Reformation Hymn Treats

October 29, 2023/Reformation Sunday (Beulah UMC & Oak Grove UMC)

The UMC Hymnal & Reformation Hymns

Rev. Robert McDowell

Today is known as Reformation Sunday, which commemorates when the 16^th century, church reformer, Martin Luther publicly protested needed reforms in the church of his day by nailing 95 theses to the Wittenberg Cathedral church door. He did this on October 31^st, 1517, All-Hallow’s Eve, the day before All Saints’ Day which is always observed on November 1^st. He chose this day to take his stand because of the great crowd of people who would be walking by the church on the eve of this holy day on the church calendar. 

His main protest against the church of his day was related to the sale of indulgences in which people were told that they would be able to help a relative get out of purgatory and make it into heaven if they donated money to the church. They were also told that they can help to prevent themselves bypass purgatory by making a donation. The nailing of these theses to the door of the Wittenberg church sparked what we know today as the Protestant Reformation, which is why today, we have 45,000 denominations from which to choose including the United Methodist Church. 

To help us celebrate this important day on the church calendar, here are some Reformation hymn treats for your trick or treat bag. 

“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” 

Our United Methodist hymnal has several hymns related to the early Reformers. We already sang the first of those hymns earlier in our worship service, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” It’s a hymn that Martin Luther wrote based on Psalm 46 in which the psalmist expresses confidence and comfort in God’s protection. God is a mighty bulwark never failing! And one other little piece of trivia about that hymn. The melody was written by Johann Sebastian Bach, a famous composer who lived about 150 years after Martin Luther and whose music became popular because of Martin Luther’s call for reform in the church.

So, since we already sang that wonderful hymn earlier, let’s move onto a 2^nd Reformation hymn which we sing especially near the Thanksgiving holiday, “Now Thank We All our God.” We will be singing this hymn the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This hymn was written by Martin Rinkart in 1663. It’s hymn no. 102. Let me share a little context of why this hymn was written:

The Thirty Years' War was fought in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648 as part of the Counter-Reformation strife between new Protestants and Roman Catholics. Lutheran pastor Martin Rinkart wrote this hymn in the midst of the war. Rinkart conducted as many as fifty funerals in any given day during the conflict, including that of his own wife. The tune was composed by one of the most influential second generation Lutheran chorale composers, Johann Crüger, in 1647, and harmonized in 1840 by Felix Mendelssohn.

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” 

The 3rd Reformation hymn I want to mention is the hymn, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.” It’s hymn No. 139. It’s a hymn that I often use as an opening hymn of praise. It’s upbeat and so positive.

One of the most well-known Lutheran chorales, this hymn was written in 1680 by Lutheran pastor Joahim Neander, and the tune comes from a collection on Lutheran chorales from 1665. Interesting trivia: Neander often held religious services in a particular valley that was later called "Neander's Valley." This valley became famous when in 1856 the remains of an ancient man were found in that valley, aptly named the "Neanderthal Man."

“Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above”  

Another Reformation hymn in our hymnal is the hymn, “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above,” No. 126. This is also another great opening hymn for worship. It’s a hymn of praise and is so positive and uplifting! In fact, we sang this hymn last month during worship. 

So, here’s the Reformation context of this hymn: Another second generation Lutheran hymn writer and theologian, Johann Schütz, wrote this hymn of praise in 1675. The hymn has an even deeper connection to the Reformation with its tune, which was included in the Bohemian Brethren's ("Church songs") in 1566. The Bohemian Brethren trace their theological lineage a hundred years prior to Martin Luther with John Huss's reforms in Bohemia. These Christians would later become the Moravians, significant hymn writers themselves and who would also end up having a huge spiritual impact and influence on someone you probably recognize, John Wesley who would later begin what we know today as the United Methodist Church. 

Happy Reformation Day!

What is a “Christian Stance” on Abortion?

This past winter, I co-led an online bible study on the topic, “The Bible & Social Issues” which included the United Methodist Church’s stance on the topic of abortion. Our main resource for this study was the Bible along with the “Book of Resolutions” of the UMC.  Along with the topic of abortion, we also focused on Economic Injustice, Racism, Gender Identity & Human Sexuality, and Church & State. One of our discoveries during this study was in how these five issues overlap in various ways. 

