GC 12 day five: reflections on the struggle for justice

Today I was reminded that the work of justice in the church and the world is indeed a struggle. After four days of extraordinary hope, today was a disappointing one for a two particular reasons. First, I had the experience of witnessing the Faith & Order subcommittee vote to approve stronger language restricting ordination to individuals whose sexuality is expressed only within the boundaries of “marriage between one man and one woman.” Of course, this language would restrict non-celibate LGBTQ individuals from seeking ordination; however, it would also restrict all candidates for ministry—gay, straight, and everything in between—who are (and possibly even who have been) sexually active outside the context of marriage. I wholeheartedly believe that we must hold our clergy to high standards of integrity, but the addition of this particular language would be an unfortunate—not to mention unenforceable—addition to our Book of Discipline. As this comes before the plenary, it will be one fascinating piece of legislation to watch!

Next, tonight the General Administration committee (in which I have been serving as a legislative coordinator for the Common Witness Coalition) completed its four days of work on the denominational restructuring proposals by sending exactly no restructuring legislation to the plenary floor. Today was a long day in subcommittee—8am until 9:30pm, to be exact—and the GA committee worked an extra (and extremely chaotic) half hour with the permission of the General Secretary of the General Conference. The rules of General Conference state that any legislation which has not been voted on by 9:30pm on the last day of committee is considered unfinished, but in this situation (just restructuring the entire church, you know…no big deal), the committee was given permission to take one final vote. However, at the end of the night—after watching legislative and political mass chaos erupt—all three restructuring proposals were voted down by the committee. Two things about this situation were especially disappointing to me—first, young adult and Central Conference delegates had worked all day in subcommittee on amendments to Plan B, and this work was dismissed by the committee as a whole. These delegates— both young and global voices—represent the vitality to which the Call to Action is supposedly calling us. But at the end of the day, the voices of vitality and diversity did not have the final (or any) say in the restructuring of our great church—the voices of power did. Finally, this experience called into question the value of parliamentary procedure in the life of the church, something for which I am typically a strong advocate. While I have always appreciated parliamentary procedure as a structure that provides both equality and efficiency, in General Administration tonight that was not the case; instead, it functioned as a structure through which those in power stalled the process, silenced the body, and stayed in power.

After this long day, General Conference rolls on. I am humbled by this opportunity to better understand this church I love—this beautiful and broken people of God. But most of all, I am humbled by this opportunity to enter into the struggle for justice and for the inclusion of all voices—not only the voices of the powerful—in The United Methodist Church.

GC 12 day four: learning solidarity

Last night was a powerful night of solidarity for the Common Witness Coalition. First, during plenary session, Mark Miller--one of the most gifted worship leaders in The United Methodist Church-- took a point of privilege on the floor of the plenary to express the brokenness and hurt he has felt as an openly gay man taking part in some of the conversations around human sexuality at General Conference. Before he was ruled out of order, he invited LGBTQA individuals to stand with him in plenary hall, and coalition members and others stood in solidarity with Mark within and beyond the bar.

After plenary and closing worship, the Common Witness Coalition held a silent demonstration at the doors of plenary hall. Hundreds of us, wearing rainbow stoles, joined hands and formed a silent—silenced—tunnel at both exits. Delegates and bishops, church members and visitors walked by us as they left the hall for the evening; some ignored us, but many also spoke words of blessing and words of prayer. A few people hugged and prayed over each of us, and many joined hands and stood with us. Once everyone had left the hall, we broke our silence with a song— “we are all your sons and daughters, and we are singing, singing for our lives.”

As we joined in the Tabernacle for worship and conversation following the demonstration, around my table we discussed what it really means to be in solidarity with the LGBTQ community. Many of us were keenly aware that the silence of the demonstration eliminated any distinction between LGBTQ individuals and allies. Each of us who stood in the line truly stood in solidarity-- a radical posture of being with-- indistinguishable from the LGBTQ community. With this vulnerable posture of solidarity comes risk, especially for those of us seeking ordination in this church, and I was keenly aware of that as every bishop of The United Methodist Church walked past us. But I also had hope as some bishops joined us, standing in solidarity and entering into the silence. To be sure, there is risk involved in action, but the greatest risk is inaction and complicity to injustice and exclusion in the body of Christ.

