Archive for July, 2010
Are We in the Business of Modesty?
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Saturday morning I was listening to National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition when I heard an interview with James McBride. Although I haven’t read any of his books, McBride is apparently a well known author who is currently a Writer in Residence at New York University. He was being interviewed by Scott Simon, host of Weekend Edition but not about any of his own work. This past weekend marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” As a current author, Simon was questioning McBride about his experience of the book.
I remember reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” for the first time in school. And, I remember reading it again when Mary Beth read it for the first time in school. For years, the movie has been on television each year on Halloween. I’ve never really understood that, but I love the movie and will watch it anytime it is featured. Reading has been one of my loves for my entire life. Usually books that are made into movies are a disappointment to me. Somehow the pictures on the screen just don’t live up to what I have already seen in my imagination. Not so with “To Kill a Mockingbird.” For me it is a powerful story translated in a powerful way onto the movie screen. For me, Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch.
During the interview, Simon asked McBride about Atticus Finch. McBride used two phrases that really struck a cord with me. He described Finch as a man who went about living his life with the “business of modesty” with an “ability to see tomorrow.” He further described Finch as a Martin Luther King character who was persecuted for living his beliefs.
Working as Conference Lay Leader, I have come to know a great many men and women who serve us and God as clergy. As May becomes June each year, I think about and pray for all of the clergy who are moving to new churches. This year it was my own church that said goodbye to several of our pastors and welcomed two new clergy. We celebrated retirements and experienced the sadness of saying goodbye. We celebrated new beginnings and the happiness of new families joining us in our service to God in our community.
Last week in worship I realized that while the transition continues, the fanfare is over. Now it is time to look at where God is leading us as a church without the parties and the celebrations. Now is the time to get back to the real work of the church. At St. Peter’s we express that as “Connecting the world with God’s love.”
The majority of my clergy friends are people who are in the “business of modesty.” These are people of good character who spend time trying to develop the “ability to see tomorrow” so that they can discern where God is leading us. These are men and women who are living their call. Often I see them in situations where putting the church first impacts their families in ways that most of us would not choose. Theirs is a sacrificial call which I witness them living unselfishly.
So, now that it is July and our “new” pastors are becoming a part of what we expect, now that the Ice Cream Socials and welcome receptions are over, I think as laity we need to question our place in the church. Yes, we need to support those who are cultivating the ability to see tomorrow. But should we not also be going about the “business of modesty,” recognizing that all we do in our lives, each and every day, has the possibility of spreading the good news of the Gospel outside of the church? What if we all tried to live our beliefs just the way that Atticus Finch did? Just a thought.
Showers of blessings,
Leah Taylor
Summer Reflections
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Until I sat down to write this, I hadn’t realized how long it has been since I posted an entry on my blog! May is always a busy time getting ready for Annual Conference. This year it was even busier as I moved our daughter from the dorm into her first apartment. The move was complicated by the fact that she had mono at the time, so she just laid in bed and ordered us around. Fortunately, with the help of a dear friend, we were able to get her settled in time for summer school.
As always, Annual Conference was busy but uplifting. The worship this year was incredible. Hearing Dr.. Tom Long preach was a treat. I was very moved by Rev. Michelle Hall as she preached the Celebration of Life service. Bishop Huie’s message during the Ordination service was inspirational. And, now, more than a month later, I find myself thinking back to the stories we heard from Rev. Grace Imathiu.
After Annual Conference, Tom and I traveled with friends for ten days in France. We saw the D Day beaches in Normandy and many of the sites that we have heard about our entire lives.. The emotional impact of the American Cemetery is not something I can describe. Seeing the rows and rows of crosses and Stars of David really showed me the number of people who gave their lives so that we can live here, in the United States, the way we doA today. Driving through the French countryside with our guide, we gained a new thankfulness for our country and all those who have served.
We also saw the great cathedral at Rouen, the massive abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel, and the glories of both Notre Dame and St. Chappelle in Paris. For me, it was like taking a step back in time to see the houses of worship from centuries ago. These cavernous places of worship created in me a sense of awe. Seeing the height of the arches, the details in the stone carvings and the glowing colors of the stained glass windows, I was entranced. And, I felt my spirit being infused with the love of God! It was a great trip.
We had hardly had time to catch our breath back in Houston before I left for a meeting at Mt. Sequoyah in Arkansas. All of the Conference Lay Leaders from our Jurisdiction (the South Central Jurisdiction) had time together. We discussed our Annual Conference meetings and the themes that were lifted up in different places. We talked about what we all have going on and what we are doing that is different and new. We shared successes and even a few failures. It is an exciting time to be active in the United Methodist Church! Celebrating our connection and supporting each other has made this a special group for me.
One amazing story that I was able to share was our Adopt-A-Student Program which is a part of our partnership with the United Methodist Church in Cote d’Ivoire. Many of you saw the fabric which was made for us in Cote d’Ivoire. We sold quite a bit of it at Annual Conference and we have lots more to sell. As soon as we cover the expenses of making and shipping the fabric, all proceeds will go to the Adopt-A-Student program. You’ll be hearing lots more about that over the next few months. In the meantime, you can order fabric off of the Conference web site. There are pictures of some of the items you might make with the fabric at www.txcumc.org/specialfabric. The pictures are featured at the moment on the front page of the website.
If you have a UMW group that sponsors a craft fair, let me know if you would consider selling fabric there. And, if you are in the Houston area and have a sewing or quilting group, we need lots of help folding and cutting the fabric into manageable sized pieces.
Now that my summer travels are mostly behind me, I promise to be a more consistent correspondent. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying your summer. As always, I would love to hear from you.
Showers of Blessings,
Leah Taylor