Grace: A Word from Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins

A letter of hope... and explanation... concerning the General Assembly resolution (or, "sense of the Assembly") GA  1327, from our General Minister and President, The Reverend Dr. Sharon Watkins.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ -

 

Grace and peace to you in the name of the living Christ who lives and moves among us, who calls us to the Table, then sends us forth to serve.

 

I write to share a word with all Disciples congregations following an important vote at the 2013 Orlando General Assembly.

 

In these days following assembly,my heart is prayerful; my spirit hopeful; and my love for our church is strong. Surely, God has given Disciples a blessing and a mission for wholeness,
welcoming all to the Lord's Table of reconciliation and love.

 

That blessing and mission for Disciples begins in a congregation. In congregations we come forward and make or reaffirm our confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There we are baptized, our babies are dedicated, we are married and our parents buried. Our faith is nurtured and sometimes challenged in a beloved community of other Disciples we know and love.

 

We extend the blessing as we join hands with other Disciples congregations to share God's love in our communities and around the world. We offer words and prayers of comfort and challenge, as well as hands-on help, to our neighbor in times of need. In many diverse ways, we learn the story of Jesus and invite others to walk in his love.

 

The recent vote to "adopt" Resolution GA1327, Becoming a People of Grace and Welcome to All, has significance for the Church, but it is important to recognize the nature of that significance.

The intent of the resolution is to urge Disciples to welcome into our congregations and other ministries all who seek Christ. It serves as a reminder that among Disciples we do not bar the church door or fence the table from those who desire the embrace of God's love.

 

Here is what this "Sense of the Assembly" resolution is not:

 

• It is not a statement of "unwelcome" for Disciples who did not support the resolution. All who confess faith in Jesus Christ are welcome. All means all.
•  It is not a policy change. The congregation where you worship and serve will not be requested to establish (or change) a policy on gay or lesbian persons in the life of the Church. The region where your congregation is affiliated is not required to change its policies on ordination. Your pastor is not required to bless same-gender marriages.
• It is not a theological mandate. It does not say that we have the same biblical understanding of sexual orientation or gender identity. Disciples, prayerfully and with biblical study and other research, come to their own understanding on these matters.

  

This resolution does, however, carry symbolic importance in the life of our Church. It reminds us that our baptism into the living Christ continues to be our common ground

 

It points out that within the broad membership of Disciples, among the many congregations in covenant with each other, there have always been gay and straight, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender persons who participate fully in the life and leadership of the church.It urges us to treat each other with gospel hospitality as we seek to understand each other better.

 

My deepest hope is that, in the coming weeks and months, with God's help, we will continue in worship and mission together even when we profoundly disagree - as we have so often done before - recognizing that it is God's covenant of love that binds us to God and to one another[1] in Christ. My prayer is that together we will continue to witness to God's gift of reconciliation and wholeness before the brokenness of the world.

 

United though not uniform, diverse but not divided, let us name our differences, then claim our common calling to be and to share the good news of Jesus Christ who came "that the world might be saved". (John 3:17)

 

Your sister in Christ,

 

General Assembly: Day 4

I have many thoughts swimming through my heart and soul tonight...but I seem to lack the clarity of thought, to commit them to paper (or internet, as it is!). 

So I would draw your attention to the "business" of the church...as an Assembly, we gather every two years to discern, discuss, and vote (though we use that word with hesitation) on issues that relate to the life of the church and the world it functions within.  This year, there were three "biggie" issues which included parental leave, drone warfare, and the full inclusion of GLBT persons into the life of the church.

If you'd like to follow along and see what's happening with these resolutions, you can find the link here. You can also find ministry reports there too...as well as an overview of how a resolution makes its way to General Assembly (which, if you're sorta a geek like me, you might find interesting!).

But about that "vote" that I referenced....

As you may know, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) stands by the idea of congregational autonomy...which means, that though we have a few "essentials" (which will be a future blog post)... for the most part, each congregation makes its own decisions, hires its own leaders, decides how to disseminate its financial gifts, interprets scripture, and practices the faith INDIVIDUALLY... without a judicatory or hierarchical body mandating the parameters. 

Because congregations practice autonomy, it also means that when the General Assembly gathers and "votes" on something (like say, full inclusion of all persons into the sacraments of the church), said vote becomes what is called, a "sense of the Assembly."  This means...that the denomination is leaning in this direction (at least those who have gathered)....but it's not a mandate for the local congregation.

That's frustrating for many of us...especially when these "sense of the Assembly" votes move the arc of justice and inclusion and hope in such a way that points to God... but it's also a gift.

We live in a world that is very "black and white" with stark lines drawn between Democrat and Republican, Liberal and Conservative, Pro-Life and Pro-Choice, Homophobic and GLBTQ Advocate, Pacifist and War Supporter, Christian radio listener and Top 40 jammer...you know.  But the church (because of this congregational autonomy, which means that we readily and willingly fall on both sides of just about EVERY issue) gets to figure out how to live together and talk together and argue together and pray together and weep together and break bread together... because we're in this together!

We know, deep in our souls, that unity is not about likeness of mind...but about likeness of Spirit. We know that sometimes, thoughtful dialogue is the spirit at work.  We know that sometimes God uses dissension in the community of faith to increase our capacity to love [Suchocki].  We know that relationship trumps doctrine. 

