The General Conference Schedule begins late today.
6:00 Opening Worship
8:00 "Organization of the General Conference"
This first plenary session seems to be about testing the voting system, approving the rules, adoption of the calendar and exciting things such as that.
Presently we are waiting at the hotel for a shuttle to the convention center. I am hanging out with the young adults realizing that I am old. Sigh.
Hopefully we will get through registration soon.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
87 Degreees and Muggy
I have arrived in Ft. Worth. Had a pleasant conversation with my Taxi Driver. He was from Ghana. We talked about football (soccer for many of you) and the poor understanding most Americans have of geography.
As the title suggests it is 87 and muggy. Considering the 40 something temperature and rain I just left in Portland that is quite a change. I walked up to my room and realized why I spent most of my time in seminary (Perkins School of Theology, SMU, Dallas) in Birkenstock's, shorts and T-Shirts. I didn't even pack my Birkys for General Conference! The great quandary of life in Texas is; do you dress for the outside temperature or the inside one? Why dress for a few minutes of outside hot and muggy when the air conditioner often seems to be set for 62 degrees?
The hotel room is nice, it even has a little kitchenette, not that I imagine that I will have the time to make use of it. Seems like the daily schedule from Thursday on is 7:00 A.M. until 11:00 P.M.
Feel free to put your questions in the comments and I will try to get to them. I'm going to go explore my surroundings.
As the title suggests it is 87 and muggy. Considering the 40 something temperature and rain I just left in Portland that is quite a change. I walked up to my room and realized why I spent most of my time in seminary (Perkins School of Theology, SMU, Dallas) in Birkenstock's, shorts and T-Shirts. I didn't even pack my Birkys for General Conference! The great quandary of life in Texas is; do you dress for the outside temperature or the inside one? Why dress for a few minutes of outside hot and muggy when the air conditioner often seems to be set for 62 degrees?
The hotel room is nice, it even has a little kitchenette, not that I imagine that I will have the time to make use of it. Seems like the daily schedule from Thursday on is 7:00 A.M. until 11:00 P.M.
Feel free to put your questions in the comments and I will try to get to them. I'm going to go explore my surroundings.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
A Future With Hope
The theme for General Conference is "A future with hope." It will be interesting to see how the delegates of the 2008 session live into that idea!
As we prepare for the conference the delegation has received reports and looked through "The Daily Christian Advocate" to familiarize ourselves with what issues we can anticipate to be involved with. ("The Daily Christian Advocate" is the title of the published materials for the General Conference. We currently have three volumes of reports and legislation and there will be daily publications throughout the conference.) It is a bit overwhelming to try to look through all of the material. It is also impossible to know which of the petitions will survive through committee and come to the General Conference floor.
Glancing through the material you can find petitions on a wide variety of subjects and often petitions on the same issue from opposing sides. One petition that caught my eye yesterday wants to amend the United Methodist Church's stand on the death penalty. Jonathan Carlsen of Arcadia, FL has submitted a petition asking that we delete the line "We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings." The petition he submitted includes other language to make it sound as if the U.M.C. condones the death penalty as a means of criminal justice. I don't think that particular item will pass but who knows?
In our last delegation meeting Kristina Gonzalez gave a report about the work of "the task group on the Global Nature of the Church." Kristina is a staff member of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference and she was a member of this task group. Their report is a response to the ever changing nature of the United Methodist Church. For most of our history we have been a church of the United States. However, approximately 3 million of our 11 million members live outside of the U.S. We are no longer only an "American Church." We are the church in Africa, Asia and Europe as well. The major legislation coming from this group will be to eliminate the word "central" conferences for those conferences outside the U.S. and to create regional conferences of which the U.S. will be one. In the proposed legislation the U.S. would retain their jurisdictional conferences and their work of electing bishops.
