Walk in the Light

The season of Advent is at our doorstep, and once again we hear the ancient story of Jesus’ birth foretold by the prophets. The prophets give us instruction about preparing for this Immanuel, who is God coming to be with us.

As we begin this season I am savoring the words of Isaiah who calls us to “walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isaiah 2:5) How do we do this? The prophet gives us the roadmap for our Advent journey.

Learn from the Lord

First we learn from the Lord. Isaiah 2:3 calls us to “Go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob that he might teach us his ways.” Study the God’s Word with intentionality, for it is the lamp that lights our path. (Psalm 119:105)

Engage in an Advent Bible Study or devotion, and set aside time during this season to ponder what Christ’s coming means to your life personally. Consider also what God wants you to do about it.

Engage in God’s salvation plan for the world

Secondly, consider how your faith is a part of God’s master plan for the world. Isaiah speaks of all nations coming to the Lord’s holy mountain. (Isaiah 2:2) God wants to reach all of humanity, not just the children of Israel. His plan has always been for the salvation of the world. And his inclusive outreach should be ours as well.

Where are you and your church engaged in mission? I am proudest of the UMC for its incredible ministries that reach out and embrace lives across the U.S. and globally, including over 300 missionaries serving in 60 countries, operating 300 UM hospitals and clinics. We also alleviate human suffering through the UM Committee on Relief, UMCOR, wherever there are needs and natural disasters.

We have educational institutions around the globe that for many are the only source of formal education and development. Our participation in church development and agriculture has given light and life to millions. We support these efforts in general through our apportionment dollars. But we also support specific projects, missionaries and concerns through our giving to the Advance.

But what about your church’s local outreach? As you walk in the light, who is left in your shadow? Is the diversity of your church’s neighborhood reflected in your congregation? Are people of other languages and cultures and people with disabilities experiencing your hospitality and welcome? Are you seeing all the people, to echo UM Discipleship Ministries’ question?

Don’t focus only on people who come to your church. Go into the community and be a catalyst for good in schools, businesses, public forums, health care facilities and other settings. We can walk in the light and see the face of Christ among those in need when we minister among them in love. Then we can discover and share the true meaning of Christmas.

Practice God’s Peace Plan

Finally, practice God’s peace plan! Isaiah proclaims that “God shall judge between the nations and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)

We all agree that the end of war and strife on this earth would be a wonderful thing. There is a catastrophic amount of death and destruction on this planet now due to violence. In God’s peace plan it is God who settles disputes and not people with their weapons, their lethal tools of terror.

God’s peacemaking tools are forgiveness and reconciliation. When we humbly submit to God’s plan, peace has a chance! It starts with us. We cannot point fingers of blame at the wars around the world and still harbor grudges and anger toward people in our own lives.

Peace on earth begins with us. With whom do you need to reconcile? This takes hard work and a willingness to take the responsibility for making amends, even if you are not the one at fault.

Finally, peace comes through justice, the Old Testament prophets admonish us as they cry out for justice on every page. When human rights are available to all people then “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat…They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain.” (Isaiah 11:6) In human terms, we are called to advocate for human rights and dignity for all people.

Courageously pursue justice

I watched the “Harriet” movie recently, the true story of Harriett Tubman, who fled slavery and then became an abolitionist and Civil War hero. She freed hundreds of slaves by her incredible bravery and passion for human justice.

I seethed with anger at the attitude of the cruel, white slave owners in the movie. And I admired the socially conscious white people who joined the battle for abolition. They walked in the light; but theirs was not an easy path.

They were breaking the law by helping slaves escape. They were putting their lives and their families at risk. Some were killed and some lost everything. Meanwhile, many misguided churches in that day were preaching that slavery was God’s will, as they dubiously cited New Testament scriptures. (Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22, Titus 2:9, I Peter 2:18.)

I ask myself: Would I have risked my life and security for the human rights of slaves back then? I want to think so, but I honestly have to search my heart.

Still today, it is risky business to speak up for the downtrodden, be they undocumented immigrants and refugees, people who are trafficked and enslaved for sex and labor in our own neighborhoods, people who can’t get health insurance, or gay people in Pennsylvania who still are denied their full civil rights.

Justice is risky business. Peace comes at a high price. May we ponder and then pursue what God wants us to do personally in the realm of peacemaking.

During this holy season of Advent be blessed, but also be a blessing. Walk in Christ’s light, and share that light with others. Only then can we experience the true meaning of Christmas in all its joy, peace, love and hope.

