Yeast Thoughts

My camera has been stolen. :( No more photos for a while.

I was reading through some resources for World Communion Sunday at the General Board of Discipleship (UMC), and came across this reflection that I want to share with you.

Yeast Thoughts

by Mike Hodge

Yeast makes bread rise because of the bubbles of gas that it produces. When the yeast is mixed throughout the dough, the bread rises and has the proper rough and airy texture. But if all of the yeast is lumped together in one small part of the dough, the bread won't rise evenly and will have big, empty holes in it. Even so, the church — the people of the Kingdom — must be intimately involved in life, in the world, in the flour of humanity. When we have clustered ourselves together, fearfully barricaded behind sanctuary walls, we have created great, empty holes in God's world that are filled with nothing but hot air. But if we who call ourselves yeast are willing to become so involved in the pain, the despair, and the laughter of life that our main concern becomes enabling people to grow into all that they can be — then God's bread will become perfect in quality, with yeast permeating every part of the dough. Being involved with life — intimately mixed through and through it — sounds dangerous. Yeast dies in the oven, having lost itself to the creation of something new. May we also be willing to lose ourselves.

This reading is from Alive Now!, September-October 1976, copyright © 1976 by The Upper Room. Attempts in contacting the author have been unsuccessful and we solicit any information on their whereabouts. At the time of publication these writers were students at Scarritt-Bennett College in Nashville, Tennessee.

Korea pics

Yes, I'm a complete delinquent here. But sometimes life in the real world takes precedence.

Here are a couple photos from Korea for anyone still tuned in. I leave tomorrow to spend a week leading orientation (in Cheyenne) for our four new volunteers. I'm pretty sure it's not going to be a complete disaster... beyond that, I don't want to jinx it! We do have a house, and a bunch of furniture, and I have a schedule and packets of materials for orientation, and we're going on retreat Thursday to Saturday, so really, I'm hoping anything else I forgot can be taken care of after this week.

The first two photos are Kumnan Methodist Church in Seoul, where the 19th World Methodist Conference was held. This church has 110,000 members. Seriously.


Every morning when we entered, we were greeted warmly by women in traditional dress. There were also people in every stairwell, smiling and bowing as we passed. Kumnan Methodist Church provided morning and afternoon refreshments, plus lunch, every day for over 2000 people attending the conference. Now that's what I call hospitality.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was visiting a guard post at the edge of the De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) with North Korea. I don't think I can do the experience justice in this space, but ask me sometime and I'll be glad to tell you about it.

We had to stand behind a yellow line 20 feet back from the wall of the viewing area to take pictures. The DMZ itself is 4 km across, 2 km each side of the Line of Demarcation. There are two small villages within the DMZ, one of which is a ghost town put up for show as part of the peace agreement, plus an industrial zone where a small number of North Koreans and South Koreans are now permitted to work side by side. The valley is lush and green, except for a barren dirt area around the industrial zone. You can just make out the mountains of North Korea, which we learned are stripped completely bare of trees because of the people's poverty there.

Someone from our group started to sing "Let There Be Peace on Earth," and gradually several others joined in. Two soldiers hurried over and told us, “No singing, no singing!” “No religious services are allowed here.” “Stop singing, please!”

Truly, a simple prayer sung from the heart is a powerful thing - it even makes soldiers nervous.

Don't tell me hate is ever right or God's will
These are the wheels we put in motion ourselves
The whole world weeps and is weeping still
Though shaken I still believe
the best of what we all can be
The only peace this world will know
can only come from love.

-- Carrie Newcomer, "I Heard an Owl," from Gathering of Spirits

These are balloons we released with prayers for peace and reconciliation during an outdoor worship service a few miles south of the DMZ.

On the left is Fabiola Grandon from Chile, a new member of the officers of the World Methodist Council, and a new friend of mine.

Finally, I did manage to do a little sightseeing while in Korea: N Seoul Tower (yes, we went up in it to the observation area) and Deoksugung Palace, first built in the 15th century.

I have more pictures, but not enough time to post them today. Hope you enjoy these!

Lots of Methodists in Korea

Greetings, fellow bloggers! I write this post from Seoul, (South) Korea, where the World Methodist Council has just wrapped up business after two days of meetings. Tomorrow begins the World Methodist Conference, a celebration of some 73 churches/denominations with roots in the Methodist tradition, with ministries in 132 countries around the world. Very exciting to be here as a Council member, and I hope to have a chance to see some of the city before I leave next week. But I might not have much chance to post again while here. Hope you're all well out there!

Why I am not a patriot

In this week of the Fourth of July, Independence Day here in the U.S., I've been thinking a lot about patriotism and nationalism, allegiance and obligation, freedom and justice.

As someone with dual citizenship (U.S. and Australia), I have never been able to get fully on board with the flag-waving, red-white-and-blue-wearing, if-you're-not-with-us-you're-against-us mindset about the country of my birth. I love fireworks - regardless of the occasion - and I enjoy apple pie, but I do not say the pledge of allegiance. My allegiance is with God, as I have known God to be revealed in Jesus the Christ, who stood for compassion and justice, love and response-ability to those in need. I certainly appreciate the gifts of a democratic government, but I do not believe it is ordained by God any more than the monarchies of Europe. And don't get me started on capitalism.

