Tidings from Thomas - June 1, 2020

I have started and stopped writing these words multiple times over the weekend.  I have deleted text and thrown away paper because nothing I seem to write adequately conveys what I am feeling and thinking.  Regardless, I am compelled to offer a pastoral word in response to the events facing our nation and state.

I am horrified and angry at the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.  Holy anger is an appropriate response.  After all, didn’t Jesus get angry and run the moneychangers out of the Temple?  Even though Jesus became angry, he remains the Prince of Peace.  Jesus models for us the importance of speaking truth to power, defending and advocating for the marginalized and vulnerable.  Jesus shows us that we are all children of God and are therefore one another’s brothers and sisters.  This holy anger should drive us to seek justice for all God’s children.

Over the weekend, peaceful protests in Charleston and Columbia descended into chaos.  Similar and worse events unfolded in communities across the nation.  Yet, there were peaceful protests.  It is possible to channel anger into positive action.  Let us resolve to transform anger into action.  Let us forge relationships with one another and work to bridge racial and social divides.  Let us seek reconciliation and find a way forward together as children of God.  My pledge to you is that Central will be a force for peace and reconciliation, thus making real our God-given mission to follow Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbors.

Consider these words of Martin Luther King, Jr. from Strength to Love, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."  Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, whoever you are with, follow Jesus by loving God and loving your neighbors.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

Tidings from Thomas - An Update

I have been thinking about the many stories the Bible gives us about God leading people through uncertain times.  Take the case of Moses, found in Exodus.  God called Moses to lead God’s people to the promised land.  After being saved from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites found themselves on the shore of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army bearing down.  When death seemed certain, God parted the waters and the Israelites walked to safety.  When they were without food in the wilderness, God caused a bread-like substance called manna to appear on the ground each morning.  When they were without water, God caused a spring to arise from a rock.  Despite the many ways God provided for the people, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before arriving at the promised land.  I am sure they more than once asked, “How long?”  They had no clear notion of God’s timeline for leading them to their destination.  The Exodus story is full of their frustrations and doubts.  Yet, at each pivotal point, God was faithful and provided what was needed.

We also find ourselves in uncertain times.  None of us like uncertainty.  We want to know what to expect, now more than ever.  By now, I had hoped to be able to announce a date on which we would begin reopening.  With the information we have available, I cannot at this point announce resuming in-person worship and other gatherings.  Regardless, I know with certainty that our ever-faithful God is leading us and providing for us.  We may not yet know the time of arrival, but this long and uncertain journey will end.

Next week will be an important week as we receive guidance from our denominational leaders and public health and government officials.  Reopening plans are under way and will be finalized as soon as we are able to do so.  Until then, please continue to pray for the clergy, staff, and lay leadership of Central as well as our bishop and denominational leaders.  Please continue to monitor your email, Central’s social media, and the COVID-19 resource section of centralmethodist.net for important information.  In the meantime, stay safe, stay well, and may God richly bless you.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas Smith

Tidings from Thomas - COVID-19 Update

Perhaps you have heard the John Lennon quote, “Life is what happens while you are busy making plans.”  Over the last few weeks, we have made lots of plans, altered those plans, revised our alterations, and just plain started over.  That has been the case for Central, but I am sure it has equally been the case for all of us in different ways.  Since writing my Tidings last week, we received word from Bishop Holston that we will refrain from in-person worship and gatherings through May 20th.  We will continue to evaluate as the situation unfolds, knowing this date may be extended.  For now, we will not meet in-person until after May 20th.  Until this date, all church meetings and gatherings will either be rescheduled or held online.

Life keeps happening, but we keep planning.  We are in the process now of preparing plans to resume in-person worship and gatherings.  Our return to in-person church life will by necessity be measured and intentional to ensure the health and safety of our entire church family.  We will communicate those plans as the time draws nearer.  In the meantime, please continue to look out for emails from the church and monitor the worship and COVID-19 resource pages at www.centralmethodist.net.

In this time of uncertainty, the mission and ministry of the church continues.  Our church staff and lay leadership continue to work, mostly remotely, to handle administrative functions and continue all of Central’s ministries.  While we are spending less with decreased in-person activities, we still must pay bills, honor our commitments to fund community ministries, maintain facilities, and pay our dedicated and hard-working staff.  Without in-person worship we have experienced a decrease in giving.  If you are able, please prayerfully consider continuing to give financially.  You can give online at www.centralmethodist.net/give, mail a check to the church office, or drop your offering by the church during regular office hours.

