Out the Door

How does a fertilied egg become a human?

How does a fertilized egg become a human?  That was one of the questions that Wired magazine (2/07) listed as unanswerable.  Here's what Steve Olson author of Mapping Human History had to say:

     Imagine that you place a 1-inch-wide black cube in an empty field.  Suddenly the cube makes copies of itself--two, four, eight, 16.  The proliferating cubes begin to form structures--enclosures, arches, walls, tubes.  Some of the tubes turn into wires, PVC pipes, structural steel, wooden studs.  Sheets of cubes become wallboard and wood paneling, carpet and plate-glass windows.  The wires begin connecting themselves into a network of immense complexity.  Eventually, a 100-story skyscraper stands in the field.

     That's basically the process a fertilized cell undergoes beginning with the moment of conception.  How did that cube know know to make a skyscraper?  How does a cell know how to make a human (or any other mammal)?  Biologists used to think that the cellular proteins somehow carried the instructions.  But now proteins look more like pieces of brick and stone--useless without a building plan and a mason.  The instructions for how to build an organism must be written in a cell's DNA, but no one has figured out exactly how to read them.

     This is the mystery of life.  God is the grand architect and mason who draw the plans and oversees the construction.  David recognized this 3,000 years ago,

     For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 
     I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
     My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret places.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, you eyes saw my unformed body.  (Psalm 139:13-15, NIV)

     It is my prayer that someday those who hold to a pro-abortion stance will admit that abortion destroys a human life that is fearfully, wonderfully, mysteriously made by God.  Calling an unborn child a fetus is simply a way of rationalizing an unthinkable destruction of human life.  Unless all human life is valuable, no human life is valuable.

Are multi-point charges a good thing?

Tonight our Staff Parish Relations Team (we have teams not committees) will be meeting with the SPRC from a neighboring community, Fredericksburg, to discuss doing a new church alignment.  Presently, Sumner is a one point charge.  The new alignment would result in a 2 or 3 point charge. 

Sumner & Fredericksburg have been whole grade sharing for the past two years.  Both communities have an elementary building.  The middle school is at F'burg and the high school is in Sumner.  It has been a very good arrangement, thus leading some to think that shared ministry could likewise be advantageous. 

What do you think?  Having served two point charges & now a single point charge, I know there are strengths and weaknesses in both situations.  What has been your experience?

Invitation from UM Communications

I'm passing along an invitation from UM Communication to UM bloggers.  Unfortunately, I have a meeting at the exact time of the launch so won't be able to participate.  Hopefully, some can and will report to those of us who missed out on their impressions.

Good news! After two years of work redesigning UMC.org and adding new features, we’re officially launching the site on Monday, January 29! And we want you to be a part of it.

United Methodist Communications invites you to a launch event for bloggers where we will introduce the site’s new design, demonstrate its innovative features, answer your questions and discuss the church’s decision to take this “generation next” approach.

The new UMC.org is about relationships, connections and bringing people of faith together in new ways.  The site was created after more than 250 church members, leaders, and seekers around the world were interviewed in the research phase of the redesign.  This research led to the use of many innovative technologies and features, including:

         The new UMC.org Community, the first large-scale social networking site developed by a mainline denomination, where you can establish a profile, blog, name others as “friends,” and a lot more.

         “Our People” section, where visitors can identify and find ways to use their individual talents, and read inspirational stories of faith.
         “Pray” tab, where visitors can submit a prayer request asking others to remember their needs in their prayers.
        “Serve” section, which helps people connect with volunteer opportunities locally and around the world.
          MethoPedia, or the United Methodist encyclopedia, offers a subject-specific view of all resources and stories from the denomination.

We hope that you will want to review our site and help us to spread the word about the new UMC.org.  Join us!

WHEN: Monday, January 29, 2007   7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT/ 4 p.m. PT

WHERE:          Web Link:  http://umc.acrobat.com/launch
                       NOTE: After clicking the link, select ‘Enter as Guest’, type your first & last name followed by the organization/site you represent, and then click ‘Enter Room’.

