Happy New Year (almost)! Each year we United Methodists gather for Annual Conference to celebrate, worship, report, pray and engage in holy conferencing together. We have loved and dreaded such gatherings for all the decisions and emotions such a time brings! This year, as last, required that we gather virtually to hear the reports, to worship, and to vote. Many of the people called Methodists are truly missing the gathering, the holy conferencing, which takes place when we get together. We are missing the people who sit beside us through long sessions and share dorm rooms and the feeling of being in the room when a group consensus is reached.
For me, I am thankful to have reached one year in this district superintendent role. I have one year tucked under me, to give me foundation for the year ahead, and to give me the right questions to ask moving forward. On July 1, I will embark on year two. Our pastors who are receiving new appointments will begin anew; as you know, the year starts over for all of us on July1 (or around there). And with a new year, much like January 1, we have the opportunity and ability to begin again. Even if you are remaining at the same place, the appointment begins for another year on July 1 — this date, the marker of a new appointment year, reminds us to recommit ourselves to the call of God, to the work of the church, to rise to the challenge!
I am wondering if we can even take a moment to review the year that was, to look back at what went well and to what did not. Even though we had a plainly weird year, I believe we learned a lot! Our technology skills are better and ministry beyond the walls became a true focus for so many if not all of us. We cared for one another in new ways. We worked under intense stress and pressure – and we learned a lot about ourselves, about our families, and our world. We know what it is to live in pandemic time – it is long and arduous, it is about physical health as well as mental and spiritual — it changes our lives in positive and negative ways. We are different now, being transformed along with our world, as we move into the next phase of living.
In 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, we find a passage that focuses on financial giving and our eagerness to share what we have. Financially, it has also been a weird year. Some churches have found themselves in difficult places financially: when the people could not come, the money did not come. However, in many churches a resurgence of giving has already occurred as we are back in church partially and some fully for weekly worship. Many churches found giving never stopped, and fewer people gave more money, so that their treasury maintained fairly well. This brings such a needed word of hope! While the scripture reminds us to bear the load together, we don’t often share finances from church to church; even within our culture, we give out of “excess” or special offering, rather than “evening out” the monies between us. We share in a more limited fashion. What might it look like if we committed to bearing financial burdens together, for congregations to bear one another up in this way?
I’m struck by the word eagerness in this passage. “Eager” is a word I rarely hear used. The opposing word gets used all the time; this word is “anxious.” The word anxious has almost overtaken us in the past year:
I am anxious about my finances;
I’m anxious to know if my company and livelihood will survive this pandemic;
I’m anxious to know if people will come back to church;
we are anxious to know when the coronavirus precautions will end;
we are anxious to get back to worship and life in person.
Yes, anxiety is a real thing. But are we anxious or are we eager? Maybe it’s a matter of learning which word to use! The word anxious for me has a negative connotation of nervousness, fearing the future, not really wanting to know or see what is next. On the flip side, eager is a word that connotes positivity, looking forward to what’s next without really knowing what the future brings. And it changes my outlook to use it:
I’m eager to see what this year brings
I’m eager to know watch how people come back to church
I’m eager to worship in person and get back to doing life in person
Just writing the second set of sentences makes me so much happier, eagerly anticipating than the dread of anxiousness! I wonder if a word can really make that much difference! I think words do make a difference generally. And yet, we may not even realize the difference unless we take time to consider them. Perhaps we have heard a word used so much, or used in a wrong way, that we don’t realize we are mis-using it. And let’s be real – I don’t always get it right! I was called out, nicely, by a friend for using “lay/lie” wrongly last week and I’m not sure I know when to use “well” instead of “good.” I am eager, however, to offer positive outlook for the future rather than the fear and dread of anxiety. Are you anxious? Could you also be eager – and focus your thoughts, words and deeds on the future in an eager, anticipatory way? Do your church finances make you tremble – and – can you eagerly engage in God’s plan for the future than sit and wait with dread and anxiousness?
It’s a new year for the UMC! I pray you will eagerly await and engage with the work of the Holy Spirit in 2021-2022. We could dread it – and yet, an eager spirit with a desire to serve – offers positivity, great hope, and a leaning into what is to come. Join me in eagerly beginning this new year together!
If you would like to view past editions of Time with Tara, follow this link:
https://harbordistrictnc.org/category/from-the-ds/