Strength for Service to God and Country

As we prepare for the annual observation of Veteran’s Day, November 11, I would like to call to your attention a wonderful resource produced by our United Methodist Men: Strength for Service to God and Country.

This inspirational book comes in two versions. One is for military service men and women. A second version is produced for local emergency service personnel, such as first-responders, police, fire fighters and medical professionals.

This resource can be purchased through our General Commission on United Methodist Men at www.StrengthforService.org.

Originally distributed during World War II and the Korean War, it was revisited by a Scout named Evan Hunsberger, whose advocacy for the book’s republishing was his Eagle Scout project in 2002.

How wonderful it would be if our churches could purchase copies of these devotionals and distribute them to our community servants as well as our men and women in the military. It would be a wonderful way to show honor and appreciation this year during and after our Veteran’s Day observance.

Bishop calls for action against PA gambling expansion

November 8, 2017

On October 26, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 109-72 to approve a significant expansion of gambling in our state, House Bill 271. The bill was approved by the state Senate the previous day. Four days after the House action, Governor Tom Wolf signed the legislation into law. The legislation was quickly moved, taking only 18 hours between its introduction and its passage in the House. In fact, lawmakers had only two hours to read the massive 939-page bill. This stealthy rush through the General Assembly minimized scrutiny. Obviously, public input was thwarted. This new law will create 10 mini-casinos in regions without a casino, allow some truck stops to operate video gaming terminals, regulate fantasy sports and online gambling, legalize online gambling portals at casinos and airports, permit the state lottery to sell tickets and offer games online, and legalize sports betting (if Congress allows it nationally). Proponents of this legislation hope to open gambling to new markets, especially younger players. Only Nevada exceeds Pennsylvania in commercial casino revenues. This law marks the biggest expansion of gambling in the state, since it first legalized casinos more than a decade ago. Pennsylvania now becomes the fourth state with internet gambling and the first to allow both casino and lottery games online.

Another tragedy, another reminder

Our country is still reeling from the recent incident in New York City where a terrorist brutally ran over and killed innocent people with a truck. Now we learn of another heinous, hateful act of unbelievable violence against innocent people. 

This time it is in the tiny town of Sutherland Springs, Texas. This time it strikes especially close to home. This time it is in a church, where unsuspecting members—children and adults—were gathered for worship.

Fifteen seconds of automatic weapon gunfire erupted in a horrific mass murder, the worst ever in an American place of worship and in Texas’ history, killing 26 people and wounding many others. This terrible act of violence has caused profound devastation and inconsolable grief. There are no words that can come close to healing such emotional and spiritual wounds.

The Baptist church’s pastor, the Rev. Frank Pomeroy, was out of town when these murders happened. But the words that he preached to his congregation the Sunday before may shed some light on the future. On a website known as www.heavy.com  (November 5, 2017) the pastor’s sermon was quoted: “God’s understanding is far greater, and there may be things that are taking place that you don’t understand. But you still need to do what God is calling you to do.” 

These prophetic words speak to us this day. As Christians, we are called to pray, to continue to speak out about how to live in this world in nonviolent ways, to examine our weapons laws for ways to be more protective, and to find ways to prepare our churches for the unthinkable. 

A final reminder is that mental health is often in the mix when people perform horrific acts of mass murder. Our country could and should be doing much more to provide for more mental health services. It is just as important as medical (physical) health care. 

Please remember that the vast majority of people with mental illness are not murderous or violent, and we as the church need to continually be about the business of ministering to this community with compassion and grace. 

NOTE: Church Mutual Insurance Company offers several risk control webinars and articles on its website that could be helpful to any church. Please check them out, use this valuable information and share it with other churches.

• Armed Intruder
  Church Mutual has partnered with industry experts to keep your people safe before, during and after a violent attack. Firestorm, a nationally recognized leader in crisis management, helping clients minimize disaster exposure and plan for a crisis, and ALICE Training Institute, the number-one active shooter civilian response training organization in the nation, have come together to bring you this informative webinar series.
  
• Protecting against catastrophic violence
  Although catastrophically violent events are not frequent, the consequences are tragic. With the recent rise in active shooter incidents, specifically, many organizations are asking questions about how to make sure they are prepared for such violent events.
  
  “There are several precautionary measures that can be taken,” said Ron Aguiar, director of safety and security at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., and author of Keeping Your Church Safe. “It starts with getting a group together to develop a plan.”
  
• Pastors become chaplains after church massacre
• Churches and Gun Violence: 7 Practical Preparation Tips
  The Rev. Derrek Belase, a former certified police officer turned pastor, with two degrees in criminology, is the Oklahoma Annual Conference's Director of Discipleship. His current portfolio includes coordinating the Safe Sanctuary Training.Derrek believes that you can’t completely prevent gun violence from erupting. Even with the best laid plans or the best legislation. Then what? How can a church adequately protect itself? Here are seven practical tips that can help any church prepare for the unexpected.

