The Billy Sunday Pulpit

Do you know who Billy Sunday was?  Billy Sunday was a Civil War orphan from Iowa, born in Story County, who played professional baseball for eight seasons from 1883-1890.  Sunday’s first five seasons were with the Chicago White Stockings, which, ironically, would later become the Chicago Cubs, (The new American League team in Chicago would later adopt the same name.) So, Billy Sunday was a Cub, just another reason to like him!  Best known for his base running, Sunday had 243 career stolen bases.

Billy Sunday became a Christian while still playing for Chicago and would later be traded to Pittsburgh and eventually to Philadelphia.  In 1891, he turned down the renewal of his contract with Philadelphia to enter full-time ministry with the YMCA back in Chicago. Billy Sunday would go on to become one of the most popular evangelists and revival preachers of his time, the Billy Graham of his day, holding meetings all over the country.  Billy was an old-fashioned, fire-and-brimstone, pulpit-pounding preacher. (And, speaking of Billy Graham, Billy Graham was converted in a revival meeting when Mordecai Ham was preaching. Mordecai Ham was converted under the preaching of none other than Billy Sunday.)

But what does that have to do with our church?  I’m glad you asked. In 1907 and 1908, and again in 1910 and 1911, Billy Sunday preached revivals in downtown Muscatine at the old lumberyard.  A total of 74 meetings were held with over 180,000 total people in attendance.

In our church we have a pulpit that was used by Billy Sunday for at least one of those revivals.  To think that we have in our church a pulpit that one of the greatest preachers in American history stood behind, and perhaps even stood on, as he was often know to do, gives me, and I hope you as well, a great deal of pride.  The Billy Sunday pulpit can be seen in the old entrance hall just north of the tower doors. (Thanks to Jim Van Winkle for taking to photograph.)

A Big, Beautiful, and Busy Church

During my first week here at Wesley Audrey, our Office Manager, gave me the great idea of writing series of newsletter articles talking about what I have learned as a newcomer here at the church with the hope that you all might discover something you did not know as well.  I hope that we can all learn something new together.
The first things that I noticed here at Wesley is that, at least as United Methodist Churches in Iowa go, we are a big, beautiful, and busy church.
Our church is big.  To be honest, I am still trying to figure out my way around the building, and I am sure that there are places that I have not yet discovered.  Much like the city of Muscatine itself, which I have found can also be challenging to navigate, our church has many ups and downs and a few dead ends, but the main routes seem to form one big circle.  So, as in our faith journey, if we stay on the right path, we will eventually end up where God wants us.
Our church is beautiful.  From the landscaping, to the architecture, to the stained glass windows, to the floors, to the decorations and artwork, to the newly remodeled sanctuary, and especially the people who call it home, our church is beautiful!  Now all we need is the new organ.  In fact, Greg Wall, our Chair of Trustees just finished giving me one of the many tours I hope to have with him.  He told me about the stained glass and showed me the Billy Sunday pulpit.  (I will  have to write a whole other article about that.)
Our church is busy.  We have many many ministries going on inside and outside of the building.  Having been a pastor of smaller churches, I have to say that I have gotten used to being alone in the church.  Not here.  In addition to our wonderful staff and lay volunteers and leaders who are always around doing  their thing, we have many other people using the building.  For example, we have piano lessons throughout the day.  I know that because my office shares a wall with the music room!
In closing, I would like to say how happy I am to be here and to say thank you for the words and tokens of welcome we  have received.  I hope you will join me in learning more about our big, beautiful, and busy church.

What’s Going on in the UMC? – Article 5: What’s Next?

      This is the last of a series of articles dealing with the debate over human sexuality, specifically the ordination of homosexual persons and the celebration of same-sex weddings, within the United Methodist Church.  As I have said before, I have chosen to set aside the debate about the rightness or wrongness of the issues themselves in favor of focusing on how, or even if, we can continue to be one denomination that does not agree on these practices.

