Sermon (Ash Wednesday) by Rev. Robert McDowell “My Fears Relieved”

     For the upcoming Sundays of Lent, we will be thinking about eight different fears that we all face from time to time. These fears are related to how we handle temptations that come our way, the doubts we face, our willingness to be fruitful in our faith, our need to be forgiven, the willingness to become more generous, having self-confidence, and being open to serving others. And then on Easter Sunday, we will look at probably one of the biggest fears that people have, the fear of death.

     Oh, yes, almost forgot. On April 15th, we’ll focus on our fear of Tax Day. Just kidding about that last one.

     It’s going to be quite a journey as we face some of these fears head on. Interestingly enough, Jesus himself had to work through all of these fears. We believe that Jesus was fully God, but he was also fully human and we often forget about this. And so, each year, the journey of Lent begins with Jesus in the wilderness where he faced temptation and it concludes with him facing his own death on the cross.

     Out of curiosity, I looked up how many times the word, “fear” appears in the Bible, and it was a shocking 423 times. Fear is part of our struggle as human beings. Being afraid isn’t a sin. It’s in what we do with those fears that is important. There are healthy ways and unhealthy ways in dealing with our fears. Our goal in this season of the church year like it is every year for Lent is to walk with Jesus not simply as observers, but as his faithful followers and disciples. 

     So it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that our very first scripture reading to begin this season of Lent is a scripture about fear. The Prophet Joel uses words like, darkness, gloom, and trembling. 

     And when I think of fear, sometimes those words come to mind. Maybe you have thought of those words in the middle of the night.

     I’ve shared this story with you before about a mother who was tucking her small son into bed one night during a severe summer thunderstorm. She was about to turn the light off and shut his bedroom door when he asked her in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" Smiling, the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can't dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room."

     A long silence followed. At last it was broken by a shaky voice saying, "The big sissy!"

     Well, I’m here to tell you that if you ever feel afraid, that does not mean that you are a sissy. It just means that you are human. As we go through this series on fear, my prayer is that we not only have this opportunity to name our fears but to also claim God’s presence in the midst of our fears.

     As Jesus faced his fears throughout his ministry, we will see how he consistently turned to his Heavenly Father in facing those fears, even when he was hanging on the cross. We are not alone in facing our fears. We have each other. We have God. 

     That’s why we have ashes imposed on our foreheads each year on Ash Wednesday. It is a humbling reminder of our mortality and of our complete dependence upon God. 

     Last fall, I attended the funeral of my 96 year old Aunt. Aunt Dot represented the last surviving family member of my parents’ generation. I was asked to help lead the funeral service. On that cold and windy day, we made our way to the cemetery.

     Her pastor invited me to offer a closing prayer there at the cemetery and so I stood next to him near the casket. He began by offering a prayer and a scripture reading. He then pulled out a tiny capsule of dirt, opened the lid, and shook the capsule toward the casket while reminding us of those ancient words of faith, “remember we are dust and to dust we shall return.”

     As the pastor tossed the dirt out into the wind toward the casket, I don’t think he realized that most of that dirt would be blown right back at me. It was like I was experiencing my own personal Ash Wednesday service in that moment. 

     As those small flakes of dirt were being sprayed back into my face, it was a powerful reminder of the reality of death. I couldn’t avoid getting hit by that dusty and powdery symbol of my own mortality. It’s moments like this that help us to keep our life and our faith in perspective.

      One of the things that I will always remember about Aunt Dot was I how she loved to tell the story of when I was really young, like four or five years old, I was over at her house.

     My uncle was sick and in bed that day. My aunt told me that it was OK for me to go into the room and say hi to him but for whatever reason I was afraid. I loved my Uncle, so I’m not sure why I would have been afraid to go in to see him. Maybe it was because I knew he was sick and wasn’t sure what that meant.

     My aunt, knowing that I was afraid to go into the room to see him, gave me a glass of water to give to him thinking that this would help me overcome my fear. And what came next is her favorite part of the story.

     I guess that when I walked over to my uncle’s bedroom door, I just froze like a statue holding that glass of water and didn’t go in. And Aunt Dot said, “Go ahead, Robert. Go in and give him the glass of water.” 

     And I still didn’t go in so she asked me again. “Don’t be afraid, Robert. Go in. You can do it.”

     And according to my Aunt Dot, I looked over at her and said, “I can’t. My legs won’t let me.”

     There’s part of me that doesn’t want to follow Jesus during this Season of Lent because I know it will involve spending time with Jesus in the arid wilderness of temptation. It will involve facing my fears of doubts, fruitfulness, forgiveness, generosity, confidence, serving, and death.

