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The Parish Press April 2019
Pastor Tonya has been on leave in Pennsylvania to be with her very ill
father and is hopeful she will be able to be here with us at Easter
Meanwhile this issue is heralding the coming of Easter and the following
article is UMC Easter celebrations around the world.
Zimbabwe The Philippines
It is 3 a.m. on Easter Sunday 1980, In the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines” —
and my mother, Mavis Mudambanuki, Nueva Ecija, about 60 miles north of
awakens me by knocking on the door of Manila — Christians celebrate Easter
my room. Leaving my brothers asleep, I before sunrise. Traditionally, around 4:30
get dressed and meet her at the gate a.m., local churches form clusters to
outside our home in Chipfatsura village, celebrate Easter jointly. The people
in Manicaland, Zimbabwe. In the dark, gather at the river, by the hill, by the rice
we trudge to Chegore village, seven field, in front of mountains or in the promise of new life as they witness the
miles away. garden. Most walk to an appointed Easter light of the sun.
As we approach, my mother breaks celebration location. Deaconess Rachel dela Cruz from the
into a familiar Easter song: “Christ is “It gives a lot of significance and Canaan, Rizal, area believes that sunrise
risen! Christ is risen! Hallelujah!” She meaning when Easter is celebrated depicts the heralding of a new beginning
knocks at the door of a home as she outside the church building,” said the because it brings new hope.
sings, and three women and a man join Rev. Remedios dela Cruz. “It gives a lot - Gladys Mangiduyos
us with rattles and tambourines to of meaning to our faith and fellowship.” Germany
augment the music. We go on to the Dela Cruz cherishes the memories of In Neuenhain, near Frankfurt, an empty
next house, and as we move through the Easters celebrated by the river in wire mesh cross is placed in the
village, the procession grows. Sicsican, Matanda Tavera. Easter-egg sanctuary before the beginning of the
Our party is making a joyful ruckus as hunting, breakfast fellowship and group Easter service. The wire mesh symbolizes
we fill the road in Chegore village and bonding, which included a plunge coldness and aloofness, and the wire
head back to Chipfatsura United together into the river, followed worship. represents the pain Jesus Christ endured
Methodist Church for a sunrise Easter A fellowship of indigenous United on the cross. Church members bring
service. Similar processions and vigils Methodists called Dumagats in Malinaw, flowers.
occur in other villages around the Gabaldon, traditionally celebrate Easter In the early part of the service, the Easter
country. by the river as well. celebrants place their flowers on the
United Methodists around the world “We go down into the river. Dawn is empty wire mesh cross and gradually fill it
celebrate Christ’s Resurrection in many the time when nothing is heard except the with flowers. Suddenly, the “cold” cross
ways. I asked people in a variety of rush of the river,” said Pastor Daryll Joe becomes alive with flowers full of life and
countries to share their traditions, and Medina. The Dumagats gather to observe conveying a message of hope. This great
here are some of their stories. an hour of silence, embracing the image sends a reverberating message
Christ in Evolution - Richard Rohr
. . . God is a beggar of love seeking ourselves by imagining and creating interplanetary or even intergalactic
to be love at the heart of this a world worthy of love. consciousness.
evolutionary creation; yet God We must suffer through to We must widen our vision to a
cannot enter into our world without something higher, something more christification of the galaxies, a new
us. Our challenge today is to stay unified, more conscious, more being unity of all cosmic life. To do so we
the course of love in a world that in love. Hope must be born over and must fix our eyes on the future, on
resists love, fears love, and rejects over again, for where there is love, forging new relationships of love that
the cost of love. God continues to there is hope. Christian life is birthing include the earth, all peoples, all
push through evolutionary life to love into greater unity; it is our religions, all planets and all galaxies.
