From the Pastor's Desk at Washington Street United Methodist Church

Washington Street United Methodist Church

▪ From the Pastor's Desk ▪

July 27, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “I have found it to be a rule that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.” That is not the way we want things to be. We want the world to respect us when we try to do right. If I’m good, the world ought to take notice, by golly!

But the world takes no notice of our goodness or our good intentions. There’s an old Christmas carol that complains, “The world treat you mean, Lord, treat me mean, too.” Unfortunately, the world doesn’t change when we do.

We come to church to seek an encounter with the Divine Mystery that is God incarnate in Christ. Such an encounter changes us to the core. We leave the church looking the same on the outside but changed on the inside where peace and love and inscrutable joy have been implanted.

Outside, though, we’re still Joe and Sally and Bob and Betsy, and the world out there isn’t going to treat us any differently. But we can treat the world differently, and that is the real task of Christian discipleship: to love without being loved; to give without receiving; to hope without cause; to rejoice in the midst of whatever befalls us. Such an attitude toward the world is a noble state toward which to strive.

See you in church!

Grace and Peace,

Paul

July 20, 2008

DROP YOUR PEBBLE

Some of you remember Aesop’s great fable about an old crow who was out in the wilderness and very thirsty. He had not had anything to drink in a long time. He came to a jug that had a little water in the bottom of it. The old crow reached his beak into the jug to get some of that water, but his beak wouldn’t quite touch the water. So what did he do? He started picking up pebbles one at a time and dropping them into the jug. And as more and more pebbles accumulated in the bottom of the jug, the water rose in the bottle until finally the old crow was able to drink all that he desired.

That parable teaches us about one of the ways God has chosen to work out his plan in our world. Each of us dropping in our own little pebble - teaching a Sunday school class, serving on a committee, providing transportation for the youth, visiting your lonely neighbor. Utilizing your gifts to serve in the ways you can may not seem all that important at the time. But as the pebbles accumulate in the bottom of the jug and the water rises, God builds his kingdom and brings his plan to fruition. If God can use the likes of Jacob, he can certainly use us. You are important!

Evelyn

July 13, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

I have my father’s walking cane, his spectacles, a couple of his hats, and his police revolver. I have some of my mother’s photographs and other family memorabilia. From them both I received a few acres of land. I have certain personality traits inherited from them. My speech is peppered with Dad’s clichés and distinctive pronunciations of certain words, and with Mom’s cadence and rhythm. I have my mother’s laugh, I’m told.

We might consider these things to be examples of birthrights. They are mine simply by virtue of the fact that I was born as their child. If you look again at the paragraph above you will see that the things listed there can be divided into two groups: those which are physical, and those which are personal.

Of the two groups, which do you think is most important: those things that determine what I have, or those things that determine who I am? Here’s a simple test; take away the things that I have, and I still am. Take away the things that I am, and I am no more. Take away who I am and it really doesn’t matter what I have.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a birthright that cannot be destroyed and cannot be taken away, and in place of earthly belongings we have “a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” If you can’t celebrate that, what have you to celebrate?

Grace and Peace,

Paul

July 6, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

“O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain; for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!” So wrote Katharine Lee Bates in 1904. The automobile was coming into its own. The Wright brothers had made aviation history at Kitty Hawk less than a year before. The Alaska gold rush was still luring tens of thousands into the frozen wastes to seek their fortunes. America was falling in love with its vast reaches and unlimited natural wealth.

America is indeed beautiful for its spacious skies, its inspiring vistas, and its fertile farmlands. All those things are God-given, and remind us of the Bible’s descriptions of the Promised Land, “flowing with milk and honey.” The beauty of the land is undeniable. The natural wealth at our disposal is immeasurable.

We have been given much. The challenge lies in what we give back, and it is a difficult challenge because we live in a time when much of what made our country great is being discredited. Perhaps the Fourth of July is a time to ponder anew what the Lord requires of us: To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before our God.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

June 29, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

Washington Street has a good reputation in the South Carolina Conference. And I am quickly finding out that reputation is well deserved. I have been overwhelmed by your welcoming arms as I begin my time here as your new Associate Minster. Thank you for your warmth and your hospitality.

As a pastor, I come among you with this goal (from 2 Timothy 2:15): “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.” Christian work is a shared labor of love. I look forward to what we can accomplish together in God’s name.

I ask for your prayers as this new chapter opens in the life of Washington Street UMC.

