Do our attitudes and actions cause religious disharmony?

Jail time for religious disharmony?



A news story a few months ago reported that Malaysian authorities were investigating two Muslims who sparked complaints after they pretended to be Christians and took communion at a church service. They said they were researching a magazine article.

A churchgoer filed a police complaint after reading an article in a Malay-language magazine written by a contributor who described how he attended a Roman Catholic Mass with his friend and hid his Muslim identity. The writer said they were trying to confirm rumors that Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in churches every Sunday.

Police federal crime investigations chief Mohamad Bakri Zinin said officials were probing whether the men had caused religious disharmony – a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

Rev. Terry Jones and Rev. Wayne Sapp should be grateful they don’t live in Malaysia.

Last September Rev. Jones, a pastor in Gainesville, Florida, stirred up quite a fuss when he called for people around the world to set fire to copies of the Koran. He designated September 11, 2010 as Burn A Koran Day and he hoped to set ablaze thousands of copies of the Muslim holy book on that day. After much controversy and international protest, he said he had made his point and did not carry out his plan.

However two weeks ago, on March 20, during a Dove World Outreach Center's Sunday service without any publicity and under the supervision of Jones, Pastor Wayne Sapp soaked a Quran in kerosene for an hour, held an event he said was a "trial" for the Muslim holy book. After the book was found “guilty”, Sapp set the Quran on fire using a barbecue lighter.

I wonder what Rev. Jones and Rev. Sapp would have done if someone had set fire to the Bible, the holy book that Christians believe in?

Anger over the burning of the Muslim holy book has erupted into deadly violence for the past several days in Afghanistan, with demonstrators setting cars and shops ablaze in riots that have left at least five civilians dead, officials said. In Florida, Rev. Sapp called the events "tragic," but said he did not regret the actions of his church. If he had it o do over again, he said he would.

"I in no way feel like our church is responsible for what happened," Sapp said in a telephone interview last Friday.

I don’t have to believe exactly what anyone else believes but one of the great blessings of this country is that I don’t have to. My right to believe and the rights of others to do the same is protected. Thank God! I can continue to practice my faith and share my beliefs with others. And I will.

But before we begin to feel self-righteous, let us examine ourselves. Do our attitudes and actions sometimes cause “religious disharmony?” Maybe the results are not violence and death but perhaps confusion and hard feelings that hinder the work of the Church and the advancement of God’s plans for us.

I certainly don’t condone the actions of Revs. Jones and Sapp or the violent protests in Afghanistan. That would be easy to do, but I am reminded that before I try to remove the speck from another person’s eye I need to remove the log from my own eye (Matthew 7:3-5).

--by Jamie Jenkins, North GA Ann Conf

God Is Still In Control

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
United Methodist Communications
http://www.umcgiving.org/
lcarey@umcom.ortg

Giving is an expression of love and gratitude

“Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul…there was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold…and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4:32-35 NRSV)

When my son was a toddler, he had a favorite song about all the pockets on his overalls. Whenever he lost something, we always checked all five pockets on his bib overalls and, eventually, we’d find the missing treasure!

If the Sunday offerings in your church aren’t quite enough to meet the ministry challenge Christ has given you, don’t give up! Keep looking! Have you checked all the potential pockets of income? Our annual income is one “pocket.” It may be that up-front pocket that’s most visible. But, what about the other “pockets” we might check? Have you ever considered checking the “pockets” that hold your non-cash assets when considering gifts to the church?

Did you know you can make gifts of appreciated stock to your church? By processing gifts of stock through your church you can avoid paying any commission or selling fees, allowing you to make a larger gift to the church! You also avoid paying any capital gains taxes when you use stock to make a gift.

Have you considered donating “obsolete” life insurance policies that might have been purchased long ago for a reason that no longer exists? What a wonderful hidden treasure!

Would you consider giving the cash saved in a Certificate of Deposit to establish a Charitable Gift Annuity? By making a gift with a CD, you can receive a guaranteed annuity payment each year for the rest of your life.

Another “pocket” often overlooked is real estate. You can turn assets of property or stock into a Charitable Remainder Unitrust. The trust will pay you 5-8% of the market value of the fund each year for the rest of your life. And, the church and any other qualified non-profit charities you designate will receive a significant gift at the time of your death.

--excerpt from the Wisconsin UM Foundation

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Content Producer

United Methodist Communications

http://www.umcgiving.org/

lcarey@umcom.org

Check out this other methodist website: MethoBlog

Giving means thinking positively.

“Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times.” (Ephesians 5:16 The Message)

Tornados in the Midwest, tsunamis and earthquakes around the world, spring floods on the East Coast and along the Mississippi River, state and national budget controversies, rising gas prices … the past few months definitely feel like desperate times.

The apostle Paul writes, “Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times.” How will we as United Methodists make the most of every chance we get during these desperate times? For one thing, we’ve just come through another tax season. I’m always amazed that no matter what kind of a year we’ve had – good or bad – we always find a way to pay our taxes.

