Eastertide

Volume 1: Issue 3

Seasons A Publication of First United Methodist Church Olympia, Washington

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First UMC Olympia welcomes people of all ages, all abilities, all sexual orientations and gender identities, all nationalities and ethnicities, the poor and the rich, single people and the many forms of family.

First Church is a member of the Reconciling Ministries Network.

First United Methodist Church 1224 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98501 t. 360-943-2661 f. 360-943-2668 fumco@fumcoly.org

Volume 1: Issue 3 Editor and Designer: Sue Sugarbaker fumconews@fumcoly.org

We Are Easter People By Pastor Peter

Welcome to the season of Easter! The followers of Jesus celebrate this season each spring, but the truth is that we are Easter people 24/7/365. Every Sunday is a little Easter. During the liturgical season of Easter, we are immersed in the central message of Christianity: new life and new love are found in God through Christ. The Easter message is a daily experience of life for those who, in kindred spirit, have walked with Mary and the disciples into the garden and found the tomb empty, who have heard the holy affirmation, “He is not here. He has risen!” Easter happens repeatedly. Every day holds new experiences of resurrection as stones are rolled away to reveal the glorious Easter; the forces of darkness and despair, of fear and hatred, of pain and persecution always fail against the power of God’s love at work in the world. The alleluias of Easter echo through the ages, for God is always bringing new expressions of life reborn, of love renewed, of hope rekindled, and of justice restored. Easter is the energy which powers the Christian life, the center of our being.

I was raised with Easter, and I remember fondly, and perhaps a bit idealistically, the morning each spring when my siblings and I would wake up to an Easter basket filled with candy and new clothes set out for us to wear to church... pastel dresses and bonnets for sister Jane and a new suit jacket or child-sized necktie for the brothers. We would pile into the car and go to church where we would sing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” and hear the preacher talk about the empty tomb. After church the family gathering of aunts and uncles and cousins feasted on ham and potatoes and all sorts of good salads and desserts brought by the relatives. There was an Easter Egg hunt in the backyard with brightly-colored plastic eggs filled with more candy waiting to be discovered. Easter, in all its spring freshness, whether it came early or late, formally

On the Sundays after Easter, the pastors will be sharing stories - several from the Book of Acts - about Easter experiences. During the days after the resurrection of the Christ, the early disciples had to re-imagine who Jesus was, and the nature of their relationship with him was transformed. From appearances in the Upper Room and on the Emmaus Road, to the days of Ascension and Pentecost, to Paul on the Damascus Road, and Peter on a rooftop in Joppa, the Universal Christ was made known in new and world-transforming ways.

Join us in worship as we explore a Jesus no longer bound by time and place, a Jesus who lives in our highest aspirations and our deepest longings, a Jesus who calls us to act up in liberating faithfulness!

Worship With Us! Sunday Mornings

8:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary

marked the end of winter. Life had come to the earth. Color had come back into the world. Love won again and we celebrated by shouting, “He lives!”

Maybe you didn’t have the benefit of growing up with Easter in your life. Maybe you came to Easter late in life. Maybe, even now, you have no idea of what I am talking about when I say that Easter is the center of our being. Unfortunately, Christianity has long struggled to find the freedom of Easter, for there are forces that work against it furiously. The powers of negativity, greed and envy, fear, selfishness and the quest for power, collectively seek to enslave the human heart, to keep us in our tombs of despair. But the Cosmic Christ comes into every human life, the stones of our tombs are rolled away, and we hear the message that we are called to be more than we are, that there is a better way in the world, that love wins.

The Trappist monk, mystic, and theologian, Thomas Merton once said that “Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than it does about God.” If we see God as a law giver and judge over all that is, then we will be people who fear God. Imitating that God, we would become makers of our own little law and ruthless judges of one another. We would live forever in Good Friday, in the shadow of the cross, in the pangs of despair. If, on the other hand, we see God as the giver of grace and the beginning and end of creation itself, then we will be people who generously give love and graciously receive love, who know life to be a joyful dance, who are grateful for each moment. The Easter idea imagines God as the giver of love, and life, and hope in all things.