I have recently begun to examine my willingness to sing the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." Previously I felt this was more acceptable to my conscience than pledging allegiance, but a musing from Dean McIntyre of the General Board of Discipleship has made me reconsider: "It is not a hymn or sacred song — it is a recounting through music of a military battle." As someone who abhors war and believes that the greatest justice and peace can be accomplished through nonviolent means, I am somewhat astonished that I never reflected on the battle perspective of the anthem before.

In contrast, Australia's national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair," focuses on the courage and optimism of the people and the natural resources of the land (but check out the original lyrics for some rampant imperialism and echoes of "Manifest Destiny"). I guess any time we (Euro-mutt immigrants' descendants) start to wax poetic about the places we've come to reside in, we have trouble remembering that the land is all part of God's creation, and was originally inhabited by others with customs and cultures indigenous to what we think of as "our" part of the world.

My personal preference, for honoring one's native land without forgetting that God is God of the whole world, is "This Is My Song," set to the tune Finlandia. Consider verse 1:

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
A song of peace for lands afar and mine.
This is my home, the country where my heart is
Here are my hopes, my dreams, my sacred shrine.
But other hearts in other lands are beating,
With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

When we remember that all people on earth are God's children, it becomes harder to justify "collateral damage" and civilian casualties - or even, if we are really convicted of God's love for all humanity, to justify the vast sums we spend on building bigger bombs and tanks to destroy other countries' armies.

Many argue that "freedom isn't free," and that we would not have the privileges of freedom and democracy in this country today without the sacrifices that soldiers have made over the years. There is some truth to this, but I think it fails to see the larger picture. My problem is not with people who believe something so strongly they are willing to live and die for it; I have a problem with people who believe so passionately and blindly that they are willing to kill others for the cause.

Jim Winkler, of the UMC General Board of Church and Society, has written a thoughtful article on the relationship between violence and freedom. I greatly appreciate his countercultural perspective that it is possible to win liberty and democracy without a bloody revolutionary war.

So what did I do on the 4th of July this year? Not much. I helped make an apple pie. I watched Good Night, and Good Luck on video. And I prayed that people around the world might know liberty, justice, and peace - and that we might stop seeing violence and war as the solution to every problem we face.

Notes from the whirlwind

Whew... where did June go? Not that I'm displeased to be at summer solstice already, but seriously, wasn't Memorial Day just yesterday?

Since my last post, I have:

• attended graduation ceremonies for my alma mater - great to see lots of people who forgot I was still in town, sad that several of them are moving away now
• traveled back to New England for a big step in my ordination process: Commissioning as a Probationary Deacon. This means that I am now "probationary" clergy - and (I think) available for weddings and funerals!
• visited Evanston, Wyoming for Wyoming Philanthropy Days. I can almost say it with a straight face. Actually, it was a great learning experience with several helpful workshops and a good chance to network with others in the community service/nonprofit world in the wide open spaces of Wyoming. And the Evanston area is really beautiful (it's right on the western border with Utah, just 80 miles from Salt Lake City).
• helped out with the street fair in my church's neighborhood (and got sunburnt, but not too badly)
• completely given up on having a remotely tidy house for at least another week.

This week is Rocky Mountain's annual conference, which means presentations and legislative committee petitions and worship participation and young adult council meetings for me. Woohoo! Okay, it will probably be pretty fun once I finish procrastinating and have the presentations ready to go.

Now that I am United Methodist clergy (sort of... three years until full ordination), I was not very excited (but also not that surprised) to learn from UMC.org and Time that I've just entered one of the least healthy professional groups in the U.S. No wonder my pants all feel tighter now...

What's going on? What's happening? What's this about?

I was going to blog about something funny from my life today (or possibly this weekend), but I can't remember what it was. Don't you hate that?

Oh well.

On the plus side, I went hiking today, and it was lovely. Perfect weather, and got to explore in Castlewood Canyon, south and east of Denver in Colorado's Black Forest - some really gorgeous scenery.

That's the calm in the midst of the storm that is my life right now... okay, that's exaggerating a bit, but work is very busy all of a sudden. Mostly in a good way. We just need some additional funding for this new volunteer program to help dissolve the worry-stone in the pit of my stomach. 'Cause if we run out of money, I'm out of a job. :P

It's all about faith, baby! --and I just have to keep telling myself that!

In other news (namely, Kerry's TV Addiction Land), I am sad. Not only has The West Wing passed the baton to a brilliant young up-and-comer as the new president, whose administration we'll never get to see in all its wit and fast-talking-hallway-walking; and Will & Grace fast-forwarded through a rocky patch, an "I'm glad we reconciled but that chapter of my life is over" patch, and a would-be-touching-if-it-weren't-quite-so-neatly-wrapped-up conclusion; but I just found out today (okay, I've slacked off the last couple weeks) that Everwood is also going off the air, after next week's series finale! I am feeling deserted by my television friends. Gilmore Girls probably has one season left, but

[SPOILER ALERT IF YOU MISSED THE SEASON FINALE]

I can't believe Lorelai went back and slept with Christopher because Luke wouldn't elope on the spot!! I mean, come on, girl! You needed to talk to the man months ago instead of holding that resentment inside. This is another case - as with this season of West Wing (an April election? please!) - of dragging out the storyline to fit the viewing season, instead of portraying people doing the best they can to work through the challenges that come in a timely way.

Okay. That's all.

Clearly, my own social life has not been providing sufficient drama lately.

Jesus & the Prom

I don't have cable to watch Comedy Central this year, but from time to time I get summaries of two favorite shows, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, from various personal and online sources. This week Sojourners magazine/community picked up on Stephen Colbert's (satirical) response to the cancellation of prom at a Catholic high school on Long Island.

