In our Social Principles Paragraph 161.G, The United Methodist Church denounces domestic violence. “We recognize that family violence in all its forms — verbal, psychological, physical, sexual — is detrimental to the covenant of the human community. We encourage the Church to provide a safe environment, counsel and support for the victim. While we deplore the action of the abuser, we affirm that person to be in need of God’s redeeming love.”
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Mission Possible!
That was the theme of the 2024 North Texas Annual Conference, which took place this week in Richardson. It was the final meeting of the North Texas Conference, which, after 150 years or so as an independent conference, will merge with the Central and Northwest Texas Conferences later this year. I love attending annual conference. As a clergy person, this is my church- we are not members of the congregations we serve. This is a chance to participate in worship, rather than plan or preach. It is an opportunity to engage with colleagues, renew relationships, and celebrate what God is going in our midst.
As a member of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Committee on Ordained Ministry, the annual conference gathering is a time to celebrate those who are on the journey to ordination. Deacons and elders are commissioned and ordained. Seeing clergy siblings kneeling at the altar, the bishop laying hands on them, consecrating them for set-apart service in God’s church always sends me back to my own ordination, which took place in 1998 and 2001. When someone I have worked with, whether giving feedback on paperwork, evaluating sermons, or mentoring through various aspects of ministry, arrives at this special moment it is always gratifying.
This year’s keynote speaker was Rev Michael Gienger, who serves at Central UMC in Galveston. Michael’s ministry is inspiring. He was appointed there about a decade ago to restart the church- they had about four people attending worship. An historic church, more than a century old, nearly all of its members had moved away or died. It was detached from its neighborhood, which was defined in a “glass half empty” perspective: gang violence, persons experiencing homelessness… you can probably fill in more blanks. But meeting with their neighbors, the congregation discovered that there were many gifts available from people experiencing such challenges; giving them opportunities to use those gifts to serve others led to a renewal no one could have expected. Now the church’s average worship is more than it ever was. Having a glass half full perspective changed everything.
It’s a great example of what is possible when churches transition from dealing with internal issues and focus on the mission- the lives of people in the community who need to experience God’s grace. Many people have said it before: the church is the only organization that exists for people who are not yet a part of it.
When the new Horizon Texas Conference is born later this year, ministry will be organized around five guiding principles:
• Multiply Jesus Followers
• Champion Children and Youth
• Maximize Care and Healing
• Pursue and Embrace Diversity
• Tell Our Story
While we were discussing the Unification Plan (read if here if you like: https://ntcumc.org/Unification_Plan_-_NTC.pdf) I had an idea: what if we organized ministry at Spring Valley along those same themes? I shared this with the Lay Leadership team last night, and they agreed. Look for lay members who will serve as leaders in these various areas to be announced soon. In January, we will have an all-church volunteer/gifts emphasis, where everyone will be able to find a place to serve underneath these five umbrellas.
My favorite moment of conference was when my wife and rockstar Christy Drenner was recognized for her 3 ½ years of service as Conference Treasurer. Christy’s last day at the NTC was May 15. She is not looking for employment; she started her own CPA firm seven years ago, and is now fully invested in the work she loves again. She was not in the building, but when Larry Womack, chair of the conference Finance and Administration team, thanked her, the entire sanctuary at FUMC Richardson stood and applauded. Of course I was proud!
Every time someone asked me about Christy’s future plans, after sharing about her business I mentioned Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: everything has its season under the sun. Christy had her season at the NTC; the North Texas Conference had its season for a century and a half; Central UMC Galveston had one season and transitioned into another. Through it all, God’s Holy Spirit is at work: guiding, teaching, challenging, inspiring, correcting. It is a joy to be a part of the ongoing work of God.
Mission Possible, should we choose to accept it,
Pastor Frank
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This Sunday is a convergence of various themes in the life of the church: Trinity Sunday, Aldersgate Sunday, and Heritage Sunday.
Last Wednesday the clergy of the North Texas Conference met to officially approve those who have been recommended for ordination and commissioning as clergy, as well as celebrate those retiring from the ministry- and other clergy business. This was the final clergy session of the North Texas Conference, as our conference will be merging with the Northwest and Central Texas Conferences later this year. We will become the unified Horizon Texas Conference at a special called meeting in September in Abilene. It was fitting that the annual clergy session took place the same week as Heritage Sunday and Aldersgate Sunday.