GC 12 day three: order as identity: restructuring the body of Christ

The following is a blog I wrote for Methodist Federation for Social Action, the organization I am serving with here at General Conference.

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As the Young Adult Legislative Coordinator for General Administration, my day was spent in committee listening to presentations, discussion, and debate on the three restructuring proposals. Because these conversations are filled with complex language and business concerns, it is easy to forget that this work of restructuring our church is truly the work of reimagining who we are as the diverse people of God. So, with that being said, who will we choose to become? As one watching these conversations unfold, I would like to highlight two key questions of identity that I think are implicit in these proposals:

1) First, in the morning presentations on the three proposals, there was a significant contrast between an emphasis on life and death, especially between the Call to Action legislation and the MFSA plan. When the Call to Action team was asked by a Central Conference delegate if they had conducted research on the vital congregations of the Central Conferences, they answered that they had focused on the “declining, diseased” congregations in the United States. The MFSA team, on the other hand, emphasized dialogue with Central Conference delegates and a commitment to draw on the vitality that already exists in our church. Remembering the Episcopal Address by Bishop Weaver, my hope is that the new structure of The United Methodist Church will reflect not a fear of death, but our calling to be people of the “Resurrection Revolution,” living into Christ’s abundant gift of life.

2) Second, these decisions about structure are decisions about whose voices will be included and excluded in the leadership of the church—most significantly, the voices of the rapidly growing Central Conferences. The Call to Action legislation not only failed to study the vital congregations of the Central Conferences, it also fails to create abundant new spaces for these new people to serve as leaders of the denomination. The MFSA plan, however, proposes that 40% of general church leadership come from the Central Conferences. Furthermore, MFSA advocates for leadership from every region (Central Conference/Jurisdiction), in contrast to the language of “proportionality” of other plans, which—for example— could leave all of Europe with only one delegate. Seeking to become a church that welcomes all people, my hope is that we will order our life together in such a way that all voices are included and valued at the table.

As the committee work continues, I hope you will join me in praying not for one plan to prevail over another, but for the structure of our church to reflect who we are and who we are called to become as The United Methodist Church—the wholly inclusive, beautifully diverse body of Christ.

GC12 day two: tangible hope.

At the end of this second (long) day of General Conference, there is one word that I simply cannot get out of my mind:

Hope.

I am here in Tampa working with the Common Witness Coalition, a partnership of organizations working for the inclusion of all people in the life and leadership of The United Methodist Church. In addition to the events of the General Conference, our coalition holds events every day in the Love Your Neighbor Tabernacle. Now, “Tabernacle” is just a fancy title for a HUGE, air-conditioned tent (seating 300+) that sits across the street from the convention center. Each day in the Tabernacle, we enter into the rhythm of the life of God’s people across the ages—sharing meals, worshiping together, and gathering for fellowship and prayer. It is a sacred space—the heartbeat of this diverse, inclusive community that has come together not to change the church, but to become the church.

The abundantly and beautifully diverse Spirit of God has moved in the Tabernacle more times than I can count in the past two days—in conversations shared, songs lifted to our Creator, and communion offered to all by the radical grace of Christ. But the most incredible gift of my time at General Conference so far has been the experience of the diverse and inclusive Spirit of God outside the Tabernacle. First, this morning, as Amory Peck and Betty Spiwe Katiyo gave the Laity Address, we caught a glimpse of God’s vision for the church. The voices of these two women—one openly lesbian and one from Zimbabwe—formed the symphonic voice of the holy, wholly diverse people of God. Then, in my legislative committee, as votes were being counted, delegates from the Central Conferences spontaneously led us in worship in their first languages. And finally, tonight in closing worship, we heard the good news of Christ’s welcome for all people proclaimed by Bishop James King and sang together these words: “God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, compassion and peace.”

Indeed, God is delighting as we are creators of justice and joy here in Tampa and all across the connection. The Spirit is moving, the joy is contagious, and the hope is tangible. But most of all, this gospel of love and inclusion cannot be contained to a tent—no matter how big it is! Thanks be to God!