The purpose of the Bible study was not only help participants to be aware of our denomination’s stances on various issues, but to also explore the complexities when discussing these important topics. We also agreed to be respectful with each other during our discussion times and to see these stances as an important resource in formulating our own opinions. That winter bible study on social issues was very timely especially with the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Below are the notes from my winter bible study’s focus on the topic of abortion. What is most interesting to note about that study was in how there is a wide range of stances regarding abortion among the major Christian denominations. The reason for this is because like the other social issues we covered in the study, there are many complexities in how we approach these topics from a faith perspective. 

Winter, 2022 The Bible & Social Issues Notes: Abortion

The United Methodist Church affirms the sanctity of life in these two statements in the Social Principles:

Our belief in the sanctity of unborn human life makes us reluctant to approve abortion. But we are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.

These statements, and others, place the United Methodist position on abortion firmly on the spectrum of life-based ethics rather than choice-based ethics. 

Life-based ethics place life at the center of guidance regarding situations where there may be conflicts. Life-based ethics call for as much life as possible to be honored and preserved in such situations. Choice-based ethics place the sovereignty of a person's right to choose at the center of such arguments.  

United Methodists affirm the sanctity of unborn human life. We similarly understand that the pregnant woman is also a life of sacred worth, and that there are circumstances in which there may be "tragic conflicts of life versus life."  In these difficult situations, abortion may offer the better way to preserve as much life as possible. 

Critical to preserving life is ready access to proper medical care. This includes access to medical care when abortion may be indicated to preserve the most life possible. That is why the Social Principles affirm that "in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures by certified medical providers.” 

Additional official statements of The United Methodist Church express the denomination's life-centered ethics:

 

• The United Methodist Church does NOT affirm abortion as a means of birth control. 

• We also “unconditionally reject” abortion as a means of gender selection or eugenics.

• And we reject late-term abortions except where the mother's life is in danger, or in cases of severe fetal abnormalities incompatible with life

All Christians faced with such decisions are called to enter them with prayer, searching the Scriptures, and all other means of seeking God’s will, guidance, and wisdom. We also strongly encourage such persons to seek the counsel of parents, other family members, clergy, and professionals in both medicine and counseling.

When faced with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, “We particularly encourage… the option of adoption.” When a woman selects adoption as the outcome of her pregnancy for which she feels best, the Social Principles encourage churches to assist her with appropriate resources and support.

While we understand the need for women to have access to safe, legal abortions, we also “mourn and are committed to promoting the diminishment of high abortion rates.” We encourage ministries that reduce unintended pregnancies, such as sex education, access to voluntary family planning, contraception, and “initiatives that enhance the quality of life for all women and girls around the globe.”

Finally, United Methodists are committed to ministering with those who have had an abortion, providing support and encouragement. Whatever situation led to a decision to abort, there is always much loss, and much need for healing. 

The various religious stances on abortion which includes the major Christian denominations reveal the wide spectrum that exists.

United Methodist Pastor, Rev. Robert Vaughn, Jr., has direct experience counseling women about terminating a pregnancy. He said his experience has convinced him of the wisdom of the United Methodist approach. 

“In one of my churches, I had a young woman who would term herself ‘pro-life,’” he said. “However, she was a young adult with a mental health condition that was managed with medication. The medication meant that she could function well, but it also meant that if she became pregnant, she couldn’t carry the pregnancy to term.”

Vaughn said the young woman did become pregnant and chose abortion, knowing the fetus wouldn’t be viable because of her own health condition.

“I remember walking with her as she and her family went through that situation,” he recalled. “She had to run the gantlet of people screaming at her before she reached a protected zone (that restricted demonstrations outside the clinic). It was good to be part of a denomination that respected her as an independent moral decision-maker, that gave her the right to choose.”

Vaughn was adamant that access to reproductive health care, including abortion, forms a key part of United Methodists’ “reluctant pro-choice” stance.

“To drive hundreds of miles for health care, including reproductive care, is just not appropriate,” he said. “In some places you have to go a long way for health care. Closing clinics and not providing training for full health care is a challenge. There’s a lack of health care in rural places. Some women don’t have the economic resources to travel, plus they’d need to take off work. It’s problematic that some states have put in delaying tactics such as requiring a first and a second appointment before a procedure.”