When do SAM's get their chance?

The UM News Service reported on the recent Convocation for Pastors of African American Churches:  "The convocation, held Jan. 3-6, was designed to help United Methodist pastors and leaders of African-American congregations be intentional about focusing on healthy options that connect spirit, body and mind."  My bishop, Gregory Palmer, who is a great preacher, spoke at the Convocation.

Last year, clergy women met in Chicago to discuss issues relevant to their ministries.  There are also regular gatherings for ethic minority pastors.

I'm just wondering when SAM's (Straight, Anglo/Saxon Males) will get the chance to meet to talk about their particular issues?  It's not that I opposed to these various groups who share commonality meeting together.  In fact, I'm convinced that the participants benefit greatly.  I just wonder when my group, SAMs, is going to have the opportunity host an exclusive gathering with the financial support of the Church?

Of course, the answer is never.  It would be politically incorrect and exclusive for SAMs to meet as a group.  If such a gathering were even talked about, there would be such an uproar that it would never get off the ground. 

I'm sure these other groups of clergy face struggles and discrimination that I will never have to deal with.  But does that mean, I and those like me should be excluded from receiving support and encouragement that is unique to our situation?

It's kind of like girls playing football.  Now, I don't have a problem with girls suiting up.  If they enjoy playing the game, let them play.  What I don't get is why boys can't play volleyball?  Or why can a woman complete on the PGA, but men aren't allowed on the WPGA?  Is the answer to discrimination, reverse discrimination?  I don't want anything that is superior to what others have.  I would like equal opportunities though. 

And it's not that I'd really want to see at exclusive gathering of SAM's take place.  I value the insights of women and ethnic minorities, I'm just trying to make a point that what's good for the goose, should be good for the gander as well.

 

It's time to pull out

I thought that taking the war on terrorism to Afghanistan and Iraq was the right thing to do.  After 3,000+ individuals (I won't say innocent people, for no one is) were killed on 9/11, military action to prevent further attacks was necessary.

Now I fear we are mired in a war which we cannot win.  How does one defeat an enemy who is willing to strap a bomb to his chest and blow himself up while targeting civilians and military personnel?  It can't be done.  Not unless we're intent on killing every radical Islamic fundamentalist in the world.  I wouldn't venture to say that's the President purpose in calling up more troops, but it appears he is focused on ridding the world of evil men.  It is an impossible task.

We are living in the last days of planet Earth and Jesus told us there would be wars and rumors of wars.  All peace is temporary.  England, today our greatest ally was the United States of America's first enemy.  Japan was a US ally in WW1.  Afghanistan received US aid while fighting the USSR.  Iraq and Iran have both received military help from the US.

That's a very short history, but my point is nations continue to take up sword against nations and war continues to be taught.  And in international affairs, allies and enemies are continually flip-flopping sides.  We shouldn't expect anything other than this, because countries are governed by sinful human beings and international relationships are as volatile as interpersonal relationships.

I do believe President Bush is right, that if the US pulls out of Iraq it will turn into a blood bath.  Look what happen in SE Asia after the Americans left Viet Nam.  Iraq is no different.  Century old resentments and hatred is already being revealed.  There will not be any lasting peace.  In fact, one of the signs of the anti-christ is prolonged peace in the Middle East.

It is useless for America to continue to spending billions of dollars and sacrificing young lives for a nation that is overrun by religious fanaticism.  Our military has accomplished what needed to be done, remove Saddam Hussein from power and protect our country from the threat of WMD.  Those who gave their lives did not die in vain.  Now we must leave Iraq to it's fate and allow the Iraqi people to work out their own future, whatever that might be.

That sounds very cold hearted, but one of the keys to peace is knowing what you cannot change.  The problems in Iraq are beyond what the United States of America can change.

What our checkbook says

There's much one can discern by looking at a congregation's financial report.  I've heard it said "you can tell a person's priorities by looking at their calendar and the checkbook."  The same is true for churches.

