Blog
Our Neighbors Need Us This Week!
Hello Heritage! We’ve suddenly had one of those weeks arrive that takes some extra effort by all of us to pull together and do our important work.
As you know, the annual (albeit paused by the pandemic) Heritage Golf Tournament fundraiser is coming up this Saturday, with proceeds going to create opportunities for as many children as possible to attend summer camps that will introduce them to Jesus, and deepen their connection with Him and hundreds of other students in the coming months. Click here to learn more!
The golf tournament by itself is enough to make it a full week for our lay and staff leaders, volunteers, and congregation; but two other events have popped up in response to the needs of our community, and it’s our privilege to do our best to come through for our friends and neighbors.
Your Executive Team has extended an invitation for Heritage to host a candlelight prayer vigil tomorrow, Tuesday night, at 6:30pm, with our friends from Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church (MTO) as we walk through another time of anger, fear, and sadness in the aftermath of violence and loss of life in our community and across the country. Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter, who will be attending with his family, will share some remarks, and MTO Pastor James Williams will lead us in prayer. We need help setting up and helping with parking and hospitality for the event, which will be held in the former preschool playground (where we hold the Christmas tree lighting). Please email Ali Flinchum by clicking here and let us know how you can help bring our community together before the Lord in prayer!
Third, a Countryside High School senior sadly died last week, Colin Farrell. A celebration of his life will be held outdoors on Saturday late afternoon or evening, sometime after our golf tournament (time still to be determined…), at the at Oldsmar Sports Complex, and we’ve been asked for help with two large elements of the funeral that would require good coordination and several volunteers.
Providing, setting up, and operating a portable sound system, projector, and screen.
Providing and setting up large event tents, tables, and chairs with space for 500 people.
I hope that Heritage will continue to be known in our community as a church our neighbors can count on in their times of great need. Please click here to email Ashley Allen and let her know that you’re willing to help with coordinating either of these efforts, or to volunteer to help acquire, transport, set up/take down, and/or operate these elements during the service.
It’s a week to see what we’re made of, Heritage! Please jump in, lend a hand, and let’s see what God might do with us to offer hope, healing, and peace to our neighbors!
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
School Partnership Team
Public schools affect everyone in their neighborhood. Most of the kids in your neighborhood go to one. They produce most of the people who will someday serve and lead the businesses and organizations of the neighborhood. A website announces the school’s “grade” every year, which is one of the first things that people who are moving to the area look at if they have kids; which means that school grades directly affect the property values of the homes, businesses, and organizations around them. Like I said, public schools affect everyone in their neighborhood.
There is no better way to foster a deep and meaningful connection with our neighbors than to be a good neighbor to the local public schools. There are kids there from families of a wide variety of socioeconomic statuses. There are kids there with varying degrees of academic acumen—some who need to be given challenges to help push them to achieve new heights, some who need some extra help from caring mentors and tutors, some who have individualized education plans to help them overcome a diagnosed learning disability, some who need emotional stability because of abuse or neglect in their home, and plenty of other kids in between.
There are teachers, support staff, and administrators who love and care for and coach and teach these students. Some of them are in their first years working in their field, others are new to the school, some have been there for years and years, and others are soon to retire. Some of them are teaching kids to tie their shoes, while others are preparing them for their careers, for military service, or for college.
There are clubs for kids with all kinds of different interests, including groups organized by the students that take time during lunch to study the Bible with no help for any adults. There are team and individual sport athletes, some just playing because their friends are, and others hoping for a college scholarship.
There are neighbors of every race, age, ability, life stage, and area of interest all around us, and our public schools are the places where they intersect the most. Heritage has a tradition of being a good neighbor to our schools, especially because of our proximity to Leila Davis Elementary. As we look forward to emerging from the Coronavirus pandemic in the coming months, there is an opportunity for us to build on that tradition by forming a team that would seek ways for us to be a good neighbor to our schools because of our intentionality rather than simply our proximity.
I hope and pray that God would raise up a team at Heritage that would be willing to seek out the ways that the needs of our neighborhood schools intersect with the resources and abilities of the people of our church. If you sense that God might be calling you to join the team, please let me know by emailing me at matth@heritageumc.com. I can’t wait to see the difference we make!
At my previous church, we had Seminole Heights Elementary come over every year for a sing-along concert to Top 40 songs with words on our screens as a reward for finishing their FSA testing. In this picture they’re dancing and singing along to “Shake it Off,” by Taylor Swift.
A Word of Thanks
Hello Heritage Family!
I cannot thank you enough for your kind calls, notes, and messages about my dad starting hospice last week after his terminal cancer diagnosis. Your amazing church lay and staff leaders assured me that they had everything covered at the church, and let me jump in the car and head up to Virginia to get to see him while I could. I had the chance to sit with him and thank him for being my dad. He thanked me for what I’ve meant to him, patted me on the back and telling me “you did good” by finding him and my mom a terrific daughter-in-law when I married Susan, and he told me how it had enriched his life to be able to hold Jenna and Ashley when they arrived, and to cheer for them along the way in all of their various games, concerts, performances, competitions, and academic accomplishments. What a gift it was to me to be able to say goodbye like that—I know that most don’t get such a chance, and I am indebted to our great lay and staff leaders for their excellence, and for the peace they give me knowing that their able hands are on the wheel.
I got word from my brother just as staff meeting was ending yesterday (Tuesday) that our dad died around 11am. As I’ve said to a few people already, cancer may have won in the end, but I know it’s exhausted after fighting with my dad for the last three years! He did all that he could to stay with us as long as he could despite the pain he was in all along.
Me and my dad in his USMC gear after he was the bugler at a funeral in Orlando.
My family and I have been carried by your prayers during this season, and especially the last week. On behalf of my mom, my brothers and their wives, my sister and her husband, my niece Olivia and nephew Owen, Jenna and Ashley, and Susan and myself; thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. My dad has lived pretty far away from Heritage during my time as your pastor, but he and my mom have tuned in online every Sunday (before it became so fashionable once the pandemic started!), often chatting with Charlie and others in the tech booth, so he’s felt like a part of Heritage for the duration of his battle. For this and all of the reasons above, I will be thankful for you forever!
