Sunday School on the Brain

We have embarked on a new adventure in the Children’s Sunday School Department this month. The children’s coordinator and I have worked many long hours getting it off the ground. (Praise God for the 50 adults we have volunteering with us throughout the year!) With all the prayer and preparation for this, I officially have Sunday School on the brain. I began to wonder, why do we have Sunday School anyway? Is it just glorified babysitting for kids? Is it just social hour for the adults? According to Craven E. Williams, the first Methodist Sunday School was begun by Hannah Ball in 1769. It was open to all children where they “learned the basics of reading, writing and portions of the catechism. Some schools also taught mathematics. The school book most suitable for the religious educational needs of the school was the Bible.” (Found in “Origins: United Methodists: ‘A Reading People,’” by Craven E. Williams.) I don’t know about you, but I was shocked by that description. It is hard for me to imagine teaching math and reading during the hour of Sunday School today. However, 1769 was quite a different time. Most people did not know how to read anything, much less the Bible. How perfect that the church stepped in and helped people get closer to the scriptures by enabling them to read them for themselves rather than relying on a pastor or someone more educated to read it and tell them about it. I call that being real and relevant.

Why should you be involved in a Sunday School Class?

Methodism can trace its roots back to John Wesley’s days as a college student at Oxford University in merry old England. He and his buddies at school read the scriptures together and discussed them every week. They also supported one another in their walk of faith as well as participating in service projects together. Our Sunday Schools here at Salem do the exact same sorts of things. The Good Will Bible class studies the lectionary texts for the week and also throws a mean barbeque dinner once a year as a class social event. The Koinania class has lively discussions about what it means to be a Christian in the here and now discussing anything from what it means to be in love to what should we do about people in prison (and I mean lively!) The Living By Faith class not only delves into the Bible, but they single-handedly took it upon themselves to be in mission to the second and third graders by becoming their teachers this past spring and summer (talk about Christian service in action!) Pastor Bill has begun a new Sunday School class, Christ and Culture. They are currently studying John 3:16 (yeah, that verse you see on placards at football games) using Max Lucado’s book and will take a critical look at Islam beginning in November.

If you haven’t been to Sunday School in a while, I encourage you to head back to your class. They have missed you! If you have never attended a Sunday School class here at Salem, join Pastor Bill’s class. Everyone is new, so you won’t stick out a bit! Plus, they just started, so you haven’t missed a thing. And if you want to be brave and make some new friends, plop yourself down in any Sunday School class. They would be glad to have you! If you have kids, bring them to the gym at 9:45 where they will head off to cooking or science or art and learn about the Bible and Christianity while having a blast. We have adult classes upstairs in the new building, downstairs under the Upper Fellowship Hall, by the choir room, and down the hall from the Upper Fellowship Hall. Pick a direction and you are bound to run into a great class somewhere! In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus instructed us to “Go and make disciples.” The word disciple comes from the word, discipline. We all need the discipline of study and holy conversation in order to be able to go and do anything including making disciples of others. So…find a Sunday School and go!

Studiously yours,
Pastor Mary Frances

Calling

God works in mysterious ways, but often they are also amusing. Six years ago, I would have never thought I would be sitting in this desk chair, in my office, in Salem United Methodist Church, in Eastover, in Cumberland County. It took the 2x4 of Jesus to whack me in the head and change the path I was on. Had I pulled out my crystal ball in June of 2002, I would have predicted that I would be a first or second year assistant principal somewhere in the Triangle and living in my house in Raleigh with my husband and 2.5 children in the summer of 2008. That was a good dream or even a good plan. However, our plans are not always God’s plans.