Hear the words of Saint Paul to the Ephesians:

God who is rich in mercy, was moved by the intense love with which he loved us, and when we were dead by reason of our transgressions, he made us live with the life of Christ . . . Together with Christ Jesus and in him he raised us up and enthroned us in the heavenly realm . . . It is by grace that you have been saved through faith; it is the gift of God, it is not the result of anything you did, so that no one has any grounds for boasting. (Eph. 2: 4– 9)

You are an Easter person, living in an Easter world. The story of Jesus Christ is the greatest affirmation of this profound truth, but that story has echoed in stories great and small throughout human history, in every life, even yours. You have within you Easter itself. You have life. You have love. Nothing can take that away from you, for it is the very essence of the God within you. God gives you life. God gives you love. This knowledge, this confidence, this belief is Easter. Alleluia!

If... we see God as the giver of grace and the beginning and end of creation itself, then we will be people who generously give and graciously receive love, who know life to be a joyful dance, who are grateful for each moment.

For an excerpt from Thomas Merton’s book, New Seeds of Contemplation, please visit our website at: www.fumcoly.org/thomas-merton-on-easter/

Caring Ministries at First Olympia By Pastor Peter

Stephen Ministers Saint Paul writes to the church in Galatia: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).” When the Christian community is operating at its best, it is creating relationships of caring, connections that reflect the compassionate heart of God and the deep call of faith to love as we have been loved.

First Church seeks to create these caring relationships as a Stephen Ministry church. Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one caring ministry made up of well-trained lay volunteers supervised by a team of leaders who, after extensive training and consultation with the pastors, work to address human need one life at a time. Stephen Ministers receive 30 hours of training over a 20-week period, learning the best ways to be supportive of persons going through tough times. Stephen Ministers learn to listen and develop other relational caring skills, including learning about community resources for people in crisis. Once trained, Stephen Ministers are paired with a person in time of need and walk with that person through the period of crisis. Stephen Ministers generally give about an hour a week to nurture and guide their care receiver, and the duration of the relationship depends on individual needs.

Stephen Leaders are Stephen Ministers who have had additional workshop-based caring ministry training lasting from one to two weeks or more. Stephen Leaders coordinate the overall Stephen Ministry program. Here at First Olympia, we have four active Stephen Leaders coordinating twelve active Stephen Ministers. Stephen Ministry has been an important part of the caring ministries of First UMC Olympia since 1990, during which time 155 Stephen Minsters have been trained and served in our community. Even when a Stephen Minister “retires” from active service, the skills they’ve learned stay with them and help them live Christ-centered lives of caring in every part of their life.

Barbara Fandrich is one of our Stephen Leaders. She became interested in Stephen Ministry shortly after coming to First UMC Olympia and took the training seven years ago. After a couple of years as a Stephen

Minister, Barbara took the more intensive training to become a Stephen Leader and has been a part of the leadership team here for four years. During her time as a Stephen Minister, Barbara has been matched with three care-receivers, and one match has lasted six years. Barbara noted that this was very unusual, as most matches last one to two years.

When asked the reason she wanted to be involved in Stephen Ministry, Barbara said,

“I chose to be involved in Stephen ministry, first, because I wanted to learn to communicate better and have successful relationships. The training appealed to me a lot and the training was amazing, because it was written primarily by a professional psychologist and minister. That combination gave him a lot of insight in Christian caregiving.”

Barbara is referring to Rev. Kenneth Haugk, a young

pastor who, in 1974, realizing the immense task of providing excellent pastoral care in his church, developed the lay-led caring program that would become Stephen Ministry. Haughk recalls that first class:

“I trained nine lay caregivers in that first class. A secretary. A teacher. An insurance agent. A businesswoman. A student. An executive. A homemaker. A beautician. A retiree. They were “ordinary” church people, but I was immediately impressed by the seriousness they put into their training and the enthusiasm they showed at the opportunity to be involved in hands-on ministry. After I assigned each of them to a care receiver, I was equally impressed by the care they provided—and the joy they discovered as they saw Christ working through them to bring hope and healing to another person.” (See www.stephenministries.org for more information about the origins of Stephen Ministry.)

Barbara also related that Stephen Ministry has become an outlet and an encouragement for love in her life. Her Stephen Ministry experience “expands me with the giving and receiving of love. I don’t do it to be loved, but the love I receive is a beautiful reward.”