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Plans for Conversation at Heritage About the Future of the United Methodist Church
At our January Administrative Council meeting, one of the items on the agenda was an update on the impending split of the United Methodist Church (UMC). Chairperson Michael Pate, Lay Leader Sue Blanchard, Lay Delegate Mel Swets, and Pastor Matt didn’t have much new to share, since the 2020 General Conference—at which the split was to be considered—had been postponed until 2021 (and has now officially been postponed to 2022). What was shared last year, right before the pandemic hit, was that there is a tentative agreement in place by denominational leaders on all sides of the issues of hosting weddings for LGBTQ couples, having our clergy perform weddings for LGBTQ couples, and the potential ordination of LGBTQ clergy. Click here to read the agreement (it’s not updated with new dates yet), or you can see a very brief summary below.
The Executive Team met this past Monday night to work on finding resources to help us study the issue, on creating conversations in which all points-of-view can be heard and understood, and on calling our church to the spiritual disciplines that prepare us to hear clearly when the Holy Spirit speaks.
First, on Monday night, March 22nd, at 6pm, Rev. Alex Shanks will come and share the latest information on General Conference, and take questions from attenders both in person and online. (To watch online, click here.) Alex serves as the Assistant to the Bishop for Florida Bishop Ken Carter, and is a leader of the Florida Conference’s delegation to the next General Conference.
In addition, the Executive Team is researching books, articles, podcasts, video pieces or any other sources that would aid in facilitating conversations in small group settings. If you’ve found something that you feel would be helpful, please click here to send them your suggestion. The Executive Team will be putting together a plan for these conversations informed by Rev. Shanks presentation, models from other churches, and the resources we find.
We hope to see you on the 22nd!
Sincerely,
Michael Pate (Administrative Council Chairperson)
Sue Blanchard (Lay Leader)
Mel Swets (Lay Delegate to the Florida Annual Conference)
Matt Horan (Pastor)
PS. Below are two items as requested during the January Administrative Council meeting:
(1) a summary of the agreement to be voted on at General Conference, and
(2) the results of the survey questions from last Spring related to including LGBTQ members at Heritage from any nearby churches that might have closed during the pandemic.
1.) A summary of the agreement moving toward a vote at General Conference in 2022.
Language excluding ordination of LGBTQ persons would be removed from the United Methodist Book of Discipline (¶304.3 and ¶806.9). As a result, the decision on whether a United Methodist church would have an LGBTQ clergy person appointed as a pastor would be decided at the local church level, rather than the denominational level. Further, the decision on whether a United Methodist church would have weddings of LGBTQ persons on their property or performed by their pastors would also be decided at the local church level, rather than the denominational level.
Groups that wish to form a new denomination that could receive current UMC churches would need to be formed within approximately one year of the General Conference vote.
Each Annual Conference (we are in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, or FLUMC) would then have the option, should they desire, to have a vote about 14 months after the General Conference vote to leave the UMC and join another denomination. This would take a motion from the floor of the Annual Conference event (held every June) to vote on leaving the UMC. Should 20% of delegates vote to proceed, an “affiliation vote” would be conducted. If 57% of delegates vote to disaffiliate, the Annual Conference would then leave to join one of the new denominations. If the Annual Conference does not vote on affiliation, it stays in the UMC.
If a church does not want to be affiliated with the denomination chosen by its Annual Conference, it can have its own affiliation vote, which must be completed by the end of the 4th year after the General Conference votes. If a member of the Administrative Council makes a motion to begin the affiliation process, it requires a simple majority vote (50%+1). If there is a simple majority, then there will be a vote by the Administrative Council to decide whether the voting threshold for changing affiliation should be either a simple or a two-thirds majority. After that, a church conference (all active church members) would be called within 60 days to have the affiliation vote. If a church does not vote on affiliation, it stays in the denomination of its Annual Conference.
If a church stays in the UMC, it retains the option whether or not to receive an LGBTQ clergy person as a pastor, as well as the option whether or not to host, or have their clergy perform, LGBTQ weddings. If it leaves to affiliate with another denomination, it would abide by the rules set forth by its new denomination.
2.) Results of the May 9, 2020 survey, called “Heritage's Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic.”
A Pastor Talking About Politics
One of the most treasured memories of my life was a many years long conversation via handwritten letters with my grandfather. Growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I probably saw him 3-4 times a year, as he and my grandma lived just up the turnpike in Rutherford, New Jersey. When you’re in elementary school, most people are pretty tall, but he was one of the tallest people I knew—not only in height, but in the sheer gravity of his presence. When he walked into a room, he would usually stop just inside the doorway with a smirk on his face and wait for everyone to give him their attention, which they would. Once it was quiet, he would allow a well-timed pause, and then deliver some kind of funny joke or one-liner. Everyone would laugh, and then return to what they were doing.
They didn’t pay attention because he commanded it. He wasn’t like the teacher in the front of the classroom waiting for everyone to notice that they were waiting for us to quit wasting time and get down to business. They paid attention because he’d earned it. He was simply such a good and kind and genuine person to everyone he encountered that you just couldn’t help but pay attention to him. Sometimes I wonder if he developed the one-liner entrance because of how many people would stop what they were doing and pay attention when he walked in. Did he feel some pressure to do something with the stage once he was on it, perhaps?
I really don’t know how he did it. How did he so effortlessly connect with everybody in the room even though every room he was ever in was crowded? My mom was one of his nine kids. While I lived up there his older kids had 8-9 grandchildren already, while his younger kids still had high school friends coming over. It was constantly a mob scene, yet somehow each individual felt like he was their dad, their grandpa—even for the high school friends, he was their Mr. Strehl. There probably weren’t all that many times that I ever had him all to myself, but it definitely felt like I did every time I saw him. In the end he had 19 grandchildren, and to each of them he was their grandpa.
We moved to Florida in 1986, which obviously put an end to the 3-4 visits per year to Rutherford. You’d think that would have also put an end to that feeling of connection with my grandpa, but the effect was actually the opposite. We’d been down there only a few weeks when he sent me a letter in the mail with some articles about sports. As residents of Rutherford and Philly, we of course were rivals in our choice of NFL teams, the Giants and the Eagles. On top of that, he was a huge Notre Dame fan, but the Philadelphia college sports team options were pretty much limited to Temple, Villanova, and Penn State. He’d generously sent me some articles about how the Giants were better than the Eagles, and how Notre Dame was better than everything else on the planet. (You should have heard him the day that Lou Holtz replied to one of his fan letters…)
The sports correspondence sustained us through my middle school years—I sent him news about my baseball and soccer games, and he sent me news about, well, mostly Notre Dame. (In hindsight, I wonder—was he recruiting me? I think I might start adding that to my personal story. “Yeah, I was recruited by Notre Dame, but picked Florida State instead…”) While Notre Dame was included in all of our correspondence up until the last letter before he died, in high school we got talking about politics.