Also, the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm offers this training opportunity to Eastern PA conference churches: Bishop Johnson is asking for each of us to set up Active Shooter Training Workshops (“What churches should do”) on each of our Districts. The Rev. Mark Beideman will lead a South District training this Sunday, November 12, at 3 PM, at Downingtown UMC. Any district is invited to send folks to our training for now. Mark may be able to come to other districts to offer trainings at other times.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. —Galatians 6:2

October is annually recognized as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”

Why? Because of some very shocking and disturbing statistics that more people should know and care about.

Every 9 seconds in the U.S. a woman is assaulted or beaten, according to www.domesticviolencestatistics.com, a website dedicated to educating the public about this terrible scourge.

It’s a worldwide problem. In the U.S., 1 in 4, but globally, at least 1 in 3 women is beaten, coerced or abused during her lifetime. And based on reports from 10 countries, from 55 to 95 percent of women who have been physically abused by their partners have never contacted police, safety shelters or non-governmental organizations for help.

Thus, this problem, this burden, is far more devastating—to women, to families, to communities, to our nation and world—than we know.

So, October is annually recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month to shine a light on a very serious, painful but often hidden crisis in our world. In fact, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) recommends this week as a “Week of Action” in the campaign to end domestic violence.

This problem is not limited to only women. Many men and children are also victims of domestic violence. Sadly, it also happens in clergy families and in the homes of countless lay people in our congregations.

When I served in a local church years ago I was made aware of a serious abuse situation in the home of a family that lived near the church. When I became involved in an intervention I was fearful for my life as well as the life of this young mother and her two small children.

Fortunately for this family there was a local shelter available to help. But I learned quickly that such resources to address this kind of crisis were very limited.

The Eastern PA Conference is forming a Domestic Violence Task Force that we hope will become an official conference committee in the future. The purpose of this task force is to educate our churches about this staggering, hidden reality and to refer people to organizations, services and law enforcement officials who can help.

This is a compelling burden for us all to bear. We encourage churches to have conversations about Domestic Violence and to ask hard questions when anyone suspects that someone is being or has been abused.

We are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. So, we need to open the eyes and ears of our hearts and extend our hands and our voices to offer lifesaving relief.

Please search online for more information about domestic violence this month and learn what you and your church can do to shine the light of truth and healing on this widespread problem. And please let us know what your church is doing or plans to do. Thank you.

NOTE: Hopewell UMC (852 Hopewell Road, Downingtown, PA) will host Strengthening Families throughout the Faith Community, “an engaging conference for church ministers, staff and lay leaders,” on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 1:30 to 6:30 PM. This experience will educate concerned participants about ways churches can connect with community resources to support domestic violence survivors and their children.

The Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) will facilitate the seminar. The cost is $15, and participants will receive three useful resources:

• DVCCC’s The Faith Community Response to Domestic Violence Toolkit
• The FaithTrust Institute’s Community Resource Inventory Map
• The Phoenixville Community Health Foundation’s Help Book 5

Please register online today. For information call Courtney, of DVCCC, at 610-431-3546, ext. 134. (0.4 CEU certificates are available.) Download the flyer.

Also, here are links to other recent articles and a video about challenging and helping the church, and men in particular, to offer a faithful response to domestic violence:

United Methodist Men take on domestic violence by Julie Dwyer (UMNS)
The leadership of the Commission on United Methodist Men recognizes that ending violence against women begins with men. The United Methodist general agency is partnering with AMEND Together, an initiative of the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. The partnership features an eight-week group series aimed at United Methodist men (that)… aligns perfectly with United Methodist Men’s mission to support spiritual growth among men. Learn more…

NBA Star Asks Men To End Domestic Violence  Former pro basketball player Shan Foster has seen acts of violence around the world. He now works to end domestic violence by creating safe spaces for men of all ages to learn about healthy manhood and to discuss their emotions. AMEND Together, a program of the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, and the United Methodist Men have a new partnership that is providing an 8-week group series that will teach men to recognize, respond to and prevent violence against women. Learn more…

Domestic Violence Awareness Month by Susan Greer Burton, UM Church and Society 
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To understand domestic violence, we have to begin to look in — into our behaviors, into our families, into our churches, into our communities and into the policies that impact women and families. Learn more…

Domestic violence: We want our churches to be talking about it by Joe Iovino (UMNS)Introducing a webinar slideshow presentation that church leaders can download for free and use with their congregations. “Articulating our Theology: Domestic Violence” explores ways United Methodist churches and individuals can work to eliminate domestic violence and minister to victims and survivors. Learn more…

-->

Sighs too deep for words

There is a line in the musical Hamilton that says “I’ve imagined my death so many times that it seems like a memory.” 

