Bountiful Harvest

I’m at Annual Conference this weekend. United Methodist clergy and lay representatives from all over the Wisconsin conference come together to worship and celebrate, to conduct the business of the church (including approving a budget), and a variety of other things. (That's our theme for this year: Bountiful Harvest.)

It can be a great experience coming together each year, greeting old and new friends, singing and worshiping with 800 others, but it can also be quite draining – although maybe more so for introverts like myself. Between that and my migraine, I’m feeling beat and it’s only Friday. In an hour, the clergy will gather and among the other business they will (hopefully) approve nine women, including myself, for ordination on Sunday.

Considering the business of this weekend, I thought I’d include another of my answers from the questions we had to submit before our conversations with the Board of Ordained Ministry. Remember, these are my responses, not those of the Church at large. As any person looks closer at her relationship with God and/or with the Church, as we each consider our theology, we find that although some may have similar beliefs, no two people believe exactly the same thing. When we met with the Board, they were listening for things like… How well do the various pieces of our theology fit together? Are there holes? Conflicts?

That said, here's the question and my response.

How has the practice of ministry informed your understanding of the nature and mission of the Church? What are its primary challenges today?

Because The United Methodist Church is worldwide in nature, we are led to consider how people do church in widely varied contexts. We seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, while recognizing that this happens locally, within each community’s context. The question we must ask is, how are we to be in ministry in our context, to the glory of God. As a Church we must ask similarly, how we are to honor the uniqueness of varied contexts, and their varied understandings of God, Christ, humanity, and the world. How are we to be in ministry together?

Ministry practice brings home to me that while many church leaders recognize the mission of the Church, for others, an overarching mission is irrelevant. While I see value in the Church’s connectional nature, some see only hierarchical expectations. More than this challenge though, I see the Church’s primary challenge as many churches’ willingness to accept “easy membership.” I believe that our nation’s sense of individualism and our consumer culture are tied to the apathy, hopelessness, and despair which so many feel. Our churches’ willingness to cultivate a parallel culture allowing people to “do church their way” exacerbates the problem. People have historically looked to the church as a foil for society, but today often find this is no longer so. In setting expectations low, discipleship will always lose to comfort and inaction. People accurately assess that their church expects nothing from them, other than financial support and occasional passive attendance. Telling potential members up front that we take our vows seriously, and then do so, is respectful of all persons and honors our God. Although it is unpopular, I encourage confirmands to think deeply before joining their church, for while they are confirming baptismal vows, they may not yet be ready, or able, to keep membership vows. As churches, we have ceased to be demanding for fear that people will take their resources elsewhere. Expecting little, we cripple discipleship and leave leadership culpable for not fulfilling our (God’s) mission.

I believe in God's Church. I believe in the UMC as a part of God's hope for the world. Just thought I ought to add this, so you don't come away from this thinking I'm despairing. Quite the contrary, I'm full of Fierce Hope & Joy.

Shalom, my friend.