District News

Dog Days

Posted on by Bode

We have a lot of metaphors about the passage of time.  As we enter the month of August, I feel as if this summer has flown by. It seems as if I was sitting at the services of Recognition, Commissioning, and Ordination just a few days ago, rather than two months ago.  I think the Steve Miller Band sums it up best in their classic hit, Fly Like an Eagle.  “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future.”

It seems especially true in the summer.  Maybe it’s a hangover from school days.  There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in June, July, and August to do all the things we want.  When I was a child, my sister and I attended camp for four to six weeks.  August was our time in Columbus with four of my father’s siblings.  One of my aunts lived around the corner from the Ohio State Fair.

So for me, the dog days of August are synonymous with carnival rides, blue-ribbon contests, my aunt searching for the secret guest which was the annual newspaper contest, and of course church.  In addition to her weekly job as a baker for Lazarus Department store, my Aunt Clairette was a minister.  She served with another pastor at Grace Church.

We attended church every Wednesday evening for prayer meetings and Sunday all day for worship, picnics, and other events.  My uncle usually led the prayers with my aunt sharing a message or meeting people at the altar to say a special prayer or welcome them into the faith community.  Sundays, church was where it all happened.  (This was before grocery stores, restaurants and other establishments were allowed to be open.)

My favorite events were the Usher’s dinner, the all-church picnic, and the choir exchange between my aunt’s church and a sister church in greater Columbus.  So, my summers were very busy.  My sister and I would return home just in time to go school shopping for new clothes and supplies.  No real time to rest, but back then it was fun to be that busy and do so many things over the span of just 12 weeks.

This summer has flown by. I started it returning to my Sabbath routine of movies and bookstore time.  Shopping for craft supplies has been like a breath of fresh air.  And though I haven’t attended any outdoor concerts or events, I have been able to enjoy barbequed ribs a few times.  But maybe because I’ve tried to squeeze so much of what I missed last summer into these past 3 months, the time has truly slipped into the future.

Fall is just around the corner. Many in the state are planning for that last trip up north this year.  Others are returning from extended camping trips.  I don’t know if our children will be excited or anxious to return to in-person classes. I wonder how teachers are feeling too.

 This is also the time that most churches begin their Fall programs.  I hope there is a sense of excitement as we dream about what is possible, just next month.  Could we be planning how we will continue to learn about our Lord through Bible Studies, share our hopes and dreams in prayer time and shake the rust off our voices in choir rehearsals? Will we be ready to continue our missions that took a brief summer hiatus?  Or are we preparing to plant new seeds to reach more people?  During our annual church conferences, I want to hear how our Lord continues to shape our lives and our service in His name.  May we be blessed in all we do for one another.  And Amens

Pictograms

Posted on by Bode

Every other year (or so, due to the pandemic) I look forward to the Olympic Games.  This Corner is not about the sports or the athletes or even the countries represented, though there were a few countries who are making their first appearance this year.  I usually watch the Opening Games to see how the host nation will be represented through song, dance, and other artistic expression.  And for me, despite how Covid has affected our world, this year’s ceremonies did not disappoint.  There was an 1800 drone display of the planet, a tribute to John Lennon’s Imagine, representing Asia (Children’s choir) Africa (Angélique Kidjo), Europe (Alejandro Sanz), the Americas (John Legend), and Oceana (Keith Urban).

My favorite part was the pictograms which depicted each sport in this year’s games.  The history of the pictograms was shared as a few artists reenacted each sport.  In a little over 5 minutes, all 50 sports were named and illustrated. What a great way to commemorate the Olympics.  I am including the link on YouTube in case you want to see it or see it again.  https://youtu.be/CQ9OyYA-bAM

There are Christian images and symbols that resonate with us.  Three crosses at the top of Golgotha, two stone tablets with Hebrew writing, loaves and fishes, a cup, and a loaf of bread and even a baptismal font help to tell the story of our faith journey.

When I first moved to Michigan, I became a member of Metropolitan UMC.  The tile floor is decorated with a variety of crosses from all over the world.  During my first appointment at Court Street, in Flint, I worked with the United Methodist Women to develop a book of all the ornaments that were on the Chrismon Tree.  Each ornament is a different form of the cross done on a cross-stitch square.

I wonder if we take these symbols for granted.  Different forms of the cross tell the story of our Christian history and heritage.  One of my stoles is embroidered with the Jerusalem Cross.  I have seen the Chi Rho and Celtic crosses on church vestments.  Many saints also have a cross named for them.  I have crocheted crosses on small and large pieces.  In Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, I have completed crafts that continue to teach me and remind me about the meaning of the cross for my life and for my faith journey. 