     And so I stand frozen not wanting to begin the journey. My legs won’t let me. I don’t like to face my fears. I don’t like to think about the areas of my life that need transformation. And I know that this journey of faith will lead us all back to the cross as it does every year and that’s not a comfortable place to be.

     Our Joel scripture reading might begin with scary words of darkness and gloom but it also promises that if we make this journey, we will discover a God who is gracious and merciful, and abounding in steadfast love. God is calling us to not be afraid and to take that first step of faith in this Season of Lent.

     And so I invite each one of us to become even more intentional during these next several weeks in practicing the spiritual disciplines of our faith like fasting, the reading of scripture, prayer, serving, and attending worship. Join us each Sunday as we face our fears together.

     The Season of Lent is a great time to join one of our small groups that meet at different times throughout the week to discuss the past Sunday’s sermon and worship theme. Those small group opportunities are printed in your bulletin.

     We have eight small groups that meet throughout the week in various locations and they are led by a trained facilitator who guides the discussion. I’m so glad to announce that we have added three new small groups, one of which is a college student small group that will be meeting on Tuesday night. 

     In addition to participating in a small group, you may also want to use a more personal approach to our church’s Season of Lent focus on facing our fears. It was developed by Jenaye Hill, our Director of Discipleship Ministries. It provides ways to reflect on our fears and how God can guide us through those fears. That’s available on our church website by going to our small groups link under loving faith ministries.

     By following Christ during this forty day period, may our fears be relieved.

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (March 3) Athens First UMC

[This shirt was worn by one of our church members on Sunday. It was this person’s way of protesting last week’s special UMC General Conference decision that will unfortunately continue our denomination’s stance against same-sex weddings and the ordination of those who are gay and non-celibate. The phrase “love is love” reminds us of our own church’s diversity/welcome statement that says, “We welcome all persons regardless of sexual orientation.” The pastoral prayer is a prayer of confession for the harm that was done by General Conference toward the LGBTQ community. For the sermon which also focuses on last week’s General Conference, click here.]

O God, we have heavy hearts today. We have seen our denomination’s cross and flame logo on every major news network this past week…

…not for how we respond quickly to natural disasters with relief aid, and not for how we serve the least, the last, and the lost, and not for our many hospitals, colleges, and churches that are bringing transformation to our communities and world. We were in the news this past week because our denomination was unable to agree to disagree over issues related to human sexuality. 

The whole world watched our spiritual dysfunctionality in full display. It was painful to watch especially since our Wesleyan heritage has taught us that personal holiness and social justice for all people should never be mutually exclusive. They belong together and they always have belonged together. O God, we somehow missed an opportunity to find a way forward at this past week’s General Conference.

And so, hear our confession that we have not only caused harm to each other as a denomination, but we have also caused harm to those who feel unwelcomed and excluded from the United Methodist Church. Forgive us, O God and renew a right spirit within us.

We pray in confidence, not because we know what the future holds for our denomination, but in knowing that you are a God who is more than able to make all things new, beginning even now as we pray the prayer Jesus taught us to say together,

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (March 3/Transfiguration Sunday) by Rev. Robert McDowell “There’s Something Different About You”

         Today we have the story of when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain in front of the disciples. Jesus’s appearance literally changed right before them. Luke tells us that his clothes became dazzling white.

     The disciples who witnessed this incredible scene couldn’t believe what they were experiencing. They were seeing Jesus in a new way, a way they had never before seen. 

    This scripture leads me to wonder how open we are to change and specifically, how open we are in our understanding of who Jesus is.

     Sometimes we treat change as if it’s a bad thing.  We’ll say things like, “you haven’t changed a bit!”  And the other person will take that as a compliment…usually.  And I guess that can be a positive thing to some degree.  But, it could also mean that we have reached a point of stagnation in our lives.

     If that’s true in our personal lives, the same can be said about businesses and organizations and yes, even the church. 

     I served in a church that decided to install screens in the sanctuary since we were now living in a very visual society. And there was some push back by some of the church members. And I asked one of the persons in the church why they didn’t want the screens.

     And I’ll never forget their response. This church member said, “It’s because our society is changing so much. I need my church to be the one thing that doesn’t change in my life.”

     I totally understand why this person feels this way, because change can be difficult. But on the other hand, change is what keeps us growing. Change is what keeps us from being stagnant in our faith. 

