rethinking church…or whatever. June 12, 2009

I am a young person. By going to the Rethink Church website, I am suppose to feel more engaged and more welcome to the church. To speak plainly, I feel like it’s an irrelevant, unimaginitive ploy that is condescending to young people, both churched and unchurched. I’ll give it to the people who created the campaign: the color scheme and the edgy doors on the website and the Mufasa from the Lion King narration on the commercials is initially sort of catchy, but it lacks the depth that my analytical, contemplative, and inquisitive generation starves for.

Rethink Church uses a series of cliches like “what if we were a 1000 doors” and my favorite, “What if church was not just about Sunday but be about the rest of the days of the week.” The UNC Wesley Foundation has weekly worship and eucharist on Sunday evenings and Eucharist, dinner and a program on Thursday evenings. We have Bible studies and small groups throughout the week, we eat together at the Old Well on Mondays, we have intramural teams, mission teams that do local, national, and global ministry and we are a community that supports each other and glorifies God with our gifts, time, presence, and prayers. Church is a everyday thing at Wesley. We are a community of faith that is relevant and is still clinging to its Wesleyan roots. Yes, we are what the general church always says it desires to be. We sing hymns (yeah, like legit hymns), discuss theology, doctrine, and scripture and then reason out the implications that they have in our lives as Disciples of Jesus Christ as well as in our roles as academics, citizens, future parents, future spouses, room mates, teammates, and friends. We aren’t rethinking the church. We are progressively thinking and exploring what it could and what it will be. The UNC Wesley Foundation facilitates a safe space for students to grow. I like to think of it as a hotbed of hope.

This is my fourth annual conference, and I have learned in my short experience that the idea of apportionments kinda freak people out. Apportionments pay for ministry and we pay these apportionments hoping that the individuals chosen to determine how these monies are spent make good decisions. The Rethink campaign has spent MILLIONS of apportionment dollars in web, tv, and print advertising. All the while, the Methodist campus ministries at universities across North Carolina receive meager funds for programming from our Annual Conference. You want me to rethink about church? How about we rethink the way we value our ministries that are radically transforming and reforming young people? How about we rethink who we consult (or don’t consult) when we’re spending money?

freezing minimum salaries June 11, 2009

what a terrible idea. So many of these pastors have families to take care of.  I understand the “stand in solidarity with our people argument”, but it shouldn’t be mandated. Let these minimum salary pastors tithe and sacrifice their salaries as they feel led.

i wonder what percentage of young (25-35) clergy are on minimum salaries? And we say we are committed to raising young clergy to lead the “new generation”….yeah, ok.
I wish the motion considering student pastors could have been in order. Her point that there is no such thing as part-time ministry is a valid point.

shoop-bi-doo..it’s Thursday June 11, 2009

I’m so tired.  Because I’m dumb, I didn’t get housing  so I’m commuting between Smithfield and Greenville everyday. So i’m getting up at 5:30, showering, getting ready, driving an hour and fifteen minutes, sitting through conference stuff, and then leaving around 7 and driving home.  I need an IV coffee drip.

Bible study lasted forever, so I stood at the Wesley table this morning. I got a visit from Liz Roberts and her ridiculoulsy cute daughter, Libby. I told Liz that we needed to train her to cry when somebody offers an amendment to an amendment.

We recognized first time local pastors this morning. Are there always that many? I don’t remember that from the past.

Insurance and Pensions report right now….need coffee. James looks bored too.

I’m looking forward to the Memorial Service, which is a little bizarre, but I like hearing the stories of those pastors and spouses that have made an impact on the conference and the local churches and ministries that they served.

Lastly, this place is packed.  Gracious.  Oh and by the way, I’m NOT looking forward to debate of the constitutional amendments tomorrow.  :::sigh:::

whoooa and i’m back June 10, 2009

So, I’m sitting in the Greenville Convention Center at Annual Conference 2009. Originally, I was just going to twitter and facebook random thoughts (i kinda thought blogs were a little passe). But, because i’m a writer, or at least an aspiring one, my need to write more than 140 characters takes precedent.  So, the General-jurisdictional-annual conference blog is back in action.

So far in annual conference, we’ve had the State of Church Address given by Bishop Gwinn.  Personally, I thought it was pretty rockin and I wish people would take it to heart. Living abundantly even in times  of economic scarcity is absolutely vital to the church’s survival. There was also a definite  theme of “be nice to your pastor…they can’t do everything…church is a team job…etc. etc”. We then did communion.

Random thoughts had so far during conference:

people with bluetooth (blueteeth??) look like they have a huge mole, or that they need to look important. I judge you, in the spirit of holy conferencing.

Chuck Cook is a baller parlimentarian

Whoa, Bishop Gwinn’s mom is here. She get’s a fix from being in annual conference. Hey, whatever makes you happy.

