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God Rock: Ichthus 2008
In the Gospel of John, the humanity of Jesus is shown as he wept upon hearing the news of his dear friend Lazarus’ death. Even though Jesus knew he could restore Lazarus to physical life, he was filled with sorrow and compassion for Mary, Martha, and all those who grieved for the loss of their brother.
As I sat at General Conference, many times I could not help but feel that Jesus was weeping for his church just as he wept for Lazarus. I’m sure he wept for the countless hours spent debating unworthy resolutions and petitions; I’m sure he wept for the political wrangling that took place behind closed doors and the public demonstrating that took place on the streets; I’m sure he wept when a handful of bishops allowed conference rules to be broken and the communion table to be desecrated; I’m sure he wept when a same sex couple “married” in the park across from the convention center; and I know he wept…for the women of the United Methodist Church.
I went to General Conference as a part of the Renewal and Reform Coalition to help monitor and lobby the proceedings from an evangelical perspective, yet my heart was called there to advocate for the women of the church—specifically, for the women who do not participate in United Methodist Women or those who desire to develop other women’s ministries within the local church.
Statistical information from the General Council on Finance and Administration shows that in 2006, UMW membership dropped to 666,984 women (at one time this number was 1.3 million). With a total church membership of 7.93 million and a total female membership of 4.35 million, UMW membership constitutes 8.4 percent of total church membership and 15.3 percent of total female membership. That leaves almost 85 percent of women within the church who do not participate in UMW.
Renew members submitted legislation to General Conference to change The Book of Discipline to make United Methodist Women optional in the local church and allow for other women’s ministry models to exist within the United Methodist Church. UMW would still exist in its present form, but the change would enable the 85 percent of women not served by UMW to explore and develop ministries that meet the needs of their particular congregation, or to have the ministries they have already formed recognized.
Regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles put in place by the Women’s Division, the Renew team prayed and continued to be hopeful that this year the women of the church would finally be allowed to pursue other avenues of ministry in response to God’s calling on their lives with the full sanction of the denomination.
We prepared delegates with pre-conference mailings, lobbied individual delegates with our concerns and monitored the various committee proceedings from the visitor section. In the Local Church committee, as several delegates rose to speak against our legislation with arguments that were either incredibly feeble or blatantly untrue, my heart began to sink in disbelief and hope began to fade. I listened as the legislation giving women choice in ministry failed in committee, yet again.
One comes away from General Conference feeling very sad and disillusioned about the state of the United Methodist Church. But I also came away from this event with a great feeling of peace amidst the storms and disappointments of the conference. A peace that God is bigger than all of this and that he has a plan for his church. Peace in the knowledge that we had been obedient to the work that he had called us to do. Peace that he is blessing the women of the church with fruitful ministries in spite of opposition and strong resistance. Peace that he has given courage to so many disciples who stand bravely and proclaim his truth regardless of the consequences. And peace that his will shall be done.
Just as Jesus restored physical life to his dear friend Lazarus, our Lord can also restore spiritual life to his church and people, in whatever form he deems best. As Oswald Chambers writes, “certainty is the mark of the common-sense life: gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. We are not uncertain of God, but uncertain of what he is going to do next… And when we are rightly related to God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.” May we all stay devoted to God, obedient to his Word, and faithful to his gift of gracious uncertainty, which is certain of the future God holds for us.
Liza Kittle, guest columnist, is the Renew Conference Representative in North Georgia, a lay delegate to the North Georgia Annual Conference, and a member of the Reform & Renewal Coalition for the 2008 and 2004 General Conferences. She is also a leader in Women of the Vine, the women’s ministry at Trinity-on-the-Hill UM Church in Augusta, Georgia.
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