SojoMail, their free weekly email-zine of spirituality, politics, and culture, reports it this way:

While [Principal] Hoagland was disturbed by the sex, booze, and drugs that have become part of the prom weekend experience for many, he primarily denounced it for "the flaunting of affluence, assuming exaggerated expenses, a pursuit of vanity for vanity's sake - in a word, financial decadence."

Hoagland wrote the parents to inform them of the reasons for his decision. He argued, "We are concerned about how our young people are being educated in the use of wealth and the experience of power that wealth gives.... The current culture of the prom on Long Island does not represent to us a proper Christian use of wealth."

Comedian Stephen Colbert tackled the prom story on his new show The Colbert Report, a spin-off of Jon Stewart's The Daily Show.... "Yeah, I know that this is a Catholic school and Jesus said it's easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. But may I remind Brother Hoagland, our nation is rich enough to buy some really huge needles..."

Read the full story at SojoNet (requires free registration).

Casting lots

Now here's a decision-making practice that has the advantage of being both convenient and scriptural. LarkNews.com now offers a virtual LotCaster (Beta), for use in situations with two options or for use with yes/no questions. Visit http://www.larknews.com/ and scroll down a little to see the link on the left of your screen. Slightly less conspicuous than getting out the Magic 8-Ball at your office desk!

Another link or two for you

Okay, I know it's cheating, but I'm a little spent at the end of the week. So here's another link for resources celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Women's Full Clergy Rights in the UMC, brough to you by the fine researchers, writers, editors, and compilers of the United Methodist News Service.

And in case you're wondering what I'm reading this week, I was delighted to discover recently that Jasper Fforde has begun a new series after completing the adventures of Thursday Next in four volumes (The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, and Something Rotten). The Big Over Easy is the first in the Nursery Crime series, in which Jack Spratt investigates the sudden death of Humpty Dumpty, minor baronet, womanizer, alcoholic, marginally criminal speculator and investor. It's lots of good fun, and (although less of an incentive for this former English major) requires less in the way of arcane knowledge of classic literature than the Thursday Next adventures. I recommend the book, and also the author's website, www.jasperfforde.com, which is so full of clever fun and silliness I may not get any work done for a couple days.

In unrelated news, I have just discovered the mysterious appearance of a second trash can under my desk here at work. Bizarre.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone, and Happy Mother's Day to all who are mothers in one way or another!

The photos you've been waiting for

Hmm, that sounds like the subject line for a spam email, doesn't it? Ah well.

Okay, in this first picture, taken near the end of the concert, you probably can't read the tags (click on the photo to see it larger), but they point to author Amy Tan, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, author Greg Iles, and humorist/author Dave Barry.

We were sitting pretty close to the front, but I didn't feel like climbing over people's legs to get out and go stand in front of the stage like the other groupies visible here.

Photo #2 shows Amy Tan singing "These Boots Are Made for Walking." That's Mayor Hickenlooper (seriously, the funniest name for a mayor... makes me want to make up a rhyming Dr. Seuss-like poem about him... words that rhyme would include chicken-cooper, and... um... okay, it would only have two lines) over on the left, being more than a good sport and even, as you'll see in the next photo, hamming it up a little.

Ladies and gentlemen, Amy Tan and the Mayor of Denver in "These Boots Are Made for Walking."

Hey, it's all for a good cause, right?

50th Anniversary of Women's Full Clergy Rights

On this day in 1956, the General Conference of The Methodist Church voted to affirm full clergy rights for women, ending a long history of baby steps and individual cases of recognizing women called to ministry with decisive action.

The United Methodist Church has declared 2006 a year to recognize this 50th anniversary, and so here are a few resources for those interested in joining the celebrations:

This month's issue of the Circuit Rider is full of articles on women in ministry.

The General Board of Discipleship has a listing of Worship Resources to celebrate the anniversary.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry sponsors a website by, for, and about UM Clergywomen.

And, just to lighten things up a little, here are the
Top 10 Reasons Why Men Shouldn't Be Ordained:

10. A man's place is in the army.

9. For men who have children, their duties might distract them from the responsibilities of being a parent.

8. Their physical build indicates that men are more suited to tasks such as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be "unnatural" for them to do other forms of work.

7. Man was created before woman. It is therefore obvious that man was a prototype. Thus, they represent an experiment, rather than the crowning achievement of creation.

6. Men are too emotional to be priests or pastors. This is easily demonstrated by their conduct at football games and watching basketball tournaments.

5. Some men are handsome; they will distract women worshipers.

4. To be ordained pastor is to nurture the congregation. But this is not a traditional male role. Rather, throughout history, women have been considered to be not only more skilled than men at nurturing, but also more frequently attracted to it. This makes them the obvious choice for ordination.

3. Men are overly prone to violence. No really manly man wants to settle disputes by any means other than by fighting about it. Thus, they would be poor role models, as well as being dangerously unstable in positions of leadership.

2. Men can still be involved in church activities, even without being ordained. They can sweep paths, repair the church roof, and maybe even lead the singing on Father's Day. By confining themselves to such traditional male roles, they can still be vitally important in the life of the Church.

1. In the New Testament account, the person who betrayed Jesus was a man. Thus, his lack of faith and ensuing punishment stands as a symbol of the subordinated position that all men should take.

Justice Denied

Sorry, I still haven't gotten those concert pictures up. But today's post is a little more important, if perhaps less surprising, than bestselling authors rockin' out to "Gloria."

The Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church has declined to review Decision #1032, released last fall. If you recall, the Council ruled that a pastor in charge of a church has sole discretion to determine a person's readiness to take the vows of church membership, affirming the decision of a pastor who denied membership to a gay man who was in a relationship. The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) has an E-News Update containing an excellent summary of the dissenting opinions, as well as action steps those of us who disagree with the ruling can take. You can also read today's decision, with concurring and dissenting opinions, from the UMC.org website.

Another sad day for a denomination that claims to have "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors." United Methodism has a proud tradition of inclusiveness that should be extended, not ended. If, like me, you believe that Jesus wanted everyone to be welcome in the communities of those who follow him, please consider supporting the Reconciling Ministries Network, or another organization working to promote understanding, reconciliation, acceptance, and celebration of all kinds of diversity in the church.

Rock Bottom Remainders

Last night I lucked out and got a free ticket to see the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band composed (almost) entirely of famous authors. And yes, they were about as good as you would expect given that description! :) Actually, they were very entertaining, and I knew far more of the songs they played than I did for the band that opened for them (Crazed Individuals, who I could tell were talented, but still could have done without), which says more about my lack of with-it-ness than anything else.

The concert was a benefit for Denver SCORES, an afterschool program that seeks to fight both illiteracy and obesity among children by combining soccer and poetry. (Unusual, but cool.) A friend of mine works there, which is the only reason I heard about the event in the first place. I'll post some photos later today - and can I say, I haven't actually read The Joy Luck Club or any of her other writing, but having seen Amy Tan in dominatrix get-up to sing "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" has given me a whole new level of respect for her as a person!

Dining Out for Life - Today!

For those in the greater Denver and Boulder areas, I encourage you to participate in Dining Out for Life today, a fundraise for Project Angel Heart. Project Angel Heart provides nutritious, home-delivered meals and a caring presence to those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other life-threatening illnesses. Today, participating restaurants donate 25% of their food and non-alcoholic beverage sales to support Project Angel Heart.

Tons of restaurants participate (yes, that is the statistically accurate quantification), so it's easy to find a good meal in your price range to help out this wonderful organization. Sorry not to have gotten this out sooner (like yesterday), but there's still time to grab dinner!

Pastoral Letter from LGBT United Methodist Clergy

I'm back from a young adult retreat in Glenwood Springs - not as relaxing as it would have been if I were attending without leading, but still very enjoyable - and trying now for the third time to post this press release (work with me, Blogger!).

The Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church (UMC), our denomination's highest church court, will meet this week in Overland Park, Kansas, to decide, among other things, whether to reconsider a ruling made last October reinstating a pastor who had excluded a gay man from membership in a United Methodist church. Seventy-five United Methodist clergy have issued a pastoral letter to the UMC via the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), and they invite other LGBT clergy in the denomination to join as co-signatories (see bottom of press release for contact info).

To learn more of the background, read the United Methodist News Service stories about the issue, or my post responding to the ruling last fall.

In addition to spreading the word about the letter and press release, I ask your prayers, as students from both Iliff School of Theology and St. Paul School of Theology (two of the 13 United Methodist seminaries) will offer a Reconciling Witness during the Council session (learn more at RMN's website; scroll down on the front page). May hearts, minds, and doors be opened to God's unconditional love.


---------------------------------------------------------------

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Susan Laurie 773.736.5526
Rev. Troy Plummer 773.315.9225

Letter from 75 UMC Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Clergy Notes Defrocking Fears yet a Continued Commitment to Service

On Eve of UMC Judicial Council, Clergy Insist On Inclusion of LGBT Community and Say Hundreds Still Serve Silently in Church

(Chicago - April 18, 2006) -In an unprecedented move and at great personal risk 75 United
Methodist Church (UMC) lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) clergy issued a letter to UMC church leaders today seeking full inclusion in the life of the church and outlining their deep fear of coming out of the closet because, like Beth Stroud, they will be stripped of their ordination credentials. The letter also reaffirmed their commitment to serve the Church.

The 75 signatories were collected by the Reconciling Ministries Network, a "national grassroots organization that exists to enable full participation of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life of the United Methodist Church, both in policy and practice." The list includes clergy from every jurisdiction in the UMC and represents a unified voice of hundreds of others who serve the church in silence at all levels.

The Methodist denomination has been wrestling with the issue of homosexuality since 1972, when it declared homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching." Since that time, legislation has been passed preventing the ordination of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals." The ban against homosexuals extended from clergy to the laity when an October 2005 Judicial Council ruling allowed a pastor to withhold membership vows from a gay man.*

"This letter represents hundreds of clergy from around the United States who are giving their heart and soul to the United Methodist Church and its ministry through work in local congregations and specialized settings," said Dr. Joretta Marshall, chair of the Reconciling Ministries Network and RMC clergy member. "Their voices and experiences are silenced out of fear of losing their standing in the church and, as a result, fear of losing their ability to respond to the call of God for their lives. It is a tragedy that so many good pastoral leaders have to hide and live in fear when they have gifts and graces in abundance to share."

While the debates around homosexuality will continue in the church, the signers of the letter emphatically state that "even with the most restrictive legislation, LGBT people will still be raised up through the UMC's Sunday School and youth programs. They will hear God's voice calling them into ministry, and Boards of Ordained Ministry will continue to find them called and gifted candidates, regardless of their sexual orientation."