The senseless slaughter of innocent lives in Las Vegas this week (which left 59 dead so far and over 500 injured) once again thrusts us into an unimaginable image of what it would be like to be in the midst of a mass shooting.  Sadly, it is happening so often in this country, it is beginning to seem like a memory or a repetitive bad dream.

We must pray at this time.  Pray for the families of the victims and the family of the perpetrator.  Pray for those who have been injured and their loved ones.  Pray for all the people who witnessed this scene of terror first-hand, who have nightmares or even survivors’ guilt.

Pray for the first-responders and the people who wish they could have been there to help or hold the hand of a loved one in their last minutes of life.  Pray for all the counselors, pastors, teachers, and parents who are trying to help people get through this tragedy.

When we don’t have the words, we call on the Holy Spirit’s aid. 

Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”

We also need to search our hearts for something we can do. Mass shootings will continue in this country as long as we have a culture of violence and hatred. We as a church need to be teaching people ways of solving problems peaceably.

We can learn how to recognize signs of alienation and desperation in some persons described as “lone wolf” types. And we can reach out to them in healing ways so that perhaps some tragedies can be prevented. We can promote the inclusion of more mental health services that can be available to all and lessen the stigma that prevents people from getting the help they need.

May we live to see the day when such senseless killings are a past and not present memory in this world of ours.  

Always Present—Wind, Rain, Earthquake, Fire

It seems like a week has not passed lately without a catastrophic disaster of nature. There have always been such things since the dawn of time, but scientists are confirming that the force and breadth of these events have been more severe than usual.

Humanitarian crises result, and it all leaves us unsettled, sad and finding ways to alleviate suffering through the collection of flood buckets, health kits and donations to the UM Committee on Relief.  There is hardly a person who does not know someone who has been displaced or adversely affected by hurricanes, floods and fires in our region.  

Yet, the devastation from hurricanes, mudslides and earthquakes in countries around the world has left even more peoples’ lives destroyed due to their fragile infrastructures and the poverty many of our global friends must suffer and struggle through.

As we prepare for World Communion Sunday on Sunday, October 1, let us remember all people around the world who are suffering and the rescuers who rush in to aid those in need with great sacrifice and love.  May we continue to collect offerings to offer them our help.

But may we also remember to support the efforts of many diverse United Methodists who, through higher education and training for leadership, are preparing their hearts and minds to relieve suffering and improve the lives of their churches and communities. Our United Methodist World Communion Sunday offering supports many of them with scholarships and grants, thus helping to prepare the next generation of leaders among us.  

As we give to this Special Sunday offering, may we plant seeds for a brighter future of principled leaders. Leaders who will be able to guide the church into the days ahead, when we will likely see more storms but also more heroic Christian acts to rescue victims and aid survivors.

The love of God in Jesus Christ is passed on into the future through Christ’s devoted disciples and servant-leaders, as we help prepare those leaders with quality education today.

Please feel free to use this suggested “Great Thanksgiving” Communion liturgy, prepared by the Rev. Michael Johnson, on this World Communion Sunday or any appropriate Sunday during these trying times. May God bless you and your faithful ministries.

In remembrance of Christ,

Bishop Peggy Johnson

Call to prayer for the Dreamers

Elimination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) federal policy is being considered, and a decision to end it may be announced by the Trump Administration on Tuesday, September 5.  I ask that we as the people called United Methodist, and others, pray for our country and for the fate of nearly one million anxious young people who, as immigrants, are part of our American family.  

Please pray that the ten state attorneys general who have threatened to sue the administration over DACA will end their threats and instead support the U.S. Congress’ Dream Act of 2017. The bill, which is still pending in Congress, would provide a path to citizenship for the undocumented young people who were brought here by their parents as children. 

Our United Methodist Social Principles affirm the rights of immigrant people: “We urge the church and society to recognize the gifts, contributions and struggles of those who are immigrants and to advocate for justice for all.  We oppose immigration policies that separate family members from each other or that include detention of families with children; and we call on local churches to be in ministry with immigrant families.”

These are tense and difficult times for young people who have never known anything but a life in this country. Please pray, speak and work for people who need your voice.

As difficult and divisive immigration issues loom large in the halls of power, many lives hang in the balance, especially the lives of young people who had no say in coming here to live but who now contribute to our culture and society as vital threads in the rich, diverse fabric of our nation. Let their dreams be our dreams.

I invite you to pray this benediction from Bishop Woodie White and to know that no matter the outcome, our burning thirst, our quest for justice, mercy and righteousness, in the name of Jesus Christ, must not end:

And now, may the Lord torment you. May the Lord keep before you the faces of the hungry, the lonely, the rejected and the despised. May the Lord afflict you with pain for the hurt, the wounded, the oppressed, the abused, the victims of violence. May God grace you with agony, a burning thirst for justice and righteousness.

May the Lord give you courage and strength and compassion to make ours a better world, to make your community a better community, to make your church a better church. May you do your best to make it so; and after you have done your best, may the Lord grant you peace.