Inspiration for composing a hymn comes to Dr. Duck through a variety of avenues. While some hymns are born out of personal experiences, others are commissioned by individuals, congregations or hymnal committees. “Living Spirit, Holy Fire,” included in the United Methodist collection Worship & Song (2011), stems from her interaction with Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC, in Oak Park, Ill.
thoughtfulpastor: The Epic Battle: Message Series Starting This Sunday
“Just think how much good you could do!” Those enticing words also may be some of the most dangerous words around–they can open the door to extraordinary evil, perfectly disguised and cloaked with something that just looks so right. Starting … Continue reading →
Mercy not Sacrifice: Is Pope Francis a universalist heretic?
Oh mercy! The evangelicals have so wanted to make peace with the Catholics, because they make for such great allies in the culture wars. They’re not just anti-abortion; they’re anti-condom! So we’ve tried to overlook the whole Mary thing. But then they elected this pope who washes the feet of criminals. And he says negative […]
Hopeful: Why are so many Christians Depressed?
Reblogged from Unshakable Hope: Depression, even among Christians, seems to be rampant today; it’s as if some kind of emotional black plague has crept into the Church. I read several blog posts and articles every day, but last week was … Continue reading →
Methodist Youth President: Intergenerational friendships
Hello world!
Again, apologies for not blogging for so long. I know I’m rubbish – sorry!
I want to talk about something that came up while I was at the Methodist Women in Britain annual residential conference, in Swanwick. The theme of the weekend was ‘Crossing the Chasm’.
I first came into to contact with Methodist Women in Britain when I met the lovely Jill Baker, the current President, at Conference 2012, and I have got to know the movement better over my year as Youth President. Jill and Rachel, the Helen Kim Memorial Scholar (http://vimeo.com/58792816), spoke during one of the debates about MWiB and particularly the place for younger women in the movement. My two memories from their (very enthusiastic and slick!) speech are Rachel explaining that MWiB is ‘about more than just making jam!’ and them finishing talking about the involvement of younger women by one saying ‘it’s good news for us!’ and the other saying ‘and it’s good news for me!’
While at the Swanwick Conference I was interviewed during the opening session. One of the questions I was asked in the interview was ‘how can we connect with younger women when their lives are so different from ours; they spend so much time surfing the internet and using social media, I feel like we have nothing in common and I have nothing relevant to offer’. What a poignant question! Clearly many older people feel that there is a chasm between them and the younger generation. Can we cross this chasm? Is it worth crossing?
I started my answer talking about the value of real life relationships. I am a fan of social media and value it as a tool to use to keep in touch with friends and family across the country and across the world, but in my opinion it cannot match real face to face friendships.
I became a Christian at the age of 16 and since then have been a part of four different churches in three different towns – one Anglican, two Pentecostal, and one Methodist. They are four quite different churches with different styles, different demographics of congregations and some differing theological viewpoints. Many differences but I want to draw attention to a similarity. In each one I made friends – or rather, I was made friends with! I’m not the most ‘people’ of people (my husband on the other hand is a charmer and does plenty of friend making for the both of us!) but as I look back over the landscape of my life in past 7 years I can see a number of Christian people, particularly women and particularly women who are older than me, lining the way. They have played a very significant part in my life and my journey as a disciple. They have a part in who I have become and am becoming. They have demonstrated a simple, heartfelt, unwavering care for me. Some I have been and am very close to, some I don’t know very well but have received many a friendly smile or hello from. Some have been around for years, some for a few months or even weeks. Two were my youth leaders back at the very beginning; an unforgettable example of how to share your life (including the sucky bits) with young people and by doing this show them how God is there through it all. One was my host for two years; she welcomed the most random of people into her home (including me) and lived a beautiful combination of generosity, prayer and evangelism daily. Another is an elderly lady who always gave fabulous hugs while everyone else shook hands during ‘peace be with you’; the only person I felt comfortable to share a room with at the church weekend away.
Some of our church friends at our wedding
Young people needthese sorts of relationships. They need more than Facebook friends and Twitter followers. They need people who will notice when they don’t turn up for a few weeks. They need people who will cook a good healthy meal with plenty of vegetables for them when they are living on pasta and cheap tomato sauce at university. They need people who will believe in them. They need people who will sit next to them at church. They need people who will invite them round for a cup of tea. They need people who will tell them they are praying for them when they have exams. They need people who will say ‘you look lovely today’. They need people who will send them encouraging cards when they have moved far away from home. They need people who will look them in the eye and say ‘are you ok?’. They need role models, companions, stories to learn from and shoulders to cry on. They need people with wisdom and experience, with love, with hugging arms and squeezing hands and praying hearts who are actually there in their lives.
Church can offer the sort of community that I haven’t found anywhere else. Young people may not often come into contact with people of other generations other than family and teachers – I don’t think I did, until I joined a church. Now I have friends in their 0s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s!!
Young people; chat to the older people around you. The chasm between generations needs to be crossed from both sides. Get to know them as individuals. Make an effort to build a friendship with someone outside of your normal comfort zone. It will brighten up your life and theirs.
Older people; don’t underestimate what you can contribute to a young person’s life today. As I told the women at the MWiB conference, God has put you where you are as the person that you are today. You can cross the chasm. Be brave – reach out to a young person. It really will be good for them and good for you. Your love and care will make a huge difference. The internet is no match for you.
Note – safeguarding vulnerable people, including young people, is important. To find out more about the Methodist Church’s safeguarding policy click here: http://www.methodist.org.uk/ministers-and-office-holders/safeguarding
Musings of a Maverick!: Boy Scouts Send Inconsistent Message – Is It OK or Is It Not?