GC12 day two: the tedious work of transformation

As I write this, I am currently sitting in the plenary of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. On this second day of General Conference, the plenary has yet to set the rules of the conference as the body is still debating and amending them. Since I have arrived in Tampa, I have been constantly reminded of why we are the people called Methodist— we have a method for everything. Now, I have to admit that with every hour the General Conference debates the rules (thus falling behind in the work it will do by these rules), it seems more and more like our method has become our madness. But I want to argue that this is is not the case. In fact, I think these legislative shenanigans actually reflect of one of the gifts of The United Methodist Church:

We are a people who take seriously the implications of how we do all that we do.

Taking two days to set the rules and organization of the General Conference might seem ridiculous, but these rules will give shape to this legislative community for the next two weeks, which will in turn give shape to the global community of The United Methodist Church for the next quadrennium. This is a tedious task, but I think it is an important one. So, is the General Conference falling behind in its schedule? Absolutely. But a better question would be: is the General Conference wasting its time? I would argue that it is not— the organization of the top legislative body of The United Methodist Church is indicative of its identity and theological commitments. I am proud to call myself a member of this church that takes seriously the process—the rules—the tedious work of transformation. And because there is a method behind our madness, the conversation continues…

resurrecting church

[While I realize that this blog post is utterly impractical and gives little consideration to the realities of the church as an institution, I write as one who is convinced that Christ’s life, death, and resurrection were neither practical nor business-minded.]

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Just last week, we relived the radical story that stands at the center of who we are as the body of Christ: we visited the empty tomb, expecting to find the body of our Lord, but instead heard the good news of his resurrection. As a church, we joyously shouted the words that echo through the ages:

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

But as I look around the church today, I have to wonder if we truly take the truth of the resurrection seriously. Have we really considered the implications of being a community for whom death has been overcome by the resurrection of Christ?

Honestly, I think we have forgotten who are as a resurrected people. In my own denomination, the rhetoric of death and decline has taken hold, and our discourse is driven not by the truth of resurrection, but by a paralyzing fear of death. We are so terrified of our demise as a church that we have closed our ears to the gospel of life.

And you see, the resurrection is not just about Jesus, it is also about us, the church, the body of Christ. Since the church is the body of Christ, when we shout “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” what we really mean is that we are risen, indeed.

The resurrection gives us a new way of talking about who we are and how we are as the people of God. And more than that, it gives us a new way of being the body of Christ. We are a risen people, not a dying people. To use language of death to describe the church is to deny the power of the resurrection. And while I understand the need to address the reality of our local churches and our global church, it is time that we start doing it in light of the empty tomb rather than in the darkness of the shadow of death.

Almost two thousand years ago, a few women found themselves staring into a tomb, fully prepared to tend to Christ’s dead body. Today, it feels to me like the leaders of my church are standing in the very same place, forgetting that there is more to our story than death.

“The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’” [Luke 24.5-7 NRSV]

Why are we, as a church, looking for the living among the dead? Why have we forgotten that death is simply a precursor to new life, and that Christ’s resurrection is our own?

Friends, the body of Christ is risen. We, as the church, are a resurrected people. We can either live into that truth, or throw Jesus into the tomb again and roll the stone back into its place.

I hope we choose resurrection.

Social Holiness in Action: “Many Might Know” Hispanic Ministry

“Go therefore and make disciples…” On Tuesday nights in July and early August, members of Church of the Cross United Methodist do exactly what Jesus commands here in Matthew 28—they go into the world, meeting needs and making disciples. The Many Might Know Hispanic Ministry is a partnership between Church of the Cross and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC).

Each summer FLOC sponsors mobile health clinics in migrant camps throughout Northwest Ohio. For more than ten years, Church of the Cross has been partnering with FLOC to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the families in local migrant camps. While FLOC provides health services, Church of the Cross provides a meal for the families and Vacation Bible School activities for the children. They also distribute clothing and hygiene items, meeting some of the material needs of the families.

Most importantly, Church of the Cross adds a spiritual component to FLOC’s mobile health clinics as they teach Bible stories to the children and pass out Spanish Bibles to all in attendance. While meeting physical needs is critical, this strong spiritual component of Many Might Know is what truly makes this a ministry, not simply a social service. Church of the Cross is an example to us all of what Wesleyan social holiness looks like— a collision of love of God and neighbor, overflowing into the world as a witness to God’s grace.

Puente de Esperanza: Fiesta!

