Christian Conferencing

I am still processing my attendance at  the General Conference of the United Methodist Church  in Portland, Oregon in May .   In a few weeks,  I will find myself attending the Annual Conference Session for the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church at Lake Junaluska.   Christian conferencing is one of the things that the people called Methodists do.  John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, even said that Christian conferencing was a “means of grace” like worship and prayer. 

Steve was among the old friends I saw while I was in Portland.    We started in the ministry as pastors about the same time and in the same area of North Carolina.   I have been thinking in recent days about a time when Steve and I made a little trip to a landmark in Methodist History.    The time was the early 1980’s, and Steve and I were counselors at a week-long youth event being held at Louisburg College in Louisburg, North Carolina.    During a break one day,  we went to visit the Green Hill House just outside of Louisburg.

For those who have never heard of the Green Hill House or have forgotten, let me tell you about that Methodist landmark.  Following the Christmas Conference in Baltimore, Maryland  in December 1784 where the Methodist Episcopal Church was founded, the Green Hill House was chosen to host the first annual conference meeting of the brand-new church.   Methodist history buffs tell us that from April 20-24, 1785, twenty Methodist preachers from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia met in the attic of that home.

I don’t know if it  was the brashness of our youth or our ignorance that led us to knock on the door of that private home with no forewarning of its occupants.   A kind lady answered the door and welcomed us in as Mr. and Mrs. Hill welcome Methodist preachers long ago.     She led us upstairs to see the attic room where these early Methodist preachers conferenced under the leadership of  Bishop Francis Asbury and Bishop Thomas Coke. She told us that the early Methodist circuit riders did not need to worry about no nearby Holiday Inns or eating establishments  because Mr. Green Hill and his wife showed great hospitality by feeding the pastors meals and   allowing the preachers to sleep on the floor.

Many lament the debates on issues  that took place at the General Conference in Portland and will take place at Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska.    While many wistfully long for the “good old days”, the first Methodist Annual Conference that took place at the Green Hill House had its debates.    What issue did these Methodist preachers debate in April, 1785?   Why, they debated the issue of slavery.     This would not be the last debate that the people called Methodist had about slavery.  Later, that issue would divide the church.  Despite the debates that took place at the Green Hill House in 1785, there was something that knit this group of Methodist preachers together.   Though they differed in their opinions, they were united in their faith in Christ and their calling by him.   The apostle Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 4:4-6 where he writes:

⁴ There is one body and one Spirit. Likewise, you were called to the one hope of your calling. ⁵ There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all,who is above all, through all, and in all.                  Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

Sayings of Your Parents

“Can’t never could do anything.”

“Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“An education is something that nobody can ever take away from you.”

            -Shirley Frances Perry Wall Wyrick

I have found myself thinking recently a lot about some of the sayings that my  late Mom used to say.  You will find above a few of those sayings.   Even though it has been almost 15 years since she died, I still remember them well.     I do not think those sayings are necessarily original to her, but they certainly were important to her.  She imparted the same to me time and time again.  As I think about those sayings,  it occurs to me that those sayings are not only etched in my memory, but they also have greatly influenced my values and behaviors through the years. 

For example, my Mom quit high school at the beginning of her senior year after marrying my Dad.  She thought education important enough to go back and get her GED when I was a child.      Even though I started to school in the late 1950’s,  I am still taking classes at a local community college almost 60 years later.  I think one of the reasons why I have been a life long student is because of my Mom.      Do not under-estimate the impact of the sayings on you of your parents nor the things you say in the presence of  your family.  Perhaps those sayings  are the greatest legacy you might leave your children and grandchildren.    The writer of Proverbs put it this way in Proverbs 22:6 where he writes:

Train a child in the way appropriate for him,
    and when he becomes older, he will not turn from it

 Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

 Prayer:  O Lord,  I thank you for the legacy of values and faith that has been passed on to me through my family.    Help me to go and do likewise;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Pentecost in Portland

When the day of Pentecost was being celebrated,^[a] all of them were together in one place. ² Suddenly, a sound like the roar of a mighty windstorm came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw tongues like flames^[b] of fire that separated, and one rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign^[c] languages as the Spirit gave them that ability.  ⁵ Now devout Jews from every nation on earth^[d] were living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples^[e] speaking in his own language.⁷ Stunned and amazed, they asked, “All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren’t they? ⁸ So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language:^[f] 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, ¹¹ Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?”   ¹² All of them continued to be stunned and puzzled, and they kept asking one another, “What can this mean?”¹³ But others kept saying in derision, “They’re drunk on sweet wine!”    -   Acts 2: 1-13

Pentecost is one of the  high days in the life of the Christian Church.     We hear the story of the first Pentecost in the life of the church in the passage of scripture printed above.  It is read in these days in many churches and in different languages.   As a group of devout Jews and followers of Jesus from across the known world  were together in Jerusalem,  the Holy Spirit comes upon them and turns them into a bold, believing community.  The power of the Spirit breaks down the walls between them and knits them together into the body of Christ, the Church.      