To review, General Conference 2016 asked the Council of Bishops to appoint a Commission on a Way Forward to make recommendations to be presented to a special General Conference which has since been scheduled for February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis.  So far, the Commission has recommended three different “models.”  The first model would be to retain the current restrictions on homosexual ordination and same-sex marriage.  The second model, now called the one church model, would remove the restrictions and allow individual annual conferences to make decisions about homosexual ordination and individual local churches and clergy make decisions about performing same-sex weddings.  The third model, now called the multi-branch model, provides for the division of the church into three branches, traditionalist, centrist, and progressive, which would each be able to make its own decision about homosexual ordination and same-sex marriage.  I described these models in more detail, and outlined their pros and cons, in previous articles.

At their November meeting, the Council of Bishops offered feedback and requested more work and discussion by the Bishops, by the Commission on a Way Forward, and throughout the Church, around the last two models.  The Commission on a Way Forward is expected to make a final report to the Council of Bishops at their meeting April 29-May 4.  The Council of Bishops will then finalize a proposal to be voted on at a special General Conference in St. Louis.  That proposal will be announced sometime in July.  The proposal will be able to be debated and amended by the delegates at the special General Conference.  As of now, the Church is waiting for word for the Judicial Council, the Church’s “Supreme Court” if other proposals will be allowed to be submitted to the special General Conference.  If the special General Conference does not pass any new proposal the rules will remain as they are and the restrictions on homosexual ordination and same-sex marriage will remain in place.  The next regular General Conference is scheduled for spring of 2020 in Minneapolis.

As I said before, this is my last article in this series.  I encourage all of you, no matter your position on these issues, to continue to stick together and to pray for our Church and our leaders.

What’s Going on in the UMC? – Article 4: The “Sides”

We are continuing our discussion of the debate over human sexuality within the United Methodist Church.  (Please refer back to the first article to be reminded of the ground rules for our discussion.)  In previous articles, we have outlined the history of the debate, which dates back to 1972, and we have seen that the Commission on a Way Forward has offered to the Council of Bishops three models to help them decide what recommendation they will make to a special General Conference at the end of February 2019 in St. Louis.

The three models, briefly, were: 1. Maintain the current position of the church and increase accountability for those who violate Discipline. 2. Remove restrictive language regarding ordination and marriage and allow individual annual conferences to make decisions about ordination, and individual pastors and churches to make decisions about marriage.  This is also called the one church model.  A similar approach has been suggested in the past and was known as the “local option.” 3. Divide the UMC into two, or more, branches, each with the ability to set their own policies regarding human sexuality. 

Since the last article, the Council of Bishops has met and has taken the first model off of the table, leaving the other two as possibilities for being brought forward to the special General Conference.  It should be remembered that the bishops have not yet finished their work and that it is the General Conference delegates who are the ones who must vote on this, and they may reject whatever plan the bishops bring forward.

This time, I wanted to familiarize you with the various sides, or positions of this debate and some of the groups within the church which represent them.  The best description I have seen for the various positions is offered by Tom Berlin who credits Tom Lambrecht.  His blog about this can be found at http://revtomberlin.com/church-vitality/#sthash.kSsETug3.dpbs.  He talks about four groups.  First, there are progressive non-compatibilists who believe that LBGTQ+ persons should be fully affirmed and included in the church.  For them, this is something that God’s love and justice calls them to work for and they will accept nothing less.  One of the groups that represent this position is the Reconciling Ministries Network. (https://rmnetwork.org/)  Second, there are progressive compatibilists who believe in the inclusion of LBGTQ+ persons, but who understand and respect the position of those who do not, and they are not willing to spilt the church over this issue.  The third group are the traditional non-compatibilists, who are similar to the progressive compatibilists, except that they are in favor of the traditional view of sexual morals.  These two compatibilists groups have come to be known as centrists and some have organized themselves into a group known as Uniting Methodists. (http://unitingmethodists.com/)  This group has come out in favor of the one church model mentioned above.  Finally, the forth group are traditionalist non-comparatist.  These are people who wish to uphold the traditional view of sexuality and resist any change in that standard as being unfaithful to the Bible.  This group is represented by, among other organizations, the Wesleyan Covenant Association. (https://wesleyancovenant.org/)  In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and the treasurer of the Iowa chapter.

This article is already running a little long, but before I close, I want to invite you to continue to interact with me and with this series of articles, in person and online.  Also, I would like to invite you to participate in the following opportunities.

