july 26, 2009

Anna Blaedel
07.26.09
"Rethink Church" Campaign
Reflecting on Annual Conference

What if? What if church was less about Sunday, and more about the other days of the week? What if church wasn’t just a place we go, but something we do? An active verb, instead of a noun? What if church wasn’t just a building, but thousands of doors…so that whoever knocks will be invited to join the journey? What if church was a way to prove what we say we believe, with our lives? What if? To rethink church, and to rethink it with the aim of extending and living radical hospitality—this was the invitation throughout Annual Conference.

When we rethink church, rethink faith and our call to faithfulness, what should be our guide? Hear these words from the prophet Micah 6:8—The Holy One has told you, O mortal, what is good: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Or from the letter to the Hebrew people 13:1-2—Let Mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Living up to our advertising. Open hearts, open minds, open doors. A people and a church living out God’s radical hospitality, and extending radical hospitality to whoever knocks, whoever shows up, whomever God sends…

Cal has already shared glimpses of Annual Conference. If you feel overwhelmed by all the snippets of who, what, when, and why, welcome to the Annual Conference experience! I want to share a few words about the Constitutional Amendment process from Conference. At Annual Conference, we voted on 32 constitutional amendments—proposed amendments to our denomination’s constitution—regarding the structure and mission of the church. 32 amendments, each passed by the General Conference, and now offered to each Annual Conference. To be adopted, each amendment required a collective 2/3 vote from the combined annual conferences. Don’t worry, I am going to speak, here and now, only to one of these amendments.

The first proposed amendment offered a clear opportunity to live into our advertising, as Bishop Trimble invited, and extend radical hospitality, and commit to practicing open hearts, open minds, and open doors. Current language in our constitution, in the paragraph called “Inclusiveness of the Church,” states that persons are eligible to attend worship, participate in programs and receive sacraments and, upon baptism be admitted as members without regard to “race, color, national origin, status, or economic condition.” The amended language would delete this list, and would state that “all persons” are eligible to attend worship, participate in programs and receive sacraments and upon baptism be admitted as members.

The list was created because we recognize that human discrimination and bias and marginalization is real, even within our faith communities. For too many years, the church has told some of God’s children they aren’t enough to be included—aren’t white enough, or American enough, or rich enough. We recognize this undercuts God’s call to radical hospitality, and have started to list the folks who can’t be excluded. Any list, however, is always incomplete. You might have noticed that gender isn’t on that list, nor is age. Nor is physical ability, nor mental ability. Nor sexual orientation, nor gender identity. Which means that, right now, I have the authority as a pastor to say, “I will no longer allow women to join this church.” Or, “no more men are welcomed.” Or, “From now on, only people under the age of 40 are allowed to come to worship,” or “If you’re under 75, you have to find a new church home.” Or, “No one using wheelchairs, walkers, or canes can come through these doors, attend UMW, or join this church.” Or, “If you’re gay, you’re out of luck. We don’t want you here.” This is, I believe, flat wrong. And if we want to convince ourselves no one would ever do this, know that, I am sad to say, it is happening. And, know that I am not the kind of pastor who will utilize this unjust authority offered to me. I believe telling someone, anyone, they are not welcome in God’s house runs against the core message of scripture, the core meaning of God’s living Word, the core call of the gospel, and the core commitments of Christ. Love. Inclusion. Hospitality. Welcome. Compassion. Justice. Grace.

So, the first constitutional amendment would take away that incomplete list of people we CAN’T exclude, and simply say “all means all.” When God says “All are welcome,” God means “All are welcome.” When we as a church say “All are welcome,” we better work as hard as we can to make that true. For what does God require of us but to do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly? To let mutual love continue, and never neglect an opportunity to extend hospitality. To remember that it is by welcoming and caring for the least of these—even the stranger, undocumented, poor, gay, mentally ill, wheelchair bound—in welcoming and caring for the least of these that we welcome and care for Christ.

I am sorry to say, deeply sorry to say, that the Iowa Annual Conference did not pass this amendment by the 2/3 needed. A simple majority did affirm this Christian commitment to “All means All,” but people’s deep fear over difference and otherness kept us from taking this step toward living into our advertising, kept us from rethinking church, embodying justice, and extending hospitality to all of God’s children. As Bishop Trimble invites: Once we become a Christian, we get to spend the rest of our life trying to be one. Once we make a commitment to the church, we get to spend the rest of our life faithfully rethinking what church can be. Once we receive God’s radical hospitality, we get to spend the rest of our life extending that hospitality to others. What if? What if church is an opportunity to prove what we say we believe with our lives? What are we proving? Are we living up to our own advertising? What if?