ONE For... ALL! ?
I Remember as a kid, "The Three Musketeers" TV Show, and Cartoon version. I mostly recall their 'motto' or their 'bond' their raison d'être; "All for One, and One For All!" Ah, yes, UNITY! ONE reason, one purpose. One mission... to press forward, to succeed.
So much talk today about "Unity". Yet, so much division and divisiveness, and plurality of mind. From The White House, to the Church house. WE are a divided nation. President Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, and a Republican said: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." speaking of the divide that caused The Civil War.
Today, We, as a Nation and a People and the Church, are divided. We are divided over politics, over race and complexion, sex, and sexuality, religion, and choice of religion and banning people from our country because they are of a particular religion, practiced in a country we see as "terrorists". Therefore, we have made that religion, more of a 'nationality' than a religion to suit our purposes of segregation, in the name of National Security.
"The Church", In particular, "The United Methodist Church" (only 50 years old; the result of a 1968 merger between the Methodist (Episcopal) Church [founded by John Wesley] and the United Brethren Church) is widely divided over the LGBTQIA issues in society today. It's not their first divide. They were divided North and South over the slavery issue, and there existed a Methodist Church, South. Of late, even divided, and dysfunctional as the "United" Methodist Church is, they are spending millions of dollars (No worries, they have plenty) on a campaign called "See All The People" to re-fill empty pews and keep those coffers filled. Another attempt at luring those who left - back to the church is Rethink Church . The former, I believe is exploitative of People of Color, and the latter of children; especially children of color.
In 1978 I began to attend a United Methodist Church, Summerfield in Kensington, now Summerfield-Siloam UMC because of a 1980's merger with the shuttered Siloam UMC further in the Fishtown neighborhood, all known as "New Kensington" today. A highly gentrified, high priced community. Not the neighborhood-or churches of my youth. Color wasn't an issue. There simply were none to speak of. Later when the entirety of Greater Kensington and Harrowgate began to change, The "United" Methodists were united, in 'white flight' from the neighborhood. A church at Front Street and Allegheny Avenue was 'converted' to a Spanish Speaking UMC known as El Mesias; the former Mt. Pisgah Church at Kip and Cambria Streets (near B Street) became a Spanish Ministry, leasing the building from the UMC, known to this day as Iglesia Del Barrio. many other UMC's suffered from their own mass exodus from anyone of a different color, complexion or lifestyle from their own. (Including "The Oldest Church in Olney" which was shuttered, reopened, transplanted and shut and opened again. It's 'new life' now is nearly dependent upon some of the families who fled, venturing back, out of guilt and/or conviction. But, those who left and took their 'endowments' with them did the most damage)!
So, for me, now the too-little too late efforts of both The United Methodist Church and Eastern PA Conference of The United Methodist Church leave me lacking; wanting. Thirsting after water, and something to refresh dry, dead bones. It's not them. As long as the 'church' preaches "Open Doors. Open Minds." but, has closed doors-except to 'insiders' and closed minds-especially to 'outsiders'... my bottom will not be warming any seats in their sanctuaries--my heart won't be feeling strangely warmed, to paraphrase Wesley, anytime soon by any purportedly United Methodist Church--so clearly divided, and double minded. I tried. It didn't work. I prayed. I sought guidance. Discernment led me out the doors.
ALL means ALL. In the words of an old Christian Camp and Youth Group song; "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love". Not our hatred and division disguised as dogma. It is not our job to convert people and get 'em in the church. Contrary to what you believe or think. That is the sole proprietorship of The Holy Spirit: to both convict and change the 'sinner'. If we're saving 'em... they're gone to Hell...and, so might we.
As Joshua gave good counsel to the Israelites "choose this day whom you will serve, ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." [Paraphrased, Joshua 24: 2, 15]. As for Gospel House Ministries, ONE Church, St. Luke Chapel; WE will serve the Lord, and Welcome strangers, and love and serve all who come by our way, on the way. We can do no less, we can strive to do so much more, and we will.
I'm a believer in and an advocate of the "Creeds" (Apostles', Nicene, Athanasian, etc) to teach. Part of the Nicene Creed says: And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life... So, as The Lord, The Giver of Life has given us all life, I'm not one to dictate how one should lives one's life. Again, I leave that to The Holy Spirit spoken of in all the Creeds (Credo) of the Early Christian Church.
I want to leave you with some Recommended Reading on my Rant! First, and foremost, by the "Father of Christian Community Development", Dr. John M. Perkins, "ONE BLOOD" Published By Moody Publishing, Second, Mending The Divides: Creative Love In A Conflicted World Published by Intervarsity Press, also the Publisher of Race And Place which I have reviewed here previously.
For Your Edification, and Growth,
Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV)
Your Faithful Community Servant-Leader
Brother Michael, OSL
1 Timothy 1:12
"May The Lord Watch Between Me and You, While We Are Absent, One From Another"
Amen. - Mizpah!