Also, Elizabeth Hutchins and I discussed how much we like Annual Conference. Maybe we should start a club with Madre Gwinn?
I’m definitely going to be elaborating later on my feelings about the new rethink church campaign.

infomercials, parliamentary procedure, golf shirts, and gbcs July 18, 2008

 

Yesterday we had our last teaching session….it was so incredibly boring. Basically it was two guys doing a tag team presentation on different resource materials that churches can use to make people more Wesleyan. It was hot in the auditorium, we were all tired, and the presenters were far too excited about life.  In the words of father number 2, Carl Frazier, “It was an hour and a half infomercial”.   Good news is that I worked on some stuff for acs during it, so it was at least semi-productive. 

When Dr. Leeland was elected bishop, every clergy moved up one spot.  Subsequently, Chuck Cook moved beside me. He is my DS and we’ve discovered each others mutual affection for parliamentary procedure.  We’re having a blast watching people mess up when they try to make motions on the floor.

A lot of people have left the conference.  Since we elected the bishop in 6 ballots, a lot of people feel like everything else is kinda of pointless (and in a way, I agree with them).  Also, people are dressing far more casually.  I mean…even more casual than at annual conference.  There are some people here i’ve never seen wear anything but a coat and tie.  it’s interesting to observe.  i need a life. 

Laura and I had dinner with the Frazier’s last night.  I love my second family =)

oh yeah…Elizabeth Frazier came yesterday too.  I was pretty excited. 

So, last night I was nominated by the nominations committee to be on the General Board of Church and Society. This morning the report was approved which made it official.  I totally didn’t see it coming.  It was my first choice, and I figured that if I got on a general board at all, they would put me on discipleship because I’m a young adult….and young adults are only concerned about what young people do…and totally disengaged with what is going on in other aspects of the church (please note my sarcasm) I’m totally stoked and very grateful for this opportunity.  

Ellen and Elizabeth left today, so now it’s just me and ol LL.  We have the entire afternoon off until 7:30,  so we cleaned the house some and now we’re sitting on the rocking chairs on the back of the harrell center, overlooking the lake.  it’s my new favorite spot.

 

and i think that’s it.

We have a winner! July 17, 2008

Dr. Paul Leeland was elected this morning.  It was sweet. People were tearing up..I almost did when I saw Ms. Janet.  In the words of Bishop Ward, NC is a powerhouse

 

The entire Leeland family is here….including the future Mrs. Becki Leeland. It’s just so awesome.

 

Because of this, Carl Frazier has taken Dr. Leeland’s place on the episcopacy committee until the end of the week, and next quadrennium, Beth Hood will be the clergy from NC on the episcopacy committee.

We’re about to have another teaching session….YES! lol. jk.

 

editorial note: Paul Leeland, as in the future Mr. Becki McLamb, complained because he didn’t get a shout out.  So…here is your shout out Paul.

did you know there is a professional pencil sharpener at jurisdictional conference July 16, 2008

so we had opening worship this morning.  Laity and clergy from each conference carried the worship stuff…i mean the table, cloths, candles, chalices, the whole gamut in a precessional.  Emily Innes, Leonard Fairley and I were the three from our conference to bring stuff in.  I brought in these ribbons that go on the front table.  It was pretty sweet…except i had to have the ribbons draped over my arms for like 20 minutes before hand. boo. 

Anyway, then the bishops all came in.  We had worship, we had communion, and all that jazz.  It was good.  Before we had our first vote, we had a 45 minute reflective/meditative time where there were readings and music and quiet time, i suppose to let every discern.  I mean, we’re electing a bishop…it’s pretty serious stuff.  Anywho, we had the vote, and currently Paul Leeland was winning.  Then, we had this teaching session (basically a duke professor giving a lecture on Methodism) and it turns out that in the second vote Dr. Leeland was winning again, but by a bigger margin.  When we return from dinner, we will be voting again.

 

Today laura and i ate lunch out by the lake.  We were accompanied by a flock of geese. we’ve discovered that geese are a lot like a delegation…i guess you had to be there to see the humor in that.
It is hot and crowded in the auditorium. boooo.

 

And that’s pretty much it for today??? I’ll try to keep posted about the election results.  If Dr. Leeland doesn’t win, Laura and I will probably be peacing out of lake j early saturday…but hopefully we’ll be going to a consecration service =)

Oh and if you’re on rescom and you haven’t written your resolutions….why are you reading this? Get to work people.

we arrived alive….even with my speedy driving July 16, 2008

Yesterday LL and I got to Lake Junaluska in approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes, with two bathroom stops.  Oh, and if driving through Morganton…don’t go to their gas station restrooms…you might catch something.