[The story above regarding Rev. Robert Vaughn, Jr. was included in “United Methodist Insight” by reporter, Cynthia Castle.] 

What Not to Say to Your District Superintendent

My annual one to one meeting with my District Superintendent is this week. It's a time to reflect on the past year of ministry and goals for the coming year. 

Since this is kind of an important meeting, here are some free tips to clergy on what NOT to say to your District Superintendent.

You're welcome.

• "Was I was supposed to send you my annual profile before this meeting?"

• "People shouldn't ride motorcycles because they are just too dangerous." (Don't say this if your DS just rode his motorcycle to Alaska and back to raise $10,000 for Imagine No Malaria.)

• "How is it with your soul? Hey, that's kind of catchy. Did you come up with that phrase or are you quoting someone?"

• "I still can't remember the name of this district."

• "I guess you can say that I just kind of wing it on Sunday mornings."

• "Now, remind me. Are these annual church conference meetings optional?"

• "Am I too late to send in last year's end of year report?"

• "I have been using Joel Osteen's sermons every Sunday. It's really saved me a lot of sermon prep time."

Churches Helping Churches - A Thank You Letter

Thanks to a generous memorial gift, our church added an electronic sign at our Crossroads ministry center on West Fair Avenue. We donated the previous message board to Hockingport United Methodist Church which was in need of this type of sign for their church facility.

Here is a thank you letter to our church from the wonderful people at Hockingport UMC. The message on their new sign was a creative way of thanking us!

We would like to thank the members of your church for giving us your announcement board sign which you got your new digital one.

Our church is very small and therefore don't have a lot of extra money to purchase things like this. We had been using an old sign that we had for years to announce activities going on in our fellowship hall and it was getting in bad shape.

We have heard many comments and compliments from members of the community on how nice it looks. Again, thank you so much for this very generous gift and may God bless you all!

A United Methodist Voice - Rev. Adam Hamilton

When John Wesley, the founder of Methodism died in 1791, the movement continued on thanks to the concept of "holy conferencing." Wesley had put into place a system that would bring the preachers together to make important decisions to help Methodism continue to grow and flourish.

Even with this system in place, everyone continued to look to Wesley for guidance and direction.  After his death, many of them probably had WWWD bracelets made (What Would Wesley Do?) The influence of Wesley goes to show how influential he was as a leader for this rapidly growing reform movement within the Church of England.

As Methodism began to spread into America, there was a need for this movement to become a new denomination due to the unique situation of the American Revolutionary War. Very few of the American colonists wanted to be buddies with a group of Methodist type people who continued to use the Church of England franchise label. Wesley, an ardent supporter of church unity very reluctantly agreed to allow for this separation only because of these very unique and unpreventable circumstances.

Over the course of our Methodist history, we have continued to depend on "holy conferencing" and the collective wisdom of church representatives to make critical decisions related to the issues facing the denomination. To this day, the United Methodist Church is structured in such a way to help as many people as possible have a voice in our denomination.  Our Bishops facilitate in this process and they provide an important prophetic and pastoral voice through their sacred office but we no longer have that singular voice like Wesley to speak for the denomination as a whole.

In the absence of that one voice, Methodism has been blessed with individuals who have "stood out" during their particular era.  Francis Asbury, Peter Cartwright, and in the 20th century, noted Methodist historian Dr. Albert Outler come to mind.

In more recent times, that voice has become Rev. Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor of Church of the Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, which is the largest UMC congregation.  If you have attended a United Methodist Sunday School or bible study for at least a year, chances are pretty good that you have used some of Adam's resources such as "Confronting the Controversies," "Why? Making Sense of God's Will," and "Christianity & World Religions."

More recently, Adam has completed the third part of a trilogy of resources called "The Way" which covers the healing and teaching ministry of Jesus.  The other two parts included studies on the birth of Jesus and Jesus' death and resurrection.

Adam and his church host annual leadership seminars.  This past fall, our church sent three of our staff members to the conference and came back with a lot of great resources and ideas to use in our own setting.

One of Adam's many gifts in ministry is in his communication/teaching/preaching skills.  He approaches the scriptures and theological understandings with an open mind and utilizes Wesley's quadrilateral approach (scripture is best interpreted by being informed by church tradition, reason, and experience.)  By using this approach, Adam spends a lot of time reading and studying a topic. His pastoral experience also helps to shed light on various issues that face the church today.