If you examine your tax return and you wish you had given Jesus a bit more so that you could give Uncle Sam a bit less, we invite you to consider starting now for next year. “Resurrect your finances” during this time. Here are some suggestions:

• Make the first check you write each pay period, or the first automatic withdrawal you make, be a “thank you” gift to God.


• Instead of buying your children or grandchildren candy and trinkets or graduation, consider a gift in their honor to help victims of a natural disaster through UMCOR or to your church’s portion of our shared mission (apportionments).


• Give at least 50% of the total you might spend on a vacation or special events during the summer to the ministry of Christ.


• Try tithing; i.e., giving 10% of your income to the church for 3 months during the summer or fall.


• See how quickly you can get out of debt under various repayment scenarios by going to http://www.moneypurposejoy.com/, click on “resources,” “calculators,” and “accelerated debt payoff calculator.
  

--Wisconson Ann Conf Foundation

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
http://www.umcgiving.org/
United Methodist Communications
lcarey@umcom.org

"This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." -- Jeremiah 6:16

As a young man, I have frequently wished I were alive during the Civil Rights Era, so I would have had the chance to be a part of that blessed movement. But The Parchman Hour has taught me there is no such thing as the Civil Rights Era. Every era should be the Civil Rights Era.

If The Parchman Hour taught me anything, it is how ridiculous it was that I felt I had missed out on the Civil Rights struggle. There had been a Freedom Ride in 1947, and other forms of resistance to segregation had been occurring since segregation started, but the Freedom Riders knew there was still work to be done.

I hope that The Parchman Hour helps people realize that the past has been someone's present; that all of the things they read about really happened. That all of the historical heroes and villains they have or haven't heard of were real people; that "The Civil Rights Movement" was just people making sacrifices for what they thought was right. That there is still work to be done; that "The Civil Rights Era" was then, is now, and will be the future until everyone is truly equal.

-- Alex Karsten is a member of the cast and crew of The Parchman Hour, by Mike Wiley. This reflection comes after the March 2011 tour of the play in Mississippi..

Prayer: Almighty God, fill us with the strength of your presence that we too might stand in your spirit and truth fighting for justice in the world around us. Do not let us grow weary, but lift us up with strength that we might give glory to your name through our lives.

God Is Still In Control!!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Content Producer

United Methodist Communications

http://www.umcgiving.org/

lcarey@umcom.org

Faith-filled Ways to say “Thank You” to God this summer:

As you plant flowers in your garden, say thank you to God for their gift of color. Give at least as much back to God as you spend on flowers this year.

Use your time and talents to raise money for outreach. Do you have a garden? Do you have more zucchini than you can eat? What about tomatoes, beans, or sweet corn? Maybe you have some friends and neighbors who would gladly give a gift toward a mission of your church in exchange for some of your vegetables – fresh, frozen, or canned.

Put a container in the middle of the kitchen table and invite family members to make a special offering – perhaps even $1/day to say thank you for a joy each day.

If your grocery bill tends to rise during the summer because more people are home and you have more visitors, try planning your menus around what’s on sale each week. Then with the money you save, you can make an extra gift to the mission and ministry of the church.

Remember, God doesn’t take vacations from us! If you’re heading out on a special vacation – enjoy! Give thanks for the memories you’ll make by signing up for online bill pay through your bank. Then your offerings will be sent to the church automatically whether you’re on vacation or in your regular pew each week.

Honor those you love with a special gift to the overall mission and ministry of the church through our apportionments. “A-portion-ment for others” can be a wonderful way to remember loved ones as a part of their gift for birthdays, anniversaries and other milestones.

--from the WI AC Foundation

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Content Producer

http://www.umcgiving.org/

lcarey@umcom.org

World Communion Sunday

World Communion Sunday has me thinking. When I was a youngster in my home church we went to Sunday School and afterwards made our way into the sanctuary. The educational building was behind the sanctuary so that if you went from one to the other you usually entered through the back door that opened into the sanctuary right beside the pulpit and altar. If we saw the communion elements and the white cloth spread out we immediately pressed our parents into leaving early.

Communion services were so long and were as somber as a funeral service. We used the old ritual; where what we said reversed our efforts at the Protestant Reformation’s focus on grace. We went back to something that resembled a large confessional booth. We used words like, “We bewail our manifold sins and wickedness which we from time to time have committed in thought, word, and deed…” I felt sinful enough already. Our communion service seemed to add to my sense of guilt. The words of pardon were miniscule in comparison to the confession. I usually left feeling worse.

This is one reason that today when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper; we attempt to focus more on Christ’s marvelous work of grace than on our power to reform ourselves. We, more often than not, now refer to Communion as the Eucharist. Eucharist means Thanksgiving. The most important thing that we do when we come to the Communion Table is say, “Thanks!” to Christ for his gift of mercy. Rather than focus overly on our sinfulness, we thank God for God’s graciousness. What a better perspective!