Barbara reflected on what value a Stephen Minister’s work has for the care receiver. According to Barbara, care receivers “get someone to turn to with all their ups and downs, and they are encouraged by the knowledge that we are there for them when things go wrong. I know my care-receiver frequently asks for prayer and appreciates my prayers for her and her family.”

The relationship between a care giver and a care receiver is very much a two-way street. Barbara, speaking about one of her matchings says, “The relationship is very precious to me. It satisfies my sense of responsibility to God and to my church. It might seem like I am doing something hard... but it isn’t really so much hard work as it is meaningful work. I get a lot out of helping. I feel like I’m there when no one else would be. We Stephen Ministers are just one piece of a whole caring community, which could include counselors, doctors, therapists, pastors, family and friends.”

Barbara is a big fan of Stephen Ministry, of course. When asked about the reluctance that some folks might have in creating a caring relationship with a Stephen Minister, she suggested that people should give it a try and see if it works for them. “I would say that it is hard to imagine a downside. It is always worth exploring because there is no long-term commitment required.”

A training session for new Stephen Minsters was just completed and, on May 19, three new Stephen Ministers will be commissioned. Over the next few months these new Stephen Ministers will get their first matches and begin sharing God’s compassionate love in this time-tested way. Barbara wishes them well as they begin this work. “I have never met anyone who trained as a Stephen Minister and regretted it.”

Barbara notes that the most recent class, though small, represents three churches. “It’s important to me that Stephen Ministry is interdenominational. Our area has Baptists, Catholics, and Methodists involved. There are over a hundred denominations involved world-wide. Here in Olympia, we train together and celebrate our work together in regular gatherings.”

Stephen Ministry is a specialized form of caring ministry. Our pastors are grateful for the commitments made by Stephen Ministers. Pastor Peter says, “Stephen Ministers are an important part of the compassionate caring of First UMC Olympia. It might be tempting to think of them as an extension of the pastor’s caring ministry, but such a view would actually short-change the program. Stephen Ministry brings laity into caring ministry in a big way, and those on the receiving end of their gift of time and training know that these friends really want to be present there as an act of faithful service. Their gift of caring is truly a gift from God to this community of faith and to our entire city.”

“The relationship is very precious to me. It satisfies my sense of responsibility to God and to my church.”

The Fruit of the Spirit 22

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithful-

ness, 23

gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Galatians 5:22-23 NRSV)

As we enter into the season of Resurrection, let us feast on the fruits of the Spirit in anticipation of Pentecost! When we explore the original Greek we discover the fruits of the Spirit are grounded in relationship. We know we are answering Jesus' invitation to rise into new life when we recognize the presence of these fruits in our relationships with ourselves, others, and God. We invite you to take some time each day to meditate on the following words/concepts and to then write or draw your thoughts in a journal or on a page that you post.

Love ~ Agape) In Greek there are many different words for love. The word "agape" is the word used in the New Testament to describe God's love for us, and is the way Jesus invites us to love our neighbor and ourselves. One definition of agape is "unconditional positive regard."

In what ways do you see yourself and your neighbors in this way?

Peace ~ Eirene) This word in Greek is similar to the Hebrew word shalom. Another definition for these words is "wholeness." Where in your life do you feel whole? Where is this sense of wholeness missing in your local community? What could you do about it?

Goodness ~ Agathos) Goodness in Greek is not a state of being, it is the content of our actions. When tragedies and crises arise let us ask ourselves, "What actions are my thoughts and prayers leading me to do?" and then go and do those things.

Kindness ~ Chrestos) In Greek the more common definition for this word is “useful.” Our kindness is useful to building God’s king-dom on earth.

Why might kindness towards yourself be useful?

Joy ~ Chara) This word means "gladness of heart.”

What makes your heart glad? How can you create moments of joy for others? What makes God's heart glad when God thinks about you?

Patience ~ Makrothumeo) In Greek this refers to having patience with others and pausing before action. When you find yourself losing patience with another person, ask yourself this Wesleyan question: "What is the least harm and the most good I can do in this situation?"

Write the name of a person with whom you could be more patient and pray for them this season.

Faithfulness ~(Piestos) This word implies "assurance" and "reliance."

When have you relied on God? When do you struggle to rely on God? What signs of assurance do you hope to see this season?