On a blistering hot evening in July of 2002…just down the road at Methodist University…I was sitting in a worship service when something miraculous happened. I was listening to Rev. Bill Gattis preach the sermon at the celebration of 50 years of youth ministry in the North Carolina Conference. I had had a lovely boxed dinner with my youth ministry friends that night in the cafeteria. I was sitting on that hard wooden chair, minding my own business, paying attention to the sermon, and then it happened. As Bill began to preach about calling, he asked the youth, “What is God calling you to do?” He named off probably twenty people who had come through youth programming in the conference and had been called to the ministry and had served the church. By the time he finished preaching, I was shaking and crying and KNEW that God was calling me to the ministry. I thought God had lost his mind, but I knew that I was called. And so the journey began.

I had no plans to be a pastor. I liked church and enjoyed serving the church, but I had never considered service as clergy. Yet, here I am! I am a broken sinner/third grade teacher/single mom called, molded, and educated to serve the church as a pastor. When God calls you to whatever your area of service is, God empowers you with the gifts you need. God molds and strengthens you in the ways you need. God walks with you every step of the way. And that is the only way that I could have gotten to this chair in this church in this community. God is amazing!

I invite you to think and pray about what God is calling you to do. Are you being called to teach Sunday School? Is God working on you to step up and be a leader in this church? Are you being called to be an usher? Or an acolyte? Or a scripture reader? Has God been working on you to move to a full tithe? Is God insisting in your heart that you need to be reading your Bible every day? Is God breaking your heart about AIDS orphans in Africa or perhaps foster children in Cumberland County? I invite you to pray about what God is calling you to do for the Kingdom. It doesn’t have to be flashy. It doesn’t have to require seminary. It doesn’t require perfection. It requires obedience and perseverance and stepping out in faith.

Peace and blessings as you listen,
Mary Frances

Gray hair

I am sitting at the denominational gathering for the United Methodist Church here in Eastern North Carolina. Many amazing things have happened here at Annual Conference. I got commissioned as a Probationary Elder! That is my biggest personal news! Worship has also be quite lovely. I was impressed with the altar design...lots of layers and colors!

Speaking of colors, the color I notice while sitting here in the back, is the color of people's hair. 80% of the people here have gray hair. What does that say about the United Methodist Church? Why are many of the people here over the age of 60?

One thought is that many working people cannot spend Wednesday to Saturday sitting at the Greenville Convention Center because they are, well, working. So, only retired people attend Annual Conference. However, is that such a good idea? Do people in their 60s see the world the same way I do at age 38? Should I let other people make decisions for me?

But why don't people who aren't retired MAKE time to come? Why is the one gathering of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church (aka the UMC in eastern NC) not important enough to attend or make time for? I can't really answer that question. We make time for our kids' soccer games and even let them play on Sundays during worship services on Sunday. That, however, is another blog.

Or is it that our church is graying and dying? That is certainly part of the answer to this question. Mainline denominations have been dropping in number for years. See http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-10-31-protestant-cover_x.htm or many other websites and studies...

So, I invite people under the age of 50 to get in the car and drive to Greenville or Fayetteville or where ever the Annual Conference meets. We need to have our voices heard. Volunteer for committees in your church. Volunteer to lead the men's barbecue lunch or the yard sale. Make your opinion heard!

I also invite those in leadership in churches to begin to develop the next generation of leaders. Invite someone that does not have a relative in the cemetery next to the church to be in a position of power. Mentor someone in their 20s or 30s to be you in ten years. Groom the replacement for your position. Invite ideas on the worship committee. Invite innovation. Make Administrative Council a place to grow leadership rather than just push paper.

Grace and Peace,
Mary Frances

"What does it mean to be United Methodist?" Part Two

Researchers have asked thousands of United Methodists around the world how they view the denomination. Where is God leading the church? How can the denomination do better? The results are compiled in the first phase of the "State of the Church" report. This first-ever report offers insights into the workings of The United Methodist Church, current challenges that it faces and areas for growth. If you would like to read the summary or the full report, please go to http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2733523/k.258/State_of_the_Church.htm .
I thought I might speak about some of the points made by the research in the next few newsletter articles I write.
Today’s thought is about prayer and worship.
United Methodist clergy (a.k.a. pastors):
† 80 percent say private and public prayer is extremely important.
† 89 percent say regular worship is extremely important.
† 81 percent say lifelong study of the Bible and teachings of the Christian faith is extremely important.

