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