Pensions for the Central Conferences

The United Methodist pastors in the Central Conferences work very hard in our international settings.  Very few of them have pension plans that will afford them a living wage after they retire.  For many years the Cokesbury Bookstore has presented a check at Annual Conference for the ministerial pension fund.  We have been giving that check to the Central Conference Pension Fund.  This year, due to a decline in sales the bookstore regretfully is unable to make a donation this year.  We certainly understand, and offer this opportunity for us to be a blessing to our sisters and brothers in the Central Conferences.  I am inviting folks to make a donation of any amount so our friends will still receive money this year for their pensions.  If everyone gave even a little bit that would make a huge donation.  Checks can be written and sent to either EPA Annual Conference* (PO Box 820, Valley Forge, PA 19482) or PD Annual Conference (139 N. State Street, Dover, DE  19901) Put “Central Conference Pension Fund” in the memo line.   In these difficult economic times there is always something we can do to remind the world that God is a God of abundance and we have faith in God’s providing.

*Note that Online Donations for Eastern Pennsylvania Conference are coming soon!  Check back on Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

Native American Sunday - April 26, 2009

One of my joys since coming to the Philadelphia Area has been to learn more about Native American Ministries in the United Methodist Church.  In the Peninsula Delaware Conference there are two Native American Churches and the Eastern PA Conference is starting up a Native American Committee.  The rich heritage and spirituality of the Native American community is a vital part of the United Methodist Connection.  I encourage you to observe Native American Sunday on April 26^th and to take a special offering. The offering taken supports urban missions with Native Americans and funds scholarship of Native American seminarians.  The annual conference retains 50 percent of the offering to strengthen and develop local Native American ministries. 

 Why not include the following creed, written by Rev. Roger Scott, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in your worship service on April 26^th:

I believe in God, Creator of our unique native languages,

Who gifted us this identity as a distinct people through our native tongues,

So that our native spiritual leaders could relay God’s love to our Native people

Who could not understand that foreign tongue called English.

  I believe in Jesus Christ, our relative,

Who talked of us when he said “I have other sheep out there, besides those I have here.”

I believe in Jesus Christ who knew the pain of our native people who were forced from their homeland and had no place to lay their head.

I believe in Jesus Christ as our Chief Cornerstone as we begin to build a new generation of native spiritual leaders.

I believe in Jesus Christ who does not say “goodbye” in any language, but says “I will come again.”

  I believe in the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire

Lighting upon our native people to witness to their people and to the world, through the native song and dance.

I believe in the Holy Spirit as our guide and the driving force for our native people to do a new thing

As we walk a new journey, toward perfection for all humankind.

 (Reproduction permission is granted for use in church worship services in United Methodist Churches. Rev. Scott’s creed is copyrighted so any further use of his work beyond a worship service must be done with permission from the author.  Reproduction requests can be emailed to Anita Phillips at aphillips@gbgm-umc.org who will forward the request to the author).

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

The First Question

     When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning what was his first question?  “Woman, why are you weeping?”    This he asked because there was nothing to be crying about.  Jesus was not dead.  It was not a sad time.  It was a happy time.  Of course she did not know this at first but as soon as she recognized Jesus her tears turned to joy! 

     Still today Jesus asks,  “Why are you weeping?”  We already know that Jesus has risen from the dead and that in the end everything is going to be all right but still we weep, still we doubt, still we complain.   Surely in life we have sorrow and difficulty and God does not expect us to be smiling all of the time.  Deep inside we never need to weep because of Easter.  Life will ultimately triumph over death, good will always defeat evil, and love will overcome the power of hatred. 

     Whatever is breaking your heart, whatever makes you feel sad, remember to light a candle of hope in your heart and trust in a good God who will make Good Friday become Easter.

     Why are you weeping?

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

Keeping the Sandbags Warm

    When the floodwaters rose in North Dakota recently hundreds of people worked non-stop for several days putting 3 million sandbags along the river’s edge to prevent the flooding.  Unfortunately the frigid temperatures (zero and below) were causing not only painful work conditions but the sandbags began to freeze. Frozen sandbags do not fit together and they don’t prevent flood waters.  They were described as feeling like 30 pound frozen turkeys.  To combat this problem, volunteer workers were bringing many of the sandbags into warm warehouses so they could soften up. These soft sandbags are useful because they fit snugly against one another , adjust to shifting and also absorb flood waters. 

     We can act like frozen sandbags when we don’t work together with one another.  When we focus on things that divide us rather than things that unite us, when we are unable to be flexible and cooperative, when we refuse to absorb the flood of need in the world and instead let it pass us by, we are frozen sandbags in human form.

