May 18, 2022 Greetings in the reconciling love of Christ, We are living in a moment of discord and division throughout our society. On the nightly news, we see examples of secular ways to respond to conflict. In this climate, people often refuse to participate in conversation or compromise and put their effort into defending their point of view, to ensure that their issue wins over others. While many of us have learned this way of handling conflict, Christian tradition teaches something completely different. Last Sunday’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (11:1-18) is a clear demonstration of a Christ-centered response to conflict. Our sacred texts, Holy Scripture and the Book of Common Prayer, give us an alternative approach to conflict. These texts help us to see conflict as an opportunity to learn more about how God is able to work through all things to restore health, healing, and wholeness to all people. I know it can be tempting to avoid the work of learning about healthy and faithful ways to respond to conflict, but I encourage you to make every effort to explore how our faith guides us through respectful disagreement. To that end, I hope that many of you will register for the upcoming Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) trainings outlined in yesterday’s letter. Some of the actions taken during the ongoing conflict at St. Paul’s Montvale have done nothing to de-escalate division, but, instead, have caused more conflict and hardened differences. Communications generated online, in the media, by letters, and phone calls in the last few months have been hurtful, hateful, and have done nothing to foster resolution or healing. None of them have had the desired effect; they have only deepened the conflict. This is an important truth for all to acknowledge. If a different outcome is desired, then it is time to take different actions. This will start with a two-week period of prayerful quiet. Considering the current environment of our country and the church shooting last week, as a safety measure and a means to lower the temperature of discord, it is prudent to cease all in-person activity at St. Paul’s Montvale beginning at 5:00pm today, May 18, 2022 and ending at 5:00pm on Friday, June 3, 2022. I hope this will be a time to cool off and reset. In this way we can ensure that people, the church grounds, and building remain safe and secure. I also ask that these two weeks be a time of prayerful preparation. Read your notes from the first LMPC learning event in March. Participate in the upcoming Zoom LMPC training sessions. Study the teachings of the Bible and Book of Common Prayer about conflict transformation. Read books about Christians resolving conflict. Worship during these two weeks is a very important part of this preparation. Worship is a vital way that we are formed. While there will not be in-person worship on-site at St. Paul’s Montvale on May 22nd and May 29th, current active members of St. Paul’s will meet online for worship. Those who are in conflict with parish leadership or are former members of St. Paul’s are encouraged to visit another church during these two weeks. Wherever you worship, listen to the hymns, prayers, and sermon. Confess your sins in the General Confession and receive Holy Communion. It will help your spirit to sit with the liturgy of our tradition and in the midst of God’s presence.
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.