District News

Getting in Shape

Posted on by Bode

There are traditions during this time of year that make this very special season even better. Beginning with Thanksgiving, we eat some of our favorite foods that we save for this time of year.  My mother never made dressing between December and October.  Sweet potato pies were usually served in November, but rarely at Christmas.

And although I have since lost a craving for Egg Nog, I rarely see it on store shelves, even now. There are also delicacies which are only offered during the Holiday season.  They are, of course, high in calories and low in nutrition.  Snickerdoodles, Costco Cinnamon pull aparts and a Swedish tea roll are on my list. Along with a cup of Ghiradellli hot chocolate. Is it any wonder that most of us put on a few pounds during this time of year?

I don’t know if fitness and diet commercials increase during this time of year, or if I just notice them more.  There are numerous diet options and equipment to choose from, especially with special Christmas discounts. As much as these companies encourage us to get in shape physically, I ask if we are doing the same for our spiritual health.

Has the pandemic caused us to neglect some of our daily or weekly spiritual habits, because we are not connecting with those we serve as often as we did before?  I know that most of us are unable to go to the hospital and sit with those who require surgery or care.  In person Bible or topical studies may have started, stopped, and started again as positivity rates continue to change.

Missions that were once our passion, have had to be set aside and placed on hold.  Some ways of connecting just aren’t possible right now.  This unanticipated and unforeseen break has also caused some people to realize that when we are able to continue to answer God’s call, they have no reserves left to return to what mattered or begin a new passion.

Many of us may have paused or stopped the ways we care for our spiritual selves. We haven’t read the Bible in days or weeks.  We may no longer sing together on Sunday, and now we fail to sing the songs which inspire us throughout the rest of the week.  Praying may no longer be second nature.  We have gotten out of the rhythm of what we do to deepen our relationship with our Lord. 

There are numerous resources available for each of us to learn how to care for the spiritual aspects of our lives.  Whether or not you make New Year’s resolutions, I pray that you will consider exploring and incorporating new ways to improve your spiritual self.  By doing so, we will deepen our ever changing relationship with our Lord and with one another. May God’s blessings be upon all of us as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and prepare for the New Year.  And Amen.

Blue Christmas

Posted on by Bode

I know that Christmas is only 10 days away.  I am as excited about the holiday now as I was when I was a child. Over the years the traditional Crawford Christmas has changed as our family dynamics have been redefined.  Gift cards have replaced toys, video games, and clothes.  Texts and phone calls, Face Time and Zoom have replaced driving through snow to share Christmas brunch and dinner. My nephew-in-law will be with us for the first time if he isn’t on call at the hospital. Our youngest participant is already four.

This is one of the happiest seasons of the year.  And yet, as I look forward to Christmas 2021, I can’t help but look back to the devastating storms which hit Kentucky and other states last Friday.  I am also thinking about the 900 plus employees of a real estate company who attended a Zoom meeting to learn that they were being fired. The collapse of the Surfside condos and those affected by Ida’s path are still on my mind.  I also feel for those who are grieving because this will be the first Christmas or another Christmas without a spouse, parent, or child. 

We’re not supposed to be sad on Christmas.  For some of us, it is a struggle to be happy.  My sister Gretchee began her Christmas countdown on December 26th. She would invest the entire year collecting, making, or figuring out a way to purchase the right gift for everyone she knew.  Often, she would hide presents so well, that she forgot where they were when the next Christmas rolled around.  She was the person who took pictures of the kids opening their presents, gathered around the table, or peeking in their stockings.  Our first Christmas after she died was a tribute to all the ways she’d hunt for gifts on shopping networks, in department stores, and on the internet.

My father died when I was in my twenties.  His was the first death in our family.  That Christmas, each of us wanted to make sure everyone else was happy.  We went all out to get one another that special gift.  That was the year my mom got her Kitchen Aid Mixer.  I received a t. v. and VCR.  My sister Lynn got a complete set of cookware to replace the secondhand items she had been using.  We tried to fill the void that my father’s death left. We succeeded until we sat down for dinner.  He wasn’t with us to carve the roast, and that’s when the tears began to flow.