And what a gift we have to share with the divided world...a gift of new vision: a vision of the Kingdom of God, in all of its diversity and messiness and confusion and gray areas, that is still united in Spirit and Love!!

What a gift it is, to be church.

Thanks be to God...

rt

General Assembly: Day 3

Surely the Kingdom of God must look a little like, what we experienced tonight, in worship.

A table piled high with loaf after loaf of bread.
Lights shining.
Guitars and drums and violins making joyful noise.
The "least of these," preaching a prophetic word.

The littlest ones, playing in the center of it all.
Adults water-coloring with children who were not their own.
Puppets telling the story.
Scripture being read in five - FIVE - different languages.
And songs being sung by heart.

Bread being consumed in the soul.
Holding hands.
Wiping tears.
Loving God.
Living faith.

THIS is Kingdom.

"And God was in their midst."

Thanks be to God...

rt

General Assembly: Day 2

Tonight, The Reverend Dr. Sharon Watkins, our General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), presented to the gathered assembly, the State of the Church. 

You know the numbers.  We've talked about the stats.  The depressing downward slide.  The troubles... the "why are they so big when we're so small" conversations... the hand wringing... and heavy sighs.

We know all that. 

We're living all that.

But tonight she said one thing, that I want us to remember....to claim...to make our own, as we move into the future: "If we were to compare ourselves with God's future, rather than our past...the horizon would be bright."

When I first heard that sentence...that statement of FAITH and HOPE and FUTURE... an "amen" erupted from my lips! 

May we be those people...as congregational people and denominational people... but even more so, as faith people... who compare ourselves to God's future... with faithful abandon and reckless hope...and believe (like, way down in our toes and in our gut!) that God is NOT done with us yet! 

Thanks be to God...

rt

General Assembly: Day 1

Day 1 of General Assembly has come to a close and as I get ready for bed, I'm struck by a few things:

1. There's something about General Assembly that evokes a renewed sense of denominational pride and loyalty.  So much so, that I painted my toes to convey that pride and loyalty! And the fact that I took, and published, a picture of said toes, is a testament to how proud I really am, of our Church!  (I may or may not have a weird aversion to feet.)

2. Worshipping with 4,500 other people who all breath the same Disciples air you breath...is well...breathtaking.

Tonight, in the sermon, a church in Ohio was referenced.  This church has, just outside their entrance and engraved in stone, the following:

We agree to differ;
Resolve to love;
And live to serve.

Can we all just engrave this on our hearts, and be done with it?!  As people of faith, as local churches, as regional bodies, and as the general manifestation of a what it means to be "church," I wish we could make this our mantra (if we were the kind-a folks who had mantras).  "We agree to differ, resolve to love, and live to serve."

Instead, we get things muddled.  We forget that the church is bigger than us.  We forget all the good that the church has nurtured in us...all the moments of reconciliation it has fostered...all the voices of justice that it has reared...all the glimpses of the Divine that it has allowed us....

And I think what General Assembly does, at least for those who actively participate, is help clear the muddled waters a bit.

I mean, it's not like we don't step out of the worship service saying things like, "I would'a ended that sermon differently," or, "I can't believe I paid $35 for that piece of dry chicken?"  Afterall, most of us (or the clergy at least), spent three years of seminary learning how to critique.  Everything.  It's part of our job.  It's part of being prophetic.  It's also just part of being human.  And dare I say, it's part of being church.

But in spite of our critiques, there's a hope that floats just a little above our hearts and a giddiness in our voices, that reminds us WHY we're church. 

...When the fear of "not good enough" tries to conquer us...we are reminded that God has called us to be the Divine presence to a broken world.  Even in our own brokenness.
...When we fear "what might be" and retreat into safe-keeping...we are reminded that God is with God's people...be it, in the desert or the valley or the sea.  Or even in death.
...When we fear saying something - anything - because it might ruffle a feather...we are reminded that God spoke mightily, and gave even those who were not public speakers, a voice that was salvific. And God expects us to continue to be a voice of Justice, Peace, Hope, and Reconciliation.
...When we fear that the world is too much...the injustice and the murder and the hatred and the anxiety and the pain...is just too much, and it begins to seep into our soul... we are reminded that the burden is not ours to carry alone, but one to share with the One who is creating and re-creating and the One who empowers us, as co-creators.
...When the fear of dying tries to break us...we are reminded that God is a resurrecting God.  And new life can only begin, when we let that which is dead in us, die fully.

Tonight, The Reverend Dr. Glen Miles (minister of Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri) served as the opening worship preacher...an honor, no doubt.  And during his sermon, he said something (well, several things...but one in particular) that struck me as truth. He said: "Fear is about our ego... and not about God."

If we're to be a people about God...and not about the ego (let the world do that...it's pretty good at it anyway)...then we have to let those fears go.  We just have to. 

We're breathing the same Divine air (be it Disciple or Buddhist or Anglican or...or whatever air you breath).... let it inspire our pride and our loyalty, our passion and our compassion, our voice and our heart.......let it inspire us. 

Just a thought, on this General Assembly evening...

Thanks be to God....

rt

Worship: Live Streaming From General Assembly

While Disciples from all over the country, gather in Orlando for five days to study and learn, pray and teach, laugh and cry...one of the things they/we will do best, is worship! 

If you are interested in watching a live stream of these daily and nightly worship services, click on the link here, and follow the instructions as necessary.

Teach us to pray, O Lord!! Teach us to pray!