This more open minded and centrist approach has resonated with many people who are tired of the old worn out labels of conservative and liberal.  Adam offers this third way that bridges the gap.

For the last couple of years, Adam has been the keynote speaker at several of our Annual Conferences.  He has been sharing key thoughts on what it means to be a vital church in the 21st century.

For all of these reasons, the Inaugural Committee has invited Adam Hamilton to preach the service at the Inaugural interfaith prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. beginning at 10:30 am today. You can watch it live at this site or listen to it when it gets archived beginning sometime tomorrow.

In many ways, Adam Hamilton has become the unofficial spokesperson of the United Methodist Church. We still have our "holy conferencing" structure which is designed to include many voices but sometimes, we need that one voice to speak a hopeful word to a broken and hurting world.

I'm glad that voice is Adam Hamilton.

Preparing for a New Bishop

Tomorrow, the new Bishop of the West Ohio Conference will be announced.  Bishop Ough, who has served our conference the past twelve years has finished his third term and will be assigned to a new area in the North Central Jurisdiction.  Bishop terms are four years and Bishop Ough has served us for three terms.  The Book of Discipline does not allow for a fourth term.

Bishops oversee an area such as West Ohio and have the responsibility of appointing each United Methodist Charge with a pastor to provide leadership in equipping the people to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  Bishops are aided in their responsibility with District Superintendents who are appointed to geographical areas in the conference.  Pastoral appointments are on an annual basis and begin on July 1st.  Typically, decisions on pastoral appointments are made between January and May of each year.

The Greek word for Bishop means to oversee and so Bishops oversee the spiritual direction of the conference they are assigned.  One of Bishop Ough's distinctive changes for our conference over the past twelve years has been to equip pastors to share in the ministry of overseeing the spiritual needs of our conference through the formation of clergy cluster groups.  Every pastor is expected to participate in a clergy cluster in which pastors support one another in their ministries.

My clergy cluster consists of pastors in the Lancaster and surrounding area.  This geographical cluster allows us to not only support each other in our individual ministries but to also find ways to share in ministry together.  My cluster serves as my small group.  This past January's Marty Ford Concert to raise money to help prevent and treat drug addiction was sponsored by my cluster.  Our plan is to find more ways for our churches to share in ministry together.

Recently, I was at a United Methodist Church located in a different conference and like our conference, they will be assigned a new Bishop September 1st (the starting date for Bishop assignments.)  Speaking with one of their District Superintendents, I asked him if he was ready for this transition.  He said, "Our present Bishop has worked hard to encourage the local church to be creative in starting new ministries to reach more people for Christ.  We're a little worried that our next Bishop will take us in a totally different direction and wipe out any progress we've made over these years."  I could sense his nervousness as he shared this concern with me. 

Just like congregations are concerned who their next pastor will be, pastors are on the edge of their seat waiting to hear who our new Bishop will be.  Regardless of who is announced, we are called to pray for our Bishop to lead us in our church's mission.  I have already invited whoever the new Bishop will be to preach at our church on Sunday, October 21st.  If the Bishop's schedule allows for this to happen, our congregation will have the opportunity to offer our welcome and words of encouragement that day.

Visit back tomorrow when I provide a blog post on who our new Bishop will be.  I type this as I sit on the edge of my seat.  :)

A New Country & Methodism

United Methodism traces its roots alongside the revolutionary war and the beginning of our country.  On this Independence Day weekend, we celebrate our nation's freedom.  As United Methodists, we also celebrate how the early Methodist circuit riders preached about the freedom we can  have through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The first part of this ten minute video shows the connection between the formation of our country and American Methodism.

Happy Independence Day weekend!

What Do United Methodists Believe? - Justifying Grace

Our United Methodist Church website includes excellent summaries of United Methodist beliefs. This blog series is meant to inform as well as encourage discussion and spiritual growth. Let's look at each set of beliefs one at a time and ask ourselves, "Does this describe my foundational beliefs as a follower of Jesus Christ?"