It was after Gretchee died that I attended my first Blue Christmas service.  The time in worship helped me to know it is alright to be sad in this season of joy. Each time I saw the tree with the blue decorations, I thought about those I had lost, who get to enjoy Christmas in heaven, and how wonderful that must be. The fellowship time following the service included a conversation inviting us to share something about the people we miss, even as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

More than anything, Christmas is a season of giving, and a season of love. So many people this year need to know that we grieve with them and that we are praying for them. Families will gather together, knowing that one or more seats at the dinner table will be empty for the first time or the next time.  I ask prayers for families who have lost loved ones, homes, and jobs. Let’s help and comfort one another, especially those who are full of sorrow this year.  And Amen.

Counting Down

Posted on by Bode

When I was a child, each of my teachers counted the days until Christmas.  There would be some kind of display on one of the boards in the classroom. Each day, a student was chosen to add or take away the card which signified that the wondrous day of our Savior’s birth was drawing closer.

It wasn’t that long ago that one could see a countdown to Christmas everywhere. The two major department stores in Cleveland, where I grew up, decorated their display windows with a host of Christmas scenes.  One of the stores is actually featured in the film A Christmas Story. 

I can’t remember when the way we counted changed.  Instead of keeping track of the days until Christmas, and the annual Christmas break from school, the countdown turned into the number of shopping days.  Christmas break became Winter break.  Then people stopped saying Merry Christmas.  The reason….?  Not everyone celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior. 

Now we are encouraged to say Happy Holidays.  The greeting doesn’t have the same feeling for me, because I learned an alternative for this time of year.  And yet, the excitement of this season is the same as it has always been.  The day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior is only 23 days away.    How will your faith community tell Jesus’ story this year?

Did you know that Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year?  Our Book of Worship offers numerous services for the season, from Hanging of the Greens to Lessons and Carols.  My favorite Sundays during this season are the ones dedicated to the Children’s Christmas (not Holiday) service.  I love the way they share the story of our Savior’s birth.

I adapted the Las Posadas (Service of Shelter for the Holy Family) one year to happen within the church walls, rather than in the neighborhood. Children were placed around the sanctuary, waiting for Mary and Joseph to ask for a place to stay, only to be sent on to the next person/area.

 The music composed for God’s miracle is precious and inspiring.  Whether you like Handel’s Messiah or a handbell version of Carol of the Bells, songs resonate with us as mere words never can.  The Gospels of Matthew and Luke share the story of Jesus’ heritage and birth in very different ways.  Other books of the Bible herald the coming of the Son of God.

I don’t think there are enough days in Advent to tell and retell the miracle of our Savior’s birth. I realize that we are still under the umbrella of the pandemic.  It is difficult to know how to plan for this year, whether we will gather in person if we are able to sing our favorite hymns or decorate our churches with giving trees and those full of ornaments. 

 And yet, whenever two or three are gathered in His name, we can share the story that continues to transform our lives and our souls.  With only 23 days left, and all that is happening right now, may we still remember the hope and promise this season brings for all of creation.  And Amen.

ReadGR Distributed 45,000 books in 2021

Posted on by Bode
ReadGR Book Pantry

ReadGR successfully distributed over 45,000 free books to children in Grand Rapids and the surrounding areas this year through a combination of school, food distribution, park, and pop-up events, in addition to our Book Pantries. Our focus, as always, is on creating a more equitable literacy landscape in the Grand Rapids area. To that end, we target areas of the city that are most in need. We also provide high-quality books that are written by Black and Latinx authors and that feature characters of the same ethnicities. We also distribute books in Spanish. Another key strategy is  collaboration with community partners.

We partnered once again with Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Valley State University, and the City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department to provide Storytime in the Park every Tuesday evening this summer. During these park events, we invited additional community partners to join us such as the Fair Housing Center, GRPS, ELNC, Great Start, Safe Haven Ministries, and others. We had special guests visit to tell stories, such as Diatribe and The League of Enchantment.

Most recently, we distributed over 350 books at the downtown Grand Rapids Christmas Tree Lighting event on Friday, December 3rd. We are also donating 500 books to the Literacy Center of West Michigan’s Family Holiday events in December. These target newcomers to the country and English Language Learners.

Please visit www.storytimegr.org for a list of Book Pantry locations. Contact [email protected] with any questions. 616-808-1630.

Donate to ReadGR HERE

Tragedy in Oxford

Posted on by Bode

I had planned to reflect on the season of Advent and what we do to prepare for the hope this season brings each year.  And then I heard the news from Oxford, Michigan.  A fifteen-year-old young man went into the school with a semiautomatic pistol and fired 15 – 20 times, killing four people and injuring eight more.

