Hope

by

\"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31 NIV

“Hope” is a thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words - 

And never stops- at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard - 

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm - 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land - 

And on the strangest Sea - 

Yet - never - in Extremity, 

It asked a crumb - of me. 

– Emily Dickinson 

In 2019, the specially called General Conference passed the Traditional Plan, adding further harmful language to our Book of Discipline. For five years, we have been in conflict as a denomination. Disaffiliations and division have broken relationships, communities, churches and conferences. I must confess that amidst this brokenness, I did not feel like I was soaring on wings like an eagle. I did not feel hope-filled, nor do I suspect that many United Methodists felt hope-filled in 2019. 

A season of disenchantment followed me throughout 2019, and into the early months of 2020. When the pandemic hit, I found myself re-evaluating my priorities. I analyzed what was truly bringing me joy in life and how I could live into those things. I began seeing my hope as a thing with feathers, still flying, still singing, despite the gales that abash it. I found hope in fellow United Methodists who gave me support during times of mental health crises. I heard the song of hope in my partner and her family who have been teaching me about caring for animals and for creation. The song of hope was still singing in the midst of devastating storms of life during Covid and in the post-2019 General Conference season. 

The hopelessness of disaffiliations and division plagued all of us, all across the theological spectrum; many of you, like me, may have been bitter and angry, yearning to find the hope of Christ in one another. Since our election in 2019, the Iowa Delegation to the 2020 General Conference has been listening for the song of hope amidst this difficult season of the UMC.

We heard the song of hope in the #BeUMC movement. We heard the song of our hope in calls to unity from the cabinet to the bishop. We heard our hope in the joyful recognition of retiring bishops, including former Iowa Bishop Laurie Haller, and also in elections of new bishops such as Bishop Lanette Plambeck (who was elected from our delegation!) and Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, who we are lucky enough to have as our current bishop. When we Iowa delegates were elected, we had no idea the hope we would find along the way to General Conference. But through those moments of hope, the Iowa UMC has heard the still small voice of God.

While those moments of hope were not small, they were yet points along the way to the 2020 General Conference to which our delegation was called and elected to serve. The 2020 General Conference held in 2024 has now taken place. The photo you see is from a fellow delegate’s voting device, expressing the hope all your delegates to General Conference brought here with us.

By the grace of God, our hope has come to fruition; the harmful language has been removed, bringing us to a neutral position as a denomination. We have opened the church, giving enough room for all United Methodists to continue to be in community and in ministry with one another.

Friends, it can be difficult in the storms of life to hear the song of hope. But, the holy conferencing that has taken place at the 2020 General Conference held in 2024 has reminded us once again that when we put our hope in God, we can do beautiful things together. 

I know that this is only the start of our work to rebuild our church together, but let us celebrate this as another significant moment of hope as we work toward our goal of doing ministry together. How beautiful it is that we have made enough room in our church for ALL who love the UMC: conservative Methodists, liberal Methodists, moderate Methodists, queer Methodists, urban Methodists, rural Methodists, ALL who love God, and ALL who love our church.  Let yourself soar on eagle’s wings with the hope of God in this joyful season of unity. May you continue to listen for the song of hope in your life, your church, your conference, and the world, and may God’s peace be upon you.

The Rev. Alex Johnson serves as pastor of Broadway United Methodist Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. This post is republished from "Abiding in Hope," a spiritual support project of the Iowa Annual Conference. Subscribe to Abiding in Hope