Erik Alsgaard
New sprout
Photo by Erik Alsgaard
Special to United Methodist Insight
This morning, while walking from the Convention Center where General Conference is being held over to the nearby Whole Foods to pick up coffee, I noticed something that I wouldn’t have paid any attention to normally.
It’s a plant with green leaves growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. It’s not a weed. I know weeds; I have plenty of them growing in my gravel-filled driveway at home, in my yard, and around the house.
It’s not big, being not more than three inches tall. One of the leaves looks a bit sickly, but that doesn’t seem to be affecting its growth.
It is, however, tenacious. It is there. It is doing its best to live…. even in the midst of the so-called “concrete jungle” that is not unique to downtown Charlotte.
As I looked at that plant, it struck me as an apt metaphor for what’s happened here at General Conference.
With the historic votes taken yesterday, and what is expected to take place today, The United Methodist Church is starting to sprout new life even in the midst of some great hardships.
Coming out of a season of disaffiliation and a pandemic, my beloved church voted yesterday to remove the ban on ordaining gay clergy.
New sprout. New life.
Regionalization also passed. Under the legislation, the U.S. and each central conference — church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines — would become regional conferences with the same authority to adapt the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s policy book, for more missional effectiveness.
New sprout. New life.
The General Conference also took time to recognize some historic firsts. Bishop Tracy S. Malone, from the East Ohio Conference, officially became president of the Council of Bishops. In so doing, she became the first Black woman bishop to hold that office.
New sprout. New life.
Bishop Karen Oliveto, episcopal leader of the Mountain Sky Conference, preached during a morning worship service, becoming the first openly gay bishop to preach at a worship service during General Conference.
New sprout. New life.
I could go on, but I hope you get the picture. I’ve been to eight General Conferences, and this one, from the beginning, felt different. Dare I say that this one, from the beginning, felt more Christ-like?
All I know is that I am going home more optimistic, more energetic, more proud of my church, and more ready to get back to serving and loving all of God’s people.
New sprout. New life.
The Rev. Erik Alsgaard
The Rev. Erik Alsgaard is pastor of Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, Maryland, and served at General Conference as a communicator for Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. Please email United Methodist Insight for permission to reproduce this content elsewhere.