emerge in a new, more illuminative contribution to a universe in We need to reimagine ourselves in
way as God, but the forces of evolution. We point the way to love, realizing that on the
resistance are great. The something more than ourselves, evolutionary time line, Christianity
challenge, therefore, is not to argue something up ahead that we are now was born this morning and is just
or defend evolution but to drench participating in, where heaven and waking up to the newness of life. In
ourselves in it, to go inward and earth will be renewed (Revelation Jesus divine love bursts forth with
meet, in silence and solitude, a 21:1). Teilhard saw that evolution is hopes and dreams for a new world.
power no human power can larger than the scope of the human This new world is within our reach if
vanquish. This is divine love, person alone. Beyond the level of we awaken to the power of love
always dynamic and ever new, love collective consciousness, he posited within us as the power to create
that empowers us to go beyond a mega-synthesis, a convergence of anew.
Sharing a boiled egg with one’s relatives is a national
tradition. A piece of egg with salt and pepper, consecrated by
clergy, is essential in extending good wishes to others at
Easter. Each household member also receives a piece of the
consecrated bread. When spread with horseradish, the bread
is supposed to protect against throat diseases and other
illnesses.
Cakes are important ingredients of Easter breakfast.
that Jesus' death is not the end. He gives us new life with God Gigantic “baby” cakes are made in different flavors — plain
the Creator. Each flower demonstrates that through Christ's vanilla, saffron, almond, chocolate and lemon. “Mazurek” is a
death, people’s lives are not limited by death. flat cake, usually on a pastry or a wafer, covered with a paste
In the German tradition, the Easter cross reminds people of of nuts, almonds and cheese, colorfully iced and decorated
two truths in their culture. with jam, nuts and raisins. People also add imaginative
First, people are as diverse as flowers. They have different decorations, and artistic letters made of cream spell
family backgrounds, and Christ would encourage us to “Hallelujah,” reflecting the joy of the Resurrection.
appreciate diversity. - Wojtek Ostrowski
Second, people should imagine the cross of Jesus. The Malawi
flowers on the Easter cross point with all their brightness to Easter celebrations are not identical in all local churches.
Jesus. No one flower makes the cross unique; a plethora of Each congregation celebrates in a unique way based on its
flowers together makes Jesus visible. Similarly, because we thematic plans for that year but without losing the real picture
are the body of Christ, our individual work pales unless we and flavor of Easter as presented by the United Methodist
work collaboratively with other Christians to make a huge doctrine and the Bible.
impact. Easter revivals are common activities during the Easter
We further the agenda the Lord Jesus puts in our hearts when weekend. Celebrations include choir performances, hymns
we live a life of faith and love. We should be billboards through and choruses all reflecting Easter. Dramas or skits from the
which ordinary seekers discover Jesus by all our actions and youth groups portray the passion of Christ. A guest preacher
witness. or local pastor preaches during the Easter revivals.
- Cornelia Trick Celebrations begin on Palm Sunday. All congregations in
Hungary our distinctive Methodist local churches march in a
In the Obuda United Methodist tradition, we have an celebratory procession about five times in a Jericho fashion
evening worship on Good Friday and share the Lord‘s Supper. around the church, singing and dancing. Women ululate and
At sunrise on Easter, 20 to 30 congregants walk up to an men whistle as everyone carries small palm branches. This
ancient stone cross on a hill rock depicting Calvary’s stations. commemorates Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
We worship, read liturgy, stand in a circle, read Bible verses Congregations without church buildings mark this event in
and pray together. a different way. They march carrying palm branches around
In most cases, when we celebrate Easter, it will be raining the villages toward their worship place, either under a tree or
or foggy. The Easter event is an energizing one for (people of in a classroom.
all ages). Together, we enjoy a prepared breakfast at the Holy Communion is a central part of the Easter
church. Easter services follow in the afternoon. celebration. Usually, the service will last three to four hours.