World Communion Sunday is an event that bridges denominations and spotlights our commonality in the Body of Christ. This world would be so much better off if we looked for that which we hold in common rather than our differences. Holy Communion, rightly observed, reunites the Church. This is the pastor’s hope when he or she holds up the loaf of bread and says, “Because there is one loaf, we who are many, are one body in Christ.”

Therefore, our focus this week is in how to get over our differences and find common power to live in Christ. The Eucharist is a time of positive celebration, reunion, prayer for healing, and a sacred time to put others before ourselves. In my first parish I had three churches. I remember how shocked I was as I went to my first communion service at the smallest church of eight members. When I arrived there was a loaf of sliced “Wonder” bread still in its wrapper on the altar and a bottle of Welch’s grape juice and some small paper cups. They had not had communion in years. I was soon to find out why.

I went through the ritual and opened the altar for people to partake and NOBODY came forward. The reason they hadn’t had communion in years is that they were afraid. They knew full well that they were not living as consistent Christians. They felt too unworthy to come to the Table. I quickly switched sermons and preached on grace. Still nobody came up, but by the time I left there five years later, a few did. Those few moved from guilt to grace, judging to acceptance. They found real communion with Jesus, a sacrament indeed.

Dentist Thomas Welch found himself in a somewhat similar situation back in 1869. Communion was problematic for a number of reasons. The alcoholic content of the wine was one of them. Dr. Welch was the Communion Steward for the congregation of First Methodist Church of Vineland, New Jersey. To his dismay more often than not communion either set some of the participants off on an alcoholic binge or a rush to judgment by the abstention crowd. He and his family did experiment after experiment to come up with a solution and they did. He created unfermented grape juice, dubbed it “unfermented wine,” and soon churches all around wanted the product. By 1890 “Dr. Welch’s Grape Juice” had become a staple on communion tables, where it remains so today, all because someone saw communion as a sacrament that brought Christians together, not divided them!

--from "A Potter's View" Blog by Tim McClendon, UM pastor, SC Ann Conf.

God Is Still In Control!
Miss Lladale Carey
Web Content Producer
http://www.umcgiving.org/
lcarey@umcom.org

"For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named" Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God; Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9: 6-7, NRSV)

REALITY SOMETIMES DEFIES PEACE

For many Christians, preparations for Christmas are more hectic than peaceful. Parties to host or attend; gifts to purchase and get to their recipients; favorite foods to prepare; houses to clean; worship services, concerts and recitals to attend; poor to care for and serve. And there are other realities which contradict what seems to be the way of peace -- crime in some neighborhoods, domestic violence, conflict in schools or in work places. The poor and the homeless whose presence, visibly or in the back of our minds, pricks our consciousness, reminding us of the violence poverty does to a body and to a heart. Along with the deployment of more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, we are reminded that in too many places, the world continues to function completely antithetically to the ways of peace.

JESUS BROUGHT US PEACE

In many aspects, the days during which Christ was born were similar to our own times. The need for peace was born out of the lack of it, for the majority of God's people. In Jesus, God responded to the cries of the marginalized, the oppressed, the despairing, for whom peace was not easily attained. But it was into the very midst of conflict, poverty, hunger, disease, injustice and hopelessness that God in Christ Jesus appeared as a visible symbol of hope and life. The birth of Jesus was proof that God is a God of peace and of justice. Endless peace is the result of knowing the healing, forgiving, restorative, miraculous love of God. Jesus showed us what it looked like, sounded like, felt like as he fed the hungry, gave hope to the poor, healed the sick, raised the dead and called for justice for the marginalized and excluded.

PEACE STARTS WITHIN

It is often difficult to believe that these movements of God are still occurring and live within and among us. Yet, they are. The way of peace is an inside-out job. We are God's vessels for the change we wish to see. So I invite us to live into this season of new life and new beginnings, releasing from within us the peace that comes from knowing the love and presence of our God resident in each one of us.

BE A VESSEL OF GOD'S PEACE

Human nature is amazingly predictable. Love multiplies, hope multiplies, faith in God multiplies. The more we give, the more we receive. It truly IS more of a blessing to give. God's immeasurable gift of love to humanity cannot be repaid, but we CAN respond in kind. We can respond by being vessels of God's peace in the midst of the challenges of real life. We can exemplify and speak peace in our congregations, our families, our circuits, in our schools and our places of work and community. Not just some of us, but each of us, all of us. Looking to the author and finisher of our faith, we are the agents of God's change, transformation, movement and spirit of peace today.

LET'S CELEBRATE A NEW SPIRIT OF PEACE

With these things in mind, let us celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Through him we expect a new spirit of peace in Wisconsin Conference. New peace that gives birth to new life in ministry and mission in Wisconsin and throughout the world! "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, And on earth peace among those whom he favors.' (Luke 2:10-14)

--In the Spirit and Peace of Christ, Bishop Linda Lee

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Content Producer

http://www.umcgiving.org/

lcarey@umcom.org