I Am Thine O Lord, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, The Old Rugged Cross and Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross are traditional hymns encompassing how God’s salvific act for us has transformed and continues to transform who we are.  At the Cross and The Power of the Cross are more modern hymns that help us consider God’s awesome gift for us in new ways.

As we seek to tell God’s story, I invite each of us to reflect on the significance of the cross and how different images can add to our stories of faith.  And Amen.

Leadership Opportunities to Deepen Your Involvement in UMW 

Posted on by Bode
Has your spiritual gifts inventory revealed a desire to provide hospitality, serving others, shepherding, or being a helper?
United Methodist Women have opportunities to use these gifts on the District United Methodist Women Team. Positions available are: 
 
► Vice President/Program Coordinator: Coordinates District events with the help of the leadership team and fills in for the President when she is absent from meetings. 
► Treasurer: attends district meetings and provides recordkeeping, reporting, and disbursement responsibilities for all district funds. 
► Social Action Coordinator: Engages members in service and advocacy for justice as it is rooted in our biblical tradition and encourages promotion and service on the quadrennial priorities of United Methodist Women. 
► Membership Nurture & Outreach: Maintains membership lists, develops ways to attract, welcome, and maintain new and current members. 
► Program Resources: Promotes the UMW Reading Program to our District via articles for The Anchor, public service announcement at events, prepares and presents certificates of recognition for women who have successfully completed the reading program. 
 
Training for these positions is provided by the district. Fees for attending Mission u, District Annual, and Conference Annual are paid for by the district. Mileage to District Team meetings is reimbursed. To learn more, contact District Chairwoman for Nominations, Jean Sherman, at (231) 519-2542 or by email: [email protected].

Selfies

Posted on by Bode

As I was traveling in the car the other day, I was listening to a comedian who raised a question that has stuck with me.  In his Correct Angles set, Vir Das began talking about selfies.  He observed that when people took pictures of themselves, they were better than when the camera (phone) was passed to another person.  He went on to explain that we know our best angles and how to capture our good side in any photo.  But when we hand that phone to someone else, they don’t know us as well, and thus the picture they take is different.  It is what Vir said next that caught my attention.  He said that we (humanity) are like that with our Lord.  We don’t understand God’s correct angles and that affects how we perceive our Creator.

I have reflected on the comedian’s words, since then.  I am considering how I speak about who God is and how the Lord is present in our lives. I want to ensure that when I speak about the Lord I am not putting Him in a box built by my limited understanding. Vir Das’ words have inspired me to find new ways to speak of the Lord, broadening the number of angles that I can share as a pastor and child of God.  Maybe that’s why Jesus is known by so many names. 

I realize that our relationship with God is constantly growing and changing.  My understanding of God today is very different than when I first answered God’s call to serve in ministry. I have gained new insights from reading the Holy Scriptures daily.  Different translations have shown me how our Lord speaks to us in many ways bringing new life to ancient words.  I am constantly seeking to discover new ways of seeing God at work in our lives and our souls.

We are all entrusted with sharing what it means to have God in our lives.  Each of us is called to tell how God is shaping us, inspiring us, and transforming us to be the people who are created in His image.  Each person is a disciple of God, invited to share the Good News of our Lord’s salvific acts for our lives. 

I don’t believe it is possible to capture all of God’s angles through Scripture reading, reflections, Bible Studies, or sermons. Our Lord is still a mystery. Today, I have many more questions about God than I have answers.  And yet, each time we share our witness and testimony, we understand our Lord a little more and our relationship with our creator becomes deeper and stronger. 

Our Lord does not have one best angle.  I also don’t believe it is our task, as the created, to define what those angles are.  Rather, we can all describe how we see God, adding to the tapestry of what it means to be His children.  This is the hymn that has come to mind when I think of how we may share our understanding of God.  https://youtu.be/jrwRS1h-rmY

May it be so.  And Amen.

Note:  Vir Das’ Correct Angles monologue can be found on Youtube.  The language is explicit.

Greatness

Posted on by Bode

When I was in high school my English teacher explained that there were some words in the language which were overused.  She never wanted us to use “nice” or “like,” encouraging us to find synonyms instead.  My teacher believed that constant use of these words made them fillers, diluting the intended meaning. To this day, I am very careful about whether or not I use either word in my written work or during a sermon.