Though I was born in the waning days of the Nixon Administration, the earliest President I can remember is Ronald Reagan. My parents and paternal grandfather (another giant figure in my life who lived with us both in Philly and in Florida for most of my childhood—but more on him in another blog…) always had the evening news on our little black and white TV as we were setting up for dinner every night in our dining room, and Reagan became, for elementary and middle school aged me, the personification of America itself. To this day I still get this warm, safe feeling whenever I hear his voice, more than three decades later.
I saw him as resilient when he recovered with smiles and jokes from a near assassination. I saw him as strong, because when he took office, it was commonplace to talk about the inevitability of “when we all get nuked,” but it wasn’t anymore after he faced off with the Soviet Union and actually won over and befriended Mikhail Gorbachev. I saw him as reasonable as he engaged in fierce but friendly debate with the Democratic Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neal. I saw him as kind as he comforted the families, the nation, and students like me who would not be getting a lesson from space with teacher Christa McAuliffe after we all watched the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster unfold live on TV.
When the Bush vs. Dukakis election was going on, I was in my freshman year of high school at Palm Bay High. I’d moved on to big kid subjects like history instead of that middle school “social studies,” stuff, and was feeling well equipped to do my part in making the case for a continuation of the Reagan years. When I wrote my grandfather as such, he would have none of it.
I'd espouse the virtues I’d learned from Reagan—limited government, private charity, low taxes, personal responsibility, etc. He’d counter with articles he'd clipped from the Bergen County Record up in New Jersey, and send them to me with commentary about the good that the government could do with the tax dollars that the rich don't need anyway.
I’ve had people tell me that I write letters and emails that are too long, (It’s true—being concise is an area of growth for me, despite the tragic loss of all of the artful words I won’t get to use for the sake of brevity, but I digress…) but that’s because they never saw the letters I wrote to my grandfather about politics. I knew that I would win him over because of my many good points, so I sent them—all of them—to him. I couldn’t wait to get the letter in return that he’d send admitting defeat and thanking me for showing him the light, but it never came.
Don’t get me wrong—plenty more letters came, along with plenty more clipped newspaper articles about the gifts God had sent us in Michael Dukakis and Notre Dame. (Don’t worry—my grandpa eventually forgave Lou Holtz for being a Republican.) The man would not budge, so one day I took it too far. It was after the Bush vs. Clinton election during my freshman year of college when I wrote and told him that there was just nothing else I could do to show him the truth about politics, and so I wasn’t sure it was even worth writing to him anymore.
He was crushed. While I thought of our correspondence as a mission to change his mind, he saw it as a beautiful gift, letting him still connect with his grandson even though I’d moved 1,200 miles away. We stopped writing for a while after that, until one night my mom told me about a conversation she’d had with him. He’d cried as he told her what I’d written, about how I might not write to him anymore, because it had meant so much to him to see me grow up through my improving penmanship and grammar, through my developing logic and ideas, and through my growing ability to write. It all hit me like a ton of bricks.
He had loved me. I had been an idiot.
I’d lain in my bed in my fraternity house for about an hour unable to sleep, thinking about my grandpa and how the last thing he heard from me months and months ago was this mean, condescending lecture still lingering in his heart. I got out of bed and started writing.
I told him about how I’d been an idiot. I told him that surely I was one of very few kids in the world whose grandfather continued writing letters back and forth with him from the 7th grade and on into college. I told him I realized that it was a tremendous gift for a young man to have a person like him invest as much time and energy and thought into his relationship with me. I apologized, and thanked him profusely with all of the many words I could muster for all of his letters, even the ones that repeatedly compared the graduation rates between Florida State and Notre Dame.
My mom called me again a week later. Grandpa had gotten my letter, called her, and cried again—this time as he read her the whole thing over the phone and told her how beautiful it was, and how glad he was to be able to return to our correspondence, which we did. With each letter, we both became more convinced of two things--that we were both writing to a formidable debate partner, and that we were both exceedingly thankful to have each other in our lives, even while 1,200 miles apart in both distance and political point-of-view.
Just after we moved and I started writing to him in 1986, my grandpa told me that he wanted to see three things before he died. He wanted to see Notre Dame win another national championship, he wanted to see the year 2000, and he wanted to meet his great-grandchild.
His hero, Lou Holtz, gave him a Notre Dame championship in 1988. His health began to decline, but he made it to the year 2000, getting to see along with the rest of us that the flying cars we were promised were not quite ready yet (and we’re still waiting…).
As for that third thing, well, Susan and I had gotten married in 1999, and were planning to wait until I finished graduate school before trying to have kids, but perhaps God was getting invested in seeing my grandpa get that third thing. Jenna announced her impending arrival a little sooner than we anticipated, and once again my mom was on the phone to my crying grandpa.
Jenna was born on August 14th, 2001, and my parents got pictures emailed up to my aunt in Rutherford as quickly as possible to show him. While the pictures were great, we knew that it wasn’t the same as getting him to meet her in person. However, you’ll recall that not long after Jenna was born, flying up to the New York area was no longer a very easy thing to do. In fact, we weren’t even sure that 9/11 was the end of the plot to turn America’s airplanes against us, so nobody suggested that we take her up there. In fact, the advice we got was quite the opposite—but we did it anyway. I didn’t know how much longer he had, and after all that we’d shared back and forth from the 7th grade to my last semester of graduate school, there was no way I could deny him that third item on his bucket list. Even though smoke was still billowing up from the World Trade Center as we flew over it to land at Newark Airport, we made sure that just two months after she entered the world, and two years before he left it, my grandpa and his great-granddaughter got to meet, face to face.
I allowed her to wear a non-FSU hat just this once.