- Kristóf Sztupkai Afterward, a meal is provided to all. The Easter celebration
Poland unites people from various communities as they break bread
Traditional Easter celebrations, like Christmas celebrations, together. People depart for their homes around 1 p.m.,
are old and elaborate and involve many preparations that are marking the end of celebrations.
not unique to The United Methodist Church. - Daniel Kabunduli
The Holy Week observance kicks off with Palm Sunday Zimbabwe
activities where participants wave branches and twigs to Easter activities vary from place to place in Zimbabwe,
commemorate Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. After the even in The United Methodist Church. In some communities,
activities, the branches and the twigs are used for rites and for revivals are held throughout the week.
consecrating women at childbirth and sick domestic animals. Maundy Thursday is of particular importance because of
The community tolls church bells from Palm Sunday until Holy Communion, which United Methodists in Zimbabwe
Maundy Thursday in observance of Holy Communion. The believe is full of physical and spiritual benefits for the body of
participants then switch to rattles and clappers as instruments Christ.
for their music. They light fires at crossroads so wayfarers and Drama and healing sessions are central to Easter events.
poor people can warm themselves during cold weather. They The missionaries who came to Zimbabwe popularized drama
place hot meals at the crossroads so beggars can nourish in teaching the Gospel, and I have seen people cry when
themselves. they see the brutalized Jesus carrying a big cross toward
Good Friday marks the start of the vigil at symbolic tombs of Golgotha. I remember playing Peter’s role as a boy, and this
Christ, which lasts until Holy Saturday. No animals are killed or has stuck with me in adult life and strengthened my faith.
bread baked, and the people cover all their mirrors because For many United Methodists in rural areas, this is the time
Good Friday is a special day of mourning. Paska, a special to go to church every morning and evening for Stations of the
kind of bread, is prepared for Easter Sunday. Cross and prayers. For others, this is a time for reflection on
On Holy Saturday, services accompanied by processions Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection.
commemorate the Resurrection. Inside the churches, priests Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will
sprinkle holy water on small baskets that believers bring and fill draw all people to myself” (John 12:32, NRSV). As Easter
with paska, cakes, eggs, horseradish, sausages, ham, salt, people, wherever we are in the global connection, we look to
pepper and tiny sugar lambs. The consecration of eggs refers Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith.
to the egg as an ancient symbol of life. The consecration of *Mudambanuki coordinates central conference content for
horseradish refers to the bitterness of the passion of Jesus United Methodist Communications.
that, on the day of Resurrection, changed into joy and This story was first published on April 16, 2014 (Interpreter
sweetness. OnLine/UMNS).
This Month’s Calendar Hotchkiss Holy Week & Easter Services
4/7 (H) 11:00 a.m. Children’s Sunday School Palm/Passion Sunday - April 14th, 11am Service; this
4/9 (H) 12:30 p.m. Peace Circle service is the beginning of Holy week & it commemorates
4/14 (H&C) Palm Sunday the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem & begins the
4/19 (H&C) Good Friday observances of Holy week events. Palm branches were
4/21 (H&C) Easter Sunday placed in his path before his arrest on Holy Thursday &
4/21 (H) 12:00 noon Easter Egg Hunt his crucifixion on Good Friday. We will have Palms for this
4/27(H) 9:30 a.m. UMW Sunday.
4/28 (H&C) Holy Humor Sunnday Good Friday - April 19th, 7pm Service; this service is
Evry othr Sun (H) 11:00 a.m. Children’s S. S. commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ & his death
Ea Sun (H) 9:30 a.m. Adult S, S. at Calvary.
Ea. Mon (C) 2:00 p.m. Guitar Class Easter Sunday - April 21st, 11am Service; many
Christians will have a sunrise worship service to worship
Ea Tue (C) 6:30 p.m. A.A. Meeting
our resurrected Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.
Ea Thur (H) 7:00 p.m. A.A. Meeting There will be a children's Easter Egg hunt following the
Ea Fro (H&C) Lenten Book Study service.