Additional clergy are welcomed to confidentially add to the number of signers in a secure way. For instructions on how to do so, contact Jennifer Soule, Attorney At Law, at 312-616-4422 (indicate "RMN confidential respondent" when calling).

# # #

----------------- Pastoral Letter -----------------------------------------------------------

A PASTORAL LETTER TO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FROM 75 LESBIAN/GAY/BISEXUAL/TRANSGENDER UM CLERGY

For Immediate Release

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ's body--that's who you are! You must never forget this.

- 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 (Peterson, The Message)

We are 75 lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) clergy in The United Methodist Church and we feel it is time our voices were heard in the debates regarding sexuality and the church.

We have known the church at its best through first hand experience. In baptism, we were welcomed into the loving, waiting arms of the family of God. The United Methodist Church both nurtured and confirmed our faith, saturating our lives in God's grace. You are the church that opened our minds and hearts to God's irrevocable call into ministry.

As your pastors, we have embodied God's presence in worship and in your lives, blessing your marriages, responding to midnight calls, holding your hands, wiping your tears, and laying your precious loved ones to rest. We have had the joy and privilege of baptizing you, your children, and your grandchildren, and we have experienced the profound mystery of the spirit of Christ in serving you Holy Communion.

At the same time, we have known the church at its worst. Since 1972, the UMC has been on a slow but steady course to exclude LGBT people from the life of the church as a whole. Many in our denomination support this dismembering of Christ's Body. Yet even while our sister Beth Stroud was stripped of her ordination credentials, LGBT clergy continue to serve the church faithfully at every level of leadership.

We serve our beloved United Methodist Church at great cost. We have experienced personally the church's power to harm as it rejects an elemental part of who we are. The UMC's official policy has pushed us, as well as our families, into closets of fear and isolation. We are not deceitful people, but the church has given us no choice. To deny God's calling in our lives would leave a void in the Body of Christ.

As LGBT clergy, we are also keenly aware of the suffering of LGBT laity who question whether they can continue to support the UMC with their ongoing prayers, faithful presence, personal and financial gifts, and dedicated service when the church has declared their lives to be incompatible with Christian teaching. Judicial Council Decision 1032 has revealed what we have known for a long time: there are those in the UMC whose agenda is not only antithetical to our Wesleyan heritage, but a dismembering of the Body of Christ.

Yet we know that it is ultimately impossible for the church to amputate us from Christ's Body. Even with the most restrictive legislation, LGBT people will still be raised up through the UMC's Sunday School and youth programs. They will hear God's voice calling them into ministry, and Boards of Ordained Ministry will continue to find them called and gifted candidates, regardless of their sexual orientation. Many will realize, as we have, that seeking ordination in another, more welcoming denomination, is impossible-for it is in the UMC that our spirituality is rooted.

If you are an ordained, commissioned, licensed, or lay LGBT person in The United Methodist Church, take heart! Hear the good news: If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. You are not alone!

We call upon our UM sisters and brothers to break the silence and bear witness to these truths. We implore you to do all in your power to support LGBT people and their families so that we may live our lives as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ with integrity and without fear.

John Wesley's prayer is our prayer, that we might serve the United Methodist Church with "purity of intention, dedicating all the life to God... giving God all our heart...devoting, not a part, but all, our soul, body, and substance to God... loving God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves." (John Wesley's Theology--A Collection from His Works, 1982.)

# # #

*Clarification: the Judicial Council ruling does not categorically ban GLBT laypeople from membership in The United Methodist Church, but it declares that the pastor in charge has sole authority to determine who is fit and ready to take the vows of membership to join the local congregation.

A recipe for Easter

I'm heading off to a young adult retreat in the mountains this weekend, but so you don't all go crazy from the suspense of waiting for me to post again (what? you didn't know I was posting regularly to begin with? :P), I leave you with this Recipe for Easter Bunny Stew, courtesy of Landover Baptist Church (unsaved unwelcome, even on Easter).

Please enjoy responsibly.

Something about that Jesus guy...

Nothing like the high holy days to bring the armchair theologians and momentary church nerds out of the woodwork... Okay, that sounds snotty and disparaging, and actually, I appreciate that at least a couple times a year the mainstream media pays attention to more serious questions of faith. Slate has several articles up currently about the life, death, and identity of Jesus, conveniently summarized here.

Mostly it seems "religion" isn't even considered a newsworthy category; MSNBC's articles on the recently authenticated Gospel of Judas have links to other Science stories, while CNN's article reporting the Archbishop of Canterbury's response to The DaVinci Code considers it primarily a matter of Arts, Culture, Entertainment.

Anyway, just something I noticed recently. I guess the compartmentalized life is just easier to handle for most people.

Crashing the Gate book tour comes to Colorado

In case anyone actually in Colorado has stumbled across this blog, there will be a couple of worthwhile book signings at Tattered Cover (LoDo) this week:

Crashing the Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics, by Jerome Armstrong and Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, is "a shot across the bow at the political establishment in Washington, DC and a call to re-democratize politics in America. Written by two of the most popular political bloggers in America, the book hails the new movement that is changing the way political campaigns are waged." Visit http://www.crashingthegate.com/ or http://www.dailykos.com/ to learn more about the book, the blogs, and the online progressive movement. Moulitsas will be in Boulder tomorrow and Denver on Wednesday, for a book signing at 5pm (and then "Drinking Liberally Denver," a progressive meet-up at Double Daughters, 7:30 - 9:30).
[In addition to having great insights on today's political scene, Markos is married to a friend of mine from high school, so I met him at our 10th class reunion last fall!]

