If you have been on the "Bible in a Year" journey with us, and have been able to stay on schedule (or even are a couple of days behind), you finished Genesis.

Here are a few questions I invite you to respond to in the Comments, so we might have a bit of discussion (if people are willing):

• Was there a favorite story or character you discovered in Genesis? What made it a favorite?
• If this was the first time you read Genesis, or the first time in a long time, what surprised you the most?
• If you used the Bible Project videos and articles as resources, was there a favorite one you would point to, or a thought they shared you would like to repeat? Feel free to share links, too.
• Any other thoughts you would like to add?

For my part, one of the things I realized was that now that I've been to the Holy Land, the maps and places make me ask a lot more questions. I like to look up those places and see how far apart they are, and I realize how the same place is mentioned over and over and over again (sometimes with a slightly different name)... How (Jeru)Salem was important from the beginning, etc. That the son named Judah ended up being the namesake for the later kingdom. His story was one I paid more attention to this time.

And I was reminded starkly, there's not a perfect person (until we get to Jesus, of course) in the bunch. Even the "good" ones make mistakes, have errors in judgement, weak moments, etc. It definitely reflects our very human nature and God making use of us anyway, most ESPECIALLY if we are willing to be in partnership with him.

Linked here was one of the videos I really enjoyed this past few weeks, from The Bible Project. I watched it twice, also talking about the characters being in the biblical narrative being so complex.

My two cents. I hope you will share yours.
~ Michele

All right... So, knowing we will have people on this journey of reading the Bible in a Year who come with varying levels of 1) excitement, and/or 2) understanding, when it comes to technology... Let me try to clarify some things about the optional additional resources from The Bible Project. This may be a little dry, but I'm trying to be helpful to the tech-challenged folks I love, and encourage them (maybe you) it is worth it to try out some of the fancy stuff.

You have the option to JUST READ, absolutely... The point of this is for us all to dig into our bible. And then on days you feel like you HAVE time and desire to do more, do more...

But to help you understand HOW you can do more... You can either sign up for the Reading Plan and download the Bible app that was linked in the previous blog post, OR you can manage the same information through a printed PDF of the Reading Plan or an electronic version of it (that was also linked before).

If you have a printed PDF (7 pages stapled together) in your hand of the The Bible Project's Reading Plan, you will see starting on page 2, on each line with that day's reading assignment, within the three right hand columns of the grid, it also shares names of videos, book guides and articles related to that day's reading. You can find all these if you use your computer or smartdevice to go to bibleproject.com and click on the magnifying glass in the upper right of the screen. Type in the name of what you're looking for (listed in the printed guide) in the window that opens and it should take you right to it.

Alternatively (and much easier), if you click on the link below (electronic version) of the PDF and navigate to page 2 of the document, you will see there are live hyperlinks on the text for each of those named resources.

Electronic PDF: The Bible Project - Bible in a Year Reading Plan

If you don't believe messing with the links is worth it, today in this post, I am sharing direct links to the resources just to give you a sample so you can see how really wonderful they are... I will not do this every week, but I WILL answer your questions if you like these resources and need more assistance in accessing them yourself. :-)

Day 1 - READING ASSIGNMENT: Genesis Chapter 1-3, Psalm 1

Day 1 - Genesis 1 - Video

Day 1 - Guide to Genesis

Day 1 - Article: Creation Through the Lens of Ancient Cosmology


Day 2 - READING ASSIGNMENT: Genesis Chapter 4-7, Psalm 2

Day 2 - Torah Series: Genesis 1-11 - Video

Day 2 - Guide to Book of Psalms

Day 2 - Article: Were Adam and Eve Priests in Eden?


Day 3 - READING ASSIGNMENT: Genesis Chapter 8-11, Psalm 3

Day 3 - OT Overviews: Genesis 1-11 - Video

Day 3 - Article: What Are Sin, Iniquity, and Transgression in the Bible? 


If you are using the app (I am, but I'm still reading in my paper bible and checking things off on the printout of the reading plan... I think cuz I'm Gen X), you will also note that if you get behind a day or more, you can click on "catch me up!" and it will update your schedule so you don't have that hanging over your head anymore... It doesn't change your reading, just resets the clock so you will finish later, and that is A-OK!

So far, so good? I hope so...

Anyway, I hope you are 1) READING and 2) trying SOME of these new tools to help expand your understanding, even if you aren't looking at all of them... I know I am enjoying it a lot, and I hope you are too! Email me or call the office at 605-343-1813 if you have questions.

For those of you reading this far, I invite you to comment what you have learned or enjoyed so far!

Keep going! You can do it! I think we can, I think we can, I think we can!

So happy to be on this scripture journey with you all!
~ Pastor Michele

Happy almost fall!

As school begins, Labor Day approaches, and daylight continues to get shorter, we can feel that time is short.... Time. Is. Short... Other things may also be happening that make YOU feel like time is short. But I want to encourage you to consider a way you could make the most of that time, and contribute to your own spiritual health and depth, and to the spiritual health and depth of your community... Read the bible.

I bring this up, because while at a quadrennial training (happens every 4 years) on "healthy boundaries" this past week, I learned that our enormously devoted and disciplined bishop of the Dakotas Annual Conference, Lanette Plambeck, begins her yearly reading of the bible on September 1st every year.

Now, full transparency: I have made a point to read the bible through several times, but honestly it's been a while since I made it a goal...And in the name of healthy boundaries, I think it's a good one for me to make again and I want to invite you along for your own benefit AND as an accountability partner. :-)

Focused time in scripture changes us, no matter how we do it... Reading the entire bible gives a perspective we don't get by just reading the passages related to our devotional that day. I would love for everyone to have or renew that big umbrella of understanding we get from reading the entirety of scripture. Will you please consider joining me on this journey?

I hear what you're thinking: "But Pastor Michele, do you know how much TIME that will take?"

I recognize it's a time commitment. I'm planning to do this too, right? And I've not magically acquired any additional time in my day. But healthy boundaries are about establishing healthy practices for body, mind and spirit, and reducing the things that are NOT life-giving. How much Netflix (or whatever) do we really need?