Ea. Fri (C) 8:00 p.m. Al-Anon EASTER LILIES - PLEASE NO LIVE/REAL FLOWERS
Ea last Tue (H) 9:30 a.m. Hot Sewers Sew due to allergies; we will have fake Easter lilies for the
Ea 3rd Thur (H) 10:00 a.m. Buggy Barn/Appliqué altar Thank you!
HOLY HUMOR SUNDAY - Sunday, April 28th, 11am
This is an old Easter custom begun by the early Greek
World Religion Holidays—April Christians --- "Bright
3 Laylat al Miraj * - Islam Sunday" or "Holy Humor
9 Mahavir Jayanti ** - Jain Sunday" celebrations of
14 Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) - Sikh Jesus resurrection on the
Palm Sunday - Christian Sunday after Easter. The
17 Orthodox Sunday - Orthodox Christian week following Easter
18 Maundy Thursday - Christian Sunday was observed by
19-21 Theravadin New Year ** - Buddhist the faithful as "days of joy
19 Good Friday - Christian and laughter" ..We will be
20-27 Pesach * - Jewish observing 'Holy Humor
20 Lazarus Saturday - Orthodox Christian Sunday'. All are welcome
21 Easter - Christian to share their 'Holy
First Day of Ridvan * - Baha'i Humor' jokes, stories,
Lailat al Bara'ah * - Islam riddles, etc. for a joyful
Palm Sunday - Orthodox Christian service. “God delights in
our laughter and receives
23 St. George's Day - Christian
it as an act of worship.”
26 Holy Friday - Orthodox Christian
28 Pascha - Easter - Orthodox Christian The Crawford Thrift Shop is having a $1 Bag Sale for
29 Ninth Day of Ridvan - Baha'i the month of April
30 St. James the Great Day - Orthodox Christian
April Birthdays
Crawford
4/2 Shirley Cotton
4/4 Larry Jensen
4/25 Larry Kontour
4/27 Steve Bascom
Hotchkiss
4/19 Odessa Shenk
April Anniversaries
4/10 Jan & Bob Kearney
4/21 Esther & Wendell Koontz
Page 2
STEWARDSHIP
"The Holy habit of Compassion is a gift from God. Jesus' passion for others set Him apart from all other leaders in His
day. We can develop our "Holy Habit of Compassion" by following Jesus through the Scriptures & how He deals with
people. He questions, accepts, nudges, affirms, & forgives everyone as he deals with them individually & personally.
His passion for us allows us to be compassionate for others!" Each day lets show & share our compassion with those
around us.
Prayer: " Lord, help us to develop the Holy Habit of Compassion through your love & grace with each of us. Help
guide us to share with those near & fair through our compassion in Jesus' name. Amen"
Hotchkiss Happenings
Children’s Sunday School in Hotchkiss
Sunday School will meet April 7 at 11 AM for crafts,
stories, and fun related to families.
Easter Sunday, April 21, the church will host an egg
hunt for all kids and teens following the service at noon.
Please join us!
Peace Circle Wear House
Peace Circle met March 12, with tables temporarily We had many volunteers at the end of March helping to
green with a sprinkle of jelly bellies in three shades of change from Winter to Spring in the store, cleaning &
green as well all in honor or St Patrick's Day. After a extra scrubbing, & doing pre-work to be ready for Spring.
lunch served by Julia, Margie, Cynda and Mary we got THANK YOU!!!! to everyone. There is all new Spring
down to business.... Seventeen members were merchandise in the store. STOP by to see what is new!!
present. THANK YOU!!! to Katie for taking recycle bags to Delta .
Mimi read some very interesting facts about St. THANK YOU!!! to all our volunteers for helping when they
Patrick and traditions of St. Patrick's Day. After a very can by putting in donations, helping in the store, & taking
busy business meeting with thank you messages read bags to the Delta Salvation Army. If you are going to
and numerous motions for various projects, Cynda got Delta & would like to help take bags, stop by on Mondays
to our very informative program about "Lent". About & we will load your car.
fasting, ashes, who started these traditions, who now The joy of volunteering and how we may help others is
do them and other interesting facts. Very interesting. the joy that comes back to us.
