Clergy Services Connexion October 2020

Clergy Services Connexion October 2020 Volume 2, Number 4

Table of Contents A Word from the Editor ............................................................................................................................. Rev. Terry Goodman Do All Lives Really Matter? ........................................................................................................................ Rev. Joshua Swanson I. Still. Can’t Breathe .................................................................................................................................. Rev. Leah Burns We Need to Know the Story Behind the Name ......................................................................................... Rev. Terry Goodman What does The United Methodist Church say about racism? ................................................................... Ask the UMC Article Unsnarling US and church racial history .................................................................................................... Heather Hahn, UMNS A Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................................. Rev. Terry Goodman Ministry Matters—Annual Conference Related BOM items...................................................................... Rev. Terry Goodman Annual Conference Follow Up ................................................................................................................... Rev. Terry Goodman Annual Conference Historical Documents ................................................................................................. Rev. Terry Goodman From the DS Perspective: A District Superintendent’s Perspective on COVID-19 ..................................... Rev. Jeff Wright Is The United Methodist Church involved in politics? ............................................................................... Ask the UMC Article Social Principles: The Political Community ................................................................................................ Social Principles UM Evangelism: Every United Methodist Should be an Evangelist ........................................................... Bishop Scott Jones Spotlight on Finances: This is Not an Asterisk * Year for the Church ........................................................ Rev. Richard Edwards Spotlight on Finances: Encouraging Giving and Managing Resources During a Pandemic ....................... Rev. Richard Edwards

Holston Center for Well Being: Clergy Peer Groups Forming .................................................................... Rev. Kathy Heustess The Stress of Pastoral Ministry .................................................................................................................. Bill Gaultierre Duke Divinity School Partnership: Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth ...................................... Rev. Terry Goodman Numinous: Let’s Sabbath ........................................................................................................................... Renni Morris, CLM Article: Young Elder Numbers Return to Near Historic Low in UMC ......................................................... Rev. Lovett Weems, Jr. Leading Between Faith and Patriotism ...................................................................................................... Rev. Lovett Weems, Jr. Six Digital Discipleship Lessons from COVID-19 ......................................................................................... Rev. Susan Groseclose Holston Camp and Retreat Ministries ........................................................................................................ Rev. Mary Thompson

Article: Camp in the Community: Running a Summer Camp Program in the Time of Corona .................. Rev. Mary Thompson A Different Perspective: One Weird Letter as an Example of What Pastors Have to Endure .................... Dr. Thom Rainer Infographic: Camp is Where the Heart Is

What can I say about the times in which we live? I am not an orator that speaks well to the times. I am too confused by the things that I see, hear, and read about. I know that this is not what I anticipated 2020 to be like. I did not foresee a pandemic. I did not see senseless deaths of Black men. I did not see the social unrest and riots. I did not see so many things that have now come to be. Yet—they have. As ministers of Jesus Christ we are called upon to try and make sense out of this world that has been handed to us. We must learn to speak prophetically to the times in which we live. We must find the words that move our congregations from complacency and into some sort of responsive action to all that we are living through. This action will vary from place to place. I can present no singular way forward to get us through these times, but I promise to try to challenge us to look at things differently. I promise to try and introduce ideas that might make us uncomfortable. Our life of ease and doing things like we have always done them now lie behind us. We face a new day. We face new challenges. I implore you go forward...stop looking backward. Begin today to write a new history for the church freed from those things that we have simply paid a lot of lips service to, but in reality done little to rectify. —Rev. Terry Goodman Publisher and Editor

A Word from the Editor

Do All Lives Really Matter? By Rev. Joshua Swanson “Black lives matter!” One of the most divisive statements in our country at this moment. Simultaneously, it is also one of the least divisive statements in the same country. Almost no one will deny that the lives of black people do matter; however, there does seem to be a debate about what that means. To some, the call of Black Lives Matter is a call for justice and a plea for help. To others, Black Lives Matter produces images of looting, rioting, property damage, and general mayhem. As a result, a common response to “Black lives matter” is the phrase “all lives matter.” The idea behind all lives matter is innocent and as true as black lives matter. All lives do matter. I think we can all admit that this is true; however, this statement becomes problematic when it is said explicitly in response to black lives matter. Many people see an issue with the phrase black lives matter because they believe that “only” or “more” is implied in the phrase. Instead of hearing “black lives matter,” they hear “black lives matter more” or “only black lives matter.” The silent “only” and “more” speaks louder than the actual phrase or cries for help by millions of people across this country. This assumption ignores the actual silent word in the phrase. This silent word is “too.” In other words, the actual phrase is “black lives matter, too.” The assumption that there is a silent word is correct, but usually, we add the wrong silent word. The silent “only” or “more” that people add to black lives matter is largely responsible for the response; all lives matter. Ironically, the assumption of a silent word leads to the silencing of an entire community. The phrase, all lives matter, as a response, consistently causes people to dismiss the legitimate pleas of a group calling out for help. No one denies the fact that all lives should matter, yet many people who look like me and identify with me do not believe we live in a country or world that affirms that our lives do matter. Hearing all lives matter after being shown your entire life that yours does not becomes more than insulting. This is the part of the article when people typically post statistics to prove that point; however, I do not believe this is necessary or even helpful. If in 2020, someone has not been convinced that systemic racism exists, I do not think I am qualified to convince them that it does. However, I do feel like I am qualified to speak about how I believe Christians should view these phrases and respond to them. Whether, a person believes that the fears and concerns of millions of people are legitimate or not I think they can acknowledge that these people are fearful and concerned. So, how do we usually respond to this? If you have a guest over to your house and they fear your Yorkie, do you make concessions? Would you put your dog in a room, or would you allow it to continually scare your guest? I do not believe I am far off in assuming you put the fears of your

guest first, regardless of if they should fear the dog or not. Why does this debate come off any different then? Many of those who cry all lives matter do not believe the fear and concerns of the tens of millions of people who cry out against police violence, intimidation, and corruption. Yet, rather than acknowledging this legitimate or illegitimate fear as a real fear, many would instead substitute their own understanding of the world over the realities of tens of millions of people. This becomes a textbook case of arrogance, pride, and indifference to the plight of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Arrogance and pride are found in the fact that one may believe that the experiences of our singular life outweighs the experiences of more than 40 million people. Proverbs 8:13 is very clear about how God feels about pride and arrogance. I believe that part of the reason for this scripture is because it can continue to blind us to the needs of our Christian family. Acts 17 gives us a story of two sets of synagogues in two cities. The Jews in Thessalonica reject Paul’s message of Christ as the risen messiah. On the other hand, the Berean Jews are seen as more honorable than those in Thessalonica. Acts 17:11 “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message.” The open-mindedness of the Berean Jews allowed them to receive the message of Christ while the close-mindedness of many modern Christians block us from modeling the love of Christ. Listening to others is not something that is championed in our society right now, but it is our job, as Christians, to do exactly that when our brothers or sisters are in need. How are we to hear the needs of our Church family if we are too busy dismissing their thoughts? We should seek to first understand each other rather than express our opinion (James, 1:19, Proverbs 18:13, Proverbs 18:2). As Christians, we are called to see and hear those who are being oppressed. Christ never dismissed the needs of people, yet we have convinced ourselves that this is the godly thing to do. The truth is we all have the power to make the world better for this large family given to us by God. The problem is we have not taken on their problems as our own. We have separated ourselves from the cry of the needy. 1 John 3:17 ask, “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?” John focuses on those in power, having the material goods to help their brother and sister and refuse to do so. This scripture inspires me to ask another question. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the ability to help someone and sees their brothers or sister in need and yet refuses to help? We all see and hear the cry for help; we just choose to ignore it at times. If all lives matter, that should include black lives, lives of people with felonies, lives of people whose lifestyles you might not agree with, and lives of those who make mistakes. All means all, but it must mean all in practice and not just word.

I. STILL. CAN’T. BREATHE. By Rev. Leah Burns In a talk I gave at the Holston Annual Conference on June 27, I said that our failure to act decisively to oppose racism in our churches, our families, and in our communities provides the fertile soil for the seeds of hatred and racism to grow and thrive. As I worked on that talk, I kept recalling the words of a Psalm that I’ve re-read frequently… “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2 NRSV) After George Floyd was murdered and the video of his murder went viral, more than a few friends and colleagues reached out to me to say that they were thinking of me, praying for peace, and they loved me. But now, months later, I’m still tired, I’m still scared, and I’m still mad that we are still dealing with this. I am tired of not being able to breathe. How long before we begin to imagine another way and we actually begin building a better way? How long, Lord? In more than 150 days there has been no justice for the murder of Breonna Taylor by police officers while she slept in her home. This is a reinforcement to the rest of us that we can also be killed by the state and our lives don’t matter enough for accountability to be shown. In life and in death we deserve dignity. My people are worthy of protection. How long, Lord? Back in 2010, I was in my car when I first heard about Sandra Bland. I remember I just sat there in my car and cried. It hit so close to home for me…because by then I had been targeted and followed by law enforcement a few times. (and sadly, those have not been the last times.) But you see, Sandra was the one that truly broke me. No longer was I able to remain stoic and strong. I could not hide my emotions anymore. As a black woman always traveling alone, I was scared, and I was frustrated. At that moment I knew that Black lives like mine were not valued. Sandra

was pulled over because of a turn signal malfunction and subsequently died under suspicious circumstances in a jail cell. What happened to Sandra very easily could have happened to me. How long, O Lord? Laws have been passed that forbid hate crimes, but even if the laws are enforced, you can’t outlaw what resides in people’s hearts. That’s the transformation work that we need to lead. You can pass laws to make employment fair and equitable to those who seek employment but you can’t change the minds of the coworkers who think you don’t belong there. That’s the transformation work that we need to lead. You can undo unfair laws and practices, but you can’t change the minds of those who supported them to begin with. That takes transformation. How long, O Lord? In Luke 12:49 it is written: “I’ve come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right-side up—how I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront!” (Luke 12:49 The Message) These are the words of a first century Palestinian rabbi and social activist that called us to follow him. Today most who quote this man will refer to him as “Savior” and “Lord,” but along with that prefer to remember him as a meek hillside teacher with a long flowing head of hair, soft features, and fair skin. But this One…the One who is the most famous social agitator…this One believed that the best strategy for change was a disruption of the status quo. The Church, our churches need to be liberated from conformity with the world particularly in these contentious times of COVID-19, of anti-blackness and of economic disparity and hardship. Being the church means working to disrupt the commonplace ideas, the status quo, the structures and institutions that have hindered Black people since the early days of American Methodism. I envision a racism-free world. I honestly don’t know if it is possible, and I am sure that it won’t happen in my lifetime, but nevertheless I am committed to doing my part to help get us all closer to that goal. As someone who dearly loves the people of the United Methodist Church, I have always believed our Church can do better and be different than we are today. I expect our Church to do more and be better. It will take us… specifically you all…to be who you are called to be. I am counting on you. Because I want to live. Other Black people want to live. Indigenous people want to live. People of Color want to live. And you get to be the ones to help lead this work as you speak and preach and teach…for the transformation of the world.

It’s been 3 months since I gave that dismantling racism talk at the Annual Conference. And I’m still tired, I’m still scared, and I’m still mad. I am tired of not being able to breathe. How long before we begin to imagine another way and better yet, before we actually begin building a better way? How long, O Lord?

I said some names during my talk at the Annual Conference and I say them again here. Do not forget them...: (Editor’s Note: Please see next two pages for those names and the reason they are so important for us to remember. — TDG) ...And so many unnamed others…

We Need to know the story behind the name… In an attempt to help us learn why the names in Leah Burns article are so important, here are some brief excerpts explaining what happened to these individuals. Information was found by searching for their names on wikipedia and all information is copied from that site.

Rayshard Brooks -On the night of June 12, 2020, Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old African American man, was fatally shot by Atlanta Police Department (APD) officer Garrett Rolfe. APD officer Devin Brosnan was responding to a complaint that a man (Brooks) was asleep in a car blocking a restaurant drive-through lane.

