Four articles from our conference newsletter "UMConnection" are worth sharing with you today.

One comes from our Bishops from across the denomination. Entitled "A Call to Hope and Action", they appeal for faithful response to poverty, disease, a world full of weapons & violence, and our environmental degradation. Your existing ministries - especially to young adults with handicapping conditions and a new proposed ministry of planting are good responses.
A second one praises a TV series "Vision & Values" with a special episode entitled "A Place For All: Faith & Community for Persons With Disabilities." While it celebrates wonderful scattered responses, it makes plain that the church has a long way to go.
A third article describes a wide variety of multisite ministries across the nation. Some started as little church/big church partners but have grown beyond that mentality. Others are cooperative parishes formed by several smaller churches. Others are multisite churches begun when a congregation outgrew it's site.
As the article says , "There is no - one - size - fits - all - solution". All of the success stories grew from long term "dating," ie. exploring a variety of ways of serving before adopting any unity plan. Bishop Schol has promised there will be no "hostile takeover" modes in this conference.
One observation struck me hard, "While creation of a mult--site is complex and requires training… birthing is still easier than resurrection." Restarting a church is preferable to artificially resurrecting it. God has a purpose for every church.
The fourth article worth reflection consists of seven lessons Bishop Schol suggests we should learn from our United Methodist history.

1. We need to forge partnerships with others ...especially non church groups like businesses, recreation councils, or service organizations as early Methodists did with the military.

2. We need to meet with people -in small groups- in homes, coffee shops, book stores, clubs, even bars- where ever they are.

3. Just as the church used to start schools, universities, hospitals...so do we need to start those entities that people seek out like business clubs and recreation leagues. These next lessons made me think of our situation.

4.The line between clergy and laity needs to blur even more." We rely too heavily on the clergy to carry out ministry. The laity started the ministries of Methodism far more than clergy."

5. We need to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial mindset...to figure how to respond to peoples needs with new solutions and how to support the programs.

6. Though we are not a frontier nation anymore, we still have clashes between cultures and religions because we continue to be a nation who welcomes immigrants. We as the church have a special calling to embrace them.

7. We shouldn't be afraid to let go of the safe and comfortable in exchange for a new and rugged adventure...even if conflict is involved.

If you know Methodist history you can see how these insights emerged and how such behavior sparked new life into the church. If you review Wesley Groves history you can see how they played out here.
My deepest hope is that in the brief time we have together we can crystalize a core of shared values, construct a unified vision, and begin to develop some sound strategies to begin our second century of service in this community.

Sincerely, Rev. Perry F. Miller