Introducing U.P. (Unleashing Potential)

 “The seed that fell on good soil are those who hear the word and commit themselves to it with a good and upright heart. Through their resolve, they bear fruit.” (Luke 8:15)

NOTE: The following is the content of a communication shared with our congregation about our stewardship journey during the month of October 2020…

While 2020 has certainly been an unprecedented year for everyone, due to the continued support and generosity of people like you, our church is in good overall financial shape, tracking very closely to our original annual financial goals. We know that we’ll continue to have challenges to manage, but our staff and lay leadership are up to these, and we are excited about the future that God has in store for us as we move into 2021! To prepare for this future, we wanted to share with you our plans for this year’s October stewardship journey.

While many people think of stewardship as a way to plan a financial budget for the coming year, it actually involves much more than this because it also includes forms of participation such as prayer,  small group participation, worship attendance (in person and/or virtual), financial giving, service/missions/outreach, sharing our faith, and others.  You may recognize these as our United Methodist vows.  This year’s journey will be called “U.P. – Unleashing Potential”, and through it we’ll all be invited to unleash our potential for God by being good stewards of these and other forms of participation.

So, how will this year be different? Traditionally, we ask every member/family to fill out and turn in a commitment card, used to help formulate a church budget for the coming calendar year.  Due to this year’s unique context and challenges, however, we do not feel this to be appropriate for our preparation for 2021.  Instead, we are inviting you to sit down with your family and discuss your financial commitment to God for next year through McKendree UMC.  Then, print an U.P. commitment card (find and download it HERE) in one of two ways as a personal tool/reminder of that commitment:

            ● You can keep it at home with you as a personal reminder of your promised commitment.

            ● Alternately, if you would like for us to confidentially help hold you accountable for your commitment by including it on your contribution statement, you can still turn it in to the church office.

Regardless of your choice, our staff and finance leaders will use their knowledge and understanding of our church’s current giving patterns to put together a responsible 2021 budget for our church.

In addition to how you choose to use your personal commitment card, we also want to invite you to do one of two things related to your actual financial generosity:

            ● Please continue to give faithfully to the work of God through McKendree UMC through one of the many ways we have (online, text-to-give, bank bill-pay, mailed check, or dropped in our secure church mailbox outside the Fellowship Hall).

            ● If you are able to increase your annual giving to help offset the giving of those who’ve been negatively impacted by this crisis, we invite and encourage you to do that, as well.

If you’ve experienced financial challenges this year, we understand if you feel that you are needing to cut back your financial giving next year.  However, you can still give in other ways:  through your prayers; your “presence” (online or in-person); your service to others; and through how you share your faith with others.  If this is your situation, know that we love you as part of our family, and want to do everything we can to support you (If you have needs, please contact Pastors Brian or Paula to confidentially discuss how we can help you during this time).

Regardless of your situation or circumstance, remember that stewardship is about more than just money.  It’s about unleashing our potential (U.P.) for God through the various ways we participate in the work and ministry of our lives in and through God’s church.  While this is certainly a challenging time in history, we are convinced that God has blessed McKendree UMC, and that – with your support – we’ll continue to have an important and vital role to play in sharing Christ and His love with our community and world. 

Will you continue to be part of that work?

A Discernible Wobble

 “In  the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

A few years ago, the pastor of my home church shared an article in their newsletter that want to pass on to you today:

            “I read a while back the excited announcement of a group of astronomers who had discovered 10 more planets circling neighboring stars, the closest of which is 10.5 light-years from earth. That's a long way but probably still close enough to interest some of our more ambitious real estate developers.

            The astronomers couldn’t yet tell us whether any of the newly discovered planets might sustain life. In fact, aside from their existence, not much can be said about the planets at all. You see, no one has actually seen them. So, you might reasonably ask, if we can't see them, how do we know they exist?

            It works like this: The gravitational pull of the planets causes the parent stars to wobble back and forth. That wobble, in turn, causes a slight wobble in the wavelength of light coming from the stars. And that wavelength of light is indeed measurable from here on earth. And so, from a wobbling light, scientists can reason their way back to the presence of a planet.

            Makes sense to me; not that I know anything about astronomy, but I do understand the logic. It is, after all, central to our Christian theology. Call it “Wobblology,” if you will.  We talk about it all the time in the church.

            It works like this: If you follow the movement of Christians in the universe, you should discern a certain wobble - an alteration of course that implies the presence of another force. That wobble might be a word of grace here or an act of compassion there or a stranger welcomed as friend or some unmerited kindness in an unlikely place that sets the Christian apart from the rest of humanity. "There, do you see?" I can imagine some objective scientist noting. "There is definitely something different about the movement of those Christians and the light they emit." Reason your way back and you will discover the cause - the presence of Christ and the gravitational pull of his love.