Self-Control ~(Egkrateias) In a season of feasting, self-control may seem out of place. Let us consider an invitation to self-control as an invitation to feast in our moments, to be fully present in all that we do instead of only thinking ahead to what's next in our day. When we practice self-control by being actively present in our lives, it becomes easier to recognize the presence of the Spirit and the Spirit's gifts.

What experiences do you hope to be fully present to this season?

Gentleness ~(Praotetos) Not to be confused with weakness or timidity, gentleness in Greek is all about how we respond to situations in our lives. For example, we can respond to the broken parts of our world with compassion or with anger and either may be appropriate to the situation. But we cannot dwell in our emotions; we must move into good and kind action.

What in our world breaks your heart? How can you move from emotion to good and kind action?

The State of the Denomination By Pastor Ruth

In February, a General Conference, the legislative body of the United Methodist Church, was called to find unity. The Traditionalist Plan passed at General Conference with approximately 52% of the vote. One-third of the United States voted for this plan; two-thirds of the Global church voted for this plan. This plan continues the trajectory of punishment for the ordination of LGBTQIA+ folk and for pastors who perform same gender weddings. However, our Western Jurisdiction, along with several Annual Conferences from around the US and the World have voiced deep concern. Some regional organizations (including our Pacific Northwest Annual Conference) have taken the additional step of civil disobedience to these portions of the governance of the UMC and will refuse to conduct or fund clergy trials for following conscience and call to serve LGBTQIA+ people. So despite this General Conference’s purpose, no unity has yet been found over human sexuality.

The United Methodist Church has a constitution that guarantees basic rights to clergy and laity, and regional autonomy within the denomination. Many parts of the Traditionalist Plan were declared unconstitutional, and not enough of the Traditionalist Plan was brought into alignment with the constitution; in fact some of

Caring Ministry: Grief Support Often, when a death happens in our lives, we are surrounded in the days and weeks following the loss with the attention of our family, our church, and our friends. But over time that attention fades, as though the world somehow expects us to move on with our lives. But grief follows no such schedule. Indeed, grief ebbs and flows like tides, rising and falling in unexpected ways and times. The acuteness of our grief may ease over time, but even years after a loss, we will still experience grief anew as a memory surfaces or an anniversary happens.

Because we believe that the faith community can help us through hard times, we have provided space and leadership for an ongoing grief group. God is at the center of the group, for we believe that God weeps with us and laughs with us through all of our sorrows and joys. Members of the group become the light of God’s love for each other as they meet together.

Meetings of the grief group are punctuated by both tears and laughter as members find a new normal following the loss they have experienced. Each meeting begins with the lighting of a candle as a remembrance of our missing loved ones. Sharing happens around the table as participants check in with one another, answering the question, “How is it with your soul today?” People speak their hearts, if so led, but no one is ever forced to speak, for the intention is to make this gathering a safe place for all. Over time, a sense of community grows, based on the experience of loss.

Every loss is, of course, different. The loss of an adult child, the miscarriage of a baby, the loss of a spouse at a young age, and the loss of a spouse after 50-plus years of marriage all have different dynamics. We don’t all grieve the same way, but we all know what it is to hurt, and we all long for hope and healing.

Meetings end in prayer, such as: Dear God, though today we may find ourselves in the darkness of our grief, guide us toward your light of love and life. Amen.

If you are experiencing grief and think that the Grief Support Group might be helpful , you are welcome to come and share in this supportive community. Contact Chris Knight, or the church office for more details.

Meetings are on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the Prayer Room.

the provisions of standard punishments are so completely outside of the Methodist tradition that many cannot see how they can become constitutional. The Judicial Council, the Supreme Court equivalent, will review the many petitions of the Traditionalist Plan individually. We will hear back from them in late April, but we cannot assume that the whole of the plan will be declared unconstitutional. In the following weeks, we will know what decisions from the General Conference will be enacted.

While it is impossible to predict what will happen, the good news is that God is never finished with us as a local congregation and as a denomination. Our Church Council, the body of laity that makes the major decisions and undertakes the vision of the church unanimously declared:

• First UMC Olympia will continue to welcome all people to participate fully in our life together.

• We will continue to advocate for LGBTQIA+ folks full inclusion in the UMC and other parts of our broader society.