·       The book study of A Firm Foundation which deals with this issue among others in the United Methodist Church.  We will meet on Tuesdays at 1:00pm at Montour beginning April 3^rd and on Sundays at 6:00pm at Tama beginning April 8^th.  You can get a book from me for $14.

·       Join Bishop Laurie when she comes to our District for a presentation and discussion on the Way Forward on April 22^nd 2:30-5:00pm at First UMC in Cedar Falls.  If you would like to go, let me know and we can organize car pools.

In closing, as I am sure many of you have heard by now, I have been appointed to Wesley UMC in Muscatine and my family and I will be moving sometime in the last half of June.  I would expect that the pastor who is coming here will be announced in the next few weeks.  This move comes as a surprise to us and, while we look forward to the new opportunity, we are very sad to leave and will deeply miss all of you.  I ask that you keep my family and me, the new pastor, whoever that may be, and both these churches and Wesley UMC in your prayers during this time of transition.

“What’s Going on in the UMC? – Article 3: The Three Models”

           We continue our discussion of the debate about human sexuality in the United Methodist Church.  In my first article, I set three ground rules for myself in writing these articles and for all of us in discussing them.  Please refer back to those.  Last time I outlined some of the history of the debate.  Today, I want to pick up where I left off in discussing the work of the Commission on a Way Forward. 

This commission of 32 people from all over the world and representing both sides of the debate was formed by the Council of Bishops in order to offer possible solutions to the debate to be presented by the Council of Bishops to a special called General Conference, which has been set for February of 2019 in St. Louis. It will be up to the Council of Bishops, with the input of the Commission on a Way Forward, to decide what will be placed before the special General Conference for a vote.

The Commission has presented three possible models to the Council of Bishops…

1.     Affirm the current Book of Discipline (which forbids same-sex marriages and the ordination of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals) and place a high value on accountability.

Obviously, this is the solution that is most desired by traditionalists and least desired by progressives.  (I prefer the terms traditional and progressive to conservative and liberal due the secular political baggage of the latter.  I will discuss these groups, along with centrists, and the organizations which represent them in the next article.)

Accountability has been a major concern for traditionalists because many pastors continue to perform same-sex marriages and homosexual persons continue to be ordained and serve as clergy, including Bishop Karen Oliveto in the Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain Conference.

2.     Remove the restrictive language, (from the Discipline) thus allowing for same-sex marriage and homosexual ordination, while protecting the rights of those whose conscience will not allow them to perform same-gender weddings or ordain LBGTQ persons.

This may seem like a compromise to some, and it is touted by centrists, but I have seen objections from both traditionalists and progressives.  Many traditionalists cannot see themselves as continuing to be part of a Church that does not uphold their key value of biblical morality.  Likewise, many progressives see the Church that results from this compromise as segregated and in violation of their key value of inclusivity, which they also see as a biblical value.

Also, I have heard both traditionalist and progressive clergy raise concerns about being pressured, one way or another depending on where they serve, by their local churches or conferences.  

3.     Create separate branches of the Church which are grounded in a unified core of shared doctrine and services, including a shared Council of Bishops.

This would allow traditionalists and progressives, and perhaps centrists, to each have their own branch of the Church with their own local churches and conferences and would still allow the branches to share ministries such as United Methodist Committee on Relief, United Methodist Publishing House, our colleges, university, seminaries, hospitals, and other institutions, and our pension and benefits system.

In my opinion, this may be the best option, but it will need to be done very carefully and very well.

Depending on your position, one of these options may seem clearly the right way to go.   However, that does not make it easy.  Adopting any one of these options may cause large numbers of people to leave the Church and still may not end the debate.  I would ask that we all be in prayer for the Council of Bishops, the Commission on a Way Forward, which continues to work, and the upcoming Special General Conference.