            In the end, there is no greater evidence for the existence of a divine love than the people who dwell in that love and no greater evidence for a Savior than the people who have been saved. So, wobble on, and in your wobbling bear witness to the Christ whose love changes everything.”

            (--Thanks to Rev. Mark Westmorland, former Senior Pastor of Fayetteville First UMC, Fayetteville, GA for his

               words from that church's newsletter)

Wow!  What a great reminder of the power of our influence on others!  I pray that as you live out your faith in your home, your workplace, your school, at the grocery store, online, on social media, and even on vacation, you'll have a “discernible wobble” about you that points others towards the reality and power of Christ!  Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

My Racial Autobiography

 “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” (Luke 12:48)

This past summer, our church began a task force to explore what we can do as God’s people to begin addressing racial injustice and inequality both in our community and world.  The first fruit of this effort is something we’re calling “The Story Project” – a forum for members and others to be able to share and listen to the personal stories, experiences and testimonies of each other regarding race.  You can read all the stories HERE.  However, as part of my blog for this week, I wanted to share my own racial autobiography that will be included in “The Story Project” initiative:

“Growing up in the 1970s multi-racial community of East Point, GA (near the Atlanta airport), racial discrimination, inequity, and injustice just weren't on my radar, much less concepts like “white privilege” or implicit bias.  After all, some of my best friends and playmates in school were African-American (one of whom is now Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court!), so consequently I thought of myself and my family as very open in terms of race relations.  And by the standards of the day, perhaps we were.

What I failed to recognize or understand at the time, however, is how the experience and life of most of my African-American schoolmates was very different from my own (and not always in  good ways), and how – despite my desire to be “color blind” (which I mistakenly then thought was a good thing) – I lived a very insulated and privileged life.  Growing up, I rarely wanted for anything material, never witnessed crime or violence immediately around me, never experienced discrimination because of the color of my skin, and my parents were never pulled over on the road for that reason, either.  All the people I remember my family socializing with were White, as was my church and my neighborhood.  Yes, I occasionally had my African-American friends over to my house play, but afterward, we went back to our own separate existences. 

Throughout my childhood, youth, days of college, and even my early years of ministry, I continued to have African-American friends, and considered myself (I thought) a champion for racial equality and justice.  Yet, in one of my later church appointments as Pastor of a nearly all-White church, I found myself surprisingly ostracized by many members for even suggesting that we as a church needed to look hard at our role over history in supporting (perhaps unintentionally) the inequities of that community. 

The good news was that, despite these challenges, with excellent leadership from our civic and religious leaders like our Mayor, Police Chief and Sheriff, Pastor-colleagues, and others, over several years that community made significant strides towards acknowledging its racist past and embracing a new inclusivity upon which to build a better future (more about this in a future story).

Through this experience, I came to realize that racism – which I thought had died back in the 1960s, and to which I had been oblivious in the 1970s and 80s – was alive and well in many subtle ways, and had instead merely gone underground, awaiting a new crisis to expose it once again (as the events of this past year have shown true).  I also learned that ALL people (including myself) are “privileged” in some way – racially, economically, socially, politically, materially – because ALL of us live life better than some others at least to some degree or another.  The question is not whether or not we are privileged, but what do we DO with that privilege?   Do we use it to help bring about a better world? Or do we use it to justify our denial about the differences and inequities of our world?  

In the Bible, Moses, Samuel, King David, the Centurion whose servant was healed by Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Gamaliel, Paul, and many others were all people of “privilege.” But they used their privilege to make a difference for the kingdom of God.  My prayer is that I would be able to do the same in my life.”

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Parable of the Lobster

“God is our refuge and strength.... Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change....” (Psalm 46:1-2)

As we continue to navigate the challenges of our health crisis, each of us is experiencing many changes.  Changes in the way we live, work, worship, interact with others, and other things. Even as we begin to venture more out into the world again, it’s likely that life will not return to “normal” anytime in the near future, if at all!

All of this highlights the fact that CHANGE is something we are all very uncomfortable with.  And yet, change is a natural part of life, and can be something that helps us experience the “new things” that God wants to teach and show us.  Highlighting this, the following modern day parable comes from Rev. Carolyn Wittwer of the New York Annual Conference by way of Rev. Doug Smith, former Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Morristown, Tennessee:

[NOTE: this parable was shared at the beginning of my sermon during online worship several weeks ago. If you missed it, click HERE to watch)]

“Long ago, when the world was very new... there was a certain lobster who determined that the Creator had made a mistake.  So he set up an appointment to discuss the matter.  “With all due respect,” said the lobster, “I wish to complain about the way you designed my shell.  You see, I just get used to one outer casing, when I’ve got to shed it for another; very inconvenient and rather a waste of time.”  To which the Creator replied, “I see.  But do you realize that it is the giving up of one shell that allows you to grow into another?”

