Pastor's E-Letter

Pastor's E-Letter

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Pastor's E-Letter 9/4/20

This week in worship we begin a new message series entitled “Teachable Moments.” This series was inspired by the lectionary readings for the next 4 Sundays from the gospel of Matthew. One of the reasons I love the lectionary (which is a list of scripture recommendations for each Sunday of the church year used by many denominations called the “common lectionary”) is how often these prescribed readings seem to fit in a unique way to whatever we might be experiencing in the church and the world on any given Sunday. When I read these texts a couple of months ago as I was working on our worship plan for the rest of the year. Two things hit me. One, these scriptures are very timely and relevant to some of the challenges we are facing as a church and as a world. And two, these scriptures are also challenging. Which is just like Jesus, right? Jesus’ words so often have a way of pushing me to think about God, life, and relationships with others in ways that I wouldn’t naturally think. He so often upends our sense of how things should work and invites us into a “Kingdom” oriented way of thinking and behavior that can be foreign, at least at first, to our natural impulses.
 
That is certainly the case for me when it comes to these scriptures that we will dive into. But as we have said so many times, in so many ways throughout our last message series, the point of faith is to be open to grow and change and become more like Jesus. Fortunately, Jesus left us all kinds of teachings to lead us in that process of growth. We simply must be willing to engage those teachings.
 
This week, we will be digging into Matthew 18:15-20 where Jesus laid out some very clear teaching about how to deal with conflict within the church and, I believe, in the world. What is helpful is that Jesus starts with the assumption that conflict is going to happen. There is no way that humans can live in relationships with one another and never experience conflict. It is an unavoidable fact of life. Accepting this reality is perhaps the first step in dealing with conflict in a healthy way and it is clear from Jesus that there are healthy ways to engage conflict.
 
I think too often we can fall into the trap of thinking if we all love God and want to follow Jesus, if we all are seeking to love one another, then we can avoid conflict. We think of conflict as something “bad” and so we will try to avoid it or if it occurs, we try to deny it – which in the end, only serves to intensity the conflict.
 
But Jesus is clear that avoidance is not the answer. Leaning into the conflict, by intentionally going to whomever has hurt or injured us and addressing the problem in the hope of reconciliation is the answer. This isn’t easy. Pastor Allee will say more about that in the message Sunday. But it is the beginning of the path to conflict resolution and healing that Jesus laid before us.
 
In preparation for worship this week, I encourage you to read Matthew 18:15-20 and reflect on it and on these questions: On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being “I avoid conflict at all costs” and 10 being, “I run into conflict the way a firefighter runs into a burning building”, where do you see yourself? What is my most common response to conflict? What did I learn in my family of origin about dealing with conflict? Does what I learned there help me or hinder me in addressing conflict in healthy, positive ways now? Is Jesus’ teaching in these verses similar to what I learned from my family or different? I could go on, but those questions will at least get you started.
 
We live in a culture that is currently rife with conflict and division in almost every corner. It is exhausting and overwhelming to ponder. But I believe Jesus’ words invite us to reflect on the ways we, as Christ’s followers can engage the conflict we see and experience all around us. One of the things that Jesus has taught me in a variety of ways, is the importance of compassion and empathy, putting myself in someone else’s shoes, trying to feel what they feel, see the world from their perspective, in dealing with conflict. This begins with sitting down with a brother or sister and engaging in conversation, listening, caring, learning, and as Jesus said again and again, loving them enough to seek reconciliation and healing. I don’t know about you, but I need Jesus to teach me how to do this. And I need his grace to make that teaching come alive in my life.
 
See you in worship Sunday. And don’t forget that this Sunday is a communion Sunday. If you are worshipping online, you will want to have your communion table set. Have a great weekend!
 