With you in Christ,

Evelyn

June 22, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

This week we welcome our new Associate Minister, the Rev. Evelyn Cook Middleton.

Evelyn is a native of North Carolina. She completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University in Durham, then attended seminary in Atlanta at Emory University. She met her husband-to-be, Scott, while they were at Emory. She and Scott were ordained together in the South Carolina Annual Conference, and both served as pastors in the early years of their marriage. Scott is now the CEO of Agape Senior. They have two children: Greg, 18; and Sara, 16.

Evelyn served in appointments around the state, including Brookland (West Columbia) and Trinity (Blythewood) in the Columbia District. She retired in 2005 to spend more time with family, but has returned to active ministry in the past year, and we are fortunate indeed to have her at Washington Street. She brings a wonderful spirit, a strong record of service, and exceptional gifts and graces.

There will be a reception for Rev. Middleton in Threatt Hall following both worship services this Sunday morning. Drop by and meet our new Associate minister and welcome her to Washington Street.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

June 15, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

A cross and a hammer; that is the logo of the Salkehatchie Summer Service. Each year more than 1500 youth, college age and adult volunteers spend a week at one of about 40 “camps” around the state, where they divide into teams to work on repairing the homes of underprivileged families. They may shore up a sagging porch, install indoor plumbing, put on a new roof, or replace a floor.

What’s more, each of them will pay for the privilege of going. Many of them will be sleeping in school gyms and church fellowship halls. They will not be pampered or entertained. They will be pouring their sweat and, oftentimes, tears into their projects. They will meet and interact with families living in a kind of poverty most of us are not aware exists in this country.

Francis of Assisi is reported to have said, “Preach Christ everywhere you go. If necessary, use words.” Our Salkehatchie volunteers are preaching Jesus Christ with hammers and saws, nails and brushes. Their reward is aching joints and muscles and the knowledge that they have done something imminently worthwhile.

Pray for them. Sara Betenbaugh is at Winyah Bay camp in Georgetown County this week. Next week Alexandra Brooks, Becky Bunch, Bradley Clark and John McElyea will be going to the Swamp Fox camp in Marion County; and Jordan Brown, Paul Brown, Jan Harmon, Licia Jackson and Jennifer Murphy will be going to the Penn Center camp in Beaufort County. They are ambassadors for Christ and for Washington Street UMC, and we are honored to have them as part of our church family.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

June 8, 2008

"The Bend in the Road"

Since I announced my plans to retire, friends have been giving me all sorts of advice. Some days I feel as if I’m in a Dickens novel as folks tell me retirement is the best of times or, maybe, the worst of times. One friend even reminded me of a quote I once used in a sermon, “The bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.” While I am quite sure retirement in no way signals the end of my ministry, I am trying to make the turn with grace, trusting that a long and interesting path still lies before me even when I can’t quite see around the corner. As I find my way into this new phase of life, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for all that has been and a curious sense of wonder for what is yet to come. I know that throughout my life God has blessed me with work to do, the love and support of friends and family, and with turns in the road I didn’t choose or expect. With that in mind, I rely on the undergirding of the Spirit even as I adjust to the trauma of seeing blank spaces on my calendar. The following prayer, which I clipped and saved long ago, has given me some perspective in these past few days, and I offer it to you in the hope that you will find it meaningful no matter what your stage in life may be or what “bend in the road” you may be trying to navigate.

Thank you, Lord, for the years behind me. While there were frequent failures to comprehend your will and serve your purposes, the years were full of your loving forgiveness and reconciling grace. I commit the remainder of my pilgrimage into your hands. Let me be a daily reflection of your love and glory. Amen.

God bless and keep you all,

Diana

June 1, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you ¼“ So begins the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, which I had to recite in a High School English class. It has stuck with me through the years. Other lines come readily to mind: “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same;” “If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, or, being hated, don't give way to hating ¼” Good advice, isn’t it?

“If” came to mind while I was contemplating the story of Noah and the ark. Noah seems to epitomize the character that Kipling was getting at in his poem, especially these lines: “If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to broken, and stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools.”

There are, of course, primordial flood stories related to virtually every ancient civilization, and in that regard “Noah’s Ark” is not particularly special. But I think it found its way into scripture because the story of Noah is the story of someone whose focus was so sharp that no amount of questioning could fuzzy it; whose perseverance was so dogged that no amount of adversity could weaken it; whose faith was so strong that no amount of ridicule could dampen it. We should all strive to have such character.