George Floyd -On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill.[2] ...a white police officer, knelt on Floyd's neck for several minutes[a] while Floyd was handcuffed, lying face down, and repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" and "please", and calling for his mother

Breonna Taylor- Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman, was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officers ...on March 13, 2020. Three plainclothes LMPD officers (wearing vests reading "POLICE"[1]) entered her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, executing a no -knock search warrant.

Ahmaud Arbery-On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Marquez Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old AfricanAmerican man, was pursued and fatally shot while jogging near Brunswick in Glynn County, Georgia.[2][3] [4] Arbery had been pursued by three white residents—and was confronted and fatally shot.

Trayvon Martin– Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-yearold African-American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida...Martin had gone with his father on a visit to his father's fiancée at her townhouse ... Martin was walking back alone to the fiancée's house from a nearby convenience store...there was an altercation and (he was) fatally shot ...in the chest.

Michael Brown - On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown Jr., an 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a 28-year-old white Ferguson police officer...in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.[2]

Philando Castile—On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile,[a] a 32-year-old African American man was fatally shot during a traffic stop by a 28-year-old Hispanic police officer who was a member of the St. Anthony, Minnesota police department.

Sandra Bland—Sandra Bland was a 28-year-old African American woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015, three days after being arrested during a pretextual traffic stop.[1][2] Her death was ruled a suicide. It was followed by protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death and alleging racial violence against her.

Oscar Grant—Oscar Grant III was a 22-year-old African-American man who was killed in the early

morning hours of New Year's Day 2009 by BART Police Officer in Oakland, California.

Terrance Crutcher - On September 16, 2016, Terence Crutcher, a 40-year-old black motorist, was shot and killed by a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was unarmed during the encounter, in which he was standing near his vehicle in the middle of a street.

Eric Garner—On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in the New York City borough of Staten Island after , a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, put him in a prohibited chokehold while arresting him.

Freddie Gray- On April 12, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., a 25-year-old African-American, was arrested by the Baltimore Police Department and subsequently charged for possessing a knife.[2] While being transported in a police van, Gray sustained injuries and was taken to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.[3][4] Gray died on April 19, 2015; his death was ascribed to injuries to his spinal cord.

Botham Jean-On September 6, 2018, an off-duty Dallas Police Department patrol officer entered the Dallas, Texas, apartment of 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean and fatally shot him. The officer said that she had entered the apartment believing it was her own and that she shot Jean believing he was a burglar.

Atatiana Koquice Jefferson— a 28-year-old woman, was fatally shot in her home by a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, in the early morning of October 12, 2019.[1][2] Police arrived at her home after a neighbor called a non-emergency number, stating that Jefferson's front door was open.[2] Police body camera footage showed that when she came to her window to observe police outside her home, an Officer shot through it and killed her.

Tamir Rice—On November 22, 2014, Tamir Rice, a 12-year old African-American boy, was killed in Cleveland, Ohio, by a 26-year-old white police officer. Rice was carrying a replica toy gun; The officer shot him almost immediately after arriving on the scene.

Laquan McDonald - The murder of Laquan McDonald took place on October 20, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois, when the 17-year-old African American was fatally shot by Chicago Police … McDonald had been walking away from the police when he was shot.

Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley—The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing was a white supremacist terrorist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, on Sunday, September 15, 1963.[1][2][3] Four members of a local Ku Klux Klan chapter planted 19 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps located on the east side of the church. EDITOR’s NOTE: The names of police officers were deliberately removed to place emphasis on those that died.

What does The United Methodist Church say about racism? Racism has long been described as America’s “original sin.” The 2020 killings of three African Americans — George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, who died at the hands of police, and Ahmaud Arbery, chased and shot to death by two individuals — sparked a national outcry against white supremacy and institutional racism, a protest that has now spread globally.

How is the UMC responding? United Methodist Church leaders and members have joined those voices. The denomination’s Council of Bishops called for every United Methodist “to name the egregious sin of racism and white supremacy and join together to take a stand against the oppression and injustice that is killing persons of color.” The United Methodist Church has created an advertising campaign, #EndRacism, in an effort to actively engage in the ministry of dismantling racism and promoting racial justice. Logo courtesy of resourceumc.org. Other voices from across the denomination, from individual bishops and general agencies to students at Africa University in Zimbabwe, have also responded and issued statements.

An engraving from 1830 depicts the slave trade in the United States. The U.S. Capitol is visible in the background. Engraving from the Library of Congress

The United Methodist Church has mounted a denomination-wide campaign, "United Against Racism," that urges its members not only to pray, but to educate themselves and have conversations about the subject, and to work actively for civil and human rights.

What does the UMC say about racism? The United Methodist Social Principles state: “Racism, manifested as sin, plagues and hinders our relationship with Christ, inasmuch as it is antithetical to the gospel itself. … We commit as the Church to move beyond symbolic expressions and representative models that do not challenge unjust systems of power and access.” The church recognizes the existence of white privilege as an underlying cause of inequality. It supports the concept of affirmative action to guarantee more opportunities for all to compete for jobs. It opposes racial profiling, mass incarceration, targeting of migrants and sentencing that

disproportionately penalizes people of color.

The church also recognizes that racism, tribalism and xenophobia is a global problem and calls members everywhere to oppose such practices. The church affirms that “all peoples and individuals constitute one human family, rich in diversity. … We recognize that religion, spirituality, and belief can contribute to the promotion of the inherent dignity and worth of the human person and to the eradication of racism.”

What is the church’s history with racism? John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and a noted slavery opponent, printed a pamphlet titled “Thoughts Upon Slavery” in 1773. Image courtesy of Drew University.

The United Methodist Church has a long history of concern for social justice, including speaking out against racial injustice, advocating for and working toward equality. Methodism founder John Wesley was well known for his opposition to slavery. In 1773 he printed a pamphlet titled “Thoughts Upon Slavery,” in which he decried the evils of slavery and called for slave traders and owners to repent and free their slaves. “Nothing is more certain in itself, and apparent to all, than that the infamous traffic for slaves directly infringes both divine and human law,” he wrote. Wesley’s writings influenced political leaders of his day — including William Wilberforce, John Wesley, the founder a British Parliament member who led a movement to abolish the slave trade. The last of Methodism and a noted letter Wesley wrote, six days before his death, was slavery opponent, printed addressed to Wilberforce, urging him to continue his a pamphlet titled “Thoughts Upon Slavery” work. In that letter, he lamented that “a man who has a in 1773. Image courtesy of black skin being wronged or outraged by a white man, Drew University. can have no redress.” However, Methodism has frequently struggled in addressing its own racism, which has been a defining force in shaping the Methodist movement in the United States from its earliest days. The denomination’s Book of Resolutions acknowledges the church’s shortcomings: “… racism has been a systemic and personal problem within the U.S. and The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations since its inception.” African Americans were among the first Methodists in the United States, attending the early revival meetings. Two popular African American preachers — Harry Hosier and Richard Allen — were present at the 1784 “Christmas Conference,” where the Methodist Church was formally founded in America. Racist attitudes were already at work, as African Americans were forced to sit in church balconies and receive Holy Communion after their fellow white worshippers.

Richard Allen, a former slave, served as a Methodist bishop and was founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Image courtesy of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1794, Allen, a former slave, protested increasing segregation in worship services by leading most of the black members out of historic St. George's Methodist Church and founding Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. When the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination formed in 1816, Allen became its first bishop. Other historically black denominations — African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Christian Methodist Episcopal, African Union Methodist Protestant and Union American Methodist Episcopal — emerged over the next several decades as a response to the denomination’s positions on slavery and its discriminatory practices. Church positions on slavery led to divisions among white Methodists as well. At the 1840 General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, James O. Andrew was elected bishop. Andrew owned slaves, despite the denomination’s anti-slavery stance since its founding. The issue of a bishop owning slaves was a hotly contested debate at the following General Conference in 1844. When agreement could not be reached, a Plan of Separation was adopted. Two years later, the churches in the states where slavery was legal formed a separate denomination: The Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 1939 union that created The Methodist Church from the Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Methodist Protestant Church also created the racially segregated Central Jurisdiction. The Southern church only agreed to union after a compromise created a regional structure based exclusively on race — not geography. Nineteen black annual conferences were placed in the Central Jurisdiction and the white conferences were placed in five regional jurisdictions. Seventeen of the 19 black conferences voted against the 1939 Plan of Union. The Central Jurisdiction was in place as the civil rights movement unfolded in the US in the 1950s and 1960s. Methodist clergy, including the Rev. Joseph Lowery and the Rev. James Lawson, were among the key figures in the movement. At the same time, Methodist bishops Paul Hardin and Nolan Harmon were among the white clergymen to whom Martin Luther King Jr. addressed his famed “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” a response to the clergymen’s public criticism of civil rights protests. The Central Jurisdiction was not abolished until the 1968 merger with the Evangelical United Brethren to form The United Methodist Church. The EUB, which was not segregated, The Rev. Joseph Lowery, who passed away in 2020, preaches at ultimately made abolishing the segregated institution a condition Cascade United Methodist Church for union. in Atlanta in 2011. File photo by Kathy L. Gilbert, UM News.

With the dissolution of the Central Jurisdiction, black United Methodists developed a plan for lobbying and presenting

resolutions, including facilitating the creation of the Commission on Religion and Race. They also formed Black Methodists for Church Renewal, which launched initiatives such as Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, the African-American United Methodist Heritage Center and the Black College Fund, which helps support the 11 historically black colleges and universities related to the church. Delegates to the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland participated in a service of repentance for racism within the denomination and in 2004, General Conference delegates celebrated the African American witness and presence within The United Methodist Church and recognized "those who stayed" in spite of racism. General Conference has held subsequent acts of repentance for other communities harmed by racism. In 2012, the act was for past injustice to Native Americans and other indigenous people. The 2016 conference featured a ceremony honoring the descendants of the victims of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, where U.S. troops led by Col. John Milton Chivington, a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church, charged on an unsuspecting, peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, slaughtering more than 160 Cheyenne and Arapaho women, children, and elderly men.

The Rev. George Tinker helps lead an "Act of Repentance toward Healing Relationships with Indigenous Peoples" at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

How is the church working to dismantle racism today? Three denominational agencies lead the church in this work: Learn, Equip, Act What can you do? Statements against racism Leader resources Worship resources Video series

Amplify Media videos Upper Room The General Commission on Religion and Race resources, trains and facilitates conversations to help churches dismantle racial discrimination in all its forms. The General Board of Church and Society, located in Washington, advocates for legislative policies that support the church’s position on a variety of social issues, including civil and human rights in the areas of criminal justice reform, economic justice, immigration reform and opposition to the death penalty. United Methodist Women name racial justice as an ongoing mission focus dating back to their inception. Their work has included campaigning against lynching in the early 20th century, monitoring hate crimes

throughout the U.S., supporting legislation to end the “school-to-prison pipeline” and establishing a Charter for Racial Justice adopted by the entire denomination.

How are individual United Methodists called to respond to racism? United Methodists acknowledge that racism denies the teachings of Jesus and our common, created humanity. United Methodists are called to continue to live out the baptismal vows “to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” The church states that “every annual conference, district, and local church should be engaged, intentionally, in being an anti-racist church, not merely on paper, but in action.” United Methodists should advocate and work toward dismantling the unjust systems that cause, or even benefit from, continued inequality. Call out policies that disadvantage certain ethnicities, work for change and vote in ways that promote equal justice. Consider ways in which personal spending helps or hurts certain communities. Encourage fair hiring practices. Changing beliefs, changing behavior and changing society are long processes that may never be complete. The people of The United Methodist Church will to continue to work for change in all three areas.