Sweet Potato Rolls

The parking lot was full when I arrived at the Nelsons UMC in Hebron, Maryland.  The annual “Sweet Potato Roll Sale” was in full swing on that crisp fall day in late October. For many years the members of the church have worked for an entire week preparing for this fundraiser that garners over $30,000 annually for their many mission projects.

Some people actually take a week of vacation from their secular employment to help out. I came to visit the church on “pick up” day for a promised gift of two dozen of these highly-coveted homemade delights.  I learned that some people who have moved out of the area drive long distances to the church each year to continue to make their purchases.

The pastor, the Rev. Dr. Becky Collison, explained that the whole church gets involved in this process.  There are those who cook, peel, mix, roll-out, cut, butter, package, label, and sell. On the day I was there the fellowship hall was filled with church folks engaged in making rolls.

The room was buzzing with a spirit of joy and cooperation.  Everyone was using their talents to accomplish this great work of making 4,900 dozen rolls—58,800 in total. All had been pre-ordered, and many requests had to be turned down.

People were arriving at their assigned pick-up time, and some were purchasing quite a few dozen. They said they would freeze them and bake them for Thanksgiving Dinner. These rolls were a popular family tradition during the holidays.

The curious thing about these rolls is that they are square and not round as one would expect.  For years the church folks made round rolls, but at some point they realized that they could make them more efficiently if they were square, placed in a rectangular pan and scored.

The new shape took some getting used to, but when some ingenious member of the church made a contraption that actually scores the slab of sweet potato dough, the speed of the production took off.  After all, a square roll tastes the same as a round roll.  The benefits of the new shape outweighed the need for it to adhere to tradition.

In churches we have an old saying “We’ve never done it that way before.” Sadly, that attitude keeps us from doing something new and better that the Lord is calling us to do. Our ministries and missions are good but sometimes they need a creative new edge, perhaps using some new talent, new kinds of outreach, more diversity, a broader reach. 

Nelson UMC uses some of its profits from the roll sale to fund an after-school program for children at risk in the community. The whole town is experiencing the benefits of this ministry.  They have also paid for the installation of a wheelchair ramp and donated to a number of overseas mission projects.

What new thing can you be doing at your church?  How can you “sing to the Lord a NEW song?” (Psalm 96:1)  Who does God want you to reach for Jesus Christ that requires you to change the way you do things? 

I know a church that does Vacation Bible School the whole day on the Saturdays before school starts, so that parents are free to go out shopping. They have doubled their attendance.

Many churches are beginning to use credit-card machines to accept donations because increasingly people do not carry cash or check books. A church in Texas has installed washers and dryers in its education building to help the homeless population have clean clothes. Some of our churches are studying their carbon footprint and are beginning to use china dishes and cloth tablecloths instead of disposable paper and plastic products. 

The possibilities are endless. Our God is a God of new ideas, a God who longs for us to invent  new ways for people to experience divine love.

“Behold I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)  May you follow the example of the square sweet potato roll-makers at Nelsons UMC. May you go out to start something new!

'Tear Down this Wall'*: A Pastoral Letter

This week is the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany. This wall was erected after the second World War and it divided East and West Berlin.

During The United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops fall meeting our bishops from Germany testified about the jubilation and amazement felt when the wall came down. People were able to move about freely from one side to the other. Not a single shot was fired.

Humanity is well-acquainted with walls, not only physical walls but the walls of difference that are found in hearts and minds. We are quick to erect attitudinal walls around our differences and our beliefs.

Walls create alienation, separation, fear, distrust and violence. Such a wall stops ministry dead in its tracks, and it is never the will of God. God sent Jesus to deal with walls. Ephesians 2:14 says "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."

A wall of separation in the UMC

United Methodists are well-acquainted with a wall of separation about the marriage and ordination of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Our Book of Discipline states that all people are of sacred worth, but it includes a wall concerning the practice of homosexuality being "contrary to Christian teaching."

At the 2019 General Conference the traditional prohibition against the practice of homosexuality was maintained, same gender marriages continued to be banned, and it was expanded to include more enforcement and a broader scope of what defines homosexuality. There were also more additions to the process of filing complaints against people who engage in practices found in the list of "chargeable offenses." Being a self-avowed and practicing homosexual and performing a same-gender wedding are on that list. The added measures will be effective on January 1, 2020.

I write this pastoral letter to the flock of God in the Eastern Pennsylvania and the Peninsula-Delaware conferences, my beloved Philadelphia Area. It is a passionate plea that you do not engage in filing complaints around the issue of homosexuality. It simply exacerbates the painful, formidable wall that stands between people of good will who have different hearts.