     Just think what the United Methodist Church would look like today if it never changed over it’s two hundred year history. 

     If the church had never changed, only men would be allowed to sit on this side of the sanctuary and only women would be allowed to sit on that side.

     If the church had never changed, the woman pastor who helped our family to deal with the sudden passing of my father wouldn’t have been there for me because there was a time when we didn’t allow women in ministry.

     If the church had never changed, we would still use scripture to justify slavery.

     If the church had never changed, people who are divorced would not be allowed to become pastors. 

     But it’s not just our Methodist history in which the church has needed to change, we also see this played out in the Bible itself when the early church changed their views on the observance of certain Old Testament laws in light of their faith in Christ.

     This past week, our denomination’s General Conference decided to not change its stance regarding same sex marriage and the ordination of gay and non-celibate candidates for ministry. As many of you know, this is a debate that has been happening in the United Methodist Church for the past 47 years. 

    Not only did they vote to continue the current stance, they also provided more accountability measures for any pastor or church that would go against the official stance of the denomination.

     So what does all of this mean for our denomination and our church specifically moving forward. Well, the short answer is that Athens First will continue to be the most welcoming and inclusive congregation that we can possibly be. That’s for sure.

     The second thing that I want you to know is that the General Conference is made up of delegates from all around the world including countries where homosexuality is illegal. If this would have simply been the delegates from the United States voting, they most likely would have adopted the recommended “One Church Plan” that would have allowed each congregation, clergy, and annual conference to decide on whether or not to allow same sex marriage and the ordination of those who are gay.

     To put this into perspective, out of the 864 delegates, the One Church Plan only needed 25 more votes to pass. Two-thirds of the US votes were for the One Church Plan. 85% of the delegates outside of the United States went for the traditional plan which was adopted. Since the United Methodist Church is a global denomination, it makes this an even more complex issue than what it already is.

     The third thing I would say is that conservatives and progressives interpret the scriptures very differently with regard to this issue. Conservatives have a more literal understanding of the Bible where certain verses are meant for all times and settings and progressives see these verses more in terms of the historical/cultural setting when the Bible was written.

     And the fourth thing I would say to you is that no matter where you stand on this issue, there are still things pending from this past week’s General Conference decision. Some things might get ruled out of order by the Judicial Council of our denomination. 

     There is also talk of future meetings of denominational leaders to continue to find a way forward for progressive clergy and congregations who want the LGBTQ community to have full inclusion in the church. 

     The truth is that even after this special session of General Conference that just took place, we don’t fully know what the future holds for our denomination. But what I do know is what we sang during our opening hymn, “God is our help in ages past and our hope for years to come.”

     And my prayer is that when people look at us, they will be able to see that God is our help and our hope through any storm or challenge we may face. My prayer is that when people look at us, they will be able to see something different about us that would point them to the saving and redemptive love of Jesus Christ.

     A love that welcomes all people, gay/straight/questioning, all people. It’s a love that affirms the sacred worth of every single person. 

     It’s a love of full justice and full inclusion. Love is love. Love is love. Love is love. Love is love. Love is love.

     Somebody asked me when I changed in how I interpret the scriptures related to same-sex marriage and ordination. And the answer is that it was a very slow and gradual change for me. It involved a lot of prayer, a lot of reading, a lot of conversation, and a lot of rethinking. And so, I totally understand why people are struggling with this. And I don’t want to ever forget what this long journey has been like for me and continues to be for me.

     The biggest thing that has changed for me is that I have become much more empathetic to what LGBTQ people are feeling about our denomination’s constant debate about their self-worth. 

     Two weeks ago, Trey Pearson the former lead singer of the popular Christian band, “Everyday Sunday” made a surprise visit to our church and sang a song for us about his difficult and painful journey in coming out as gay. Three years ago, a sponsoring ministry group had informed Trey and his band that they were not allowed to perform a concert here because of his announcement in coming out as gay.

     We were all blessed by Trey’s presence with us two weeks ago. Many of you are still talking about that Sunday of worship. Trey now has a ministry of touring the country and providing a safe space where the LGBTQ community can hear about his decision in coming out and where they feel safe to share their stories with each other as well.

     I now follow Trey on twitter and follow his daily posts. It broke my heart to read his tweets this past week as our denomination’s General Conference was debating and voting on matters related to the LGBTQ community.

     Let me share two of his posts from this past week as the General Conference was taking place.

     “Today, I am exhausted from people talking about the United Methodist Church voting about our worth as LGBTQ persons. It is exhausting knowing that your whole life people have been debating about your worthiness of falling in love.”