"UNITY" & The History Of The Disciples Movement
So much talk today about "Unity". Yet, so much division and divisiveness, and plurality of mind. From The White House, to the Church house. WE are a divided nation. President Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, and a Republican said: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." speaking of the divide that caused The Civil War.
Today, We, as a Nation and a People and the Church, are divided. We are divided over politics, over race and complexion, sex, and sexuality, religion, and choice of religion and banning people from our country because they are of a particular religion, practiced in a country we see as "terrorists". Therefore, we have made that religion, more of a 'nationality' than a religion to suit our purposes of segregation, in the name of National Security.
"The Church", In particular, "The United Methodist Church" (only 50 years old; the result of a 1968 merger between the Methodist (Episcopal) Church [founded by John Wesley] and the United Brethren Church) is widely divided over the LGBTQIA issues in society today. It's not their first divide. They were divided North and South over the slavery issue, and there existed a Methodist Church, South. Of late, even divided, and dysfunctional as the "United" Methodist Church is, they are spending millions of dollars (No worries, they have plenty) on a campaign called "See All The People" to re-fill empty pews and keep those coffers filled. Another attempt at luring those who left - back to the church is Rethink Church . The former, I believe is exploitative of People of Color, and the latter of children; especially children of color.
In 1978 I began to attend a United Methodist Church, Summerfield in Kensington, now Summerfield-Siloam UMC because of a 1980's merger with the shuttered Siloam UMC further in the Fishtown neighborhood, all known as "New Kensington" today. A highly gentrified, high priced community. Not the neighborhood-or churches of my youth. Color wasn't an issue. There simply were none to speak of. Later when the entirety of Greater Kensington and Harrowgate began to change, The "United" Methodists were united, in 'white flight' from the neighborhood. A church at Front Street and Allegheny Avenue was 'converted' to a Spanish Speaking UMC known as El Mesias; the former Mt. Pisgah Church at Kip and Cambria Streets (near B Street) became a Spanish Ministry, leasing the building from the UMC, known to this day as Iglesia Del Barrio. many other UMC's suffered from their own mass exodus from anyone of a different color, complexion or lifestyle from their own. (Including "The Oldest Church in Olney" which was shuttered, reopened, transplanted and shut and opened again. It's 'new life' now is nearly dependent upon some of the families who fled, venturing back, out of guilt and/or conviction. But, those who left and took their 'endowments' with them did the most damage)!
So, for me, now the too-little too late efforts of both The United Methodist Church and Eastern PA Conference of The United Methodist Church leave me lacking; wanting. Thirsting after water, and something to refresh dry, dead bones. It's not them. As long as the 'church' preaches "Open Doors. Open Minds." but, has closed doors-except to 'insiders' and closed minds-especially to 'outsiders'... my bottom will not be warming any seats in their sanctuaries--my heart won't be feeling strangely warmed, to paraphrase Wesley, anytime soon by any purportedly United Methodist Church--so clearly divided, and double minded. I tried. It didn't work. I prayed. I sought guidance. Discernment led me out the doors.
ALL means ALL. In the words of an old Christian Camp and Youth Group song; "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love". Not our hatred and division disguised as dogma. It is not our job to convert people and get 'em in the church. Contrary to what you believe or think. That is the sole proprietorship of The Holy Spirit: to both convict and change the 'sinner'. If we're saving 'em... they're gone to Hell...and, so might we.
As Joshua gave good counsel to the Israelites "choose this day whom you will serve, ... As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." [Paraphrased, Joshua 24: 2, 15]. As for Gospel House Ministries, ONE Church, St. Luke Chapel; WE will serve the Lord, and Welcome strangers, and love and serve all who come by our way, on the way. We can do no less, we can strive to do so much more, and we will.
I'm a believer in and an advocate of the "Creeds" (Apostles', Nicene, Athanasian, etc) to teach. Part of the Nicene Creed says: And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life... So, as The Lord, The Giver of Life has given us all life, I'm not one to dictate how one should lives one's life. Again, I leave that to The Holy Spirit spoken of in all the Creeds (Credo) of the Early Christian Church.
I want to leave you with some Recommended Reading on my Rant! First, and foremost, by the "Father of Christian Community Development", Dr. John M. Perkins, "ONE BLOOD" Published By Moody Publishing, Second, Mending The Divides: Creative Love In A Conflicted World Published by Intervarsity Press, also the Publisher of Race And Place which I have reviewed here previously.
For Your Edification, and Growth,
Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV)
Your Faithful Community Servant-Leader
Brother Michael, OSL
1 Timothy 1:12
"May The Lord Watch Between Me and You, While We Are Absent, One From Another"
Amen. - Mizpah!
"UNITY" & The History Of The Disciples Movement
posted by ONE Church, St Luke Chapel at 3:29 AM
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