     What kind of sandbag are you?   Ephesians 4:32 says “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven you.”

     And don’t forget to show kindness to our sisters and brothers in the Dakotas.  Disaster Response funds can be sent to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (#901670).  One hundred per cent of your gift will help with this relief effort.  Funds can be given to your church and remitted through the conference treasurer and on to the General Board of Global Ministries.

 Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

Hope

When I was a child I used to love reading Greek mythology.  One of the stories that stuck with me the most was the story of a young girl named Pandora who wanted to open a box that no one was supposed to open.  It was tied shut so she could not even look inside.  Finally curiosity got the best of her and she opened the box and out came all the evils and sadness of the world.  Prior to that the world had been perfect and there were no problems.  In the bottom of the box after all the demons had been released out into the world there was an angel that came out at the end.  Her name was “hope” and as the story goes…hope is still alive in the world today helping people to cope with evil. 

The Bible teaches us in a better way that God is our hope in times of trouble.  Psalm 62 says “I depend on God alone, I put my hope in God.”    God is with us no matter what happens in life.  I read a story about a man who climbed Mt. Everest.  After his great expedition he was in a serious car accident and became paralyzed.  He likened the accident and the recovery from it as “climbing Mt. Everest within” himself.  He said that God was with him through it all and the strength of God gave him hope to move on. Today he teaches mountain climbing and is an encouragement to many people in rehabilitation centers. 

God is love and the power of love can overcome any and all obstacles in this life.  It is love like the power of Niagara Falls constantly streaming into this world and into our lives. 

When we have the hope of God in our life it can be contagious.  You can’t keep it to yourself.

I was a student pastor at a church in Indiana years ago with a serious structural problem in the basement.  There were very few members.  It looked like the church was going to have to close.  The district superintendent came and everyone was sad.  One man said he was going to see what he could do in the basement…just give it one more try.  He started digging around and engaged some of the other church men…they found a contractor. …the contractor found some friends.  This project became a community passion.  New people joined the church, the basement was completely renovated and this little church that was supposed to close is still alive and well today! 

Where can you throw some contagious hope in this world? Sometimes a little hope can turn the world upside down.  Put your hope in God.  As Paul says in Romans “hope does not disappoint us.”

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

The Ministry of Deacons

Although baptism is a sign of God’s calling of every believer into ministry, from among the baptized, Deacons are called to a lifetime of servant leadership, authorized by the church and ordained by the bishop.  Deacons are in servant ministry in the world and lead the Church in making the essential connection between our devotion to God expressed in our daily worship with the work God is doing in the world. 

Deacons give leadership in the church’s life in the teaching and proclaiming of the Word, in worship, in assisting the elders in administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, in forming and nurturing disciples, in conducting marriages and burying the dead.  Deacons are ordained to serve in the church and the world in the United Methodist Church.

Deacons help the church hear the cries of those most needy, neglected and marginalized in our communities and respond.  Deacons are used of God to empower the church to see Jesus in their world and to respond in practical ways.  They help us see Jesus when he is hungry and show us ways to invite Jesus to our table.  Deacons can see Christ in need of adequate shelter and the basic necessities of life, and share with us a vision of change.  Deacons help the church find ways of touching those who are locked away from the world, by prisons, some physical, some emotional, and others spiritual.  Deacons hear God’s call for the church to learn a new language, to reach out in ways the stranger can understand and organize the church to make sure that it is done.  Deacons respond to God’s call to make the church “green,” lighting the way to transforming ways of being the Church of Jesus Christ in the world.  Deacons teach us the importance of play and sport, the need to organize and protest and resurrect communities from social and spiritual despair.  What is God’s call upon your life? Is God calling you to be a Deacon in the life of the church?  Pray about it.  Talk to your pastor. Deacons are an important part of the ministry of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

One Great Hour of Sharing

On March 22, 2009 we in the Philadelphia Episcopal Area have a chance to participate in the annual One Great Hour of Sharing campaign.  Through this offering we enable the United Methodist Church to be there when an emergency happens anywhere in the world, and to be the hope of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering great loss.

One Great Hour of Sharing is how we fund the primary functions of the United Methodist Committee on Relief.  The World Service Apportionment does not go to fund this important ministry, this offering does.  Gifts to this offering underwrite UMCOR’s ongoing business and enables them to keep their promise of making sure that 100% of designated gifts go to those projects.  It is a fact that without a good response to this yearly offering much of what UMCOR does to bring a compassionate response in time of crisis could not happen.

Your gifts will ensure that the United Methodist Church will be there with hard working families who are affected by storms or war, disaster or disease.  Please join with Christians throughout the connection in this important work.

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson