Reflections from Charlotte

Chaos in Charlotte & the Casualty of Truth
It was on the third day of the chaos in Charlotte that I realized that what had gone up in flames on our streets was truth, or several truths actually. Standing behind Rev. William Barber at a press conference as he asked for transparency from the police, and for all of us to look squarely in the face of governmental policies and personal attitudes that are blatantly adverse to the African-American community, I got stuck on his words which were first Jesus’ words: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” I wonder if, in order for us to get anywhere with race or justice or anything that matters, we have to dig our way out of the crusty cynicism that has given up on the idea of truth. No matter how flawed the press or politicians or religious leaders or even we ourselves might be, there is still such a thing as reality. God not only wants us to know what's true, but has mercifully given us the ability to figure out what happened. When we do, we’ll begin to walk toward freedom... Read the entire post
This piece appeared in the Morganton News Herald. It was written by Rev. Jonathan Coppedge-Henley, who is a general evangelist and associate at Huntersville UMC: Prayers for healing hearts, a city It was kind of surreal in uptown Charlotte on Thursday evening. The streets were not jammed with traffic leaving work. The rhythmic hum of helicopters was persistent overhead. Yet, when I stepped out of my car at Little Rock AME Zion Church, the cool breeze coupled with the dappled sunlight through the trees made me feel almost serene, despite the fears of friends (and my mother-in-law) that I was still uptown after the rioting the previous two nights. It was, as the United Methodist Communion liturgy says, “a good and right and joyful thing” for me to be there. More than 75 clergy gathered at Little Rock to prepare to walk uptown together to the spot where Justin Carr was shot to death Wednesday night. The purpose was to re-consecrate that site with prayers, presence, songs and even some tears. I eventually ran into two clergy I knew, but at first I didn’t know anyone I saw... Read the entire article This was posted on September 26th by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force. Those signing included a number of UNited Methodist pastors and lay leaders: A Statement of CommitmentWe commit ourselves to the continuous work of building and being a community of justice, equity, fairness, and opportunity for all.
As individuals, companies, organizations and congregations that care about Charlotte, we add our signature as our commitment to the long term solution of these questions and challenges and invite others to join us in this evolving and ongoing effort... Read the entire commitment letter and review signees
Resources for Vital Congregations
CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Books
Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Serve Your Neighbor
GBHEM Leadership Resources
Living Faithfully: Human Sexuality and the United Methodist Church
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations
Ted Talks: The Power of Vulnerability
Ted Talks: The Price of Invulnerability
Meditations on the Ministry of All Christians
DISCIPLE FORMATION:
A Disciple’s Path; A Guide for United Methodist
Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Adult Christian Studies from the Wesley Ministry Network
Traveling Together: A Guide for Disciple Forming Congregations
WESLEYAN STUDIES:
Living As United Methodist Christians
Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials
Reclaiming our Wesleyan Tradition: John Wesley’s Sermons for Today
John Wesley Sermons: Anthology
REACHING PEOPLE:
Evangelism & Theology in the Wesleyan Spirit
Fresh Expressions: Dinner Church
Lewis Center for Church Leadership: Reach New Disciples
Lewis Center for Church Leadership: 50 Ways to Reach People
Community: The Structure of Belonging
RESOURCES TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY:
GRANTS:
The Royce and Jane Reynolds Ministry Fund Grants
OTHER:
The Appalachian District Church Vitality Team has been prayerfully seeking ways to help support you and the ministries of your local congregation during this COVID-19 pandemic. Together they have diligently researched and connected with others throughout the conference and our denomination to identify resources and offer them to you. We hope they will be helpful to you and bless you greatly in leading your churches and communities through this unprecedented time. We are very grateful to the District Vitality Team and other contributors for their great work on this resource.
This faithful team has created three documents, two of which you are receiving today. They include:
- Family Home Worship – designed to help families establish a regular worship space within their homes as well as a time where they can worship together.
- Tech Strategies – to help guide you in selecting effective tools and resources within your budget to best communicate in the digital world.
We believe these resources will be of great benefit to you. Also know that the District Vitality Team is available to answer any questions you might have in regards to the documents attached. If you have questions, you may email Rev. Howard Fleming at hfleming@wnccumc.net.
- Resources