This content was produced by Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications. As found at https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-does-the-united-methodistchurch-say-about-racism on September 23, 2020

Unsnarling US and church racial history By Heather Hahn July 1, 2020 | UM News

Methodism’s founder wanted to minister with Native Americans and abolish slavery. But decades after John Wesley’s death, a Methodist bishop was a slaveholder and a Methodist clergyman was responsible for one of the worst massacres of Native Americans in U.S. history. So what went wrong? United Methodist historians and other leaders led a livestreamed denominational town hall July 1 to explore their church’s complicated and sometimes suppressed record on race. Their aim: To help United Methodists turn away from past transgressions and join the denomination’s renewed push against the sin of racism. “A historical perspective gives us a glimpse into how the church chose to respond at critical inflection points in our history,” Erin Hawkins, the town hall’s moderator, told UM News ahead of the gathering. “I think it’s important to look at the times when we have risen to the challenge and when we have fallen very short.” Hawkins is the top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race, which in this time of COVID-19 helped organize the virtual town hall across five locations. Other organizers include the Council of Bishops, the Board of Church and Society, the Commission on Archives and History, United Methodist Women and other United Methodist agencies. The virtual town hall is part of the denomination’s anti-racism efforts spurred by the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans at police officers’ hands. Church leaders deliberately timed the town hall just ahead of the Fourth of July — when Americans celebrate their nation’s birth and the bold statements of equality in the Declaration of Independence. “What does it mean to sing about the ‘land of the free’ when we still hear the jarring echoes of George Floyd calling for his mama?” said the Rev. Gary Henderson, a United Methodist Communications executive, in opening the event. “How can we celebrate ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,’ when Breonna Taylor lives no longer?” The panelists all acknowledged that The United Methodist Church — like the nation where it was first established — has a tangled history on race. “While Black people were attracted to and proud of the staunchly bold Methodist stance against slavery at the beginning, they were too soon to experience pain and to weep at its compromise and complicity,” said the Rev. William Bobby McClain, one of the panelists. He is professor emeritus of preaching and worship at United Methodist Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington. He is also one of the founders of Black Methodists for Church Renewal, which has worked for Black equality.

McClain pointed out that African Americans have been leaders in Methodism since its earliest days. Preachers like “Black Harry” Hosier helped spread the movement’s plain gospel of grace across the young United States. But even in those early days, white supremacy left its stain. Hosier had to sleep in the carriage or barn while his white companions could sleep in the house, said the Rev. Alfred T. Day III, the top executive of the denomination’s Commission on Archives and History. In the northern U.S., just as in the South, Day noted, the assumption was white was superior. He read from a 1780 grave marker from Attleboro, Massachusetts, that proclaimed a deceased slave named Caesar will be “changed from Black to White” in heaven. Day listed other examples of discrimination including the 1939 formation of the Central Jurisdiction, which made segregation official church policy and remained on the books until 1968. “There is pride and shame in our history,” Day said. “Methodists can take great pride in their uniquely egalitarian message of God’s love to be experienced by all, and this ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’ is supposed to be impartial.” But, he said, the shame is that too many whites did not live up to the core theology that first drew African Americans and Native Americans to Methodism. The Rev. Lisa Dellinger, a scholar and pastor in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, specifically addressed how Christians used their theology to justify displacing and even slaughtering indigenous people. She said the common description of the Americas as a “New Jerusalem,” led many settlers to see indigenous people as subject to conquest like the Canaanites of the Old Testament. A replica of an 1780 grave marker in Attleboro, Mass., proclaims that a deceased slave named Caesar will be "changed from Black to White" in heaven. The Rev. Alfred T. Day III, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History, said the gravestone reflected the white supremacist attitudes of the time. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Fred Day III. To view the image larger, click here.

From the 1860s to the 1960s, Christian missionaries systematically separated as many as 100,000 Native American children from their families and sent them far from home to government- or church-run boarding schools. At these schools — some of which were Methodist — youngsters were punished for speaking their native language, stripped of their belongings and in some cases, abused. “Native peoples are complex,” said Dellinger, who is Chickasaw and Mexican American. “But what has been a unifying experience for Native people,

and not necessarily a positive one, has been this sense of displacement — the sense of being a stranger in a strange land, and this land is your home.” In addition to examining past sins, the panelists answered questions from viewers about ways to chart a better future. Dellinger and McClain cautioned predominantly white churches about thinking it is the job of people of color to desegregate congregations. “My biggest concern when we talk about integration is: Who is being asked to do the work?” Dellinger said. “Who is being asked to show up where the primary focus is to alleviate white guilt?” Alison Collis Greene, a professor of American religious history at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, described what an anti-racist church looks like. “If you are talking about a predominantly white anti-racist church, that church makes real space for nonwhite voices,” Greene said. She added that white churchgoers also need to speak to fellow whites about eliminating racism — especially those “who don’t want to talk about the past because they don’t want to talk about the parts that are hard for them.” The town hall is the most recent step in the denomination’s initiative, Dismantling Racism: Pressing on to Freedom. The Council of Bishops launched the initiative on Juneteenth — the June 19 celebration of the end of U.S. slavery. Less than a week later, bishops and other United Methodists followed with an unflinching “Service of -Lament, Repentance, Communion and Commitment.” While the town hall’s focus was on U.S. experiences, Hawkins said, the hope is for churches across the multinational denomination to commit to combat racism and prejudice in their own context. The Commission on Religion and Race hopes to next have a town hall about activism across generations. Agencies, Hawkins said, will continue to provide resources and organize general events to help people across the denomination engage in justice advocacy. “I would really like to see this effort that’s been turned on at the general level to move closer to the local level,” she told UM News, “because that is where the important change happens.” McClain said that individual and systemic racism remain problems churches need to tackle. “Until we dismantle and destroy the pillars that prop it up,” he said, “we shall be on the pain side of history rather than the pride side.” —————————————Hahn is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free Daily or Weekly Digests. As found at https://www.umnews.org/en/news/unsnarling-us-and-church-racial-history on September 23, 2020

A Glossary of Terms We live in a day and time where I think it is more important than ever before to understand what each of us is saying to the other. In order to help make this more readily possible, I offer the following words and definitions. These are words that we hear in our society on a regular basis. By sharing a common definition, perhaps we can more readily understand one another. I sent out a query to members of the Board of Ordained Ministry asking for relevant words. I received a thoughtful reply back from Bob Ergenbright who suggested some words and also said: “Words have definitions as found in a variety of dictionaries but also have context, connotation, interpretation, nuance, and usage each or all of which may be time and/or place related. Therefore, it is important that everyone understands how their words are spoken and heard. It is not only in the speaking of our words but also in the hearing of them that is important to our compassionate conversation...In our world today we must be careful to use the words we mean and, in certain instance, explain what they mean to us so we, in turn, may be better understood.” I couldn’t have said it any better myself. So, in light of Bob’s suggestion, here are some words for us to consider. Unless otherwise noted all definitions come from www.dictionary.com

Anarchism—a doctrine urging the abolition of government or governmental restraint as the indispensable condition for full social and political liberty.

Anti-racism— is a form of action against racism and the systemic racism and the oppression of marginalized groups. Being antiracist is based on the conscious efforts and actions to provide equitable opportunities for all people on an individual and systemic level. People can act against racism by acknowledging personal privileges, confronting acts of racial discrimination, and working to change personal racial biases. (as found at https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-racism)

Anti-Racist— A term coined by Ibram X. Kendi, a scholar and the author of “How to Be an Antiracist”. Activists and leading scholars have argued that it's not enough for allies to say they're "not racist." Instead, they have to actively adopt anti-racism, a set of beliefs and actions that oppose racism and promote the inclusion and equality of Black and brown people in society. (As found at https://www.businessinsider.com/words-on-race-gender-and-diversityyou-should-know-2020-7)

Asynchronous – not occurring at the same time BIPOC—an acronym that stands for: Black, Indigenous, and people of color

Capitalism -an economic system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations, especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.

Circumventing—to go around or bypass: Cisgender—(Also cisgendered) . noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s sex assigned at birth.

Communism—(often initial capital letter) a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

Comorbidity—with respect to the multiple medical factors contributing to the current pandemic crisis, (per Bob Ergenbright)

COVID –19— Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. There are many types of human coronaviruses, including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans. (as found at www.fda.gov) (Editor’s note: what happened to Covid 1-Covid 18—-well, this virus was discovered in 2019, thus it is COVID-19.)

Ensconced — with respect to the hard, steadfast positions of all sides, (provided by Bob Ergenbright)

Fascism—(sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

Gender-Fluid—noting or relating to a person whose gender identity or gender expression is not fixed and shifts over time or changes depending on the situation.

Fractious—with respect to the current national political and social debate, (as per Bob Ergenbright)

Intersectional justice — In 1989, Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term "intersectionality" in a paper as a way to help explain the oppression of African-American women. Crenshaw's term is now at the forefront of national conversations about racial justice, identity politics, and policing—and over the years has helped shape legal discussions She used the term in her crucial 1989 paper for the University of Chicago Legal Forum, "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Anti-discrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics". In her work, Crenshaw discusses Black feminism, arguing that the experience of being a black woman cannot be understood in independent terms of either being black or a woman. Rather, it must include interactions between the two identities, which, she adds, should frequently reinforce one another. (as found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality)

Heteronormative— noting or relating to behavior or attitudes consistent with traditional male or female gender roles and the assumption of heterosexuality as the norm:

Implicit bias — bias that results from the tendency to process information based on unconscious associations and feelings, even when these are contrary to one’s conscious or declared beliefs:

LatinX—of or relating to people of Latin American origin or descent, especially those living in the United States (used in place of the masculine form Latino, the feminine form Latina, or the gender-binary form Latin@):

LGBTQ—pertaining collectively to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or those questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation):

Non-Racist — not influenced by a person's race: (as found at https:// dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/non-racist

Microagression— indirect expressions of racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, or another form of prejudice. They can be in seemingly innocuous comments from people who might be wellintentioned. However, they make another person feel different, violated, or unsafe. (as found at https://www.businessinsider.com/words-on-race-gender-and-diversity-you-should-know2020-7)

Misgendering — Misgendering, per Merriam-Webster, is when someone incorrectly identifies a person, such as a transgender person, by using the wrong label (such as Mr. or Ms.) or pronoun (such as she, he, or they). It often makes a person feel invalidated as a human being. ( as found at https://www.businessinsider.com/words-on-race-gender-and-diversity-youshould-know-2020-7)

Nonbinary— "an adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman." (as found at https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms.)

Ok, Boomer—This particular phrase caused a bit of a ruckus on social media. When dismissing someone older (most commonly from the Baby Boomer generation), millennials and Gen Z-ers have taken to throwing out an “ok, boomer”. (as found at https://www.ef.com/ wwen/blog/language/10-english-slang-terms-you-need-to-know-in-2020/)

Propitiation — with respect to an attempt to appease all sides (as per Bob Ergenbright) Racism— 1.) a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. 2.)Also called institutional racism; structural racism; a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine, as promoted by the dominant group in a society to preserve

the continued dominance of that group; racial discrimination.

3.)hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Racist— a person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one's own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.

Reparations—the making of amends for wrong or injury done: Socialism—a theory or system of social organization that advocates the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, capital, land, etc., by the community as a whole, usually through a centralized government.

Synchronous— occurring at the same time; coinciding in time; contemporaneous; simultaneous. Transgender—noting or relating to a person whose gender identity does not correspond to that person’s sex assigned at birth:

White fragility — Robin DiAngelo, a researcher and author of the bestselling book "White Fragility," explains the phenomenon as "a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves," including "the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation." ( as found at https://www.businessinsider.com/words-on-race-gender -and-diversity-you-should-know-2020-7)

White privilege— 1a.) a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed by a particular person or a restricted group of people beyond the advantages of most: the privileges of the very rich. 1b.) the unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage that a restricted group of people has over another group: white privilege based on skin color; male privilege; children of privilege.

White Rage — Displaced anger by White Americans, especially males, typically manifested by hostility, resentment, or even violence towards people of color, immigrants, the LGBT community, and other more marginalized groups. (as found at https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php? term=White%20Rage)

Woke— having or marked by an active awareness of systemic injustices and prejudices, especially those related to civil and human rights:

Editor’s Note: These words and definitions are offered as a beginning. I am sure that there are more that need to be added to the list. If you would like to suggest more words, please send them to me. I will have a new glossary in the January 2021 edition that will include your suggestions. —-TDG

Local Pastor Licensing School is Underway

Coming Events October 26—Full Connection Interviews via Zoom will be conducted November 12, 2020 — BOM Fall Meeting will be held

The BOM Academy sponsored by GBHEM is underway. All members of the BOM are invited to sign up for the classes. You need to contact Brandy Williams. One price covers all the classes and the cost is being paid by the annual conference. So if you are interested in learning more about various things that the BOM does and what you should be doing as a member of the BOM, then contact Brandy Williams so that she can get you signed up. Classes run through the spring and you have access to the videos of classes for up to one year.

