I had just gotten home Monday from Clergy Session – the annual gathering of clergy who make up our North Texas Conference and who are my church. We studied, prayed, shared lunch and communion, and voted on candidates for ministry. We also voted unanimously on a resolution against hate and hate crimes so shockingly lived out (again) in Buffalo and northwest Dallas, one against black Americans; the other against Asian Americans. God’s heart cries out and so should ours. It happens so regularly that it is easy – even for a pastor – to throw up your hands and say, “What can WE do about it??”
Don’t we at FUMC Plano live out of a stance of love?
Hadn’t I just preached on radical welcome of those different from us in ethnicity or religious belief?
Wasn’t I just bragging to someone about the variety of ethnicities who live as one body of Christ in this church?
“What else can WE do about it??” I was resigned to leaving it at that.
I had barely gotten home from Clergy session when there was an email from our Lay Leader Tim Hopson who had read the press release about our resolution, and he asked, “Matt, what can we do about this?” But he did not leave it there. He suggested we form a contingent of our folks to go and worship at a primarily black UMC, and for a contingent from their church to come worship with us. I was rightfully humbled.
While my thinking was tired and resigned, Tim’s thinking was fresh, new and faithful. He made me remember a pulpit swap I had done years ago with a black church and the great fun, joy and community-building it brought to both congregations. Small steps, but important steps. None of us are victims of our circumstances unless we choose to be. It is time again as disciples of the risen Prince of Peace to understand the underlying dynamics of fear and mistrust that cause such monstrosities of action and then think afresh, think anew and think faithfully forward. Thank you, Tim, for reminding me of that.
Connecting God and Grace to Self and Community,
