Do United Methodist Amendments Really Matter?

It’s always hard to predict the outcome of votes taken today, particularly if the issues are not that clear. Now, some of the amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Church are clear- those about editorial changes, one about Local Pastors, one about membership inclusiveness.

But, the so-called “world” amendments are hard to understand. That is, we don’t know what would be the implications of moving toward regional conferences, etc. Would regional conferences be free to do as they please, so to speak, without regard to the Book of Discipline?

Supporters of the amendments say that conferences outside the US already have some leeway with regard to the Discipline. Opponents say that we do not have a full picture of what passage of these amendments would mean.

My own thinking has been revealed in earlier blogs. I believe that passage of the “world” amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Church would open the door for more freedom and less accountability.

On the one hand, that sounds ok. Live and let live.

And, as United Methodists who claim to be united, we know that we are not united. Or, to say it another way, we do not agree on everything. Some would say that we don’t agree on anything.

On the other hand, if we go the way of the Episcopal Church and go so far as saying that the Book of Discipline does not matter, then we will fragment in ways that we do not yet understand.

Any common beliefs, or practices, or social stands will go the way of the world. We will have nothing to hold us together anymore.

I know that those who support these amendments believe that it’s not a big deal, that we should just push everything through. All will be well.

But, I tell you, that if these amendments pass and if we allow for this kind of freedom from our common agreed-upon Book of Discipline, then our great church, which we all love will continue its decline.

So, I encourage all lay and clergy delegates to vote no on the “world” amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Church.

Blessings!
Dave Nichols

United Methodist Annual Conferences

On Sunday, May 31st, after church, I will join the other thousand or so lay and clergy representatives who will attend the SC Annual Conference in Florence, SC. For many years our Annual Conference was held in Spartanburg at Wofford, until, of course, I moved to Spartanburg. Then, we moved to Florence where there is a large arena, more motels, and restaurants. Also, it is closer to the middle of the state.

Annual Conference is the only time when the members of churches and clergy from all over the state meet together. We will set a new budget, which is lower, based on the economic problems. We will elect officers for another year. We will ordain pastors. We will debate, this year, 32 constitutional amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church. And, we will end the week with the Bishop appointing pastors to their place of service for another year.

Annual Conference is a time of fellowship, a kind of reunion for clergy who don’t see each other enough, a time for doing business, and a time of worship and encouragement.

We will start by singing the hymn written by Wesley that has opened every Annual Conference that ever happened. We will sing: “And are We Yet Alive…”

With all the discussions out there about our decline, and all the questions about what to do, we still celebrate that God in Christ is still working through the United Methodist Church, sometimes in spite of us.

Pray with me that we will find our way again and be led by God’s Holy Spirit to care that the world is dying, and people are lost for lack of faith.

Blessings!
Dave Nichols

Amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church

I have been thinking about the 32 amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Church which will be voted on by Lay and Clergy delegates this summer.  Every annual conference will debate 32 amendments.  Then, each delegate to Annual Conference will vote.  I can’t help but have the feeling that these amendments are important, but will slip by.  My fear is that, like may other issues, many of the delegates will simply get information fatigue and not delve into it much.  Or, They will simply think the whole thing sounds good on the surface and let the amendments go by.

How can anyone study enough of anything to understand completely what is behind all 32 amendments?  How can anyone understand all of the possible implications of each amendment.  Take out the one about Local Pastors, which I support, and the one about church membership being more inclusive, which I think is ridiculous since we are already inclusive, and you have other amendments about “world” Methodism.

The world amendments are supposed to make us as a church more of a world church instead of an American Church.  Since the US church is declining while the other areas of the world have explosive growth, then we ought to be more of a world church.

What this amounts to is an attempt to break up the church into regional conferences which could have their own rules and practices apart from the Book of Discipline of the church.  So, say in a particular region they wanted to do something that the current Book of Discipline does not allow,  the door would be opened for that since they would no longer be bound by that old Book of Discipline.  Connection, which we have preached for lo these many years, would be non-existent.  And, here we go.

The church would be even more fragmented than it is now.  Supporters of the amendments are trying to move toward an agenda that they can’t get in the front door by bringing it in the back door.

Now, you may ask, will it really make that much difference?  If connection means anything at all, if keeping the church together, at least in principle means anything, then passage will make a big difference.  The Episcopal Church has the same arrangement, it is declining faster than we are, if that’s possible.

If you like what’s going on in the Episcopal Church, then vote for the Amendments.  I urge you to vote “no” on all of the world amendments, and on the membership amendments.

Blessings!

Dave Nichols

The World Amendments to United Methodist Constitution

I’ll admit that I don’t understand everything about the proposed 32 amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church. I do see that the intention behind the “world” amendments is to deal with the issue of world Methodism. Old structures are based on the fact the United States church is the main church. Now, with growth going on in other places and the US church declining, supporters say that these amendments will move us toward a more worldwide church.