We all need healthy boundaries.

I suggest setting an alarm, or just plan a time and place to read in the morning or evening, and try and be consistent.

Now, admittedly, some scripture passages can be redundant or confusing. To help with that, I'm suggesting a guide for all of us that can amplify our understanding of the reading assignments by also providing some other resources.

The Bible in a Year plan (<< Online Link) from The Bible Project does just that.

The Bible Project name may be familiar to some of you. It's been referred to it in sermons on occasion. I first learned about it from Pastor Doug Diehl several years ago, and we have both used its animated videos and handouts in classes we have taught here during the past four years.

I invite you to explore through the Bible in a Year plan link shared above, and/or download the printable PDF of the plan here. You'll see that on many days, the assigned scripture reading will also have a linked animated video or article with related information. I think these elements will help keep us engaged and help clarify things.

If you decide to come along on this journey, let me know. I will want to connect with other readers through occasional blog posts if I know there are others on the journey with me! Or if anyone wants to do a guest blog post, let me know that, too!

If you would like a printout of the guide for the readings, you can contact the office and Eli can print a copy for you.

Now, this is not a contest. Finishing in a year doesn't have to be the goal. Just finishing even if it takes two years (or more), is a wonderful gift to yourself and shows your desire to grow in your understanding of God and God's love... So if you get "behind" don't give up. Just adjust your plan and keep going. Keep reading. Keep learning.

Time may be short, but showing our commitment to God by establishing healthy boundaries to help us grow spiritually only makes our time here richer. I hope you will accept my invitation for us to all do it together.

Thankful to be in ministry with you all,
~ Pastor Michele

It will be interesting to see if folks come looking for this...

Good news (for me, anyway)! in 15 days and posts, I was able to push through a lot of the fear and discomfort of doing a vlog or video blog... I had never undertaking something like this before. Yes, I know I only have 11 more posts to go... However...

YES, even though I've done some work like this before, it's been a while... And it was more complicated than I had thought, between shooting, editing, uploading, posting on the blog, and sharing through social media.

It takes a lot of time. And every day means a lot a lot of time.

I tried various ways of tackling the projects and  strategies in engaging with both the book, Honest Advent, and with the Holy Spirit. I think I got better at it, but still a lot to learn. Facebook was an interesting challenge, because it is a moving target, and options that were there one day, were gone the next (I'm talking to you, edit text with a video in a story).

I really wanted to honor God with all of it, hoped to support folks reading the book, and perhaps engage with some new people online who are looking for a spiritual connection but don't have a lot of time.

So, after 15 days of working through my personal hangups and the technological junk, I feel like I could certainly continue doing it, but I don't see where necessarily I've heard that people really NEED this.... And it begins to feel like just so much "noise" for the masses that I'm creating, even though it has meaning to me and a few other people.

That said, I may post a few more times for the series, but I'm no longer making it a priority. I'm pretty sure I will get no complaints, only support, because that is the kind of community this is. Thank you for watching and helping me grow! I appreciate you! And the skills I've gained will help me when I do need them.

~ Michele

Michele shares a story about her first high school play in talking about the chapter "Counselor."

Do you have a story to share about someone offering you grace like this? Please share in the comments! Or to see the entire series of advent blog posts, click here.

In spite of our differing ages, races, aches and pains, bad breath or other physical issues, all of our bodies reflect to a mighty degree the same flesh and blood that Jesus and his mother would have had. Thoughts on how sacred shouldn't mean perfect, building off of ideas in "Honest Advent," by Scott Erickson (Chapter 13), Copyright 2020, Zondervan Publishing.

1 Corinthians 6:19 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?

Let's take two minutes to reflect... And yes, the jingle bell in my hand has a point.

Number 1: Jesus wasn't always seen for who he was.

Number 2: We may struggle in many different ways with being seen, but it's important. More on this in the video above as we prepare during this season of advent.

Isaiah 53:2
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

As we continue our advent journey, do we create barriers for our spiritual growth because of our assumptions? Especially the negative ones about ourselves and what we think may be barriers for what God would do in our lives...  Or are we willing to look for and be surprised by God?

A paradox is a set of two things that co-exist even though they seem to contradict each other. Here, Michele refers to chapters 9 and 10 in "Honest Advent," by Scott Erickson.

Connecting some ideas from my own life with today's chapter on Breath... This is just a blip. Please read the book, "Honest Advent," by Scott Erickson for more depth, though!

If you haven't seen Dec. 6, you may want to go back and watch that one first... Before we talk about "Alpha" and who's in charge...

What we can learn from Mary's attitude in Luke 1:38 (Let it be to me according to your word), after we've said yes to God's call to trust and grow.

NOTE: Mary's example of discomfort would be HUGE and actually life-threatening (because childbirth is not a walk in the park). My example is quite mild, I know, but it's a current challenge to grow. Yours may be anywhere in between... And Crash is cute in this one.

Because some of us have a tendency to think we don't deserve gifts... Words of reassurance.
 
Just as we are.

Babies are agents of change. Especially this one.

Remember: Thoughts here are inspired by Honest Advent by Scott Erickson. I recommend his book, which we are using as a devotional and inspiration for our sermons this month at Open Heart UMC.

Psalm 139:13-16 - New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
15     My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written
    all the days that were formed for me,
    when none of them as yet existed.

Motherhood in scripture is a tough gig, starting with Eve, including Mary, mother of Jesus.
What would they say to each other? What do they say to us?

NOTE: Video includes Pongo & Crash bonus footage at the end. It got a little wild for a lesson, but their timing was pretty on-point. I couldn't not include it.

See also this artwork of Eve and Mary talking (scroll down in the article to see).

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a]
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1: 4-5 NLT)

Watch the video for some thinking about the Light Jesus provides... I really hope you get the book. The snippets I offer are nothing compared to the book, Honest Advent by Scott Erickson. See older videos, by scrolling down....

To have an angel show up and share a cryptic announcement (annunciation): Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. (Luke 1:28-29 - NLT)

I'm pretty sure I'd be disturbed, too... Watch the video for more.

And... we still have four books if you'd like one and live in the Rapid City area. I got them through Thriftbooks and the like, so they are only $6 if you can swing it... Otherwise I will give it as a gift to those who are interested.

It's not every day you try to start something new for Jesus and your dog wants to take over. Crash probably won't be part of all of these, but here he is, to help invite you on a journey toward Christmas... Watch for the ear-whip... Vulnerability with those we love.

We encourage you to download the book, Honest Advent so you can be a bigger part of the discussion! We still have four copies left if you are in Rapid City and would like one. Just let us know by commenting on the blog or messaging us.

To my friends, especially those who are not currently connected to a faith community, but wonder about it sometimes.

This image is Open Heart's "Mother's Day Family Photo 2023." It was a snapshot of who was at worship that particular morning. That's more than six months ago, as I write this. (And of course, there are several who are still sad they couldn't be there that morning ... Next time!)

Since that photo was taken, many things have happened.

Among them, one of those beautiful people died, and now awaits us on the other side. Another, moved to Colorado to live with his daughter. Another has been absent, caring for a terminally ill spouse. Yet another moved away to attend Marine Corps boot camp, and should actually be home soon... At least for a bit.

Even as some members of the "family" depart the community in different ways, we continue. These individuals and their amazing show of love in everyday life provide a collective witness to one another, to the world around us, and to me, reflecting the goodness of God as expressed through people.

They have helped teach me important spiritual lessons and informed my responses to questions I had to answer recently. With God's leading, and my faith community's humble witness, I was approved by the Board of Ordained Ministry in October to become an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church... I have two more steps to take, but it seems like it will really be happening next summer! The last eight years of education and training as a pastor should culminate in June 2024.

So, I am thankful for this group—including those not shown in the photo—who are such very important faith lives woven together with mine. I give thanks for how God has shown Christ's love through them in a way that I could see and understand and learn. I have grown.

Obviously, this is not a large community in number. We worship with between 35-55 people, plus a few online. We represent ages 1 to 100+ years, are from different backgrounds, races, economic footings, and include several individuals with physical, cognitive or developmental challenges. Some folks have been attending worship here less than a year, while others represent families attending for three generations.

All that to say, we are pretty darn diverse for the number of people that we are. It adds complexity. And challenge.

What ties these people together in such a beautiful way?

Jesus.

The diversity and acceptance I see here has taught me a lot about the love of Jesus Christ. It also reminds me how you can know something in theory, but until you've experienced it in-person, you just don't "know" it the same.

Jesus spent much of his time on earth pulling people who were different, together. He wasn't afraid to recognize those who were labeled—blind, lame, poor, widow, orphan, prostitute, slave, eunuch, legal expert, fisherman, Jew, foreigner, tax collector, or occupying soldier—as first and foremost, PEOPLE of faith. He saw them all as valuable and called them to serve alongside him, or sent them out on his behalf.

The early Christian house churches were also small and reflected diversity of cultures, backgrounds, and more.

It takes a special effort to be part of a small, inclusive and diverse faith community. There aren't very many people to "share the load" and sometimes, YES, the differences create some difficulties... Trying to create sustainable balance and not overextend people is a work in-progress, especially when we are also trying to find new ways to connect with new people.

I recognize that some people are more comfortable when there is less challenge. Me too. LOL.

I mean, life is TOTALLY full of challenges already, right? I get that. But shouldn't we want to grow in our ability to love? Beyond what's comfortable?

Love in the way of Jesus is not about our comfort. Just look at the cross.

But in thankfulness for His great act, growing in the knowledge of such love through practice only makes life better... Not less challenging, but much, much better.

~ Pastor Michele


P.S. All are welcome to come and stretch their growing edges in a diverse community at Open Heart. I know it's a big ask, but I recommend new people attend (whether our church or a different one) as often as possible for a minimum of 1-2 months...  Sometimes it's hard for our souls to initially hear God because our minds and bodies are just overwhelmed by the "newness" of our surroundings... Each church has its own culture. Open Heart definitely does. It's not usually a quick thing to absorb, understand and discern if it is where God wants you... It can be a process. Don't be afraid to take time. Because it does take time and effort to expand our comfort zone, become accustomed to new people, new sounds, even new rhythms... For instance, Open Heart's worship music style varies during the month with different teams leading. You wouldn't know without being there more than once. So even if you don't plan to be in the next "family photo," but just come to meet new people and grow, I encourage you to come more than once, to stretch and pray for how God would lead your growth in love.

I led a retreat for leadership at Open Heart UMC a couple of weeks ago, and one of the things we talked about was the importance of healthy conflict. I shared a video of consultant Patrick Lencioni talking about "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team" and we talked about it afterwards. It's a helpful and humorous presentation about leadership, and I encourage anyone to watch it when they have time.

One of his points that stuck with me were his words, "Conflict without trust is just politics, but conflict WITH trust is the pursuit of truth or the best possible answer.”

In my previous and first church appointment, I spent time preparing to have important conversations with the congregation. Conversations that I knew would be uncomfortable for all of us. I knew conflict with trust was important. I wanted to help people I had loved for many years—first as a member of the congregation, then as pastor—have those conversations in as healthy and productive manner as possible. We didn't have the conversations I thought we would. For whatever reason, they didn't happen.

However, the conflict caused by the Covid-19 pandemic was important practice. I didn't always do a great job of having those conversations. I was still learning (still am), and was earlier in my "pastorhood," but I was willing to have those discussions and be straightforward with people. Wherever the decision landed was the decision made.

Now I serve a different church, and the decision about its stance on the "Human Sexuality Issue" as it's been called, was decided before I got here. This church had decided to be affirming and supportive of members of the LGBTQIA.

My previous church? I still want them to be having these conversations in a productive manner. I want good things to be happening for God in Jesus Christ through all my Methodist friends, whether they stay United or not. I've been connected to Methodism since I was baptized as a baby in De Smet. I did spend almost 10 years either not terribly connected or only going to church with a consumer attitude, but I came back. My seminary journey led me to learn more about the history of our denomination, be aghast at some details, and then eventually embrace United Methodism even more fully. If you ever want to have a longer conversation about any of that, let me know. I'd be happy to chat!

I hear confusion today through the grapevine and through social media from people I love. I hear fear. I hear anger and distrust for the church I am both committed to and working toward being ordained in. I wanted to share a few things that may be helpful for your understanding, no matter what United Methodist Church you attend. I'll try to be simple and clear, but I won't be addressing everything. There is way more out there. Here's a start.

• The Dakotas Conference of the UMC has been sharing information about the church splintering and about disaffiliation since they have been a thing. If you have not signed up for the emails as an individual or follow the Conference on Facebook, you are not likely to receive all of the information. The local churches do not forward everything to their members/attenders because that is up to the pastor to decide how, when and how much to share.

• The District Superintendents have been sharing information at each church's Charge Conference at the end of the year for the past few years (at least). There have even been handouts with more resources to look at. If you didn't attend the Charge Conference of your local church though, you missed all that. Churches are required to promote their annual Charge Conference in multiple ways at least two weeks before that event so that all people who want to know what is going on at a higher level may participate. But they cannot make you go.

• Our current Book of Discipline (BOD), which includes the rules which govern and provide recommendations for "best practices" as the UMC was last updated in 2016. Yes, 7 years ago is our last update.

• There are both a gathering and a body—which are BOTH called the General Conference—that governs changes to the Book of Discipline of the UMC. Delegates from all over the world make up the General Conference. They meet every 4 years, but Covid messed up the schedule. The next meeting of the General Conference is in 2024.

• There has been a movement by a growing number of people to change the Book of Discipline since the clause referring to homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching" was added in 1972.... Yes, 1972, not 1872, nor back in 1784, when the first Book of Discipline was compiled. That statement has been there for the past 50 years when it was NOT included for the nearly 200 years before that.

• Other denominations have already wrestled with this issue (Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians), so we are not alone in the movement. A Special General Conference in 2019 met and was supposed to decide the issue, but in essence, it did not. It approved what is called "The Traditional Plan," again maintaining the exclusionary 1972 language in the Book of Discipline. At the same time, the more "traditional" members of the UMC were planning to leave and start their own denomination (see Wesleyan Covenant Association/Global Methodist Church further below). Delegates from the US to General Conference largely voted to be inclusive in 2019, but again, General Conference is a worldwide organization.

• It is confusing why, when the Traditional Plan was the one voted in, the people who support the traditional vote are largely the ones leaving... but they already had their oars in the water to go, I guess and wanted to re-write the rules of engagement...? I can't blame them in some ways. The worldwide UMC is a really big, complicated machine to try to change. However, its connected ministries and system do so much good all over the world. For instance, think of UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and it's tremendous impact when communities are suffering... or having a system to help change leadership when you need it at the local church level, etc. Our UM connectionalism accomplishes really important, useful things.

• I believe that there is hope from those who want to stay United Methodist and invite ALL (traditionalists, centrists, and progressives) to stay together, that the Book of Discipline has a better chance of being changed at General Conference once the Wesleyan Covenant Association/Global Methodist Church has received all the people/churches it is going to. Without the traditonalist folks to block the vote, things will be sorted out. HOWEVER, there is no telling the future. Nothing at the General Conference level is easy to predict.

• I remember when I first heard about this issue years ago. I was confused why openly LGBTQIA bishops had been approved when it was against the Book of Discipline. Why wouldn't they change the Book of Discipline first? Breaking the rule doesn't change the rule and only makes people angry, was my thinking... My less education at that time on the issue created very black and white thinking.

Eventually I learned how long people had been trying to change the Book of Discipline. Then, in Methodist History at seminary, I learned that John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, tried over and over again to get the Anglican Church (as he was an Anglican priest) to provide bishops to send to the people/churches of North America as this country emerged. The Anglicans kept blowing Wesley off. Finally, feeling the Holy Spirit needed to be honored even if the Anglican Church wouldn't do it, he consecrated his OWN bishops... The Anglicans would have said he didn't have that authority... That is why and how the Methodist Church started. In short,  John Wesley himself broke "the rules" that a greater good might be served.

Recently, I've learned more about the history of this country and political parties looking for votes by motivating religious populations against our queer community and other marginalized populations. It worked to win their way to power (see Walking the Bridgeless Canyon by Kathy Baldock, but there are other resources, too). There are also additional resources that talk more about issues of history and context and scripture's original language vs. English, that shed light on why alternative thinking to the "Traditionalist" view is not anti-Bible nor heretical. There are world renown Biblical scholars on both sides of the issue.


• The Wesleyan Covenant Association started developing quite some time ago as an entity where UMC people could migrate to if 1) they decided they were non-affirming of LGBTQIA, 2) felt no one else should be either, and 3) it was a deal-breaker for their faith. They now have a new denomination forming called the Global Methodist Church.

• A special, temporary piece of legislation was created to allow churches to disaffiliate because of the Human Sexuality issue, and take the local church property with them (property is otherwise held in trust by the Conference). It expires this year. The Dakotas Conference has tried to create a system that follows that legislation and creates a pathway out for churches that see that as how God calls them. The process includes for all voting members of a local church to have a voice in the future of their church.

• A 2/3 majority vote is required to leave the UMC. HOWEVER, this is just 2/3 of the people who show up to vote... Not 2/3 of the actual membership. Hypothetically, if a hundred people are members, BUT only three people show up the day of the vote, and two vote to leave, they leave.*

• PLEASE READ ABOVE AGAIN AND UNDERSTAND THE MATH. Important. :-)

• It is critically important to show up and vote. If you don't vote, you are letting whatever majority DOES vote decide for you.

• Leadership of the church doesn't decide for a church on their own, even if they are loud and pointing in a certain direction. The people make this decision with their votes. Please don't believe the loudest voice in the room just because they are loud and talk like they know.

• Confirmed youth are full members and get to vote. If you don't know if you are a full member with a vote (and you might NOT be just because you have been attending forever), call the church and ASK.

• No church HAS to vote whether to stay UMC or leave. Many churches are not voting. Those who do not choose to leave, are staying.

In the middle of all of this, it's important to understand how your pastors become your pastors. Here's a bit more about that.

• There are two routes to becoming a UMC Pastor. Both routes are quite a process of discernment with a mentor, Board of Ordained Ministry interviews, education requirements, psychological exams, background checks, etc.

I was qualified to serve my first church as a Licensed Local Pastor in 2015 after more than a year of mentored discernment, getting letters of recommendation, filling out paperwork, requesting and receiving approval by multiple bodies (including my home UMC I was attending), and the psych exam. I then attended a nearly week-long UM Licensing School. I chose to turn down churches for a few years, and continued to work full time outside of ministry (while attending seminary) until 2018 and accepting my first appointment. When first approved and appointed, I was an LLP while I continued to fulfill the educational requirements.

I could have chosen to attend Course of Study (classes 2x a year at an approved seminary), over the next five years to complete the Licensed Local Pastor education requirement. However, being accepted at Sioux Falls Seminary allowed me to complete my full Masters of Divinity (MDiv) degree in 2019.

With an MDiv, I have continued on toward the process of becoming an Elder. This requires more paperwork after graduation, another background check, another psych exam, more interviews, sending in a recording and transcript of an example of my preaching, etc., and a vote by multiple bodies to approve me to the next step. Completing all this satisfactorily led me to being Commissioned in 2021. I am currently considered a Provisional Elder, and between now and September 1st of 2023, I have a lot more paperwork, another psychological exam, etc., to get ready for ANOTHER round of interviews by the Board of Ordained Ministry. If I'm approved, I then go before the Clergy Session of the 2024 annual conference to be approved or denied before I can (hopefully) become an Ordained Elder in Full Connection that summer.

In short, it is a long process to become an approved pastor, especially an Ordained Elder. Not everyone is accepted, or accepted right away. As much as people are needed, there is also a series of checks and balances.


• If persons who happen to be openly LGBTQIA were approved to become pastors someday by the Book of Discipline, the likelihood of having a gay pastor appointed to a conservative church in the Dakotas, in my opinion, is very low. First off, our gay community is not huge here, so I can't imagine there being a lot of LGBTQIA pastors seeking appointments in the Dakotas.

Secondly, I think it is understood how such a pairing would be detrimental to the health of both the pastor and the church. The Conference has invested a lot in creating programs supporting the wellness of pastors.

Also, the Staff Parish Relations team of a church works with their District Superintendent to define their ministry context to help create the best possible match. They then meet the new pastor ahead of time. If there are red flags during that meeting, either for the pastor or the SPR team, they can request a reconsideration at that time through the District Superintendent. That is part of the process. However, rejecting a pastor that was about to be appointed could mean the church may not have one for a while... The appointment process is like dominoes and there's only a few months to accomplish it each year. Backup plans are messy, but sometimes need to come together.


There is a lot more information on the UM Conference website. One place you might start if you want to get into more details is here. Is the United Methodist Church Really...? 

I know it's a lot, and I just scratched the surface. If you are in the middle of this with a church that you love, and you just want to make the best decision to honor Jesus Christ, I encourage you to do so well-informed, and in peace. We remember that Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason are the four parts of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral that we lean into as we develop our faith and discernment.

Blessing to all who read this.

~ Michele

*Late addendum after initial posting: There are more steps to leave that must be completed to actually disaffiliate, including paying apportionments and helping cover the costs of retired pastors who served you while you were UMC... There's  a formula for churches to figure that out...But there is only one vote, to my understanding.

I've been encouraged multiple times in the last few months to remember that I'm supposed to be taking four weeks off from work each year... Including four Sundays. I have a fantastic, "associate pastor" in retired Pastor Doug Diehl, and he has agreed to preach every 4-6 weeks for me, so I'm covered in that regard... I am blessed!

This past week, the Second Sunday of Advent, while I watched from home and saw how beautiful the sanctuary looked online, he preached on "The Pass that Peaces."  I encourage you to watch if you've not had a chance to yet. If you like to focus just on the message / sermon, it usually starts about half way through the video. He has GREAT thoughts to share, and I will not "steal" from him, except for his sermon title, which I borrowed for this blog post, and the next thing... (so really, go watch his service or his sermon, at least).

A scripture Doug shares at the time of communion is Colossians 1:19-20 NRSVUE


Keep that in mind as you read on.

So, being freed from having to prepare a sermon myself this past week, I focused on some other projects, including an Advent video mini-series I had conceived a couple of years ago. I had wanted to create short videos to try and connect with people who had maybe been raised in, but had distanced themselves from, religious institutions, or those who were curious but inexperienced with church traditions.

Shooting bits of video in the setup of our sanctuary was simple, since it was so beautifully decorated. It wasn't until I sat down to edit that I remembered, "Oh yeah... The editing... THAT'S the killer... :-("

Video editing can be really fun, BUT it is a really time-consuming activity... For me, anyway.

So, I'll try to put them together still, but it's going to be a while... Maybe even next year before they come out. But the one thing I can offer now, is an outtake... And some thinking that comes from it.

Here. Watch this first.

So, now that you have seen THAT, and since I've not explained anything else about "peace" other than sharing that verse from Colossians (italics above), let's think about Peace, our sense of it, and what threatens it...

1) How often do we upset our connection with true Peace by counting on our own clumsy actions (remember me bumping into the candle), using the normal tools at our disposal, and the inherited motions of tradition? Let us remember that as beautiful as traditions like the Advent Wreath are, in helping us center our hearts, it doesn't do the work FOR us. The Advent Wreath itself is not a Means of Grace. It is simply an action that we participate in to help us engage our hearts and our minds toward God... You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make her drink, so to speak. We need to be intentional in seeking Peace through the One who offers it through God's Self.

2) How often do we snuff Peace out ourselves by taking it for granted that it's just about us and our internal sense of calm, without considering how our position affects others? Whether we are clergy, consistent church-goers, never been to church folk or any other category, Christ's Peace is offered through his sacrifice, but it is both an individual and a communal event. It is reconciliation with God. We are entirely capable of eliminating Peace for ourselves and for others by simply being self-centered and thinking we only affect ourselves. We don't. God calls upon us to be united as people, as all of creation. ALL of creation is reconciled in Christ. Even people who don't think the way we do.

3) All that is a lot to think about. It can be heavy. But it's important not to get bogged down and decide it's not worth trying, Instead, let us laugh and start over. Today. Peace is within our grasp. Because God is with US. Emmanuel.

~ Pastor Michele

A few weeks ago on a Sunday, I presented a prayer card in church. This breath prayer shared in the graphic, is words from the main prayer. These words wake me up many mornings.

I shared this card the weekend after our break-in. It just felt like we needed something to remind us why we are here.

We have had an outpouring of gifts from a dozen different individuals and organizations that wanted to help following the theft. People who were closely connected to the church, people who had visited here once from out-of-state on a mission trip, people who are loosely connected through various things, and a couple of folks not connected to Open Heart at all, but who know me, and just wanted to help.

People give, because people need to give. They want to give. It is hard-wired into most people, especially if they are fairly emotionally healthy (but not always), even if they are not financially healthy. Giving is what we do because we want to see good things happen in the world.

Giving is an act of hope in the future, and an act of faith that there is enough to share.

Jesus made it pretty obvious that our lives, as followers, are not about our comfort. But boy, we as humans sure spend a lot of time thinking about it, don't we?

Our lives—as believers—are supposed to be about learning more and more about who Jesus was, how he behaved, and then trying to be like him.

Our lives, when we look at what Jesus said, are about loving God with everything we are, and loving others we come across just as we love ourselves. And yes, we ARE supposed to love ourselves. This is obedience. Respect. Care. Stewardship.

We don't follow Jesus out of pride, or duty, but out of love, thankfulness, gratitude.

It's November and there are lots of people talking about various concepts of "thanks-giving." It's a little weird this year, as we also talk a lot about inflation, and how much more food, energy, and housing is costing us all. Most "thanksgiving" celebrations may be a little smaller than years past, and may be served with a steaming hot side of griping about the economy. And then there are the political goings on that we may or may not be giving thanks for.

So in this season of harvest and "plenty", as we remember that some of our neighbors may not give thanks for this holiday for many good reasons... May not be celebrating because they live outside or in their car. As we think about what power, and gifts and resources we do have, even if they're small... Let us also look at how much we are giving away. (Don't give up on me now. Keep reading! You can do it.)

Are we generous with our time? Have we managed our time in such a way that we have time to give to an organization or person that needs it? How about our family? Close friends? The little old lady or man down the street? Do we need to give something up because we have said yes to too many things that do not give life, but only suck it out of us?

Are we generous with our talents? What do we do skillfully and easily that could be a blessing for another? Do we have a talent we have let go dormant, thinking it didn't matter? It matters... Pick it up again. There is only one you.

Are we generous with our treasure aka, financial resources? Are we working toward giving away a "tithe"? Maybe you don't feel called to give to our church or any church... God works in a lot of ways... Civic organizations, Go-Fund-Me accounts, Angel Trees, Love INC, The Nature Conservancy, etc... I know 10 percent of our income (a tithe) sounds like a lot, but if you start out trusting God with $1 or $5 at a time, eventually, God can show you how maybe a tithe is too little to give. Yup. Really.

How much is too much to give back to God? Any day is a good day to start trusting God more with your money. Once you realize you can trust God with your money, what is left to trust God with? (Note: if you are struggling with a crushing amount of debt, work on that first. God wants you to be okay. But talk to God about it, and maybe seek some financial counseling too, okay?.)

Are we generous with our relationships? Are we showing the people we love how much they mean to us? Are we honoring them? And are we sharing our relationships in a meaningful way? That is, are we connecting with people and helping others connect, that the whole world may be blessed? People need people, and if there was ever a time when we had a lot of people who were having trouble connecting, it's now. It's not all fixed because the pandemic is over. People are still living on their phones, while others are still afraid to come out of their houses.

God uses people to show people they are loved. And I'm not talking about romantic love, but about deep caring. Loving-kindness. We need to make ourselves available. If we don't, who will?

We are heading into the dark of winter.

THE DARK OF WINTER, people!

People need to know they matter, especially when they are in the dark. So I encourage you, to breathe that prayer, "LORD God, empower us with your love. Help us make a faithful difference." And then be the prayer.

Make a faithful difference. Give in hope to the world around you, in some way.

Smiles, laughter, five bucks, whatever. But give. Because you can. You need to. You will be glad you did. God will help you do it, if you ask.

All in Love,
~ Pastor Michele

So, a crummy thing happened this week. We were robbed.

By "we," I mean the faith community I serve.

Shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning, October 11th, a person dressed in a big sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, and a mask over their nose and mouth, broke two basement windows, entered the church, and stole at least 50 pounds of meat, buns, canned fruit, large containers of sugar and flour, cases of pickles, and a whole lot of other food (and a nice video projector that was on-loan from a volunteer who does not have a lot of money, but does have a very big heart).

Most of the food had recently been purchased from Feeding South Dakota, to give away through free, monthly, community meals we had just started in September, and weekly Muffin Mondays (our Circle of Friends group bakes and gives away muffins to school kids every Monday) over the next several months. That food was packed up—and I mean PACKED...the misguided individual took everything they could cram—into their beat-up four-door sedan.

The person stealing the food was fortunate that we had left a dolly cart out in the kitchen to make it easier to move things.

We know all this because we have video cameras around the building. It happened from 4 a.m. - 5 a.m. this past Tuesday morning. The footage has been shared with police.