See you in church!

Grace and Peace,

Paul

May 25, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

At a convenience store while pumping gas I struck up a conversation with a young man on the other side of the island filling up one of those hybrid cars. “What kind of mileage do you get?” I asked. “About 45,” was the reply. “That’s pretty good,” I said as I watched my gas pump meter passing $45. “Not good enough,” was his reply.

“Nice house,” I commented to the young couple who had invited me over for coffee and conversation. It was indeed a nice house; split level, modern appointments, 2300 square feet. “It’ll do for now,” they said. “It’s just a starter home.”

On the sidelines I listened to a high school football coach motivating his team. “Don’t give up now!” he yelled. “Play harder! Tackle harder! Make them work for every inch! If you let them score now you’ll be the laughing stock of the whole town!” It was the fourth quarter. Three minutes were left in the game. They were leading 37-3.

These are unrelated incidents, except they all reveal something about human nature. This week we look at the 3^rd chapter of Genesis. It is the story of a garden, a man, a woman, a tree, a ripe fruit, a serpent, and God. Whether you think the story is historical or allegorical there can be no doubt that it has us pegged: Once, in Eden, we lived in paradise and still weren’t satisfied.

The only cure for it is another story of another garden, another man, another tree, and an empty tomb.

See you in church!

Grace and Peace,

Paul

May 18, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

As a child I asked the inevitable questions: Where is God? If we can’t see God, can God see us? Can God hear us if we don’t pray out loud? How can God hear everybody’s prayers at the same time? God was so mysterious then, yet so real.

Christianity is a Trinitarian faith; we believe in one God who has been revealed to us in three persons, through history, scripture, and the life of Jesus. Traditionally the Trinity has been named Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, titles pointing to the ways in which God is made known to us: as the one who creates; as the one who redeems creation, and as the indwelling presence who guides us to abundant life.

No one has ever been able to adequately explain the Trinity, although there are helpful approaches. Water, for example, exists in three states: liquid water, ice, and steam. More modern attempts reflect the growing influence of the social sciences in our culture, such as the Trinitarian nature of the human psyche posed by Transactional Analysis.

I personally like John Wesley’s approach: “Explain to me,” he said, “how there can be three candles burning in this room, but one light being cast, and I will explain to you the Trinity.”

Ah, well. I am all grown up, now. I don’t know all the answers, but I think I understand the truth maybe a tiny bit better: God is so mysterious, yet so real.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

May 11, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

This Sunday is a special one indeed, with four celebrations coming together:

1. It is the last Sunday in the Easter Season - the Day of Pentecost, a celebration of the “birthday” of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended with power upon the disciples in Jerusalem to enable them to proclaim the Good News of the resurrection to people from all over the Mediterranean world.

2. It is Mother’s Day, a national holiday to honor the women who bore us and raised us and helped to shape our lives. All over the country families will be gathering today to honor them and express their appreciation. For many of us, our faith was first nourished at home by our mothers.

3. In the same vein, the church has set aside this day as the Festival of the Christian Home. We recognize that if faith in God through Jesus Christ is not nurtured in the environment of the family, it may not be nurtured at all. So, we set aside this day in the church year to acknowledge the importance of mothers and of families in passing down our faith heritage.

4. At Washington Street, this is also Confirmation Sunday. We have a small class this year, but they have been hard at work learning about the faith and about our church, and having a lot of fun in the process. The confirmands are Sam Anderson, Ivey Cuffe, Forrest Jenkins, and Elizabeth Anne Matthews. They will make their profession of faith before the congregation and become full members of the church. I have been impressed with them throughout the confirmation process. With such as these among us, the church has a bright future. See you there!

Grace and Peace,

Paul

May 4, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

There is a line in Marilyn Robinson’s novel Gilead that says, “History can make a stone cry.” I thought about that line a lot after reading that book and decided it was a depressing thought in an otherwise uplifting piece of literature. But recently I have begun to wonder if it is not just the history itself that can be so depressing, but also the way we tell the history, the things we pull out of the past to remember that, indeed, could make even a stone break down and weep. The truth is that the story of human life on this planet has plenty of tragedy, pain and suffering, chaos and mayhem. We have figured out all sorts of ways to be inhumane to one another and have often perpetrated evil in the name of God and under the guise of religion. But there are other parts of the human story that need to be told and valued. Even in the worst of times, God raises up faithful people who lead the way to higher ground and, in spite of all its institutional flaws, the church continues to produce courageous individuals who are committed to living out the gospel of love and grace. In the midst of a conflicted world, the church at its best persistently holds before us the vision of a kingdom of peace on earth and good will to all. Although we often fail to live up to that vision and, in our fear and pride, cause pain and suffering for one another, the vision will not go away, because it is God’s hope, God’s ultimate will for us, not something we have created.