We adjourned at 2:30 p.m. and our next meeting is
April 9th at 12:30 p.m. UMW
Saturday's UMW meeting in March was a birthday
When the weather turns party. We celebrated UMW's 150 years of serving
warmer and the grass grows women, children and youth around the world. Gigi made
greener, it’s easier to a delicious birthday cake and Sue provided a program
understand the promise of about Anointing Women. Our membership should feel a
new life and renewed hope great happiness being women who anoint, or spread love
that Christians proclaim as through the fund raisers we involve ourselves in. Can you
help us share the warmth? Have you got coats in your
“Easter people.” The closet? We hope you will help our organization by
reminders are all around counting those coats and making a donation of $1.00 per
us so be sure to keep an coat. Our treasurer, Lou Cain, will graciously accept any
eye out on your next spring amount. Your dollars make a huge difference in the lives
stroll. of the needy.
Thank you and may God bless you all.
UMW Outreach
Delta County Health and Human Services (DHHS) sew to contact UMW members (Lou Cain or Sharon
has a need for many bags. These hand-sewn bags are Teter) for the pattern. When you have completed as
used when a child is taken from a possibly dangerous many bags as you want/can sew turn them into any
situation in their home. When DHHS removes a child UMW member and we will get them to DHHS.
from an unsafe environment some sort of bag is used to They recommend fun, kid-friendly, colorful, boy and
grab supplies, be it cloths, toys, pajamas, teddy bear, girl fabrics that a child would love. Also, teenagers are
toothbrush. DHHS has found that the children grow very removed from homes, so some fabrics suitable for older
fond of hand sewn bags. kids would be great.
We are asking anyone or any group who are Thank you, have fun, and let’s get sewing!
interested in supporting this outreach service and can
Page 4
Consciously Evolving - Ilia Delio explores what it means to consciously, intentionally participate in evolution:
God keeps creation both good and new—which means always going somewhere even better or, in a word, evolving.
God keeps creating things from the inside out.
Because we humans are in evolution we must see be one cosmic person uniting all persons, one cosmic
Christ in evolution as well—Christ’s humanity is our humanity uniting all humanity, one Christ in whom God
humanity, Christ’s life is our life. . . . To live Christ is to will be all in all.
live community; to bear Christ in one’s life is to become On the whole we are not conscious of evolution, and
a source of healing love for the sake of community. . . . we do not act as if our choices can influence the
We must liberate Christ from a Western intellectual direction of evolution. . . . What will it take for us to
form that is logical, abstract, privatized, and realize that we are unfinished creatures who are in the
individualized. We must engage in the complexification process of being created? That our world is being
of Christ . . . which means accepting the diversity and created? That our church is being created? That Christ
differences of the other as integral to ourselves and is being formed in us? . . . The good news of Jesus
thus integral to the meaning of Christ. Engagement with Christ is not so much what happens to us but what must
the other is not dissolving ourselves into the other but be done by us. The choices we make for the future will
being true to ourselves—our identity—by finding create the future. We must reinvent ourselves in love. . .
ourselves in God and God in the other. . . . . We must consciously evolve; we must orient our
Christ is the power of God among us and within us, being toward new life and growth because the unity that
the fullness of the earth and of life in the universe. We we really are, the deep connective tissue of oneness,
humans have the potential to make Christ alive; it is will not let us rest with separateness. . . . Too much is at
what we are created for. To live the mystery of Christ is stake now to hide behind our secure walls. . . .
not to speak about Christ but to live in the surrender of We must choose to be whole, to be attentive to God’s
love, the poverty of being, and the cave of the heart. If ongoing work in our lives. God will not create a new
we can allow the Spirit to really take hold of us and future for us, but God invites us to become more whole
liberate us from our fears, anxieties, demands, and within ourselves so that we may become more whole
desire for power and control, then we can truly . . . live among ourselves. Evolution toward greater wholeness
in the risen Christ who empowers us to build this new is evolution toward more life and love. This is the basis
creation. We can look toward that time when there will of contemplative evolution and the emergence of Christ.