Aldersgate Sunday commemorates John Wesley’s experience of having his heart “strangely warmed” at a worship service on Aldersgate Road in London. This moment of renewal and transformation was vital for the creation of the Methodist movement (Charles Wesley, John’s brother, had a similar experience at nearly the same time). Here’s a prayer for Aldersgate Sunday:
Almighty God, in a time of great need
you raised up your servants John and Charles Wesley,
and by your Spirit inspired them to kindle a flame of sacred love
which leaped and ran, an inextinguishable blaze.
Grant that all those whose hearts have been warmed at these altar fires,
being continually refreshed by your grace, may be so devoted
to the increase of scriptural holiness throughout the land
that in this our time of great need,
your will may fully and effectively be done on earth as it is in heaven;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Heritage Sunday is observed in late May to correspond with Aldersgate Day, May 24. This day calls The United Methodist Church to honor its heritage by committing itself to the continuing call of God known and spread by Charles and John Wesley, along with others the early Methodist movement reached and with whose denominations we are all joined as The United Methodist Church. Here’s a prayer for Heritage Sunday:
Almighty God, you have raised up servants
to proclaim the gift of redemption and a life of holiness.
For our spiritual forebears,
Susanna, John, and Charles Wesley;
Barbara Heck, Jacob Albright,
Philip William Otterbein, and Martin Boehm,
inspired by your Spirit, we give thanks.
In their ministry, through their difficulties,
and in spite of their weaknesses,
you were their hope and their salvation.
You led them and their followers to create the heritage that is ours.
We praise you for the women and men, young and old,
who followed them,
who gave themselves unselfishly for the welfare of the Church,
whose commitment and vision encouraged
and supported the Church.
Their talents, enthusiasm, idealism, and dedication
infused the Church with energy.
Their outstanding gifts and witness shaped our thought and life.
We praise you for these countless members of your Church,
whose names we now remember.
{Silence is kept to remember the names of saints. Pause here to reflect and give thanks for those who helped form you in faith: pastors, teachers, mission trip leaders, youth, etc}
And we give you thanks for the place of our rich tradition
among the churches which comprise the Body of Christ.
With all your people throughout creation,
give us a new vision, new love, new wisdom,
and fresh understanding,
that we may serve you more fully;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I was first ordained a Deacon in the UMC in 1998, and an Elder in 2001. I transferred my clergy membership to North Texas Conference in 2002. Every time a new ordination class is received, I remember the joyous feeling of being welcomed into that covenant. Every time a retiring class is celebrated, I anticipate my own retirement, when clergy will show their appreciation for the service of those in my class. I remember those clergy now part of the Church Triumphant. All of this is the work of God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
Which brings us to Trinity Sunday
Our Triune God is relational. There is something beautiful about divine mystery being expressed in such a simple term as “relational.” God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit are beautifully entangled in a relational dance, reminding us that God’s very nature is communitarian. The nature of God challenges our individualist orientation and speaks prophetically to our culture’s glorification of personal agency and individual sovereignty. If our God is at once individual and communal—One in Three—then we are called to mirror that dynamic in our own lives. Being a disciple of Christ cannot happen in solitude. Spiritual formation and growth do not happen alone. No matter how “one” we think we might be, we are always “more” because of our call to live, to be, and to grow in community. We are individuals, but as children created in the image of our Triune God, that means we were created for relationship.
A Prayer for Trinity Sunday
Loving God, you sent your son Jesus
to lead us in faith to everlasting life.
Give us new birth by water and the Spirit
so that we may enter your eternal realm;
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
and in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen
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I cried watching the events of January 6, 2021. I remember sitting in the bedroom by myself, watching the television as hundreds of supporters of President Trump stormed the US Capitol building, with the hopes of at a minimum disrupting the process of formally recognizing Joe Biden’s election as the 46th President of the United States. Members of Congress sheltered in place. There was a feeling of terror and dread, and things went from bad to worse quickly. I cried because in a free democracy this sort of thing does not happen.
Last weekend I went to see Alex Garland’s latest film Civil War. Two of Garland’s previous films, Ex Machina and Annihilation, were terrific, so even though the subject of this movie was going to be brutal I knew I had to see it. I was right. One thing that makes this film unique, which has often been criticized, is it says nothing about the events that led to, our followed, the civil war. It also does not make obvious connections to the current reality of the US, or its references are so under the table as to be aloof from where we are in the “real world.” Some reviewers have found this stance frustrating or infuriating.
We begin with the President of the US practicing before nationwide address, speaking about one of the greatest military victories of all time. We hear references to an alliance between Texas and California. Combatants run around in camo, carrying AR-15 type weapons, shooting at each other, but we don’t know why. Sometimes people wear uniforms, sometimes not, and we do not know who is right or wrong. The armies have tanks and helicopters. It’s full scale chaos.