On July 17, nearly 400 people attended Fiesta, an outreach event of the Puente de Esperanza (Bridge of Hope) Hispanic ministry partnership. Puente de Esperanza is a partnership of Fremont Hayes Memorial, Gibsonburg Faith, Gibsonburg Trinity, and Fremont Trinity, Lindsey Trinity, and Woodville United Methodist churches. Based at Hayes Memorial and with a satellite site at Gibsonburg Faith, Puente de Esperanza serves the Hispanic community of greater Sandusky County.

Lay Missioner Alamar Arriaga has been organizing Fiesta for the past six years, and this year the event was greatly expanded. New additions in 2011 included a bilingual worship experience and collaboration with various agencies for Farmworkers’ Appreciation Day. Pastor Guadalupe Rios of the Torre Fuerte faith community at Unity UMC in East Toledo preached the sermon at the bilingual worship service, with his son Jose Rios providing translation.

In keeping with past years, Fiesta also featured a homemade meal, bouncy houses and games for children, a live band and DJ, many booths to visit, and prizes for attendees of all ages. In addition to providing a day of entertainment for the migrant workers of greater Sandusky County, the incorporation of a worship service this year provided a spiritual foundation for the event. Puente de Esperanza is also launching a weekly bilingual Bible study and worship experience beginning on July 30 at 6pm, which will be held at the YMCA in Fremont. With worship as the foundation of the ministry, the churches of Puente de Esperanza are eager to follow the Spirit and build bridges of hope in Sandusky County and beyond!

New Hope UMC: A New Partner in Hispanic Ministry

New Hope United Methodist Church in Toledo, OH is a small church with a big heart for missions. New to Hispanic ministry, they began a mission project called “Mission Mexico.” As part of this mission project, they collected clothes to be distributed at migrant camps as part of the Many Might Know Hispanic Ministry and mobile health clinic. The congregation collected several large boxes of clothing to be distributed. New Hope will also partner with Church of the Cross and Maumee United Methodist churches to provide VBS programs in the migrant camps after the mobile health clinics.

On June 12, New Hope celebrated their new commitment to Hispanic ministry with a fiesta event including worship, a potluck, and a Hispanic ministry workshop. Rev. Lupina Stewart, Hispanic Ministry Coordinator of West Ohio Conference, preached the sermon and invited members of the congregation to be commissioned for the mission of Hispanic ministry. All those in attendance chose to commit to this mission, and Lupina had the honor of commissioning the entire congregation for the work of Hispanic ministry.

During the service, New Hope also presented Lupina with a $300 check for Maumee Watershed District’s scholarship program in partnership with the Oriental Conference in Mexico. These funds will provide a semester of schooling for a Mexican pastor’s kid. Following worship, New Hope provided a taco bar and potluck for those in attendance as well as community members. This time of fellowship included a piñata contest featuring piñatas made by members of New Hope’s youth group. Following the potluck, Rev. Lupina Stewart led a short workshop on Hispanic ministry.

New Hope UMC is proof that small congregations can come together to make a big difference. Although the congregation is new to Hispanic ministry, they are an example of what is possible if we are willing to be in partnership—with God, with other churches, and with one another. God calls us to work together and be in ministry with all our neighbors; New Hope has answered that call—will you?

glimpses into my summer

This summer, I have been serving as the Hispanic Ministry Intern for Maumee Watershed District. As part of my internship, I have written several articles about the different Hispanic ministries that I have been working with this summer. These articles have appeared in the district E-Newsletter, but I thought I would post some of them here for those of you who are curious about what I have been up to this summer!

Today I’d like to share an article that appeared in the daily newsletter of the West Ohio School of Christian Mission. It gives some background about how I got involved in Hispanic ministry and what I am doing as I serve as Maumee Watershed’s Hispanic Ministry Intern this summer:

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Growing up in rural Northwest Ohio, Katie began building relationships with the Hispanic community early in life. Her first experience in Hispanic ministry came at age 12, when she volunteered for six weeks during the summer at a school for the children of migrant workers. As Katie spent the next four summers volunteering at the school, God planted the seeds of her calling to Hispanic ministry and the ministry of teaching. In high school, she began taking Spanish classes at her high school during the week and at a nearby college on the weekends.

