How does one summarize an experience that goes beyond words? As I have tried to think about how I would share the Korean cultural pilgrimage we as cabinet members have just returned from it has been difficult—in that I will be talking about it for years to come. So I am going to try to form word clips that would somehow connect my/our experience and yet make sense in a fluid sort of way. It is only a part but perhaps a picture . . . .
Eight bishops, cabinet members, seminary representatives, conference–denominational staff, professors, and spouses weary after a very long flight, stepping off a plane to be welcomed, embraced, cared for, attended to, enveloped in grace by those who will walk with us in the days to come—each of us receiving a rose for which a vase of water is waiting in our rooms to give them life for the days we are present.
Graciousness of a culture where respect of the other is valued more than one can imagine. Adapting to this graciousness takes time as being reciprocal of that grace is extremely important and where “bowing” finally becomes second nature and “gam sa ham mi da” (thank you) is repeated at every encounter.
Extravagant hospitality is one of the means of grace in this culture. Focus on the other and their needs is what is important. Being welcomed with applause by women in colorful native dress and men in suits (so foreign to me), the importance of being “guest,” having church members be responsible for all our needs including cleaning our guest rooms daily and replenishing them with treats! Being available to talk, pray, share, pray, feast, pray, translate, pray, worship, pray, travel, pray, learn, and pray with.
Radical discipleship and extravagant generosity is the key to growth, the Christian way of life, and hope for the future of the Korean Methodist Church. We were the guests of the Bupyeong Korean Methodist Church, a huge complex (not too many “small churches” in Korea!) in a significant industrial part of Incheon. They deliberately located there because of the vision of ministry.
· Started in 1940, Rev. Hong, Eun-Pa senior pastor since 1981 to the present
· Almost 6,000 members, nine pastors, 12 directors, 38 elders, 364 exhorters, 1,670 deacons
· Twenty one paid staff including only three custodians (cleaning of the building is part of the servant ministry of each member!)
· 500 class meetings in six large parishes, which hold 126 sub-parishes
· 100 Methodist Women’s groups, 43 Methodist Men’s groups
· 370 Sunday School teachers, 2,000 students
· Six vocal choirs (one which has 150 voices), one orchestra (80 piece), four hand bell choirs, four vocal ensembles—all volunteer including the directors
· Six missionaries and their families in six different countries
· 85 clergy have gone into ministry from this church
· Main factors of growth: 1. The strong presence and works of the Holy Spirit; 2. Change in church culture to a “good minister (strong visionary) and good laity (disciples)”; 3. Developing powerful and continuous discipleship; 4. Committed laity to training and education; 5. Change to the active working church: supporting churches in need including those in farming and fishing villages; church planting; foreign missions, social service and relief; 6. Continued church growth around cell groups, Sunday School and music; 7. A long term vision and plan, including conquering China for Christianity!
· All of the work of the church undergirded with constant prayer (1,200-1,500 people gather every morning at 5 a.m. to pray—out loud! I think I experienced Pentecost!) and understanding extravagant sacrificial giving.
Kimchee! All wrapped in the extravagant hospitality was the means of grace of “the connection of food.” It was food that pleased and displeased my palate, and yet an opportunity to be taught the “grace of feasting,” as they would say. Henri Nowen always reminds me that there are two places of intimacy in our lives and one of them is “the table.” Truly grace, laughter, and intimacy were experienced. When Eugene Peterson in The Message describes the Acts 2 church saying that when the people gathered, meals were a celebration, exuberant and joyful as they praised God—yes it was!
I have gone on too long but there is much to capture and much more to share. I have not had time to really reflect on the learnings but they are there and I want to share them with you. My colleague, Clay oglesbee, makes an interesting observation when he says we learned a secret: "Fully-converted Christians truly can transform the world through heart-surrendered, disciplined, enthusiastic, and self-sacrificing practice of our faith." We have much to learn from our Korena Methodist sisters and brothers. It could be exciting!!!
Blessings . . .
Liz
RENEWAL LEAVE
Beginning June 1, 2009, I will be on a renewal leave through the end of August. The June newsletter will provide more details and list the district superintendents who will be covering for me. Clergy conversations will still take place in August and information for that will be coming out in June. More information will come later.