One of the most overused words which have become part of our lexicon is actually an acronym.  It is GOAT.  When I was growing up, the word referred to a four-legged animal that could climb mountains or the worst athletic performance one could witness.  All that changed around the turn of the century.  Some attribute the new meaning to Muhammed Ali, others to an album from L. L. Cool J, which was titled Greatest of All Time.

I sometimes dread watching sports because every announcer has to talk about the GOAT in every game, match, or meet. Comparisons are made between current and past standout athletes, records made and records broken, etc., etc., etc.  I have grown tired of the debate, the term, and how so many try to define and categorize what makes an athlete great or not.  I also don’t believe that one can compare the standout athletes of today with former stars for whom equipment, training, coaching, and circumstances were very different. 

And I wonder how that overuse has impacted the Greatest Story Ever Told.  This was the title of a 1960s movie that was a retelling of our Savior’s mission and ministry.  I still believe God’s continuing relationship with us is the best and biggest part of who we are.  Is the Good News of our Lord being lost in the rhetoric around who stands out in the world of politics, sports, and entertainment? 

How do we tell God’s story and share how miraculous and amazing our relationship is in the midst of all the conversations about who and what is great?  So much of who we are and what we do is deeply tied to the One who created us and this world.  I don’t know how to make it through the day without telling somebody about how God continues to shape our lives and is our constant companion on the journey of faith. 

One of my favorite summer activities is Vacation Bible School.  Sharing God’s miraculous and loving stories with the next generation is one of the ways we can share the essential and vital ways that God is still present and still active in our lives.  Each Vacation Bible School also reminds me to share the excitement of God’s story with the parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts of those who come to learn about our God.  It is our Lord’s story that is truly the GOAT. And Amen.

Shabbat

Posted on by Bode

Just breathe. 

Every so often I remember to do this.  It’s not like my body doesn’t breathe automatically.  However, there are moments when I feel the weight of what is unfolding in our lives, our churches, and our nation, and I say these words to myself.  In the midst of all that I do, just breathing gives me a moment to reflect and reset.  And then I return to the tasks at hand with renewed vigor. 

Still, I wonder if that’s the healthiest approach for managing what I hope to accomplish on a given day or in a given week.  I don’t believe that I’m a workaholic.  And yet, I am reluctant to take time off.  Since the pandemic, when my home and office were, by necessity, part of the same space, I find myself starting work earlier and stopping later. 

I have taken advantage of online worship, visiting four or more services on Sundays.  Zoom meetings have significantly decreased the time I spend in the car.  However, I have Zoom meetings nearly every day, including my Sabbath day.  The appointive season adds a layer of discernment, discussion, consideration, and of course, paperwork to the list of what I do. With all that is before me come the surprises that life brings.  Some are wonderful celebrations like exciting missions and ministries, new beginnings for families and faith communities, and the bountiful harvest of seeds planted for our Lord’s sake.  Others are heartbreaking.  The loss of family and friends, a diagnosis we feared, being confirmed, managing physical and mental health issues, or the closure of a church are some of the events which happen on our life journeys. 

Just breathe.

I have been able to maintain my spiritual practices.  I pray, almost without ceasing.  I regularly read the Bible and reflect on what is resonating with me this time around.  I know that my self-care is a work in progress, with some days being better than others. Nevertheless, I am feeling that my body and soul need true Sabbath time.  I want to listen for God’s quiet voice in the midst of stillness.  My spirit desires moments of peaceful reflection, of long walks in nature, of nights gazing at the stars, watching darkness give way to dawn, and singing the Lord’s song. 

There will be no Puzzler’s Corner for a few weeks as I take time between this year and prepare for the next part of our journey together.  I want to be a better servant for each of our faith communities and the women and men who serve them. I plan to take some time to just breathe.  Please include me in your prayers during my time away.  And Amen.

The next Puzzler’s Corner will be published on July 14

Psalm 137: 4

Posted on by Bode

Last weekend we gathered for only the third time as the Michigan Annual Conference.  In his remarks, Bishop Bard reminded us that we have met twice virtually, and only once in person.  I don’t want to say that we are adapting to online gatherings.  However, this year’s Conference was closer to what has been our regular practice.  We worshiped together 5 times over three days.  We participated in legislative sessions and had the opportunity to go to a virtual exhibit hall.  Clergy session introduced us to the 2021 candidates for recognition, commissioning, and ordination.  We also named the candidates from last year who were unable to participate in their own celebratory service. 