• First UMC Olympia will continue to partner with community agencies, our Co-Op churches, the Annual Conference, and our ecumenical partners as a fully inclusive organization.

We will continue to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, as we have done throughout this long conflict. Our local congregation continues to serve God in our inclusion and we can continue to listen deeply, pray continuously, and advocate for change at the regional and denominational level. While the global church is in crisis, we can still see the good coming from our local compassion and the global reach of our church.

State of the Denomination: What to Look for Next 1. Groups will continue to meet to discuss the

future of the church. Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of the largest congregation in the denomination, is convening a series of conversations with powerful leaders in the UMC for a centrist option. There is an invitation to LGBTQIA+ people in Minneapolis to come together and discuss a plan. The Western Jurisdiction’s leadership is continuing to meet. Look for statements from these groups about their plans for General Conference 2020.

2. June is Annual Conference season, which is the time when regional areas convene, discern God’s calling, and write legislation for the governance of their local and regional levels. Look for legislation from Annual Conferences to General Conference resisting the Traditionalist Plan.

3. The Western Jurisdiction has declared nonconformity, therefore the bishops of the Western Jurisdiction become the bellwether of clerical trials. There are no anticipated plans for clerical trials for the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference or the Western Jurisdiction, but look to changes to the structure of the Council of Bishops or College of Bishops for any sense of enforceability of the Traditionalist Plan.

4. Here are a few incredibly useful resources to continue to follow this news:

www.hackingchristianity.net - analysis and commentary on the politics of the UMC

www.unitingmethodists.com - a centrist United Methodist movement and the largest supporters of the One Church Plan

www.rmn.org - the advocacy network for LGBTQIA+ inclusion within the United Methodist Church

https://um-insight.net/ - news from around the US about United Methodist topics.

https://www.pnwumc.org/news/ - the news from the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference

Discipleship in the Season of Resurrection: Accomplices of Jesus

By Angelina Goldwell

I wrote in the first issue of Seasons that the foundation of discipleship is the greatest commandment. All that we do that leads us to love ourselves, love our neighbors, and love our God better are acts of discipleship. What could discipleship look like in the coming fifty days of Easter? One way to frame our discipleship this season is to consider the meaning of the word resurrection. It comes from the Greek anastatis, literally meaning to “to rise up” from laying down. When I hear the invitation in the word anastatis I am immediately reminded of the words of Rev. Shalom Agtarap, who suggests that when we decide to get involved in addressing the brokenness of this world to ask, “Who do I love and where do they hurt?” The answer to this question is different for each of us. Some of us may have struggled with food insecurity growing up and so we have a special love for hungry children. Some of us may have lost a loved one to addiction and have a deep love for people who struggle with sobriety. Some of us know what it is to file for bankruptcy due to medical bills and do not want that reality for anyone else.

But these types of brokenness are too big for any one person to address alone. I am reminded of the disciples in Jesus’ last days. After his arrest some ran because they feared what would happen to them if they were seen as accomplices in his ministry. Some, most notably the women, stood before the cross and then risked going to the tomb to anoint his body. They went together knowing that going to the tomb meant interacting with the Roman centurions there to guard the body and that, depending on who those men were, it could mean trouble and violence. But they went anyway because they were willing to be recognized as accomplices of Jesus. What does it mean to be an accomplice? It means that everyone takes the same risk, celebrates the same victories or suffers the same consequences. When we rise up and follow Jesus into the places where our loved ones are hurting, we take on the mantle of accomplice, we are united in solidarity with Christ and with those whom we love. We know that our salvation, our liberation, is intimately connected to the salvation and liberation of all people. We know that our God is always moving in all times, in all places, and in all people. Therefore, our call as accomplices of Jesus is to walk boldly together into the broken places and join with the kingdom building work already happening there.

I invite you during the fifty day season of Easter to ponder these things in your heart, to discern how you can do the least harm and the most good, to step into the good work already in progress, and to invite others to join you. Jesus rose for all of us. For whom will you rise?

We are making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by gratefully worshipping God,

joyfully learning discipleship, gracefully cherishing one another, and faithfully serving the world

under the guidance and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worship With Us on Easter!

7:00 a.m. at

Percival Landing

8:45 and 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary