October notes from Pastor Fred
GUMC Guam United Methodist Church
October 2008 Notes
I am sharing some notes for those who have access to a computer and are able, through their email addresses, to get some of the latest buzz in our church fellowship.
Charge Conference. A United Methodist local Church shall be organized so that it can pursue its primary task and mission in the context of its own community (Guam)—reaching out and receiving with joy all who will respond; encouraging people in their relationship with God and inviting them to commitment to God's love in Jesus Christ; providing opportunities for them to seek strengthening and growth in spiritual formation; and supporting them to live lovingly and justly in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In carrying out its primary task, it shall be recognized so that adequate provision is made for these basic responsibilities: 1) planning and implementing a program of nurture, outreach, and witness of persons and families within and without the congregation; 2) providing for effective pastoral and lay leadership; 3) providing for financial support, physical facilities, and the legal obligations of the church; 4) utilizing the appropriate relationships and resources of the church; 4) utilizing the appropriate relationships and resources of district and annual conference; 5) providing for the proper creation, maintenance, and disposition of documentary record material of the local church, and 6) seeking inclusiveness in all aspects of its life. (par.243 BOD)
Charge Conference. Members of charge conference shall be persons of genuine Christian character who love the Church, are morally disciplined, are committed to the mandate of inclusiveness in the life of the Church, are loyal to the ethical standards of The United Methodist Church set forth in the Social Principles, and are competent to administer its affairs. It shall include youth members chosen according to the same standards as adults. All shall be professing members of the local church, except where central conference legislation provides otherwise (Germany, Sweden, Sierra Leon, Zimbabwe, the Philippines and some Eastern European countries operate on the Central Conference model). The pastor shall be the administrative officer, and as such shall be an ex-officio member of all conferences, boards, councils, commissions, committees, and task forces, unless restricted by the Discipline. (par. 245 BOD)
The Annual Charge Conference way of doing business is somewhat restricted to all officers and confessing members of a congregation of a local church. And the fact that it is there for many decades must be due to a well-thought-out reason. The All-Church Annual Conference is more open to officers who are not yet ready to make a commitment of join our congregation. It also allows more participation for others to come to the day of the conference and participate in the deliberation of its business, something that will happen in the fourth week of October next month.
Budget 2008. It was reported during the last church council meeting that we have a very little cash left to serve as cushion if November and December weren't thanksgiving and catching-up months. It was also shared that in the last three or four years, good givers have left the island and no new members or current members stepped forward to fill in the giving gap. We need to be reminded that our ministry commitment must be supported by our financial giving if we want to continue to be in ministry at the level we have been operating at for many years now.
Lay Leadership Month. October is traditionally a month we have lay speakers to occupy the pulpit, especially the third Sunday of October. Thousands of local churches will have lay speakers preaching instead of their pastors. It is as if this particular Sunday is a Sunday to prove that lay persons could preach also. And what do they do after that Sunday or Sundays the pastors are not available to preach due to illness or some out of island commitment? Laypersons need not prove anything. They are quality individuals who prefer to continue as laypeople and pursue their own career and at the same time function as God's people in a local church setting. I am in consultation with our lay speakers and I made a proposal that a new office or status be created. I proposed that we create Pastoral Assistants. This group of lay people will be invited to join this cadre of dedicated lay people to perform a more proactive role in the life and work of the church—mission and ministry. They won't be into the "preaching" task as if that's the ultimate test for their role in the church. The Pastoral Assistants are not pastor's assistants. They are going to be carrying out, as lay persons in the church, the pastoral ministries of the church to the community. It is hoped that they could visit the sick, counsel people, offer communion (?), meet with new members of our community, welcome newcomers in our church (Guam in general), and must be willing to be weekday leaders on top of their Sunday involvement. As we reach to other parts of Guam and other outlying islands, they could be sent to do more pastoral roles without seeking ordination track (something they could pursue through another arrangement).
Atty. Gregg Parker will be sharing the message next Sunday (Sept 28), Karen Carpenter on October 5th, and Mary Parker on Oct 19th. We have members in our church who are not lay speakers but they do a lot such as visiting newcomers, keeping the office informed who are sick and need to be visited, calling members during the week and let them know we appreciate their coming to our church. We have church members who are doing so many good things in the life of our congregation and they must be given a pat in the back or a word of appreciation.
Congregational Resourcing. I will be making a trip to southern California to do some resourcing for our congregation, attend a preaching workshop at Claremont School of Theology, and spend a couple of days for my own personal renewal. Lacking peer enhancement and accountability in Guam, makes me feel the need to meet and relate with fellow UMC pastors when possible.
Wednesday Council Meeting. I have attended at least three council meetings and the fourth one last night. While it is convenient for some of us to have Wednesday night as meeting time, I noticed that it was not well attended all the time since I came to this church. Is it because it is at night, is it because it is a working day, etc? I don't know. Most of the officers/chairpersons were not in attendance during those meetings. For whatever reason, Wednesday doesn't prove to be a good time to hold a council meeting if we want more people to come, and more key leaders to participate. Saturday or Sunday after church might be the best time to do it as experience and track records indicate. Whatever day and time the meeting is going to be held, critical mass or number as they say, should determine the quality and quantity of the meeting. I am not talking about quorum on this issue. Let us know how you feel. I must say that I called a couple of meetings for my small committee, half of them came and I felt good. But church council is different.
World Communion on the 12th of October. The first Sunday of October usually is World Communion Sunday. There will be special offering envelopes to be distributed during that Sunday. World Communion Sunday reminds of the worldwide nature of the Christ's church. Even though our doctrines divide Christ's body, Christ himself unites us for common service to the least of our sisters and brothers in Christ. I must notify you that we will have the usual first Sunday-of-month communion not on the 5th of October but on the 12th instead when I get back from Claremont, California. I have contacted four pastors to do communion for us and nobody is available. Please try to understand the changed arrangement. I needed to leave early for a cheaper airfare, and the date of the preaching workshop I will be attending cannot be moved to the date I want, so World Communion will be celebrated on the 12th.
Please keep in your prayers my health and safety while I am away from you; The Rev. Dr. Cedric Bridgeforth who will be presiding our All-Church Annual Conference, and the ministry given to us all.
Pastor Fred
GUMC Guam United Methodist Church
From: Gregg Parker <gr...@theparkers.org>
Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Subject: Today's Sermon - The False Conflict Between God and Science
Hello all,
A number of people asked for copies of today's sermon, so I'm attaching it to this email. I will bring hard copies to next week's service for those that want it.
I also want to include links and references that I used so those of you who want to can read and research some of the same material I went through.
Web links
http://www.reasons.org/ - Excellent website for foundation created by Dr. Hugh Ross, who wrote The Creator and the Cosmos, where some of the material from my service came from.
http://www.thereasonforgod.com/
http://www.allaboutgod.com/does-god-exist.htm
http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/
Books
The Creator and the Cosmos, The Fingerprint of God - Dr. Hugh Ross
The Reason For God - Timothy Keller
C. S. Lewis's Case for Christ - Art Lindsley
Surprised by Joy, What Christian's Believe - C. S. Lewis
Gregg Parker