Sadly, the list of school shootings continues to grow. And somehow, the pain and sadness I feel today for everyone involved is no different than what I felt as I watched the tragedy at The University of Iowa, Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.  I wish I had an answer for why some of our children choose this violent way.

Our children are hurting.  In ways we can’t possibly imagine.  The ability to speak with one another online has helped with social connections.  Unfortunately, it has also increased the amount of bullying that occurs.  Sexual predators prey on those who are vulnerable, pretending to be just the person someone needs.  The pressure to be accepted at the best colleges and universities, especially with how the pandemic has changed coursework, is greater now than ever.

Some will undoubtedly say that one or more of these factors contributed to what happened at Oxford High School.  Today there are more teens who are hurting.  I hope they will find the support, comfort, and love they need from the people in their lives. 

I ask for prayers for the families and friends of the four teenagers who lost their lives. I ask the same for the shooter and his family.  May we also offer a blessing for the quick response of the security guard and police. Please consider ways that our churches, here in the Midwest District can support the Oxford community and the United Methodist churches there.  May the Lord continue to watch over each of us.   And Amen.

Give Thanks

Posted on by Bode

I am a prayer warrior.  I strive to pray without ceasing each day.  From time to time I reflect on the content of my prayers.  I have the sense that sometimes I ask God for a lot.  Whenever I lift up the Lord’s Prayer, I include an internal list of who and what I’m praying for.  Health concerns, new jobs, and even asking for people to find a place to live are often part of my conversations with our Lord.

I also have a conversation about the questions I am wrestling with on any given day.  These are the I wonder moments I have with our Lord.  I try to bring my question to God objectively, restating what happened in open and not judgmental ways.  An example is how do we manage the supply chain shortfall for our food and how did we get here? 

I pray for people, events, hopes, and disappointments.  I pray about where we are in our life journeys and where we want to be as servants of our Living God. I ask for comfort, strength, understanding, grace, and mercy.  I pray for healing, peace, patience, and joy.  I lift up struggles for family, friends, and those I have never met.  I sometimes include myself in these prayers but try to pray for others more than myself.

With all the ways and times, I speak with our Lord, I rarely lift up a prayer of thanks.  It shouldn’t be that way.  I am thankful and grateful for how God has been and continues to shape and mold us, to be with us, and to love us unconditionally.  Tomorrow, many of us will celebrate a holiday of thankfulness.  Let’s make this a regular part of each day, in addition to what we may say and do on Thursday.

I also share with you this song (see YouTube link below), which inspires me to say Thank you God for being in my life. Thank you, God, for your Son and our Savior.  Thank you, God, for your love, now and always.  And Amen.

 

https://youtu.be/047xtru0ZR0

Jesus had a Reputation

Posted on by Bode

One of the first sermons I preached was on the healing of the Centurion’s servant.  The miracle can be found in each of the Synoptic Gospels.  The authors of each Gospel do not disclose what the servant’s illness was, nor how many remedies had been tried.  Somehow, the Centurion heard about Jesus. 

As people traveled through the region, they talked about what Jesus was doing and saying.  He had appeared at the Temple and was bringing new meaning to the ancient words of God.  He had healed lepers, a man who was paralyzed, and he had driven out demons.  Jesus called others to accompany Him on His mission, choosing not Sadducees and Pharisees, but fishermen and a tax collector.

News of the young rabbi spread quickly.  He was becoming known by many names.  Good Shepherd, Messiah, Word, Son of David, Son of Man, Son of God, Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace among them.  This was the person the Centurion sought to heal his servant. 

When the Centurion, or those who speak on his behalf, meets with Jesus, he acknowledges Jesus’ authority.  Jesus only needs to say the word and the Centurion’s servant will be healed.  Jesus lifts up the Centurion’s faith before saying the word which heals his servant.  And Jesus’ reputation grew.

We, who are servants of the living God, also have a reputation.  The United Methodist Church responds to God’s Great Commission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  Through our Global Ministries, we provide support through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.  We create flood buckets, health kits, school kits, and layette kits to share with people around our nation and around the world who are rebuilding their lives and homes.

United Methodist Women and Men groups make a difference in their local communities by raising awareness of the people who need help with food, clothing, and housing.  Our youth help to transform homes through mission trips like Appalachian Serve Project and Red Bird Mission.  Local projects like food pantries, community meals, and even rummage sales help to support people in our neighborhoods. 