Now that I’m the pastor of a church, I’ve been told that no good can come from talking about political issues. I do believe that churches serve the nations in which they reside best when they give voice to the needs of the poor and powerless when sociopolitical forces seem oriented to keep them that way, so sometimes it’s our responsibility to discuss politics and compare the values of Jesus Christ with the values of our culture when they seem to be at odds. However, we live in a politically charged climate, and the quality of our relationships is often decided by the similarity of our voting records. For this reason, it’s true that someone may be prevented from being able to hear what I’m saying about Jesus Christ if in the past I have said something at odds with their views on a political matter.
I admit that I have been caught off guard by how much anger people have expressed when I said or wrote something that was out of line with their political views. Perhaps that was naïve.
Talking about differences of political opinion helped me to learn to love and trust and befriend my grandpa, and so perhaps my instincts are to talk about them with the people whom I want to love and trust and befriend. It hasn’t been working very well lately. I don’t want to believe that the letters to my grandpa have hindered me as a pastor, but maybe they did.
Jesus put aside the perks of his parentage in order to connect with us, but he never forgot it. Perhaps that’s the journey we must take to navigate the today’s interpersonal climate. How much can we put aside who we are and where we come from in order to connect with another, without ever forgetting it? Or does the cost of putting aside who we are and where we come from exceed the cost of not connecting with them? There are certainly no easy answers there.
As I think about it, bringing up the tough political issues of the day in letters to my grandfather over years and years didn’t get us any easy answers that swung the debate one way or another. It did show me, however, that he sure did love me. It showed me that he entrusted himself to me. It showed me that he offered me enduring friendship.
Who knows… maybe in the end the letters to my grandpa left me more eager to love and discuss politics, and therefore made me less effective as a pastor. I retire in 18 more years, so the jury is probably still out, but no matter how much harder it is for me to become the pastor my congregations want or need, or how much longer it will take because of those letters to my grandpa, I hope they can forgive me. He was totally worth it. —MH
The Character of a Methodist
By John Wesley
TO THE READER [Preface]
1. SINCE the name first came abroad into the world, many have been at a loss to know what a Methodist is; what are the principles and the practice of those who are commonly called by that name; and what the distinguishing marks of this sect, "which is everywhere spoken against."
2. And it being generally believed, that I was able to give the clearest account of these things, (as having been one of the first to whom that name was given, and the person by whom the rest were supposed to be directed), I have been called upon, in all manner of ways, and with the utmost earnestness, so to do. I yield as last to the continued importunity both of friends and enemies; and do now give the clearest account I can, in the presence of the Lord and Judge of heaven and earth, of the principles and practice whereby those who are called Methodists are distinguished from other men.
3. I say those who are called Methodists; for, let it be well observed, that this is not a name which they take to themselves, but one fixed upon them by way of reproach, without their approbation or consent. It was first given to three or four young men at Oxford, by a student of Christ Church; either in allusion to the ancient sect of Physicians so called, from their teaching, that almost all diseases might be cured by a specific method of diet and exercise, or from their observing a more regular method of study and behaviour than was usual with those of their age and station.
4. I should rejoice (so little ambitious am I to be at the head of any sect or party) if the very name might never be mentioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion. But if that cannot be, at least let those who will use it, know the meaning of the word they use. Let us not always be fighting in the dark. Come, and let us look one another in the face. And perhaps some of you who hate what I am called, may love what I Can by the grace of God; or rather, what "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."
THE CHARACTER OF A METHODIST
1. THE distinguishing marks of a Methodist are not his opinions of any sort. His assenting to this or that scheme of religion, his embracing any particular set of notions, his espousing the judgment of one man or of another, are all quite wide of the point. Whosoever, therefore, imagines that a Methodist is a man of such or such an opinion, is grossly ignorant of the whole affair; he mistakes the truth totally. We believe, indeed, that "all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God;" and herein we are distinguished from Jews, Turks, and Infidels. We believe the written word of God to be the only and sufficient rule both of Christian faith and practice; and herein we are fundamentally distinguished from those of the Romish Church. We believe Christ to be the eternal, supreme God; and herein we are distinguished from the Socinians and Arians. But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think. So that whatsoever they are, whether right or wrong they are no distinguishing marks of a Methodist.
2. Neither are words or phrases of any sort. We do not place our religion, or any part of it, in being attached to any peculiar mode of speaking, any quaint or uncommon set of expressions. The most obvious, easy, common words, wherein our meaning can be conveyed, we prefer before others, both on ordinary occasions, and when we speak of the things of God. We never, therefore, willingly or designedly, deviate from the most usual way of speaking; unless when we express scripture truths in scripture words, which, we presume, no Christian will condemn. Neither do we affect to use any particular expressions of Scripture more frequently than others, unless they are such as are more frequently used by the inspired writers themselves. So that it is as gross an error, to place the marks of a Methodist in his words, as in opinions of any sort.
3. Nor do we desire to be distinguished by actions, customs, or usages, of an indifferent nature. Our religion does not lie in doing what God has not enjoined, or abstaining from what he hath not forbidden. It does not lie in the form of our apparel, in the posture of our body, or the covering of our heads; nor yet in abstaining from marriage, or from meats and drinks, which are all good if received with thanksgiving. Therefore, neither will any man, who knows whereof he affirms, fix the mark of a Methodist here,--in any actions or customs purely indifferent, undetermined by the word of God.
4. Nor, lastly, is he distinguished by laying the whole stress of religion on any single part of it. If you say, "Yes, he is; for he thinks 'we are saved by faith alone:'" I answer, You do not understand the terms. By salvation he means holiness of heart and life. And this he affirms to spring from true faith alone. Can even a nominal Christian deny it? Is this placing a part of religion for the whole? "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we establish the law." We do not place the whole of religion (as too many do, God knoweth) either in doing no harm, or in doing good, or in using the ordinances of God. No, not in all of them together; wherein we know by experience a man may labour many years, and at the end have no religion at all, no more than he had at the beginning. Much less in any one of these; or, it may be, in a scrap of one of them: Like her who fancies herself a virtuous woman, only because she is not a prostitute; or him who dreams he is an honest man, merely because he does not rob or steal. May the Lord God of my fathers preserve me from such a poor, starved religion as this! Were this the mark of a Methodist, I would sooner choose to be a sincere Jew, Turk, or Pagan.