     And here’s the second tweet from this past week:

     “Just having people debate your worth has made me think all day about how much I didn’t want to be gay. No one wants to be broken, and when you grow up being taught that that is what ‘gay’ is, it brainwashes you to have deep shame and insecurity. This is spiritual abuse.”

     Trey is one example among many of why I have changed my scriptural and theological understanding of this complex issue. I continue to be open to change for other issues as well by carefully reading the scriptures, understanding it’s historical context, and then praying and wrestling over what those scriptures mean for us today. 

     As John Wesley, the founder of Methodism said, we are all to be moving onto perfection. And that means being open to change and where God is leading us and to realize that we’re not always going to be at the same place along that journey, as this past week’s General Conference has shown us. We are not always going to be at the same place.

     This past Wednesday evening, I met with an associate pastor at a United Methodist Church in our conference. She said, “of all Sundays, I’m schedule to preach this Sunday.”

     I said, “what are you going to say?” She said, “I’ve been reading and thinking about the transfiguration scripture for this Sunday, and I suddenly realized that this story isn’t just about Jesus changing in front of the disciples, it’s about how the disciples also changed because of it. They saw Jesus in a whole new light, literally.”

     Friends, when we see Jesus in a whole new light, we change too. So don’t be surprised if you run into somebody you haven’t see in a while and hear them say, “there’s something different about you.” 

     That just might be a good thing.

There’s Something Different About You!

Sermon Discussion Questions

Luke 9:28-36 & Exodus 34:29-35

March 3, 2019

Has anyone ever said to you, “There’s something different about you?” To what were they referring?

Transfiguration Sunday is when we remember when Jesus was “transfigured” in front of the disciples while they were on the mountain together. Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white and two famous Old Testament figures from the past appeared with him! The disciples knew that Jesus was changing before their eyes and they didn’t know what to make of this experience.

When have you experienced Jesus in a new way in your life? What was different about him that you had never before noticed and what impact did that have on your life?

The special UMC global General Conference that was held this past week decided to retain our current denominational stance prohibiting same sex weddings and ordaining gay and non-celibate candidates for ministry. Pastor Robert shared these points for our Athens First church in moving forward: 1) WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST WELCOMING & INCLUSIVE CHURCH WE CAN POSSIBLY BE! 2) Two-third of the US delegates voted for the One Church Plan which would have allowed each clergy, congregation, and annual conference to decide this issue for their own settings. 85% of the delegates from outside of the US, voted to continue our current denominational stance. This disconnect makes this issue very complex from a global perspective. 3) Conservatives and progressives interpret the scriptures on this issue very differently. 4) Some denominational leaders are planning to meet again after Easter to discuss how to move forward due to the strong stances on both sides.

Continue to pray this prayer together for our denomination: “O God, baptize the United Methodist Church afresh in the life-giving spirit of Jesus. Amen.”

Has anyone ever questioned a change that you have made in your life because you felt God leading you to a new understanding? Why do you think people are often resistant to accept change?

Share a way that God is at working in changing your perspectives, your lifestyle, your faith, your future goals, etc. Pray for God to guide and direct you to be open to “transfiguration moments” in your life and in the lives of others.

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (Feb. 24) Athens First UMC

[Today was Scout Sunday. For the past several years, we have hosted Scout Troupe #71. They participated in our 10:30 worship by serving as greeters, ushers, and leading parts of the service. Today was also the 2nd of two Sundays in which we offered prayers for the special UMC General Conference that is taking place Feb. 23-26 in St. Louis, MO regarding the denomination’s stances on issues related to human sexuality. For the sermon, click here.]

Loving God, we shall overcome because you created each one of us in your image.

We shall overcome because because your Holy Spirit empowers us.

We shall overcome because nothing shall ever separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We shall overcome because you love us unconditionally.

We shall overcome because you give us the amazing gift of peace.

We shall overcome because we are an Easter people.

Loving God, as overcomers may we work for justice where there is injustice, inclusion where there is exclusion, tolerance where there is intolerance, love where there is no love.

It is in this Spirit that we pray for the special General Conference of the United Methodist Church that is taking place in St. Louis, even as we worship you this morning. We pray for the 864 delegates from all around the world who are deciding on matters of human sexuality.

O God, baptize the United Methodist Church afresh in the life-giving spirit of Jesus.