It is the day of Pentecost in Portland, Oregon as I write this.    In some ways,  Portland  today is like Jerusalem in that passage printed above.    There are people here for the General Conference of the United Methodist Church from every continent in this big, beautiful world.   As on  the day of Pentecost long ago,  people here speak different languages.   The languages they speak include French,  Spanish, English, and other dialects, but the languages they speak also are filled with passion for important causes.    Sometimes, I sense people  do not understand the languages that are spoken even when they are from the same country.         In the midst of it all, there is one language they speak that unites  all:   the love of Christ Jesus.     I believe in my heart that the brothers or sisters I see around me  love Christ Jesus and are loved by him.     Before his ascension back to the Father,  Jesus told his disciples to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.      I am in Portland, waiting for the Holy Spirit to take one and all and mold us not into my way or into my will but into the way and the will of God.     Come, Holy Spirit.  Come.   Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:  Come, Holy Spirit, come.  Mold us and make us into the image of Christ; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Post Mothers Day Thoughts

I recall when I was a boy this time of year when I asked my Mother:  “Mama, there is Mothers Day and Fathers Day.     When is Kids Day?”     As I recall, Mom said,  “Son, everyday is Kids Day at this house.”    

We just celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday.    I understand it is a busy day for restaurants as folks seek to give the Moms in their lives a break from cooking.  I also understand that the Mother’s Day season is one of the busiest times of the year for florists as people seek to shower their Moms with floral bouquets. 

While it is right and good that we honor and show appreciation Mothers and Fathers in our lives, I am also aware that there are are many folks who approach times like Mothers Day with fear or dread.  I think of persons I know who just experienced their first Mother’s Day without their Mom who died in recent months and children who were given birth by a child that deserted them when they were young.    I think of adult children who wonder how can they honor a Father who physically or sexually has abused them or the Mother who did not see a child come through the door at Mother’s Day because their child has died.   

While I  certainly do not think we should shy away from the opportunity to honor people on a special day,  I do think that we should be mindful of persons we know who approach such special days with the hope that they will end soon. 

A final thought about times like Mothers Day and Fathers Day:    While you might not have a biological mother or father around does not diminish from the truth that there are probably some people who have been like mothers and fathers in your life.    I miss my own Mom on Mothers Day and everyday, but I am grateful for those people in the present and past who have been mothers and fathers in my life.   Perhaps that is a part of what Jesus was getting at in the following passage from Matthew 12:

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

 Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:  Loving God,  thank you for those persons who are family by birth and those who are family by their care, compassion, and example;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Where Is Your Heart?

I have been blessed in my life to have seen some quite interesting and beautiful places.  While my Mother’s Father never even travelled from his home here in North Carolina to see the Atlantic Ocean,  I have had the priviledge to see many places.    Back in 2004, I travelled across that same Atlantic Ocean to the continent of Africa to visit our oldest daughter, Heather, while she was serving with the Peace Corps in the country of Zambia.   I got to see there the largest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls… ride on a raft down the white waters of the Zambezi River while crocodiles laid along the river watching… see giraffes and rhinos in their native habitat…  and meet the villagers in the tiny village where Heather lived.    One day while we were travelling north from Victoria Falls, we passed a sign along the road directing us to the David Livingstone Memorial.    David Livingstone was a missionary in Africa back in the 19^th century on behalf of his church.  Some consider him to be Africa’s greatest missionary.    He died in 1870 at the age of 60 years old.  One of the interesting things about Livingstone is that (at his request)  his heart is buried in Africa at that memorial, but the rest of his body is buried in London at Westminister Abbey.    Livingstone wanted his heart buried in Africa at his death because it was the place where his heart always was during his life.

In what place, what persons, and what things does your heart reside?     Livingstone’s heart was with the people of Africa.   What has captured your heart?     Jesus knew that an important question that every man and woman had to answer.    That is why he declared in Luke 12:34: 

³⁴ Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:  Loving God,  you have called us to love you with our whole heart.  Help us to love you more; through Jesus Christ our Lord.    Amen.