Small groups meet to explore our understanding of what it means to be Christians in the 21st century. We continue to discover ways to answer the call God has placed upon our lives.  We are learning what it means to become disciples and wear the mantle of servant leadership.  To quote our founder: “We are moving on to perfection.” 

We are about to enter the season of Advent.  Many faith communities will adopt families, providing Thanksgiving dinners, presents, and winter apparel for others.  We do all this because our sense of mission is at the center of who we are and who’s we are. 

This is our heritage.  This is our reputation.  May we seek ways to continue to answer God’s call upon our lives.  We hope that others will share the news of what we do, of how we are making a difference in the lives of those we meet, and those we have yet to know on our journeys of service.  As we celebrate what we have done, and what we are doing, may we also consider what we can do next for the sake of our Lord and Savior?  And Amen.

Planting Seeds

Posted on by Bode

I know that we are in the midst of Autumn.  Right now, raking leaves is a daily chore for me.  My next-door neighbor has two 60 foot maple trees in their yard, and they are just now beginning to drop their leaves. Soon, snow will begin in earnest.  Even though that’s true, I am already thinking about which flowers I might plant next Spring. 

I think my favorite plant is the Hosta. They are pretty resilient and easy to care for.  Still, I believe it’s just a little too early to be planning for next Spring.  Winter is coming.  Right now, the ornamental grass plants in the backyard are blooming, though I think it might be a bit earlier than usual. 

Once Spring approaches, I will start to visit websites more often and walk through the gardening section of stores as I consider what to plant for next year.  Part of me doesn’t want to wait, but I know that this isn’t quite the time to start. The ground needs a while to rest, to recover, to replace the nutrients that were used up last Spring and Summer. 

I want the seeds I plant to take root, grow, and flourish.  I want them to add to the panoply of color that I hope my garden can be next year.  But for now, it is time to do the research, create a plan and prepare for next Spring’s planting.

The same is true for our faith communities.  We are still in a time of waiting.  Many events have unfolded in the last few years which are causing us to rethink what it means to be active in our churches.  Some are wrestling with what it means to be Methodist, acknowledging that there are issues that are dividing rather than uniting us. 

Others are frustrated that the ways we have connected with one another socially still can’t happen.  Not everyone has returned to Coffee Hours and in-person dinners.  Small groups and Bible Studies have gone virtual.  Our parking lots have become our most frequent gathering spaces. We may struggle with mask mandates and social distancing, as we watch the positive rate in our counties continue to rise.

Some have come to realize they are tired.  Our time away and apart has shown us that the same people have been engaged in the mission and ministry of our faith communities for years and even decades.  This unanticipated break, instead of being a time to renew and re-energize, has become a time to step away and to stop.  Many of our faith communities are searching for those who will be the next person to care for the lost and the least, to share the Good News of our risen Savior, and to make disciples for the transformation of the world.

I know we want to begin.  We want to restart, reset, renew, and repeat what we did before.  Before General Conference 2019. Before the pandemic.  Before George Floyd’s death.  Before wildfires. Before earthquakes, hurricanes, and flooding.

Spring is coming.  But it has not arrived yet.  We are still in that space where our faith communities need to prepare for what’s next.  Some are caring for buildings, completing long-postponed repair and remodeling projects, in anticipation of when our doors will be open again. 

If you have not already done so, I invite each faith community to have conversations about the missions and ministries which will be possible, what seeds of God’s love will be planted, nurtured, and cultivated in the days to come.  The landscape of who we are and who we serve is changing.  Hear the Good News! God is still with us in all that we do.  The Holy Spirit dwells within us, helping the seeds of faith, love, and grace grow and blossom in ways yet to be revealed. May this time be a way to prepare ourselves and those we serve for the seeds which take root, grow and bear fruit. And Amen.

 

The Missing Piece

Posted on by Bode

I don’t often talk about puzzles, but sometimes they make an illustration easier for me.  Below is a picture of the new puzzle I’m working on.  It is a 40,000 piece Disney movie puzzle, ten different pictures of animated Disney films.  The first one, which I just completed, was The Lion King.  It took longer than I expected to finish, because there were more important things I needed to do.

About six weeks ago, I realized there was a piece missing.  I feared that it might have been eaten up by the vacuum cleaner, or that I had misplaced it when I stored the puzzle for a couple weeks.  I kept searching for it amongst the other pieces that I laid out, or in the original storage bag.  The piece wasn’t there. 