As I look at the annual financial report from my congregation I see some really good news and some not so good news.  The good news is that our total general account income rose over $20,000 over 2005.  That's a 18% increase.  This came in two main categories.  We saw a $11,500 increase in General Budget giving and $9,000+ increase to Missions.  And I didn't preach a typical stewardship sermon anytime during the year.  But I did weave the topic of giving throughout a number of messages.

I'm especially pleased with what the increase in missional giving says about my congregation.  For most of the eight years I've been in Sumner, my financial emphasis and the thus the congregation's has been bringing our physical plant and the technical equipment contained therein, up to date.  Since most of what was needed to be done was accomplished by 2005, we were able to refocus our attention to where it should be, on the mission and ministry of the church.  While there's plenty of good news, we're still not where we should be financially by any means.

We still fell nearly $12,000 short of paying our appointments which are pushing $30,000 a year.  Also, we are incredibly underfunded for a congregation our size.  Other churches in Iowa who are similar in membership spend about $40,000 a year more for local church ministry than we do.

It's fantastic to see the positive growth and I praise God for it.  I also pray that we can continue to grow and have the financial resources to do the kind of ministry this congregation is capable of doing.

Lord, He Went

I just finished reading Lord, He Went, a biography of Bill Hinson by Stanley Copeland.  For 19 years Bill Hinson was the senior pastor at First UMC of Houston, the largest congregation in Methodism.  Hinson died in December of 2004 at the age of 68.  Just a few months before his death, he made one of the boldest, most prophetic speeches in the history of Methodism.  During this speech he called for "an amicable separation" to take place within the United Methodist Church.  In the years since, Hinson has often been misquoted or statements taken out of context.  It may be one of the most talked about speeches that came out of any General Conference that so few have heard or read in its entirety. 

From time to time I have echoed Hinson call for an end to all the fighting through an amicable separation but not nearly as eloquently or as powerfully as Hinson himself.  Here's that speech as reprinted from Lord, He Went pages 97-99.

All of us have poignant moments when deep sadness sweeps over our souls.  I recall as a young preacher when our church was the largest Protestant denomination in America, and a the time first began to lose members.  I've always thought numbers were important because they represent people.  Have you ever noticed that people who run numbers down never run them up?  Mine is the last generation of United Methodist preachers who can remember when we were a growing movement.  Trust has been broken, violated, disenfranchised.  They say, "Seek autonomy."

I've felt another poignant moment of sadness on the morning I learned that Karen Dammann had been acquitted.  For the first time in my life I wasn't so eager to go out and face the world with the announcement that I'm a United Methodist pastor.  Last Monday night when six of us met with fifteen persons who are of a different perspective, my sadness took on a new dimension.  We took turns talking in that circle about the church and where we were coming from.  At the end of more than two hours my feelings had coalesced to the point that I was fully persuaded we cannot bridge the gap separating us.  I was and am profoundly saddened by that conviction.

Our friends in the Western Jurisdiction have left us.  Our covenant is in shreds.  And when I speak of covenant I'm not talking about the trust clause.  I'm talking about a sacred trust that is much deeper and more binding.  Through the years such a trust could be counted on to keep us faithful to what we have discussed, voted on, and placed into our Book of Discipline.  All of that has now changed.  More than that, our friends who have broken our covenant feel that they themselves are broken; because the votes of this Conference have largely gone against them, they feel disenfranchised, they feel we are doing spiritual violence to them, and have told us clearly that we are not truth tellers.  In addition they are seeking autonomy from the larger body.  They garnered more that 300 votes in an attempt to do things their way with regard to ordination in the Western Jurisdiction.  Let's set them and ourselves free to pursue our highest aspirations.

No sincere person can rejoice in another person's pain.  No one enjoys stepping on another person's dream....No earnest Christian enjoys seeing another human suffering.  I believe it is time for us to end this cycle of pain we are inflicting on each other.  The thought of hurting another makes us sick.  They hurt us by defying the covenant, and we hurt them with our votes to uphold the Discipline every four years.

There is a great gulf fixed between those of us who are centered on the Scripture and our friends who are of another persuasion.  Repeatedly they have spoken of the need to get our church in step with our culture.  We, on the other hand, have no desire to be the chaplain to an increasingly godless society.  Rather, our desire is to be faithful to the Word of God....