Homosexuality complaints and trials do harm

Complaints and trials do an enormous amount of harm to everyone. Our baptism vows call us to "resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves." Nothing good can come from this battering. We can never legislate a heart.

As your bishop I am bound to receive and process complaints, but I do not believe it is helpful to engage in church trials. So, I will not refer any such complaints for a church trial. I say this not out of a sense of rebellion against the rules in our Book of Discipline but out of my pastor's heart that wishes to defend the people of our conferences against this destructive, divisive and expensive process.

The complaint paragraphs in the UM Book of Discipline call for a resolution that focuses on repairing any harm to people and communities and that can bring healing to all parties. Instead of filing a complaint, I suggest that those who have experienced harm begin with a conversation.

Engage people with whom you disagree. Hear their hearts and engage in humble inquiry about a person's life story and perspective. Explain where the harm is and craft a peace plan. And most importantly, pray with each other!

Power of prayer to tear down walls, build a just peace

When I visited Germany last year and toured the former site of the Berlin Wall, our guide said that the Communist government was "no match for prayer and our candlelight vigils." The power of the risen Lord is available for us to tear down our walls, but we need to have the humble will to work at it and pray for it.

Is this not what Paul meant in Romans 12:18 when he said, "As far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all"? I humbly suggest that you engage in these steps before sending a complaint to my office.

We are living in a "liminal" (transitional) time as we prepare for the May 5-15, 2020, General Conference. At that conference delegates will consider how we as a denomination can maximize our witness and craft a form of unity that brings a new wind of hope for all people.

Catch sight of God's vision of a church that is busy making disciples of Jesus Christ, a church that is engaging in ministry and mission, a church striving for equality and equity for all people.

We can only get there as we employ with grace all of the giftedness of the Body of Christ, not just one "side" or the other. Dividing our church would cut off some of our needed giftedness. We can only accomplish this vibrant ministry as we take down the walls in our hearts and "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God." (Micah 6:8)

I close this letter with two verses of a hymn that was sung in Germany during the dismantling of the Berlin Wall. It spread like wildfire around the churches, both East and West, as people yearned for freedom and unity. May it be a song in all of our hearts as well:

          
          Have faith is God's new pathways, walk on in this new day.
          God hopes you'll be a blessing for all upon the way.
          The one who in the days gone by breathed life in us and hope,
          Will lead us to the place where God wants and needs us most.

          Have faith in God who shows us new paths that lead to life.
          It's God who comes to meet us, the future is in God's hand.
          Who follows God is full of hope, now and forevermore.
          The door for us is open, the land is bright and free.

*"Tear down this wall" was the appeal U.S. President Ronald Reagan made in his Berlin Wall speech in West Berlin, Germany, on June 12, 1987.

Humbly submitted,



Bishop Peggy A. Johnson

All Saints Day

The Church calendar includes “All Saints Day” on November 1 each year to remember truly faithful Christians who have gone before us and to contemplate and perhaps even emulate their heroic lives. One of the benefits of my time serving on the Roman Catholic-United Methodist dialogue team has been a new appreciation for the saints and martyrs and their many feast days. 

At the very first meeting I attended in 2016 at the St. John’s Abbey (a Community of Benedictine Monks) in Collegeville, Minnesota, I saw the actual remains of Saint Peregrine, who refused to worship the Roman emperor and was martyred in the year 192. His body is covered with jewels and a white cloth as it lay in a glass coffin.

Recently I learned about Saint Lucy when I observed a picture of a young girl holding a tray with two eye balls.  The priest on the dialogue team explained that this saint was also a martyr who lived in Syracuse, Sicily.  She died during the Diocletianic Persecution in 304 AD because she refused to marry, due to a vow of purity she made to God.

Lucy came from a family with much wealth, but as part of her Christian virtue, she distributed much of her gold and jewels to help the poor. The man to whom she was pledged in marriage was none too pleased about this “squandering” of her wealth that he expected to receive. So he turned her into the governor for punishment. The governor in turn demanded that Lucy burn sacrifices to the emperor. This she refused to do and was condemned to death. 

According to legend, the soldiers who were instructed to execute her could not move her, even with a team of oxen. Then they tried to burn her, but the flames would not consume her body. Finally they gouged out her eyes and thrust a sword down her throat, and she died.

St. Lucy is often represented in Scandinavian Advent festivals as a young girl dressed in white and wearing a crown of evergreen with burning candles. She is always carrying a basket of bread. This is reminiscent of Lucy’s distribution of food to the poor and to those hiding in the catacombs.  The candles on her head are there to light her way in the darkness and leave her hands free to hold as much bread as possible.

