July 2010
Gary's Gleanings
We are now in the
longest season of the Christian year. These are the days following Pentecost
which are sometimes referred to as “ordinary time.” Pentecost was on May 23 and
the season following Pentecost will extend until the first Sunday of Advent
which will be November 28 in 2010. The first Sunday of Advent begins a new
Christian year. Some may recall that in years past some of the time following
Pentecost was referred to as Kingdomtide.
While these may
be the days of “ordinary time” these are most certainly not ordinary days. These
are wonderful days for celebrating and enjoying the good and gracious gifts of
God. During the summer many will have the opportunity to enjoy visiting and
exploring God’s creation. The beautiful days of summer allow and encourage us to
enjoy the outdoors more. Some are able to vacation and visit new places or
friends and relatives and relish in a change of pace and place.
These are most
certainly not ordinary days in our worship either. In June we were able to share
in several stories of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. This season we will also
be in Luke’s gospel and we will have the opportunity to explore and be
challenged by some of the parables of Jesus. Many of the parables with which we
are familiar are found only in Luke’s gospel.
I look forward to
worshipping with you this summer and during these extra-ordinary days! Also a
reminder that our Sunday worship is at 9:30 a.m. through September 5. I will see
you this Sunday and each and every Sunday!
Diana's ... Article
On Sunday,
June 13th,
my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Jan Everhart was our guest preacher. It was a
real joy for me to introduce her to you and to be in her company in the context
of worship after so many years. There’s someone else I’d like to introduce you
to. This is someone I have appreciated for a long time; not as a friend, or even
as an acquaintance, but as someone whose words I have read and received over the
past several years. Steve Garnaas Holmes is a United Methodist pastor, poet, and
musician. He shares his thoughts daily by e-mail, with anyone who will read
them. He has become a travelling companion to me and I share with you now one of
his recent writings:
As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out.
He was his mother's only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large
crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said
to her, "Do not weep." Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the
bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, rise!" The dead man
sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
— Luke 7.12-15
If we take the
gospel seriously it leaves us with a heart-wrenching question: if Jesus could
raise the dead once or twice, why didn't he always? What good is a miracle, even
if it leads us to believe, if it's nothing that's ever really going to happen
again? Why should we believe that he
could
raise the dead
when in fact he
won't?
I don't know.
But I do know
that life is full of mystery, that death is real, and that compassion burns at
the heart of all things. I know that death and suffering will not simply
disappear. But I also believe that Love encounters us on our way, walks with us
on each Via Dolorosa, and interrupts our funeral marches. And that therefore
anything can happen. Our dead, even the most dearly missed and needed, even the
most unjustly dead, are not likely to revive. But something is. I don't expect
that I ever know what the miracle will be. But I know that it is not impossible.
I've done
enough funerals as a pastor, shared through enough people's mourning, and lost
my parents and a childhood friend, to know not to expect anything other than the
permanence of death and the usual process of loss and grieving. But I also know
that I don't know everything, that Love changes things, that the unexpected can
happen, and that new life rises—not in the body of the deceased, but among us
nonetheless. Sometimes some weird miracle
does
happen.
I don't know
why Jesus doesn't just do more miracles. But for me not knowing leads to
openness, not despair. Because I don't know, I know that anything can happen.
Anything.
Be open.
As we move
into these summer months and look forward to the renewal that this season
brings, I invite you to remember that this great God-given world is larger than
our experience of it. Be open to believing in what you cannot see.
Ca-Nev United Methodist Annual Conference
06/16–19/2010
Attendees:
Clergy: Pastors Gary Grundman, Diana Bohn
Laity: Sara
Ardell, Lenie Brown, Hal Brown
There were 41
items that were recommended, or required resolution. Many items were resolved in
session.
Here are a few
of the major concerns:
We have
reduced the number of districts from 7 to 4 starting September 1st
and now we are in The El Camino Real District and our Superintendent is Kristi
Olah, who we met at the district dinner.
The rules of
the Annual Conference are suspended for two years to reorganize district
committees and conference agencies with a progress report to be made in 2011.
Churches will
be directly billed for pastor pensions.
We will continue to hold the conference in
No decision
was made at this time but it will be brought up again next year to charge a
registration fee to local churches for lay and clergy members. The figure of
$125.00 per person was suggested. It costs about $85,000 to put on the Annual
Conference.
Our Guest
speaker was Bishop Robert Schnase (rhymes with crazy), who delivered a stirring
message to us about Church growth. Are we witnessing to our community? Bishop
Schnase point blank asked, “If everyone in your church witnessed like you, would
your church grow?”
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Lynnewood United Methodist Church
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