Conference. Typically, our work focuses on assigning (or referring) petitions and legislation to various committees of the General Conference. But we were tasked with a new role in light of this special called General Conference. As Paragraph 14…
YES! We Are Able to Care for Our Children
Text: Mark 9: 33-37, 42-43, 10:13-16 For twenty-seven years, faith communities across the United States have been observing the “Children’s Sabbath,” lifting a united voice of concern for the children in our midst. Marian Wright Edleman has been instrumental in this work throughout her life. She recalls in a letter of introduction to this year’s…
A Way Forward? Which Way?
Text: Acts 15 The book of the Acts of the Apostles is the story of how the good news of Jesus spread from Jerusalem, through Judea and Samaria, to the ends of the earth. Along the way, the culture and traditions and scriptures of our spiritual ancestors encountered a variety of peoples and backgrounds. When…
A Way Forward? Fixed And Free
The United Methodist Church is at a crossroads. On the one hand, we do incredible work together because of our connection across the globe. Missionaries go from everywhere to everywhere. We are present amid disaster and crisis providing relief. New faith communities have been formed in West Des Moines, Camaroon, and Russia. And these things…
You Are Family
As a child, when I feel down and skinned my knee, there was nothing I wanted more than to be held in the arms of a parent. Their soothing words helped me to know that this moment of crisis was only temporary and that I would be okay. When I was a bit older, I…