Alright, I now feel sufficiently guilty. I've been "justifying" (alright probably making excuses) for not blogging for too long a time. The truth is that I am busy...too much to do with too little hours in a day...a bit overwhelmed by a full calendar...on vacation for a week...etc., etc., etc.
But then I did some perusing today of some of my colleagues blogs. One of those blogs you'll find on the sidebar of this page - "Perceptions of a Pew Boy," by my friend and colleague Eric Park. Eric is a clergy delegate to General Conference.
For those of who you might not know, General Conference is held once every 4 years in The United Methodist Church. It is The United Methodist's top legislative assembly, meeting April 23-May 2. 2008 in order to set direction for the denomination for the next 4 years. It is made up of equal members of clergy and laity from United Methodist Churches around the world, elected by their conferences.
They work long hours - starting at 8 am with worship and conclude with the last legislative/plenary meeting at 11 p.m. (maybe...unless the business isn't finished and then they meet until it is finished). As the top policy-making body of the international United Methodist Church, General Conference is the only body that officially speaks for our 11.5 million member denomination.
That all being said...back to my friend Eric. He's VERY busy as a delegate from Western PA at General Conference. And yet, Eric is finding the time to blog while he is in the midst of doing the work of General Conference all the way in Fort Worth, Texas. And he's got some very interesting, deeply thought-out blogs. If you're interested it's in the sidebar, or here's the link: http://www.chcumc.com/weblog/eric/. Point is...what are reasons and what are excuses for not blogging? Well, my friends it's a fine line.
I've been following General Conference every day for at least a little bit. I've checked out the progress of some of the pieces of legislation, listened to the sermons and watched some of the live streaming video. If you're interested, here's the link to peruse General Conference with me: General Conference Sights and Sounds - UMC.org
There's been a real effort to stress "holy conferencing." I receive an electronic version of UM Newscope, a "newspaper" published by The United Methodist Publishing House. As far back as August of 2007 there was a call for Holy Conferencing with 10 guidelines of how to disagree in love. "In much of the Western world, results are measured in terms of winners and losers. Holy Conferencing does not work that way. It focuses on discerning where God is leading us. It focuses on prayer, rational and respectful conversation; and a belief that with God all things are possible." (Bishop Sally Dyck of Minneapolis).
Despite that call and the guidelines for Holy Conferencing, there has been the need for constant reminders to do that during this General Conference...there have been disturbing stories of how some have tried to "buy" votes by giving gifts with strings attached... and there continues to still be some political maneuverings happening. But there is good news as well.
There are things happening that grieve my heart, but there are things happening at General Conference that give me hope that God is not finished with our denomination by a long shot! We ought to be very proud of our youth and young adult delegates. One of the proposals at General Conference this year is to develop a committee for the formation of a new hymnal. The thought of the General Board of Discipleship is that our current hymnal (about 20 years old now) needs to be revamped to be more appealing to the youth and young adults of our congregations.
Interesting thing as I watched that portion of General Conference: it was the older adults speaking in favor of a new hymnal. Overwhelmingly it was youth and young adults who stood up and basically said, "We don't need a new hymnal. The one we have is fine. When we want to sing newer hymns and songs we sing them. Take the money it would cost to do this study and develop a new hymnal and... get this ... buy hymnals and send them to our United Methodist brothers and sisters in Africa and in other parts of the world where they don't have enough money to buy any hymnals." WOW! That's a future with hope. We ought to listen to our young people - they sound like the church at work in the world.
Well, forgive me for being too lax in attending to this blog....and those of you who see me on a regular basis and think it's been too long for an entry, you might just want to gently hold me accountable. May God's grace fill your days.
By God's Grace,
Michelle
8 comments:
Compared to most of the GC delegates (which I'm not) I'm one of the "younger" folks. I'd heard about the approval of a new hymnal, but I hadn't heard about the younger folks being against it. I'm with them - I don't see a need for it. If I had to consider where they older folks are coming from, in light of my own church staff, it's from the point of view of trained musician types: If we want people to sing properly, we have to give them not only the words but the music. If the tech folks will project the MUSIC (just like it's in the hymnal) THEN that would be fine. But those irksome tech folks just won't do that, so we need a real hymnal in each person's hand.
Though I can figure out what those spots on the page mean in one sense ("that's a B flat quarter note"), it doesn't tell me anything about what I'm supposed to sing. I'm guessing most folks out there are more like me than they're like the trained musicians.
i heard they were trying to come up with an "emergent" hymnal as the faith we sing is more contemporary.
i don't see why supplements can't fulfill for another 20 years. there cannot be so much God blessed writing in the last 20 years to warrant another hymnal.. but what do i know.
your boy eric got on the floor just now amending to the new social creed, calling it a companion litany. representing!
also, get plugged in with the methoblog. its a hub of the methoblogosphere voice
In Ankaase, Ghana, the Methodist church has some copies of "The Methodist Hymn Book and Offices" for visitors to use. The members of the church either own one of their own, or, more likely, have memorized all the hymns, prayers, etc. in it. Oh, the last revision was 1954.
I agree with using the money for our brothers and sisters in Africa, but instead of us deciding what they need, let's ask them what they need. Many times what we Americans think a country needs is far from what the nationals feel they need.
Welcome back, Michelle!
Hey there, bud!
Thanks for the shout out!
And thanks for the prayers.
I hear that the new hymnal is going to be a scratch and sniff version. "There Is a Balm in Gilead" should smell really nice. But I'm a bit worried about the proposed idea that "Breathe On Me, Breath of God" should smell like Listerine!
But seriously...
I voted against the new hymnal, not because I am opposed to newness, but because it feels like a desperate and misguided effort to create liturgical excitement with a portion of literature.
I'll get behind the thing when the time comes. But I would have chosen to invest our denominational resources and energies elsewhere.
Thank you all for your comments.
Richard H.... I read music and find it difficult not to have music in front of me when I sing. And those who don't read music often tell me that at least with the notes in front of them, they know whether to go up or go down. So I like your idea about the music on the screen, but don't think it will happen.
Gavin... I agree with your insight about allowing our hymnal with our supplement serve us well for another 20 years or so.
Sue...The comments about providing hymnals in Africa came on the heels of discussion with delegates from Africa indicating how much they lacked in resources which included hymnals, so the young adult/youth delegate was responding to the concerns of Africans.
Eric...thank you so very much for your witness at GC and the work that you did there, especially on pressing to keep the Social Creed and add the litany. And I agree with your insights about the hymnal creating "liturgical excitement."
Thanks again all for your comments.
You're welcome.
Welcome back, good entry, thanks for the links! now I have to update mine!
Interesting to know.
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