And baptize us afresh as we seek to be the people you have called us to be, a people who are loving, generous, joyful, peacemaking, and welcoming.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, the one who overcame death on the cross, who rose again, who empowers us to be overcomers, and who taught us to pray together,

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Sermon (Feb. 24) by Rev. Robert McDowell “Our Faith Oath”

     I must say that I was more curious than usual about what the scripture readings were for today because of the timing of our denomination’s special General Conference which is taking place in St. Louis. 864 United Methodist delegates from all around the world; half of which are clergy and the other half are laity are representing our denomination as they re-examine our denomination’s stance on the topic of human sexuality.

     Not knowing what will be the result of this specially called conference made it very difficult to plan ahead for this worship service today. 

     One option would have been to go with a more generic theme and not even touch the subject. Or, I could have just invited a guest preacher to speak or have this be Music Sunday. But the more I reflected on it and prayed about it, the more I thought of how blessed I am to be your pastor and how we can share things honestly and openly no matter how controversial they may be.

     The General Conference will conclude this Tuesday so we will know what has been decided. If you’re interested, there are also several post-General Conference informational meetings that will be held on Saturday morning, March 2. The closest one to us will be at The Plains UMC and I’ll share more information about that later in our service.

     If you were here last Sunday, you heard me talk a little bit about my personal theological thoughts regarding our denomination’s stance on same sex marriage and the ordination of gay/non-celibate clergy.  One of the things that shapes my theological and biblical understanding of who God is and who God is calling us to be is in listening to other people’s faith journeys. 

     I have discovered that I grow more in my own faith when I listen to how other people interpret the Bible and live out their faith. I’ve always been fascinated how people can have very different perspectives on the same passages of scripture. 

     For example, last Sunday, I shared about Christian singer and song writer, Trey Pearson and his difficult decision three years ago to come out publicly about being gay. Trey made a surprise visit to our church last Sunday and sang his new song, “Hey Jesus” that describes a little of the heartache and pain that went into his decision to make that announcement.

 

     A couple of months ago, I heard him give an interview about how he was raised in a church near Columbus, Ohio. Ever since a young age, Trey loved Jesus and wanted to know more about the Bible and grow in his faith. He was always taught that being gay was a sin and so when he started to realize that maybe he was gay, he tried to deny those feelings because he didn’t want to disappoint God.

     He tried and tried to change his sexual orientation but he just couldn’t do it. And so, he got married and had two children. As his band became more and more popular, they toured throughout the world.  As a result of his touring and many concerts, he became more and more acquainted with churches and church leaders who offered him a different way of interpreting the scriptures as it relates to the topic of homosexuality.

     After a lot of prayer and struggle about his sexual identity, he decided to announce that he was gay. That was three years ago and that was just before his band was to perform a concert here in our church. The sponsoring group decided to not have his band perform here because of his announcement. His decision to publicly announce that he was gay had a negative impact on his Christian band. Many churches and church leaders would not allow the band to perform because of Trey’s announcement.

     Trey now has a solo career and his new CD has a lot of songs about his personal journey in that long struggle to understand his sexuality in light of his faith. A couple of things really stand out for me as I think about his recent interview where he shared his background and what led him to come out, risking his musical career. One of the reasons that he was able to reach that point was because he realized there were other ways of looking at scripture than just the way he was taught in his home church.

     Sometimes it’s OK for us to say that maybe we were wrong about a certain way we interpreted the Bible. It’s OK for us to listen to other people’s perspectives. It’s OK for us to hear other people’s faith journeys. It’s important for us to remember that the Bible doesn’t just spoon feed us with simple answers to complex issues. God expects us to have open minds and open hearts in our faith. We’re never done learning and growing as a people of faith. And that’s not an overnight process. Sometimes, it’s a very long and difficult struggle.

     One of my favorite bible scholars is Scot McKnight. Scot has written several books on how to interpret the Bible that I have found very helpful in my ministry. In his book, The Blue Parakeet he offers very important things to keep in mind when reading and studying the Bible and I highly recommend it. One of the things this book focuses on is in how the New Testament was written in the context of a 1st century Jewish and Greco/Roman culture which we need to understand so that we don’t take passages of scripture out of context. 

     In his book, he talks about the issue of women serving in leadership positions in the church. He shares about a time when he was a professor at a seminary (not United Methodist by the way) that believed the Bible taught that women should not serve as leaders in the church. Now, in the United Methodist Church, we have a long history of women serving in leadership positions. The first woman to be ordained in the Methodist Church happened back in the 1950s. We also have several women bishops.