“But I like myself just the way I am,” the lobster said.  “Your mind’s made up?” the Creator said.  “Indeed!” the lobster stated firmly. “Very well,” smiled the Creator.  “From now on, your shell will not change... and you may go about your business just as you are right now.”  “That’s very kind of you,” said the lobster, and left.

At first, the lobster was very content with wearing the same old shell.  But as time passed, he found that his once light and comfortable shell was becoming quite heavy and tight.  After a while, in fact, the shell became so cumbersome that the lobster couldn’t feel anything at all outside himself.  As a result, he was constantly bumping into others. Finally, it got to the point where he could hardly breathe.  So with great effort, he went back to see the Creator.

“With all due respect,” the lobster sighed, “contrary to what you promised, my shell has not remained the same.  It keeps shrinking!”  “Not at all,” smiled the Creator.  “Your shell may have gotten a little thicker with age, but it has remained the same size.  What’s happened is that you have changed inside, beneath your shell.” The Creator continued: “You see, everything changes... continuously.  No one remains the same.  That’s the way I’ve designed things.  And the wisest choice is to shed your old shell as you grow.”  “I see,” said the lobster, “but you must admit it is occasionally inconvenient and a bit uncomfortable.”

“Yes,” said the Creator, “but remember, all growth carries with it both the possibility of discomfort... and the potential for great joy as you discover new parts of yourself.  After all, you can’t have one without the other.” “That’s very sensible,” said the lobster. 

“If you’d like,” offered the Creator, “I’ll tell you something more.” “Please do!” encouraged the lobster.  “When you let go of your shell and choose to grow,” said the Creator, “you build new strength within yourself and in that strength you’ll find new capacity to love yourself... to love those around you... and to love life itself.  That is my plan for each of you.”

During this time of challenge and change, how is God calling you to stretch… in your life?  in your faith?  What new thing(s) is He challenging you with through it all?  In what ways is God calling you and our church to be more than you/we have been?  Whatever transformation challenge you and I are facing, my hope and prayer is that even though change is often difficult and uncomfortable, we will all welcome it as a tool from God to help us become who He wants us to be.  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Never Give Up!

“Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before:  “Good things come to those who wait.” This is certainly true.  However, “waiting” does not necessarily mean that we are (or need to be) passive or inactive during our time of waiting.  That’s why “active waiting” is just another way to describe the concept of perseverance, and it’s something that truly makes a difference when we practice it.

Perhaps you know the true story of the man who lost his job in 1832.  In that same year, he ran and was defeated for State legislature, as well.  His business failed a year later (in 1833), and was finally elected to the State legislature in 1834.  His sweetheart died in1835, and he suffered a nervous breakdown in 1836.  He was defeated for Speaker of his State House in 1838, defeated for nomination for U.S. Congress in 1843, and then elected to Congress in 1846.  He lost his re-nomination for Congress in 1848, was rejected for Land Officer in 1849, defeated for U.S. Senate in 1854, and defeated for nomination for Vice President in 1856.  He was again defeated for the Senate in 1858.  But in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected 16^th President of the United States.  Now that’s perseverance!

The scripture above reminds us that no matter what challenge, difficulty, obstacle, or negative mindset we face, perseverance will usually enable us to achieve what we set out to do.  This is especially true when we trust in God to see us through -- “God plus me make a majority,” I’ve also heard it said.

So, what seemingly insurmountable challenge are you facing in your individual, family, or church life that needs perseverance?  Is it all the challenges, obstacles, and frustrations of our current health crisis?   Is it the loss of your job?  Challenges in your family or marriage?  A medical or health issue that you or someone you love are facing?  If you ask, God will give you the strength and resources to persevere if you will but trust in Him.  We need only to have perseverance to see the victory of God in and through whatever it is! So, hang in there, and always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Be Still, My Soul

 “’Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge’ Selah” (Psalm 46:10-11)

We are all living in a time and season of extreme, rapid, and radical change – change in our world to the way we live, eat out, do sports, and even in how we worship and do church.  And while changes such as these usually are uncomfortable, awkward, and unwelcome, they nevertheless need not be things to fear. Instead, as I’ve heard it before, God uses the changes we experience in life to prepare us for a “new normal.”

In 1899, Jean Sibelius read the lyrics of a poem by Katharina von Schlegel from a century earlier and was led to set them to a famous tune that ended up creating one of the most enduring Christian hymns – one that we still sing today:

“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to thy God to order and provide;

in every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

to guide the future as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice, who ruled them while He dwelt below.

 

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,

and all is darkened in the veil of tears,

then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay

from His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.”

