The Dance of Joy and Lament

I love movies. I also really love a good TV series. In fact, I occasionally comment on a dorky online movie reviewing club (mediocremovie.club if you're interested...don't judge me*). We have recently started a podcast on the 2004-2006 HBO series, Deadwood.

Deadwood is set in the 1870's before and after the annexation of Deadwood, South Dakota by the Dakota Territory. Many characters are actual historical figures while some characters, though based on actual persons are fully fictional. Character Reverend Smith is based on the person Reverend Henry Weston Smith.   

Deadwood's Rev. Smith cares for the sick, is kind and fair. Despite the overall wavering morality of the town, Rev. Smith is neither judgmental nor proselytizing. Over the course of season 1, Smith begins to suffer from a brain tumor. His mental and physical capabilities begin to collapse. He endures seizures, hallucinations, headaches, memory loss and eventually some loss of vision and use of limbs.

The final episode of Season 1, "Sold Under Sin," depicts Doc Cochran, the camp's only doctor kneeling in prayer. The camera moves slowly around Doc, ensuring that the viewer feels uncomfortable; the audience is spying on this most vulnerable moment. Doc begins the prayer by mentioning that if he was a regular petitioner this position might not cause him such pain or discomfort.   

In weeping whispers he begins, "Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Just please, God. Take that minister." 

Then, full of loathing, his fists and face raised to God in rage he asks, "What conceivable Godly use is his protracted suffering to you?"  

Have you been here?

I think what makes this scene so incredible (other than his amazing acting), is its relatability.  When faced with human suffering, what do so many do? Even if not “regular petitioners” we find ourselves on our knees crying out to God. With raw, unhinged anger, we question God: “Why?” or “Of what use?” 

Juxtaposed with this intense sorrow, Doc Cochran also fixes a leg brace to ease and aid the movement of Jewel, a disabled cleaning woman and cook. Enabled by this new brace, the finale ends with the Doctor and Jewel dancing together.

Life is not often wrapped with a pretty bow. Real life is broken, unpredictable, and painful. Yet, amidst our questions and hurt, there are beautiful moments of pure joy and goodness, too.

Whether your prayers are praise and thanksgiving or laments and curses, we as the Glenn Church family are here with one another in each of our faith journeys. 

Here are some of our available prayer ministries:

Send us a prayer request

United Methodist Women's Prayer shawl ministry

Luther Lewis’ prayer meetings and monthly prayer guides

Blair

*note that this site contains adult content and is best suited for mature audiences.

Inside the Preparations for General Conference

2016 is a big year in American politics. It’s also a big year for The United Methodist Church. Since the image of politicians right now in the U.S. is less than favorable, forgive the comparison, but The United Methodist Church’s General Conference shares a lot in common with the U.S. political system.

General Conference, the top legislative body of The UMC, meets every four years. This year it meets at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland May 10-20.

Big decisions get made that involve the denomination’s theology, ministry, higher education, and just like in politics, finances.

And, like the political process, there is strength in numbers at General Conference. The North Georgia Conference, of which Glenn Memorial is a part, has a whopping 22 delegates – 11 lay delegates and 11 clergy delegates. It’s rivaled in the U.S. only by Virginia in terms of total delegates.

Glenn’s Mathew Pinson and Rev. Alice Rogers were both selected as delegates for the 2016 General Conference. This will be the fifth General Conference for both. Pinson is the chair of the North Georgia delegation, having been the first elected lay delegate. “It’s my job to convene and lead the North Georgia delegation,” Pinson said. “We’ve been meeting monthly since we were convened in June [2015].”

Pinson’s task has been to prepare the delegation on the major issues and petitions that will arise this year on the church’s structure, its stance on human sexuality, budget, and establishing term limits for bishops.

“I bring in a select group of the top general secretaries of the church – the agents and leaders of the church,” Pinson said. They then update delegates about submitted petitions.

Pinson said members of the North Georgia Conference are also members of some of the 12 legislative committees at General Conference (seen on the General Conference website). Those legislative committees are much like specialized House and Senate committees and are made up of the 864 delegates from all over the world.

Pinson said the first week in Portland, the legislative committees will meet, process petitions that have been submitted, and then choose which ones make it to the floor of General Conference. Some legislation goes through committees, while other proposals can be brought to the floor directly. A detailed explanation of the legislative process can also been found on the General Conference website. After the 864 delegates vote, adopted legislation is then put in the “Book of Discipline” or the “Book of Resolutions.”

If it all seems distant and bureaucratic, Pinson said sure, the church does need to be less bureaucratic. But he said, “the power of our Methodist connection enables us to do some really exciting things like fund theological education … and UMCOR [United Methodist Committee on Relief]” which provides humanitarian aid after disasters.

And Pinson said the work of the local church should not be seen as taking a back seat to General Conference.

“The most important thing for every congregation to know is that local congregations are more powerful than any General Conference will ever be,” Pinson said. “We say that the mission of The United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And the local church is the most significant arena through which Christian discipleship making occurs, which means that the local church is the most powerful unit of the denomination. So there is nothing that is going to happen at General Conference that is more important than what’s going on at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church. Nothing.”

Dena Mellick
Communications Team

This Sunday at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. worship, we will have a Prayer Service for General Conference. We will pray for our United Methodist Church as we lift up the delegates, the process and our desire for God’s will to be made known and done. The service will be ordered around prayers of Adoration and Praise, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication and Intercession. We will celebrate the sacraments of baptism and communion as we gather together. All are welcome.

Ministry Spotlight: Confirmation Friends in Faith

This past Sunday, sixteen 7th graders publicly confirmed their faith and became members of Glenn. Four were also baptized. Confirmation Sunday is always a special one as family and friends gather in support and joy of the commitment these youth have made.

As the youth journey through two years of confirmation classes before being confirmed, Glenn congregants known as Friends in Faith come alongside them, offering time, encouragement, and a one-on-one space for questions and exploration.

Andrew Johnson has been a Friend in Faith a couple times, most recently with Eli Maughan. Read below for interviews with Andrew and Eli about their experiences in confirmation.

Left to right: Eli Maughan, Andrew Johnson, Henry McKlin

Andrew, how do you see God working in the lives of our youth?
There are some amazing youth at Glenn. I have had the pleasure of being Friends in Faith with Henry McKlin and now Eli Maughan. Both of these guys are so smart and ask great questions during the confirmation classes. They really want to know God and not just say that they do. The youth group is both a nurturing and a challenging place for the youth and both of the confirmands seem to really love that about the group. I remember when the youth made a great video in support of LGBTQ rights, which made my heart so happy!
 

How does spending time with Glenn’s youth shape your own faith?
I see God in their heart and in their actions. They also keep me on my toes because their worldview is already so much more inclusive than mine was at their age. They want church to be truly open and inviting. They want to love God and share that love with others. They inspire me to live out the Gospel and continue to grow.
 

What do you see as the goal of the confirmation Friend-in-Faith program?
One goal would be bridging the gap between the youth and the other members of the church through a stronger relationship. Another goal would be for accountability between the youth and the adult. I hope that it helps confirmand to have someone supporting them through the process, as I know that it has been great to have a youth that says hello and is interested in my life. I know that I care very much for Eli and Henry and hope that their faith continues to grow. I hope that they know they can always call me for any reason.
 

What do you remember about your own confirmation?
I had a great confirmation partner, named Rev. Bill Holt. He and I are still in contact with each other and he has been a great help to me at different stages in my life. I also remember the family and friends that supported me through the process. We had a lot of people attend the confirmation service and I felt so loved at that moment. Knowing that I had my actual family and my church family supporting me, laid a great foundation for me to build a life of faith.
 

Eli, what is your favorite part of Glenn Church?
I like the community. All the people knowing who you are.
 

During confirmation, what have you learned about God?
I have learned that God can help you while you go through anything, even if you feel like you can't do it God will help you.
 

Has having a Friend in Faith in this process been helpful?
Yes, because it gives you an adult to share your feelings with besides your parents.
 

What will confirming your faith in front of friends and family, and becoming a member of the church, mean to you?
I think that it will allow me to better connect with the people.
 

Thank you for your reflections, Andrew and Eli!

Are you interested in becoming a Friend in Faith or want to know more about the process? Contact Rev. Blair Setnor to learn more.

Don't Say I Didn't Ask

A few years ago, I got to fulfill a childhood dream simply by asking a seemingly innocuous question: “Will you let me know if you ever hear of anyone with a spare ticket?”

That question emerged out of a conversation with one of my 3rd year Candler professors. On one particular day during a three hour class, I noticed my professor wearing a polo with a Masters’ logo on it. As a lifelong golf fan, I knew that the only place to buy shirts with that logo was at the tournament itself. So I assumed that he had attended the tournament once. But a few weeks later, he wore another Masters’ shirt. Then another for the next class, and I spotted yet another one day in the halls. I soon realized that either he attended the tournament every year or he went on quite the shopping spree the one time he attended.

One day, during a 15 minute break in class, I asked him about the shirt. He informed me that he had attended the tournament for many years. I shared how jealous I was of him and then we talked about the sport of golf, our love for it, and those who taught us to play. Finally, as we prepared to get back to class, I ended the conversation with this offhand comment: “Well, will you let me know if you ever hear of anyone with a spare ticket?”

Days, weeks, and months went by after that conversation. I forgot about it entirely. After all, it was a passing three minute long conversation with a professor whose class I had finished. But one evening I got a brief and cryptic email from him: “Will you call me when you have a moment. It is urgent." Given that I was less than two months from graduation, I panicked assuming that something had gone wrong with my grade for that last semester. I called him immediately assuming the worst. That’s when he said “I have two passes to the Masters this Thursday and I can’t go. They’re yours if you want them.” I didn’t even stop to think about my Thursday classes. I said yes.

It feels like questions, even innocuous ones, are always risky. My professor could have been annoyed at the curiosity of his student. Yet, I think people honor their true self when they are willing to ask questions. Asking questions isn’t even necessarily about finding answers, as answers can sometimes be less concrete and subject to change. Many of what were considered correct answers a hundred years ago probably aren’t right now. I still don’t know if Pluto is a planet or not anymore.

We should all be willing to ask more questions of ourselves and others. The best teachers, pastors, and friends don’t help us find answers, but instead they help us have the courage to keep asking questions, even difficult ones. “Hey, would you ever want to come to church with me?”; “Do I find meaning in what I am doing?”; “Where is God at work in me?”; “Did Kaylen really write this entire blog just to brag about going to the Masters?” These are all good questions and they should be asked. So keep asking questions.

Oh and if you ever have spare tickets to the Masters, don’t say I didn’t ask.

Easter Is Not Over

Although the Sunday after Easter has traditionally been called “low Sunday,” the liturgical calendar of the church calls the time between Easter and Pentecost “Eastertide.” The use of the coastline image in naming the season suggests that Easter is not as much like one big wave hitting the shore as it is like a tide that for a period of time affects the whole coastline. 

There are several books that for me underscore Eastertide’s message that Easter is not only about God in Christ overcoming death, it is also about spring’s revelation of God’s presence among us in the wonder of this world. One little book that has been particularly helpful to me in recognizing this, not just at Easter but in all of life, is 100 Ways to Keep the Soul Alive by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. An example of the kind of things that are in the book is this quotation from Lawrence Kushner’s God Was in This Place and I Did Not Know: “There is another world right here within this one, whenever we pay attention.”

Three books written by an English theologian, Nicholas Lash, particularly focus on Easter’s message for keeping the soul alive. The first is Theology on Dover Beach. The second is Theology on the Way to Emmaus, and the third is Easter in Ordinary. Theology on Dover Beach is a response to a 19th century poem by Matthew Arnold that describes the depressing view of the sea from the Dover coast as a symbol of the meaninglessness of life. A response to such meaninglessness, according to Lash, is where theology belongs.

Then, in moving to a biblical story and symbol, Theology on the Way to Emmaus suggests that the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection is most likely to be discovered after Easter in the ordinary events of life, like the disciples’ walk to Emmaus. Lash’s message in Easter in Ordinary pulls together words from 17th century English poet, George Herbert, and the 19th century’s Gerard Manley Hopkins, both speaking of prayer. Herbert describes prayer as “heaven in
ordinaire. . . God’s breath in man returning to his birth, the soul in paraphrase.”  Hopkin’s way of talking about prayer is significant to Lash in the way he uses Easter as a verb: “Let him easter in us, be a dayspring to the dimness in us.”

Easter is not so much a wave as a tide in which we are challenged to pray that the Christ will “easter in us.”  Easter is not really over.

John Patton

Rev. Dr. John Patton is a retired clergy member of the North Georgia Annual Conference and Professor of Pastoral Theology Emeritus, Columbia Theological Seminary. He and his family are long-time members of Glenn.

The Weight of Words: Poetry for Holy Week

As we journey together towards Easter, may these words prompt reflection and lend deeper meaning to your experience of Holy Week.
 

"Gethsemane"
Mary Oliver

The grass never sleeps.
Or the roses.
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning.

Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.
The cricket has such splendid fringe on its feet,
and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body,
and heaven knows it never sleeps.

Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did,
maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn't move,
maybe the lake far away, where once he walked as on a
blue pavement, lay still and waited, wild awake.

Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not
keep that vigil, how they must have wept,
so utterly human, knowing this too
must be a part of the story.

"Loss is Indeed Our Gain"
Walter Brueggemann

The Pushing and Shoving in the world is endless.
      We are pushed and shoved.
      And we do our share of pushing and shoving
           in our great anxiety.
      And in the middle of that
           you have set down your beloved suffering son
           who was like a sheep led to slaughter
           who opened not his mouth.
      We seem not able,
      so we ask you to create space in our life
      where we may ponder his suffering
      and your summons for us to suffer with him,
      suspecting that suffering is the only way to newness.
So we pray for your church in these Lenten days,
      when we are driven to denial —
           not to notice the suffering,
           not to engage it,
           not to acknowledge it.
So be that way of truth among us
       that we should not deceive ourselves.
That we shall see that loss is indeed our gain.
We give you thanks for that mystery from which we live.
Amen.

"Be Still and Wait"
Emily Gibson

This in-between day
after all had gone so wrong
before all will go so right,
puts us between the rock
and the hard place:
all hope, love and faith is squeezed from us.

Today we are flattened,
dried like chaff,
ground to pulp,
our destiny with death sealed.

We lie still
like sprinkled spices
trying to delay
inevitable decay,
wrapped up tight
stone cold
and futile.
The rock is rolled into place
so we lie underneath,
crushed and broken.
We are inside,
our bodies like His.
We are outside,
cut off and left behind.
We cannot know about tomorrow,
we do not fathom what is soon to come:
the stone lifted and rolled away,
the separation bridged,
the darkness giving way to light,
the crushed and broken rising to dance,
and the waiting stillness stirring, inexplicably,
to celebrate new life.

Member Spotlight: Edie Twomey

As we prepare to enter Holy Week, we're bringing you an interview with the woman who helps to pull it all off: Edie Twomey, chair of the Altar Guild. She along with countless other Altar Guild members work to prepare our spaces for worship each Sunday, and during Lent and Easter, all of the other special services as well. It's a large job!

So, if you see an Altar Guild member in the coming weeks, give them a hug.

How long have you been a member at Glenn and where do you find yourself giving back to the life of the congregation?

I joined Glenn in 1994 when my daughter was five years old and my son was two. Like a lot of members, I came to the church through The Glenn School. My children were comfortable here. They attended Sunday school, sang in the choir, were baptized and confirmed at Glenn. When I first joined Glenn, I participated in the church by teaching children’s Sunday school and serving on Children’s Council.

What is the Altar Guild and where might we see its fingerprints around Glenn?

After taking a break for several years, I returned to Glenn and discovered kindred spirits in the Altar Guild. The duties of Altar Guild run from the mundane to the sublime. We make sure the Sanctuary and Little Chapel are ready for worship every Sunday. Hymnals are facing forward, pens, offering envelopes and attendance pads are in place. Brass is polished, candles are filled with oil and wicks are trimmed. Paraments are in place and the Bible is on the lectern with the readings marked. If there is a Baptism or it is Communion Sunday we are ready with the font in place and a pitcher of water nearby or the communion table is set with a white tablecloth, wine and bread at hand and the kneelers in place. All these simple tasks contribute to the creation of a sacred space that prepares us to receive God’s word.

What is your favorite liturgical season of the church?

Beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with the Easter Vigil, the season of Lent is my favorite liturgical season. The Altar Guild saves palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday and burns them to make ashes for Ash Wednesday. The Cross is installed on the lawn outside the church school building and draped in purple. As Holy Week approaches the Altar Guild really moves into high gear.  Palms are ordered for Palm Sunday and lilies are ordered for Easter. This year for Maundy Thursday, we will repeat the Upper Room service we introduced last year. Altar Guild members bring their china and crystal to the fellowship hall and round tables are set as we reenact the Last Supper and affirm the Holy sacrament of communion. It is a very special service appealing to young and old. On Good Friday we set up for the somber Tenebrae service in the Sanctuary where candles are snuffed and we depart the Sanctuary in silence. The Easter vigil on Saturday evening begins with a bonfire outside the Sanctuary. Light is brought back into the church as a torch lit outside is brought inside to light the Paschal candle.

Most of Altar Guild’s work is done behind the scenes; you seem to be the care-takers of our spaces of worship. How has this informed your faith? 

As with many experiences in life, the more you give the more you get back. As we move through Holy Week I have discovered that assembling the elements that go into each of the services has deepened my faith and my understanding of Christ’s message. In addition, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most dedicated and loyal members of Glenn who work quietly behind the scenes to ensure our worship services inspire and enhance our relationship with God.

Thanks, Edie, for sharing your experience with us and giving of your time and passion for Glenn!

Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day

This past Sunday evening, our Chancel Choir presented Handel’s cantata, “Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day.” Accompanied by orchestra, the choir sang beautifully and brought to vivid life the powerful words of John Dryden and Handel’s prophetic music. Profound thanks are due to the choir for the many rehearsals and hours of hard work they invested to master musical and vocal challenges and to manifest the understanding and expression necessary to realize the poet’s and composer’s meaning.  

In this work, Dryden and Handel explore and celebrate the God given power of music in the universe and in humanity. Included below is Dryden’s Poem “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day.” We know of this power of music as cited in the Bible: the walls of Jericho falling at the sound of the Israelites’ trumpets; at the institution of Solomon’s temple, the musicians singing and playing with such character that a cloud filled the temple so that the priests could not see to minister; and “the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised.” This is the inspiration for Dryden’s final line, “And music shall untune the sky." Thus music will bring about the coming of Christ and the end of this world as depicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:

For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever.

Such major musical works have a time-honored role in the life of the church. Extended subjects such as music’s role in God’s creation call for a larger canvas than is available in a typical three-minute service anthem. This enables the poet and composer to search more deeply and broadly for theological meaning and to use a wider variety and greater force of rhetoric to declaim this to hearers.

Similarly, undertaking these gives the choir an inspiring challenge they can rally toward and thus learn new skills and advance their commitment and discipline. These strengthened attributes carry forward into anthems through ensuing weeks, so that the choir’s improved singing enhances worship into the future. The choir strives always to improve, so that they might bring the word of God through music ever more truly to our congregation.

We are grateful to our choir, for their ever faithful witness, and to our church, which supports music so strongly, and to our United Methodist faith, which soars so truly on the wings of song.   

Steven Darsey

“A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day”
John Dryden

Stanza 1

From harmony, from Heav'nly harmony
This universal frame began.
When Nature underneath a heap
Of jarring atoms lay,
And could not heave her head,
The tuneful voice was heard from high,
Arise ye more than dead.
Then cold, and hot, and moist, and dry,
In order to their stations leap,
And music's pow'r obey.
From harmony, from Heav'nly harmony
This universal frame began:
From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in man.

Stanza 2

What passion cannot music raise and quell!
When Jubal struck the corded shell,
His list'ning brethren stood around
And wond'ring, on their faces fell
To worship that celestial sound:
Less than a god they thought there could not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell
That spoke so sweetly and so well.
What passion cannot music raise and quell!

Stanza 3

The trumpet's loud clangor
Excites us to arms
With shrill notes of anger
And mortal alarms.
The double double double beat
Of the thund'ring drum
Cries, hark the foes come;
Charge, charge, 'tis too late to retreat.

Stanza 4

The soft complaining flute
In dying notes discovers
The woes of hopeless lovers,
Whose dirge is whisper'd by the warbling lute.

Stanza 5

Sharp violins proclaim
Their jealous pangs, and desperation,
Fury, frantic indignation,
Depth of pains and height of passion,
For the fair, disdainful dame.

