Wanted: Savior (Some Experience Required)

Ah, another Advent.  The pressing question is: are we ready?  Or maybe the pressing question is: do we even care?  Our United Methodist Church can’t seem to be bothered with preparing for a Savior; we are too busy focusing on divisive issues of morality grounded in abominable biblical misinterpretation and […]

De-Serving Recognition

Deserve — origin: “to devote oneself to the service of“ In the past few days I have heard people use the term “deserve/deserving” in troubling and distressing ways.  In all cases, those identified either “deserved” something bad, or were “undeserving” of something good.  In no case was the thought that […]

Diametrically Composed

At what point do differences become irreconcilable?  Visualize a normal bell-curve.  At each extreme, there are polarized, immovable positions.  Three to five percent are so committed to being right and having their own way, that they no longer engage in any interaction that might influence their opinion.  These opponents are […]

Shut Up and Stand Up

Like many, I am trying to make sense of the tragedy in Orlando. But I confess, as I talk to people and listen to different perspectives, I am embarrassed and ashamed.  Well meaning, kind, caring people are inadvertently being callous and insensitive.  I am going to speak from my own […]

GC2016 — Testing the House

I am one small, lonely, lowly voice in a large mass (mob?) of United Methodists.  One person cannot speak for the whole, but I want to engage in just such a thought exercise.  I want to “test the house,” as it were.  Here is my supposition about what WE ALL […]

GC2016 — Day Eleven, Friday

Last Day.  The End of Times.  Don’t count on Jesus coming back any time soon.  If he is anything like most of the delegates to this year’s General Conference, it may take him a few days to recover.  There has been so much attention (I’m as guilty as anyone) on […]

GC2016 — The Old Rugged Cross-Purposes

What outcomes do we expect from General Conference?  Among the main, we look for denominational initiatives and priorities, revisions to the Book of Discipline and the Book of Resolutions, and elections of Judicial Council and University Senate, among other denominational governance bodies.  We get updates on significant work of the […]

GC2016 — The “We Need to Talk” Talk

For most people in relationship, the words “we need to talk,” rarely bode well.  The “we need to talk” talk generally comes as a “so long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye” turning point, and this seems to be where about 11% of United Methodists (and 15% of General Conference delegates) think […]

GC2016 — Day Ten, Thursday

Early on last week, I wrote that I was appalled by the behaviors I was seeing displayed by my United Methodist brothers and sisters.  Some wrote back to say they didn’t know what I was talking about — that no one was behaving badly.  Since then, Gere Reist, Secretary of […]