[--Words by Katharina von Schlegel (1752), Tune “Finlandia” by Jean Sibelius   (1899), found in The United Methodist Hymnal #534]

May you and your soul “be still” and know that God is with you (and all of us) through all the changes occurring all around us, and that – as the hymn says -- “in every change He faithful will remain!” Whatever change or transition you are facing today, trust that God is with you!  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

A New Church In the Works

“Behold, I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19)

Several weeks ago in my blog I described the concept of a new of Church – one that that is at least as focused out where people are scattered (i.e., digitally SENT) as one that focuses on having people come to us (i.e., physically GATHERED).  If you missed that article, you can read it HERE.  While we at McKendree UMC have in our history done a better job than many churches in balancing these two biblical realities, today’s health crisis has highlighted – or should I say, forced – us to be even more intentional about this balance.

So, with that in mind, your staff and lay leadership has been hard at work creating a “new” kind of church for our current “scattered” context.  Some of these initiatives are totally new, while others take existing ministries and “retool” them for our current situation.  Consequently, we not only want you to be aware of them, but also to invite your friends and neighbors to be part of them, where appropriate:

1) All-Congregation Check-In: A team of caring volunteers and staff will be contacting all active families of our congregation over the next month or so to see how they are doing, if they need anything, and see how we can pray for them.  While Pastor Ryan and I made close to 150 similar phone calls to various segments of our congregation during April-May, the availability of a wonderful and dedicated group of caring volunteers will now enable us to check in with our whole active congregation.

2) Digital Learning Ministry (DLD Solutions) for Children of Working Parents: In light of Gwinnett County Schools’ recent decision to go “all digital” to begin the new school year, we are in the process of creating a new ministry called "DLD (Digital Learning Day) Solutions" to provide a safe, supervised space for digital learning for Elementary students whose parents work during the day.  Be on the lookout for more information about this very soon.

3) Racial Reconciliation Team Update:  This recently-formed team has met twice to pray about and brainstorm about the best way for our church to address the challenging issues of racism and racial injustice in our community and world.  Consequently, while our work will eventually include a partnership with other churches, they have felt led that their first initiative will be the creation of an emotionally safe space to share our members' “race stories.”  Look for more information soon about how you can be part of this initiative.

4) Online Worship Enhancements: Since we’ll probably not be reintroducing in-person worship again for a while, look for upcoming improvements and enhancements to our online worship experiences, including more interactive elements, new virtual fellowship opportunities (made possible by moving online worship availability back to Sunday morning), and the possible addition of Facebook to the digital platforms where online worship will be available.

5)  Additional Online Worship Reminder:  look for an additional fun video and/or post in your in-box or Facebook page near each weekend reminding you about the focus of that weekend’s upcoming online worship services.

6) Weekly “Got A Minute? Videos”:  Also look for a new, creative, 1-minute mid-week inspirational video from our pastors and staff designed to help you make it through the week.  These will be shared via our church Facebook page, as well as being sent out to our weekly eBlast distribution list.

7) "In the Word" Scripture Posts: Featuring regular short scripture posts in your Facebook and Instagram feeds to inspire and give hope. 

 8) P.P.V. (Pastor's Porch Visits): In this time of social distancing, many of our church’s members and friends have not been able to have company in their home due to health concerns. That’s why Pastor Brian is introducing P.P.V. (Pastor’s Porch Visits) – a medically safe way for you to visit with your pastor(s) at your home.  If you’re interested in a visit, contact the church office and we'll make an appointment for him to bring his own lawn chair to set up to visit with you on your front porch, front lawn, driveway, or another outside space of your choice at the appointed time.  All visits will include him observing proper social distancing and the wearing of a mask/face shield.  He can also bring individual Holy Communion, Upper Room devotional booklets, and Pastor Paula (beginning in September), as requested. 

9) Sermon by Phone: a new way for those who are technologically-challenged to be able to join in for “worship.” Each week, people can call a dedicated local phone number to listen to a portion of each week’s Sunday worship service (the scripture, sermon, ending song, benediction, and “Old Irish Blessing”).  There’s no need for an ID number or password.  They simply dial the number from any phone and listen.

10) McKendree Parents QUARAN-TEAM: a new private Facebook group providing a safe place for parents to share spiritual and emotional encouragement and support during these challenging times.  Click HERE to request to join.

11) McKendree Online Webpage:  a new page on our church website that will list all of our church’s currently available online opportunities in one, easy-to-find location HERE.

As you can see, your church is hard at work to provide you and those around you with the emotional and spiritual tools you’ll need not just to survive, but to thrive through our continued healthcare crisis.  This list is by no means complete – there are other ideas that we are kicking around but have not yet been fully developed.  And you may have further suggestions or ideas to help with any of these opportunities (or new ones) that will help us “be the church” not just for you, but for our entire community.  If so, please contact me HERE.

