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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
June 2001 |
Three chances to start again
We get three chances to start again. There is a cycle of life, rhythms that carry us from experience to experience, season to season. They are much needed.
There is the calendar year, the Christian year and, for United Methodists and others in the Wesleyan family, the Conference year. Each year represents an ending and a beginning.
I remember even as a young schoolboy how I looked forward to the new "term." I took great pleasure in getting new notebooks -- fresh, every page clean. I'd vow to do better in some subject, get an A in another, get along better with a teacher who I had concluded "didn't like me."
As I grew older, late teens and then as a young adult, the calendar year became more important. The "new year" represented another change -- to get it right, to do better.
Much later I discovered the Christian year, moving from Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost; and this rhythm began to shape my life in profound ways.
The Annual Conference year defines in special ways the life cycle for United Methodists. This is the Annual Conference season across our church.
It is a time of taking stock -- to review how we've done, set our goals and vision for the next year. It is filled with both promise and disappointment.
What is clear, however, it offers another chance in a new appointment or in the same ministry setting.
The church, as well as ministry, is faced with many challenges, diverse and demanding, personal and corporate. Two Wesleyan characteristics are personal piety and social holiness. Mr. Wesley, or Father Wesley, as he was later called in reverence and respect, expected his followers to be spiritually grounded, practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and study of the Scriptures. The followers were also expected to practice acts of mercy as they related to the society.
In the new Conference year, one is provided another opportunity for holistic ministry. Perhaps one aspect of comprehensive ministry has been neglected or not given adequate expression in preaching or in congregational or personal witness. The new Conference year becomes another opportunity to be both pious and prophetic!
As important as personal piety and social holiness are, they are not the full responsibility of Christian Discipleship. Nothing is more important than "preaching" Christ and inviting others to know him as Lord.
However spiritual a congregation, or prophetic and socially relevant its ministry, if it is not an inviting and nurturing community it neglects its primary reason for being.
Even The Book of Discipline is clear on this one.
"The function of the local church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is to help people know Jesus Christ personally and to live their daily lives in light of their relationship with God." ¶ 202
and
"The purpose of the annual conference is to make disciples for Jesus Christ by equipping its local churches for ministry and by providing a connection for ministry beyond the local church all to the glory of God." ¶ 601
A new Conference year offers yet another chance.
In the life of a congregation, a new Conference year can be a welcomed opportunity. Relationships may be strained among members or even between a pastor and member. Like that new notebook I cherished as a schoolboy, each page is blank. You will determine what is written on your page in this new Conference year.
There is a beautiful hymn in our Book of Hymns, "This Is A Day Of New Beginnings." In melody and word, it is a reminder to move on, stepping from the past with hope, remembering that Christ is guide in the facing of each new day -- even a new Conference year.
We get three chances to start again!
How welcomed they are -- I need every one of them!
Last updated on 01/14/2004