     In the seminary where Scot McKnight was a professor, they had a very different biblical view on this. Scot himself had grown up in a church tradition where women weren’t allowed to be leaders in the church. While he was a professor at this seminary and studied this issue more carefully, he came to the realization that he had been wrong about this. He saw how some scriptures which appeared to not allow women to be leaders had been taken out of context. 

     Even though his view on this issue had changed, the seminary continued to have a strong stance on it. But because he didn’t want to jeopardize his teaching position at this seminary, he remained quiet about his minority view on this whole topic.

    In his book, Scot offers a deep regret for not speaking up about this at the time. He also thanks the small handful of professors at that seminary who actually did have the courage to be vocal against’s the seminary’s stance.

     So here’s this well publicized evangelical bible scholar who was vulnerable enough to say that he had been wrong on this particular topic. I totally respect that and I’m thankful for people like Scot and Trey who are willing to be vulnerable and say that their understanding of the scriptures has grown over time and sometimes that leads us to simply say, “Wow, I think I was wrong about that. There’s a whole new way of looking at this.”

     I wonder how much we would grow in our faith if we would learn to say that more often. “I think I was wrong about that.” And my prayer is that we would always be a church where we feel free to share where we are in our faith journey without fear of being judged by others but also where we in turn, extend an extra amount of grace to each other, especially to those with whom we may disagree.

     So, I began this sermon by saying that I was initially reluctant to look at the appointed scripture readings for today when planning for this Sunday. And we still don’t know what our General Conference will decide and what this will mean for our denomination and more specifically for Athens First.

     But then, as I got closer to preparing for this Sunday, something jumped out at me from our appointed Gospel reading for today. Of all Sundays of the year, on this challenging Sunday for our denomination, we get these words from Jesus which have become commonly known as “The Golden Rule.”

     “The Golden Rule.” Luke 6:31 – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

     Sometimes, when we get so focused on what we think the Bible says about so many different topics like what the Bible says about same-sex relations we end up forgetting about a foundational bible verse like “The Golden Rule.” Sometimes, in our desire to be right about something, we can get it all wrong because we forget this basic truth. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

     As Mark Twain once said, “It’s not the things in the Bible I don’t understand that bother me. It’s the things in the Bible that I do understand that bother me the most.”

     How do we treat each other? How much grace do we extend to each other? How much love do you think we should share with people even with people whom we may disagree?”

     On that topic, the Bible is very clear. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

     We don’t have to be a bible scholar to know what that means. “It’s not the things in the Bible I don’t understand that bother me. It’s the things in the Bible that I do understand that bother me the most.”

     That one verse kind of serves as our Faith Oath, doesn’t it? Kind of like the scouts have an oath to remind them of what it means to be scouts. We have this Faith Oath, this Golden Rule to always remind us of what it means to be followers of Jesus. 

     And when we remember our Golden Rule Faith Oath, it helps us to be gracious, to be kind, and to be loving. And sometimes it means that we become vulnerable enough that we simply say, “I’m sorry. I got it wrong.”

     I’ll close with this.

   Fred Craddock tells the following story about his family and I’ll share his story in his own words. 

     “When the pastor used to come from my mother’s church to call on him, my father would say, ‘You don’t care about me. I know how churches are. You want another pledge, another name, right? Another name, another pledge, isn’t that the whole point of church? Get another name, another pledge.’

     My nervous mother would run to the kitchen, crying, for fear somebody’s feelings would be hurt. When we had an evangelistic campaign the pastor would bring the evangelist, introduce him to my father and then say, ‘Sic him, get him! Sic him, get him!’ 

     May father would always say the same thing. ‘You don’t care about me! Another name, another pledge. Another name, another pledge! I know about churches.’

     I guess I heard it a thousand times. One time he didn’t say it. He was at the Veteran’s Hospital. He was down to 74 pounds. They had taken out the throat, put in a metal tube, and said, ‘Mr. Craddock, you should have come earlier. But this cancer is awfully far advanced. We’ll give radium, but we don’t know.’

     I went in to see him. In every window—potted plants and flowers. Everywhere there was a place to set them—potted plants and flowers. Even in that thing that swings out over your bed they put food on, there was a big flower. There was by his bed a stack of cards 10 or 15 inches deep. I looked at the cards sprinkled in the flowers. I read the cards beside his bed.

 

     And I want to tell you, every card, every blossom, every potted plant from groups, Sunday School classes, women’s groups, youth groups, men’s bible class, of my mother’s church—every one of them. 

     My father saw me reading them. He could not speak, but he took a Kleenex box and wrote something on the side from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. . . . 