This charming account of St. Lucy is still worth pondering today as we approach our observance of “All Saints Day.”  Lucy made a promise to God and kept it!  Like Peregrine, she refused to worship the emperor. For that, she was willing to sacrifice her life through death by torture.

Lucy also had a heart for the poor and those who were being persecuted. She gave generously to them, which also led to her persecution and death.

Still today, the light of Lucy’s wreath of candles shines for us saints who yet walk the earth seeking to serve others and to worship only God. Each day we proclaim our faith and devotion to God by our words and our actions. Each day we have the opportunity to give generously and sacrificially to those in need. 

Living the Christian life has never been easy. But as we remember the lives of devoted saints that have gone before us, we are grateful and encouraged that their holy example cheers us on for higher levels of service and sacrifice.

Read also “All Saints Day: A holy day John Wesley loved”

Via Dolorosa

In Jerusalem is the famous “Via Dolorosa,” the road where it is believed that Jesus walked on the way to Calvary.  It literally means the “way of suffering.”  Nothing can compare to our Savior’s suffering and sacrifice for us on Good Friday.

His willingness to give his life for the sins of the world is the bedrock of our faith.  He came in person to give his life for the redemption of humanity out of love.

When I visited the Holy Land years ago it was important for me to walk those streets and experience first-hand that road of suffering.  It reminds me of my responsibility to love and suffer like Christ.

The way of suffering is not an unfamiliar road for most of humanity on this planet.  Globally there is untold pain because of wars, disease and natural disaster, and with it comes migration.  A fraction of the world experiences the benefits of this nation’s freedom and wealth, and often we don’t see people on this difficult road face-to-face.

Last Wednesday I had the opportunity to meet a young Honduran woman who was walking the way of suffering.  She came to this country out of love for her son. She knew that if the family did not leave the country he would be recruited into a murderous gang or be killed if he refused to join.

What mother would not sacrifice everything for her child’s safety?  As I sat with this young woman and a translator, she told her story of her family’s travels to this country, the great physical suffering, her kidnapping, and her final arrival in Pennsylvania.  She came out of love for her child.

She joined one of our churches and found a way to make a living, just barely enough to survive.  Then her husband was deported, and it is likely he will never be able to come back to the United States.

They depended on the advice of an immigration lawyer who took their money but gave them no help. In fact, he gave them bad advice. As a result, the husband was picked up by immigration agents, detained for months and then sent back to Honduras.

This is another part of the “way of suffering”—those who exploit desperate, fearful immigrants without status, promise legal help but then leave their unwitting clients in worse shape. Using lies and false promises to entice their victims, they reap large sums of money from their human pain and benefit from their plight.

To see this young mother’s tears and hear of the difficult ordeal she faces, with two young children who miss their father, causes deep sorrow in me.  I am well aware of our country’s immigration laws; but we must all acknowledge that this system is inadequate and less than humane.  And with the draconian policy threats and decisions being made these past few weeks, it will get worse.

Our United Methodist Social Principles state: “We recognize, embrace and affirm all persons, regardless of country of origin as members of the family of God.  We affirm the rights of all person to equal opportunities for employment, access to housing, health care, education and freedom from social discrimination.  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.”

The Word of God says: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.  The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.  Love them as yourself for you were foreigners in Egypt.  I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 19:33-34)

It is hard to turn our backs on these mandates and allow continued suffering to occur. This young woman told me that she did not come to take things from America but to work hard, contribute her part and offer a better, safer life to her children.

Surely, we must find a better way.  I am happy to report that her church and other churches are assisting her with humanitarian aid. More support would be appreciated for her and for our churches that have large numbers of immigrant sojourners traveling this road of suffering.

What else can we do to help? Our conference, along with two other neighbor conferences, are initiating a program known as Justice for Our Neighbors. JFON is an immigration legal assistance and hospitality ministry of The United Methodist Church, with 18 chapters across the country. For the past 20 years it has been a free/affordable legal service that is ethical, affordable and safe for immigrants to use.

To help us start up this vitally important service donations can be sent to “Delaware Valley JFON” and mailed to Historic St. George’s UMC, 235 N. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.  For more information, contact: Rev. Mark Salvacion at pastor@historicstgeorges.org.

We can also advocate for more humane laws in our country with regards to the number and treatment of those seeking asylum and for the “Dreamers” (young people who are undocumented and who were brought to the U.S. as young children).