The Boy Scouts of America (May 23, 2013 in Grapevine TX) voted on Thursday to lift a ban on openly gay scouts that had been in place throughout the organization’s 103-year history, capping weeks of intense lobbying on both sides, the group said in a statement. — internet news release
Well, they went and did it after months of mounting pressure which included large church groups such as the United Methodist Church and the Church of Latter-day Saints that sponsor a rather substantial number of scouting units. Young scouts that are sodomite oriented are now permitted to become members of a Boy Scout troop. The ban was lifted due to a vote of more than 60 per cent of the leaders in their gathering at Grapevine TX on May 23, 2013. However, it was emphasized that there is still a ban on adults being Scout leaders if they are of sodomite orientation. This poses a rather critical issue – how is it that sodomy is OK for the young ones who are members of a troop of Scouts, but it is not OK for a Scout leader to be of sodomite orientation?
Our culture has been under pressure for years to accept same-sex activity as being just as normal as sexual intimacy between a male and a female. Some states have already passed legislation in which two sodomites can legally marry each other and likewise it is the same for two lesbians who want to be married.
Now for a time of “meddling” by bringing Almighty God, our Creator, into this mix! God has given us a complete revelation about Himself and the moral laws which He has established for us human beings. In regard to our sexuality, God has explicitly drawn the boundary lines as to what is acceptable and what is not. According to God’s standards, sexual intimacy is acceptable only within the covenant of marriage involving a man and a woman!
There are a lot of sexual violations taking place around the clock throughout this chaotic world including fornication, adultery, incest, sodomy, lesbianism, bestiality, rape, and sexual abuse of children and youth. There are those who attempt to justify sodomy and lesbianism by a twisted and perverted interpretation of the Scriptures. One vain example of such is the attempt to paint David and Saul’s son, Jonathan, as sodomite lovers! But when one becomes honest and open in regard to the total revelation God has made available to us through His Holy Spirit, not one statement can be found where He places His stamp of approval on sodomite and lesbian activity or any of the other sexual violations previously mentioned!
God gave us a very powerful and blessed gift in our sexuality which can so easily be abused and perverted. But when experienced and enjoyed within the covenant of marriage as God originally intended, it is indeed the highest and the best. Unfortunately, a majority of Boy Scout leaders have failed to see this issue as God views it. The price to be paid for such a debacle has yet to take place! It is simply a further demonstration as to how it is in the “land of the free and the home of the brave” – who in the world pays any attention to God and what He has to say about human beings, their relationships, their behavior patterns, and their responsibilities during these days of mass confusion?
And so the question still remains — how is it OK for young lads to be sodomite oriented and be accepted as members of a Boy Scout troop, but adults who are sodomite oriented cannot be Scout leaders? Explanation please!
They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness. While claiming to be wise, they became fools. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for statues that looked like mortal humans, birds, animals, and snakes. For this reason God allowed their lusts to control them. As a result, they dishonor their bodies by sexual perversion with each other. These people have exchanged God’s truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly and serve what is created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen! For this reason God allowed their shameful passions to control them. Their women have exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. Likewise, their men have given up natural sexual relations with women and burn with lust for each other. Men commit indecent acts with men, so they experience among themselves the punishment they deserve for their perversion. — Romans 1:21-27 (God’s Word translation)
jesseleeproject.org: What is Methodism Anyways?
(A Remembrance on Aldersgate) Over the last week, I had the opportunity to have a meal with a lifelong southern Baptist. During that meal the question arose of why I was so far from home. After I told him about why I was the Yankee in Tennessee court, there was a pause, followed by a scrunched […]
The Fat Pastor: Woman of Valor
This post is a hybrid. It is part book review, and part love letter. The book review is for Rachel Held Evan’s book, “A Year of Biblical Womanhood,” which I read as part memoir and part Bible study, and all love story. Continue reading →
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/history-of-hymns-hymn-uses-fire-metaphor-to-describe-holy-spirit/
May 22 2013
The United Methodist Reporter: Reflections: Recall, and look ahead – on Heritage Sunday
No one would be more surprised than John Wesley, to observe the worldwide impact of his ministry today. He uttered those famous words, “I look on all the world as my parish,” and the result of his notion of spreading the gospel far and near, is the ongoing Wesleyan and Methodist movement in every corner [...]
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/reflections-recall-and-look-ahead-on-heritage-sunday/
May 22 2013
UMC.org: Oklahoma pastor asks prayers after tornado
D.A. Bennett, who got news of his son’s safety but must perform funeral for another child, describes “how desperately we need prayers.”
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/oklahoma-pastor-asks-prayers-after-tornado/
May 22 2013
UMC.org: Copy of Oklahoma pastor asks prayers after tornado
D.A. Bennett, who got news of his son’s safety but must perform funeral for another child, describes “how desperately we need prayers.”
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/copy-of-oklahoma-pastor-asks-prayers-after-tornado/
May 22 2013
UMC.org: Tornado volunteers urged to be patient
Individuals concerned after storms in U.S. asked to pray but not self-deploy to disaster areas. Find out the best ways to help.
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/tornado-volunteers-urged-to-be-patient/
May 21 2013
The United Methodist Reporter: Aging Well: Our faith helps us resist the temptations of aging
I couldn’t help but laugh when my 89-year-old friend made a confession. “Some days I need a tractor to pull me out of my rut!” she exclaimed exasperatedly. It’s true for all of us. Without realizing it, we spin our wheels, repeating the same behavior, until we’ve created ruts so deep that the only thing [...]
Permanent link to this article: http://methoblog.com/3_0/2013/05/aging-well-our-faith-helps-us-resist-the-temptations-of-aging/