For many, truth is still evolving.  They sincerely believe that the  world has the wisdom we need and we should relativize the Bible so as to bring our thoughts into harmony with whatever the current worldly wisdom suggests.  We on the other hand believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.  And the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of God shall stand forever....

Let me confess that there is a deep yearning in my heart as strong as when I first began to preach to be caught up in the wave of God's Spirit that is sweeping the earth, especially in the global south.  Just this week I had dinner with two of the bishops from Africa to listen to them speak of the mission and ministry being accomplished in their areas.  To hear them speak is to make the heart homesick for a place in the world revival...

Now my earnest desire is that my church, which exists to spread scriptural holiness across the earth, might be free to recapture our mission and refocus on the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.  I dream of men's women's and youth's movements grounded in the Great Commission.  As someone stated, "It's not that life is so short, it's that eternity is so long."  There are people out there dying; and God wants to use us to share the Good News.

We cannot fight both church and culture.  Our culture alone confronts us with more challenges than we can, humanly speaking, confront and challenge.  That struggle, combined with the continuous struggle in the church, is more than we can bear.  And our people, who have been faithful and patient, should not have to continue to endure our endless conflict.  I believe that time has come  when we must begin to explore an amicable and just separation that will free both sides from our cycle of pain and conflict.  Such a just separation will protect the property rights of churches and the pension rights of clergy.  It will also free us to reclaim our high calling and to fulfill our mission in the world.  Therefore, let us, like Paul and Barnabas, agree to go our separate ways.

Wish I were there

Several UM bloggers, (here's Gavin's who has links to the others) are presently gathered at the Congress of Evangelism meeting in Myrtle Beach.  I had wanted to attend but it just didn't fit into what I have going on.  Now having read what's happening, I really wish I were there. 

Thankfully, the attendees are sharing their experiences on their blogs.  However, one can't virtually sit in a jacuzzi and chat with others.  Well, I guess I could if I had a jacuzzi, but the church hasn't got around to installing one in the parsonage yet.

For an "immigrant" like me to be able to learn from the "natives" of the web culture, I believe is absolutely vital if I'm going to be able to minister to 21st century generations.  I asked my confirmation class last night how many of them had their own cell phones.  3 of the 5 pulled theirs out of their pockets.  The other two said they used their parents'.  (When I was 12 years old, I thought having a walkie talkie that had a 500 yard range was cool.)  What was interesting though was the fact that all but one thought that if Jesus were alive today, he won't have a cell phone.  So it would seem that they still see them as a luxury item rather than a necessity. 

Maybe that leads to a good question for the Methobloggers to address.  Would Jesus have a blog and/or a MySpace account?

Christmas Miracle Offering truly miraculous

Back in November I challenged the people of my congregation to do something really counter-cultural and to remember whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas by giving to Jesus an amount equal to what they spend on other gifts.  I must credit Mike Slaughter from Ginghamsburg UMC for the idea.  We called this special offering our Christmas Miracle Offering, because we were trusting that God would do something truly miraculous.  The offering is supporting the work of Phakamisa, a ministry of Pinetown Methodist Church in the Zulu-Natal province of South Africa.  Phakamisa helps provide care for 5,000 orphans and 10,000 other poverty-stricken children.

Our congregation has of course, held special offering for various mission projects in the past.  These have usually raised between $500 & $1,500 for the project.  While I am thankful for what people have done, I didn't believe there was much miraculous about these results.  God doesn't need to intervene any a big way to accomplish those kinds of numbers.  So we began praying for a miracle and throughout December I told the story of Phakamisa.

Since Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday in 2006, we set that as the date when the offering would be received.  I'm still in awe at the generosity exhibited and how God has worked through our congregation.  The Christmas Miracle Offering totaled more than $8,100.  This is about 1/3 of the amount Phakamisa requested through the General Board of Global Ministries Advance Special program for 2007.

God has done something miraculous through us and He is to be praised.