At first look this seems to me to be the right thing to do. It gives some equality to our relationship with the international conferences and it may open the door for some autonomy for the U.S. church to deal with its social and cultural issues. It is forces those of us in the United States to recognize that there is more to the United Methodist Church than what exists within our boundaries.
The other hot topic of delegation meetings (now that our housing situation is settled) seems to be around Rule 12 of the Rules of Order. It reads "Cell phone use is not permitted in the plenary hall or the legislative committee rooms by delegates or observers. In addition, the use of laptop computers, personal digital assistants, pagers and other electronic devices should be in furtherance of General Conference business and done in such a manner that does not disturb other participants. . . ." There is also talk of an attempt to prevent wireless Internet access on the conference floor. There will be access in other parts of the building so how they are going to shield one particular area is a mystery to me. It has also been pointed out many of the delegates can access the Internet through their cell phone providers. I don't know what the point of this exercise in futility is by the planners but I hope the old codgers catch on that the post modern era is one of making full use of information technology.
Peace, Y'all. (see I'm getting ready for Ft. Worth)
As we prepare for the conference the delegation has received reports and looked through "The Daily Christian Advocate" to familiarize ourselves with what issues we can anticipate to be involved with. ("The Daily Christian Advocate" is the title of the published materials for the General Conference. We currently have three volumes of reports and legislation and there will be daily publications throughout the conference.) It is a bit overwhelming to try to look through all of the material. It is also impossible to know which of the petitions will survive through committee and come to the General Conference floor.
Glancing through the material you can find petitions on a wide variety of subjects and often petitions on the same issue from opposing sides. One petition that caught my eye yesterday wants to amend the United Methodist Church's stand on the death penalty. Jonathan Carlsen of Arcadia, FL has submitted a petition asking that we delete the line "We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings." The petition he submitted includes other language to make it sound as if the U.M.C. condones the death penalty as a means of criminal justice. I don't think that particular item will pass but who knows?
In our last delegation meeting Kristina Gonzalez gave a report about the work of "the task group on the Global Nature of the Church." Kristina is a staff member of the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference and she was a member of this task group. Their report is a response to the ever changing nature of the United Methodist Church. For most of our history we have been a church of the United States. However, approximately 3 million of our 11 million members live outside of the U.S. We are no longer only an "American Church." We are the church in Africa, Asia and Europe as well. The major legislation coming from this group will be to eliminate the word "central" conferences for those conferences outside the U.S. and to create regional conferences of which the U.S. will be one. In the proposed legislation the U.S. would retain their jurisdictional conferences and their work of electing bishops.
At first look this seems to me to be the right thing to do. It gives some equality to our relationship with the international conferences and it may open the door for some autonomy for the U.S. church to deal with its social and cultural issues. It is forces those of us in the United States to recognize that there is more to the United Methodist Church than what exists within our boundaries.
The other hot topic of delegation meetings (now that our housing situation is settled) seems to be around Rule 12 of the Rules of Order. It reads "Cell phone use is not permitted in the plenary hall or the legislative committee rooms by delegates or observers. In addition, the use of laptop computers, personal digital assistants, pagers and other electronic devices should be in furtherance of General Conference business and done in such a manner that does not disturb other participants. . . ." There is also talk of an attempt to prevent wireless Internet access on the conference floor. There will be access in other parts of the building so how they are going to shield one particular area is a mystery to me. It has also been pointed out many of the delegates can access the Internet through their cell phone providers. I don't know what the point of this exercise in futility is by the planners but I hope the old codgers catch on that the post modern era is one of making full use of information technology.
Peace, Y'all. (see I'm getting ready for Ft. Worth)
Monday, March 10, 2008
Ch - Ch - Ch - Changes
Yesterday Longview UMC made the announcement : "It is the intention of Bishop Ed Paup to appoint the Rev. Bruce D. Smith to Mill Plain United Methodist Church effective July 1, 2008."