Our model has also suggested another way that divine To really belong to one another and to depend on one
transcendence and immanence join: in the body of Christ, another — to really share a common destiny — is
the cosmic Christ. As Dorothee Soelle comments on the difficult for a community that wants to be diverse. It is
parable of the Good Samaritan [Luke 10:29-37]: “God is, also the community’s only hope of survival. - Gordon
as it were, lying in the streets, if only we could learn to Cosby
see.” The radicalization [“deeply planted” like a root; radix
is Latin for root; the term did not first connote fanatical or What if we recovered the sense of God’s inherent grace
extreme as it often does today] of transcendence in the (the Holy Spirit whom we called “Uncreated Grace”) as
Christic paradigm is the incognito appearance of Christ the primary generator of all life? We are, of course, in
wherever we see human compassion for the outcast and evolution all the time. To deny change and growth is to
the vulnerable. Radical love for the “unworthy”—the deny the obvious, yet humans seem good at that. The
foreigner lying injured on the road (or a destroyed ride is the destination, and the goal is never clearly in
rainforest, the few remaining individuals in a species, or a
sight. To stay on the ride, to trust the trajectory, to know
hungry child)—is also an image that melds divine
transcendence and immanence. God is present when and it is moving, and moving somewhere always better, is
where the oppressed are liberated, the sick are healed, just about the best way to describe religious faith. -
the outcast are invited in. Just as every flower or insect is Rickard Rohr
the body of God if we can learn to see it as such. There is
nothing novel about this suggestion; in fact, it is biblical to
the core, for as we read in Matthew, “just as you did it to Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist
one of the least of these who are members of my family,
Church is with Mary Ann McDonald Swenson and 6
you did it to me” (25:40). Our only addition is to suggest
that the least of the family members must include, in our others.
time, the other creatures of the earth and even the planet The WJ College of Bishops offers this statement to a
itself. church finding itself harmed once again by a General
Conference incapable of making space for ALL of
God's children. Together they declare that they are
What would it mean for Christians to let Jesus and his staying in the #UMC, remain committed to the full
message lead them to a new vision of God? What inclusion of LGBTQI siblings today, and will not ask
would it mean for Christians to understand, experience, them "to carry the cross of exclusion for the church any
and embody God as the loving, healing, reconciling longer." #OneChurch4All
Spirit in whom all creatures live, move, and have their Learn More:
being? —Brian McLaren http://westernjurisdictionumc.org/ahomeforall/From the Desk of Susan Henry Crowe Bible Corner — Revelation 21: 1-2
Remember, you are dust, and to dust you will return. The Message - I saw Heaven and earth new-created.
It is said that in the days of the Roman Empire, following Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.
some military victory, chariots paraded the victorious I saw Holy Jerusalem, new created, descending
through the city while someone held a crown over the resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride
victor’s head. Behind the victor stood someone whisper- for her husband.
ing in his ear, repeating, “Remember, you are mortal.” NIV - Then I was a new heaven and a new earth, for the
Just as the victorious Romans needed to be reminded, first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and
we too need to be reminded of our place. We are made there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the
from the same stuff as the earth, and we will return to new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
the dust. prepared as a bride beautifully dress for her husband.
Remember who you are. King James Version - And I saw a new heaven and a
But remembering what we are seems as essential as new earth: for the first haven and the first earth were
remembering whose we are. passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John
My mother would often say to me as I was going out saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from
with friends, “Remember who you are.” When she said God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
it, she meant that I was to remember to whom I belong. husband..