Local Pastor Licensing School is being held in a virtual format this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Candler School of Theology, this past spring, developed a completely online format to assist annual conferences in their licensing schools. The format works, but it is not our desired approach and the Design Team looks forward to a return to a normal approach in 2021. Originally, we had four non Holston Students in the group, but they were pulled out and placed in a larger multi conference group leaving us with 14 students. Not everything is online. We do have two Saturdays to convey some information that we feel especially relevant to Holston Annual Conference. One benefit of the online approach is the need for lots of involvement from members of the Board of Ordained Ministry. Many of those persons have stepped forward to assist with reviewing papers, grading sermons, and monitoring comments in a dedicated FaceBook page. Continue to pray for the students and the Design Team: the Rev. Kathie R Wilson-Parker, Dean of the School, the Rev. Wayne Cook, and the Rev. Susan Arnold.

Date for Ordination and Commissioning has Been Set The Design Team for the Ordination and Commissioning Service has met and decided upon the protocols to be used for the service which will be on Sunday November 21, 2020 at the Concord United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The service will begin at 2:00 pm. It will not be open to anyone other than those being commissioned or ordained and their invited guests. It will be live streamed for those that would like to view the service.

MINISTRY MATTERS A look at ministry related concerns of the Annual Conference

These persons will be Commissioned as Provisional Elders: C. Sean Glenn Samuel G. Hopson Melissa R. Malcolm Amy S. Nutt These persons will be Ordained as Deacons: Stephanie Parrott Elizabeth Rudesill These persons will be Ordained as Elders: Linda Bass Sean Hayden Natalie Justice Jason Ratliff V. Kaye Seay Joshua Swanson Monty Walton These persons will be recognized as Associate Members: William C. Rimmer William Stuart

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6 (NIV)

Annual Conference Follow Up As we know, Annual Conference was not the way we wanted it to be this year. At the online session a lot of business was left undone. Due to the omnibus motion in our standing rules, we were able to conduct that business at a later date.

On July 22, 202o, the Rev. Terry Goodman, Secretary of the Annual Conference, presented a series of motions to the extended cabinet for their discussion and action. At that meeting the following items were approved on behalf of the annual conference: Item # 1—The Dr. Rev. J. David Tabor, Chair of the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits, moved that the past service rate increase be set at 1% for 2021 with a recommended rate of $601 for each calendar year of service prior to 1983. The motion passed. Item # 2: The Rev. Bruce Galyon, Chair of the Commission on Equitable Compensation moved that the 2021 minimum salaries remain the same as the 2020 minimum salaries and that on page 78 of the Book of Reports that the section entitled “Please Note,” which consists of three paragraphs, be stricken from the Commission’s report. The motion passed. Item # 3—The Rev. Jeff Lambert, Chairperson of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, moved that we set the 2021 Budget at $8,742,252 and that we set the District Superintendent’s salaries at $106,484. The Rev. Jeff Wright, Dean of the Cabinet rose to amend the motion by leaving the District Superintendents salary for 2021 at the same level it is in 2020. Amendment carried and amended motion passed.

Item # 4—The Task Force on Sexual Ethics and Boundaries, via its Chair, the Rev. Kathy Heustess, requested that the task force become a standing committee of the annual conference known as the Committee on Sexual Ethics and Boundaries. Motion passed. Item # 5—The Rev. Terry Goodman, acting as the Vice-Chair of the Conference Nominations Team, presented the resignation of Jaymie Derden from the Children’s Ministry Team and requested that Melia Warren, SS, replace her and the Team also requested that Barbara Patterson (NR) be added as a member of the team. Motion passed.

OUR MISSION

The GCAH serves the Church's Ministry of Memory so we may continue to learn from our past and anticipate our future.

Did you know that the United Methodist Church had a General Commission on Archives and History? We do. It is an agency that might know more about your church than you ever thought possible. It might know about some of your former preachers. It might have stories of your church’s founding fathers and mothers. It might have all kinds of information...but unless you visit the site..you might never know.

The Holston Conference Commission on Archives and History is a sleeping giant in our annual conference. This small body of men and women...laity and clergy...seeks to keep the history of our annual conference alive and accessible to the members of the annual conference. The chief accessibility point is the physical archive located on the campus of Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens, Tennessee. We employ Daniel Ferkin as the conference archivist. He has been busy getting the collection settled and is allowing access to the items. You would need to contact him to set up a time to come by for a visit. In addition, we are also making our history available through the online pdf searchable Journals. Currently we have a complete set of the Journals of Holston Conference back through the mid 1890’s. The Conference was a part of the ME South, so we currently do not have access to the Holston Conference ME North journals, but we are in the process of acquiring those and scanning them into our system. If you have any ME North journals that you would like to donate, please send them to the Annual Conference Secretary, the Rev. Terry Goodman. Please note, in the process of scanning, we will have to cut the spine off of the journal, thereby, effectively destroying it. So please don’t send it expecting to get it back in one piece. There are also other articles and books that have been published by some of Holston’s own ministers. We are going to seek to scan those in as well.

We are uncertain what the future holds for us, but we know that the past is there to guide and inform us. Please take advantage of these historical documents to learn more about how God has moved in our midst and guided us through the years.

Click Here to be taken to the Holston Conference Journals online. You can also place your order for a physical copy of the Holston Annual Conference 2020 Journal at this same link. The physical copy should be available by the end of November 2020.

From the District Superintendent’s Perspective By Rev. Jeff Wright Appalachian District

A DS’s Perspective on COVID-19 In mid-March, as the Appointment Cabinet was in its annual appointment making sessions, it became apparent we needed to close our church buildings to stem the spread of COVID-19. It was not an easy decision for the Bishop and the Cabinet to make. No one wanted to make such a decision, but looking at the best information we could find, we felt it was the prudent move to make. When we made that decision, we had no idea that six months later we would still be living in a COVID world. Our original thought was to close buildings for a few weeks and everything would be over soon.

Weeks turned into months. In late June, again, long after we thought it would last, the decision was made. Churches could reopen their buildings following protocols the Conference COVID-19 Task Force put together. Some churches opened back up and some decided to wait longer. As the case counts and community spread rose again during the summer months, church buildings were again closed. A little later churches were allowed to conduct outdoor worship. Then the Cabinet started using the Harvard Metric to allow churches to reopen the buildings and by counties which were in the green or yellow color designation. Finally, in late September, churches were allowed to open their buildings following protocols and their DS approved plans.

Throughout this time, the goal of the Bishop, the Appointment Cabinet, and the COVID-19 Task Force was protecting the health of our church members, our pastors, and our communities. I promise you, there were no ulterior motives. Safety was first and foremost in our actions. Not everyone understood or agreed. We heard from many of you and many of your parishioners. Some were more kind in expressing their concerns and opinions and some were not. Some were very vigorous in expressing their displeasure.

We understood that not being able to meet in person goes against what we believe church is about. We understood that other churches were meeting and parishioners were not happy they couldn’t meet. We also understood that churches were designated super spreaders when they did not follow any safety protocols. What we also understood, and continue to understand, is that church buildings closed, but the Church never did.

Having said all of that, the most important thing we want to say to you is, “Thank You”. Thank you for going above and beyond in leading your churches. Many of you learned new skills to be able to reach out to your people. You learned about Zoom, video taping services for FaceBook and YouTube. You conducted virtual Bible Studies, meetings, and in many ways, worked harder than you would in a non-COVID time. We saw your anguish, frustration, and tiredness. We saw you overwhelmed and struggling to keep up with your duties while dealing with the stress of COVID in your own families. You found your roles redefined. You had questions just like your parishioners and truthfully, just like we did.

But, out of all of this we also witnessed some wonderful things. We saw the expansion of the reach of the ministries of your churches. We saw creativity blossom. We saw pastors creating new communities among their colleagues as you collaborated with each other. We were able to be part of many more services each Sunday and week than we ever could have in person. We saw people gaining a new understanding of the church as more than just a building. We saw many of you reach out to us to make sure we were doing okay ourselves. For all of this and more, all we can say is thank you.

We know it has not been easy and we understand it’s not over yet. So, keep the faith. Continue to proclaim hope. The message of Christ is needed now as much as ever and as Christ said, the fields are ripe for harvest. We are praying for you. We are here for you. Continue to reach out to us and we will continue to reach out to you. We are not adversaries with you or your parishioners. We are in this together. We are blessed by you just as your churches are. We are thankful for you. Continue to do all the good you can wherever you can.

Ask the UMC

Is The United Methodist Church involved in politics? The people called Methodists have been actively involved in social and political matters from their founding in 18th century England. Methodists were among the primary advocates for the abolition of slavery across the British Empire, the organization of labor unions to protect workers from dangerous working conditions, the ending of the debtors prison system, and the creation of new systems of care for poor children. Given this heritage, Methodists have continued to advocate for other social or political issues since that time women’s suffrage, temperance, civil rights, health care and care for the environment, to name a few. Today our United Methodist Social Creed and Social Principles express our commitment to fully participate in building a more peaceful and just world.

Church and Politics FAQs Should United Methodists be involved in politics? The United Methodist Church acknowledges that we are responsible to God for our social, economic and political life. The Church regards political participation as the privilege and responsibility of citizens. The Church asserts, “Scripture recognizes that faithfulness to God requires political engagement by the people of God” (ChurchGovernment Relations). “The strength of a political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens. The church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programs deemed to be just and opposing policies and programs that are unjust” (The Political Community).

United Methodists rely on the same worldwide Social Principles and Resolutions for guidance about the interaction of church and politics. How the Church is engaged in politics varies across the regions where The United Methodist Church is present. Its response to the state will look quite different in the United States, the Philippines, Germany, Russia or Côte d'Ivoire.

What about separation of church and state? The United Methodist Church also affirms an appropriate separation of church and state. United Methodists reject undue control or interference by either religious bodies or the state in the affairs of the other. “Separation of church and state means no organic union of the two, but it does permit interaction” (Church and State Relations).

Does the UMC have a lobbying office in Washington DC? The General Board of Church and Society, the church’s advocacy agency for issues of justice, equality and peace, has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington and at the Church Center for the United Nations in New York City. Church and Society is dedicated to implementing the Social Principles by educating, equipping and organizing United Methodists to faithfully advocate for the Church’s positions. The activities of Church and Society are advocacy, not lobbying. The agency communicates the denomination’s position on more than 30 social issues with policymakers and church and national leaders, with the mission of transforming the world.

What can I do if I disagree with The UMC’s position on an issue? The Church recognizes that individual members may hold varying views on social and political

concerns. The Church notes in the Book of Resolutions, “You may find that your denomination's policies give you more ‘food for thought.’ Maybe you will agree with the denomination's position. On the other hand, you may disagree.” If you disagree with the Church’s position, start by talking with your pastor. United Methodist members who feel strongly about an issue and seek to change a current statement or policy may petition General Conference to request action.

Why do the Church’s social statements and government policies seem so far apart on some issues? Our 2016 Book of Resolutions addresses this question, beginning on p. 23. “The United Methodist Church membership extends beyond the U.S. boundaries; it is global. So, in many cases we are speaking to, from, or with more than one national government. Further, the Christian church must never be a mirror image of any government, whether Democrat or Republican, totalitarian or democratic. We know that Christians are obligated to be responsible and participating citizens under any governmental system, but that response and participation is to be interpreted in light of our faith. “As the Social Principles state, ‘Our allegiance to God takes precedence over our allegiance to any state’ (¶ 164). And our church’s public witness is first and foremost to be judged by God by whether it supports justice, love, and mercy, particularly for the poor and powerless.”