We can contact our elected officials and ask that the number of refugees allowed to resettle in this country not be limited to just 18,000 people.  The average number of refugees allowed to come into this country over the last four decades had been 95,000.  People are fleeing violence and religious persecution and need a place of refuge.

The road of suffering is real, and it is in our neighborhoods, and they are members of our churches.  When you see their faces and hear their stories it becomes a call for us to do something, say something, and to offer our prayers.

‘Do No Harm, Do Good’

As The United Methodist Church prepares for General Conference 2020, numerous legislative petitions flooded in by last week’s deadline for consideration. Certainly, we should always have as the backdrop of our discussions and deliberations the General Rules of John Wesley: “Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.” 

If we would be influenced by these basic three rules in everything we debate and vote on at General Conference—and even more so, in everything we do or say daily as Christians navigating our way through this complicated world—what a better world this would be!

Wesley was a man of many interests, and medicine and health was one of his priorities.  “Do No Harm” is reminiscent of the ancient Hippocratic Oath that has for centuries guided the medical profession.  One of the lines in the oath states, “I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free.” 

Sounds like “Do no harm” to me; and indeed, Wesley advocated for the things that make for healthy bodies and minds. He knew it was part of our spiritual responsibility as Christians.  He even wrote a home remedy book titled “The Primitive Physic” to aid in the healing of many common ailments.

So it would behoove us as United Methodists to live by this important law as we consider addictive substances and their place in society.  The practice of vaping is front and center in the news now, as serious cases of lung disorders are happening across the country and leading to increasing, tragic deaths. 

Publicity is growing with bans on the sale of all vaping products by mega-store chain Walmart and the state of Massachusetts, as others consider doing likewise. Lawmakers are studying advertisements and the offering of various flavors of vaping products because of their strong attraction to young people. 

People are up in arms about vaping, it seems, and rightly so. Even though it is credited with helping some turn away from addictively smoking tobacco products, it is nonetheless killing people.  We may possibly see this young industry put out of business altogether as the pressure against it seems to be rising.

So why are we not as concerned about the prevailing and pernicious legal drugs of tobacco and alcohol?  The detrimental and horrific effects of these products have long been proven.

I don’t know a person who has not been affected by the tragedy of these two addictions in their families.  My great-grand-father used to beat my grandmother with a buggy whip because of his alcohol addiction.  My best friend lost her father to lung cancer from years of smoking. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every day “29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.  That is one death every 50 minutes.  The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion dollars.”  

Think what we could do with $44 billion dollars?  What a waste! What injustice, especially when you consider that many of the dead people were innocent victims of drivers under the influence. 

According to the American Lung Association, an estimated 154,050 Americans died from lung cancer in 2018. Most of this was smoking-related.  Why are we so pumped up about vaping while the legal stuff is killing people at epidemic rates? 

The answer is simple: alcohol and tobacco are multi-billion-dollar industries with profits and lobbying efforts that speak loudly in our consumer-driven world of greed and gain.

What does The United Methodist Church say?  According to our Social Principles:

“We affirm our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God’s liberating and redeeming love for persons. (Par. 162.L)   “In light of the overwhelming evidence that tobacco smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco are hazardous to the health of persons of all ages, we recommend total abstinence from the use of tobacco.”  (Par. 162.M)

So, yes, do no harm.  Join the bandwagon of people who are speaking up against vaping. But don’t stop there!  The elephant in the room is the huge, high-profit industries in this country that are profiting from rampant addictions that lead to suffering, sorrow and death. 

What a world we would have if personal pain and trauma issues were handled in spiritual and therapeutic ways, rather than masking and exacerbating them with addictive substances!

How can you, your family and church, your voices together be used to speak out against this massive harm?  Silence is complicity.  Lead by expression—your words—and by example—your active witness.  Your voice can make a difference.

Listen to your children

I have always loved the praise song by Ken Medema titled “Lord, Listen to Your Children.” Its refrain goes like this:

Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your Spirit in this place;
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Send us love, send us pow'r, send us grace.

Love, power and grace are the things that God has for his children, children of all ages. In recent years our chronological children are speaking to this world about things that are happening that need the attention of all of us. Front and center are the issues of gun violence and climate change.

One does not have to wait very long for the next mass shooting. They occur now almost weekly, and one begins to wonder if it is safe to go shopping or to an open air concert, theater or country fair. Always there is the fear of being the next victim of these acts of horror.