5. "What then is the mark? Who is a Methodist, according to your own account?" I answer: A Methodist is one who has "the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him;" one who "loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength." God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of his soul; which is constantly crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee! My God and my all! Thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!"
6. He is therefore happy in God, yea, always happy, as having in him "a well of water springing up into everlasting life," and overflowing his soul with peace and joy. "Perfect love" having now "cast out fear," he "rejoices evermore." He "rejoices in the Lord always," even "in God his Saviour;" and in the Father, "through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he hath now received the atonement." "Having" found "redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of his sins," he cannot but rejoice, whenever he looks back on the horrible pit out of which he is delivered; when he sees "all his transgressions blotted out as a cloud, and his iniquities as a thick cloud." He cannot but rejoice, whenever he looks on the state wherein he now is; "being justified freely, and having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." For "he that believeth, hath the witness" of this "in himself;" being now the son of God by faith. "Because he is a son, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father!" And "the Spirit itself beareth witness with his spirit, that he is a child of God." He rejoiceth also, whenever he looks forward, "in hope of the glory that shall be revealed;" yea, this his joy is full, and all his bones cry out, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten me again to a living hope--of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for me!"
7. And he who hath this hope, thus "full of immortality, in everything giveth thanks;" as knowing that this (whatsoever it is) "is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning him ." From him, therefore, he cheerfully receives all, saying, "Good is the will of the Lord;" and whether the Lord giveth or taketh away, equally "blessing the name of the Lord." For he hath "learned, in whatsoever state he is, therewith to be content." He knoweth "both how to be abased and how to abound. everywhere and in all things he is instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need." Whether in ease or pain, whether in sickness or health, whether in life or death, he giveth thanks from the ground of his heart to Him who orders it for good; knowing that as "every good gift cometh from above," so none but good can come from the Father of Lights, into whose hand he has wholly committed his body and soul, as into the hands of a faithful Creator. He is therefore "careful" (anxiously or uneasily) "for nothing" as having "cast all his care on Him that careth for him," and "in all things" resting on him, after "making his request known to him with thanksgiving."
8. For indeed he "prays without ceasing." It is given him "always to pray, and not to faint." Not that he is always in the house of prayer; though he neglects no opportunity of being there. Neither is he always on his knees, although he often is, or on his face, before the Lord his God. Nor yet is he always crying aloud to God, or calling upon him in words: For many times "the Spirit maketh intercession for him with groans that cannot be uttered." But at all times the language of his heart is this: "Thou brightness of the eternal glory, unto thee is my heart, though without a voice, and my silence speaketh unto thee." And this is true prayer, and this alone. But his heart is ever lifted up to God, at all times and in all places. In this he is never hindered, much less interrupted, by any person or thing. In retirement or company, in leisure, business, or conversation, his heart is ever with the Lord. Whether he lie down or rise up, God is in all his thoughts; he walks with God continually, having the loving eye of his mind still fixed upon him, and everywhere "seeing Him that is invisible."
9. And while he thus always exercises his love to God, by praying without ceasing, rejoicing evermore, and in everything giving thanks, this commandment is written in his heart, "That he who loveth God, love his brother also." And he accordingly loves his neighbour as himself; he loves every man as his own soul. His heart is full of love to all mankind, to every child of "the Father of the spirits of all flesh." That a man is not personally known to him, is no bar to his love; no, nor that he is known to be such as he approves not, that he repays hatred for his good-will. For he "loves his enemies;" yea, and the enemies of God, "the evil and the unthankful." And if it be not in his power to "do good to them that hate him," yet he ceases not to pray for them, though they continue to spurn his love, and still "despitefully use him and persecute him."
10. For he is "pure in heart." The love of God has purified his heart from all revengeful passions, from envy, malice, and wrath, from every unkind temper or malign affection. It hath cleansed him from pride and haughtiness of spirit, whereof alone cometh contention. And he hath now "put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering:" so that he "forbears and forgives, if he had a quarrel against any; even as God in Christ bath forgiven him." And indeed all possible ground for contention, on his part, is utterly cut off. For none can take from him what he desires; seeing he "loves not the world, nor" any of "the things of the world ;" being now "crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him;" being dead to all that is in the world, both to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." For "all his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name."
11. Agreeable to this his one desire, is the one design of his life, namely, "not to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him." His one intention at all times and in all things is, not to please himself, but Him whom his soul loveth. He has a single eye. And because "his eye is single, his whole body is full of light." Indeed, where the loving eye of the soul is continually fixed upon God, there can be no darkness at all, "but the whole is light; as when the bright shining of a candle doth enlighten the house." God then reigns alone. All that is in the soul is holiness to the Lord. There is not a motion in his heart, but is according to his will. Every thought that arises points to Him, and is in obedience to the law of Christ.
12. And the tree is known by its fruits. For as he loves God, so he keeps his commandments; not only some, or most of them, but all, from the least to the greatest. He is not content to "keep the whole law, and offend in one point;" but has, in all points, "a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man." Whatever God has forbidden, he avoids; whatever God hath enjoined, he doeth; and that whether it be little or great, hard or easy, joyous or grievous to the flesh. He "runs the way of God's commandments," now he hath set his heart at liberty. It is his glory so to do; it is his daily crown of rejoicing, "to do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven;" knowing it is the highest privilege of "the angels of God, of those that excel in strength, to fulfil his commandments, and hearken to the voice of his word."
13. All the commandments of God he accordingly keeps, and that with all his might. For his obedience is in proportion to his love, the source from whence it flows. And therefore, loving God with all his heart, he serves him with all his strength. He continually presents his soul and body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God; entirely and without reserve devoting himself, all he has, and all he is, to his glory. All the talents he has received, he constantly employs according to his Master's will; every power and faculty of his soul, every member of his body. Once he "yielded" them "unto sin" and the devil, "as instruments of unrighteousness ;" but now, "being alive from the dead, he yields" them all "as instruments of righteousness unto God."
