Trust God's Love, Power, and Plan
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
There’s a phrase that says, get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I have to admit that’s easier said than done. However, even as we walk through a challenging time in the church’s life, I trust God’s love, power, and plan. Many people are still processing the decisions of the General Conference. Churches and pastors across the world are deciding how they will live in the new reality of the United Methodist Church. We are in that place, too.
Many of you attended three conversations that I led after the General Conference. I showed a video from our bishop, in which he outlined the major outcomes of the gathering. The most critical decision was the removal of the language that restricted the inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the church. Three things emerged from those conversations. I want to share the plans our church Leadership Team and I developed to help us move forward.
First, our brothers and sisters asked to know who the members of three of our church ministry teams were. These teams, the Leadership Team, the Board of Trustees, and the Staff Parish Relations Committee, all have important roles in how we live into these decisions. The rosters are listed at the end of this post. The Nominations Team, a different team in our church, recommends these individuals. They were approved at our church business meeting called the Charge Conference. If you want to learn more about these teams and their work, see any of the people listed or talk to me about their work.
Second, people asked for a Bible study about the issue of LGBTQ inclusion. Not everyone knew of or could attend our conversations about this in our Tough Stuff Bible study last year. So, I will be leading two sessions on Thursday, July 11. These sessions will be interactive, allowing for open discussion and questions. We will be reviewing a variety of Bible passages that people use in both supporting and opposing the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the church. The daytime session will start at 11:00, and the evening session at 7:00.
Lastly, we need to discuss whether we would like our church building used for same-sex weddings. We will have that gathering on July 14, immediately after service. It will be a town hall where people will make their voices heard on that particular issue.
As I said, these are tense times. Some people are anxious because they believe the Bible is clear on this issue and are surprised there is so much debate. Others feel that some voices in the church are so dominant that they believe their personal perspective isn’t welcome, and if so, maybe they wouldn’t be welcome if people knew their feelings. Some among us are grieving and worried because friends have decided that they cannot support the stance of the denomination. Those friends no longer attend our church, and people are worried about other people leaving.
As we experience uncomfortable times, Paul’s words in the passage above speak powerfully to our worried hearts, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God is the source of our peace and strength. A lack of anxiety does not mean that you don’t care about your circumstances. Nor does a lack of anxiety mean that you have all of the answers. It means that you have taken the concern to God and trusted God with it. As a result, your heart is at peace because you know that God will handle it.
I am deeply grateful to all of you for taking a more challenging road. Our congregation, though not of one mind on this issue, has decided to engage each other, discern together, and trust God to reveal our way forward. This unity, even in our diversity, is a testament to our shared faith and commitment. I encourage everyone to pray about these conversations. Discuss your feelings with God and trusted friends. Feel free to talk to me if you’d like more information or have any questions. Even if we aren’t comfortable being uncomfortable, we can meet any fear with faith in the One who knows and holds all things. Trust God to see us through.
Pastor Scott
PENDLETON CENTER TEAMS
Leadership Team: responsible for general oversight of the church and all its ministries
Naomi Laskey, Becky Heideman, Tom Crosby, Jan Hodge, Linda Zanke, Sue Phillips, Nancy Himes, Kelli Putney, Louis Bobsein, Sarah Slaght, Scot Jaynes, Anna Smith, Kathy Hill, Joanna Bull, Phil Tavenier, Adrienne Folby, Nicole Valentine, Bill Becker
Trustees: responsible for the church property and legal affairs
Phil Tavenier (chair), Connie Clifford, Todd Fisher, Dave Hocking, Phil Bova, Shawn Michalski, Theresa Grear, Bob Ludwig
Staff Parish Relations Committee: responsible for the performance and well-being of the pastors and church staff
Cindy Neese (co-chair), Bill Becker (co-chair), Louis Bobsein, Renee Lorenz , Dale McLean, Naomi Laskey, Theresa Ash, Tammy Preisch, Jim Hohensee
Pastor Scott is also a member of all three teams.