Grandmothers are buying their grandchildren bullet-proof school backpacks. I raised my children in a more innocent time, and they never experienced “active shooter drills.” But children today are going to school with an undercurrent of fear. 

Some of our children went to Washington DC after the Parkland, Fla., school shooting. They begged our legislators to do something about this crisis. I hope people will listen to our children. I pray that God’s love, power and grace from above will inspire our leaders to address this urgent, complicated issue honestly and effectively. Let’s be in prayer about this and add our voices to those of our impassioned young advocates! 

Recently, a spunky Swedish 16-year old named Greta Thunberg journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean on a yacht and arrived in New York City to continue her crusade to help save our planet. She is calling for the world to address with more urgency the issues of climate change that are causing catastrophic weather systems on the planet. 

Greta’s critics call her “crazy” and say she is an alarmist who has “no sense of humor.” There are even bumper stickers with expletives decrying her crusade for the world to wake up and do more to save itself. But she has created a groundswell of support among many, and her voice continues to be heartening.

She has Asperger’s Syndrome, but she calls it her “super power” for the work she is doing. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, she has inspired many other young people with her courage and conviction. I pray for her relentless voice!

The alarming increase of category 4 and 5 hurricanes could be construed as a wake-up call. Some of our churches and their cemeteries on the Eastern Shore of Maryland are imperiled by rising sea levels. I hope people will listen to our children and to Greta’s message and take some personal steps to care for the environment. Let’s be in prayer and join their active, conscientious witness on this matter as well. 

Our children want what we all want: love, power and grace for our world. Only God is the true source of these intangible but very real forces that can conquer our mammoth challenges.

God’s spiritual resources are the answer to our fear, violence and over-consumption. Could God be calling us to do more about the things that are killing our people and destroying our planet?

Are greed, apathy or lack of creativity taking center stage? Or are we unwilling to partner with those we consider “the other,” those who are different from us? What world are we leaving for the next generation if we sit by and do nothing? Do we care?

I urge us all to listen to the children and youth in our families, churches, schools and communities. God gives them messages that we need to hear. As we work together lovingly on these challenges, more good can be accomplished. As we call upon the love, power and grace of our Lord, there is no telling what good can happen and how we might be transformed.

The Body of Christ at Work in Beverly, Kentucky

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” I Corinthians 12:14

The week of August 11-17, 2019, was probably the most diverse week ever recorded at the United Methodist Red Bird Mission Work Camp, in Beverly, Kentucky. Onto that campus came a group of about 75 Christians from many places, representing many forms of diversity.

This included:

• Ethnicity (African American, African, Korean, Latino, European-American);
• Location (Delaware, Washington DC, South Dakota, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Texas);
• Age (between age 8 to 80);
• Denomination (United Methodists, ELCA Lutherans, Unity);
• Denominational role (pastors, deacons, district superintendents, a bishop, certified lay ministers, lay people);
• Ability (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, mobility-challenged, able-bodied); and
• Gender and sexual orientation.

The groups were sent out each day to work on various projects: building wheelchair access ramps, repairing floors, upgrading bedrooms, and arranging donated clothing for distribution.

We included carpenters, electricians, painters, sign language interpreters, photographers, cleaners, dish washers and people who prayed and led worship. We also experienced the diversity of interacting with the homeowners where we worked and learned of their lives and culture in Appalachia. 

We experienced their warm hospitality and the hospitality of the Red Bird Mission staff, conference leaders, work crew leaders and local neighbors we met on our field trips out in the community. 

What made this mission trip especially unique was the large number of culturally Deaf* members on the team—20 of them! They were part of “Deaf ELM” (ELM stands for Episcopal, Lutheran and Methodist).

This ecumenical organization of Deaf folks and their advocates work together on various common goals of inclusion and empowerment. History was made on this trip when for the first time members engaged in “hands-on mission work.”

Many of our own United Methodist Deaf members are active in ELM. Many were highly-skilled carpenters and craftsmen, and they worked side by side with hearing people who were not fluent in American Sign Language. 

 
The sign language interpreters on each team kept busy filling in the communication gaps; but slowly people began to figure out ways to communicate and work together. Humor and God’s Spirit broke down many of the walls of communication and difference.

We worked hard and came home tired and dirty each day. But we shared in worship each morning and evening and had lots of time on the porch to socialize, meet new friends and play with the resident cats.

On Wednesday night we were treated to a tour of the Red Bird School and an ice cream and cake party hosted by the Red Bird Conference District Superintendent. On Thursday night we had the “Talent-No-Talent” show starring hearing and Deaf people who shared their gifts of music, storytelling, humor and skits.

