Wabash New South Connection #6

Wabash & New South

Connection

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Superintendent's Notes

Greetings Wabash and New South Conference

We have a fork in our silverware draw whose tines have been flattened. They aren't supposed to be flattened, they were originally curved.

But I used the fork years ago to pry a stuck VCR tape out of our VCR player. (Maybe it's time for us to get new silverware).

The fork wasn't created to be a pry tool. It was created to be poking, stabbing, shoveling tool.

I used the wrong tool for the wrong job.

In ministry, we must pay attention to the tools we use.

God has given us tools for ministry. Tools that we often ignore, overlook or forget about. I think the reason that we are tempted to swap out our God given ministry tools for others is due to the contempt of the familiar.

Eugene Peterson in his book Working the Angles wrote this:

"The visible lines of pastoral work are preaching, teaching, and administration. The small angles of this ministry are prayer, Scripture, and spiritual direction. The length and proportions of the ministry "lines" are variable, fitting...a wide range of pastoral gifts. If, though, the lines are disconnected from the angles and drawn willfully or at random, they no longer make a triangle. Pastoral work disconnected from the angle actions...is no longer given its shape by God."

Peterson was reminding us that what people see in our ministry (preaching, teaching and administration) must be supported by what they do not see (prayer, scripture and spiritual direction).

When we disconnect our ministry from the spiritual dimensions that support it, things fall apart OR ministry becomes something that it was never meant to be.

We must pay attention to the tools we have been given.

I was counseling a person years ago who seemed to be making little progress and I was becoming frustrated. This person was also seeing a professional counselor and gave me permission to connect with the counselor.

As we were speaking over the phone, the counselor sensed my frustration and she gave me some of the best advice of my life. She said, Pastor, you must remember who you are and what your role is. Pray with the person, love them, encourage them and let me do the deeper counseling.

In my desire to help, I had picked up the wrong tool and forgotten the tools I had been given.

I see this happen in ministry when I see leaders try to do everything. Ministry is a team sport and we need all the help we can get.

But I most often see this happen when ministry becomes about an event rather than about people. Subtly over time, we are tempted to gauge people's discipleship by whether they attend OUR events - and YES, I mean Sunday morning!

We take the tool that God has given us - the Holy Spirit driven gathering of the body for encouragement, learning, worship etc... and we turn it into the measure of discipleship.

The tool becomes the product.

As we minister, may we not forget the tools the Lord has given us to accomplish the work that he has assigned us. And may we never forget that HE is the one building his church as we partner (in obedience, courage, faith and humility) with him.

God bless

Superintendent John R. Lane

We processed an interesting question recently that would be good to bring to your attention.

A pastor was approached by a church member and was asked to sign a RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION document in objection to receiving the Covid-19 Vaccine for their work. The church member worked for a hospital and the hospital required that a clergy member sign off on the Religious Exemption.

To be clear, the Free Methodist DOES NOT have a policy against vaccines. In fact, it has been our encouragement that everyone get vaccinated.

So the pastor could not sign this document on behalf of the Free Methodist Church nor could they sign it on behalf of their local church. Even if the pastor did agree with the church member, which they did not, they couldn't sign it as a representative of the FM Church.

BUT... after speaking with the hospital, the pastor discovered that the hospital was interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act on Religious Objections to mean any "sincerely held" belief by an individual, not an organization.

Here is the important line: We thus restrict our inquiry to whether or not the religious belief system is sincerely held; we do not review the motives or reasons for holding the belief in the first place. The individual’s sincerity in espousing a religious observance or practice is “largely a matter of individual credibility.” https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/section-12-religious-discrimination#_Toc203359488

So the hospital instructed the pastor that they were asking the pastor to simply be a witness on the document not an advocate of the belief.

The Pastor obviously tried to convince the member to get vaccinated and was still in a quandary as to how to approach this situation.

It reminds me of times that I have had people ask me to pray that they receive "disability pay " when I knew that they could actually work.

We all have been in situations like this. We need wisdom!

First, read everything! Don't simply sign something.

Second, remember that when you sign something you bring the rest of us with you when you sign as a representative of the Free Methodist Church.

Third, do your research. Talk to your insurance agent. They are often more up to speed than the rest of us. Talk to the Conference office. Talk to the FM Headquarters. Do your research.