 

ANYWHO, we found the Moser Mansion (or Casa de Moser, whichever you prefer) and attempted to turn on the water and lights by ourselves, but ultimately failed at that.  Luckily the Fraziers drove by and Carl fixed it for us lol.  Laura and I then went to the Lambuth Inn for our delegation meeting.  We did housekeeping stuff and then discussed questions to ask the Episcopal Candidates round robin today. Our questions were:

1) If the church is to live, what has to die?

2) What is your vision as bishop and what is your vision for the College of Bishops?

3) Why do you want to be Bishop? What gifts do you bring to the table and how have you prepared to be Bishop?

4) At General Conference, Church and Society 2 voted for the Minority Report on 161 g of the Book of Discipline(human sexuality)…what are your thoughts on the Majority report that didn’t pass?

At the round robin today, we got some great answers and a lot of insight in who the bishops are and what their opinions are about different aspects of the church. I still think Paul Leeland (NC’s nominee) has a really good shot, but we shall see.  The first ballot is tomorrow at 11:45. 

At four, we had really nothing else to do, so Laura, Ellen, and I went to Asheville for some Olive Garden. After getting pretty terribly lost, we broke bread together…that is the freaking amazing garlic bread at Olive Garden.  It was delicious.  We drove back, and now we are all sitting at Harrell Center in rocking chairs, on our respective lap tops.  we’re nerds.

 

Tomorrow we begin the actual conference and worship is at 9….but i have to be there at 8 because i’m assisting in opening worship. I hope they don’t give me candles…they tend to go out when i mess with them.

hittin’ the road July 14, 2008

Tomorrow, Laura Lord and i will be meeting at the methodist building at 12 for our adventure to Lake Junaluska for the Southeastern Jursidictional Conference.  This is our first time to sej, and like general conference, I quite excited.  After reading about it and talking to some people, sej seems to be more like a really big annual conference than a smaller general conference.  General seemed like the United Methodist olympics at times…i don’t think this will be the case at lake j.  Anywho, we are staying at Rick and Rachel Moser’s house and Ellen Frazier will be hanging out with us while we’re not in session. Like I said in an earlier post, I am going to try to keep this bad boy updated while at lake junaluska, although I am not entirely sure of the availability of internet. 

it is 8:52…and i have not packed. crap.

ctops and what not. July 12, 2008

so last night i returned from “the thrill”.  Orientation was good…a little cheesy at times…very boring at others…but it wasn’t too terrible of an experience.  My dorm is pretty far down on south campus (neighbors with the dean dome) and it is about a mile to the student center/pit/undergraduate library, give or take.  My classes are even more north than that.  Basically, i’m walking a whole lot and riding the bus a whole lot.

this is my schedule

Farnell, Emily Louise TO MAIN MENU Your Fall 2008 Weekly Planner TIME MON TUE WED THU FRI 08:00 AM LATN 101 001 LATN 101 001   LATN 101 001 LATN 101 001 08:15 AM           08:30 AM           08:45 AM           09:00 AM           09:15 AM           09:30 AM           09:45 AM           10:00 AM           10:15 AM           10:30 AM           10:45 AM           11:00 AM   RELI 068H 001   RELI 068H 001   11:15 AM           11:30 AM           11:45 AM           12:00 PM         RELI 121 606 12:15 PM           12:30 PM           12:45 PM           01:00 PM ENGL 101 056   ENGL 101 056   ENGL 101 056 01:15 PM           01:30 PM           01:45 PM           02:00 PM RELI 121 001   RELI 121 001     02:15 PM           02:30 PM           02:45 PM           03:00 PM           03:15 PM           03:30 PM   ANTH 101 007   ANTH 101 007   03:45 PM           04:00 PM ANTH 101 708         04:15 PM           04:30 PM           04:45 PM           05:00 PM           05:15 PM           05:30 PM           05:45 PM

 

please notice my 4 8:00 am classes. not a happy camper about this. 

good news is..i do have professors. My FYS class is taught by a guy who has been at UNC for a thousand years, and is older than God…but according to ratemyprofessor.com, is a good professor. He’s one tons of awards and is the former chair of the religion department and helped establish the first year seminar program (basically freshmen get small classes with really good professors) My Religion 121 class is also taught by a professor (as a opposed to some jerk grad student)….and he has just recently come to carolina from uc berkely.  My anthropology professor is a rastafarian dude….and according to ratemyprofessor.com, he is terrible. I didn’t even want to take anthropology, but I was in the last group to sign up for classes, and everything was picked over….no math that i needed, no science…no p.e.  this semester will be reading intensive, but I think I will be ok.  i have a recitation for anthropology and for religion 121..which don’t count towards my hours i’m taking, but are still mandatory as a part of the class.  I have 16 hours (not including my 2 recitations), so I definitely have room to drop if I start failing the mess out of classes.

 

i have rescom at 11…so i better start getting ready.