In the meantime, know that God loves you and I do, too as we seek to be “People. Doing (virtual) life together. Connecting all through Christ”!

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

          

             “A mighty fortress is our God,

                        A bulwark never failing;

            Our helper he amid the flood

                        Of mortal ills prevaling. 

            For still our ancient foe doth 

                        seek to work us woe;

            His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,

                        On earth is not his equal.

            Did we in our own strength confide,

                        our striving would be losing,

            Were not the right man on our side,

                        the man of God's own choosing.

            Dost ask who that may be?  Christ Jesus, it is he;

            Lord Sabbaoth, his name, from age to age the same,

                        And he must win the battle.

            And though this world, with devils filled,

                        should threaten to undo us,

            We will not fear, for God hath willed

                        his truth to triumph through us. 

            The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

            His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;

                        One little word shall fell him.

            That word above all earthly powers,

                        No thanks to them, abideth;

            The Spirit and the gifts are ours,

                        thru him who with us sideth. 

            Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;

            The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still;

                        HHis kingdom is forever.”

                   [--Martin Luther (1529), from The United Methodist Hymnal, #110] 

Though the words are old, they are as timeless as ever: God, and God alone, is the only source of true security and strength that will not let us down in life.  

So, in the midst of our global health crisis -- with all of its unknown consequences for our schools, businesses, churches, and life, in general -- what (more importantly, in WHOM) are you placing your ultimate trust?  Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

GATHERED or SENT? What Is The Church?

“Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25) 

“Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15) 

As were many of you, I was disappointed last week when we had to make the difficult decision to suspend in-person worship and events in our buildings once again in light of the continued high incidents of virus in our community. While I have no doubt that it was the right thing for us to do, it was frustrating, nevertheless. Yet, as we prayerfully discern how best to again re-open our facilities, it has caused me to do some heavy thinking, praying, and studying about what it really means to be God’s church.

Many of us grew up learning a children’s song that goes like this: “The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people. I am the church. You are the church. We are the church together. All of God’s people, all around the world; yes, we’re the church together!” (#558 in the UM Hymnal). While I know that most of us intellectually know these words to be true, when we think about “church,” many of us nevertheless still tend to think of it in terms of the worship services, events, activities, and things that take place in and at our facilities. While that is certainly the meaning behind the Hebrews 10 passage above (“don’t neglect to meet together…”), at the same time there has always been a healthy tension in Christian faith and practice between the church being a GATHERED community of believers, and the “Great Commission” calling of Jesus in Mark 16 to be a community which is SENT into the world to share the good news.

Over the last 10-15 years, there has been a increased recognition of the need for the church to do and be the latter (a SENT community) – not necessarily that this takes the place of being a GATHERED community, but just that we have perhaps grown so complacent in our “gathered-ness” that we have failed to “go” or allow ourselves to be “sent” into the world.

Consequently, today’s health crisis has forced the truth of this reality even further – with our buildings and facilities effectively closed to being able to gather in person, we have had to not only re-think what “gathered” means, but to consider more ways to be the church in the communities and neighborhoods where we are “sent” and actually live. Does “meeting together” in heart and spirit for online worship, Bible study, and fellowship count as “gathering”? I think it does, but in a way we’ve never had to consider before. And remember: the early church itself did not meet in its own buildings at all, but in homes and spaces where people lived. Isn’t that precisely what we’re seeing a return to today? Our buildings may currently be closed for a season, but we are not now (nor throughout this crisis have we ever been) “closed” as a CHURCH!

In many ways, at least until this past February, the church in America (including our church at McKendree) was a PHYSICAL church with a digital presence. But today’s crisis has forced us to prayerfully consider that the church of the future (indeed, even of today) must be a DIGITAL church with a physical presence. If that’s true, then perhaps “being the church” is not so much defined by “getting back” to in-person worship in our facilities, but is more defined (or at least is AS defined) by our work and presence in our communities and neighborhoods once again! Don’t hear me wrong – I want to come back for in-person worship as much as anyone. But at the end of the day, if we can’t do that right now (or even for a while), it doesn’t mean that we can’t still BE God’s church!

Instead, the two scriptures above remind me that “being the church” is about being both a GATHERED and a SENT community of faith – neither is more important than the other. But if, over time, one has predominated the other (as perhaps it has), then God may be using our situation today to bring this back into balance by helping relieve us (involuntarily) of the notion that “church” can’t exist without our buildings or our in-person worship services.

Again, I love the praise and spirit that’s present in our in-person worship services, and I love the fellowship and camaraderie that takes place when we are physically together in the same spaces. But in this season of virtual worship and virtual fellowship, perhaps our focus for now should be on recapturing the importance of being a SENT community – on how we can BE God’s church in the communities and neighborhoods where we live!