It indicated that I, as a member of the Henry family, was The Voice - I looked again and could hardly believe my
expected to live in the world in a particular way. eyes Everything above me was new. Everything below
We tell the truth. We are responsible for being back me was new. Everything around me was new because
when we say we will. We do not disrespect our parents the heaven and earth that had been passed away, and
by creating worry, sleeplessness or embarrassment. the sea was gone, completely. And I saw the holy city,
Remember who you are. the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
We forget who and what we are far too frequently. prepared like a bride on her wedding day, adorned for
Remember you are mortal. You will not live in this world her husband and for His eyes only.
forever. You are dust, and to dust you will return. And NRSV - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for
remember to whom you belong. You are a child of God. the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and
Lent invites us to reflect on who we are and to whom we the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new
belong. Lent also gives us the chance to repent of the Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
times when we have forgotten our mortality: When our prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
victory laps have clouded our vision; when we have de- CEB - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
nied that we belong to God; and when we have denied former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
that others belong to God. and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, New
What spiritual practices will you engage in this Lent to Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made
remember what and whose you are? ready as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Peace, New American Standard - And I saw a new heaven and
a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth
passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw
Susan Henry-Crowe the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for
her husband.
God’s Word - .I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
In recognizing the humanity of our fellow because the first heaven and earth had disappeared,
beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute and the sea was gone. Then I saw the holy city, New
- Thurgood Marshall Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
dressed like a bride ready for her husband.
New Century - Then I saw a new heaven and a new
earth. The first heaven and the first earth had
In the practical order, we find our Original Goodness, disappeared, and there was no sea anymore. And I saw
the image of God that we are, when we can discover the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
and own the faith, hope, and love deeply planted within haven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for
us: her husband.
A trust in inner coherence itself. “It all means
something!” (Faith)
A trust that this coherence is positive and going Lent comes providentially to
somewhere good. (Hope) reawaken us, to shake us from our
A trust that this coherence includes me and even lethargy.— Pope Francis
defines me. (Love)
Page 5The full ramifications of what happened at the 2019 General Conference are still unknown. However, a few things are
coming clearer into view.
Since the denomination’s top lawmaking body adjourned Feb. 26, the following developments have occurred:
• One group that had previously raised the possibility of leaving The United Methodist Church announced that it has no
immediate plans to do so;
The General Conference Committee on Ethics announced it found no evidence to substantiate a delegate’s allegation of
bribery;
• The denomination’s top court publicized deadlines for briefs ahead of its April meeting that will determine which of the newly
approved legislation is in line with the denomination’s constitution;
• Bishops and other church leaders began the work of explaining what General Conference did and what lies ahead for the
multinational denomination where church members still have divergent interpretations of Scripture and differing views of ministry
with LGBTQ people.
A number of church leaders spoke of healing after a more than two-year process and days of rancorous debate that have left
many feeling exhausted and hurt.
“Our interest is in the healing of the church — not the church as an institution or a bureaucracy — it’s for the healing of the
church so that we can be better together, so that we can be there for each other,” said Bishop Kenneth Carter Jr., president of
the Council of Bishops. “And it is to acknowledge the great harm people feel in the LGBTQ community.”
Carter spoke during a March 1 webinar for the Florida Conference, which he leads. He was among the bishops who are
leading conversation in their areas both online and in person about General Conference votes.
Who was missing at General Conference?
Officially, General Conference was to have 864 delegates. But of the voting delegates, 31 were absent, primarily because they
were unable to gain visas, the Rev. Gary Graves, secretary of General Conference, reported Feb. 25.
Almost all annual conferences had at least some representation. However, neither the two delegates nor the reserves in the
East Angola Conference could obtain visas, the General Conference business office said Feb. 27.
By a vote of 438 to 384, General Conference passed the Traditional Plan that reinforces the denomination’s prohibitions
against same-sex unions and “self-avowed practicing" gay clergy
Delegates also adopted legislation that allows a church, with a two-thirds vote of the congregation and after paying certain
expenses, to disaffiliate from the denomination with its property.
The Wesleyan Covenant Association had advocated for the Traditional Plan, a related modified version and an exit plan.