With a growing love for the Spanish language and the Mexican culture, Katie traveled to Piedras Negras, Mexico on her first mission trip at age 17. She served at the Casa de Misericordia United Methodist Orphanage, a ministry of the Oriental Conference, a partner conference of West Ohio. Katie has returned to Piedras Negras twice since her initial trip, and these experiences have fueled her passion for Hispanic ministry in Mexico, the United States, and beyond.

Now a junior Biblical Studies major at Bluffton University, Katie is serving this summer as the Hispanic Ministry Intern for the Maumee Watershed District. The internship is an opportunity for her to immerse herself in the diverse and exciting Hispanic ministries of the Maumee Watershed District. Katie travels across the district, visiting and supporting the six Hispanic ministry sites in Maumee Watershed. In any given week, her travels take her to ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, mobile health clinics at migrant camps, bilingual prayer and worship services, and various churches to discuss Hispanic ministry.

Katie is grateful for the opportunity to continue her journey of discernment this summer as she serves alongside the people of Maumee Watershed and West Ohio, meeting the needs of the Hispanic community and sharing the love of Christ. And Katie hopes to serve alongside the people of West Ohio Conference far beyond this summer, as she follows God’s call and begins candidacy for ordination as a deacon.

party like a Mennonite

Tomorrow I head to the national convention of Mennonite Church USA! I will spend my 4th of July in mediation training, and will serve as an on-call mediator for the rest of the week during the convention. This opportunity is part of my mediation certification through Bluffton, and it could not be a more perfect opportunity for me! Much of my motivation for being certified in mediation has grown out of experiences of church conflict. As I have studied mediation and peacebuilding at Bluffton, I have focused on church conflict transformation in many papers and projects; this week, I will have the chance to put the theory I have learned into practice, which will in turn shape my theory as I move forward. This week continues the cycle of action and reflection that has come to shape my life as I learn to live peace, little by little, day by day.

In addition to serving as a mediator, I will get to take advantage of all that Menno Convention has to offer—worship, speakers, seminars, concerts, times of open dialogue, and all the inner workings of Mennonite Church USA. I am especially eager to get a glimpse into the “political” life of a denomination besides the UMC. I have great respect for MCUSA, so I come to Pittsburgh with much curiosity and many questions—does a peace commitment have any bearing on church politics? Does a commitment to nonviolence create space for dialogue? Or are these values forgotten or abandoned in the midst of controversy? Is this body of believers called MCUSA walking (even crawling, limping) the talk, earnestly striving to embody the radical theology they teach? I think all of my questions can be summed up like this: is the grass any greener on the other side?

Maybe. Or maybe not. Ask me in a week or so.

Till then, I’ll be in Pittsburgh—partying like a Mennonite!

vocational discernment: the journey continues

Last semester, I had the opportunity to take a course called Peacemaking Seminar as a directed study. One of the objectives of the course was vocational discernment, particularly around my call and identity as a peacebuilder. Not only did I get to spend the semester deeply engaged in questions of discernment and identity, I got to do so alongside one of my professors whose life has been an example for me of what it means to live peace. I was required to keep a journal for the semester, part of which included weekly vocational reflections (my journal from Peacemaking Seminar can be found here). This little journaling project taught me two important lessons about vocational discernment (and about life, but I will stick with the topic at hand):

1. Intentionality is everything.
To look back on my vocational reflections from spring semester is to look back on a collection of experiences of which I could have easily missed the significance. For me, the requirement to reflect weekly on identity and vocation was an invitation to live life ever open to God’s leading. Last semester was an incredible time of discernment precisely because it was an intentional time of discernment.

2. Significance lies in the small things.
Reflecting every week on vocational discernment forced me to find the significance in everyday experiences. Some weeks, there were obvious times of discernment, such as my spring break spent visiting seminaries. However, some weeks were filled with classes and not much else. Such is the life of a college student, but I learned to find significance in the small things. I reflected on lectures, on readings from various classes, and from conversations with friends and professors. Looking back, those experiences are the ones that add texture to the broad strokes of discernment that paint the picture of my life.