We would love it if the person who took all this would turn themself in to law enforcement. I know it's a long shot. We would love to talk to that person and invite them to serve in our kitchen, instead of serving time. We would like them to know what it's like to be serving with friends, to be served by friends, and to know the reward of serving the greater community. We want this person to know what Hope looks like.

For those of you who read this, but haven't been to worship lately at Open Heart UMC (if ever), it is not a large, nor wealthy, congregation.

As of late, we have anywhere from 30-50 persons in worship most Sundays. About 1/4 to 1/3 of the people are connected through our Circle of Friends Ministry (adults with physical and/or cognitive challenges). I am able to serve at Open Heart UMC as a full-time pastor largely because of special grants and other funding that is temporarily filling some gaps.

What was stolen wasn't just food. What was broken wasn't just windows. It was a sense of community and purpose, that has since been replaced by skepticism and fear. It's going to take time for a few of my friends to get back what they have lost.

And... ironically, we really, really, care about people being fed.

We know that life is a challenge for many in Rapid City, so we do what we can with the resources we have. We partner with Feeding South Dakota to use our parking lot for a drive-through food distribution on the first Wednesday each month at 2:30 pm. We have a number of folks from Open Heart who volunteer to help with that, besides all the other amazing volunteers from the community.

We have a Free Little Pantry (thank you to Cub Scout Pack #74, who built it several years ago) out in front of our church, which we encourage both people from Open Heart UMC, and people from around town, to stock with goods... NOTE: If people donate food they get from Feeding SD, it can go in the Free Little Pantry, but we can't buy food from FSD and put it in there... It's against the partnership agreement.

And, as previously noted in this post, after talking about it on and off for the last couple of years, while feeling limited by the pandemic, we FINALLY, just last month, relaunched a once-a-month, free community meal at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday. We decided to offer it on a Tuesday because many other churches offer something similar on Wednesdays, and we wanted to try and fill a gap for families in the neighborhood.

Then this happened... The team decided to go forward with the meal that night, but this really shook things up.

We don't know what next year will bring. We pray. We work to try and connect with the community. We believe Christ's transforming, unconditional love is for every person on the planet, and we want to share that. We know that some people may never have known, or may have forgotten, what a caring community looks like. We are all flawed human beings capable of good things.

We believe that Jesus calls us ALL to the table, and asks us to do the best we can to help each other in this messy, broken world. We really hope the person who stole the food will decide they want to pull a seat up to the table and join us. There is room.

Blessed to serve my community, so filled with God's Grace. I look forward to Grace healing these recent wounds.... All are welcome to join us.

~ Pastor Michele



Photo by David Clode of Unsplash.

As we get ready to head into a new sermon series, I invite you to read the companion book that creates the thread we are following.

Wholehearted Faith, by Rachel Held Evans and Jeff Chu, is available through many different resources, both in print or as an ebook, or even an audiobook, if you'd like to listen. There is certainly no obligation to get it, but it is definitely a good, thought-provoking read and shares beautiful descriptions of moments and thoughts from a faith life for which Evans fought and persisted. A faith life where doubt was honored and scripture and tradition investigated, and truth pursued... This book may be especially important for you if you are, 1) questioning faith, whether or not you are from a conservative evangelical background, or if, 2) you see others you love questioning.  Some of her other books may provide even better understanding of that path.

To be perfectly clear, this is the first book of hers I have read, but I have been hearing about her for a long time from people I respect.

We all come to faith through different ways, and on different timelines... and depending on what generation, or household, or church/faith tradition, or pastorate you come from (just in case you hadn't noticed, different pastors from the same church or denomination may have very different beliefs), and depending on who YOU are as a person, those things and how they have landed and settled into you (or not) may vary widely.

For some, it hasn't been good, to say the least.

For some, abuse has happened, of many different types. It is impossible for me to blame people for giving up on "the church," when "the church" has sometimes done such a poor job of reflecting the Jesus we are shown in scripture.

Other times, I think people give up on the church just because it's easier than rearranging their schedules to fight for and shape a decent, loving, healthy faith community in the name of Jesus Christ. It can definitely be challenging work, though holy.

As a pastor in the Methodist tradition, I believe the Holy Spirit is calling each of us into relationship through prevenient grace—the grace that goes before—before we even know that we are being called.

I look at the incredibly loving and compassionate people who have been entering and serving in ministry these past years with me, and equally loving and compassionate people who have been my mentors, and are retired... and those members of my congregation who show up consistently. I look at us all and I wonder if what we are doing is similar to a post-hurricane cleanup job...It feels pretty huge.

Yet we who sense a call from God... what else do we really need? As Paul writes in Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

God is a God of transformation. Jesus is God With Us. The most important thing we can do is roll up our sleeves and get to work. Show love. Be love.

If you want to be part of that with "Wholehearted Faith" I invite you to read the book (see link above), join us for worship on Sunday mornings (in-person or watch the livestream at 10 a.m., watch it later under the Media tab at OpenHeartUMC.org, or find the shortened podcast version there on Tuesday), or join us on Wednesday nights to discuss the book in a video chat from 5:30-6:30 pm MT. Let me know if you'd like access to that, and I'll do my best to make it work. It's new territory we are investigating there. :-)

Keep pursuing God. God is running toward us, too.

It is an honor to work together to develop Wholehearted Faith with you all.

~ Pastor Michele


Photo of ants from a recent prayer walk. We too, are building something new out of something that has been coming apart in this world.

I actually went on two prayer walks this week. During the first, I shot the photos. The second one, I "mapped" with the Strava app, and picked up garbage... So you'll note the jaggy line as I left the path to pick up things I saw that were off the sidewalk a ways... Both walks, I prayed, particularly for the people who live in the neighborhood, the students and staff at South Middle School, and those who are working on the new school building... For their safety, their home life, their being sensitive to the call of God upon their lives, and how we can help in any way... And I prayed for the future. I invite you to join with me.

Oh God, I thank you for the blue sky and turning leaves that greet me this day. Color and light abound.

