Beloved friends,
You probably saw news of our United Methodist Church over the last week as delegates from around the world met together in St. Louis, MO to discuss ways to address the growing divide in our denomination.
Admittedly, I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions this week. I watched the live stream of the event nonstop, much like you would expect a huge fan to watch the Superbowl (thanks, Chad, for realizing that for me!). I have been a HUGE fan of the United Methodist Church for my whole life!
There is still much to be learned about how far-reaching the decisions made at conference will be. The global and connectional nature of our church lends itself to complex solutions and results. We continue to wait and see what will become of our denomination.
In the meantime, as your pastor, I am deeply and wholly committed to our church continuing to be a warmly welcoming and accepting place to worship. As you hear me say often, I believe that all people are children of God, worthy of love, dignity, and respect. I fully intend for our church to a place where that is lived out in every aspect.
All of this is so much to process. I’m still working through it. That’s why, on Sunday morning at 9a, we will have a space prepared to pray and discuss the implications the General Conference will have on our church. Serena Eckert, one of the reserve delegates for GC, will be with us to share what she experienced and help us make sense of it all.
I hope you’ll join us on Sunday morning for a Time to Process Together at 9a, and for worship at 10:30a. If you can’t be with us on Sunday morning but need to process and have questions, please let me know. I would love to have coffee or share a meal with you to talk through it all.
I will say it over and over again: I am deeply committed to our church, and to the role that it plays in our community. We are a place where miracles happen, and God has more in store for us than we could ever imagine. It is an incredible gift to be your pastor.
See you Sunday at 9a!
Your pastor and friend in Christ, Jenna
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