Fourth, seek to be honest about your own beliefs/convictions with people. You have a right to your own conscience!

Fifth, keep the Superintendent in the loop, please! I would rather have a heads up as to what is coming than to find out after everything has been set on fire.

Let's be wise as serpents even as we are as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

2021 Pastors' Resourcing Days

Wabash/New South Pastors,

We are excited to announce our 2021 Pastors' Resourcing Days on Monday & Tuesday,

August 23 & 24 at Wabash Park Camp & Retreat Center in Clay City, Indiana.

We will start at 6:00 p.m. on Monday and end around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

This event is for pastors currently appointed to a local church or church plant.

This is a yearly event for the Wabash Pastors and this year we welcome the New South Pastors if you are able to make it.

The deadline for registration is August 17.

Cost for the event will be:

Registration: $20 per pastor

Lodging: The cost of lodging will depend on your choice of room. You will find the details on the registration form. Please be careful to only make one choice. Thank you.

Our guest speaker is

Dr. Anthony J. Headley, Chair of Department of Counseling and Pastoral Care, Professor of Counseling at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Dr. Headley received a M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary; and a M.S.Ed. in counseling and psychology, M.S. in Family Studies, Certificate in Medical Behavioral Science and Ph.D. in Counseling from the University of Kentucky.

Dr. Headley conducts seminars for clergy and other groups in the United States and internationally. He is the recipient of the University of Kentucky’s Office of Minority Affairs’ Architect of Dream Award. He also received the National Institutes of Mental Health Trainee Award.

He and his wife, Adina, have three adult children.

I shared these opportunities with you last week, but I want to share them again so that you have them readily available.

The River Institute

Whether you need to finish classes for ordination, need continuing education or would just like to sharpen your skills, here are a few educational opportunities for you.

The River Institute

The River Conference has partnered with Asbury Seminary to offer five classes that are necessary for Free Methodist Ordination:

FM History and Polity
Wesleyan Theology
Church Administration
Homiletics and Hermeneutics
Pastoral Counseling and Self-Care

The cost for all five classes is $1000.

Classes begin in September.

Follow the link in the button above.

Northeastern Seminary

Northeastern Seminary is offering a 15 week online class called History and Polity of the Free Methodist Church.

Students can audit the class for $150 or they can take the class for graduate credit for an additional cost.

Students will be expected to participate in occasional evening zoom sessions throughout the semester.

Anyone interested may register for the class as a visiting student at the following link: https://www.nes.edu/masters-programs/programs/visiting-students/

Click the button above

Wesley Biblical Seminary

Wesley Biblical Seminary is offering FREE SEMINARY in the fall.

Here is their copy:

This fall semester Wesley Biblical Seminary is offering free seminary.

Yep, you read that right–free seminary.

There’s no catch, no angle, no hidden fees. You will only have to pay for the cost of books. If you’re taking 6+ credits, there will also be a $200 technology fee. That’s it.

Fully accredited. Real professors who are experts in their fields. On-campus or online. This is the real deal.

Click the button above.

Reminder that Freedom Sunday is coming in September. It is officially held on September 19th but depending on your church calendar can be held anytime from September 19th till Holy Week 2022.

Freedom Sunday seeks to help our people understand and address the reality of modern human trafficking. Here the link for more information: Set Free Movement Freedom Sunday

Contacts

Wabash/New South Superintendent: John Lane

superJohnrlane@gmail.com or newsouthsuper@gmail.com

New South

New South Assistant Superintendent - Daryl Diddle

New South Administrator - Charlie Fiskeaux

New South Financial Consultant - Patti McPeake

Eagle Ridge Retreat Center Admin Manager- Scott Clark

Wabash

Wabash Office Manager/MEG Coordinator - Judy Kinnick

Wabash Business Manager - Jody Belton

African Immigrant Ministries Director- Isaac Bujambi

Wabash Park Camp & Retreat Center Director- John Lancaster

Wabash Park Camp & Retreat Center Reservations- Renita Joles

Calendar

August 13 - Wabash Park Camp Board meeting - 5 pm EST

August 23-24 - Wabash (New South invited) Pastor Resource Day - 6 pm

September 11 - Eagle Ridge Board Meeting- 10 am CST

September 22-24- New Room Conference

March 10-12, 2022- Wesleyan Holiness Women's Clergy Conference