14. By consequence, whatsoever he doeth, it is all to the glory of God. In all his employments of every kind, he not only aims at this, (which is implied in having a single eye,) but actually attains it. His business and refreshments, as well as his prayers, all serve this great end. Whether he sit in his house or walk by the way, whether he lie down or rise up, he is promoting, in all he speaks or does, the one business of his life; whether he put on his apparel, or labour, or eat and drink, or divert himself from too wasting labour, it all tends to advance the glory of God, by peace and good-will among men. His one invariable rule is this, "Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
15. Nor do the customs of the world at all hinder his "running the race that is set before him." He knows that vice does not lose its nature, though it becomes ever so fashionable: and remembers, that "every man is to give an account of himself to God." He cannot, therefore, "follow" even "a multitude to do evil." He cannot "fare sumptuously every day," or "make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof." He cannot "lay up treasures upon earth," any more than he can take fire into his bosom. He cannot "adorn himself," on any pretense, "with gold or costly apparel." He cannot join in or countenance any diversion which has the least tendency to vice of any kind. He cannot "speak evil" of his neighbour, any more than he can lie either for God or man. He cannot utter an unkind word of any one; for love keeps the door of his lips. He cannot speak "idle words;" "no corrupt communication" ever "comes out of his mouth," as is all that "which is" not "good to the use of edifying," not "fit to minister grace to the hearers." But "whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things areas justly "of good report," he thinks, and speaks, and acts, "adorning the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in all things."
16. Lastly. As he has time, he "does good unto all men;" unto neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies: And that in every possible kind; not only to their bodies, by "feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those that are sick or in prison;" but much more does he labour to do good to their souls, as of the ability which God giveth; to awaken those that sleep in death; to bring those who are awakened to the atoning blood, that, "being justified by faith, they may have peace with God;" and to provoke those who have peace with God to abound more in love and in good works. And he is willing to "spend and be spent herein," even "to be offered up on the sacrifice and service of their faith," so they may "all come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
17. These are the principles and practices of our sect; these are the marks of a true Methodist. By these alone do those who are in derision so called, desire to be distinguished from other men. If any man say, "Why, these are only the common fundamental principles of Christianity!" thou hast said; so I mean; this is the very truth; I know they are no other; and I would to God both thou and all men knew, that I, and all who follow my judgment, do vehemently refuse to be distinguished from other men, by any but the common principles of Christianity,--the plain, old Christianity that I teach, renouncing and detesting all other marks of distinction. And whosoever is what I preach, (let him be called what he will, for names change not the nature of things,) he is a Christian, not in name only, but in heart and in life. He is inwardly and outwardly conformed to the will of God, as revealed in the written word. He thinks, speaks, and lives, according to the method laid down in the revelation of Jesus Christ. His soul is renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and ion all true holiness. And having the mind that was in Christ, he so walks as Christ also walked.
18. By these marks, by these fruits of a living faith, do we labour to distinguish ourselves from the unbelieving world, from all those whose minds or lives are not according to the Gospel of Christ. But from real Christians, of whatsoever denomination they be, we earnestly desire not to be distinguished at all, not from any who sincerely follow after what they know they have not yet attained. No: "Whosoever doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." And I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no wise divided among ourselves. Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thine? I ask no farther question. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinions, or terms, let us not destroy the work of God. Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough. I give thee the right hand of fellowship. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies; let us strive together for the faith of the Gospel; walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called; with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; remembering, there is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called with one hope of our calling; "one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
Jesus or Religion?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
This disturbed me. What do you think?
Blogs are meant to be a place for conversation. Get it started below!
How is a United Methodist Church Different from Any Other Kind?
I’ve been having a variety of engaging conversations with leaders, members, and friends of Heritage United Methodist lately about what it means to be a United Methodist church as opposed to anything else, and I’ve found that most aren’t really sure. So, I’ve been in search of helpful ways to convey some of those distinctives. First, we’ve created the 3-Minute Methodist Podcast, a 9-episode series which briefly touches on some of these distinctives. You can easily listen to it on Spotify by clicking here.
Also, a couple years ago Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Gibbs wrote about his decision to transfer his ordination from another denomination to the United Methodist Church, and did a good job summarizing some UM distinctives in his explanation. Click here to read Part 1, and here to read Part 2.
There will be more resources coming along in the weeks to come to help us explore our United Methodist Heritage. —MH
A Return to In-Person Worship Recap
Dear Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist,
It was so good to see some of you as we began the gradual return to in-person worship services this past weekend. With many others remaining engaged through our online connections, it was a great weekend! We had 198 people join us in person across our three services, 88 people watched the service live streams, and 203 watched the “Heritage Online Experience” created specifically for online viewing.
On top of that, some small groups are returning to in-person meetings, while others continue on line--all of which are studying the scriptures, praying, and following Jesus together. Thank you for being such a faithful church! If you’d like to join, host, teach, or start a small group, please let me know!
Here’s a few things we learned from week 1:
No Two Mask Wearers Are Alike
We realized that people wear masks in a variety of ways. Please remember that masks are only effective in protecting you and others from the Coronavirus when they cover both your mouth and your nose.
We are asking that, if you attend in-person services, that you follow this rule of thumb:
Wear a mask for music and moving.
While you’re moving around inside the buildings, we ask that you keep your mask on, as this is a time when you are more likely to come within six feet of another person.
Further, according to doctors, singing is “like coughing into the air for 3-4 minutes.” That’s obviously not the best way to keep everybody healthy and safe, so if you sing, we also ask that you keep your mask on. Once you’re in your seat, placed six feet away from other individuals or groups outside your quarantine group, you may remove your mask. If you plan to sing, or when you leave your seat for any reason, please put your mask back on so that it covers both your mouth and nose.
Most People are Still Going to Watch from Home, and that’s okay!
As I mentioned, the return to in-person worship will not be immediate for everybody. (Frankly, if it was, we couldn’t fit everyone anyway and maintain six-foot social distancing!) For those who will be watching online, you have the option of watching the in-person services live, or taking a deep dive into the Scriptures being preached that day with Pastor Matt in a pre-recorded worship experience including music, Bible teaching, and news and updates about life and ministry at Heritage.
The Schedule is a Little Different than it Used to Be
During the first phase of our return to in-person worship, the schedule will be:
9am, Sanctuary:
Style: Our traditional worship service
Music: Led by the organ and a small choir.
Preacher: The preacher of this service will usually be Pastor Matt.
Watch Online: On the Heritage UMC Facebook page or our Vimeo page.
9am, Family Life Center:
Style: Our “Ignite” modern worship service
Music: Led by our praise band.
Preacher: The preacher of this service will usually be Pastor John.
