New Year's Revolutions

Anyone can make a well-intentioned resolution, but what we really need is a few well-intentioned revolutions.

Sept. 11, like Pearl Harbor, will "live in infamy." As Christians, we've just begun to process a response morally, philosophically and theologically. For better or worse, our nation's leaders are dealing with the practicalities. But the rest of us still must do the personal soul work.

There's been a fascinating and passionate discourse lately on "nicemail," North Conference's informal e-mail group. You'll find some equally passionate expressions of opinion in Viewpoints in this issue of the Hoosier UM News. Everywhere people, children too, are wrestling with the same tangled ball of anger, confusion, frustration and ignorance. Ignorance is only "stupid" when it's couched in self-satisfaction. Our ignorance is something we can do something about.

That in mind, a group of Hoosier UMs joined Muslims at a local mosque for Friday prayer service in late November, followed by an enlightening dialogue with Dr. Sayyid Syeed, director of the national Islamic Center in Plainfield. Centuries of conflict between Christians and Muslims evaporated in the respectful discourse of that day, a modest revolution we hope will grow as mosques and churches, together, find common cause for good.

Historically, it's the youth who provide the energy that drives a revolution. As a church we've just begun to act on that realization, with a new focus on youth.

But what about the little ones? There are an estimated 200,000 pre-school children in need of daycare in Indiana. Day care used to be a fundamental ministry of our church. The story reveals the current status of that historic commitment. There's some good news, and also some troubling discoveries.

May we all have a peaceful yet revolutionary new year.

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