Preparing for South Africa

I am aware that my announcement on Sunday came as a big surprise to y’all. I was not planning on leaving Kessler Park UMC anytime soon; Leah and I were perfectly happy as members of the church family.

Graduates of Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary celebrate in the school courtyard.

What happened was a shock to us as well. I received an email on January 9th from the General Board of Global Ministries saying they had identified a “potential missionary appointment that may be a match for your skills.” When I spoke to a staff person a few days later, they told me about the position at Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary.

Primarily, I will be a Lecturer in Theology with some additional responsibilities, including mentoring students who are struggling academically and providing guidance in the Distance Learning Program.

I still have lots of questions about this job; I hope to get some answers soon, including and especially, what kind of housing will be provided for me and Leah.

This is a three-year appointment, at the end of which Leah and I will be expected to travel around the US for three months, reporting back to partner churches and trying to create new partner relationships.

I also need to let you know that I am required to attend Missionary Orientation in Atlanta for three weeks, beginning April 24. I will be back on May 9 to attend Chloe’s graduation and lead worship on May 12, then return to Atlanta through May 15.

At this point, it looks as if my last Sunday at KPUMC will be June 30th. We don’t have our tickets to South Africa yet, so I don’t know exactly when we’ll be leaving the country, but I promise you this: Leah and I plan to savor every moment we have with each and every one of you until that time.

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A Note from SPRC

The Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) met with the District Superintendent, Debra Hobbs Mason, this past Monday, March 25th to begin the conversation regarding Kessler Park's next pastor. SPRC shared information with her about our congregation and surrounding neighborhood; our priorities and preferences for inclusivity, service/outreach, and worship style; and characteristics that we would like to see in the pastor who will shepherd KPUMC through its next season. Our feedback was informed by our and our families' personal experiences at KPUMC as well as feedback provided by several staff members and members of the congregation. SPRC welcomes additional reflection from staff and the congregation, so please don't hesitate to connect with a member of SPRC or chair Ashley Flores (ashbryanflores@gmail.com) to share your insight.

Debra's next step will be to discuss what she learned during the SPRC meeting with the Bishop and Cabinet so that they might collectively consider who might be a good fit for KPUMC. She expects to have an update by mid-April, and SPRC will continue to keep you informed as things progress.

Wish List for the Next Methodism

Permit me to dream a little, or maybe a lot.

The debacle at last week’s General Conference was heartbreaking and tragic, yes, but it’s also an opportunity. Even though the United Methodist Church appears to be irretrievably broken, maybe something new is going to burst through the cracks of the old structure.

I mentioned that there is lots of talk going on at the moment about the possibility of creating a new Methodist movement, a brand-new denomination.

So while we’re talking about it, let’s sketch the contours of what might be ahead, first by considering what we could (finally) leave behind, and second, by dreaming of what we could actually incorporate in a new system.

What of United Methodism could we leave behind?

Obviously, my first answer is that we could leave our homophobia behind. We could leave behind the ridiculous statement that “homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.” But there are other things we could do without, or at least reconsider:

— Our obsession with paperwork, forms, and counting things: Do I really need to say more?

— Lifetime terms for bishops: I would propose that bishops be allowed to serve up to 12 years, then must return to an appointment in their Annual Conference. This would require a true sense of humility and servanthood among bishops, and would equalize their relationships with other clergy.

— Legislating by Robert’s Rules of Order: There are other ways to run meetings besides voting, preferably something which favors spiritual discernment and consensus.

— An appointment system which favors white males: There is an unspoken “ladder of success” in appointments; somehow only white guys end up with the biggest pulpits and biggest salaries.

— Structural racism: See above, but also note that there is an amazing lack of UM resources devoted to south and west Dallas in our own conference.

— Emphasis on buildings and properties: I’ve noticed that appointments in our conference congregate around already-existing buildings, instead of recognizing that the best evangelistic opportunities in our society require being outside of the walls of a physical church.

What should we include in a new Methodism?

Again, my first response would be that a new church must fully affirm and include LGBTQ people. This is a non-negotiable. But there are other things that we might consider:

— Equalized clergy pay: In the Methodist Church of Great Britain, all pastors make the same salary, with only slight adjustments based on years served. This would completely eliminate the competition that pastors in the US feel about “moving up the appointment ladder.”

