E-pistles
A Wonderful Mission Connection
5/16/2012One of the great things that happens during General Conference is the opportunity to connect with persons from around the world whom I don’t see very often. One of those persons from the Dakotas Conference calls that “our four year friends.” During this year’s GC, I had the opportunity to join in a meeting about Africa University, and I am pleased to share some plans and dreams for a wonderful mission connection with Indiana. This year is the 20th anniversary of Africa...
"Meanwhile Back in Indiana"
5/14/2012After writing several reflections on General Conference last week, I am pleased to turn my attention back to Indiana. At meetings of the Cabinet, Directors, Leadership Table, and CFA this past week, I have heard several pieces of good information worth sharing: We are sending “thank you” letters and certificates to the 761 congregations who paid their Conference Tithe “in full” in 2011 – a good number and a good increase. CFA regards 90% and above as...
"Good Results from General Conference "
5/11/2012Here is another E-pistle with my reflections on General Conference. Again, if you are not interested, just hit your “delete” button. With so much disappointment being expressed about the 2012 General Conference, perhaps it is helpful for me to remind all of us that there were some good results from General Conference. Of course, those results are always in the “eye of the beholder” and so these are just my opinions. You are welcome to judge for yourself, but here are...
No Guarantees
5/10/2012Here is another E-pistle with my reflections on General Conference. Again, if you are not interested, just hit your “delete” button. One of the big changes voted at the 2012 General Conference was the removal of “guaranteed appointment” for ordained Elders. Deacons and Local Pastors have not had that guarantee, but now Elders do not have appointment security either. To everyone’s surprise at General Conference, that change was on the Consent Calendar, meaning that...
"Finding Their Voice"
5/9/2012Here is another E-pistle with my reflections on General Conference. Again, if you are not interested, just hit your “delete” button. During the 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, several groups found their “voice” and spoke often and powerfully. Among those groups were: Young clergy and young adult lay leaders found their voice. Much of that was through Twitter and other social media, but also on the floor of Conference and by speaking about...
"It Was Never About Structure"
5/8/2012Sorry to be filling your In Box with another E-pistle, but I plan to write several of them this week as a way of reflecting upon General Conference. This is mostly therapy for me, so feel free to use your “delete” button if you don’t want to read my comments. You have probably heard the news that the Judicial Council of our UMC (which is kind of like our Supreme Court) ruled that the new structure for the UMC passed by the General Conference was unconstitutional. Thus the...
"Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right"
5/7/2012My mother always told us, “Two wrongs don’t make a right. Just because someone does you wrong, that doesn’t mean you have the right to do something wrong back to them or to someone else.” I thought of her wisdom last week as I attempted to preside during General Conference when the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered) caucus and supporters were demonstrating on the floor of General Conference. We have had such demonstrations for many General Conferences, usually...
"Pastoral Families Need Support"
4/23/2012Has your pastor and his/her family had a vacation this spring? I hope so, because there is an increasing amount of pressure upon pastoral families. I know that all families face these issues, but sometimes even good folks in congregations forget that their pastors face the same kinds of pressures – and sometimes those pressures are multiplied by being “on call” most of the time. I remember many times as a younger pastor when I would attempt to take my family out for dinner, or...
"Good Numbers"
4/16/2012My E-pistle last week about our 2011 year-end statistics has received a lot of responses. Several persons wrote quite defensively to explain why their churches have not received any new members by profession of faith. Others wrote to report how they are making efforts this year to reach new people for Christ. Some wrote to question the whole idea of “numbers” because they don’t see numbers as a good way to measure the movement of the Spirit. Others wrote to say it is high time...
"Caring for the 1% and the One"
4/9/2012We are starting to finalize the year-end reports from all of our congregations for the year 2011. Those reports take a while, since many local churches are slow to enter them, and then our District Assistants and Conference staff go over the reports to catch typos. So we are getting close to having the final numbers. One thing becomes clear as I look at our incomplete reports: 2011 was not as strong a year for our churches as 2010. Our total local church income was down in 2011, as it seems...