I am a bit of a tired emerging d.s. tonight but here it goes...
Not a great picture but I think you can see basically what is going on. Tonight there were multi conference meetings--Missouri met with Greater New Jersey and the Philippines. When I sat down next to Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar )who in the picture is sitting on Bishop Schnase's left) and introduced myself he said something like this, "Oh, Susan, I read your blog.." and then he began describing a couple of entries I had posted recently!!! A surprise, but probably not the most significant thing to happen for the life of the UMC today.
What was the most significant thing that has happened today? Probably that lots of folks have expressed their gratitude that the Council of Bishops have offered specific help for conferences, districts and local churches that point a way forward---7 pathways, 5 practices and more.
Tonight at our multi conference meeting, one of the Filipino d.s.s expressed what I often think about---is the UMC really an old wineskin into which the new wine of today cannot be poured? Bishop Schnase made a brief remark about what that new wine really is. For me the new wine are the postmodern gen xers who are looking for authenticity and relationship; it is Jake, Caleb's friend who is a great pianist and who the other night as he finished playing a Chopin etude and then a Gershwin tune, saw the book of hymn arrangements I had on the piano and asked "what's a hymn?"; new wine are those young adults up in the Northland that Megan Sly, a new wine woman, is trying to reach with the Encounter worship service, birthed out of Platte Woods; new wine, new wine.
Can we be made new? With God, dear friends I know all things are possible. I think it is a lot more possible for God when we are willing to give up who we are for who we might become. I know that it is a lot easier to believe when I look at my students and I see the grace with which Jamie, and Amanda and Jill and Emily many others have answered their calls by serving churches of this district
Ah, Cynthia Wilson ... I wish everybody I know could have heard her sing "He Touched Me" this afternoon.
PS: Somebody tell me when you get to the point in this life that you are spiritually healthy enough and psychically well enough that it doesn't hurt when you are either misunderstood by someone whom you want to understand; or that it doesn't hurt when somebody whom you care about and whose opinion matters either intentionally or unintentionally is hurtful. I still don't get this ... Ah well. Change our hearts oh God, make us ever new. Change our hearts oh God, make us be like you....
3 comments:
I saw your picture and said, "Wait, that's the Bishop!" I'm in the GNJ conference. :) I love connectionalism (is that a word?)
Susan,
Thanks for blogging on your weekend. I think it would be fascinating to be there. What energy there must have been with all the higher-ups there together. You wrote, “Bishop Schnase made a brief remark about what that new wine really is. For me…” I was glad to know what you thought, but my curiosity got to me of what the Bishop said. You mentioned that he said something, but never mentioned what he said. So, what did he say the new wine was?
Buck-His comment was made in passing and he did not elaborate. He was responding to another person who said something in regards to the UMC being an old wineskin. The bishop said something like, "that depends on what you mean by new wine" which I do not think anyone should interpret for him...it was just a passing comment, really.
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