     He wrote on the side, ‘In this harsh world, draw your breath in pain to tell my story.’ 

     I said, ‘What is your story, Daddy?’ 

     And he wrote, ‘I was wrong.’”

     Friends, sometimes we do get it wrong and we need to be vulnerable enough to admit it. 

     And it’s when we do unto others as we would have them do unto us, that we will get it right most of the time.

     

     Our Faith Oath

Sermon Discussion Questions

Luke 6:27-38

February 24, 2019

The Feb. 24th sermon is the 2nd and final part of a two-part series in focusing on the special 2019 UMC General Conference which is meeting in St. Louis, Feb. 23-26. 864 United Methodist lay and clergy delegates are meeting from all around the world to consider issues related to same-sex relations. Last Sunday, Christian singer Trey Pearson made a surprise appearance during our worship services and sang his song, “Hey Jesus” which is a prayer describing his painful faith journey since coming out as gay. To read the sermon from that Sunday and hear Trey’s song, click here.

What are your thoughts about Trey’s faith journey in being a Christian singer and coming out as gay three years ago? Why is it important to hear other people’s faith stories to help us in our own understanding of scripture?

One of the points from this week’s sermon was that it’s OK to change in our views of how we interpret certain scripture passages. Pastor Robert shared the story of bible scholar and author, Scot McKnight who admitted that he had been wrong about his biblical understanding that women should not have leadership roles in the church. 

What helps you to have an open mind in how a bible passage is meant to be interpreted? Is there more than one “right” way to interpret the Bible?

Our Gospel reading this Sunday is Jesus’ teaching about the Golden Rule which is to “do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” Pastor Robert said that the Golden Rule serves as our “Faith Oath” in how we interpret the Bible and live out the Bible in our daily lives.

What difference would it make if we all remememberd the Golden Rule in how we interpret the Bible?

The special General Conference that is meeting to decide on issues related to human sexuality ends on Tuesday, February 26. We are invited to attend a post-conference informational meeting led by our Bishop on Saturday, March 2, 10 am to 11 am at The Plains UMC to learn about what was decided at General Conference and what this means for our denomination moving forward. This is open to clergy and laity. No registration required. 

What questions or thoughts do you have about this special General Conference of the UMC?

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (Feb. 17) Athens First UMC

[Our prayer for Sunday focused on the special UMC General Conference that is meeting in St. Louis this week, Feb. 23 to 26 to decide on issues related to same sex marriage and ordination. We are inviting the congregation to pray the prayer above at 9 am today through Tuesday, Feb. 26. It is slightly adapted from our church’s 4:57 daily cornerstone prayer. For the streaming link of this special UMC General Conference, click here. For the sermon which focused on this upcoming conference, click here.]

Hey, Jesus. It’s us. It’s your church gathered in this beautiful place of worship. And we were just wonderin’… 

Do we truly love the way that you love? A love that is all-embracing, all-inclusive, all-welcoming, and all-affirming. We were just wonderin’ if we truly are that church that reflects your love in all that we say and do. With all of our heart, we want to be a church that lives out our welcome statement in being an open and inclusive congregation. 

But it’s not just our church here on College Street that’s thinking about this important question. It’s the larger church as well, and specifically the United Methodist Church as delegates from all around the world gather this week in St. Louis to decide on important issues related to human sexuality.

And so we pray for your all-embracing, all-inclusive, and all-welcoming presence to surround the 864 delegates who have the responsibility of representing our denomination in deciding on these matters. Grant them your wisdom. Grant them open hearts and open minds, so that we as a denomination would truly be a denomination of open doors.

Thank you for the lay and clergy members of The Way Forward Commission who over the past three years sacrificially gave of their time time to pray together, discern, and recommend, “The One Church Model” which would help us to be a more welcoming and inclusive denomination. Thank you for all this work which has been done on our behalf. 

And Jesus, even as we pray for our denomination this week, help us to each look within our own hearts to see where you are calling us to be more loving, more welcoming, and more like you. Forgive us for when we fail to truly love the way that you love. And thank you for those times when we get it right.

Teach us to pray the prayer you taught your disciples and now invite us to pray together…

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

Trey Pearson Interview - Athens First UMC

[Trey Pearson, the founder and former lead singer of the Christian band, “Everyday Sunday” made a surprise visit to our worship service on February 17 and sang. Trey came out about three years ago. The song above is “Silver Horizon” from his CD, “Love Is Love.” Trey also sang “Hey, Jesus” at the end of the sermon. Click here. Below is an interview we had with Trey during his visit with our church. This was timely since a special General Conference of the United Methodist Church is being held Feb. 23-26 to focus on the issue of same sex relations.]