I don’t have all the answers to know exactly what all that looks like, but I trust that God will guide us to figure it out together, if we will but remain flexible, patient, and trust in the Holy Spirit constantly to remind us of what the church is truly about! Always know that God loves you and I do, too!

Dismantling Racism, One Wall At A Time

“You do well when you really fulfill the royal law found in scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself.  But when you show favoritism, you are committing a sin, and by that same law you are exposed as a lawbreaker. Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it.” (James 2:8-10)

Some of you may know that in the wake of the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, and related protests across our country, leaders of our United Methodist Church have recently launched a plan of action to encourage and equip church members and others to actively stand against racism.  If you haven’t already, you will begin to see billboards around major metro Atlanta trafficways highlighting “Dismantling Racism: Pressing on to Freedom,” a multi-level effort by our United Methodist Church to initiate a sustained and coordinated effort to dismantle racism and promote collective action to work toward racial justice (Read more about this initiative HERE).

While ending racism throughout our country and world is not a problem that any one of us can solve by ourselves, each of us can do our individual part – we can “tear down the wall” that’s directly in front of us (so to speak), one wall at a time.  And while our church alone can’t fix all the systemic issues that we are inherently part of, we can be more intentional about becoming aware of what those issues actually are, so that we can do better about not unintentionally buying into them or giving them power.

To that end, here are several things “in the works” here at McKendree UMC which are designed to help us both as individuals and as a church to “do our part” in dismantling racism and racial injustice by addressing one “wall” at a time:

● We are currently putting together a task force to prayerfully discern exactly what things we can do as a local church to address this systemic problem.  While we have several McKendree members who have already volunteered, if you would like to be part of the steering team for this (or even just an interested member), please email me HERE and I’ll let you know when we are ready to get started.

● Rev. Teddy Rollins (Senior Pastor of the predominantly African-American United Methodist Suwanee Worship Center on Brogdon Rd.) and I have begun meeting not only to get to know one another better, but also to prayerfully begin considering what our two churches might do together as ministry partners to address this issue in our local Gwinnett communities.  At this point, we don’t know exactly what form this partnership will take:  it might result in an occasional pulpit swap between the two of us in our respective churches; a joint Bible/topical study shared with both congregations; a joint mission project or activity; or something else that the task force I mentioned above may help us figure out.  But please be in prayer that our relationship together bears fruit which will help us as God’s people jointly to address this issue.

● We as a church will strive to be more intentional about showing more ethnic diversity on Sunday mornings and on online/streaming worship services.  While we at McKendree are in many ways already a more diverse congregation than some churches (approximately 30% of our active membership is non-white/Caucasian), for the past three months during our time of quarantine, our online services have unintentionally lacked that diversity.  For this we are truly sorry, and agree that we need to be more intentional about reflecting who we actually already ARE as a diverse congregation (as well as what we seek to become more of in the future).
           So, whoever you are and whatever your background, we would love to have you to help us lead a prayer, read a scripture, do a welcome, or something else (perhaps even in a second language!) for either one of our in-person or online worship services (or both).  If you are interested in helping us show who we really are, please contact Nada Long HERE.

● To help us as individuals become more aware of the power and unintentional control that “Implicit Bias” already has over most of us, I want to invite and encourage those who are interested and willing to exploring this topic to join me in taking a $20, “at-your-own-pace” short online course sponsored by the Commission on Race and Religion of our UMC called Implicit Bias: What We Don't Think We Think.  You can read about the course, what it offers, and sign up for it HERE. 

● (If you’re reading this before July 1^st), You’re invited to join fellow United Methodists around the world in a live, denominational online Town Hall meeting Dismantling Racism: Pressing On to Freedom on Wednesday, July 1^st at 12:00pm CST (1:00pm EST) HERE to look at the history of our nation and church regarding the issue of race, and how being more aware of the stark realities of our past can help us build a more Gospel-grounded future together for both our church, country and our broader world.

Of course, none of these things alone can solve the depth of pain and hurt in our society caused by racism, prejudice, implicit bias, and racial injustice.  But it’s my hope that as we seek to address them “one wall at a time,” we will be doing our part in the name of Jesus to take down the larger “Wall” of racism in our country and world, and to fully keep the Law of Love that James talks about in the opening scripture for this article.

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

WE, not I: A Plea from our NGA Bishop

“But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the part with less honor so that there won’t be division in the body and so the parts might have mutual concern for each other.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it.  You are the body of Christ and parts of each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:24-27, CEB)

As we approach the time on June 28 when we will re-open our facilities for Sunday morning worship, there are some important topics and concepts that I believe we as a church need not only to consider and be aware of, but to practice even more intentionally than before.  I talked about one of them in my previous blog article from last week titled “LOVE, not FEAR” (read it HERE if you haven’t yet). 

