Category: Uncategorized
-
On Disaffiliation
You may or may not be aware that the United Methodist Church has been in a painful season of division and conflict over such issues as same-sex marriage, the ordination of practicing LGBTQIA+ clergy, and the enforcement of our book of discipline. Some churches have already left the denomination and formed new denominations such as […]
-
Rebuilding the Church
The church needed to change. As precious as the church is and as much good as it has done, it needed a course correction. As destructive as the pandemic has been, it also tore down some things that needed to be torn down and gave us an opportunity to rebuild things better. We have an […]
-
Isolated But Not Alone
Well, it finally got me. I have COVID. After two-and-a-half years of avoiding it, I caught it, or rather it caught me. I’m double boosted and usually wear a mask indoors, so I was pretty surprised. I’m in the middle of it now but hopefully will test negative after the five-day isolation period and see […]
-
Exploring New Rhythms in a New Season
I love summertime. It has always been my favorite season, even from when I was a child. Naturally, as a student, it’s mostly because school lets out for the summer. But even as an adult, there is a change in the air, a change in the vibe of the city when summer comes. Things relax […]
-
Reflections on Annual Conference 2022
It is always a sad and sobering portion of Annual Conference when the vote comes up to discontinue churches. This year, the Annual Conference voted to close El Monte First United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church of Huntington Beach, otherwise known as Surf City United Methodist Church. El Monte First UMC had been […]
-
A Response to the Shootings in Buffalo and Laguna Woods
The Lie of Hatred Before a young man shot and killed ten people and wounded three in Buffalo, NY, last week, he wrote a 180 page document in which he alluded to racist conspiracy theories, notably one known as the “Great Replacement. This theory stokes white-nationalist fears of being replaced by immigrants and minorities in […]