John Wesley affirmed that God's grace is known and active in three ways: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, & Sanctifying Grace.  Today's focus is on God's Justifying Grace.
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Justifying Grace

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). And in his letter to the Roman Christians, Paul wrote: “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

These verses demonstrate the justifying grace of God. They point to reconciliation, pardon, and restoration. Through the work of God in Christ our sins are forgiven, and our relationship with God is restored. According to John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, the image of God—which has been distorted by sin—is renewed within us through Christ’s death.

Again, this dimension of God’s grace is a gift. God’s grace alone brings us into relationship with God. There are no hoops through which we have to jump in order to please God and to be loved by God. God has acted in Jesus Christ. We need only to respond in faith.
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Happy Birthday, John Wesley! June 28, 1703

John & Charles Wesley and The History Of Methodism from Benjamin Wyman on Vimeo.

What Do United Methodists Believe? - Prevenient Grace

Our United Methodist Church website includes excellent summaries of United Methodist beliefs. This blog series is meant to inform as well as encourage discussion and spiritual growth. Let's look at each set of beliefs one at a time and ask ourselves, "Does this describe my foundational beliefs as a follower of Jesus Christ?"

Prevenient Grace was John Wesley's way of marrying two theological doctrines; God's sovereignty (God's grace and not our works) and free will (our freedom to choose God's grace.)  Prevenient Grace protects God's sovereignty because God's grace is offered to everyone regardless of whether we want to receive it or not.  And it protects free will because we can either accept or not accept God's grace. 
While this might make sense theologically, the predestination proponents continued to disagree with Wesley that humans have any role in salvation at all.

Prevenient Grace helps us to appreciate infant baptism.  We United Methodists believe that God's grace is extended to every single person in any given moment whether we consciously recognize God's grace or not.  Because of this, we baptize infants to signify that God's grace has claimed that child with the hope that one day he/she will respond to God's Prevenient Grace and claim the name, "Christian." 

For me, the most exciting thing about Prevenient Grace is to know that right now as I type this sentence, God's grace is being extended to me whether I realize it or not.  The question for us is, "will we receive the grace that is being offered to us?"
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Prevenient Grace

Wesley understood grace as God’s active presence in our lives. This presence is not dependent on human actions or human response. It is a gift—a gift that is always available, but that can be refused.
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God’s grace stirs up within us a desire to know God and empowers us to respond to God’s invitation to be in relationship with God. God’s grace enables us to discern differences between good and evil and makes it possible for us to choose good….
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God takes the initiative in relating to humanity. We do not have to beg and plead for God’s love and grace. God actively seeks us!
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What Do United Methodists Believe? - Grace

 

Our United Methodist Church website includes excellent summaries of United Methodist beliefs. This blog series is meant to inform as well as encourage discussion and spiritual growth. Let's look at each set of beliefs one at a time and ask ourselves, "Does this describe my foundational beliefs as a follower of Jesus Christ?"

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Grace

Grace is central to our understanding of Christian faith and life.

Grace can be defined as the love and mercy given to us by God because God wants us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it. We read in the Letter to the Ephesians: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Our United Methodist heritage is rooted in a deep and profound understanding of God’s grace. This incredible grace flows from God’s great love for us. Did you have to memorize John 3:16 in Sunday school when you were a child? There was a good reason. This one verse summarizes the gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” The ability to call to mind God’s love and God’s gift of Jesus Christ is a rich resource for theology and faith.”

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, described God’s grace as threefold:

• prevenient grace
• justifying grace
• sanctifying grace

We'll look at each of these types of grace separately in future posts.
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What Do United Methodists Believe? - Distinctive Emphases

Our United Methodist Church website includes excellent summaries of United Methodist beliefs.  This blog series is meant to inform as well as encourage discussion and spiritual growth.  Let's look at each set of beliefs one at a time and ask ourselves, "Does this describe my foundational beliefs as a follower of Jesus Christ?"

Distinctive Emphases
Wesley and the early Methodists were particularly concerned about inviting people to experience God’s grace and to grow in their knowledge and love of God through disciplined Christian living. They placed primary emphasis on Christian living, on putting faith and love into action. This emphasis on what Wesley referred to as "practical divinity" has continued to be a hallmark of United Methodism today.

The distinctive shape of our theological heritage can be seen not only in this emphasis on Christian living, but also in Wesley's distinctive understanding of God's saving grace. Although Wesley shared with many other Christians a belief in salvation by grace, he combined them in a powerful way to create distinctive emphases for living the full Christian life.
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