Dear Partners in Ministry,♦ “HE GOT AWAY!" Recently we were worshipping with the "resurrection people" of a church which is needing to envision some fresh, life-giving ways of worship and mission. (I hope your church is doing the same....we all need to). During the children’s time, the pastor, building on the Easter story, was talking about the empty tomb. With all seriousness, she asked the kids, "What happened to Jesus?" One little guy, without missing a beat, blurted out, "He got away!"
Amen, child of God. In the resurrection, Jesus "got away" from all that would entomb us, all that would hold us back, all the smell of death that lurks in our world, in our churches, and in our own hearts.....and He invites us to follow Him into new life. I hope your church, and our conference is running as fast and joyously as we can after the risen Christ who's got a way for us to new life.
♦ MOVIN' ON OUT...this summer. Jesus not only "moved on out" of the tomb, but his whole "way" of ministry was "movin' on out" of the synagogues, out to where the hurt and pain and margins of his time were. He challenged his disciples to "go into all the world" (Mark 16:15)....move on out. On Pentecost (get ready for wind and fire on June 12, again) His followers moved on out into the diverse crowds of the city sharing "the mighty works of God!" (Acts 2:11)....and the crowds thought these Christians were a little tipsy. John Wesley was thought to be a little crazy to move on out to preach in the coal fields, Asbury to move on out to America, Jesse Lee to move on out from sunny Virginia to the snows of New England (of course he hadn't discovered skiing yet)....but they all dared to go. What about you and me?
Summer time is a great time to be "movin' on out" of our buildings and into our communities and world in some new ways. Here are some ideas some of our churches have done:
Move Worship out onto the lawn, or to the town commons, or city park, or state park. Many of our "beach area" churches have a service on the beach (along with one at the church). Do not "hide the light of your worship under a bushel".....outside services are often inviting to people who might not "dress up and enter the inner-sanctum" of a church building. Encourage people to bring brunch food, blankets to sit on, (remember Jesus' feeding of the 5,000?...well...) The last church I served, the 9 a.m. on the lawn service quickly became the largest of the four services we had on weekends....plus attracting new people right off the city street.
Do your "fellowship time" outside after your service(s) that are held at the church. Let the community see that you are alive and well and having a good time. Do "lemonade on the lawn" instead of "coffee in the cloister!" Expand it to have a "Good Neighbors Block Party" a couple of times during the summer inviting everyone in town (or around) to come to get to know each other. Some churches have built in a 5K walk/run for a mission like helping victims in Haiti, or Japan, or your own area...it gives a great opportunity to introduce non-church folk to the great work the church does around to world through UMCOR etc.
Take Vacation Bible School on the Road to somebody's backyard in a residential neighborhood, or at a farm (a lot of kids have never seen a cow face to face), or a trailer park, or the community room in a low income housing project, instead of expecting people to come to the church. I've heard of churches doing VBS in picnic pavilions at a local amusement park, or at an automobile dealer's show room. (He was a member of the church, and loved doing it....plus it was biblical; "and they were all of one Accord.") Use your imagination....and connections...to reach new kids in new places. Plus, don't forget to plan follow up contacts and events for the kids who do come to your VBS in the fall, wherever you hold it. That's a good way to jump-start your Sunday School or after-school ministries with kids all year around.
Move on out with a volunteer in mission (VIM) team either in your own community or for a week of travel to some other part of New England....or the world. Some churches have a project they are doing every Saturday during the summer in their community....sometimes in cooperation with groups like Habitat for Humanity, etc. This allows people to join in when they can during the summer...plus invite friends to join in too. VIM trips are planned by many of our churches, and even if you don't have one going from your church, check with your district office about other churches that you could team with this summer, in preparation for developing your own VIM trip/team next summer. You will find that these experiences are powerful spiritual and missional times for youth, adults, and families..."movin' on out."
♦ OSAMA BIN LADEN, JESUS, AND ME. Jesus never said it would be easy for me or those of us who want to follow Him in the terrible realities of this world. But this is what He said: "You have heard it said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt. 5:43-45)
And this is what Paul wrote in trying to follow Jesus in the terrible realities of this world; "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19-21).
So, I've been unsettled by the Word of God in the terrible realities of this world and the way Osama Bin Laden died. I hope you have been wrestling with this too. For me this is no time for celebration, but rather for confession about how far our world and my own heart has yet to go if we are to truly follow the Christ who came to save us and our world in the midst of the terrible realities. "O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us."
♦ CALLING ALL CONFIRMANDS Last year over 1500 new people professed their faith in Jesus Christ and joined the movement of United Methodists here in New England. Many of those were young people who were confirmed around this time of year. At Annual Conference we will celebrate those being confirmed in our churches and close our annual conference on Saturday, June 11, beginning at 1:00 p.m. with an one hour service dedicated to and involving these young people. I will be sharing with them some stories of young followers of Jesus Christ who have made a powerful difference in this world, just as they can and are. I will also share with each of them a special token of the day and their confirmation.
I invite you to come and bring your confirmands for this great time at Gordon College. Those who come in the morning can be involved in putting together food kits for our Stop Hunger Now mission project. It is to be a time of reminding all of us that we are Partners in Ministry in a global movement for the sake of Christ and the transformation of the world. I will look forward to seeing you there!
PS: Pray for our upcoming Annual Conference which will be held from June 8-11 at Gordon College, Wenham, Mass. "Best of all, God is with us!"
Grace and Peace,
Pete
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