— Greater flexibility in pastoral appointments, including those outside of traditional church settings: Over the last few years, younger clergy candidates are consistently opting out of ordination because they feel called to ministry outside of the local church. We must find a way to allow them to follow their call while supporting them with a network of accountability.

— Greater flexibility in local church organization: If you’ve ever served on a church committee, you know that we are required to have a Board of Trustees, a Finance Committee, a Staff Parish Relations Committee, a Church Council, as well as a host of other committees or groups to effectively get things done. Small churches often have a difficult time filling all the positions required, so it makes sense to widen the options for organization.

— Conferences to be gatherings for corporate prayer and worship primarily: Every year, our Annual Conference provides numerous experiences to worship together, and these are the moments we remember. We don’t go home with fond memories of the pension report. More worship, less reporting and voting, please.

Those are some of my dreams for something new. What about you? What would you propose we leave behind? What do you hope we could include?

Staff Turnover

For the last several months, the Staff Parish Relations Committee and I have been fretting over upcoming staff changes. We’ve been doing the hard work of revising job descriptions and interviewing candidates, as we also consider the future direction of our church’s ministry.
I am very happy to announce that we recently completed our work, and are ready to move forward with some new faces, while saying goodbye to a familiar face.

Finance Secretary

After Pier Crenshaw left us in April, the church contracted with Rebecca Creighton to lead us through the process of moving our financial records from Shelby to QuickBooks. She did such a great job handling the transition that we have asked her to stay on as Finance Secretary, while also shifting some of Pier’s responsibilities to Yvonne Boyack, our Office Manager.

Starting last week, Rebecca will be in the office once a week to cut checks, reconcile accounts, and run financials. Yvonne’s weekly hours have been increased, as she will take over data entry, handling bills, invoices, and contributions.

All questions that you have concerning your own giving may go directly to Yvonne in the front office. She has proven to be a capable and reliable member of our staff, and she handles everything with a friendly smile!

Youth Minister

Matt and Paige Bell

Four years ago, the church hired a relatively unexperienced young couple to be the Youth Minister and Children’s Minister. Matt and Paige Bell quickly assimilated into the Kessler Park congregation, and Matt began studies at Perkins School of Theology.

After two years, Paige stepped away from her work as Children’s Minister to focus on her new teaching job in Seagoville. Matt spent his fourth and final year at Perkins as a full-time intern at the church, and we have been the beneficiaries of his creativity and energy over the last year.

Originally Matt was planning to go into public education as an extension of his call to Christian ministry, but he got a surprise call from Rev. Mike Baughman, church planter and founder of Union Coffee Shop in Dallas. Mike invited Matt to join the Union staff as a Church Planter Resident, which means that Matt will be learning from Mike and others the skills and abilities needed to start new churches and ministries.

Personally, I’m very happy for Matt, as I think this position fits his unique skill set. But I’m also grieving that he is leaving our church community. Matt has served us well, and built great relationships with people of all ages.

We will wish Matt and Paige a fond farewell this coming Sunday, June 25, with a reception after the service, in which Matt will preach his last sermon for us.

Eva Englert-Jessen, new youth minister

The good news is that a new Youth Minister will start with us on the following Sunday, July 2. Our new staff member is Eva Englert-Jessen, who graduated from seminary last month herself. Eva earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociocultural Environmental Studies, with a Minor in Religious Studies at Hendrix College in Arkansas, and a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology. She has just moved back to Dallas, her hometown, with her husband, whom she met in seminary.

Eva is a candidate for ministry in the United Methodist Church, and is hoping to be commissioned as a deacon in the North Texas Conference next summer. When she is ordained, she will become the first third-generation female clergy person in the state of Texas — both her grandmother and mother were ordained in North Texas. Her mother, Rev. Valerie Englert, currently serves as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, Garland.

And if you haven’t figured out the connection yet, Eva is also the niece of our very own Office Manager. Yep, Yvonne is Eva’s aunt!

We are all very eager to learn more about Eva and her interests and passions, and that will be forthcoming. But for now, we will say goodbye to Matt and Paige, and celebrate the good work they have done among us!