What’s Going on in the UMC? – Article 2: The History of the Sexuality Debate”

This series of articles is meant to update you on the current status of the debate within the United Methodist Church over human sexuality, specifically, the ordination of homosexual persons and the performing of same-sex marriages.  In my last article, I set three ground rules for myself in writing these articles and for all of us in discussing them: First, let us be upfront about our own position and do our best to understand the positions of others and to represent them fairly.  There are people we love on both sides.  Second, let us stop trying to convince each other that we are right, and they are wrong.  Instead, let us focus on the future of the church.  Third, let us confine this discussion to the United Methodist Church, and not discuss the issue as it relates to the rest of society.  I always welcome discussion on my blog at https://pastorbrianoliver.blogspot.com/, or you can always call, write, or just talk to me in person.

Today, I want to briefly trace the history of the human sexuality debate within the United Methodist Church.  At General Conference in 1972, in response to growing questions about homosexuality in the church and in society, a statement was added to the Book of Discipline which prohibited “self-avowed, practicing homosexuals” from becoming members of the clergy (304.3).  Later, a paragraph stating, “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches (341.6) was added.  One should not think that these things used to be allowed and then were forbidden, rather General Conference saw itself as clarifying what the Church had always believed in the face of new questions.

The Book of Discipline is the global rule book for the United Methodist Church and can only be changed by General Conference, the official rule-making body which meets every four years with delegates from all over the world.  You may from time to time hear that the Iowa Annual Conference, or another United Methodist group, has voted one thing or another.  Those votes and statements have no authority whatsoever, only General Conference can make those changes.

The church has continued to debate this issue ever since.  At every General Conference, petitions have been brought forward to remove these restrictions and, amid emotional debate and demonstration, those petitions have failed to pass.  This debate continues to divide our Church and disrupt our ministry.

Fast forward to General Conference 2016.  Facing yet another set of petitions to change the rules that promised to be hotly debated and yet again defeated, delegates called upon the bishops to form a “Commission on a Way Forward” to develop a plan to bring this decades-long debate to an end.  The Commission has met, and continues to meet, and has published some models for the Church to consider.  We will look at those models, and where we go from there, next time.

“What’s Going on in the UMC? – Article 1: Introduction”

During 2018, or at least a portion of it, since I do not know how many articles this series will be, I would like to take the opportunity to inform all of you about what has been going on in the United Methodist Church regarding our ongoing debate about this issue of human sexuality.  In a nutshell, the debate centers around whether the UMC should change its rules and allow homosexual persons to serve as pastors and allow same-sex marriages.  However, as we will see in the coming months, there are a lot of moving parts to the debate.  This first article will give just a very brief introduction of the series and set some ground rules for future discussion.

First, let us be upfront about our own positions, and try to understand and fairly represent the positions of others, even if we do not agree with them.  For my part, I believe that the current position of the UMC regarding sexuality should not be changed. There are people I love in these churches, and in the UMC, who are on the other side of this debate, which is what makes this discussion so difficult.  I understand and respect the position of those who do not agree with me.  I believe that their position is driven by a desire for love and justice and I continue to love them as brothers and sisters in Christ even if my understanding of the authority and meaning of the Bible differs from theirs.

Second, I would suggest that rather than continue to try to convince each other that we are right and that they are wrong, now the time has come for us to talk about if and how we can continue to work and worship with each other as United Methodists and Christians while each following our own convictions.  Therefore, other than the preceding paragraph, I will not be making, or entertaining, any statements or debates about the rightness or the wrongness of the issue itself.  Such things will only keep us from the more important conversation of how we move forward and would distract me from presenting to you the current information in the most unbiased way I can.

Third, this discussion is about the United Methodist Church, not about any other group or society as a whole.  We will leave aside any debate about this issue in the larger political, legal, or social arenas.  For the record, I fully support the full civil rights of LBGT+ persons in the secular world, that falls under loving our neighbors.  In the church, we love each other and hold one anther accountable to the Christian life; outside the church, we just love.

If you can agree to be held accountable to these rules, and to hold me accountable to them, then I invite you to read on and become part of this conversation with me in the coming months.  The easiest way to engage is through the comment section of my blog at https://pastorbrianoliver.blogspot.com/.  However, you can always call, write, or just talk to me in person.

Over the course of the coming months, I will be sharing information and opinions from various sources and I will try to be as fair as I can.   Next time, I will outline some of the history of this debate to help us understand how we got where we are.