Among laity (anyone who is not licensed or ordained as clergy), the percentages are somewhat lower:
† 76 percent say private and public prayer is extremely important.
† 80 percent say regular worship is extremely important.
† 68 percent say lifelong study of the Bible and teachings of the Christian faith is extremely important.

I must admit these differing percentages intrigue me. Why would our lay people consider worship, prayer, and lifelong study of the Bible as less important than clergy?

I suppose that I as a clergy person “have to” pray more. I certainly have been asked to pray at meals many more times as a clergy person than as I ever did as a layperson! And yes, unlike many people, prayer and bible study are actually part of my job description. However, I don’t “need” prayer, Bible study, or worship more than another person. I believe, because we are all sinners, we all need prayer, study, and worship equally. A clergy person is not more pious, is not closer to God, and is not better than someone who is a layperson. A clergy person has just been called to serve the church in a different way: to order the church, to serve the church and the world, to proclaim the Word, and to perform the sacraments. As it is written in the UMC Book of Discipline, “The [early] church set apart other persons to care for the physical needs of others, reflecting the concerns for the people of the world…These functions, though set apart, were never separate from the ministry of the whole people of God.” (302 Book of Discipline 2004).

So, while Pastor Bill and I certainly pray for you and work hard on behalf of the wonderful people of Salem UMC, we (to borrow a phrase from baseball) are not the church’s designated pray-ers, worship-ers, or Bible study-ers. How do you feel about prayer, worship, and lifelong study of the Bible? Are you spending time in prayer for yourself and your fellow human beings? Are you in prayer for all the ministries of this church, especially as we grow with this new building?

Do read the Bible daily? Do you pray to God, listening for what God has to say to you and lifting up the need of your life and of others? Do you attend worship every week? Do you gird yourself with things of God so that you can live in the world without the world becoming your master?

I invite you to prayerfully consider joining or even starting a Bible study. I invite you to be in conversation about the Bible in your Sunday School class or around your dinner table. I invite you to be in prayer daily for your pastors and the ministries of this church. I invite you to attend worship every week even when a cup of coffee and the Sunday paper or just sleeping late sounds really appealing. As members of the United Methodist Church and the Body of Christ, we have all promised to uphold the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts and our service!

Invitationally yours,

Pastor Mary Frances

"What does it mean to be United Methodist?" Part Three

Researchers have asked thousands of United Methodists around the world how they view the denomination. Where is God leading the church? How can the denomination do better? The results are compiled in the first phase of the "State of the Church" report. This first-ever report offers insights into the workings of The United Methodist Church, current challenges that it faces and areas for growth. If you would like to read the summary or the full report, please go to http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2733523/k.258/State_of_the_Church.htm .
I thought I might speak about some of the points made by the research in the next few newsletter articles I write.
Today’s thought is about involving the Millennial Generation in church leadership.
Quoting the State of the Church summary, “The membership of The United Methodist Church is aging. And little indicates the church is effectively reaching out, or is willing to reach out, to attract younger people. The gap between rhetoric and action appears to be as large as the age gap that some believe threatens the future viability of the denomination.
In the attitudes and opinions survey, three out of four pastors and four out of five laypersons strongly agree, “It is extremely important to attract more young people, aged 18 to 30, to the Church.”
Yet, when it comes to taking specific steps to attract younger generations, few agree on what to do”:
† One in three laypersons strongly agrees with the statement “my church is willing to change/add alternative worship options to attract young people.”
† Barely one in five clergy strongly agrees with that statement.

Respondents were asked about their willingness to reallocate resources to attract young people:
† 30 percent of the lay respondents and 27 percent of the clergy strongly agree. Laity give a higher priority for evangelism among young people than their pastors:
† Nearly six in 10 laypersons strongly agree with the statement: “The church needs to give more attention/priority to evangelism to attract young people.”
† Slightly more than four in 10 pastors strongly agree.

