From Jan Lawrence, Executive Director of Reconciling Ministries Network:
Friends, RMN had the opportunity to participate in the initial gatherings of two different movements that are growing out of the debacle of the United Methodist General Conference 2019. Each of these gatherings was full of great opportunities to worship, sing a few songs, and build relationships with people that I did not know before. The “target audiences” for the two gatherings were different, although I was pleased to see that there was significant overlap between the two. I provided leadership to UMC Next by being a part of the Convening Team.
As I head to the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, I am energized by two parallel movements joining others that are already forming. The commonalities between these two (in addition to being Wesleyan) are: a desire to resist the Traditionalist Plan, a desire to end systemic racism, a desire to build something new either inside or outside of the UMC, and a desire for justice and liberation. Both gatherings made me uncomfortable at points and both were inspirational at points. We must live in the tension of the moment and avoid viewing it as devoid of hope. We must make room for the spirit to breathe life into the movements growing out of the United Methodist Church.
But, back to my vision of parallel movements. The spirit works in some amazing ways and just what if it breathes life into multiple Methodist movements that are on a path to justice and liberation. I don’t know if any of the movements converge at some point and lead to the building of a new church or if they are just movements that are a part of whatever expressions of Methodism have been seeded. But, the thought of multiple Methodist movements that have justice at their core is pretty amazing.
So, I am going home with a lot of hope, the knowledge that we have much work in front of us, and a new thoughts about pulling the different parts of the reconciling movement together and using our various strengths at this moment.
Many thanks to the convening team for Our Movement Forward, (Tyler Sit it was great to meet in person). And, to my friends – old and new – on the UMC Next Convening Team, thank you!!!!! My prayer for all of us is that we are able to resist and build new without imposing limitations on the possibilities before we start.