CLUB 444: Traditional & Holy

Robert English is a colleague who was Son LJ4’s pastor not long ago. He recently shared this – –

Today I celebrated Communion with a few hundred other United Methodist Pastors. It was straight up from the Book of Worship/United Methodist Hymnal. nothing fancy. Just traditional liturgy and it was holy. After a long pandemic season where I have experienced so much creativity fatigue, the familiar grounding words of the liturgy were grace.

We prayed unison responses together, a bunch of different beautiful bodies and heart and minds and theologies and sexualities and expressions, together in one sanctuary in this disaffiliation moment. I felt the Sacred. I don’t know most of these people and most of them don’t know me, but I did feel a kin-ship with them that can only be the work of the Holy Spirit.

Are we a dumpster fire? Yes. Are we moving on to perfection? I continue to hope. I left with a deepened conviction to #beUMC. As my friend Luke Nelson and I vowed at General Conference 2008: they’re gonna have to kick me out.