 
On Friday, our last night there was a closing communion service with the Deaf Community primarily taking the lead. A Deaf pastor preached, beautiful songs were signed and our young people served the Communion elements. 

I saw the Body of Christ in Beverly, Kentucky, this week. And none one of us will ever be the same.

Each of us brings a better understanding of the “other.” Each learned the age-old lesson of I Corinthians 12, that the giftedness of Christ’s Body calls us to join together to do the work of Christ, each one bringing their unique gift to benefit the whole. Everyone had an important gift!

We pray for a day for economic justice for the folks of Appalachia, made poor by the excesses of coal mining and the inability of the rich to share with the poor. These are issues we are struggling with the world over. 

Helping the poor on a mission trip is a commendable act of mercy. But justice would call us to bring attention to the inequities that create this poverty and to work for sustainability and empowerment for all. When there is justice there will be peace on earth.

* Deaf culture is the set of social beliefs, behaviors, art, literary traditions, history, values, and shared institutions of communities that are influenced by deafness and which use sign languages as the main means of communication. When used as a cultural label especially within the culture, the word deaf is often written with a capital D and referred to as "big D Deaf" in speech and sign. When used as a label for the audiological condition, it is written with a lower case d. (Wikipedia)

Download the Bishop's PPT presentation about the Red Bird Mission trip and see more of her great photos!

Remembering August 25, 1619

“On August 25, 1619, the White Lion (pirate and slave ship) entered from the Chesapeake Bay and arrived at Point Comfort, an English settlement…at the mouth of the harbor, 20 nautical miles downstream from Jamestown (Va.).” (www.Project1619.org) Thus began the scourge of slavery in this country that has continued on for 400 years. 

According to an article in the Sunday Tribune by Michael Coard, 12.5 million stolen Africans were brought to this country. By the time of the Civil War there were 4 million enslaved people and 1.32 million of them were children. 

They were sold on slave blocks, treated inhumanely, and whole families were separated: “…mother from daughter, father from son, brother from sister, husband from wife. Following these forced separations, they were scattered across the country. And they would never touch or even see one another again.” (Sunday Tribune, July 28, 2019, p 2-A)

It can well be said that the wealth and success of this country came on the backs of enslaved people. Again citing Coard’s research: Of the 56 signers of the American colonies’ Declaration of Independence, 41 had slaves. Of the 55 signers of the U.S. Constitution, 25 owned slaves. One in six households had slaves in Philadelphia in the 1760’s, and even William Penn himself had three. George Washington had 316 slaves.

The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did little to improve the lot of enslaved people. And through the years the scourge of slavery has continued to wound and scar us through Jim Crow laws, stubborn racism and racial inequities, white privilege, white Nationalism and mass incarceration. 

August 25 is a date to acknowledge the grievous sins of this nation against not only slaves but also first-nation peoples. It is a time to also recognize the ongoing attacks on immigrants and migrants in this country. 

It is a time to remember and reflect on how the hunger for gain and material wealth has caused people to subjugate and enslave their fellow human beings. It is said well in one of our rarely sung hymns: “O shame to us who rest content while lust and greed for gain in street and shop and tenement wring gold from human pain.” (UM Book of Hymns, No. 726)

It is a time to commit the church—our church—to name racism when we see it, to work harder to achieve equality and shared leadership and wealth for all, to carefully monitor our elected officials and vote for those who have hearts of justice, and to promote laws that encourage reparations, affirmative action and fair voting rights, policies and alignment of districts. 

The road is long and the battle lines are deeply entrenched in this country presently. But each of us can do our part and together the Church of Jesus Christ can make a difference. Start by praying this prayer at church on August 25.

Gracious God of all people, we acknowledge and repent of the grievous acts of inhumanity against people of African descent in our long history. We know that much generational wealth in this country has been in the hands of European-American people at the expense of people of color. 

Forgive us we pray and on this anniversary of 400 years of American slavery. We commit ourselves anew to work for justice, peace and equity. Give us the strength to step out in faith to do our part. And give us the courage to face the persecution that comes with justice ministry. This we pray in the name of the lover of our souls and of all: Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Learn more about this poignant anniversary of a momentous event in American history. Read “Slavery anniversary leads to new discussions,” by Jim Patterson of UM News Service (July 8, 2019)

What’s in Your Heart?

Doctors have perfected many kinds of tests that diagnose heart disease. From coronary artery  blockages to arrhythmia, to heart valve disease—with modern testing equipment, we can know what is in a person’s physical heart.