Watch Online: On the Ignite service Facebook page or our Vimeo page.
11am, Sanctuary:
Style: Our “Ignite” modern service in our contemporary service space (with new window shutters to create the dark space preferred by Ignite attenders!)
Music: Led by our praise band.
Preacher: The preacher of this service will usually be Pastor John, with Pastor Matt hosting and taking turns as well.
Watch Online: On both the Heritage UMC Facebook page and Ignite service Facebook pages, or our Vimeo page.
All Morning, Online
Style: The Heritage Online Experience
Music: Clips of our praise band from worship at Heritage, as well as other Christian artists
Preacher: Pastor Matt will teach and a take a more in-depth look at the passages being preached in the sanctuary and FLC services. It will be more, as he likes to call it, “Bible nerdy.”
Watch Online: On our online worship platform.
Also, if you missed a service and want to watch it later, they’re all stored on our Vimeo page and can be viewed any time you like!
The Tree Lighting is a no, but the Live Nativity… is a Go!
The Coronavirus pandemic has severely limited what we’re all able to do, whether it be in church or anywhere else. However, while we can’t pack 300 people into our usual tree lighting area again this year, a team of your fellow church members has made a plan for a way to bring the little town of Bethlehem to life once more in a safe and healthy manner. More information will be coming soon, but if you know you want to volunteer already, contact Barb Galbraith at barbg@heritageumc.com.
Helping out at Thanksgiving
In years past, Heritage has served individuals or couples in our congregation or neighborhood who are unable to join together with family or friends by hosting them for a Thanksgiving luncheon served in the Fellowship Hall.
2020 has presented us with challenges that prevent us from coming together physically as we have before, but we’re still going to find a way to come through for those who need us at this time of year by offering a “to go” Thanksgiving meal instead. If you or someone you know would be glad to receive this gift, or if you’d like to help cook or deliver, or if you’re willing to donate food or funds to help make it happen, please let us know. Click here for all the details!
Administrative Council on Monday Night
Don’t forget that our next Administrative Council meeting will be Monday night, November 9th, at 6:30pm. We will meet online, and you can participate live on our online worship platform by clicking here, watching and sending in questions or comments using the chat section on your screen. Administrative Council members are expected, but all are welcome to tune in and hear the latest news, updates, and upcoming opportunities! Chairperson Tom Meachum promises we’ll be done in plenty of time so you won’t miss the exciting Monday Night Football clash between the 2-5 New England Patriots and the 0-8 New York Jets!
I’m looking forward to sharing Sunday morning and Monday evening with you, whether it be from here, there, or anywhere!
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Pastor Matt’s Bible Class to Lead Our Online Only Service
Hello friends! Starting tonight, Pastor Matt’s Bible Class will become the content for the sermon of our service designed for online viewers who would prefer to watch something with them in mind rather than watching the in-person services on camera when they tune in on Sunday morning. I will cover the same Biblical content, but it will be a deeper dive into it. One switch will be that, from now on, the Bible Class / Online Podcast will be ahead of Sunday instead of behind.
This is still new territory for all of us, so I know we’ll figure it out as we go. It’ll surely continue to be an adventure into the unknown, but I’m glad we’ll do it together.
Everybody is invited to tune in, and if you chat in a question or comment, you’ll be helping me preach!
See you at 7pm!
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 4, Day 3
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is from John 15:12-17.
'My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. ' (John 15:12-17, NIV)
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today?
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 2, Day 4
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is from Psalm 51.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today? Please share in the comment section below!
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 2, Day 2
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is Acts 9:1-9.
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. (Acts 9:1-9, NIV)
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today? Please share in the comment section below!
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 2, Day 1
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is Romans 3:22-24.
“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ”
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today? Please share in the comment section below!
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 1, Day 5
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is Psalm 84.
“1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty;
listen to me, God of Jacob.
9Look on our shield,
look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
12 Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.”
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today? Please share in the comment section below!
Lunchtime Lectio | Week 1, Day 4
Hello Members and Friends of Heritage United Methodist!
Each day during the Disciple’s Heart series, I’ll be sending you the 5-minute “Lunchtime Lectio.” Lectio Divina means “divine reading,” and it’s the last part of each reading for the day in the Disciple’s Heart daily workbook.
Read the day’s passage of Scripture slowly, listening for the resonance of each word in your soul as you read it.
Read it through again, listening for the word or phrase that grabs your heart more than any other in the passage.
Spend a moment in quiet prayer, simply saying the word or phrase over and over again, asking God to reveal to you why that one stood out.
Finally, share in the comments below which word or phrase stood out to you. If you feel led to share, include a sentence or two about why God pointed you toward these words in particular.
Sincerely,
Pastor Matt
Today’s Disciple’s Path Lectio Divina reading is 1Corinthians 9:24-27.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. ”
Which word or phrase do you feel led to reflect on today? Please share in the comment section below!
Church Marquee Follow Up
Response by the Executive TeamAs you probably know by now, last week I put “We condemn white supremacy” on our church’s marquee. Concerns were voiced by church members and neighbors who drove by. They included:
I have an obvious political bias toward one candidate over another.
I posted a message on the marquee as if it represents the opinion of the whole congregation when it did not.
Posting the message on the marquee right after the Presidential debate was too impulsive.
Sharing a picture of the marquee on my Facebook account resulted in other churches posting the same message on their marquees.
I dragged the church into a political issue when church members would prefer to keep church and politics separate.
I didn’t also condemn Antifa and Black Lives Matter.
I used a negative word like “condemn” rather than something more positive.
If we condemn this one bad thing, are we going to take turns condemning other bad things on our marquee as well?
I may have allowed political divisiveness to chase some members or guests away.
I used my position to push my political views on the congregation.
While I asked for complaints about the marquee to be directed to me, I regret that so many staff and volunteer lay leaders were recipients of angry calls, texts, and emails from people who preferred not to talk to me about it, but still wanted to tell someone of their objection. The preschool staff even heard about it. I offer sincere apologies to these staff members and volunteers who had to spend time on this rather than the ministry to which you feel called!
On Tuesday night, the marquee was discussed by your Executive Team, and the above concerns were shared with me. I accepted that I will no longer have authority to approve marquee messages on my own, and will consult with other lay and staff leaders who will approve a schedule of marquee announcements from now on.
The Story of the Church Marquee
In case you’re curious, here’s the story of the church marquee from last Tuesday night.
We had a meeting of the Nominations team that night, which ended a little after 8pm. I came home and sat with Susan to watch the debate.
The two remaining candidates to be President of the United States for the next four years both have multiple episodes in their careers in which they have not been kind to people of color. However, there was a moment in the debate when there was a chance to affirm the value of people whose value has not been entirely clear over the last year, let alone the last few centuries. Yet the opportunity to say something that would affirm our diversity and celebrate the value of people of color quickly devolved into one more among many exchanges in which three powerful white men talked over each other like kids in a school cafeteria at lunch time.
The absurdity of the moment was hard to miss. The President, who, fairly or not, has become a hero of sorts to white supremacist groups, was asked to condemn white supremacy. Then, his opponent, whose own running mate basically called him a racist during the primaries, gave him a specific group to condemn, which, while they are self-avowed “male chauvinists” and deserve some denunciation, are not actually white supremacists. One commentator observed, “That debate was a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck.”
(Whether an actual condemnation of white supremacy was made by any of these men during the exchange remains a matter of interpretation.)
Like many who watched the debate that night, I sat in my living room afterward trying to process what I’d just seen. As I did, I observed on social media sites as others processed it as well. A disturbing element of the back and forth on Facebook and Twitter that night was the recurrence of outspoken white Christians debating with people of color about white supremacy, racism, walls between the U.S. and Mexico, whether or not black or blue lives matter, etc.
In a recent survey of 440 people aged 16-29 who are not a part of a church, respondents were asked to give their impression of Christians. 75% said that they think we push a political agenda opposed to diversity, and I was watching this statistic play out right before my eyes! Social media is second nature to young adults–it is where a sizable percentage of their lives happen–and if the Christians they were encountering there after the debate are the people you encounter in churches, I wouldn’t want to go either.
I thought about people of color that I know, watching their value in comparison to white people once again left an unanswered question. I wished there was a way that people of color could hear the church of Jesus Christ affirm them. I wished there was a way to let people of color know that not all Christians are like the ones they were encountering on the Internet. I wished they could meet the people at my church who are kind and friendly and eager to help anyone they can. I wished there was a way we could talk to them. Then I realized there was.
It occurred to me that the following morning, many of those people of color would get in their cars and head to work, with the memory of what they heard–or didn’t hear–the night before still on their minds. I thought about them driving by our church, and seeing our marquee. Even though they didn’t see anybody condemn white supremacy in the debate, what if they drove past a church of Jesus Christ that did the very next morning? Would they feel a little better? Would they feel valued? Would they feel a little less alone? Would they perhaps even feel a little bit of hope?
I got in my car at 1:30am, and came back across the bridge to change our marquee, but about halfway across, I got nervous. What if people get mad? What if I get angry calls and emails? What if someone vandalizes the sign? What if so many people are mad about it that they ask for a new pastor? This could be a costly marquee message.
In the middle of these sudden fears, I felt God asking me, “Are you willing to pay the cost?” Was I willing to pay the cost of using my place of power and influence to serve those without the kind of power and influence I have?
I decided I was willing, and so everyone who drove by our church the next day was told that Heritage United Methodist condemns white supremacy.
I sent an email to the congregation explaining the sign, and replies instantly started coming in. The vast majority were thankful, positive, and supportive. Some kindly voiced concerns about politics on the marquee. Some were less kind. There was sadness, frustration, and rage. Some were sarcastic. Some said they were leaving the church.
On the way home Wednesday evening, it was hard to get some of the calls and emails out of my head. I second guessed myself–if I had known how angry people would be, would I still have been willing to pay the cost? If I knew I’d lose the authority to decide what goes on the marquee? I don’t know. I hope so. But maybe not.
Then, on the same bridge where God met me the night before, he reminded me, “What you experienced today isn’t one ten-zillionth what people of color have experienced.” I thought “one ten-zillionth” was an interesting number for the Lord to use, but that’s the phrase he dropped into my heart on the way home, and He was right. In comparison, putting that message on the marquee barely cost me anything.
Then, as I was walking into my garage (I agree that God chose some random spots to speak up that day), I heard him again, “It’s a privilege to pay the cost.” He was right again. The sound of the anger from the day died down in my head, and I felt honored to be chosen to bear a very, very small part of the cost of speaking out for those who don’t have the same platform I do.
No one has asked, but in case you read this far, that’s the story of the marquee. I guess I share it for two reasons. First, to make it clear that I didn’t drive back across the bridge at 1:30am for Joe Biden, as many have suspected. I wouldn’t do that in a million years.
I would drive back across the bridge at 1:30am for Jesus Christ and his church to be a source of hope for those who need it. In fact, I would crawl across that bridge at 1:30am for Jesus Christ and his church, because it is through Jesus Christ and His church that the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit are poured out for all humankind.
Second, I’ve been wondering if anybody else might feel privileged to join in paying the cost as well. Our ministry partners at Mt. Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church do some amazing work helping with needs of all kinds, and I think a great ending to the story of the marquee would be for anyone who feels led to make a financial contribution to Mt. Olive’s ministries. Click here to make contribution, and type “Paying the cost” in the note section so we’ll know to send it on to Mt. Olive.
As long as I am a shepherd of God’s people, I will ask them to see the world around us through the eyes of Christ. Every election season we seem to begin finding our identity more through allegiance to a party or candidate than through our commitment to Jesus Christ. Yet if we can continue to see with the eyes of Christ in every season, we will begin to see those around us, whether we agree with them or not, the way Jesus does–worth loving, no matter the cost.
Journeying with you,
PS. I’m pleased to report that some of the unhappy responses I received actually became more and more cordial when I replied and found them to be open to some back and forth dialogue. The most vitriolic email I received was from a neighbor who doesn’t go to Heritage. Despite it’s many exclamation points and accusations–the exchange evolved into a pleasant interaction that ended with her apologizing for her original tone, wishing our church well, and promising to visit the pumpkin patch. I’m sure she would have agreed to give Heritage a try on a Sunday morning too, but they already go to another church. 😁
I believe that people with opposing views are capable of understanding each other and building fruitful relationships, and I give thanks that I got to see it happen in person right here at Heritage.