So on this last Sunday of the Easter season, while we remember the harsh realities of Good Friday and give thanks for Christ’s amazing sacrifice on our behalf, we know that’s not the end of the story. Every time we worship together we celebrate the glorious news that darkness and hate, death and destruction are never the final words. Christ has risen and God’s Word of love and hope, light and joy are ever alive among us.

Diana

April 27, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

“All” is the biggest three-letter word in the English language. It means everybody is included, and nobody is excluded. We Methodists have a wonderful heritage of inclusiveness in John Wesley's "four alls:” All need to be saved. All can be saved. All can know they are saved. All can be saved to the uttermost. We believe that the love of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, can transform our lives for now and for ever.

Washington Street’s Trinity-based mission statement echoes Wesley’s convictions:

"The mission of the congregation of WSUMC is: to develop a maturing faith in God, our source of strength and salvation, as we nurture one another and all who would worship with us; to reach out to all people in spiritual and physical need, following the example set forth in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; to deepen our awareness of the Holy Spirit - God with us and within us, as a guide in our daily lives. The congregation ministers here."

Any congregation or church group that wishes to welcome others can do no worse than to use the word “all.” "We welcome all who would study and fellowship with us," they might say. Or, "All are welcome who enter our room.” That way, nobody gets special mention (making others wonder if they’re included, too), and nobody gets left out.

To relate this to last week's "front page" to which many of you have responded, it's the Reconciling Ministries organization and tactics that I'm against; I am for all the members of our church, and all our Sunday school classes and groups. (But I retain the right to respectfully and lovingly disagree with anybody on any subject.)

Grace and Peace,

Paul

April 20, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

Next week delegates from United Methodist conferences around the world will meet in Fort Worth as the General Conference of the Church. The General Conference convenes every four years to conduct the business of the general church. They will make revisions to the United Methodist Book of Discipline, the governing document of all UM congregations and other bodies.

Delegates will consider 1564 petitions, many of them innocuous proposals to clarify the wording of some obscure paragraph. Other petitions are highly controversial and invite heated debate. A number of special interest groups will be represented, each with their particular agenda in tow.

One of the groups I’m sure you’ve heard about is Reconciling Ministries, an independent organization promoting the ordination of transsexual, bisexual and homosexual persons into the ministry of the UMC, and marital privileges for same-sex couples. They are behind several petitions to change the language of the Discipline toward those goals. I do not support the Reconciling Ministries organization or agree with their platform, but their presence does illustrate our denomination’s inclusive nature.

The Council of Bishops is urging delegates to focus on four areas: develop Christian leaders in the church and the world; start new churches and renew existing churches; engage in ministry with the poor; fight diseases of poverty such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. When General Conference adjourns on May 2, a new Discipline will be published incorporating all the revisions, and we will use it as our guide for church order for the next four years.

South Carolina will be well represented by lay and clergy delegates led by our District Superintendent, Dr. Timothy McClendon. I urge you to be in prayer for our United Methodist Church during this important process of constant reformation.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

April 13, 2008

Dear WSUMC friends,

This Sunday we will celebrate the work of the WSUMC Foundation. Over twenty-eight years ago, members of this church formed the Foundation to establish an endowment for capital improvements and repairs to our historic and beautiful church properties. Today, your Foundation plays an integral role through collaboration with the Board of Trustees to ensure that our church buildings are safe, secure and complement our worship experience.

In all of the major repair projects to our spacious buildings, your Foundation plays a role. This year, your Foundation will make a significant contribution to the renovation of our historic Skinner organ. Last year, Foundation funds helped renovate the sanctuary including the heating and air conditioning system, update the kitchen and provide repairs to the gutter guards to protect our building from rain. The wonderful Raggio Report that we will see this Sunday is provided through funds managed by the Foundation.

Each and every donation to the Foundation provides a lasting gift to our church. There are a variety of approaches for you to support the Foundation from small gifts to large bequests. The Foundation needs the support of all of us to preserve our church for future congregations. We urge you to consider a gift to the Foundation to preserve our historic buildings.

