Photo by Shannon Smith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Anticipation
Like this girl watching a marsh, we're anticipating the fulfillment of God's promise of a future with hope.
December 2013
Advent Greetings, Insight Readers!
Anticipation … a season of watchful, hopeful waiting for the fulfillment of a promise has come upon us again this Advent as we await the coming again of Jesus Christ. Advent 2013 also marks the second anniversary of United Methodist Insight. In hindsight, it seems appropriate that the online forum began during Advent 2011, because that's what it's all about: anticipating God's will for the future of The United Methodist Church.
To live into that anticipation we strive each week to bring together a range of views in a single, convenient location so that decision-makers and influencers can discern a path to United Methodism's future. Our readers' responses in emails, on Facebook and on Twitter show that Insight is fulfilling its mission. Here's what one of our readers recently wrote:
Thank you for United Methodist Insight. Your news reports, blogs, and opinion pieces are eagerly read and greatly appreciated ... I copy numerous articles to give to the regular meetings of ten retired UM pastors in our Prescott, AZ, UM church, and utilize your e-mail functions to send articles to clergy friends across the connection. You do a great job. You are much appreciated.
Clyde Chesnutt, Retired UM pastor, Prescott, AZ
Folks like Rev. Chesnutt reflect the perspective of a progressive bishop who told us, "I like the way you make us think." Yet United Methodist Insight is about more than just thinking our way through the challenges that face us. It's also about creating spaces for God's Holy Spirit to inspire and act through us. Insight creates these spaces so that decision-makers everywhere can enter into holy contemplation about the next steps in the church's journey.
That's why your support is so crucial. More than anything, United Methodist Insight aims to be a place where decision-makers can get a 360-degree view of the worldwide denomination. This goal cannot be achieved without your prayers, your presence, your witness and your financial gifts, all of which I ask you for today.
According to our current records, United Methodist Insight reaches close to 2,000 key influencers across the church each week. Many of you come to us via social media, a primary component in our outreach. Consider these options:
- If our influencers contribute just $10 each, the resulting amount would fund Insight's publication for all of 2014.
- If each Insight reader gave $20, that could pay most of our expenses through 2015, giving us time and resources to prepare for the pivotal 2016 General Conference in Portland, Oregon.
- And if each Insight reader gave $35, that would give us sufficient resources to add features such as live discussions with church leaders and webinars on what recent changes to General Conference size and configuration could mean for the 2016decision-making process.
Of course, no fund-raising effort can expect 100 percent individual participation. These examples merely show how easy it could be to participate in Insight's mission. We continue to pursue other funding sources, and we're particularly grateful for the ongoing support of the Joe B. and Louise P. Cook Foundation of Temple, Texas, our lead supporter for our first two years.
However, Insight occupies an unusual, perhaps even unique, niche in religion publishing. We focus on the institutional and spiritual challenges facing one global Christian denomination known for its vital piety, its intellectual rigor and its social holiness. Few foundations currently fund a single religion, and even fewer journalism philanthropists give to denominationally focused publications like United Methodist Insight. So you can see we have a tremendous challenge before us. But I hope that you also can see what a pivotal role you as a key influencer can play in bringing about God's future for The United Methodist Church.
To sustain United Methodist Insight, please go to our website, http://um-insight.net and look for the donate button at the top of the page. All online donations are handled through PayPal and prompt acknowledgement is emailed. If you prefer to donate by check, make your check payable to St. Stephen UMC and write "UM Insight" in the memo line. Mail your check to United Methodist Insight, c/o St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Drive, Mesquite, TX 75150. In reply you will receive an acknowledgement of your gift for tax purposes.
Even in Advent, holding on to hope can be difficult in these tough times. Yet despite all the church's challenges we hope on, because we live assured that the God who loves us has a good future in mind for us. We stand together on that promise, striving to glimpse the guideposts on the way to God's future for our beloved church.
With gratitude for our shared journey,
Cynthia B. Astle
Project Coordinator