http://hoosierpastor.blogspot.com/
Hoosier Pastor wrote about the appointment system and I would like to address some things that I really like about our Methodist system of Itenerancy.
Actually, if it were not for our itinerant system I might not be a Methodist today.
Although I had visited Methodist churches a bit, I did not become a Methodist until I walked into a UMC 25 years ago and the senior pastor was a white woman and the associate pastor was an elderly black man. That combination of pastoral leadership was what impressed me enough that within a few weeks I joined the church (re-affirmation of faith). I had been Misery Synod Lutheran and then Unity School of Christianity.
In systems that hire pastors many churches choose pastors that fit what THEY want. Many churches would not choose a pastor of another race or a female pastor. In our appointive system that is not an option. A church can request a pastor with certain gifts but those gifts can not include "must be male" or "must be young" or "must be white".
I have seen our appointive process cause members of the churches to stretch and grow. Often the congregations actually grow as well. I no of no congregational system that has such diverse congregations as the UMC.
My mother is a member of a predominately black congregation that has a white pastor. I am a member of a predominately white congregation that has a white female senior pastor and a black female associate pastor. I know of a church that was all white and all older that was shrinking and now is diversifying and growing under the leadership of a black female elder.
Our itinerant system also allows us to have a diversity of style and idea and opinion among our leadership so that we as Methodists tend to have a more broad faith than those churches that have ONE leader and ONE opinion.
I am proud to be a part of a denomination that within my community there are Charismatic congregations, Black, White, Korean AND Blended Congregations. High Church, Low Church, Contemporary. You can find it ALL in one town. I the larger towns I also do not see why some churches feel that they have to have a contemporary service AND a Traditional service AND a blended service... There is a UMC every couple of miles.
If we would stop worrying about what our congregational neighbors were doing we could better live up to our slogan.
Our Hears, Our Minds, and Our Doors are always open.
Hoosier Pastor wrote about the appointment system and I would like to address some things that I really like about our Methodist system of Itenerancy.
Actually, if it were not for our itinerant system I might not be a Methodist today.
Although I had visited Methodist churches a bit, I did not become a Methodist until I walked into a UMC 25 years ago and the senior pastor was a white woman and the associate pastor was an elderly black man. That combination of pastoral leadership was what impressed me enough that within a few weeks I joined the church (re-affirmation of faith). I had been Misery Synod Lutheran and then Unity School of Christianity.
In systems that hire pastors many churches choose pastors that fit what THEY want. Many churches would not choose a pastor of another race or a female pastor. In our appointive system that is not an option. A church can request a pastor with certain gifts but those gifts can not include "must be male" or "must be young" or "must be white".
I have seen our appointive process cause members of the churches to stretch and grow. Often the congregations actually grow as well. I no of no congregational system that has such diverse congregations as the UMC.
My mother is a member of a predominately black congregation that has a white pastor. I am a member of a predominately white congregation that has a white female senior pastor and a black female associate pastor. I know of a church that was all white and all older that was shrinking and now is diversifying and growing under the leadership of a black female elder.
Our itinerant system also allows us to have a diversity of style and idea and opinion among our leadership so that we as Methodists tend to have a more broad faith than those churches that have ONE leader and ONE opinion.
I am proud to be a part of a denomination that within my community there are Charismatic congregations, Black, White, Korean AND Blended Congregations. High Church, Low Church, Contemporary. You can find it ALL in one town. I the larger towns I also do not see why some churches feel that they have to have a contemporary service AND a Traditional service AND a blended service... There is a UMC every couple of miles.
If we would stop worrying about what our congregational neighbors were doing we could better live up to our slogan.
Our Hears, Our Minds, and Our Doors are always open.
posted by Conrad at 11:32 AM
1 Comments:
misery synod... haha :)
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