The Wider Connection
Although I have been here to worship with you every Sunday in October, I have traveled twice. From October 8-12 I was in Chicago, and I spent October 14-17 in Pittsburgh. Both of these trips were part of my connection to the wider church.
The first trip was my introduction to my four year term as a member of the board of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church (GCSRW website is here) GCSRW is a commission that has existed since 1972. The mission of GCSRW is to “challenge the UMC for the full and equal participation of women in the total life and mission of the Church”.
You might think that women’s equality is an issue that has been addressed sufficiently and that we can move on to other matters. However, if you take a look at the website, you will see that although the Methodist Church and then the UMC have been ordaining women since 1958, women clergy still make significantly less than their male counterparts. In addition, women clergy are often the subject of harassment and denied appointments to larger churches as senior pastors. Sexual ethics in the church is one of the major foci of GCSRW.
At the meeting, 19 of us discussed the mission of the commission and our work for the next four years. It was especially enlightening to me to meet and talk with women and men from all over the world. And the highlight of the trip was definitely making a short visit to my seminary alma mater, Garrett-Evangelical, with Emma (originally from El Salvador and the new director of Hispanic and Latinx Ministries at GETS), Angel from Congo, and Jenn from the Philippines. I learned so much about how women are treated in these cultures and the importance of the committee’s work, and I had a lot of fun!
October 14-17 was the annual retreat for the Order of St. Luke, the “OSL” in my signature. I have been a member of the Order since 1997. We are “a dispersed ecumenical religious order with a focus on liturgical and sacramental theology and practice” (www.saint-luke.net) The Order is made up of clergy and laypersons from all over the world. This year’s retreat featured the theologian Dr. Gordon Lathrop, who spoke to us on the theme of Assembly, the title of one of his many books. We discussed why gathering in community for worship is necessary and essential for us in our faith. We also engaged in worship – six times a day, with one service of Holy Communion, or Eucharist, each day. It was a wonderful time of renewal and connection for me. I continue to serve as the Pastoral Care Officer for the Order, available to all of my siblings for prayer and pastoral counsel. If you want to learn more about, or perhaps consider joining, OSL, please talk to me! Our local chapter meets bimonthly via Zoom with some in person meetings as well.
Both of these meetings emphasized to me how important it is to belong to faith communities that are worldwide in their scope and membership, that encourage me to learn and to grow and to encounter and enjoy people from all over the world. I encourage you to seek out ways to do the same – who knows where the spirit will lead you? And remember to always
Fear Not
Pastor Dianne
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