All of us are uncomfortable with uncertainty.  I have heard many versions of the same questions, causing me to think about the word normal.  When will get back to normal?  What will normal be?  Is there no such thing as normal?  I do not know when we will get back to normal, what will be normal, or if normality will even exist.  It is uncomfortable, but we simply cannot know.

I am reminded of the story of Abraham and Sarah from Genesis.  In Genesis 12:1, God calls Abraham to leave his home and family and, “…travel to the land that I will show you.”  Packing his things, Abraham left with his wife Sarah and the members of his household and began a journey, not knowing where he was going.  Imagine if someone said to you, “Let’s take a trip.  I don’t know where we’re going, but we’ll know it when we get there.”  Would you be willing to take such a trip?  Our lives feel like that sometimes.  We do not know where we are going, but we seem to be getting there in a hurry.  This is a time for us to plan, but it is also a time to radically depend on God’s guidance.  Consider Proverbs 3:5-6,

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own insight.
 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.”

I do not know exactly when we will be back to normal.  I do not what normal will be nor if there will be a universally accepted concept of normality.  Indeed, it may even feel as if we are being propelled toward an uncertain and unknown future.  I do know that God calls us to be God’s people and that God will lead us to a good place.  In the midst of uncertainty, let us find solace and peace in presence of our ever-faithful God.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

Tidings from Thomas - COVID-19 Update

The last few weeks have been the most remarkable in my 19 years of ministry.  Our social media accounts and news stories are replete with people acting selfishly, empty grocery store shelves, frustration with government officials, economic ruin, and rising infection and death rates.  Nevertheless, it has been a blessing to see Central continue following Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbors.  We have continued to be about the mission and ministry to which God calls us.

This week we have seen Gov. McMaster and state officials begin to roll back some quarantine measures.  Regardless, we are still being asked to exercise social distancing.  This means limiting the number of people in buildings to 20% occupancy or 5 people per 1000 square feet.  It also means maintaining six feet of distance from people who are not part of your household.  I am also mindful of John Wesley’s first General Rule – do no harm.  From a practical standpoint, it is impossible for us to hold in-person worship and resume normal church activities in compliance with these guidelines.  From a spiritual standpoint, it would be harmful to members of our church family if we were to go against these social distancing guidelines.  As such, we will continue virtual worship and meetings through May 15th.  The situation remains fluid and we may adjust these plans going forward.  Please continue to monitor communications from the church via email and the COVID-19 resource area of centralmethodist.net. 

As I have shared with you before, the words of Romans 8:38-39 have been with me throughout this crazy time:

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I do not know when and I do not know how, but I know this pandemic will end.  I know this because I know nothing can separate us from God’s love.  Until then, let us rest in God’s love and live in love with one another.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith

Tiding from Thomas - COVID-19 Update

It’s been a couple of weeks now that we have not been able to gather in person. Yet, we are continuing to find meaningful ways to gather virtually. Though it saddens me, virtual gatherings will be our way of being together for the next few weeks. Following the guidance of Gov. McMaster and Bishop Holston, all church meetings, events, and worship services will either be moved online or rescheduled through April 30th. 

I recently read a Patheos article entitled, “What the 1918 Influenza Pandemic Meant for American Churches.” Author Chris Gehrz cites an opinion piece written by Methodist revivalist George R. Stuart in the October 14, 1918 edition of the Birmingham Age-Herald:

“We have had the strange experience of a churchless Sabbath. What has it taught us? [It has taught] intelligent Christians to tempt God to perform a miracle in the preservation of our health… Christians do not discount their faith in the omnipotence of their God by keeping their bodies and homes and streets clean and non-germ producing; by using care in traffic and travel, accepting vaccination, sprays, and disinfectants and keeping God’s own laws of health and life. Any other course is the fruit of ignorance and false teaching.”

It was nearly 102 years ago, but Rev. Stuart recognized the Christian duty of thinking of others’ health and doing all we can do to further the work of healthcare workers, public officials, and those working to end the pandemic. The 1918 flu pandemic killed an estimated 6.5% of the U.S. population. Our Christian faith demands we do all we can to end the spread of COVID-19 so that no such disaster occurs. If online worship and virtual gatherings will halt the spread of this disease, then we should see them as a meaningful way we fulfill Central’s mission of following Jesus by loving God and loving our neighbors.

Let us see virtual worship and online gathering as a Christian service to the world God calls us to serve. To make sure you can fully participate in church life, follow Central on social media and keep up with the COVID-19 resource section of centralmethodist.net. Stay safe, stay well, and may God bless you.

Yours in Christ,

Thomas W. Smith