Missy Buchanan, who writes the Aging Well column for the Reporter, has done much to raise awareness of the spiritual needs of older adults. So when I read a blog entry by a friend of mine across the pond, I thought of Missy's ministry, too.
My friend Kathryn is a vicar in southwest England. I'm delighted to have met her in person two years ago, and it has been interesting to learn about her ministry context. She pastors two congregations, and one of them has a nursing home nearby -- in fact, the facility was once the vicarage (parsonage) of one of the churches she serves, and it recently became more receptive to the ministry she and the churches can offer.
Read here about Kathryn's most recent visit. Her stories convey the history of the relationship as well as the uncertainty and hope behind providing spiritual care for another. I believe her telling of the second experience can serve as a powerful reminder that even when we don't quite know what to do, God goes with us.
Advice from a former United Methodist
Over the weekend a friend pointed me to Kevin Watson's recent blog post. Kevin and I have corresponded before, and the Reporter recently printed a commentary of his. In this post, he shares links to a blog series by Craig Groeschel, founder of the wildly successful LifeChurch.tv and a former United Methodist.
Craig has written half a dozen blog posts to offer suggestions for the United Methodist Church. And really, they are worth the read. So are the comments -- some from United Methodists, some not. A word of caution when you get to post number 6, though: Remember the lens Craig uses to view the UMC. Craig left the United Methodist Church, and he seems to see a clear divide where many current United Methodists would not. A few UMC folks posted comments saying that his categorization of liberal and evangelical is a false dichotomy. Of course, other commenters, both UM and not, agree with him and do see the division as cut-and-dry. Reminds me of a phone survey I participated in a month or two ago. The person conducting the survey asked me, "Would you consider yourself evangelical or born again?" to which I answered, "Yes." The questioner then informed me that it wasn't a yes-or-no question; I had to choose whether I was one or the other. "You mean they are mutually exclusive?" I asked. "I think someone should take a closer look at your survey questions."
So, in summary: Go read the series. Learn from it. Maybe even ask some hard questions of our leadership because of it. But think a little harder about Part 6. I, for one, believe the perceived division is a lot more nuanced than Craig Groeschel does.
Mar 1, 2010 4:50:29 PM | Commentary, Perspectives, Religion, Weblogs