Does The UMC in the U.S. support or contribute to any candidate or political party? No. This is a prohibited activity under U.S. non-profit law for churches and other charitable organizations. Churches and religious organizations qualify for exemption from federal income tax and are generally eligible to receive tax-deductible

Advocacy or Lobbying? Advocacy is an integral part of the ways United Methodists affirm the sanctity and dignity of life. The word advocate derives from the Latin root word vocare which means “to call.” An advocate is “one who pleads the cause of another.” Our baptismal vows call us to speak up and “resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” By standing alongside those who suffer, we strengthen and encourage them and amplify their cries for justice. Lobbying involves direct actions to influence lawmakers on specific legislation under consideration or to directly or indirectly support or oppose a particular candidate or political party. In the U.S., the Johnson Amendment of 1954 prohibits churches from lobbying activities. Does the General Board of Church and Society represent me or my church in political issues? Only the General Conference speaks for The United Methodist Church. Church and Society implements the policies and resolutions adopted by the General Conference. Their role is to educate and equip United Methodists to think through and act on issues from a faith perspective. contributions. Churches may jeopardize or even lose this status if they engage in “political campaign activity.” According to the IRS, "all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes."

Can churches be politically active without jeopardizing their tax exempt status? In the United States, churches may be wary of engaging in the electoral process out of concern for the church’s tax exempt status. Religious organizations can safeguard the right to vote, educate communities on issues and candidates, and encourage participation in the electoral process when done in a non-partisan manner. Church and Society’s resource for local churches, Creating Change Together: A Toolkit for Faithful Civic Engagement, lists activities a church can and cannot do. The IRS clarifies political activities which may jeopardize a church’s tax exempt status. One is participating in the political campaigns of candidates for public office. Another is spending a substantial portion of time or resources to influence legislation. The “substantial portion” discernment is made by the IRS on a case by case basis.

The IRS considers a number of key factors in determining whether an activity or communication risks violating prohibitions against political campaign intervention. The UMC believes that churches have the “right and the duty to speak and act corporately on those matters of public policy that involve basic moral or ethical issues and questions. … The attempt to influence the information and execution of public policy at all levels of government is often the most effective means available to churches to keep before humanity the ideal of a society in which power and order are made to serve the ends of justice and freedom for all people” (ChurchGovernment Relations).

Can church property be used for political rallies, voter drives, or candidate events? There are multiple issues that inform whether or how church property may be used for such

events.

An IRS webinar offers guidance on these types of activities by charitable organizations. Charitable organizations may conduct nonpartisan activities that educate and encourage people to participate in the electoral process. Congregations can • discuss moral and public policy issues, • urge congregants to communicate with candidates about issues or policies important to the community, • encourage voting and help people get to the polls, • sponsor voter registration drives if conducted in a non-partisan manner, • provide education on topics in a nonpartisan manner, • sponsor "get out the vote" campaigns and permit church facilities to serve as a polling place, and • host candidate forums as long as all candidates are invited, a broad range of issues is discussed, and all candidates have equal opportunity to speak.

Congregations cannot: • issue statements endorsing or supporting candidates or distribute materials biased toward or against a particular candidate or political party, • donate money to a candidate or solicit contributions on their behalf, • offer church space to one candidate and refuse it to another, • sponsor campaign rallies for candidates in church, • donate to or set up their own Political Action Committee (PAC).

Are pastors allowed to preach about or share personal political views on social media? The United Methodist Church has official

positions on a wide variety of public policy issues. All clergy are expected and encouraged to preach and teach about the church’s statements and policies as part of their pastoral ministry. The scriptures themselves are also full of guidance from prophets, Jesus and the early church that have strong political, social and economic implications. Preaching what the scriptures say and how they apply to current situations is a significant part of what pastors are called to do. A pastor may not use the pulpit, church publications, website or social media, or any other forum related to the church to declare their individual preferences for any political candidate or specific legislation. They may do so as private citizens using their own social media platforms. The IRS encourages religious leaders who speak or write in their individual capacity to clearly indicate that their comments are personal and not intended to represent the views of their church. A pastor may critique certain actions or policy positions of specific candidates based on scripture or the official statements of The United Methodist Church. However, such critique must be about policy positions or actions, not whether that candidate should be elected.

Can a pastor be involved in local politics? A pastor may be directly involved in local politics and even become a candidate for political office, as long as it is on the pastor’s own time and not as a representative of the church. The pastor cannot use their position in the church nor any church property or resources to promote their own political campaign.

Are we called to respect our elected leaders even if we disagree with them? Whether or not our preferred candidate is elected, United Methodists pray for all leaders who serve the public and “support their efforts to afford justice and equal opportunity for all people.” We recognize the difficult decisions elected leaders make on behalf of the people they serve and the enormity of the consequences of those decisions.

However, we do not submit blindly to governing authorities. As the church, we strive to exercise a “strong ethical influence” upon the government, holding leaders accountable for policies which are just and opposing those which are unjust (Political Responsibility). We hold government responsible for protecting the rights of the people and oppose governmental oppression of its people. Citizens may exercise their right to vote to ensure leaders responsibly use their power. When government enacts policies that are unjust or detrimental, the witness of scripture shows us that there may be times when “biblical faithfulness will necessitate civil disobedience to the ruling authorities (Acts 4:1-20)” (Church-Government Relations). As disciples of Jesus Christ working for the transformation of the world, we take seriously our responsibility to fully participate in building a more peaceful and just world.

How can I faithfully respond to an issue that concerns me? United Methodists can work individually and collectively to effect change. Write to or meet with representatives; submit a letter to the editor; join in prayer vigils, marches or social media campaigns; team up with like-minded people to learn more about how an issue affects those most directly impacted and work together for positive change.

Church and Society staff can help you develop a strategy to address the issues about which you are passionate. They can also help you connect with other teams in your area who are working on similar issues. Creating Change Together, a resource for local churches, offers tools to address public concerns.

How can I talk about political issues with others who disagree? In this time of polarization around social and political issues, Christians may struggle to have

positive dialogue with family, friends and congregation members. Political differences are sometimes experienced as unhealthy conflict, but can be experienced as grace-filled, charitable conversation. Begin with an attitude of compassion and curiosity. Practice active and respectful listening for understanding. Look for common ground as you clarify your values. Focus on what makes for the common good and not only your particular interests. Test what you say and how you say it alongside scripture, the Social Principles and Resolutions, and United Methodist tradition and history. Guidelines for Holy Conferencing: What God Expects of Us reminds us that every person is a child of God. People are defined, ultimately, by

their relationship with God -- not by the flaws we think we see in their views and actions. JustPeace Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation offers tools and resources for having welcoming conversations. Courageous Conversations is a series designed to help local churches learn to move beyond impasses and discover how to listen well, learn from others, and respectfully disagree in love. ——————————— Have questions? Ask The UMC or talk with a pastor near you. And check out other recent Q&As. This content was produced by Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications.

Social Principles: The Political Community The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2016

While our allegiance to God takes precedence over our allegiance to any state, we acknowledge the vital function of government as a principal vehicle for the ordering of society. Because we know ourselves to be responsible to God for social and political life, we declare the following relative to governments:

Basic Freedoms and Human Rights We hold governments responsible for the protection of the rights of the people to free and fair elections and to the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, communications media, and petition for redress of grievances without fear of reprisal; to the right to privacy; and to the guarantee of the rights to adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, and health care. Blockades and embargoes that seek to impede the flow or free commerce of food and medicines are practices that cause pain and suffering, malnutrition, or starvation with all its detrimental consequences to innocent and noncombatant civilian populations, especially children. We reject these as instruments of domestic and foreign policy regardless of political or ideological views. The form and the leaders of all governments should be determined by exercise of the

right to vote guaranteed to all adult citizens. We also strongly reject domestic surveillance and intimidation of political opponents by governments in power and all other misuses of elective or appointive offices. The use of detention and imprisonment for the harassment and elimination of political opponents or other dissidents violates fundamental human rights. Furthermore, the mistreatment or torture, and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment or punishment of persons by governments for any purpose violates Christian teaching and must be condemned and/or opposed by Christians and churches wherever and whenever it occurs. The Church regards the institution of slavery, the practice and commission of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression as infamous and atrocious evils. Such evils are destructive of humanity, promote impunity, and therefore must be unconditionally prohibited by all governments and shall never be tolerated by the Church.

Political Responsibility The strength of a political system depends upon the full and willing participation of its citizens. The church should continually exert a strong ethical influence upon the state, supporting policies and programs deemed to be just and opposing policies and programs that are unjust.

Church and State Relations The United Methodist Church has for many years supported the separation of church and state. In some parts of the world this separation has guaranteed the diversity of religious expressions and the freedom to worship God according to each person’s conscience. Separation of church and state means no organic union of the two, but it does permit interaction. The state should not use its authority to promote particular religious beliefs (including atheism), nor should it require prayer or worship in the public schools, but it should leave students free to practice their own religious convictions. We believe that the state should not attempt to control the church, nor should the church seek to dominate the state. The rightful and vital separation of church and state, which has served the cause of religious liberty, should not be misconstrued as the abolition of all religious expression from public life.

Freedom of Information Citizens of all countries should have access to all essential information regarding their government and its policies. Illegal and unconscionable activities directed against persons or groups by their own governments must not be justified or kept secret, even under the guise of national security.

Education We believe that every person has the right to education. We also believe that the responsibility for education of the young rests with the family, faith communities, and the government. In society, this function can best be fulfilled through public policies that ensure access for all persons to free public elementary and secondary schools and to post-secondary schools of their choice. Persons should not be precluded by financial barriers from access to church-related and other independent institutions of higher education. We affirm the right of public and independent colleges and universities to exist, and we endorse public policies that ensure access and choice and that do not create unconstitutional entanglements between church and state. We believe that colleges and universities are to ensure that academic freedom is protected for all members of the academic community and a learning environment is fostered that allows for a free exchange of ideas. We affirm the joining of reason and faith; therefore, we urge colleges and universities to guard the expression of religious life on campus.

Civil Obedience and Civil Disobedience Governments and laws should be servants of God and of human beings. Citizens have a duty to abide by laws duly adopted by orderly and just process of government. But governments, no less than individuals, are subject to the judgment of God. Therefore, we recognize the right of individuals to dissent when acting under the constraint of conscience and, after having exhausted all legal recourse, to resist or disobey laws that they deem to be unjust or that are discriminately enforced. Even then, respect for law should be shown by refraining from violence and by being willing to accept the costs of disobedience. We do not encourage or condone any form of violent protest as a legitimate exercise of free speech or civil disobedience. We offer our prayers for those in rightful authority who serve the public, and we support their efforts to afford justice and equal opportunity for all people. We assert the duty of churches to support those who suffer because of their stands of conscience represented by nonviolent beliefs or acts. We urge governments to ensure civil rights, as defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to persons in legal jeopardy because of those nonviolent acts.

The Death Penalty We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings. The United Methodist Church is deeply concerned about crime throughout the world and the value of any life taken by a murder or homicide. We believe all human life is sacred and created by God and therefore, we must see all human life as significant and valuable. When governments implement

the death penalty (capital punishment), then the life of the convicted person is devalued and all possibility of change in that person’s life ends. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that the possibility of reconciliation with Christ comes through repentance. This gift of reconciliation is offered to all individuals without exception and gives all life new dignity and sacredness. For this reason, we oppose the death penalty (capital punishment) and urge its elimination from all criminal codes.

Criminal Justice and Restorative Justice To protect all persons from encroachment upon their personal and property rights, governments have established mechanisms of law enforcement and courts. A wide array of sentencing options serves to express community outrage, incapacitate dangerous offenders, deter crime, and offer opportunities for rehabilitation. We support governmental measures designed to reduce and eliminate crime that are consistent with respect for the basic freedom of persons. We reject all misuse of these mechanisms, including their use for the purpose of revenge or for persecuting or intimidating those whose race, appearance, lifestyle, economic condition, or beliefs differ from those in authority. We reject all careless, callous, or discriminatory enforcement of law that withholds justice from persons with disabilities and all those who do not speak the language of the country in which they are in contact with the law enforcement. We further support measures designed to remove the social conditions that lead to crime, and we encourage continued positive interaction between law enforcement officials and members of the community at large. In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the creation of a genuinely new system for the care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the community as a whole. Restorative justice grows out of biblical authority, which emphasizes a right relationship with God, self, and community. When such relationships are violated or broken through crime, opportunities are created to make things right. Most criminal justice systems around the world are retributive. These retributive justice systems profess to hold the offender accountable to the state and use punishment as the equalizing tool for accountability. In contrast, restorative justice seeks to hold the offender accountable to the victimized person, and to the disrupted community. Through God’s transforming power, restorative justice seeks to repair the damage, right the wrong, and bring healing to all involved, including the victim, the offender, the families, and the community. The Church is transformed when it responds to the claims of discipleship by becoming an agent of healing and systemic change.

Military Service We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations. From the

beginning, the Christian conscience has struggled with the harsh realities of violence and war, for these evils clearly frustrate God’s loving purposes for humankind. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice. Some of us believe that war, and other acts of violence, are never acceptable to Christians. We also acknowledge that many Christians believe that, when peaceful alternatives have failed, the force of arms may regretfully be preferable to unchecked aggression, tyranny and genocide. We honor the witness of pacifists who will not allow us to become complacent about war and violence. We also respect those who support the use of force, but only in extreme situations and only when the need is clear beyond reasonable doubt, and through appropriate international organizations. We urge the establishment of the rule of law in international affairs as a means of elimination of war, violence, and coercion in these affairs. We reject national policies of enforced military service as incompatible with the gospel. We acknowledge the agonizing tension created by the demand for military service by national governments. We urge all young adults to seek the counsel of the Church as they reach a conscientious decision concerning the nature of their responsibility as citizens. Pastors are called upon to be available for counseling with all young adults who face conscription or who are considering voluntary enlistment in the armed forces, including those who conscientiously refuse to cooperate with a system of conscription. We support and extend the ministry of the Church to those persons who conscientiously oppose all war, or any particular war, and who therefore refuse to serve in the armed forces or to cooperate with systems of military conscription. We also support and extend the Church’s ministry to all persons. This includes those who conscientiously choose to serve in the armed forces or to accept alternative service. When persons choose to serve in the armed forces, we support their right to adequate care for injuries suffered, and advocate for sufficient resources to meet their physical and mental health needs, both during and after their service. We are aware that we can become guilty both by military action and by conscientious objection, and that we all are dependent on God’s forgiveness. From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2016. Copyright 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.

Every United Methodist Should be an Evangelist By Bishop Scott Jones 2/9/2017

On several occasions I have preached a sermon on the Great Commission during which I look at the congregation, making as much eye contact as possible, and said “God has called you to be an evangelist.” I then pause waiting for that to sink in. Inevitably signs of discomfort become evident. People are thinking “That’s crazy” and “Who is this visiting preacher, anyway?”

I know that such a claim pushes people outside their normal self-understanding. Some are thinking of Billy Graham filling stadiums with eager listeners, and they think “I can’t do that.” Others think of manipulative TV evangelists and say to themselves, “I don’t want to do that.” During my years of teaching evangelism I came to believe that we need to re-think what we mean by the evangelistic task so that each of us can understand our role in that part of God’s activity. It is, after all, God working as the Holy Spirit that saves people. But God has chosen human beings as instruments in this vital task. I wrote The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor to help people think differently about evangelism. It was a scholarly book that helped me get tenure at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. It took me more than 100 pages before I stated my conclusion: My proposal is that we can best improve our thinking about evangelism by construing it as that set of loving, intentional activities governed by the goal of initiating persons into Christian discipleship in response to the reign of God. To put it more simply—evangelism is everything we do to help people start the Christian life. On my website I posted a document that describes how a local church does this. You can find it at http://extremecenter.com/ documents/20-components-of-an-effectively-evangelistic-church. Component 6 says that an evangelistically effective church empowers laity to witness verbally to their friends, relatives associates and neighbors. Witnessing can be as simple as inviting an unchurched person to attend worship or a small group meeting at your church. In this way, every United Methodist Christian can be invitational. All you need to do is ask “Do you have a church home?” If the person answers “Yes,” then say “Praise the Lord!” But if they answer “No,” then say, “why don’t you come with me to my church this Sunday?” My experience is that such conversations are rarely seen as intrusive. They should never be held with people who are actively practicing their faith in another church. We are not in the business of proselytizing. We are not going to borrow a Baptist, purloin a Presbyterian or capture a Catholic. But there are plenty of people who are not actively involved in a church and who need exactly what our congregations have to offer. That is how every United Methodist can and should be an evangelist.

This Is Not An Asterisk* Year For The Church Rev. Richard Edwards, Director of Stewardship, Holston Foundation Former Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame pitcher, John Smoltz, made an important statement this week. Responding to comments from many former baseball players and sports commentators that the 2020 baseball season “shouldn’t count” in the same way that previous seasons have, Smoltz said: “A 2020 World Series comes with no asterisk.”

Spotlight on Finances

He went on to say that everything about baseball is different this season. Players and coaches are having to adjust to new routines and training. There are no fans to keep the energy level of the players up. There is no cheering. (There are a lot of cardboard cut-out fans, but they tend to be fairly subdued). In short, everything is different and everything is harder.

The reality is that the young men playing baseball this year have made significant sacrifices, and their efforts should count. Whoever wins the World Series has earned it. A 2020 World Series should come with no asterisk. Having enjoyed sports my whole life, and loving the United Methodist Church that nurtured me through youth and called me to active service for our Lord, I see some parallels to the current state of the church and its journey. For many laity, and even retired clergy, like myself, it may have initially seemed that doing the work of the church would be a little easier once we entered a shutdown phase and many of our activities had to be deferred. After all, pastors and staff would be freed from attending countless meetings, pastoral care would have to set aside hospital and in-home visits, and there would surely be some lessening of the preparations needed for worship and discipleship studies. – Maybe it would be something of a temporary break from the demands placed on many pastors and church staff members. But very quickly it became clear that the opposite was true. As the pandemic worsened and the time away from our church facilities grew longer, pastors, staff, and key leadership had to pivot and find new ways to offer vital ministry. And many did so with heroic efforts. Pastors and staff exhausted themselves by pouring their hearts, souls, and creative energies into solving enormous challenges. They discovered how to offer virtual worship, and increasingly improved the quality of the format as the weeks went on. They joined the millions who utilized Zoom, and it became available for Bible study groups, Sunday School classes, and church meetings. They offered creative and safe outdoor events with appropriate distancing. And they made countless phone calls and wrote many notes to support and encourage their congregants – many who felt isolated and lonely. It was a lot. As supporters of the Holston Foundation and faithful United Methodists, I hope all of us will make intentional and sustained efforts to thank our pastors and church staff for all they have done. In a very stressful time, many of them have given their all to keeping their churches as strong and vital as possible. May we live into Paul’s words to “encourage one another, and build each other up.” It’s true: the playing field is different and everything is harder. But the cause we believe in and live for – the living, redeeming, grace filled Christ – has never been more important. Let there be no asterisk by the year 2020. This year counts – maybe more than ever.

Encouraging Giving and Managing Resources During a Pandemic: A New Study (February – June 2020) Many have wondered how the pandemic would affect church finances. The first hint comes from a new national study of 555 congregations (multi-denominational) looking at giving in American churches from February through June, 2020. The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving conducted the study. How have congregations encouraged giving and managed their resources in the midst of the pandemic? How are they looking to the future in terms of giving trends and budget planning?

Key findings: * Overall, congregational giving in the surveyed churches declined by 4.4%,on average, from February through June 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. * 41% of churches experienced a decrease in giving; 28% said giving increased; and 31% said giving stayed the same. * 65% of congregations surveyed received federal Payroll Protection Program loans. Just 14% of all congregations reported having to make reductions, layoffs, or furloughs of staff. * 30% of congregations raised funds to support other congregations and nonprofits in need. • None of the congregations surveyed expected to increase their budgets during the next year. 52% plan to maintain their current budgets, while 48% anticipate reductions, with most of those anticipating cuts in the 5 to 10% range. Looking ahead to 2021, several church consultants expect greater financial challenges for churches. Despite the relatively good financial year many churches are experiencing in 2020 due to PPP loans and lower operating costs, funding the 2021 ministry budget will be harder. Church leaders can’t fully anticipate what percentage of their congregants will return to active participation once on-site worship and program ministries fully resume. In addition, giving to churches fell 1.7% over the last two years in inflation adjusted dollars, continuing a long-term trend dating back to 1990. And the pandemic related recession will likely impact future giving. It will be important for church financial leaders (pastoral and lay) to fully understand their resources and their expenditures, to ask the right questions, to encourage needed changes in spending priorities, and to think in terms of new sources of funding. In a time when tithes and offerings may not be enough to fully fund the vital ministries God calls your church to support, the work and mission of the Holston Foundation becomes ever more important. Planned gifts, endowments, and other avenues of giving made available to generous donors in Holston’s churches could make a big difference for the future of many of our churches. Perhaps this is the time God is calling you to step forward. The Foundation is ready to help.

Rev. Richard S. Edwards Director of Stewardship, Holston Foundation

It is that time of year when the Holston Center for Wellbeing is forming clergy peer groups. Pastoral ministry is a profession in which clergy are isolated from colleagues. A clergy peer group is an excellent way to come together for mutual learning, support, and fellowship. Research has shown that clergy leaders who devote time and energy to the development of their personal spirituality and emotional maturity will be more grounded and able to sustain themselves in ministry through difficulties. It is also known through research that having a more positive, hopeful outlook about one’s life enables resilience and sustainability. Such outlooks are gained when a person intentionally is responsible for this or her wellbeing. Likewise, a positive outlook will enable a clergy leader to help others overcome fears and negative habits that may stand in the way of congregational vitality. The intent of a clergy group is to encourage learning, growth, and caring among pastors. Groups are most effective when kept small – 6-10 members. Shared leadership is important. And a trust covenant will be the keeper of the groups. It can include anything the group decides. Four important considerations are: 1. Each participant must be responsible for his or her own needs and for communicating them, if assistance and support is desired.

Holston Center for Well Being Rev. Kathy T. Heustess Director 2507 Mineral Springs Road Suite B Knoxville, TN 37917-1549 O—(865) 692-2390 F—(865) 692-2393 C—(843) 421-3536

2. No one must prove anything to any other person. Each person can be him or herself, as long as he or she is willing to live with the consequences of his or her behavior. 3. No person may tell another person’s story outside the group. All shared information is confidential. A story is always shared with sensitivity to the others’ needs. If confidentiality is violated, the group should see that steps of confession, forgiveness, penance and absolution are followed. The groups may elect to invite that person to leave the group, if confidentiality is unable to be respected and kept. 4. The group holds each participant accountable for personal and professional conduct, not necessarily with rules, but with consensual standards, caring and disciplines. We are fortunate that the Holston Conference strongly encourages pastors to be involved in a peer group. Participation in a group can be foundational to sustaining clergy health of mind, body, spirit, and community.

The Stress of Pastoral Ministry Bill Gaultierre, in his article “Pastor Stress Statistics” (as found at https://www.soulshepherding.org/pastors-understress/) makes the following statements about pastoral stress:

Statistics Related to Pastoral Ministry• • • • • • • • •

75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed” (1) 90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week (2) 90% feel fatigued and worn out every week (1) 70% say they’re grossly underpaid (2) 40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month (1) 78% were forced to resign from their church (63% at least twice), most commonly because of church conflict (1) 80% will not be in ministry ten years later and only a fraction make it a lifelong career (1). On average, seminary trained pastors last only five years in church ministry (2) 100% of 1,050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors had a colleague who had left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure (2) 91% have experienced some form of burnout in ministry and 18% say they are “fried to a crisp right now” (7)

Statistics on Pastors’ Emotional Health, Family, and Morality • • • • • • • • • •

70% of pastors say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they entered ministry (1) 70% constantly fight depression (2) 50% feel so discouraged that they would leave their ministry if they could, but can’t find another job (2) 80% believe their pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 33% said it was an outright hazard (1) 80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church (2) 77% feel they do not have a good marriage (2) 41% display anger problems in marriage (reported by the spouse) (3) 38% are divorced or divorcing (1) All these surveys are of Protestant 50% admit to using pornography and 37% report inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church (1) pastors from a variety of denomina65% feel their family is in a glass house (2) tions in America: (1) David Ross and

Statistics on Pastors’ Lack of Soul Care and Training • • • • • •

• • • •

53% of pastors do not feel that seminary or Bible college prepared them adequately (2) 70% do not have someone they consider a close friend (1) 50% do not meet regularly with an accountability person or group (6) 72% only study the Bible when preparing for sermons or lessons (1) 21% spend less than 15 minutes a day in prayer — the average is 39 minutes per day (4) 16% are “very satisfied” with their prayer life, 47% are “somewhat satisfied”, and 37% are either “somewhat dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” (spending more time in quiet prayer or listening to God versus making requests was correlated with higher satisfaction) (4) 44% of pastors do not take a regular day off (5) 31% do not exercise at all, while 37% exercise at least three or four days a week as recommended (6) 90% say they have not received adequate training to meet the demands of ministry (2) 85% have never taken a Sabbatical (6)

Rick Blackmon’s “Soul Care for Servants” workshop reported the results of their Fuller Institute of Church Growth research study in 1991 and other surveys in 2005 and 2006. (2) Francis A Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development research studies in 1998 and 2006. (3) Leadership Magazine’s research for their article on “Marriage Problems Pastors Face,” Fall 1992 issue. (4) Grey Matter Research, 2005 scientific study of pastors from every city in America. (5) Pastors at Greater Risk by H.B. London and Neil B. Wiseman, Regal Books, 2003. (6) Focus on the Family 2009 survey of 2,000 pastors. (7) Leadership Journal poll of readers, 2013.