Wow, either we pastors are a jaded lot or perhaps we are out of touch with what young people are like or the importance of their presence to the present and future of the church! So, lay people, give yourselves a pat on the back for being more concerned about the salvation of people under the age of 30 than the pastors.

When I was a youth, I resented the statement, “Youth are the church of tomorrow.” I felt like if I was present in worship, sang in the choir, played in the handbell choir, and led the youth group, then I should be counted in the church of TODAY! I still feel strongly that youth are the church now and in the future. How is Salem UMC embracing that thought? Are youth participating in committees? Are they helping the church make decisions? Do the youth serve?

I believe we, at Salem, are on the right track. We spend a good portion of our budget on youth and children’s programming. If you look around during every worship service, we have youth serving as acolytes, singing in the choir, and occasionally reading scripture. Yet, I have noticed an absence of youth at committee meetings. Are we specifically inviting youth to share their voice in the process? The youth group has pledged money to the building campaign. Do any of them serve on the building committee? Youth lead in worship every Sunday. Have any of them been invited to participate in the worship committee?

Youth, this next section is for you! Have you ever complained about something that happened at church? What did you do about it? Did you leave it at complaining or are you ready to pony up and do something about it? Does the Church matter enough to your life to give up a Wednesday evening for a meeting?

Salem UMC is a wonderful place where people from all generations gather to worship our God. I invite all of us, from the smallest to the tallest, to participate in the worship life, in discipleship, and in the administration of the church.

Invitationally yours,


Pastor Mary Frances

What does it mean to be United Methodist? Part One

"What does it mean to be United Methodist?"
Researchers have asked thousands of United Methodists around the world how they view the denomination. Where is God leading the church? How can the denomination do better? The results are compiled in the first phase of the "State of the Church" report. This first-ever report offers insights into the workings of The United Methodist Church, current challenges that it faces and areas for growth. If you would like to read the summary or the full report, please go to http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2733523/k.258/State_of_the_Church.htm .
I thought I might speak about some of the points made by the research in the next few newsletter articles I write.
Since I work with youth here at Salem, in the Fayetteville District, and across the Conference, this statement caught my eye: † Laity and clergy express a high level of desire to attract more young people, ages 18 to30, to the church but a much lower level of willingness to change practices and invest budgets to do so. (Pages 52-58)
Salem UMC believes in investing in our children and youth. In fact, we dedicate 11% of our budget to pay for staffing and materials for people under the age of 18. That is a great testament to our willingness to “Go and make disciples” in the name of Jesus Christ. However, if we are to keep children and youth connected to the Church in the long term, our current efforts will not be enough. The study indicates that youth and young adults prefer different practices such as types of music, styles of preaching, and are reached by different media than people of other generations.
For example, the Millennial Generation (those born between 1983 and 2003) is different than the Baby Boom Generation or even the Generation X age groups. They think differently because they are more right brained. They connect information differently because they do not process information linearly like every generation before them. They are highly visual learners. This means they lead, worship, and learn differently than many of us.
What does the Church need to do to connect these young people to the Church and ultimately to the God that loves them so much? Can we be brave enough to be in conversation with the Mosaic Generation and discover ways to make them feel welcome and engaged in worship? Can the Church be brave enough to preach differently or use different music to bring young people closer to God? What will we do in our new building that brings youth and young adults into the church here in Eastover?
We, in the Church globally and here at Salem UMC specifically, want our youth to grow up and be able to say as it does in Psalm 71, “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.” So, I invite you to sit down with someone of a different generation. Ask that person what excites them about worship…What would make it more meaningful for him or her…What brings him or her closest to God…Why is the Church important…Why does God matter in 2008… Where is God leading the church… How can the denomination do better? Grab a glass of iced tea and enjoy fellowship and holy conversation with brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember, when two or more are gather, Christ will be with you!
Conversationally yours,
Pastor Mary Frances