The Scripture which was the focus of our time of gathering was Psalm 137:4: “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (King James Version).  Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Rev. Anna Moon, Bishop David Bard, Pastor Jonathan Mays, and Deacon Paul Perez invited those watching Annual Conference to consider how we sing our songs in these strange days.

Over the course of Annual Conference and until today, I have been considering the songs which I sing regularly and how often I sing them.  There are spirituals, hymns, ballads, and even rap songs that continue to run through my mind daily.  Some I sing out loud as I prepare to pray each day.  Others are part of my reflection and work time.  I often play them on my computer as I complete the tasks which are before me.

I believe that music is an integral part of our lives.  There are songs reserved for milestone days.  Birthday songs, wedding marches, and even commencement tunes all signify these important events.  Within our hymnals, songs for Advent, Lent, Christmas, and Easter are grouped together.  There are special hymns that offer comfort for us as we celebrate the lives of family and friends whose journey on earth is completed.  There are other hymns that speak to the Lord’s call upon our lives. 

And this year, like last year, as we gathered for Annual Conference, we shared some of these familiar songs in new and strange ways.  Whether we gathered in our homes, offices, or churches, it was still a strange time not to sit and stand together, breaking out in 4-part harmony, to lift our praises to our God. 

We are eager to pick up the pieces we laid aside when the pandemic started.  We want to dust off the seats in our sanctuaries, open the doors of our churches and invite people inside once again.  We still want to sing the Lord’s songs as we begin to understand that we are entering a strange time, a new time for what it means to be Christians.

Our songs are needed now more than ever.  As we begin to enter a post-pandemic existence, we recognize that people are still in need of food, shelter, and clothing.  We understand that more people are in need of pastoral care, as both physical and mental illness is affecting persons who want to get back to work, school and life before wearing masks, distancing, and temperature checks.

The songs we sing will help bring us to a new understanding of how God’s call on our lives changes each and every day, while at the same time affirming that our Lord is with us now as always.  May we lift our voices as often as we can to celebrate how God still moves in us and through us, even as we journey through these strange times.  And Amen.

You Are Known

Posted on by Bode

Over the past year, all of us have had to change how we journey through our lives.  As much as it is true for us, I believe that late-night t.v. hosts have had to be very inventive with their opening monologues, guest interviews the creation of new skits and routines to capture an audience and to keep the audience engaged. 

Stephen Colbert, whose show is on CBS came up with a 15 item questionnaire that he asks many guests.  I have included the link in this week’s Puzzler’s Corner if you are interested in answering the questions.  https://thecolbertquestionert.com/#questions

It has been fun to watch a variety of actors ponder each question.  Some answers, like “Apples or oranges?” are easy.  Others take longer to consider.  My favorite is: “You get one song to listen to for the rest of your life: what is it?”  I’ve seen Steven ask the questionnaire since last December, and I’m still trying to figure out which song I’d like to listen to over and over and over.  I am very fond of God on High from Les Miserables.  There are also a few Gospel songs that I listen to regularly that would be on the list.  Someone Asked a Question and You’re the Reason Why I Sing are also favorites. 

Over the last several months, I have reflected on Stephen’s final statement each time he shares the list of questions with a guest. As novel as his list of questions is, I can’t help but observe that it took Stephen 15 questions to arrive at the fact that we are known.

According to Jeremiah Chapter 1, our Lord knew us before we were formed in the womb.  God will never ask us 15 questions to determine that we are known.  I believe that our Lord will only ask one question of each of us.  Jesus asked Peter the question three times.  “Do you love me?” 

It is a very simple question for us.  And yet, each one of us answers the question in numerous ways as we seek to declare how much we love our Lord and our God.  Our verbal response may be the same as Peter’s: “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus then invites Peter and the other disciples to feed our Lord’s flock.  As we begin to put the pieces of our pre-Covid lives back together, may we do so with love.  May we respond to our Lord’s question with new excitement and a renewed dedication. We have always been known by the Lord who is shaping and molding us for continuing God’s mission and ministry in the world.  And Amen.

Life Interferes with Plans

Posted on by Bode

Today is my niece Brittany’s birthday.  I still remember the day she arrived.  My sister’s due date was the first week in June.  So, she planned to have the baby shower during Memorial Day weekend, and afterward, she and her husband would get all the items that were not gifted at the party.  Well, my niece had other ideas.