Before General Conference, association leaders said they were considering calling a Convening Conference in April to form a
new denomination.
The group specifically rejected the bishops’ recommended One Church Plan that left questions of marriage up to individual
churches and ordination up to conference ordaining bodies.
With the passage of the Traditional Plan, the WCA’s leadership has decided to forgo an April gathering and any immediate
plans to depart en masse.
The group thanked General Conference for reaffirming church teachings on sexual ethics and said it would remain
committed to the missional effectiveness of The United Methodist Church.
“Our work will continue unabated as we address factors that have contributed to dysfunction and ineffectiveness,” the group
said in a Feb. 28 statement. “We are committed to working with other United Methodists to achieve that end at the next General
Conference in 2020, including a gracious exit provision. And should circumstances warrant, we remain prepared to launch a
new Methodist movement.”
The Western Jurisdiction, which encompasses seven conferences in the western United States, has long acted as if church
restrictions related to LGBTQ ministry do not exist. The jurisdiction is home to the Mountain Sky Conference’s Bishop Karen
Oliveto, the denomination’s first openly gay and married bishop.
Oliveto and other Mountain Sky leaders said during a livestream March 1 that the jurisdiction intends to continue to maintain
its openness on matters of homosexuality.
Still, the bishop acknowledged that General Conference has left its mark on many, and she has already heard about families
leaving the denomination.
“The theology I was taught, the spirituality I was grounded in, was voted down at General Conference,” she said. “The big
tent we have always held in tension, a beautiful tension, a beautiful witness to the world, was shrunk by 54 votes.” However, she
added, it’s not over.
New legislation does not take effect in the U.S. church until Jan. 1, 2020. In Africa, Europe and the Philippines, the
legislation doesn’t take effect until 12 months after the next General Conference in May 2020.
Before the Traditional Plan can take effect, General Conference has referred it for review by the Judicial Council, the
denomination’s top court. The Council of Bishops also has asked for the court to rule on the constitutionality of the church-
disaffiliation provision delegates passed.
The Judicial Council, during General Conference, ruled a previous version of the disaffiliation legislation unconstitutional. The
bishops argue the amended version that passed doesn't solve the constitutional problem the court identified because it does not
require an annual conference to ratify the local church's decision.
The church court also has previously ruled parts of the Traditional Plan unconstitutional.
The denomination’s top court has already agreed to address the Traditional Plan when it meets April 23-25 in Evanston,
Illinois.
Regardless of what the court decides, people across the denomination will continue to look at next steps. Carter, in a
pastoral letter on behalf of the Council of Bishops, said this will be a time for local church leaders to step up.
“Every church I have known in my life has had spiritual elders, mature spiritual leaders who care for the body, that is the
people God has called together in a place,” Carter wrote. “I pray in this moment for mature spiritual leadership among the clergy
and laity of our global church.
Page 6Hotchkiss United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 576
Hotchkiss, Colorado 81419
Church - You are not too bad to come in. You are not too good to stay out.
News articles can either be delivered to one of the churches or emailed to umcchronicles@gmail.com
Crawford & Hotchkiss Community United Methodist Churches
Pastor Tonya Whaley
Parsonage Phone 872-4881
Emergency cell 720-300-9393
Pastor Whaley is available by appointment
Hotchkiss Office Secretary: Sharon Teter
Hotchkiss Church 872-3540 (Hotchkisscumc@gmail.com)
Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Food Bank hours: Tuesday & Wednesday 9:00 a.m.– 12:00 noon
Crawford Church: General Church Calls only 921-3300
(Crawfordumc@gmail.com)
Crawford Thrift Shop & Food bank: Mon & Sat 10am—2 pm...Wed 2 pm—5 pm
Hotchkiss Crawford
Worship 11:00 a.m. Worship 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School, Children (every other Sun) 11:00 a.m. Sunday School, Adult to be determined
Sunday School, Adult 9:30: a.m. Sunday School, Children to be determinedYou can also read