But late last week, Sue Haupert-Johnson, the Bishop of our North Georgia United Methodist Conference (aka “Bishop Sue”) shared a video plea for another concept that I believe is equally essential for our future as God’s church.  If you have not already watched/seen it, I want to invite, encourage, and in fact urge you do so.

WATCH BISHOP SUE’S 

“WE” VIDEO HERE

In her video, she addresses not only issues related to the regathering/re-opening of our churches for in-person worship, but about the vital work that we must do as God’s people to end the scourge of racism.  She does this by calling attention to the important practice and understanding of the concept of “WE,” not only by the early church, but also by early Methodism, and by the church in America during the “Spanish Flu” pandemic of the early twentieth-century.

When we resist the cultural urge to think (and live) in terms of “I, me, and my,” it radically changes our perspective not only on life, but on the issues and relationships around us.  My prayer is that all of us can increasingly learn together to be a people that practice more “WE,” and less of a people who insist on “I, Me, and My” – to put the needs, cares and concerns of the those among us who are most vulnerable and who are hurting before our own.

While it's 24 minutes long, I urge you please to take time to watch the entire video, and then let the Holy Spirit speak to you about what she says. As you do so, please also remember that God loves you and I do, as well!

LOVE, Not FEAR: Why I Wear A Mask In Public

“’Food will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.  But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak…. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.”
(1 Corinthians 8:8-9, 12-13)

“To wear a facial mask, or not wear one”… that has become a hotly debated question in today’s culture.  While I understand the reasoning and rationale that’s used to advance the respective views, what truly bothers me is how the rhetoric on both “sides” usually seems to assume that our motivations have something to do with FEAR:  if one wears a mask, it’s assumed that they are afraid of getting sick; if one does not wear a mask, it’s assumed that they are proud to show to the world that they are not afraid of getting sick.  And whether the “fears” of becoming infected are valid or not, this often creates at least a perception of judgement and a “I’m better than you” attitude by both “sides.”

To make matters worse, some Christians seem to equate the practice of mask-wearing (or not) with faith in God (or lack thereof).  I and others have heard well-intentioned church folk explain that they don’t wear a mask in public because they “have faith in God,” implying (perhaps without realizing it) that those who DO wear one don’t have faith in God.  I hope I don’t have to state how untrue this is, but in case there’s any doubt… it is.  And for me, at least, such a perspective totally misses the main reason why I, personally, think Christians DO need to consider wearing a mask in public:  out of LOVE and respect for our neighbors.

In the Roman culture from which the 1 Corinthians 8 scripture comes, food that was left-over from being sacrificed to idols in pagan temples was often taken to and sold in markets.  As a result, debate arose in the early church (at least in Corinth) about whether or not it was appropriate or acceptable for Christians to buy and consume the left-over idol-sacrificed food.  Some said it didn’t matter, because idols weren’t real, anyway.  But in the scripture above, Paul essentially says that while it is true that idols aren’t real, out of respect for those who don’t know any better, Christians should nevertheless still refrain, so as not to create a spiritual stumbling block for those who don’t understand that.  While today’s health crisis situation and circumstance is, of course, much different, I believe the principle is exactly the same:  consideration and love for OTHERS should be the basis for what we do as Christians -- NOT whether or not we have the “right” to do it, or because we’re afraid of getting sick from others or not.

According to data from the C.D.C., 35% of people who are infected with coronavirus are asymptomatic --  meaning that you and I can be carriers of the disease to others without ever developing symptoms ourselves (Read about this HERE).  As a result, in these last few months, I have tried my best to practice proper social distancing, wash my hands correctly, wear a mask in public, etc., etc..  However, the C.D.C. information tells me that there’s really no way for me to guarantee that when I’m around you, I might not unknowingly pass something to you.   Consequently, I currently wear a mask in public and in close quarters with others NOT because I’m afraid, or lack faith.  Instead, because of my faith, I choose to wear a mask out of love for others and a desire to protect them.

Please know that I do not judge or think badly of you if you choose not to wear a mask -- your choice is your own, and I respect and honor that.  But as we approach the time where we will be re-opening our church buildings for in-person worship, I simply want to highlight another way for us to frame the practice of mask-wearing:  that it should be about LOVE, not FEAR.  I want us to prayerfully consider doing what is best for ALL (including the most hesitant among us), rather than doing what’s best for US, individually.  I invite us to prayerfully consider “loving our neighbor” enough to do what makes them comfortable, rather than making the choice a statement about faith, trust or fear. 

So, if you see me wearing a mask in close proximity to you in public or at church, please remember:  it’s NOT because I’m afraid of you or that I lack faith; instead, it’s because I love you because of my faith!  Always know that God loves you and I do, too!