Grace and Peace,
Annette
Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

Pastor's E-Letter 8/28/20

I remember when I visited Suntree UMC for the first time and realized that I would be working with Kennedy Space Center technicians, engineers, and other individuals who had worked on the Apollo launches to the moon. I was overwhelmed by the intelligence, patriotism, and (frankly) celebrity of the group who had worked alongside astronauts to complete such important exploration. My first few weeks, I joked with my family that I was “literally preaching to rocket scientists,” and brilliant engineers who challenged my thinking and my way of perceiving the world. This work didn’t stop with Apollo, though. So many in our congregation are still very involved in the space industry here in Brevard County. Members of our congregation work for SpaceX, Boeing, and NASA, all continuing to innovate as we launch into space.
 
As we began preparing this map, someone on our team suggested we use a launch metaphor to describe what it means to proceed further into our faith and grow deeper in our love of Christ. I loved it! The language of launch, the teamwork required to complete such a mission, and the deep thinking that a launch embodies also characterizes the Suntree spirit. You are indeed deep thinking, loving and team oriented, and engaged in the life of the church here and around the world. As we journeyed through our planning, the idea of “Launching into Extraordinary Love,” taken from our e3 commitment to love in extraordinary ways was born. 
 
Through this series, I’ve wondered if the image of the launch has held the same kind of excitement and salience for you all as it has for me. When I think about the work that is being accomplished in worship, small groups, Journey and Oasis, missions like Cuba, our Foster Care Ministry, and Daily Bread, I wonder if you feel the same connection points and excitement about the direction our church is launching into (and has been for some time). Your love of God, one another, and neighbor, is extraordinarily evident. This map simply names a truth already present: you are growing in love of God, and the world. You are working for the Kingdom. Your faith is real, present, and transformative. This launch sequence only enables further growth- it doesn’t start it. You are a wonderful church to work with. (Honestly, I feel blessed simply to be a part of this.)
 
As we close out this series though, I’m reminded that our question is not, “Where have we been?” but, “Where are we going?” The work is always beginning. Part of what you all will know so well, as engineer and engineer-adjacent people (shoutout to us non-math people, right?!) is that constant monitoring is what ensures a launch’s success. To help us explain this, we had a congregation member, Rich Dixon, talk about his experience working with the Apollo program and data collection that made launches to the moon possible. 
Launch Into Extraordinary Love - Intro
 
I love Rich’s testimony so much because it highlights so many important parts about what it means, as a church and as individuals, to launch into extraordinary love. We need to have that data feedback- a constant monitoring as we grow further into Christ’s love to see if we’re being serious about what Christ calls us to be. We need to be willing to work as a team- as a church- to gain the momentum needed to have a successful, kingdom oriented mission. Finally, we engage in the launch because we know that God will use our work, even the smallest parts of it, to make a difference in the world. 
 
As Methodists, we talk about this rigorous and continued growth in terms of “sanctifying grace.” We do not believe as Methodists that you are finished with your faith when you say “yes,” praying the sinner’s prayer and checking the box on the commitment card. We believe in that moment, faith is just beginning! Throughout your life of faith, you’ll have the opportunity to grow, change, and become more like Jesus- becoming “sanctified,” and growing further up and further into God’s love. 
 
So, as we engage “Stage 4: Orbit in Extraordinary Love,” I invite you to look again over the sequence and assessment. Don’t judge yourself, but ask earnestly: where am I heading in my faith? Reflect on what is possible with your time and schedule, especially during the pandemic. We have plenty of Grow and Serve opportunities, online and in person, listed below, as well as ways to serve within the church (like our childcare, welcome, greeting, and congregational care ministries). All of these opportunities can be growth points in your launch sequence, if you’re willing to take God seriously and engage in your faith.
 
It is my and the Grow Team’s earnest goal that this map is a tool that will be used for years to come. We want this to become a part of our collective language and the way we as a church help others come to know and serve Christ. I hope you’ve heard the excitement we feel about this work throughout this series, and are ready to launch into extraordinary love! We need all of us, pulling ahead to love of God and neighbor, to make a true difference in our world. 
 
See you Sunday,
Pastor Allee 
Posted by Allee Willcox with

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