Blessings…..liz
__________________________________________________________________________
United Methodism's Four Foci for the Quadrennium
- Developing Congregations
- Strengthening Clergy and Lay Leadership (Equipping Leaders, Transforming Existing Congregations, Teaching the Wesleyan Model of Forming Disciples of Jesus Christ)
- Global Health and Connection (Ending Malaria and HIV/AIDS, Global Outreach, Transforming the Lives of Children)
- Eliminating Poverty in Community with the Poor
__________________________________________________________________________
Focus 1: Developing Congregations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rethink Church kicks off
Rethink Church, the next evolution of the UMC’s “Open hearts” welcoming and advertising campaign, kicks off on May 5-6 with major launch events in New York City and Washington, D.C., and other cities nationwide. Audiences will see and hear new advertising over the next four years on television, radio, print, and in new media, including banner and keyword advertising on major secular Web sites. The messaging, targeting 18- to 34-year-olds, highlights the many opportunities for involvement within UM churches, from community hunger programs to basketball leagues. Meanwhile, the denomination is engaging in dialogue within its churches about enhancing those opportunities. New research conducted by the Barna Group on behalf of UM Communications found that 66 percent of young adults surveyed were searching for meaning and purpose in their lives and 62 percent considered themselves "spiritual." Two in three said there were specific events or times in their lives when they were more likely to search for spiritual answers. But 78 percent said they never attend church, or only attend once in a while. The Rethink Church campaign aims to bridge that gap. The first Rethink Church training in Minnesota took place on May 2. More Minnesota events are in the planning stages. Visit www.rethinkchurch.org for more information and resources.
The American Church in Crisis, by David T. Olson, is a book that will get you thinking. It strikes a chord as he reflects on the core aspects of a thriving church.
__________________________________________________________________________
Focus 2: Strengthening Clergy and Lay leadership
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Structures of Care for One Another
New Baptismal and Membership Rites revised to align with the 2008 Book of Discipline can be downloaded from the GBOD web site.
Families Called to Love is the 2009 theme for Christian Home Month from the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD). Visit the GBOD web site for information on worship service resources, a family covenant for love, family devotionals, congregational activities, a retreat model, a planning calendar, and more.
Summer Theology Workshop: June 7-11, Koronis Ministries, Paynesville, $269. Guest speaker will be Dr. Paul Rhodes Eddy, co-author of Lord of Legend: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma. (It is recommended to read the book before you come.) Other discussion: What does it mean to be created in the “image of God,” Genesis 1:27. For further information and registration contact Bruce at (507) 287-6707.
Summer Institute in Spirituality and the Arts: June 8-12, United Theological Seminary (3000 5th Ave., New Brighton). An opportunity to explore the intersections of art and religion in one’s personal life or faith community. Register by June 1. For a complete description and registration visit the UTS web site. For further assistance contact Renee at (651) 255-6138.
School of Christian Mission (SCM): July 14-19, St. Johns University, Collegeville. Weekday (July 14-17), weekend (July 17-19), and drive-in (July 16) options available. Studies include The Beauty and Courage of Sudan: Why a Dream of Peace is Possible; Food and Faith; and Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival. Contact Elizabeth for more information. Register by June 30 with Marge, (507) 278-4167.
Courage to Lead Retreat (rescheduled): July 28-30, ARC Ecumenical Retreat Center, 1680 373
rd Ave. NE, Stanchfield. For clergy and congregational leaders to renew and sustain their spiritual resources and contribute to the vitality of their congregations.
NCJ Division on Ministries with Young People Convocation and Legislative Assembly: Aug. 28-30, Wisconsin Dells. Four youth, young adults and their adult leaders. Watch the web site for more information and registration.
Upcoming Fellowship Events and Celebrations
UM Day at the Dome: July 29, 7:10 start time, the Minnesota Twins take on the Chicago White Sox. Each church will receive a mailing from the Twins office.
Minnesota UM Softball teams wanted for tournament
The annual Minnesota UM Softball Tournament, which raises funds to enable young people attend Minnesota UMC camps, takes place Aug. 21-23. Your church team can take part in this fun event that makes possible a life-changing camp experience for young people. If you want to pull together a team to participate, contact Don Enberg at dlenberg@netscape.net. In the subject line type "UMC Softball Contact." Or call Don at (612) 598-8361.
__________________________________________________________________________
Focus 3: Global Health and Connection
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outreach Opportunity
Peace With Justice Sunday: June 7; This special offering supports global outreach through the General Board of Church and Society and annual conference-related peace-with-justice ministries. Make donations to your local church with “Peace With Justice” in the memo.
Blankets+: This Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Church World Service is asking you to bring blankets + kits to your church to support them in their mission: to bring a smile to the faces of parents and children around the world by providing safe water, nutritious food, and adequate health care. To learn more call (800) 297-1516.
Mission Caravan: Meet Our Neighbors in the Twin Cities Area: Aug. 12-13. An opportunity to learn more about UM-related missions and have hands-on experience. $50, meals and transportation included. Register by July 20. For further information contact Mary Ann at (763) 241-9541.
U.S. Tornado Response: UM Committee on Relief (UMCOR) provides emergency assistance to areas hit by tornados, including the April 10 tornado that struck portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Support this effort by giving to your local church listing Domestic Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance #901670, in the memo.
Volunteer Opportunities
Vacation Bible School: After you’ve put the work into planning your own, take it on the road and share it with another church, orphanage, or mission site.
__________________________________________________________________________
Focus 4: Eliminating Poverty in Community with the Poor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
__________________________________________________________________________
Reach New People!
Cultivate Spiritual Vitality!
. . . in our United Methodist Churches