Racism in 2020 America

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8, NIV)

The recent death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has once again brought the issue of racism to the surface of public dialogue around the country, including here. Racism is rooted in fear and ignorance of the other. It often manifests itself in subtle ways of thinking and behaving that we may not even notice (what’s often called “unconscious bias”).

In one of my previous church appointments, I was part of a group of civic and religious leaders dedicated to helping our community heal from the racial injustices of its past, and I remember talking with one of my church leaders about how our church could be involved. Expecting him to understand why it was important for us as Christians to be leaders in that endeavor, his response shocked me. He said, "We don’t need to participate in that. We don’t have a race problem here. We treat our Black people just fine." This was an otherwise good, decent, religious man, but one who was totally unaware of his prejudice and unconscious bias regarding race and ethnic privilege. His was a response to an innate fear of those who were different from him, based upon a set of assumptions he may not have even understood.

Before you write that example off as something that would never happen here in Gwinnett County (one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the entire nation), please remember that inward fear and judgement of “otherness” (even when unintentional) exists in varying degrees everywhere and in everyone. And if left unchecked, these inevitably lead to prejudice and racism in their more outwardly discernible forms. Whether it’s bias in our treatment of, or conversation about, an immigrant from another country, or towards someone who holds an opposing political view, or (in my own case just this past week) catching myself unintentionally passing judgement on people around me who were not wearing a mask or properly social distancing in public (or feeling smug about those, like myself, who do wear one!), the foundations for prejudice and racism exist in ALL of us, even those who claim the name of Jesus as our Lord.

Talking about the difficult and awkward issues of race, unconscious privilege, prejudice and fear is not easy. However, for Christians, at least, silence is not an option. If we are to be an outpost of God’ love — if we are to be "People (meaning ALL people). Doing Life Together. Connecting all through Christ" (our church's Vision) — then we have a responsibility to speak up. While I’ll be the first to say that riotous looting and violence is NOT the answer to this problem — it neither honors the legacy of non-violence espoused by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., nor of Jesus himself — nevertheless our silence as Christians does nothing to improve the situation, either.

Instead, according to the scripture above, faithfulness in following the ways of God involves at least three things:

1.      We are to “act justly.” Faithful discipleship doesn’t simply involve thinking or believing fair and just things, but also involves us doing things that are fair and just, even if they are outside our comfort zone. That means going out of our way to intentionally treat others the way we would want to be treated, and to bridle our innate, human desire to judge others based solely on outward appearances. Read a perfect example of this kind of action in Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

2.      We are to “love mercy.” Some Bible translations of this phrase say we are to “love kindness,” have “steadfast love,” or “embrace faithful love.” However it’s translated, it means that we are to show compassion, kindness, and grace to others in our dealings with them, even when we don’t feel they deserve it. Read an illustration of this kind of treatment in the story of Jesus’ response to a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).

3.      We are to “walk humbly with our God.” While “humbly” here can also be translated as “wisely,” nevertheless it means that we are to live life with a spirit of modesty and humility towards others that doesn’t puff itself up with arrogance or pride. It is a life lived with a constant awareness not only that we ourselves are not perfect (that each of us possesses some degree of implicit/unconscious bias), but also that we are all living in the presence of Almighty God, who is the only true judge of all things. Read an example of the qualities of this kind of living from the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-6.

I may be naive, but I believe that if we all determined to live our lives in these ways, then each of us would be better people, and our world would be a better place. Police officers would have no need to resort to brutality in enforcing laws, and protestors (however justified) would have no need to riot and use violence as a cover for seeking revenge.

Yes, we have come a long way over the years in our efforts to become a more racially inclusive and fair society. However, the recent events in Minneapolis and resulting violence around the country remind us how far we still have to go.

For those who want to learn or understand more about the subtle yet very real challenges of racism, prejudice, and unconscious bias, along with their underlying attitudes of fear and judgement, I invite you to consider several good books for a Christian approach to this topic: Fear of the Other by Will Willimon; White Lies by Daniel Hill; Holding Up Your Corner: Talking about Race in Your Community by F. Willis Johnson; Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey; and One In Christ: Bridging Racial and Cultural Divides by David D. Ireland.

All of these are available from Cokesbury.com and you can either order them for yourself, or there may be some of our Sunday School classes and/or other small groups that choose to use these as resources for virtual group discussion and dialogue about these subjects.

I realize that some of you may not agree with all (or any) of what I’m sharing here in this post. But if any of what I’ve written causes you to feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even angry, then I would lovingly invite you truthfully to ask yourself why, and then prayerfully to seek God’s wisdom about what to do with what you’re feeling.

Regardless of where you are or stand on this issue, know that you are precious and loved in God’s eyes. My prayer is that we will all learn more and more how to live into and respond to that love by loving and treating others the same way that God loves and treats us! Always remember that God loves you, and I do, too!