The movie follows several reporters traveling through destroyed towns, torn up interstates, wreckage all around. Other times we drive through small towns where people are totally unaware of the war, or they have mentally erected barriers to keep the war away. But snipers linger on the rooftops of Main Street just in case things go bad. There are scenes at a gas station, the remains of an outdoor Christmas market, an anonymous field, driving through a forest where trees have been set on fire, that I will not soon forget.
For nearly every minute of the film, I was filled with dread. Not so much for the characters in the film, but for the state of our nation. I am tired of labels like divided. We are not divided. We are openly hostile. Everyone is armed. I sense danger just about everywhere, and we seem so disinterested in doing anything about it. I wonder how close we are to something like Civil War. And of course the film was released in an election year.
It’s a great movie. It’s not a feel good, popcorn eating type experience. It’s almost like a documentary of a possible future that is much closer than we fear. After the movie, I was wrecked. I had to take my wife Christy out for dinner and dessert, just to be reminded there are sweet, kind, loving people around us.
Going to lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside;
Going to lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside,
Going to study war no more.
Chorus:
I ain’t goingt’ study war no more,
Ain’t goingt’ study war no more,
Ain’t goingt’ study war no more.
Ain’t goingt’ study war no more,
Ain’t goingt’ study war no more,
Ain’t goingt’ study war no more.
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The General Conference of the United Methodist Church will meet over the next two weeks in Charlotte, NC. The General Conference is the only body that speaks on behalf of the United Methodist denomination. It meets every four years, except during the pandemic year of 2020, when it was postponed. So technically the GC meeting in 2024 is the 2020 conference. It’s confusing, I know; welcome to life in a worldwide denomination!
The General Conference is comprised of delegates, laity and clergy, who are elected by their annual conferences. More than 800 delegates from multiple countries will attend. Our North Texas Conference delegation was elected in 2019- again, intended to participate in the 2020 conference- so the same slate of delegates, minus those who disaffiliated from the UMC, will represent us in Charlotte. For more information about General Conference, go to this website: https://ntcumc.org/gc2020
I have never attended a General Conference, not even when it was in Ft Worth several years ago, because I find it very frustrating. From an outsider’s perspective, General Conference is unhealthy and disconnected from the church’s mission. But this year, largely because of disaffiliations, I am more optimistic than ever. Those who could no longer remain comfortable within the United Methodist denomination have left to join another or become independent churches. There are several initiatives in play that will help the UMC become more agile, just, and healthy.
I am prayerful that, similar to the annual conference experience in North Texas last summer, things will feel more unified. So, in the same way Dallas Cowboys fans feel on Labor Day weekend, I am excited for General Conference. We’ll see what happens. Things can change! A year ago I would have said, “similar to how Texas Rangers fans feel before Opening Day…” but they won the World Series last year! Maybe this year GC will get stuff done as well.
This Sunday I will share more expanded thoughts about General Conference at a combined Sunday school discussion in Asbury Hall. Everyone is welcome, regardless of which class you normally attend- especially if you don’t attend Sunday school at all! I’ll share 9:00-9:30ish. During the General Conference, I highly, highly recommend you stay up to date using official United Methodist sources, not just social media or television.
For news and updates, the best resource is https://www.resourceumc.org/en/churchwide/general-conference-2020
There are also prayer guides available from Upper Room Ministries: https://www.resourceumc.org/-/media/umc-media/2024/03/14/16/33/guidetoprayer_gc24_english-c.pdf
Specific to the North and Central Texas delegations: https://ntcumc.org/Prayer_Guide_for_GC_final_v2.pdf
When we become members of a United Methodist congregation, we make vows to support both the local church and the denomination with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. I hope you will join me in deploying all those resources over the next two weeks.
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Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, the forty days (not including Sundays) leading to Easter. It is a season of penitence and confession, a time to do the spiritual work to improve our relationship with Christ. We repent of our broken relationship with God and others. We practice spiritual disciplines, such as fasting, prayer, scripture reading to make things right. Some of us give up things like chocolate or alcohol as a sort of sacrifice; others take on service opportunities during the forty days.
So do we greet each other today with “Happy Valentine’s Day” or “Happy Ash Wednesday?” it’s a little disorienting when the calendar plays tricks on us. Ash Wednesday doesn’t fall on Valentine’s Day very often- usually only three times or so per century- but I’ve felt like it happened very recently for some reason. And sure enough, after Googling this morning I learned I was correct; Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday teamed up in 2018 and will do so again in 2029. And that will be it for the 21st century!