In God’s love,
Sara Fisher
Chair, Foundation Trustees

April 6, 2008

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK

I remember one service of Holy Communion in particular. It was at a gathering of preachers at Frances Burns UMC eight or ten years ago. Seven or eight of us were asked to assist the Bishop in giving the bread and the cup. I was one of those who held the chalices filled with the blood of Christ (I mean grape juice, of course).

The participants lined up to receive the broken bread which they then dipped in the cup. The chalice I was holding was of clear cut crystal, an unusual design for a communion cup, and there was something about the way the rim was formed that caused the blood of Christ (I mean the grape juice) to drip over the side. As the service continued, the blood (I mean the grape juice) began to stain my hands holding the cup. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Each time one of my colleagues dipped his or her bread in the chalice I could feel the blood (I mean the grape juice) collecting around my fingers.

There was nothing I could do about it. As the service continued the blood (I mean grape juice) became a little sticky and I could feel it coagulating on my skin. I ignored it as best I could, and when the worship was ended I headed to the restroom to wash the blood (I mean the grape juice) off my hands. But as I stood over the lavatory I suddenly realized that I was doing exactly what Pontius Pilate had done before he turned Jesus over to the mob: he washed his hands of the blood of Christ. As I watched the grape juice – I mean the blood – flow down the bowl and disappear through the drain, I began to cry.

We celebrate the sacrament again this Sunday. We will use the “unfermented fruit of the vine” as is our custom as Methodists. But I want you to understand something to the core of your soul, friend: It’s not just grape juice.

Grace and Peace,

Paul

March 30, 2008

THE PROMISE OF EASTER

I watch in wonder these days as the drama of spring plays out in my backyard. Trees are budding, tulips and daffodils are blooming and weeds I thought I had gotten rid of last summer are sprouting up all over the place. Once again, the bare, brown of winter is giving way to the vibrant green of spring and the determined power of new life is evident wherever I look.

No wonder the early Christians transformed the ancient festival of spring into a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. God’s promise of new life soars with the coming of spring as it soars on the music and prayers of Easter morning and is lifted up by the holy declaration, “Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed!”

In the glory of that reality, we have renewed hope that the flowers and the fruits of the Spirit will blossom more fully in our lives and that through God’s power, alive and at work in and through us, the “weeds” of fear and anxiety, prejudice and greed will be overcome. With the emergence of spring, we are reminded once again that Easter is not just a day, not just a season, but a dependable foundation of truth about this life that continually affirms God’s ever emerging power of love and light. Thanks be to God who gives us this promise on which to stand and this power on which to draw that we may not be overcome by failure or despair, by sin or even death. Thanks be to God who, in Christ, has met us where we are and shown us where we yet may be.

Diana

March 23, 2008

EASTER SUNDAY

March 16, 2008

SCHEDULE FOR HOLY WEEK

March 16 - Palm Sunday
9:00 a.m. worship in Christ Chapel
11:00 a.m. worship in the Sanctuary
(The Sanctuary Choir, Cherub Choir and Washington Street Singers
will provide special music and participate in the Palm Sunday Processional.)

March 19 - Wednesday Midday Service
12:30 - 1:00 p.m. in Christ Chapel
(Lunch at noon and 1:00 p.m. in Threatt Hall; $4.00 donation to the Soup Cellar)

March 20 - Maundy Thursday Communion Service
7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
(The Sanctuary Choir will provide special music.)

March 23 - Easter Sunday
Easter Sunrise Service at 7:00 a.m. in Christ Chapel
(Pancake breakfast in Threatt Hall following the Easter Sunrise Service)
9:00 a.m. worship in the Sanctuary
(The Sanctuary Choir will provide special music.)
11:00 a.m. worship in the Sanctuary
(The Sanctuary Choir will provide special music.)

March 9, 2008

Move Your Clocks Forward!

They keep messing with Daylight Saving Time, and this year's change is at a most awkward place on the calendar. Around the office we've been worrying, "Will people remember to spring forward this weekend?" Charlotte Owen found this little song that pretty much says what we want to say to you. We reprint it here with the publisher's permission (words copyright 1995, Dean McIntyre). This song is sung to the tune of "God of Grace and God of Glory."

Time Change Song

God of sleep, and God of slumber, help us not be late, we ask:
&nb