Now, while this sounds like a good thing, I believe that the amendments will further divide us. There is at least the possibility that there would be different regions of the church following their own rules.

So, it would/could mean the end of the connection as we know it. We would lose our common Book of Discipline which is holding us together at present. At least, most of us, agree to abide by the Book of Discipline.

If regions are able to do as they please, they we will dissolve into a fragmented church.

The Episcopal Church is doing this now. Look at what is happening there. They are bleeding members who are fed up with a church that has no common life anymore.

I will vote no on the “world” amendments because I believe that we are more effective as a church if can hold together in connection.

God help us to make the right decisions.

United Methodist Amendments Will Further Divide

In a previous blog, I said that in a few weeks United Methodists will gather to consider 32 amendments to the church’s constitution. There are amendments about church membership, about world Methodism, and about Local Pastors being able to vote on delegates to the church’s General Conference.

The one about Local Pastor’s makes sense. They serve our churches under appointment by a bishop. They should have, at the very least, the right to vote on clergy delegates every four years.

One amendment is sold as an attempt to expand a our inclusiveness. Methodists worry a lot about inclusiveness. We spend a lot of time arguing about who’s in and who’s out. I see this one as an attempt to take the pastor out of the business of deciding who joins the church. Advocates want to move eventually in the direction of “making” pastors take into membership anyone who presents themselves for membership.

One, just one, of our problems as United Methodists is that we have taken membership too lightly. We have in the past, with few exceptions, and little training, received in the UMC so many cultural Christians who couldn’t care less about the church or the United Methodist Church that we are a church that has no basic convictions anymore.

Our people believe in Baptist principles if our churches are in Baptist dominated areas. Our people believe in Lutheran high worship if our churches are in Lutheran dominated areas. Membership, a name on the roll, has little value anymore.

Now, having said that, one of the values of membership in our church is that, at least, pastors have some authority over who joins.

I have taken in far too many young couples who couldn’t get married in the Catholic or Baptist churches. They joined, even attended our classes, avoided our wedding fees and then went back to their churches.

I have baptized far too many children whose parents have no intentions of keeping them under the ministry and guidance of the church.

While all churches have some fringe members. It seems that we United Methodists have more than most. So, do we really want to make it worse by making Church membership a “right”?

I will vote no on this issue. We can make a difference if we make membership mean something again with substance.

Next blog, I will comment further on the “world” amendments to the constitution.

Blessings!
Dave Nichols

United Methodist Debate Heating Up

As we get closer to our Annual Conferences  in the United Methodist Church, both sides are doing their work to get what they want. Be assured that some are working hard behind the scenes to push through these amendments (32) to the contitution. The supporters are saying that opponents are out of line by putting their comments on YouTube. They should simply trust the General Conference, they say. After all, three-fourths of the delegates to General Conference voted for them. So, just vote and pass them through. There’s nothing to worry about. They’ll take care of us.

Well, i think that these amendments, except for 19, will open the door for a divided church, more divided than we are now, if that’s possible.

We will see our church fly apart so fast it will make your head spin. Without the “connection” held together by a common Discipline, we will break up overnight.

We are half the church we were when I was a child. We will be half the church we are now, or worse, if we allow each region to do its own thing.

Some will not stop until this happens.
Blessings!
Dave Nichols

More on the Amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church

Previous blog is about the 32 amendments to the constitution of the United Methodist Church that will be voted on by United Methodists at each Annual Conference this June. United Methodists meet annual (once a year) in each conference on matters of ministry, mostly budget and nominations. This year they will vote on the amendments.

In the previous blog I commented on them all in general. There is one more that needs comment. One amendment asks that we be more inclusive and list gender among those that we cannot cannot discriminate against in terms of membership in our church. Now, I don’t know anybody who has been turned down for membership because they were a man or woman, do you?

In my opinion this amendment grows out of an attempt to further limit the authority of a United Methodist Pastor to decide who joins a church. I don’t remember ever turning down anyone who wanted to join the church except a few. Those who refused to stand in front of the church and take the vows of belief and membership. Some did not want to profess faith in Christ; imagine that.

Once I got a call from a man who wanted to join my church. He was doing it for his wife, whom he said suffered from depression. He said: “She is happier when she is in church.” So, he asked me what he and she needed to do. I explained that he could join if he would profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He said: “You mean I have to say I believe something to join.” I tried to explain. He passed.

In the Presbyterian Church, prospective members go before the Session. In the Baptist Church, the whole church votes on you. In the United Methodist Church, the pastor is the only one who has such authority.