Moving forward, I am no longer required to reflect on identity, vocation, or anything else for that matter! However, Peacemaking Seminar was never about a grade or an assignment; it was about who I am and who I am becoming. That work is not over, nor will it ever be. I hope to use this blog to continue the journey of discernment, a journey I believe cannot be walked alone. I hope you will join me!

reflections on “The Spirit of the Disciplines” ch. 1-3

This week as I have read from The Spirit of the Disciplines, I have found myself laying a foundation for my understanding of the spiritual disciplines. In chapter one, Willard explains that the secret of the “easy yoke” is passionately living one’s faith in one’s WHOLE life, not just in parts (10). To expand on this principle, Willard explained that the goal of spiritual disciplines and spirituality in general is to become so much like Christ that Christ-like actions and decisions come naturally to us (9). I was struck by this concept: “True Christlikeness comes at the point where it is hard not to respond as [Christ] would” (8). Here, Willard is basically saying that the point of following Christ is not to arrive at a point in our lives where acting like Christ is a viable option; the point of following Christ is to arrive at a point in our lives where acting like Christ is the only option. This radical view of discipleship has caused me to ask different questions about where I am on my faith journey. Instead of asking if I am willing and ready to follow Christ, this view forces me to ask if I am willing and ready to do anything BUT follow Christ. If there are still other options besides Christ’s way in my life, I have missed the point of following Christ in the first place.

In the second chapter of The Spirit of the Disciplines, Willard stressed the importance of intentional, planned discipleship with the goal of transformation. One point that seemed especially harsh, yet true, was that claiming to follow Christ but doing so without a plan is no better than intentionally planning not to follow Christ (9). This is true in our personal lives, but it is also true in our life together in Christian community. Willard stressed the importance of being intentional about the spiritual disciplines both in our personal lives and in our churches. If our churches do not have set plans for discipleship, complete with means to measure the success or failure of these efforts, Willard says that we have failed to embody the second half of the Great Commission (15). Furthermore, Willard says that if faithful, regular attendees of our churches are not transformed by the ministry, we have failed these individuals (18). Unfortunately, by these measures, many of our churches today are failing. In my personal context, this language of transformation caught my eye, as “transformation” is part of the mission statement of the United Methodist Church. Our mission statement is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” It seems to me that perhaps my church’s mission statement is missing the second half of the Great Commission, or as Willard might say, perhaps we are making the “great omission” (15). We strive to make disciples for the purpose of transforming the world, but Willard stresses the importance of also transforming the disciples and “teaching them to obey everything that [Christ has] commanded [us]” (Matthew 28.20 NRSV). I would argue that the United Methodist Church is not failing to do this all together, but it is interesting to think about why we chose to emphasize the transformation of the world while omitting the transformation of the people in our congregations. Perhaps it is assumed…one can hope!

In the third chapter, Willard discussed salvation as a life and not simply as forgiveness of sins (33). This topic is one that is rather familiar to me, as this summer I read the book Shalom: The Bible’s Word for Salvation, Justice, and Peace by Perry Yoder. This book discussed in detail the biblical understanding of the word “shalom,” and in exploring this concept focused extensively on the concept of salvation as a physical, material, social, and political reality. Willard also noted this concept, emphasizing that salvation in Scripture is understood to be the “translation” into God’s Kingdom, here and now (40). He described life in God’s present Kingdom as “[living] in a different world” (37). One of the words that Yoder used in Shalom to describe this change from the world to God’s Kingdom was “transfer.” This word really resonated with me, as I have experienced a “transfer” in my life when I left ONU to come to Bluffton. For me, the word “transfer” brings up memories of a time of abrupt, radical change in my life not only from one school to another, but from one world to another. The atmosphere, the philosophy of education, the values, the faculty, the expectations…absolutely everything imaginable turned out to be completely different at Bluffton. My head was spinning for my first few weeks on campus, and it took me about half the semester to adjust to this new way of life and education. As I reflect on the idea of salvation as a “transfer” into God’s Kingdom, these memories and experiences that I associate with the word “transfer” inform my understanding of salvation. Just as transferring to Bluffton was a life-changing adventure for me, so salvation is the life-altering “transfer” into God’s Kingdom, here and now.

musings of a united methodist young adult: part one

I’m a rare breed: a 19 year old active member of the United Methodist Church. The membership statistics of the UMC are alarming: nearly 50% of our members are over 60 years old, while only 5% are in the age bracket of 18-24. I’m a member of the coveted “young adult” age group. The church can’t seem to figure out what to do with me, but they know they can't do without me, so they attempt to figure me out. Research is done and articles are written about me. I’m studied, discussed, and charted. But I have to be honest: sometimes it feels like my church is more concerned with keeping me where I am than knowing who I am. By relying on statistics to decode the mystery of young adults, the UMC has overlooked its greatest resource…young adults.

