June 2015 Letter from Pastor Scott

Persevere!

This past Sunday was Pentecost, the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church.  I preached from Acts 2 about the characteristics of a healthy, growing church…a “Magnetic Fellowship.”

One of those characteristics is often missed.  It is in verse 46 in that famous 2nd chapter of Acts.  It says, “So continuing daily with one accord…”  In the original Greek language of the text, the actual mood of that phrase, “continuing daily,” describes a church that was persevering.  In other words, their faithfulness required significant effort, even sacrifice.  Having our morning coffee is something we “continue daily.”  Living faithfully as the Body of Christ every day is something that takes perseverance and sacrifice.

What a perfect example for us, especially as we enter the summer months.  Every pastor prepares for fewer folks in worship and lighter offerings during the summer.  I wish that weren’t true.  I encourage you to be faithful to your spiritual commitments the next few months, especially as we have started our new 3-service schedule on Sundays, and have more and more ministry that needs your financial support.

God has called us to be a missional community, standing firmly as His ambassadors to everyone we see.

Hungering for Holiness,

Pastor Scott

Connectional?

There is a national committee in the United Methodist Church (I know...who would have thought?!) called The Connectional Table.  Their primary responsibility is a little vague to me, but you can go online and find plenty of information.  They recently met and voted to recommend to the next General Conference that we "compromise" on the issue if sexuality by allowing each local church pastor to decide whether or not to perform same-sex marriages.  They also will recommend to General Conference that each annual conference decide whether or not to support same-sex marriages AND to ordain openly gay candidates for ministry.

Anyone who knows me knows I stand on the "orthodox/conservative"' side of this debate.  But what is troubling and revealing about their recommendations is how thoroughly it violates one of the seminal commitments of historic Methodism AND the title of their own committee - that we are "connectional!"

For all of my life as a Methodist, I thought "connectional" meant we shared a common commitment to the integrity and authority of Scripture and that we had agreed to set aside our individual preferences and submit ourselves to the Authority and authorities over us.  In other words, what joined us at the heart was surrendering ourselves to something bigger than ourselves.  I was always told that, whether you attended a UM church in Pennsylvania or in Texas, we were connectional because we shared those commitments.

But if a pastor in Iowa permits himself to perform same-sex marriages and supports ordaining practicing homosexuals, then he and I are not connectional.  In fact, we are divided at the deepest level.  I would say he is not even Wesleyan...but he might say the same about me!  See what I mean!!

I wonder if the Connectional Table, without realizing it, did exactly the opposite of what it intended;  it has formally voiced what most United Methodists already know - that we are profoundly divided and unquestionably DIS-connected.  Ironically, they also did not have a single person from Africa on the Committee - a continent that now holds about 40% of our total world-wide membership.

They say the term, "Military Intelligence" is an oxymoron?  Connectional Table?


Pastor Scott