Again, I don’t know of anybody rejected because of gender. We already are open to those who want to join. We don’t need an amendment.

As a United Methodist pastor I value my authority in terms of church membership. And, I appreciate the trust of the church in me to make these decisions. So, again, I encourage you to vote “no” on all amendments except the one giving voting rights to Local pastors and Associate Members of the Annual Conference.

Blessings!
Dave Nichols

Amendments to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church

At the upcoming Annual conferences of the United Methodist Church, clergy and lay delegates will be asked to vote yes or no on 32 amendments.  To even understand 32 votes on anything is impossible.  But, there is ample information on the meaning for the average delegate.  So, what is my recommendation?  After 30 years plus of United Methodist ministry, where am I on these amendments?  I’m so glad you asked.  Here are my impressions and recommendations:

1. Every so often we United Methodists like to tinker with the structure of our church.  In most cases, the structural changes that we have made have been little less than arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.  Don’t get me wrong I love the United Methodist Church, but we just can’t get over the notion that if we change the structure we can get things the way we want them.  Usually, changes mean more bureaucracy, which we don’t need.  Who does?  This time the changes in structure have to do with the formation of regional bodies, as I understand it.  None of which have to agree on the Discipline of the church.  One would change the name of conferences outside the US.  That’s fine.  Change the name.  I certainly understand the distaste of using Central Conference as a name for anything.  This was the name used for African American Conferences before we came together.

2.  In the interest of being more inclusive, some want us to change some wording to make that clear, and to move in the direction of taking away from the pastor of a church any discretion as to whom he/she receives into the church.  There are obvious implications for this one.  If membership is a right, then all the other privileges like ordination and marriage can be considered rights, too.

3. Some amendments are saying that we are a US centered church and need to move in the direction of being more global.

4. One amendment change would give the right to vote on General and Jurisdictional delegates to Local pastors and Associate members.

5. I will vote no on all of the proposed amendments except the one about voting rights for Local pastors and Associate members.  If they can serve a church, then they should be given voting rights on delegates at least.

6. I will vote no on any attempts to create regional conferences that have no accountability to the general church’s Discipline.  If we vote yes on this one we will end up going the direction of the Episcopal Church.  An Episcopalian Clergy friend of mine says that their church is “bleeding” members.  “They are leaving in droves.”  If you like what is happening with our neighbors the Episcopalians then vote yes.  As for me, I will vote no.

Blessings!

Dave Nichols

Do You Have Questions about Being a Pastor?

I want this blog to be an opportunity to help others and to discuss issues of import with regard to being a pastor.  I have been a pastor for over 30 years, which I k now for some puts me out of the “in” crowd.  It’s so interesting.  When I was younger, I was told that the most important thing in life is experience.  It was true in parenting, in marriage, and certainly in pastoral ministry.  There is no substitute for learning on the job.  So, I did everything I could to learn.  I still do.  I read books, went to conferences, asked questions of others, and learned from my own failures.

Now, admittedly, I don’t know everything.  (Like I really needed to say that, huh?)  But, I do know some things that I didn’t know when I started out.  I did have some gifts and some instincts that were part of who I am.  I did know how to care about people and I loved the church.

From there, I started out with three congregations- United Methodists have charges of more than one church, especially in the beginning of their ministry.

So, here I am with all this experience which should qualify me to offer opinions at least.  And, now everybody tells me that the winning ingredient is youthfulness.  Now, I do think that I think younger than I am.  I certainly don’t fell my age.  But, I can’t replicate youthfulness with gray hair (or no hair).

I wasn’t really young when I was young.  I mean I always felt that those who were my age were less serious about life.  Of course, I was more serious because I had to be.  What I mean is that I never really said anything was “cool” when I was a teen.  I always hated the popular culture, to some extent, seeing it as puffed-up nonsense.  So, when I hear someone my age say something is “cool”, I nearly lost it.

Having said all that.  I would like to create this blog and invite comments and questions for discussions.  Are there things that I can help you with?  Are there issues of church and home that I can comment on for you?  Are there issues of Christian faith that are turning you inside out?  Just ask.  Leave your questions or comments and I will work on them.

I promise not to be perfect.  OK?

Blessings!

Dave Nichols

Core Values

Have you ever asked yourself: what are my core values? You know. What are the values, the notions, the ideas on which I build my life. All of us have them but we spend so little time thinking about them. Even churches, have core values. Sure, many of our core values are the same, as churches go, but some are disctintively our own church’s.

Over the summer I will begin a series of messages on the theme: “Bethel’s Core Values”. To challenge myself with it, I will be using the letters BETHEL as a way to name our values.

I will begin with B. What would you name for B. And, I will conclude with L.

Pray for me as I work toward trying to discern from God and from us what our core values really are.
Blessings!
Dave Nichols