I've read countless articles about how to get young adults into the UMC and how to keep us here. But very rarely have I been engaged in discussion about this issue by members and leaders of my church. Some of the articles have been excellent, others not so much. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how inspiring or accurate an article is…a great article is no substitute for a human being. If you want to understand the needs of young adults in the church, get to know the young adults in your local church. If there aren't any young adults in your local church (or even if there are!), get to know young adults across the connection! We are living, breathing resources. The ministry of the United Methodist Church has infused our lives with the grace of God and shaped our faith journey every step of the way. Ask us about the role the church has played in our lives and the role we hope it will play in the future. Ask us about the vision that God has given us for the future of this great church. Ask us what we love this church for, and what we love this church in spite of. Ask us to explain our worship preferences, and ask us what we think we’ll be singing in 20 years. Ask us what the sacraments mean to us, and ask us how scripture has guided the course of our lives. Ask us what it means to be United Methodist, and ask us what questions we have about our tradition. Ask us who God is and who God says we are. Ask us anything.

We are more than a statistic.

We are an untapped resource.

We have been placed in the United Methodist Church for such a time as this.

Use us.

Pray peace. Make peace. Live peace.

Katie :)

and we are yet alive.

This year’s Annual Conference was an extremely controversial one. If you haven’t heard the details, feel free to check out this article. I am intentionally writing about something other than the details and my opinions on the issue; the details have been rehashed a million times, and my opinions don’t matter nearly as much as the faith I share with the other 200,000+ United Methodists in this conference.So I’d like to write a little bit about that sharing part.

Division makes for pretty exciting news. So does controversy. So it isn't surprising that most of the blog entries and articles have highlighted the controversial, divisive aspects of what happened at Lakeside this year. But my experience that day was not limited to division and controversy. In fact, I left that afternoon with a much different word in mind…

Unity.

After the debate was finished, the votes were cast, and the results were announced, we sang the hymn “And Are We Yet Alive?” As we sang that hymn, from the front to the back of the auditorium, our conference joined hands and worshiped God together. It was the most spontaneous and beautiful act of worship I experienced all week. That moment could have been filled with many things: winners and losers, victory and defeat, us and them…but instead that moment was filled with God.

Just God.

Not our opinions. Not our disagreements. Not our politics.

God.

And for just a moment, God really, REALLY reigned in our conference.

Now, I’d be lying if I gave the impression that our conference is now enjoying a season of blissful unity. It's actually quite the opposite. This decision has caused and will continue to cause great controversy. We have a long road ahead of us, but let’s not forget that we’re in this together. We are not defined by what separates us, rather we are defined by what binds us together.

Call me crazy and naive, but I know that as we move forward, we are capable of living out God’s command to be one in Christ. I know because that day as we joined hands and worshiped God together, I saw a glimpse of God’s vision- for our conference and for the world. I saw a people whose love of God is greater than their disagreements and even dislikes of one another. I saw a church divided on an issue, yet united in worship of a God who transcends every wall we have built and every wall we could ever build.

As we journey together, let’s remember all that we share…

"I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all."
-Ephesians 4.1-6

In Christ, we are yet alive.

Katie :)

rock, paper, scissors, call.

Some of you who have been part of my faith journey in the past year know that since last Annual Conference, I answered a call to ordained ministry as a deacon in the UMC. For a few years I had known that I was called to spend my life in this church, but answering a call to ordained ministry was a huge step for me. As you can see, my life this year has been full of United Methodist warm fuzzies. But this year, I also fell in love with some Mennonites whose faith has challenged me deeply and shaped who I am becoming. Some people in my life are worried that I will end up being Mennonite, and others have promised they’ll still be my friend if I do. So what's up with this Mennonite stuff? I’d be lying if I said I’ve never entertained the idea of being a Mennonite. Do I think I’m called to ministry in the Mennonite Church? Not for a second. But does it sound like fun? Heck yes it does!