From time to time, I would stop working other sections of the puzzle to be sure that the elusive piece wasn’t still among the ones I hadn’t placed yet.  I even wondered if I had mixed it up with another puzzle that I started working on during a break.  I considered purchasing a replacement puzzle, but because of the pandemic the price is well over $1,000, more than I am willing to pay.  So I resigned myself to the fact that when I finished The Lion King there would be one piece missing. I felt like the woman in Luke who searched for the lost coin (Luke 15: 8-10).

And of course…..I found it!  It was hidden under a section of the completed puzzle.  I felt so relieved once I found it. It seemed that the rest of the puzzle took no time to complete.  That’s when I realized that I had been distracted by searching for the missing piece.  Every couple of days, I looked for that piece.  Even as I worked other sections of the puzzle, my eyes kept drifting back to that empty spot. 

The parable of the lost coin is one of three parables that Jesus shares with the disciples, encouraging them to seek those who are separated from the group, whether it is a sheep, a coin or a child who makes the wrong choices.  I never thought I would be like the woman who lost a silver coin.  My son’s response to finding the piece was classic.  He said: “There are thousands of others.”

He isn’t wrong.  But I can’t help but think that our role as servant leaders, whether we are laity or clergy, is to do what we can to find the missing pieces of our faith communities.  Which persons are still searching for how to answer the call God has placed upon their lives and in their hearts?  What missions and ministries aren’t happening because we haven’t found the right person or the right way to plant seeds which will bear fruit?  What needs in our neighborhoods are nagging at us?  How is our Lord continuing to shape and mold us for what is to come?

It’s not a comfortable or easy feeling. I don’t believe that the Lord wants us to settle or be comfortable with where we are. The pandemic has made us aware that we can reach people online, offering a relationship with our Lord to people who may never come to our worship places and spaces. How do we connect with those who are unchurched, or the nones around us?

There are numerous ways that we can search for the lost, rejoicing when we can help them find the right fit for their gifts and talents. The Holy Spirit works within all of us individually and communally to fulfill God’s mission for all of creation.  May we continue to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  And Amen.

The Works of our Hands

Posted on by Bode

A few nights ago, I was watching the Graham Norton Show.  Graham is a British talk show host, and the format of his program is a little different. The guests are already sitting together when the show begins.  What follows is more like friends having a conversation together, rather than an interview by Graham Norton.

Last Friday, one of the guests was Thomas Daly, the British Olympic diver who won a gold medal earlier this year.  He brought the medals for Graham and the other guests to see.  They were in a pouch he had crocheted.  He then set the medals on the floor to show other projects he had completed. 

As he showed some of the items, he talked about his Olympic experience.  Because the athletes were basically in a bubble, he had a lot of free time.  He used that time to teach himself to knit and crochet. Below are two pictures of him and the sweater he made. 

As Thomas described why he started knitting, he spoke about the difference between the Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro Olympic villages.  He described Rio as busy and exciting with athletes from different countries meeting each other, sharing meals, conversations, and camaraderie.  Tokyo was a very different competitive environment.  Between being tested for COVID almost daily, and having to restrict movement and interaction, there was very little for most athletes to do. 

So, Thomas knitted.  A lot.  He turned that wilderness Olympic time into learning a new craft.  Thomas stated that the knitting actually helped him to be more focused when he wasn’t on the diving board. 

I know that the pandemic is not yet in our rearview mirror.  Still, we are getting closer. Like Thomas, we have been living in the same wilderness.  I wonder what new projects we have taken on during our time of isolation.  Did you teach yourself a new craft or pick up an old one to keep your hands busy and your mind off of what we weren’t able to do for a while? Did you complete some items on your “to-do” list because you finally found time to get to them? 

And if the answer to those questions is yes, I hope you won’t consider setting it aside, as we begin to return to what we did before. This time away is an opportunity for each of us to plant new ideas and new ways of being engaged in mission and ministry.  Can a new knitting or crocheting ministry begin where you are, so that more people may receive a shawl, a pocket cross, a hat, or a pair of mittens?  Can a quilting ministry lead to lap blankets for hospice patients or receiving blankets for newborns?

If you have become an amateur carpenter, can you help build a ramp for someone who now needs to use a walker or wheelchair?  Have you been able to develop enough woodworking skills to make bookshelves, cabinets, or storage trunks?

As we begin to recast our visions for the next part of our faith journeys, I encourage each of us to share what we have been doing while we have been apart.  We will be blessed by the ways the works of our hands will create new ways for us to be together and build relationships with our Lord and with one another.  And Amen.

Midwest District