You were born and raised in Columbus, Ohio which isn’t too far from Athens. How familiar are you with Athens and this area of Ohio?

I am a little bit familiar. I’ve been there a few times, and driven through many times on my way south, or coming home from tours. My main connection would be the Wesleyan church there I’ve been to a few times when I was younger, and performed there before.

What helped you to reconcile your sexual orientation with your biblical and Christ-centered faith?

I think from failed experience and an insatiable desire to understand my faith and relationship to God as a Christian. Growing up as a Calvinist, getting into a Wesleyan church as a teenager, and then continuing to progress thanks to people like Rob Bell and Adam Hamilton, I just continued to peel the assumptions that I grew up with in my faith and understanding of the Bible, and how it works.

You have experienced a lot of negative reaction from evangelical Christians when you came out. How has your faith sustained you during this very challenging time of your life?

As much as I grieve sometimes how long it took me to accept myself, I am very glad that I had done the leg work to understand why I believe what I believe. That has given me a foundation to know that I am loved and worthy of love. Even when people throw a theology at me that is contrary to that, I am very thankful to have continued going past being in that place.

How has your faith grown since you shared with the public that you are gay?

I have seen how sharing my truth has helped as an element in other people’s journeys freedom. I still see things happen in a beautiful way that reminds me what it means to be a part of a body of others, and our Divine reflection of the Christ. It has helped me see even more so how we are all created in God’s image, and how wonderful that is.

What’s been the response of your friends and family since you came out? 

It’s a mixed bag. My oldest sister and her husband have been wonderful, and my sister has been my rock. It has been really difficult on the rest of my family, and I have lost a lot of friends, or a lot of those friends have kind of gone silent. But I have been able to slowly build a beautiful chosen family over these last couple of years, and I am very grateful to have the wonderful people around me that I do.

What helps you to be gracious toward Christians who disagree with you in how you interpret the scriptures, especially those scriptures that seem to be anti-gay?

I think the one thing that I try to remind myself is that I used to be where they are because that was the systemic belief I was raised in. I didn’t know how toxic, hurtful and damaging those beliefs were growing up, and it took having to go through some really difficult times to finally get to a healthier place. So I try to remind myself of why so many people are still in that place, but also why it is so important to speak truth about the reality of what those beliefs can do to people.

Your more recent solo album, “Love Is Love,” expresses a lot of your sorrows and joys during this significant time of transition in your life. What was the process like in writing those songs?

I think it was therapy for myself to write these songs. I had to find ways to express all of the emotions I was going through. It was quite a traumatic time to realize my life was about to never look the same, and to accept all of the things I had lost by not accepting myself sooner. But it was also quite freeing and liberating to finally be able to dig down and be so honest with myself, and then other people. 

You mentioned that you are aware of our denomination’s special General Conference this week where they will decide on issues related to same sex marriage and the ordination of those who are gay/non-celibate. What would you like the 1,000 delegates to consider in addressing these very important issues this week?

When you grow up wondering if you are different, and if you are different realizing that people will think there is something wrong and broken with you, it is very likely it will do a lot of damage to your mental health and development as a child. Kids should not grow up wondering if they are worthy of being loved, or worthy of being able to fall in love. A church rooted in following Jesus and loving your neighbor should continue to seek if their teachings are producing good fruit or bad fruit. If we ever find our teachings are destroying lives like we have with the LGBT community, we should do the same as what we have done in the past, and choose to do better. This is not the first obstacle we have had to overcome as a church. From slavery to treating women as property to so many other things, we need to see that what we have done in the past is not good enough, and that we can do better.

Regardless of what the special General Conference decides this week, what words of advice would you offer to Athens First in how we can be the most welcoming congregation we can possibly be to all people in our community especially the LGBTQ community?

I would encourage you to find ways to show the LGBTQ community that they are just as worthy of love as anyone else. If there are things within your denomination that cause questions to that, I would continue to speak up in ways that show that we can do better and that we will.

You have been touring the country to help provide a safe space for those who are  struggling to reconcile their sexual orientation with their faith. What has this experience been like and how have you seen God at work?

It’s been extremely wonderful to get to go out and share my story, but it has been just as powerful to hear others all over the country, and around the world, share their stories back with me. Truth leads to freedom. I am so thankful to be in a place where I can just be fully me, and share my truth. I love that I get to do work and create art that helps people continue to experience theirs as well.