Holston Conference Clergy Services Teams With Duke Divinity School to Provide Training and Guidance to Clergy on Anxiety as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth I get requests from people on a regular basis to help promote their project or idea. To be honest, I ignore most of them. When I received an email from Curtis Chang talking about the topic of using anxiety as a way to have greater spiritual growth, I was intrigued. I watched the first session. I called him and we spoke. As a result of that conversation, the Holston Annual Conference Office of Clergy Services is partnering with Curtis Chang and the Duke Divinity School to offer this series to the pastors of Holston Conference. Our involvement will enable the annual conference to offer an initial webinar where Professor Chang will lead us through the first session. Following that, those in attendance, will be formed into groups of no more than 20. The group will then work through the remaining sessions via Zoom. Each session will be at a set date and time. Each group will view video training and have time for discussion following each video segment shown during the session.

Join us for the Initial Webinar led by Professor Chang on Monday October 19th At 11:00 am Sign up at

This Link

Curtis Chang is Professor of Organizations and Innovation at Duke Divinity School and a Senior Fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of Engaging Unbelief (IVP) and contributor to Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross (Baker). Formerly, he served as lead pastor at The River Church Community in San Jose, CA. Curtis founded Redeeming Babel in order to provide excellent content for small groups, which he believes is a critical ministry in all seasons but especially during the pandemic.

Anxiety is a universal condition‌ especially now. During this pandemic, even those who don't consider themselves "anxious people" have felt fear and worry around health, finances, politics, race, or some other life disruption. Yet, conventional Christian culture can make us think that we shouldn't feel anxious, or that we're just supposed to "pray it away." And secular culture also views anxiety as a problematic condition to manage or medicate. This series presents a surprising Gospel truth: that anxiety is a powerful opportunity to grow as followers of Jesus. We show you how to take spiritual advantage of your fears and worries. You will learn to encounter Jesus through your anxiety with the help of Scripture, physical practices, nature, prayer, and new self-understandings. This material is most powerfully experienced with other people: with church small groups, or even with families, couples or friends. As you engage in this growth with others, you will also find that anxiety - which is usually kept as a private and hidden part of our lives - is also an opportunity for growing closer to others. Individuals can also benefit from this series and can access it at a discounted price.

Church small group leaders should expect less than 10 minutes prep time per session. The series is designed to work well in person or remotely (via Zoom, etc.). When the group series is purchased, up to 20 participants will be provided free access to the materials (via coupon code).

CEU’s WILL Be AVAILABLE

NUMINOUS

Let’s Sabbath! Maintaining active ministries calls for flexibility, creativity, and courage. Ministry leaders are stressed and worn out, trying to do more from an appropriate distance with limited opportunities and resources. We need a rest that is more than a good night’s sleep. We need Sabbath. The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word shavat. While it is technically a noun, I would argue it could also be a verb. The Sabbath is both a day to honor and a thing to actively do. It is an opportunity to cease and desist; to rest from work; to find rest and refreshment for the soul. Sabbath is an invitation to stop working and rest in the good and wonderful aspects of everything God has given us. It is a time to be thankful because God oversees the universe and we do not. Sabbath is not being absent from the world; instead, it reminds us to be present to God. It allows us to escape from the schedule of our everyday lives and let God care for us. As Christians, we typically observe Sabbath on Sunday to recognize Christ’s resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit on the first day of the week. Since Sunday is a big workday, how can we Sabbath ourselves?

Sabbath Does Not Just Happen “having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of divinity.”

Abraham Heschel, a Polish-born rabbi, reminds us that we must be deliberate about the Sabbath. We must create time for Sabbath because it will not just miraculously happen. We can Sabbath any day of the week. It is not just about what we do not do but about what we choose to do with our time. In her book Keeping the Sabbath Wholly, Marva J. Dawn offers four ways to keep the Sabbath: Cease or take a break from work and stress. Rest spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Embrace Christian values, time, giving, wholeness, and the world.

Written by Renni Morris

Feast on the Eternal – on God – with music, beauty, food, and affection.

Different Models Consider incorporating three models of Sabbath into your schedule: daily, weekly, and monthly. Daily Sabbath: A short, daily Sabbath allows us to cease and desist busyness for a short time each day. Go for a walk, read, sit on the

porch, or set aside time for a hobby or interest. Do whatever works for you.

Weekly Sabbath: Free up some time to truly rest. Set aside a particular day of the week to embrace your relationship with God. Focus on God’s presence in your life. Keep the day as sacred and holy. Take a nap or go for a hike. Monthly Models: Investing in a monthly day away prepares us for ministry and fills what is empty in us. Rueben Job and Norman Shawchuck have written several books that work well for both a daily Sabbath or a monthly day-long retreat. Escape from technology and embrace some silence and solitude. Share a special meal with friends and family.

What Works for Peers? I talked with four Holston clergy recently and they described how they Sabbath:

One enjoys playing disc golf each week with his sons. Another regularly plays Xbox with a group of friends. One has participated in a covenant group for 10 years, saying “It’s one of the best things I’ve done.” The group meets on the first Thursday of the month from September to May. They cycle, kayak, or hike. They share a meal each time they meet. The group includes both males and females, both liberals and conservatives. Another person said it is important to schedule Sabbath time like any regular day or appointment and to put the phone and other technology away.

Sabbath Takes Us to a Different Place As we honor the Sabbath – as we actively Sabbath -- God takes us to a different place. Psalm 18:19 and Psalm 118:15 describe broad, spacious, and wide-open spaces. Go with God and breathe in His goodness and grace – His hope and promises – the wonder offered to us in that space. Get out there and Sabbath!

Resources The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel (https://www.amazon.com/Sabbath-Classics-AbrahamJoshua-Heschel-ebook/dp/B005KJVV3G/ref=sr_1_2? crid=Y3LWFHB9XI2Z&dchild=1&keywords=abraham+heschel+the+sabbath&qid=1600818279 &sprefix=abraham+heschel%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-2) Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva J. Dawn (https://www.amazon.com/Keeping-SabbathWholly-Embracing-Feasting/dp/0802804578/ref=sr_1_2? dchild=1&keywords=marva+dawn&qid=1600818348&sr=8-2) Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants by Rueben Job and Norman Shawchuck (https://www.cokesbury.com/Guide-to-Prayer-for-Ministers-and-Other-Servants)

A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God by Rueben Job and Norman Shawchuck (https:// www.cokesbury.com/9780835809993-A-Guide-to-Prayer-for-All-Who-Seek-God) A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People by Rueben Job and Norman Shawchuck (https:// www.cokesbury.com/9780835807104-Guide-to-Prayer-for-All-God-s-People)

“Keeping the Sabbath day holy is much more than just physical rest. It involves spiritual renewal and worship.” (James E. Faust)

“If you don't take a Sabbath, something is wrong. You're doing too much, you're being too much in charge. You've got to quit, one day a week, and just watch what God is doing when you're not doing anything.” (Eugene H. Peterson)

“I first found delight in the Sabbath many years ago when, as a busy surgeon, I knew that the Sabbath became a day for personal healing. By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather from the burden of a demanding profession.” (Russell M. Nelson)

Young Elder Numbers Return to Near Historic Low in UMC By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. On September 22, 2020Leading Ideas

Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has dropped precipitously in the past two years. The number of elders age 35 and under has fallen nearly to the record low recorded 15 years ago, erasing a decade of progress. This year, the number of young elders (under 35) in the United Methodist Church declined to 852, a total shockingly close to the previous low of 850 in 2005. At that time, the Lewis Center issued research documenting a 20-year decline in the presence of young clergy, and it set off alarm bells. The church responded with a range of initiatives to support and encourage younger candidates for ministry. In the decade that followed, the number of young elders increased steadily. Sadly, in 2016 these positive trends started to erode, then decline more dramatically in the past two years, to the point that today the number of young elders has dropped back to almost the same level of 15 years ago when we first named “the crisis of younger clergy.� In 2016 positive trends started to erode, then decline more dramatically in the past two years, to the point that today the number of young elders has dropped back to almost the same level of 15 years ago.

The crisis and the response Fifteen years ago, the newly established Lewis Center for Church Leadership issued its first report on clergy age trends among United Methodist clergy. The research emerged from an uneasiness about a perceived absence of young clergy compared to previous eras. Few reliable statistics were easily available. Working in partnership with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (now Wespath Benefits), the Center opened a window on an alarming trend that illustrated the very low percentage of young clergy. The national news coverage of the initial report, well beyond denominational or even church media, showed how shocking the figures were then. There followed a range of local initiatives from bishops, conferences, and boards of ordained ministry. The Division of Ordained Ministry hosted events and brought together those wanting to make a difference from across the denomination to share ideas. The General Conference approved legislative changes to help with both the framing and the process of entry into ordained ministry. In 2012, the General Conference approved the Young Clergy Initiative and budgeted $7 million for the quadrennium. It was reapproved for approximately the same amount in 2016.

Early progress followed by later losses The Lewis Center’s initial Clergy Age Trend Report and subsequent reports have detailed the changing trends among elders, deacons, and local pastors. However, questions and concerns about the trends have most often centered on the dramatic changes in elders under the age of 35 (provisional or ordained). After reviewing the statistics over the years since the first Clergy Age Trends Report in 2005, which marked the low point for the number and percentage of young elders, we can identify distinct chapters in the changing presence of young elders. Growth from 2006–2016. The number of young elders grew gradually but steadily through this period. While the number of male young elders decreased, a growing number of young female elders provided overall gains. Modest Decline from 2016–2018. The number of young elders declined modestly. There actually was a net gain of men by three with dramatic declines in women (-51). Major Decline from 2018–2020. Even in the period of growth, there were ups and downs between one year and the next. However, what occurred since 2018 is of a different order. Not only was there a decline of 97 young elders; the decline was closer to proportional (between men and women) than in the past: There was a net loss of 68 men and 29 women. Men represented 70 percent of the losses while representing 62 percent of the young elder pool with women representing 30 percent of the losses while representing 38 percent of young elders overall. Interestingly, due to the overall decline in the total number of active elders in the United Methodist Church, the percentage of young elders in the pool of all active elders remains around seven percent, up from the record low of five percent in 2005. While many in the denomination are understandably discouraged about the overall decline in elders, it may be a positive sign that younger elders continue to be a significant though small cohort. It should also be noted that the percentage of young elders is lower than that of both young deacons and young local pastors. For more details on age trends among elders, including the conferences that have larger numbers of young elders, as well as the latest figures and trends for deacons and local pastors, download Clergy Age Trends in the United Methodist Church, 1985-2020. ——————————————————https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/young-clergy-numbers-return-to-near-historiclow-in-umc/

Leading between Faith and Patriotism By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. On July 1, 2020