It was an emotional time for everyone in worship. While I was able to prepare some for the announcement for the most part these things come as a surprise as we work to keep confidentiality and fairness for everyone involved. I hope that the people of LUMC will be able to begin looking forward to the possibilities of the new energy a pastoral change can bring.
From the other side: Brianna is giddy that Daddy will be closer to home. Camas UMC is happy to have some added security that Kendra could be their pastor for the next few years. I anticipate that Mill Plain is excited to have a pastor named and to be looking forward.
I will greatly miss the people of LUMC and I look forward to hearing about their continued ministry in the coming years. In the meantime there are the celebrations of Easter and LUMC's 5th anniversary of becoming a reconciling congregation!
May God Bless everyone in the midst of these changes!
It was an emotional time for everyone in worship. While I was able to prepare some for the announcement for the most part these things come as a surprise as we work to keep confidentiality and fairness for everyone involved. I hope that the people of LUMC will be able to begin looking forward to the possibilities of the new energy a pastoral change can bring.
From the other side: Brianna is giddy that Daddy will be closer to home. Camas UMC is happy to have some added security that Kendra could be their pastor for the next few years. I anticipate that Mill Plain is excited to have a pastor named and to be looking forward.
I will greatly miss the people of LUMC and I look forward to hearing about their continued ministry in the coming years. In the meantime there are the celebrations of Easter and LUMC's 5th anniversary of becoming a reconciling congregation!
May God Bless everyone in the midst of these changes!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Easter is coming, Easter is coming!
It seems like important days should be fixed on the calendar. We always know when Christmas is going to be. There seems to be little doubt when we will celebrate the Fourth of July. And we always know when the most important day of the Christian year is going to be . . . or do we?
Why is Easter day so early this year? March 23 is the second earliest date Easter can begin. Easter as the central holiday of the Christian faith has always been an important time but what day is it? Easter Sunday is set by this easy to remember formula; it is on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21st. Why March 21st? Because it was the date the church understood to be the vernal equinox. This was a great compromise in the early church between those who wanted Easter to begin on the Julian calendar and those who wanted to stick with the lunar calendar.
Really though, I think it is good that it is hard for us to know on any given year just when Easter is coming. Easter should be a surprise! It is God’s greatest surprise after all. The idea that God loves us so much that life continues even after death.
So enjoy the early Easter this year, it won’t come around this early again until 2160 and if you don’t like an early Easter in 2011 Easter will begin on the second latest date possible April 24.
Why is Easter day so early this year? March 23 is the second earliest date Easter can begin. Easter as the central holiday of the Christian faith has always been an important time but what day is it? Easter Sunday is set by this easy to remember formula; it is on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21st. Why March 21st? Because it was the date the church understood to be the vernal equinox. This was a great compromise in the early church between those who wanted Easter to begin on the Julian calendar and those who wanted to stick with the lunar calendar.
Really though, I think it is good that it is hard for us to know on any given year just when Easter is coming. Easter should be a surprise! It is God’s greatest surprise after all. The idea that God loves us so much that life continues even after death.
So enjoy the early Easter this year, it won’t come around this early again until 2160 and if you don’t like an early Easter in 2011 Easter will begin on the second latest date possible April 24.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Freedom for my people
Where have you experienced abundance living in God’s covenant? That was the question for this weeks study guide today.
The Reading is Isaiah 55:1-5 and the prophet enthusiastically describes what it will be like for the people when they are restored in God’s covenant.
These past two weeks I have been blessed to spend time with family and friends and to just really enjoy the abundance of love and relationships. We played games, ate food and everyone was having a good time. God’s covenant is about relationships with people and God and I am thankful for all the people in my life.
This Saturday we will have the opportunity to do the same on the 12th Night of Christmas celebration. Meet at the church at 6:00 and bring a snack food and/or a game to play.
Sunday we will begin a new sermon series called “Freedom for my people.” I will be preaching this Sunday then we will be welcoming Cynthia Washington to talk about liberation from an African American perspective on January 13th.
Last night as we got home late from spending time with family and friends, Brianna went to her room and I settled into the couch to watch some TV. During a break I went to her room to check on her and she wasn’t there. I looked in my bedroom, she wasn’t there. I called to Kendra, “I can’t find Brianna.” (I was reminded of when Brianna was not yet a toddler and Kendra ran upstairs, “I can’t find Brianna!” She had crawled under the computer desk and fallen asleep.) I called downstairs, Brianna, Brianna! Finally I heard here voice from the basement where she had curled up to watch TV since it wasn’t her bedtime yet.
Jesus tells stories in the gospels of God searching for the lost. Jesus understood that God had a passion for those who were outsiders. As LUMC joined the hundreds in the Diversity March, when LUMC decided to join the Reconciling Ministry Network and to open our doors to everyone we too aligned ourselves with God’s passion for the least the last and the lost.
Freedom for my people is a sermon series that reminds us of God’s passion for the lost and of the obligation of the church to be about God’s work of extending grace to all.
Grace and Peace,
Bruce
The Reading is Isaiah 55:1-5 and the prophet enthusiastically describes what it will be like for the people when they are restored in God’s covenant.
These past two weeks I have been blessed to spend time with family and friends and to just really enjoy the abundance of love and relationships. We played games, ate food and everyone was having a good time. God’s covenant is about relationships with people and God and I am thankful for all the people in my life.
This Saturday we will have the opportunity to do the same on the 12th Night of Christmas celebration. Meet at the church at 6:00 and bring a snack food and/or a game to play.
Sunday we will begin a new sermon series called “Freedom for my people.” I will be preaching this Sunday then we will be welcoming Cynthia Washington to talk about liberation from an African American perspective on January 13th.
Last night as we got home late from spending time with family and friends, Brianna went to her room and I settled into the couch to watch some TV. During a break I went to her room to check on her and she wasn’t there. I looked in my bedroom, she wasn’t there. I called to Kendra, “I can’t find Brianna.” (I was reminded of when Brianna was not yet a toddler and Kendra ran upstairs, “I can’t find Brianna!” She had crawled under the computer desk and fallen asleep.) I called downstairs, Brianna, Brianna! Finally I heard here voice from the basement where she had curled up to watch TV since it wasn’t her bedtime yet.
Jesus tells stories in the gospels of God searching for the lost. Jesus understood that God had a passion for those who were outsiders. As LUMC joined the hundreds in the Diversity March, when LUMC decided to join the Reconciling Ministry Network and to open our doors to everyone we too aligned ourselves with God’s passion for the least the last and the lost.
Freedom for my people is a sermon series that reminds us of God’s passion for the lost and of the obligation of the church to be about God’s work of extending grace to all.
Grace and Peace,
Bruce
Thursday, December 27, 2007
On the Third day of Christmas . . .
Merry Christmas Y'all!
I know I am a bit of a church geek but I get annoyed that the radio station that has been playing Christmas songs since before Advent quits playing them the day after Christmas and goes back to its regular music. THERE ARE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS PEOPLE! And the local "Christian" radio station should know that! Ugh. At least the British have the decency to also have December 26th as a national holiday (Boxing Day.) They get one more whole day of Christmas in (and if you saw all they do to celebrate you would understand why it takes two days.)
I don't know about you but I want to enjoy Christmas for more than one day.
I know I am a bit of a church geek but I get annoyed that the radio station that has been playing Christmas songs since before Advent quits playing them the day after Christmas and goes back to its regular music. THERE ARE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS PEOPLE! And the local "Christian" radio station should know that! Ugh. At least the British have the decency to also have December 26th as a national holiday (Boxing Day.) They get one more whole day of Christmas in (and if you saw all they do to celebrate you would understand why it takes two days.)
I don't know about you but I want to enjoy Christmas for more than one day.
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