Ending Hunger Now: A Challenge to Persons of Faith, by George McGovern, Bob Dole and Donald Messer. Dr. Don Messer, a professor at Iliff School of Theology, and former U.S. Senator George McGovern will discuss and sign their book at Tattered Cover (LoDo), beginning at 7:30.

...and in the usual Murphaic way of things (that would be due to Murphy's Law), Anne Lamott, author of the wonderful Traveling Mercies and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith, will be at Tattered Cover's Cherry Creek location, also beginning at 7:30 p.m.

And I have choir rehearsal that evening, which means I need to learn to be in three places at once!

Happy Easter!

To celebrate the joy of the Resurrection this Easter Sunday, I offer you this photo of our own (non-Easter) bunny, Lucy.

She likes to sit on top of her cage these days. It makes her feel important.

And here's a pic of springtime in the park.

Pretty, no?

More Book Recommendations

I just realized I never posted the rest of the books I wanted to recommend. So here they are.

Theology, Church, and Culture
Transforming Our Days: Spirituality, Community and Liturgy in a Technological Culture, by Richard R. Gaillardetz. Fascinating Christian cultural criticism of the mindset/worldview created by technology in today's culture, proposing that a (partial) solution to the commodification of life may be found in Christian community, liturgy, asceticism, and mystery.

Process Theology: A Basic Introduction, by C. Robert Mesle and John B. Cobb. Very accessible introduction to a contemporary theology that seeks to integrate the findings of science with belief in a God who is good.

The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church, by Diana Butler Bass. How mainline churches across the U.S. are finding new life in ancient Christian practices. Also check out Practicing Our Faith : A Way of Life for a Searching People, by Dorothy C. Bass.

Reimagining Christianity: Reconnect Your Spirit Without Disconnecting Your Mind, by Alan Jones. Didn't get very far into this, but it seemed a good introduction to a faith that encourages questioning and critical thinking without losing a sense of mystery.

Also, not a specifically faith-related book, but I'm currently reading Sight Hound, by Pam Houston, a Colorado writer. Very enjoyable, although perhaps a couple too many characters to keep track of (each chapter is written from a different character's perspective, including the dogs and cat).

Blessings on your Easter weekend, everybody!

Welcome to Holy Week

Looking to focus a little more intentionally on prayer or scripture reading as we prepare for Easter? Consider visiting Sacred Space, the prayer site run by Irish Jesuits. I've listed a couple other links at my church's blog.

And if you're not sure what to think about all the pro-immigrant protests, try this article from Slate: the author's take is that the happy medium between the House's amnesty bill and the Senate's criminalization bill is to do nothing at all - make it neither harder nor easier to get into the country legally, and neither offer more incentives nor threaten brute force to undocumented immigrants who are here already.

It seems a plausible policy, likely to satisfy no one (but perhaps won't enrage anyone as much as either of the bills proposed currently). Yet as a Christian I believe in hospitality for the sojourner, and welcoming the stranger - check out Sojourners' faith-based perspectives on compassion, not criminalization.

The Religious Left

Slate has an interesting article about the emergence and categories of the religious left. Of course, as with any taxonomy, broad generalizations are made, but at least we're getting some mainstream press attention. I found myself identifying with more than one classification - how about you?

And as a good Iliff grad, I have to point out that describing African-Americans and Hispanic/Latino people as "ethnic" implies that white European descent is the standard or norm, instead of having its own array of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We (and by we, I don't just mean white people) need to come up with better language to describe our diversity that does not reinforce white privilege by keeping it invisible.

On a fictional note, a bittersweet end to the Santos-McGarry campaign last night... It's too bad the West Wing producers have slowed the pace down so much this season to build to the finale. It's getting hard to imagine what they'll spend the last few episodes on. (Will next week really be only about Leo's funeral? Let's hope not.)

Effectiveness of Prayer

Another example of trying to find scientific evidence to support faith truths and practices: "Does Intercession Work?"

I thought the analysis of the limitations of the study was helpful, but again, it all seems to be a little beside the point. All this focus on the "most effective" way to pray is, I'm sure, important to the ones asking for prayers, but where is the reflection on prayer's role in helping us to see that we are all interconnected, and that our connections to other people are what can help us to draw closer to God?

There are many assumptions made in religious communities about the reasons for and value of prayer that cannot legitimately be analyzed in a scientific study, and there are many understandings of prayer that go way beyond the "vending machine" approach to God or spirituality (put your token prayer in, get your healing effect out). I'm no naysayer of science and medicine, by any means, but I think a holistic approach to health and wellbeing - one that takes into account the psychological and spiritual as well as the physical - by definition cannot be broken down into the cumulative effect of partial approaches.

In other news, I'm going to see a play tonight called "Praying with my eyes open." I'll let you know if they have anything new to add to the scientific study's results.

The Spirituality of Materiality

One of my favorite professors from Iliff, now teaching at Yale Divinity School, has written an excellent article on valuing the material world without worshiping materialism.

As we approach Holy Week, the incarnation takes on special meaning: Jesus bears witness to God's self-giving love, which does not back down or compromise with fear, and in so doing shows us that God is here with us, that God shares our suffering and weeps with us for the brokenness of our world.

Did Jesus Walk on Ice?

Found this article interesting - although I have to say, the literal historical/scientific accuracy of the miracle stories seems beside the point to me.

