Town Hall Grace
A United Methodist Insight Column
After some six or seven weeks (depending on when you started) of isolating from the coronavirus, United Methodist politics has begun bubbling again. Some of the resurgence centers on the advent of May 5, the date on which the 2020 General Conference was to have started.
The biggest furor has emerged around one date proposed for General Conference to occur in 2021. Here’s a report from evangelist JJ Warren’s “The Circuit” newsletter:
“Two weeks ago, the proposed dates for General Conference were leaked, reporting that the postponed conference would take place during first two weeks of September, 2021. This timing would disproportionally marginalize the voices of my fellow young people. Together, those of us under 35 attending GC as voting delegates number over 100--which was a tremendous step in the right direction! I, along with Ann Jacob, Jessica Vittorio, Alejandra Salemi, and Carlene Fodle-Miller, drafted a petition to the Commission on the General Conference urging them to choose alternative dates. In the course of just two days, about 2,000 United Methodists signed in support from 80 annual and central conferences around the world! We then asked the Council of Bishops (COB), which met over video conference for the first time last week, to strongly recommend that the Commission consider dates that would include young people, which the COB voted to support by a near unanimous vote!
“Through this process I experienced the ability of the UMC to be the Church—to prophetically raise up the voices of the marginalized and to act to alleviate their pain. The Council of Bishops took a small step toward showing the world that the Church truly cares about young people, and I hope we will keep watch together to ensure that our bishops continue to take steps to include young people in the leadership of the Church. I specifically want to thank Bishops (Bob) Hoshibata, (Charlene) Kammerer, and (Eduard) Khegay for their courage to bring our petition before the Council. Without small acts of courage by each of us, the institution will not change. I look forward to working alongside my co-authors and fellow young people in the UMC as we partner with the Commission on the General Conference to reimagine how conferencing takes place (perhaps with the use of video conferencing) and work to ensure access for young people at the proverbial table.”
For more musings on General Conference and the UMC’s future, catch the virtual town hall event, “Call to Grace,” scheduled at 2 p.m. CDT May 5 sponsored by Mainstream UMC. Watch the event on YouTube Live. or click on the event on www.MainstreamUMC.com. Send questions in advance to info@MainstreamUMC.com
UMCOR COVID-19 Response
The United Methodist Committee on Relief has started a special fund for COVID-19 response. (UMCOR Image)
#Giving Tuesday to COVID-19 Fund
While you’re making donations to your favorite charities on Giving Tuesday May 5, consider a gift to the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s COVID-19 Respond Fund. According to UMCOR, “You can show compassion and care with a gift that will be used 100% to assist UMCOR partners in the U.S. and around the world.” One hundred percent of a gift to UMCOR goes to the specified project because administrative costs are paid by The United Methodist Church. This makes an UMCOR gift more effective than most other charities that have to cover administration from donations. Please give generously as you can.
Monday messages to lift spirits
The Rev. Dr. Jean Hawxhurst, ecumenical staff officer for leadership development for the Council of Bishops, is the latest United Methodist to contribute to the National Council of Churches’ daily devotions during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s her prayer:
“Holy and generous God, blessed are you, who created the whole universe out of pure love and joy. We come before you again today with all that we are, both beautiful and frail. We are thankful for another day, for breath in our lungs and the warmth of sunshine in the air. We know all we have is blessing, and all we are is designed to witness to you. Still, we confess, after so many weeks sheltering at home, we are weary. We are tired of sitting in front of a computer; we miss hugs and handshakes; and we want to go back to what used to be normal. All that wanting tempts us to despair, anger and fear. We confess, knowing apart from you and your strength and grace, we are weak. So, we ask you to send your Spirit to us anew today. Pour out your peace on each of your children, all over your world. Fill us again with strength, and courage, and commitment. Burn away the fear and replace it only with you. Because only in you do we find real hope and the real joy of your creation. We open ourselves again today to you, with trust and confidence.”
From the Florida Annual Conference: “One of the best ways to navigate these turbulent times with compassion and grace for ourselves and others is to allow our expectations to become more fluid. … Doing what we can – and allowing that to be enough – requires that we adjust our expectations to accept that some circumstances are beyond our control.” – The Rev. Lenora Rousseau, “The difficulties are real. You are not alone!”
From the heartland: Heard on the Sunday worship video from the Rev. Dr. Jim Keck, First-Plymouth Church (UCC), Lincoln, Neb., “Life isn’t a problem to be solved. Life is a mystery to be experienced. “
Media Mentions as of May 4, 2020
Helping out creatively during the pandemic – UM News
Publishing house laying off about 70 workers – UM News
A pandemic changes everything, even grief – UMC.org
Being the rural church in a pandemic – Western North Carolina Conference podcast
DOJ argues Virginia stay-at-home order interfered with church’s free exercise of religion – The Hill
Federal judge: Stay-at-home order in Illinois doesn’t violate religious rights – WTTW
Court weighs in on applying mass gathering ban to churches – The Associated Press
As states ease lockdown restrictions, churches must decide when — and how — to reopen – Religion News Service
Worcester will fine pastor of church over gathering for Sunday service – The Boston Globe *
Illinois Order Revised to Allow Small, Safe Worship Services – NBC Chicago
Evangelical church sues Newsom over coronavirus restrictions – Daytona Beach News-Journal
Faith Time: When do restrictions on worship become government overreach? – WKRG News 5
How coronavirus made our church stronger – The New York Times *
Amid the pandemic, stories of grief upended – The Washington Post *
How to pray in a plague – Tablet
Faith-based colleges face waves of red ink: Thinking about a news story that won't go away – GetReligion (blog)
*Paid subscription required.
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. Send your coronavirus pandemic news to Insight.