I know there are so many other people, in other places, that struggle in the aftermath or midst of a hurricane. We know with storms and destruction there is fear and despair, anger and grief. May your merciful presence be known and manifest in many ways as people come through the wind and the darkness, as other people come to help.

For the multiple varieties of trees that praise you with their upturned branches, we give you praise... as well as for the bottles and cans, pencils and pens, napkins and wrappers and other items that show there are many things this neighborhood can be grateful for.

Lord, we are grateful for dogs who bring so much to our lives in terms of love, acceptance and joy. Would you please encourage dog owners to bring along bags to clean up after their dogs? Or are you suggesting I should also pick up dog poop? I just can't make myself today, Lord. The bag is already too full. Thank you Lord, for the prepared and responsible dog owner seen walking today.

Lord for the students and staff at South Middle School, particularly, we ask for safety and focus. As the day gets warmer, help them remain engaged. Help them find a spark that calls them to grow and seek a forward path. Protect them from harm.

May the school staff in particular be fulfilled. Rise up exceptional new candidates for open jobs. May all the staff understand deeply how important their roles are in the lives of these families, and may they feel appreciated today. Help us know how to best show appreciation for them as a neighbor in the community.

Lord as the construction workers continue to make progress on this beautiful new building that is the fulfillment of a dream, protect them. Help them to look out for one another and create a positive work environment. May they be safe and know that you are God. May they see their work as a holy investment in our children, and see where what they are building is the larger community, even more than a place of learning.

Lord, often there is splitting apart, a tearing down and destruction before new life comes forth. Even seeds are destroyed as they sprout. Lord we thank you for the restoration of this neighborhood and of the lives of the people who work and live and worship here. We know that you are at work. Help us to be part of a holy restoration as you grow hope and light and love in this neighborhood. We know that people all over the world have caused harm in the name of the church. Help us to be a force that works with others to unite and heal on your behalf. Show us the way.

Amen.

Anytime I put a sermon together, there is a TON of stuff that goes unsaid.

I remember in the early days before I was a pastor, starting out on a message weeks ahead of time and by the time I got done writing, I had enough for two or three sermons, then having to go back and remove things to try to get it into a reasonably-lengthed version... You know, something people could sit through listening instead of looking at their watch at the 25 minute mark and wonder, "Why is she still talking?"

But hours and hours... and hours... would go into preparing those.

Now that I'm full-time clergy and preaching every week, I have gotten waaay better about staying within some boundaries as I write. Not chasing ALL the ideas that come to mind. But they still pop up. Sparkly things. Sad things. Thought-provoking things. But things that go in too many directions. I can see where some of those side items will end up here. :-)

This past week, we looked at the parable that included the servant who buried the money his master gave him, and then was sent into utter darkness, because he was afraid to take a risk with what he had been given (Matt 25:24-30). He was stuck. One of the thoughts that popped into my head that I didn't articulate was how those of us who are too afraid to take risks with the blessings that God has given us, are already experiencing darkness. We are stuck in the dark.

Think about the truly gifted people who go on the different talent shows we may watch on TV, or see pop up on our phones... The vocalists, the dancers. They shine light. When they have recognized their gift and are brave enough to share it with the world, they are changed... The viewer is also changed. We all get unstuck, if even for a moment, when we recognize the gift is shared.

Bob Goff, in his 2019 devotional book, "Live in Grace. Walk in Love." compared it in a recent passage (#262 to be exact) to being benched... When you have a dream and are sitting on the bench, you have a lot of time to think about how maybe you aren't that good. Dwelling on the negative can sometimes be part of that experience of not sharing your God-given gift.

Having seen some of the coaches my kids had in baseball, I know that there's a lot of talent on the bench... Sometimes there's a ton of talent, maybe even more than is on the field. Coaches have different reasons for keeping kids on the bench.

God is not like the baseball coach. God doesn't want any of us on the bench, in the dugout on the sidelines, etc. None of us. He wants us ALL to be participating in the game, moving in this life dance! He wants us all to get unstuck.

God wants us out there, meeting people (introverts can do it slowly, one at a time), living out the gifts God has given us, shining light like a disco ball on the gifts we see in others and pointing to God all the while. God want us to both honor we are part of a team, and be brave in how we participate... Remembering we are equally valued by God.

We are already in the dark when we decide not to participate. Not to honor the gifts God has given us, may eventually make us think we were not all that talented anyway... But if we are thinking that, who are we really listening to? It's not the light. It's not God. Let's not listen to the voice of doubt over dream.

Let's get out of the dark, get off the bench. Let's dance.

Photo by Juan Camilo Navia on Unsplash
 

So LAST week, if I'd actually shared a post, I would have reminded us all about the importance of intentional faith development WITH other people, and challenging ourselves to grow... Are you signed up for the study on Sunday or planning to come Tuesday? We would love to have you at either or both groups. If you are not planning to be part of either one, I would love to know what is holding you back. Please email me either way!

***

This week, I was about to reach out to my mom (she likes to talk about the sermon after she watched it from Minnesota) Sunday afternoon and I realized our worship wasn't shared on Facebook, our website, or YouTube. :-( ... At least, not that I could find. Mom couldn't find it either. So, today, I recorded the scripture and message to share with you all. The message, "Risk as Fuel" is inspired by Micah 6:8 and Luke 6:31-36 and "The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations", chapter on "Risk-Taking Mission & Service" by Bishop Robert Schnase. The message is shared through this MESSAGE VIDEO LINK.

We have great audio/video equipment and great volunteers, but everyone/thing has an off day, unfortunately... And there are many reasons why things just don't work sometime. That said, I still I look forward to the day when such issues are few and far between, and I can say it has definitely gotten BETTER.

If you would like to help with our technology at worship, we would love to have you! We do need more volunteers so our existing volunteers can have a break once in a while. Please let us know of your interest, and know that grace abounds. :-)

Always feeling blessed to be able to serve as Pastor at Open Heart UMC
~ Michele

Trying a new thing... Here's a brief, not awesome video, to try to connect with you all, and remind you a bit from last Sunday. Connecting the Sundays in the middle of the week.  :-)