Book recommendations for thinking Christians

My frustration with The West Wing and this long, drawn-out, attempted swan song of a season is up again today, after an episode about Election Day that did not reveal the results of the election! And although next week promises the "Moment of Truth" about who the next president will be, I am growing more suspicious of a conspiracy to delay the climax of the past TWO SEASONS of campaigning - and since I'm bitter and angry about the political situation and current administration in real life, the show is not living up to its one-time function of providing a lovely alternate reality where smart, witty, attractive Democrats rule the free world.

All of which is to say, I have actually been trying to reduce my TV-watching as one of my Lenten disciplines, which means I've been doing more reading lately. And I thought I'd share some of my recommendations with all 4 of you who read this space. :)

Novels:
Leaving Eden, by Ann Chamberlin. Fascinating mythological/anthropological/fictional account of the primeval couple, told by the Na'amah, daughter of Adam's first wife, Lilith. Offers a thoughtful glimpse into the world of matriarchal hunter-gatherers as they shifted to agriculture and a patriarchal worldview.

Father Melancholy's Daughter, by Gail Godwin. I read the sequel, Evensong, last year, and finally got around to reading the story of Margaret Gower's early life as the precocious daughter of an Episcopal priest who suffers from depression. Her mother's sudden departure from their life, and Margaret's journey to an identity that incorporates but transcends her parents' struggles, are told with careful reflection and an appreciation for both spiritual formation and psychological growth.

Spiritual Growth/Devotion

A Clearing Season: Reflections for Lent, by Sarah Parsons. Whether you have tried observing some form of spiritual discipline during Lent without success, or never understood the point to begin with, this is a wonderful guide to some intentional inner work that is both practical in its specificity and powerful in its insights.

Incandescence: 365 Readings with Women Mystics, compiled and translated by Carmen Acevedo Butcher. Beautiful imagery and fresh phrasing make this collection of brief daily readings both accessible and captivating.

Coming soon: more book recommendations on Theology, Church, and Culture.

Year-to-Date Highlights of My Life

It's been a while since I updated. Sorry - life's busy-ness and stress have kept me from being a faithful blogger lately.

News I should have reported previously:

I am going to be commissioned towards Deacon's orders at the New England Annual Conference this year (during the Ordination Service, Saturday, June 10, 1pm at Gordon College, if memory serves correctly). My Board of Ordained Ministry interviews/examination took place February 10, and although I was quite nervous, they seemed to go well. Now it's just three more years until I can be ordained... But praise God I've made it this far!

I have been nominated as a member of the World Methodist Council for 2006-2011, and so I will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea, for the World Methodist Conference in July. Pretty exciting to be one of 500 people chosen to represent the various branches of Methodism around the globe - and a wonderful opportunity to visit a new place and learn about a different culture. It's not all-expenses-paid, though, so I'll be sending out a plea for financial support to help cover the airfare and accommodations.

Soon I will only be working two jobs instead of three. Sort of. I have loved teaching children about music and drama with the Rising Curtain Theatre & Dance Academy for the past seven months, but between the commute and my other time commitments, I have decided to let this go for the time being. That leaves the Bishop's Young Adult Initiative (a brand-new full-time, year-long volunteer program for the Rocky Mountain/Yellowstone region of the UMC that I'm in charge of), and directing the choir and a few other things at my church here in Denver. And giving piano lessons to a 6-year-old boy at my church. And occasionally singing at weddings and funerals. But those require quite a bit less time and creative energy than teaching theater to kids age 3-7 and 5-14.

I am now the proud co-parent/caretaker/owner of a rabbit. Her name is Luci, and she clearly belonged to someone before my housemate found her in our neighborhood, but no one responded to our flyers or online postings, so we have gotten permission from our landlord to keep her. She's curious, social but not particularly cuddly, litterbox-trained, and very amusing when she does her evening calisthenics.

So life has been full lately. I made it through my crazy winter travel schedule, and although I will be heading out of town a couple more times this spring, I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed most of the time. As always, if you're a friend who lives somewhere other than Colorado, please consider coming to visit me - every season is beautiful in the Rockies! And if you're in the area, think about coming to Highlands UMC for our performance of the Gospel of Mark on Palm Sunday - should be a really powerful experience.

All God's Family Is Welcome

I am going to be published.

I'm very excited about this, as I was actually invited by the editor of a book on worship resources to submit several pieces of liturgy that I have written, and I get two free copies of the book and everything.

But it turns out there's a catch.

The publishing house is Judson Press, affiliated with the American Baptist Church, and they have made a decision about the content of the book based on the denomination's struggles - much like those of the United Methodist Church, and many other mainline Christian denominations - with the issues of inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. The publisher has decided not to include any references to GLBT persons in this book of worship resources.

Of the five pieces I submitted, only one contained a specific reference, and it is very brief, not a focal point of the litany (but important in the theology of the litany, which is about God's Family). The book's editor/compiler, someone I know from Iliff, contacted me to apologize for the publisher's decision, and to get my permission to remove the reference so the litany could be included in the book. I thought and prayed a great deal before replying.

The editor's suggestion was that people who are on the inclusive side of the fence will naturally put the phrase back in if they use the piece in worship. My thought is that there are many people in the middle who, without meaning to be exclusionary or offensive, would not think to put the words in if they are not there to begin with. But if I refused, and withdrew either that submission or all of mine, no one would know what would have been in the book, and only the editor and I would know why.

So I wrote back and said, it's not okay, but go ahead. And, I said, I'll make the piece available to my online networks so people know where I stand, and what I originally wrote and used in worship. And the editor said, Good.