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate romantic love; is it too far to suggest that Ash Wednesday- and the season of Lent- are occasions to celebrate divine love? Are the two really so far apart? How many times did we reference divine love in the scriptures assigned for this day?
Yet even now, says the LORD,
return to me with all your hearts,
with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow;
tear your hearts
and not your clothing.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is merciful and compassionate,
very patient, full of faithful love,
and ready to forgive.
Create a clean heart for me, God;
put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!
Return to God with all our hearts, change our hearts, ask God to give us new hearts, it’s like the Bible and Hallmark created a partnership! Perhaps the lesson here is that love is as much a spiritual discipline as anything else.
Christy and I have been fortunate to be part of a very close group of several couples for the past 25 years. We all met at church, in Sunday school, some of us married, others still dating. No one had children. Then the first arrived- Caitlin Elizabeth Rogers, born to Richard and Anne, in January 2001. Two years ago this week, Caitlin was murdered by a former acquaintance who then took his own life.
Wanting to do something about relationship violence, Caitlin’s parents soon began working with One Love. One Love is a foundation empowering young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities. More than 1/3 of women experience some form of abuse in their relationships during their lifetime; 1/3 of men experience abuse as well, and half of transgender and non binary people. Through education, raising awareness, and mobilization One Love seeks to end relationship abuse and create a world of better relationships. You can go to their website, joinonelove.org, and find 10 signs of a healthy relationship, and 10 signs of an unhealthy relationship, for example.
This Friday the 16th Caitlin’s family will host a Day of Love in Caitlin’s memory. All five members of the Drenner family, wherever we are, will wear these special t-shirts to remember a life taken by senseless violence. Posting about Caitlin’s Day of Love, Anne said, “We always felt that Caitlin was destined to make a positive impact in the world. Even though she ran out of time to do that work herself, we hope her story can have a positive effect on as many young people and their families as possible.”
The ashes of Ash Wednesday remind of us our mortality; the reality that each one of us will face death at some point. The season of Lent gives us an opportunity to do the cleaning, healing work of confessing our sin, owning our broken relationships with God and others, and loving enough to make things right- or at least better.
A couple of weeks following Caitlin’s death we gathered to celebrate her life. I was asked to share some reflections. I remembered when our couples group read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom on a retreat before any of us had kids. I pulled this quote from the book:
“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning in your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to the community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”
It spoke to me about how Caitlin lived her final days before tragedy took her from us. But it works for us as well during Lent.
Devote yourself to love. Devote yourself to community.. Devotion. It is what Lent is all about.
So using whatever spiritual tools available to you, may you embrace these forty days of discipline and growth so that you may love, and experience divine love, more deeply. When Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day team up again in 2029, you’ll have full hearts, ready to share God’s love with the broken, hurting corners of the world.
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Dear Church Family,
I want to share a word of thanks to the entire congregation for your generosity. Yesterday I delivered a check to the North Texas Conference (my sweet spouse Christy Drenner is the Conference Treasurer) to finish our 2023 financial commitment to the United Methodist family around the world. Thank you as well for the generosity you showed on Christmas Eve. We received a special collection for the People’s Justice Garden at Temple Shalom on Alpha Road in Dallas. I delivered a check to them as well, in the amount of $338. I included a copy of the letter which accompanied the check, below.
Those of you in attendance last Sunday know we began a new worship series, “Covenant,” examining five of the covenants God made in the Hebrew Bible. The image above hints at this Sunday’s subject. Speaking of the Windows of Faith located in our Sanctuary, I have been captivated by them since coming to Spring Valley last summer. I have thought to myself more than once: it would be awesome to create a sermon series around those windows- telling their story and the congregation’s story. Then I realized that three of the first four windows on the west side of the building are included in the Covenant series: Creation, the Flood, the 10 Commandments. I shared this with our creative staff team Wednesday at worship planning and we realized– we’re already in the series I have been ruminating on! Let’s keep it going!
There are twelve windows on each side of the Sanctuary. Adding the magnificent Christ window in the Chancel area brings the total to 25 messages. We just finished Nativity, so we will hold that window until next December. The David window will keep for our Game of Thrones series next summer (yes, it’s happening, parental discretion advised). From January 7 until June 23, nearly every Sunday and even Holy Week services, the music and/or sermons will include some sort of inspiration from one of our Windows of Faith. We will not follow the windows sequentially; we will follow the church calendar. Which is your favorite and why? You can find information about the windows in a brochure in some of the Sanctuary pews.
Last note: thanks to everyone who came to our house for the annual Epiphany Party last Sunday. Save the date for next year: January 5, 2025!
– Pastor Frank