However, when our Scriptures speak of the heart, it is far more than a body organ. The “heart” is found 762 times in the KJV Bible, and it tends to mean what it is the central core of a person’s desires, wonderment and passion. It is our true best self.  One cannot test this kind of heart with a stethoscope, but it is easily discerned by a person’s words.

Jesus taught his disciples that eating food with unwashed hands does not defile a person: “Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?”

He goes on to assert the true test of a person’s heart: “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” (Matthew 15:17-19)

What is in our heart is evidenced by the way we talk. Just listen to what a person says. Listen to yourself talk. No special equipment necessary; just listen with your ears… and your heart.

This is no little thing. The Book of James reminds us, “The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire.  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… it is a restless evil… full of deadly poison.”  (James 2:5-6, 8b)

In our current political climate, we are experiencing countless inflammatory words whose name is legion. Many of them come from a heart of racial bigotry, sexism and classism. Calls for congresswomen to be “sent home” and unkind words about Baltimore being an unlivable “rat and rodent infested mess” are disappointing and hurtful. It stirs up more and more strife between people as the cycle of harsh criticism and insults goes on and on.

However, we are not sitting above it all in holiness and purity. In the life of the church, mean-spirited words are spoken against one another as well. James says, “Every kind of beast and bird or reptile and sea creature can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue.” (2:7). 

Sadly, it is part of the human condition to speak unkindly. So, do we just take it as a “given” and keep on hurting one another with insults and slander? I think not! We have a God who can understand our weakness and will help us.

Paul teaches, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. And God is faithful; and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)

May we use God’s preventive medicine for the heart disease of slander and evil words spoken against each another. Indeed, may we use that same medicine to also cure the callous, heinous and even murderous actions that too often are prompted by our words. Should we be surprised that hurtful public policies and personal threats and attacks often seem to follow hateful public discourse?

May we continue to pray and work unceasingly for a world in which everyone is given respect in our thoughts, words and deeds, and where the better angels of our nature lead us to promote inclusion and equality for all. If each of us takes responsibility for what we think, say and do in this world, our church can still become part of the beloved community that God intended.

Summer of Love

This season I have been pondering “love.” According to the Apostle Paul, it “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (I Corinthians 13:7).

In a sense, it has been the theme of both of our annual conferences. Eastern PA (June 13-15) emphasized the importance of passing down the generational love of God through evangelism. Peninsula Delaware’s annual conference (May 30-June 1) called us to be out in the world engaging in acts of sacrificial love.

Love knows no bounds, is accessible to all, is contagious and, like blood type O- negative, it is the universal donor. Love continues on and on in an unending stream of goodness and life.

The last week of June I traveled to the Northeastern Jurisdictional College of Bishops meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa., where I encountered a bridge adorned with “locks of love.” This phenomena can be found all around the world. Countless people attach padlocks to chain-link fences on bridges as symbols of their love commitment to significant others. 

So popular is this kind of padlocking that from time to time municipal officials have to remove locks because the sheer weight of them can compromise the integrity of popular bridges. The locks symbolize permanence and faithfulness to a promise, another characteristic of love. The sheer weight of love can conquer anything, even the structure of a mammoth bridge.

Last week I flew to Kansas City for Youth 2019, the denomination’s quadrennial gathering to celebrate and enhance youth ministry. The theme was “Love-Well.”

There I encountered the faces of over 3,000 young people seeking to be the loving presence of Christ in this world. They were concerned about immigration, the environment, the place of LGBTQIA+ members in our church, and the hard, hard task of loving enemies. 

I taught a class there along with a few other leaders from the UM Association of Ministers with Disabilities. We taught about accessibility for youth who have physical and emotional challenges.

The theme of love appeared again and again in our conversations, including: how to be in ministry with those on the margins; how to create spaces and accessibility for equality of participation; and how to explore the giftedness of the disability community.

At the end of the day, it is all about love. It is that simple, it is that hard. It means waking up every morning and praying that one can be an agent of love in the world. It means doing the challenging work of getting yourself out of the way and putting Christ and others first. 

The Holy Club of Oxford University that John and Charles Wesley led in 1729 required its members to undergo a rigorous self-examination each day with 22 questions. Each one boils down to holiness of life and focus so that love can shine through.

This Holy Club changed the world. Most of the 25 members of this club eventually became legendary leaders of the Great Awakening, a widespread religious revival of that era that changed the world forever with love.

This still works today, especially during these polarizing times. As we make love our focus, all the other things of life fall into place. As Paul reminds us love never fails (I Corinthians 13:8).