On Sunday, May 18th, we celebrated Heritage Sunday. “On Heritage Sunday, and every day, we thank God for the enduring heritage of The United Methodist Church, ponder our own legacy in the story of our denomination and pray for a vision and understanding to serve God more fully throughout the world.
Key statements clearly define who United Methodists are and who we strive to be. They work in conjunction with each other and unite us in shared ministry.
The Mission of the denomination is our driving purpose, our why: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” This is set by the General Conference.
The Vision tells us where we are going and how we will continue to live into and accomplish our mission: “The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.” This is set by the Council of Bishops with the Connectional Table.
The Brand Promise reminds us of what everyone should expect to find in United Methodist congregations and organizations: “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.”
As it is primarily used in external, seeker-facing messaging, this is set by United Methodist Communications. Every United Methodist around the world is called to embrace the Mission in their daily living, dream of the possibilities that God has placed before us through the Vision and embody a consistent welcoming presence that is shared in our Brand Promise.”
United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by Contact is Joe Iovino. https://www.resourceumc.org/en/umc-resources/vision-of-the-umc
Butler United Methodist Church is a vital congregation, with many of its mission and ministries being outward-facing and community-oriented. Like the new vision of the United Methodist Church, we are also a congregation that changes with the community. We are living in new and challenging times, and our community is letting us know of its needs. However, we may not be moving at the pace the community needs.
For this reason, Butler United Methodist Church applied for a grant to help us move our programs at the financial pace needed to explore, revitalize, and revamp our current programs. Bridges program will help us cultivate curiosity and build community as a congregation. This is where we all come into play.
“In Bridges’ [we will] explore tools to foster a strong connection with both church and neighbors, identifying spiritual practices that embody love for God and others. Together, we’ll extend these practices beyond church walls to foster spiritual growth, communal well-being, and meaningful engagement with the world around us. [Our] congregation will be doing this work as a team, led by the pastor. This Pathway requires attendance at in person and virtual gatherings. A coach will support [our] congregation’s leadership in completing and achieving a plan.” (https://www.gnjumc.org/pathways/bridges/)
I hope you will be as excited as our leadership team. Thus far, our team is composed of Pat Inglis, Laura Weingartner, Lori Shepherd, Julie Artim, Kevin Newland, and me, Pastor Iraida. Our next gathering will be an in-person event at our church, Butler UMC, and I look forward to seeing more join us to brainstorm the new vision of the United Methodist Church and the vision of Butler United Methodist Church together.
Ascension Sunday (May 31st) and Pentecost Sunday (June 8th, wear red!) are coming up, and we are celebrating the new ways the Church began to gather and serve after receiving the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts. Let us come together to worship and praise and live in the new ministries, missions, and community outreach programs that God has in store for us. Let’s celebrate and serve in love and with love together! And remember to wear red on June 8th!
Have a peaceful and blessed Father’s Day!
In Christ,
Pastor Iraida