So, is there something we can agree on?
Believe it or not, this causes me to think about the first Continental Congress as they discussed the governance of England over the colonies. They didn't talk about pensions - they talked about taxes and representation. They didn't agree to declare independence- they agreed to meet again in the following year if England didn't respond to their demands. They didn't "declare independence" - they declared unification on becoming independent if necessary and were ready to move to make that happen.
Of course -we must also remember that those who made the decision were not fully representative of all involved - women, slaves, native populations, so many unnamed groups and people. Yet, I'm glad the decision was made to unify under one vision. Even without full representation and the absence of complete agreement - a new path was set - a new platform to work out the concept of "freedom" was produced. Eventually, their work would lead to a Declaration that would lead to something new called The United States of America. This new platform, as we all know, was not mistake- free or sin-free, but it was on this new platform that we came to find our identity as Methodists.
The Transition Team is aware that we don't have "everyone" at the table and that this new platform we propose would not be free of issues we need to discuss in order to create a more perfect union. We've opened ourselves up to listening, hearing, recording answers, even having people scoff about this proposal right in front of us. I'm sure that this kind of "discernment" was experienced by our early Fore-fathers and Fore-mothers. I hope you understand that the team is aware of the emotional and logical struggles you're going through. We've gone through them too.
We can't deny that this struggle keeps bringing us back to the decision that we want a "more perfect union". What that fully looks like, we don't know. Every time we meet - we discuss, pray, bring your voice to the table as much as we can. We're hoping we can all work on that together over the next several years. We're hoping to move onto perfection!
I'm aware that the three conferences are not colonies and the General Conference is not a Monarchy. Compared in scale - the ramifications of our decision wain to those days of Adams (both of them) and Jefferson. Yet - we do have an important decision to make, a decision to unite or not to unite. Are we willing to decide on a new path? Are we able to consider doing our ministry on a new platform -expanding past our borders - sacrificing some of the things we hold dear in order to create more perfect union? Even if it doesn't start as a "more perfect union" - can we agree that uniting is a good place to start - and then come back - year after year until it is "more perfect" than before? Are we called to "go onto perfection" in this new way?
The Transition Team is not trying to create a new country called Nekansas - but we have come to agree to create a MORE perfect union. We're already united by our common vision to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We hope to unite even more -under one vision, one budget, one mission and one platform - not just under one bishop.
Our two states are a result of a united vision cast 237 years ago, that came to unite people into a grander vision that's still a work in progress. Can we look ahead with the same kind of vision? I think we must! If there's one thing we must agree on it's that we must look ahead with vision that sees the perfection we're trying to attain for Jesus Christ!
Please pray for the Transition Team that meets in Topeka on April 7th-9th!
Grace, Jan
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