So here's my "controversial" litany, which we used in worship at Highlands UMC in Denver, on Sunday, August 21, 2005. It was read as a response to the Word, which that week was my sermon on "Family Ties": the joy of family of choice and the joy and challenge of the family we don't choose.

I grant permission for its use in worship (with an acknowledgment of my authorship) AS IT IS, because God's family includes people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, gay or straight, bi or trans, as well as people of all sizes, shapes, colors, cultures, languages, political perspectives, and even people who are not ready to welcome, include, affirm, and celebrate all their sisters and brothers.

May God bless your reading and your speaking for love and justice.

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Litany for All God’s Family
by Kerry Greenhill


Leader: We come from many families, many different backgrounds, many different experiences of mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, children, grandparents, stepfamilies and co-parenting, extended families, adoption and guardianship, and families of choice.
People: We give thanks to God for all who have been family to us.
Leader: We come today with wounds unhealed, wrongs unforgiven, abuse or neglect unforgotten. Family has not always been a safe or supportive place, and we struggle to overcome old patterns and generational cycles.
People: We come seeking hope and healing, forgiveness and reconciliation for ourselves and our families.
Leader: We are gathered here as individuals with different gifts and graces, different callings and cultures; people of different ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations and gender identities, different political and theological perspectives, following different paths at different paces.
People: We give thanks for the diversity within God’s family, and for the love and acceptance God extends to all of us as adopted children.
Leader: Let us open ourselves to seeing our sisters and brothers in all people, for we all share the same loving Parent. Let us learn to see all children as our children, and to care and provide for them as best we can, for all the people of earth are part of God’s family.
People: Let us follow Jesus, our brother, in extending the circle of care to all whom we encounter. May our God-centered lives bear witness to the God who is Mother and Father to us all.
Leader: May God help us here in this congregation to grow together, individually and collectively, to become a more loving and healthy family, where we celebrate diversity and nurture wholeness, comfort the afflicted and watch over one another in love.
People: We are God’s family. Let us give God thanks and praise.

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Cowboys, TV, Catholics and old friends.

That's what I've been up to this month. Two weeks ago I attended my first-ever rodeo, at the National Western Stock Show (this year is the 100th anniversary, so it seemed about time I checked it out). I have to say, political correctness aside, it was cool. Sure, I cringed a bit at the overzealous patriotism and machismo built into the show, and I'm sure it's just as well I don't know more about how some of the animals are treated, but there's something to be said for people whose livelihoods are as closely connected with the land and God's creatures as the ranchers and cowboys and others who come to the stock show as part of their professional lives. Plus those cowboys are cute. Anyway, we had a good time.

Apparently I'm the only one, but I actually liked NBC's new show, Book of Daniel, which was just cancelled this week. No, the spirituality was not particularly deep, and yes, the drama was contrived around "culture war" issues (read Slate's take on it here), but I found it enjoyable, a pleasantly ironic alternative to the WB's 7th Heaven, also about the family of a clergyman - but unbearably saccharine and irritatingly earnest. Yes, Book of Daniel was probably trying too hard to be "edgy," and would have done better to ease up on the "issue"-based problems a little, but what the author of the Slate article seems not to realize is that evangelicals are not the only Christians out there, and some of us do enjoy watching other Christians on TV - ones who have problems and flaws, whose families are far from perfect, who struggle with loss and anger and sticky ethical situations. Sure, I have mixed feelings about the "buddy Jesus" portrayal, but it hey, at least it was entertaining.

In other news, I spent the past three days in DC at a training for faith-based volunteer program staff. Very helpful, and great to make some connections with people trying to do the same kind of thing I'm working on. What I didn't realize going in, though, was that since it was sponsored by the Catholic Network of Volunteer Service (an umbrella association for a couple hundred Christian volunteer programs), I was the token Protestant in the room. Not that it mattered, really; we were all interested in helping people connect faith with service, social justice, simple living, and community. The main difference was that most of the others had a religious community prepared to put up a substantial portion of the costs, and I'm responsible for making sure we fundraise not only the money for the program, but enough for my salary as well. Ah well. I haven't been around so many nuns since I was in Venezuela, and I forgot how much I like them. :)

While I was in DC, I also got to catch up with two friends I haven't seen in years - a college roommate, and a friend from high school music and drama club circles. It was really great. Unfortunately, my travel schedule didn't allow time to see others in the area (sorry, Heather & Amy!), so I'll have to work harder at persuading them to come visit me here in Colorado!

Cyberchurch

I found this article on "Linking to Cyberchurch" at RelevantMagazine.com, and thought it made some interesting observations:

• Cyberchurch is People, not Institutions.
• Cyberchurch is not a Department Store for Consumers.
• Cyberchurch is neither democratic nor non-hierarchical.
• Cyberchurch does not replace the physical and it does a poor job reproducing it.

The article raises some questions for me too, though:

What about online communication/community can be described as "church" (as opposed to, say, "religious writing" or a "faith-based network")? Is church defined by the act of worship, by common values or beliefs, by a commitment to service in Christ's name, something broader? or something narrower?

What can "cyberchurch" add or contribute to the tangible manifestation of the Church in the world? (For me the latter includes both the face-to-face interactions with people and particular physical/geographic space dedicated to the sacred.) Is it primarily a forum for discussion and sharing of resources, a way to communicate to members, a way to reach out to those who are not members? Or is there more?

Let me know what you think!