A new "metaverse movement" seeks to use technology to create connections among United Methodists feeling "spiritually homeless" if their congregation votes to leave the UMC. (2d illustrations and photos Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Sweltering in this summer's extreme heat, United Methodist hearts nonetheless were warmed this week at the news that a "metaverse movement" has emerged from the turmoil of congregations splintering away from the UMC.
UMsConnected launched in June as an online community for the increasing number of faithful United Methodists feeling abandoned when their congregations choose to disaffiliate. Brainchild of Bishop Kenneth Carter, episcopal leader of the Florida and Western North Carolina conferences, UMsConnected reaches out to "spiritually homeless" people via a website, a Facebook page and a podcast, said the Rev. Dr. Steve Harper, co-director of the movement along with the Rev. Kim Ingram. In September the "metaverse movement" will begin two online gatherings, "Kindred" for young adults and "Conversations" for disciples to engage in common reading and discussion. Insight Editor Cynthia B. Astle
reports on the movement's new hope.
I
n contrast to the encouragement of UMsConnected, the Rev. Martin Thielen of Doubters' Parish blog queried his readers about their
relationship to institutional religion, asking whether they will stay, leave or are undecided. Rev. Thielen found that the majority of his respondents plan to stay in church, but critique of the church was sharp and poignant. One reader said: “The current state of the Christian church is a mess. It has been heart-breaking to watch it devolve into something unrecognizable to Jesus of Nazareth. The evangelical corruption of faith, the hostile political climate, the rise of Christian nationalism, the right-wing extremism characterized by anti-science and anti-education agendas, and now the misogynist takeover of reproductive rights all feed into my desire to not be associated with the Christian church.”
The Boy Scouts of America's bankruptcy reorganization plan ran into a snag this week, as a judge rejected a portion of the scheme relating to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the biggest religious sponsor of BSA units. However, the United Methodist portion of the reorganization, painstakingly negotiated by church leaders,
passed muster with the federal bankruptcy judge. Between this ruling and the recent change in relationship status between UM congregations and BSA troops, Scouting ministries appears poised for a resurgence among United Methodists after the scandal of some 80,000 claims of sexual abuse against BSA.
The struggle to hold onto hope after the barrage of crises and change over the past 2-1/2 years drew reflections from several writers. The Rev. Cindy Hickman of the Iowa Conference's "Abiding in Exile" spirituality series documented her Facebook
friends' litany of losses from the coronavirus pandemic and their impact on hearts, minds and souls. Pastor Rosa María Rodríguez interprets this Sunday's gospel passage, Luke 12:32-40, as a call to turn from love of material possessions to
trust more firmly in God.
Insight Editor Astle muses on Christian communication's challenge to
maintain faith and hope while reporting ethically on the world's often-grim news. As a counterbalance to the frenetic pace of the past two years, the Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter endorses
slowing down change to allow a sustainable plan to emerge. Photos from the Webb telescope and his own stargazing
put humans' religious disputes into an eternal perspective for the Rev. Chris Madison.
Writing for the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, Kristina Sinks encourages using
worship as a means to strengthen creation-care theology, and launches her own post-seminary project,
Song of the Earth, which employs music as an educational tool for improved creation care. United Methodists are stepping up to
help victims of recent flooding around St. Louis, MO, and in southeastern Kentucky, Editor Astle writes in a "Crisis Watch" column.
American Christians raised concerns once more about the misuse of religion in politics. More than 15,000 Christians have signed on to a petition sponsored by Faithful America denouncing U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's
endorsement of Christian nationalism as a template for the Republican Party. Some 40 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have called on the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the conservative lobbying organization Family Research Council's
designation as a "church" for tax purposes. Closer to home regarding religious rights, Mark Wingfield of Baptist News Global writes that
"it's still 'Christians only'" at Holston United Methodist Home for Children (see photo above) after a Jewish couple's lawsuit against the agency was dismissed by a judge who ruled the couple wasn't harmed by the home's faith-based policy.
Carrying women‘s stories of survival and hope, an artwork tapestry of more than 180 panels creating a
"waterfall of solidarity and resistance" is making its way to the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly scheduled Aug. 31–Sept. 8 in Karlsruhe, Germany (see photo above by Marcelo Schneider/WCC). The WCC's Thursdays in Black campaign invited women to contribute panels showing how they've confronted and overcome sexual and domestic violence.
Assembled by Brazilian artist Janine Marja Schneider (at right), the exhibit also will be displayed at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzerland, and at the United Nations in New York City among other locations. Even with its serious theme, the tapestry demonstrates the power of fabric arts to depict visually the depths of courage, faith and hope in the face of evil.
May you be inspired by similar visuals of faith this week.