Going into Annual Conference this year, I was very aware of these dynamics. Before Annual Conference, I prayed that God would use Annual Conference to reignite my fire for the UMC. This doesn’t sound too bad, but if I’m being honest, what I really wanted was for God to make being a Mennonite seem like no fun at all and being a United Methodist seem like all the fun in the world. After all, that would make my life a whole lot easier. So, fast forward to the end of Annual Conference. As I looked back on the week, I felt like something was missing. I had enjoyed myself all week, but somehow I felt disappointed. I spent some time chatting with God about this, and I quickly realized that God didn't give me what I wanted at Annual Conference. Instead, God gave me what I needed.

God did confirm my call to ministry in the United Methodist Church. But instead of confirming my call with my desires, God confirmed my call in spite of my desires. God whispered gently, “You are called. Here. Don’t listen to your experiences or your desires. Only listen to me. Know who I am. Hear who I say you are. Let me teach you to see your church as I do- not as it is, but as it can be.” God didn’t answer my prayer the way I would’ve liked. But God answered my prayer in the way I needed. One might say that I’m stuck in the United Methodist Church, but I prefer to use the word “called” instead of “stuck.” (after all, isn't being called just a more holy, beautiful, fun version of being stuck?)  In one conversation this week, a pastor encouraged me by saying, “You’ll ask yourself for a while if you really want to be United Methodist, but you’ll eventually realize it’s who you are.” In the core of my being, I know that who I am and who I am called to be is United Methodist. Sometimes, I still ask myself if that's who I want to be. But the good news is that when call and want collide, there is always a clear winner.

It’s kind of like rock, paper, scissors.

Call > want.

Always.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” –Isaiah 55.8-9

Pray Peace. Make Peace. Live Peace.

Katie :)

annual conference!

I spent the past week in Lakeside, Ohio at West Ohio Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This was my 20th year at Annual Conference and my 4th year serving as an at-large delegate representing my district. Kudos if you’re not UM and you’ve made it this far! In non-Methodist speak, I spent the past week with about 3,000 other United Methodists from churches in West Ohio worshiping together, debating and voting on legislation and nominations, hearing reports about the ministry and business happening in West Ohio and around the world, and generally having a spectacular time. It’s always such a great week of fun and fellowship…every year I look forward to reconnecting with my favorite United Methodists and meeting lots of new ones!

Every year I’ve been a delegate, Annual Conference has been significant week in my life. This year was no exception. Quite honestly, this year’s Annual Conference was nothing like I had expected or hoped. But it turned out to be a week filled with the Spirit of God and incredible fellowship with lots of people I love! I have so many reflections on different moments and experiences throughout the week, some theological, some personal, and some just plain fun. Throughout the next few days, I’ll be posting some of those reflections. Stay tuned! :)

Pray Peace. Make Peace. Live Peace.

Katie :)

bienvenidos! :)

Hey everyone! :)

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to find myself in Dallas, TX at an event called Exploration! Exploration is a national event of the United Methodist Church for young adults who are exploring a call to ordained ministry in the UMC. It was an incredible time of seeking, listening, and discerning my call to ministry alongside more than 500 other young adults who are considering ordained ministry in the UMC. We were also joined by many of the current leaders in the denomination and representatives from all 13 of the United Methodist seminaries! It was an amazing opportunity to make connections and explore opportunities for ministry in the UMC.

Throughout the weekend, there were worship services, small group sessions, workshops, and a seminary fair. There were four words that summed up the goal of the weekend: "Hear. Discern. Respond. Go!" Each worship service focused on one of these words, and following worship we shared our dreams, ideas, concerns, and questions in our small groups. We each selected three workshop sessions to attend, and my workshops were: "How do I know I'm called?", "What does it mean to be a deacon?", and "Cross-Cultural Ministry." One of my favorite parts of the weekend was being able to talk with representatives from all 13 of the United Methodist seminaries. Going from table to table and meeting students & admissions representatives from each of our seminaries painted a whole new picture of what a seminary education can offer me. Exploration was by far the most awesome, informational, overwhelming, hope-filled weekend of my life! I have a million stories I would love to share, but you'll have to wait for those until the next time we meet face to face! :)

So...why am I telling you all this? Because while I was in Dallas, I did more than just explore. I committed. Exploration was the first step in my journey toward ordained ministry as a deacon in the United Methodist Church. Each day is the next step. This blog is your invitation to join me on this journey. Who's in?! :)