Holy Conferencing: Thoughts from our DS

John Wesley talked a lot about the “Means of Grace.” We all know something of these ways to maintain and deepen spiritual connections with God, self, creation, and others. One of them is “Christian Conferencing.” As we get ready for the Fall and Charge Conferences and colloquies I thought it a good idea to try and get a handle on what this spiritual practice is and how we might use it in our times together.
 
I found this in my Google search on Holy Conferencing and wanted to share it. It was good enough for our Bishops so it should provide us with what we need.  It is from  “Holy Conferencing A Presentation to the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church Kevin M. Watson November 3, 2014” :
 

Watson says,"First, a bit of bad news: This phrase is almost always associated with John Wesley, but he didn’t actually say it. Holy conferencing most likely comes from Wesley’s use of 'Christian conference,' a phrase he used once in the 1763 doctrinal minutes typically referred to as the “Large Minutes.”
 
"The reference occurs in a passage where attention is being given to whether leaders in Methodism are consistent in their own use of the means of grace and in encouraging others to use them as well. For Wesley, means of grace are practices that God has chosen as ways in which God reliably and consistently makes God’s self available to us.
 
"In the “Large Minutes,” Wesley lists Christian conference as one of only five instituted means of grace. Instituted means of grace are the special category for the outward signs, words, or actions ordained of God for all times and places by which God conveys grace to people created in the image of God. They are grounded in commandments from Jesus in Scripture. In other words, these are practices that are not limited by the particularities of cultural context, historical era, etc. Placing Christian conference in this category is significant, then, because it is putting the practice in the same category as prayer, searching the Scriptures, the Lord’s Supper, and fasting – the other instituted means of grace. And it is claiming that Christ has instructed us in Scripture to seek him in this way.
 
"So, here’s what is said in the one reference to Christian conference:
Are we convinced how important and how difficult it is to order our conversation right? Is it always in grace? Seasoned with salt? Meet to minister grace to the hearers? Do we not converse too long at a time? Is not an hour at a time commonly enough? Would it not be well to plan our conversation beforehand? To pray before and after it?
 
"That’s it. Wesley didn’t provide a more thorough explanation or description of Christian conference because he would have assumed Methodists knew what he meant by the phrase. There is broad agreement among Wesleyan scholars who have studied Wesley’s own use of the phrase that by “Christian conference” Wesley was referring to the practice of cultivating growth in holiness in community through conversation about our experience of God. The primary places where early Methodists practiced 'holy conferencing,' then, was in the class meeting and the band meeting."

 
So, let’s gather for colloquy and charge conferences with this mindset, this understanding, this intent. Let’s come expecting to have conversation about our experience of God. Let’s gather as those coming together to practice an “instituted” Means of Grace. Let’s make these times together holy moments.
 
I look forward to seeing the clergy and those appointed on Wednesday, September 20^th for our kick-off All District Colloquy and to being with each of you at your annual charge conference.
 
Peace,
Rev. Tim Overton-Harris
tim@umoi.org
DS Cascadia District

Toolkit for Ministry Addressing Racism

Today marks one month since the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, VA that sparked counter protests, violence, and the senseless loss of life of three people. Since that time there have been other rallies and counter-protests in cities across the country like Boston and San Francisco. The current realities of white supremacy, nationalism, violent extremism, and hate in America have been laid bare before the nation and the world.

The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR)is the agency of The United Methodist Church with the explicit responsibility to challenge and equip the church at all levels to be in ministry with all people and to respond to those forces that would have us exclude, discriminate against, devalue, and disempower any of God's children, but especially those vulnerable because of their race, culture, or language.

GCORR has put together a "toolkit"  of a few of the resources they offer that you may find beneficial for yourself, a small group, or congregation on the themes of white supremacy, hate, and violence post-Charlottesville. The toolkit is very helpfully arranged in four sections:

• Introductory - for preachers and churches just entering into the work of racial justice & equity
• What's Next? - for pastors and/or churches who have some understanding of individual and systemic racism but it has been more discussion than action
• Veteran - for those who have been doing the work in several arenas for years and now wonder, "What else can we say or do?"
• Long-term Activism - for those who are burnt out from years of work and are "sick and tired of being sick and tired."

You can find the toolkit at www.gcorr.org/toolkit-for-ministry-post-charlottesville The resources highlighted in the toolkit are just a sampling of what you can find on the GCORR website.  

This work is not just about resisting racism and oppression. Together, we are actively building God's hope for humanity, where love, justice, and authentic community are lived realities and not just aspirational ideals.  GCORR has excellent resources to help you and your congregation resist and build. Let our connection help!  www.gcorr.org