Celebrating “Stay UMC”

I’m celebrating the new home of a very special prayer kneeler in a new UMC! 

It was originally placed in memory of my grandmother. It was for the UMC I served as founding pastor many years ago. 

Later in history, the church renovated and no longer needed it. Eventually, they gave it back to me. I’m so incredibly grateful.

In celebration of the Stay UMC movement, I have “regifted” it to another United Methodist Church. May it bring a prayerful spirit to the people of the newly formed All Saints UMC in Trussville, Alabama! May it strengthen them and give them good courage. We are praying for you!

Cultural Christianity

Richard Rohr calls out “cultural Christianity.” I believe this wholeheartedly. It’s an alternative way.

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“If our love of God doesn’t directly influence, and even change, how we engage in the issues of our time, I wonder what good religion is. ‘God talk’ becomes an opaque screen in which we see only reflections of ourselves, rather than any kind of true light. ‘Anyone who says they love God, and hates their brother or sister, is a liar’ (1 John 4:20). None of us wants to be a liar, yet religion’s high goals make failure almost inevitable for all of us (read Paul’s attempts to describe this paradoxical phenomenon in Romans 7:7–25). Our daily question is this: ‘Have I even begun to love’?

“Most Christians tend to echo the cultural prejudices and worldviews of the dominant group in their country, with only a minority revealing any real transformation of attitudes or consciousness. It has been true of slavery and racism, classism and consumerism, and issues of immigration and health care for the poor. From a religion based on a man who was always healing poor people and praising foreigners, it defies any logical analysis!”

Welcoming the Stranger

This deeply biblical insight on welcoming the stranger is challenging for us!

“This fundamental regard for the resident alien, and call to solidarity with the ‘outsider,’ came to full realization in the teaching and practice of Jesus of Nazareth.”

Check out the full article below.

https://cac.org/daily-meditations/welcoming-strangers-in-scripture/

Appointment at Fair Haven

Fair Haven, here I come!

Following up on my recent post about our future, I wanted everyone to know my new opportunity is confirmed! I’m excited. We announced this week to the residents of Fair Haven that I will be coming as their chaplain at the beginning of July.

Fair Haven is a bright star in the system of Methodist Homes for the Aging in the North Alabama and Alabama West Florida Conferences of the UMC. There are 350 residents in independent living, independent plus, assisted living, nursing home, and memory care units. There is a beautiful chapel for services and Bible studies, with a chaplain’s office nearby to facilitate pastoral care.

I will be appointed 3/4 time as an extension ministry of the UMC. This position will allow me to defer retirement and continue to be involved in the UMC I love, while also giving me ability to care for my dad (one of the residents) and help raise our new grand baby nearby. With a little spare time, I also plan to set up a home studio to do some writing, music, and spiritual formation ministries.

Sandy and I have been talking about how much we love Jacksonville and my wonderful appointment here. The church is healthy and strong. Whoever is appointed to come here is going to be lucky to have them.

I am grateful that they have been part of my life, and all we’ve accomplished together, as well as grateful for God‘s very clear calling into a new season of spiritual adventures.

Joseph and Family Systems

Have you ever been left holding the rope?

I am this week’s “Read Together” podcaster. Join me as we explore the story of Joseph in light of Family Systems Theory!

You can find it HERE.

Future Plans

For those of you who do not attend the church I serve, let me take this opportunity to share some important news about our future.

Sandy and I have thoroughly enjoyed our five years at this amazing church! Jacksonville First UMC is a thriving congregation, with outstanding music and missions and a tradition of quality ministries for all ages. We made it through unprecedented challenges together. First there was Covid, then mold remediation requiring a complete renovation of the children's wing and shutting down Kids 1st, then after construction was complete giving birth to the daycare all over again. Then there was the schism in the UMC. We lost some folks, but we gained others, and the church is stable, happy and healthy! We just finished an outstanding visioning process and set several forward-looking goals.

We came through all this with flying colors, and still continue to grow! I'm amazed at how wonderfully things are going. This is a great church. I have hoped for years that we could stay here until I retire. I've been in church work 42 years (36 as a pastor), and I love church ... especially this church!

But I've had a series of personal needs emerge in my family in recent months. These have forced me to consider retiring from itinerant ministry a little earlier than anticipated (the word itinerant means "traveling," or being sent by the bishop).

My father, who preached his last sermon with us a few years ago, has gone blind and recently became an assisted living resident of Fair Haven, our Methodist Home for the Aging in the Irondale area of Birmingham. He is 92, and I'm a primary caregiver. In addition, our daughter Deborah, a nurse at UAB, gave birth to a beautiful little girl four months ago. They live in the same vicinity as Dad does now, and she has arrived at a place where she needs some help raising Charlie.

So after much prayer, I recently submitted plans to the North Alabama Conference to retire from itinerant ministry, effective by the end of June. I will still serve the UMC ... I love the UMC! But to use a term from deep Methodist history, when circuit riders who traveled by horseback would eventually settle in one place, I need to serve "on location" in Irondale.

Our new home in Irondale will be minutes from Dad, Deborah, and sweet little Charlie. As if to show how much God was in it, in the midst of discerning this, I was serendipitously approached by Fair Haven (the United Methodist home where my dad lives), to discuss a chaplaincy position with me. Assuming this works out, being Fair Haven's chaplain will be a whole new ministry adventure, while giving me ample time to take care of family.

It's way too early for goodbyes. But I want our church to know, from the bottom of my heart, how much Sandy and I love them, and how hard of a decision it was. JFUMC’s next pastor, who will be announced in late March and begins his or her journey on July 1, is going to be so lucky to be here.

The Church Being the Church

Here is a letter from the United Methodist Council of Bishops to President Trump regarding foreign aid. We are the church bring the church.

Read the letter HERE.