Today, we add the question of how we get there.
Those who stayed after supper this past Sunday for Community Discernment and Visioning listed the following Questions and Challenges:
- The close-knittedness of the gathered community can be a challenge to newcomers who wonder, "Will I fit in?" "Will I be accepted?"
- The number of people in the community studying theology can feel overwhelming.
- What shape will community take?
- Other stuff hasn't worked -- how will we be different?
- Creativity
- How do we inculcate community of Christ?
- How do we become more diverse (e.g., not just white GLBTA)?
- What questions do we need to ask ourselves in order to be more diverse?
- What does it mean to admit imperfection and places where we struggle?
- Do we want to grow or stay small? If we grow, will it be the same? Does what we want to be lead us to stay small?
- What are our choices?
- What about leadership in the future?
- Uncertainty
- The tension between working within institutions and doing what we feel called to do.
- Money
- Fear of stagnation/extinction
- Fear of oppression
- The institutional church -- Are we United Methodist?
- "System stuff" -- e.g., navigating money, the pastoral appointment system
1 comment:
Hi all, Carolyn here posting from Selcuk, Turkey where I am studying ancient Ephesus! My question to add to the mix, based on our lectures is:
"How does is Gospel/ Good News incarnated in the culture of our church?"
Are we a church that represents the Gospel in gay culture? Are we separate from gay culture and yet a queer space within a largely heteronormative church? What elements of gay culture help us to see the Gospel in a new light? Which parts of the Gospel are illuminated by gay culture and which ones are darkened? Based on the answers to these questions, how do we "let our light shine," that is, witness to the Gospel from our cultural location?
In the style of St. Paul, I send you love and wish you peace. Even 5,000 miles away, your are all in my heart!
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