Leading Ideas

Lovett H. Weems Jr. writes that preaching at the time of a national holiday offers opportunities and dangers. He says it is important to approach the holiday theme through the lens of biblical faith, especially in today’s deeply polarized political climate. National holidays and celebrations offer both opportunities and dangers for congregations and their leaders. Preachers and worship leaders often feel the tension between conflicting options. One possibility is to ignore the national holiday completely when it has no special Christian significance. Another is a temptation to have a holiday theme for worship with little connection to Scripture and the One we know as the God of all nations and peoples. Instead of looking at worship and preaching around national holidays through the lens of the holiday, another approach is to look at the holiday theme through the lens of biblical faith. It is a form of reframing that leaders often must do to be faithful and effective. We affirm a common value, in this case a national celebration, and reinterpret its meaning from a biblical perspective. As we read the stories of people in once powerful nations in biblical times and ever since, we are often struck by how they would have benefited from a perspective rooted in faith in God who cares for all people, instead of a perspective limited to the interests of the nation. Instead of shaping faith to conform to nation, there is much that nations, including our own, can learn from the lessons of Scripture. The “bringing down of the powerful from their thrones” and “lifting up the lowly” (Luke 1:52) is a warning for all nations who exhibit little interest in God’s hopes for all citizens and all the world. Strong nations such as ours do well to remember Ezekiel likening a once great nation to a cedar whose fair branches overshadowed the forest. It grew taller than every other tree. No cedar in God’s garden overshadowed it, and no fir could compare with its boughs. Not a tree in God’s garden could rival its beauty. But the eminence of the giant cedar tempted it to forget that it was the waters beneath it that made it great (Ezekiel 31:4). All Christians face a struggle around the tension between loyalty to country and to God. Our faith says that loyalty to God should occupy first place in our lives. And yet, many voices imply that we are something less than patriotic if our ultimate allegiance is not to our own country. The Bible illustrates that a primary loyalty to country has been a perennial temptation for all people, including people of faith. Although the Bible warns against making a god of one’s nation, this form of nationalism continues to be a tempting alternative to radical allegiance to God. Today’s deeply polarized political climate makes the challenge of this tension between nation and faith even more pressing. Secular rulers have always sought to surround themselves with religious leaders who give their blessing. Billy Graham learned painfully how powerful leaders can betray one’s trust and values. So, the fact that the current president surrounds himself with what historian John Fea of Messiah College calls “court evangelicals” surprises no one steeped in the Bible. Christians understand that God’s truth does not lie with the agenda of any political party. All positions need thoughtful affirmation and critique based on how these policies align with God’s hopes for all humankind. Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.” Indeed, we all should tremble. But we should do more. We are called to thank God for faithful men and women of every generation who understand that a nation’s strength rests more in faithful inward purpose than in outward power and possessions. As we enjoy the Fourth of July, let us remember that we worship a God who reigns over all nations and systems and let us ask for vision to bless and to judge based on the more excellent way to which most nations aspire but never completely achieve.

This article is reprinted by permission from Leading Ideas, a free e-newsletter from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary and available at churchleadership.com.

Discipleship Formation -

Six Digital Discipleship Lessons From COVID-19

Over the last months, we have creatively adapted to offering digital worship services whether that be through recorded sermons distributed via telephone, pre-recorded services posted online, or live streaming. We have discovered ways to offer digital Bible studies, daily devotions, children and youth ministries, Sunday School and other small groups. While we are beginning to transition to in-person, gathered worship, this pandemic has taught us the value of a congregational digital presence. Many of our churches have expanded their online presence beyond their immediate community or even municipal area. Even for those who were streaming worship services online pre-pandemic, they have expanded their digital footprint throughout this pandemic. As we move forward, effective, growing congregations will continue to offer a hybrid ministry of both online and with the gathered congregation. Discipleship Ministries, “See All the People”, recently published a book Online Discipleship providing a wealth of information to expand your church’s digital presence and to fulfill our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Here are six key learnings that I gleaned from this resource:

Forming Disciples Through Worship: Engage those who worship online beyond merely watching a worship service. Provide worship guides - post online or send out to worshipers prior to the service. The guides can include sacred space ideas for the home, sermon notes, “I wonder” questions, and/or practical ideas to practice or serve others as worshipers live out the week’s message in their everyday lives. Expand your volunteers to monitor and engage with those worshiping online by making comments, asking questions, or sharing prayer requests. Revisit your worship service to identify ways to incorporate those worshiping online into the gathered community through pre-recorded scripture reading, witnesses, or other videos. Create ritual acts of worship which add meaning both online and within the gathered community. Discover ways to incorporate movement into the worship through simple sign language, listening and/or when feasible singing to the written words of a song scrolling across the screen, or body prayers. What other ideas have you discovered to incorporate your online congregation into the in-person worship service rather than merely as an “add-on” that watches the “real” worship service in the sanctuary?

Hospitality: Reaching New Disciples: Expand your hospitality so that you connect with online guests leading them to feel welcomed and engaged. Expand your hospitality ministries to include those who are part of your online faith community. Get their name and contact information then follow-up with a personal touch. Identify ways to engage with online guests during worship. Discover and use new tech possibilities such as Text-in-Church app. Explore ways to communicate beyond the worship service through your congregational website and social media. Connect through virtual coffee, daily devotions, or other virtual Bible study or small groups. How are you responding to the spiritual needs of online guests and connecting them to your virtual and/or in-person faith community?

Equipping Disciples Online: Provide faith formation opportunities that are online and not just in-person. Intentionally develop a system or pathway to grow and form persons as they deepen their

relationship with Jesus Christ and others. Use digital platforms and online tools as well as in-person opportunities to provide a myriad of individual study and small group resources. Train leaders in digital best practices including ways to build relationships and sharing experiences before moving into a lesson; send content for review prior to online gathering and focus the online conversation on discussion and practical application; allow time for silence; and explore ways to interact and be in relationship online between meetings. Provide discipleship coaches to walk alongside persons as they grow in their faith. What ways does your church provide faith formation opportunities beyond inperson Sunday School or other small groups?

Disciples Living Generously: Grow generous disciples by providing convenient and less challenging ways to give online. First, and foremost, teach that stewardship and generous giving is a key characteristic of being a follower of Jesus Christ. Offer Text-to-Give apps that are compatible to folks’ smart phones and ensuring that information provided is secure. Encourage automatic recurring giving. For safest and easiest record -keeping make sure that individual electronic offerings are automatically imported into your contribution database. Raise donor confidence by ensuring that your giving portal looks similar to the rest of your church’s website. Automatic, reoccurring online giving has proven to eliminate the gap between people’s pledges and receipts; e-givers give more than traditional givers; increases the frequency and ease in which disciples can give; and allows persons to share pictures and stories of how their giving is making a difference in person’s lives and in their community. How can you use online giving opportunities and stories of transformation to inspire generosity?

Service and Community Engagement: Use your online presence to train and invite persons into transformative relationships with others in their community. Use your online platforms beyond Bible studies and book studies to include training opportunities for listening and in-depth learning about their communities; societal issue conversations; and asset-based community development skills. Use resources such as MissionInsite and Art of Neighboring to get to know folks in your neighborhood. Provide families with opportunities to serve in their own neighborhoods whether that be as a family or in small groups of a few persons. Equip persons to interact in their social media postings in loving, mindful ways as well as calling attention to injustices and to leverage their online connections to make a difference in their communities. Offer individual prayer walks in your community to practice deep listening and seeing persons with fresh eyes. What are ways that you are increasing your online emphasis on service and community engagement?

Evangelism: Making New Disciples and Faith Communities: Evangelism is more than inviting persons to a church building but rather inviting persons into a relationship with Jesus Christ and a faith community. Train persons to discover and share their own faith story. Explore ways to use social media to connect with and engage others in faith conversations. Invite persons to share where they have seen God at work in their lives and share in print and online resources. Encourage and lead persons to create new faith communities within their neighborhood, online friendships, and affinity networks. Utilize online resources such as Fresh Expressions, Active Listening, and Alpha Course. How does your congregation reach new people and create new communities of faith? Please feel free to contact me at susangroseclose@holston.org to share other discipleship lessons you have discovered these past few months or to explore any of these lessons that I have identified. Pilgrim along the journey, Reverend Susan Groseclose Associate Director of Connectional Ministries for Discipleship

Rev. Mary Thompson Executive Director of Camp & Retreat Ministries POB 850 Alcoa, TN 37701 (423) 667-8269 marythompson@holston.org

CAMP LOGOS ARE CLICKABLE LINKS

The five summer camps had an unusually quiet summer this year. We missed seeing the over 3,300 campers and hundreds of staff persons that usually join us during the summer months. We have missed the retreat groups that usually visit us for spiritual revitalization. We are so thankful though, that we made the decision to not host groups and potentially spread the harmful Covid-19 virus. We would like to say thank you to all the clergy that have prayed for our ministry, to all that have reached out to help, and a special thanks to all that have given to our annual campaign. We have been touched by so many. Rev. Tim Smith of Oakland UMC in the New River District was so generous that he lead his congregation to donate the funds they had set aside for 2020 camper scholarships to the Camp Dickenson annual fundraising since we were unable to host summer camp. It is in the generous acts like this one that we are able to see how blessed we are to be in ministry alongside each of you in Holston. We can’t wait to open our doors again to hosting your groups and campers when it is safe to do so.

All of our camps were able to improvise and focus on various tasks instead of our usual summer programming. Overall, our primary focus has been on conserving resources and fundraising. Our Annual Campaign, Together for Tomorrow, has a collective goal of $899,000. To date, we have received about 25% of the campaign goal. Look at our websites and social media pages for more information about where each camp is in their goal and how to give!

Campaign Goal:

$899,000

A Different Perspective: Voices from Outside Methodism

Editor’s Note: From time to time I like to share ideas from a different perspective. Dr. Thom Rainer comes from the Southern Baptist perspective. He has been a local church pastor and CEO of Lifeway (the Baptist publishing house). He currently is a consultant on matters of church growth. I have followed his writings and podcasts for several years. He offers sound advice that often, but not always, translates well to the Methodist way of thinking. —TDG

One Weird Letter as an Example of What Pastors Have to Endure (Particularly in a COVID Era) I received an email through Church Answers a couple of years ago. A team member sent it to me because she thought it would lighten my day. It was a bit strange after all. I decided to hold the email for a while and choose a good time to share it with our readers. Our team has noted that the COVID era is a period when all the complaints pastors get seem to be coming at once. Well, this letter epitomizes this era. I changed some of the verbiage that would identify the writer, the church, and the pastor. Note that the writer is not a member of the church. She decided to do her own investigation based on the complaints of others. She further insisted that Church Answers do its own investigation of this pastor.

The Weird Letter Hello. My name is Betty and I am writing you a formal complaint against Bill Jones who is the pastor at Community Church in Gravetown. I had heard numerous complaints about his so-called preaching and I decided to make a couple of visits to the church.

In my opinion, he shouldn’t even be a pastor, let alone be the pastor at any church. Here are my reasons why. I think your organization should take time to investigate this matter. First of all, he calls the church site a campus, and he does not refer to it as the house of God. Secondly, he only reads one Bible verse, and the rest of the time he is either talking about sports and how teams played or not played, or he is talking about his children. Then it’s all about politics. He said abortion was a sin. I thought the church and government were separated. Then, there are also these two reasons for him to be removed as a pastor. First, he has actually canceled a Sunday evening service, and we know that’s against the Bible. Second is how he allows the people to dress. After all, this is the house of God and it should be respected and honored in God’s name, not wearing clothes that show too much or shorts. Then there are the iPhones used instead of the real Bible. All this he allows, which shows he truly doesn’t respect God or the house of God himself. I hope you take the time to check all this out for yourself and not just take my word for it, because he has been known to lie to members, saying he would do something then come up with an excuse. He will stand up in the pulpit not dressed as a pastor but in regular clothes. He also talks about money. They wouldn’t need money if the church had not remodeled their gym as a community center. The church is not supposed to be for outsiders. I thought this was a church and not a community center. I thought Bill Jones was a pastor, but he’s not. Thank you for your time, but I won’t be back to that church with that so-called pastor. Please send me a copy of your investigation report. Thank you for your time.

Our Team’s Response After much deliberation, our team decided not to investigate nor respond to the letter.

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As found at https://churchanswers.com/blog/one-weird-letter-as-an-example-of-what-pastors -have-to-endure-particularly-in-a-covid-era/ on September 23, 2020.