At the time I was living in Memphis.  My mom called me at 5:30 am to share that my sister had gone into labor.  After the phone conversation, I headed back to bed, but couldn’t stop laughing as I realized my sister and brother-in-law had nothing for their first child.  No crib, as I had purchased it and it was still somewhere between Memphis and Cleveland.  No diapers because they hadn’t started to stockpile them.  No clothes because my sister hoped to get that first month’s wardrobe at the shower. 

Maybe that’s when I began using the phrase which is the title of this Puzzler’s Corner.  Brittany reminded all of us that life is unpredictable.  And that’s what I love about the journey we are on.  Growing up, all I thought I wanted to be was an Audiologist.  And yet, I knew I was called to do something different, something more. 

When I answered the call to be a pastor, I believed I could turn my experience as a Counselor for those with hearing loss and related disorders into a career in pastoral care.  I focused on becoming a hospital chaplain until I discovered that the Emergency Room adrenalin rush was not for me. During my last semester of Seminary, just before Annual Conference, I received the call describing where my first appointment would be.  Flint? Cross-Cultural? Associate Pastor?  None of those were how I had imagined beginning my journey as a pastor.

Becoming a pastor and being a pastor are very different. My call has been affirmed nearly every day.  I have been blessed by the people I visit, seeking to bring them comfort and lift their spirits, discovering that during our time together, I too am touched and moved by what we share.  I am constantly learning how to reach out to others, bringing the Good News of Jesus to those who have heard it before and for those who are eager to hear it for the first time. 

I have found the right people to journey with, to create or continue vital ministry, only to learn that they are called to heaven or need to move away.  I have brought ideas of how to bring the church to people, rather than invite people to come to the church, only to find out that the places I’ve considered are unable or unwilling to host a meeting, a dinner or a conversation.  I have planted seeds in the hearts and minds of the people I have served….never knowing if they have taken root or grown.

And then I remember life interferes with plans.  Our Lord has a way of making the impossible possible.  God takes my ideas and shapes them to reach more people than I imagined.  Though I may never see how the seeds I planted bear fruit, I have faith that God is changing lives through me. 

As we begin to think of life after Covid, know that what we do and how we continue to serve our Lord is still unpredictable.  Life, or shall I say, God will interfere with our plans, not to frustrate us, but to help us fulfill His mission for all of God’s children.  And Amen.

Hope Springs Eternal

Posted on by Bode

I have traveled to Israel twice in my life.  My first journey was in 2011 as the wall around Jerusalem was being constructed.  The second visit was in 2018, between the 2014 conflict and the one that is unfolding now.  On the day that our tour group was in Bethlehem, I watched as Israeli planes flew over our heads, heading north.  Tensions were high during my second visit.  And the recent bombings underscore how the conflict has escalated to the brink of war once again.  Let us pray for all those who call Israel home.  I truly hope that somehow, leaders from both nations will find a way to begin speaking with one another again.

There have been times in my life when I think about the significance of hope.  When I was a child in Cleveland, Ohio, my mother would take my sisters and me downtown.  I can’t remember the first time she showed us the statue which was created in honor of those who died or were missing in military service.  It is called the Fountain of Eternal Life. 

For me, it is a reminder that hope springs eternal.  During the turbulence of the 1960s, my mother and sisters visited this statue regularly.  Time spent in its shadow helped us to endure some of the civil unrest that was happening around us.  There were protests about the draft, whether or not our nation should even be involved in the Viet Nam War, and numerous news stories about the struggle for civil rights for African Americans.

Whenever my sisters and I would go downtown, to visit the library or shop, we would walk over to this statue and spend time looking up at the figure which was reaching toward heaven.  The picture I share in this Puzzler’s Corner is one of my screen savers.  Each day, I see this statue and know that there is hope.

God is with us as our life journeys continue.  Our Lord wants us to reach towards heaven when we find ourselves in life’s valleys.  God asks us to turn to Him in prayer, whether that is the recitation of the psalms, singing hymns of praise and want, or lifting up the words that our Lord and Savior taught us to pray. 

We have hope, each time we reach up to God to share where we are.  We hope that true healing will take place in our lives and for the world.  We have faith that the Lord will hear our voices and answer our prayers.  I believe I have shared this picture before, and I do so again, as a way of affirming our loving relationship with our Creator.  And Amen.

Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fountain_of_Eternal_Life#/media/File:Fountain_of_Eternal_Life_9-20-2015_(cropped).jpg

Midwest District