Stanza 6

But oh! what art can teach
What human voice can reach
The sacred organ's praise?
Notes inspiring holy love,
Notes that wing their Heav'nly ways
To mend the choirs above.

Stanza 7

Orpheus could lead the savage race;
And trees unrooted left their place;
Sequacious of the lyre:
But bright Cecilia rais'd the wonder high'r;
When to her organ, vocal breath was giv'n,
An angel heard, and straight appear'd
Mistaking earth for Heav'n.

GRAND CHORUS

As from the pow'r of sacred lay
The spheres began to move,
And sung the great Creator's praise
To all the bless'd above;
So when the last and dreadful hour
This crumbling pageant shall devour,
The trumpet shall be heard on high,
The dead shall live, the living die,
And music shall untune the sky.

Professor English’s Window

I love the light this time of year. The sun’s rays arrive here softer and more golden, and the shorter days mean the sun is still low enough during the early service to stream through the stained glass window behind the Little Chapel’s altar. They land on the wall to the left of the lectern as bright smudges of color. From my position in the pew, they look like thoughts floating over the speaker’s head.

Virginia “Ginger” Smith, who coordinates Glenn’s lay readers, knows quite a bit about this stained glass. She was a good friend of the man who donated it, Thomas English, who was a professor of English at Emory and a Glenn Church member. Given in memory of his wife, Rachel Willet English, the window depicts the wedding at Cana, where Jesus turned water to wine. Henry Lee Willet, who designed the window, was Rachel’s brother.

Ginger points out a small orange shape in the right-side panel of the window – a rendering of the Princeton coat of arms. “Tom was a Princeton man,” she says. “But before that he was an Illinois farm boy who earned a scholarship to Princeton. This was in the nineteen teens.”

His wife, Rachel, was one of the Willets, a prominent Philadelphia family known as stained glass artists. One of their windows happened to be installed on the Princeton campus, in a building Tom frequented as a student.

“He was so taken by the window that he wrote a poem about it and shared it with someone on the Princeton faculty. This person knew the Willets and sent it to them. The Willets were so impressed, they invited young Tom to come visit and this is how he met Rachel,” Ginger says.

She wonders what this well-known family must have thought of their daughter falling for a farmer. “They were married for decades. It’s such a romantic story,” she says. I wonder at the storybook circumstances that bring people together and how sometimes art and love and poetry work together to create something beautiful.

Irene Hatchett
Communications Team

Behind the Scenes

Each year, Glenn's youth spend countless hours pulling off a play or musical production. This year they performed "The Potato Play", a piece written by one of their own, high school senior Robert Cushing. The play offers youth the space to shine and share their talents - from writing the actual script to managing the sound board. Here's a behind the scenes look at how many hands it takes to pull off the play:

We couldn’t do it alone! To our amazing volunteers – set build and design, props, costumes, makeup, set crew, publicity, concessions, ticket sales, and organizing food for this huge cast – you did it all! People of all ages and stages came out to support our youth. We are so thankful for you!

Blair

Photography by Britt Else

The Taxonomy of the Seven Deadly Sins

It is the first Sunday of Lent. And here I am realizing that I had not mended or cleaned my orb. The "orb" is part of the vestments still worn in some protestant churches. Specifically, it is the white collar that flows out over the shoulders. But I knew what to do - borrow someone else's orb who was unlikely to be here.

I looked quickly down the list. Ted. A really nice student who rarely attends (I have seen him once this year). I sit next to him frequently even though I am in the tenor section and he is in the baritone or bass section.

Certainly Ted won't be here. I take the orb from his robe and immediately the feel is different than mine. I'm wearing a nearly thread-bare piece of cloth that picks up dust and dirt just being in the closet. Ted's still has a sheen on it; it must weigh 3 times mine and I can even read the label in it. Hmmm...what if I were to swap it? Not today, but permanently.

Pride: "I'm here most every Sunday, surely I should look good! Plus, I'm on the very first seat of the first row of chairs, quite visible to the congregation."

Envy/Lust: "I could sleep in this orb. It’s mostly clean, a little ironing and it will look new. Surely he didn't bring his own vestments. How did this almost virgin piece of clothing escape attention all these years?"

Greed: "I want to be the best at whatever I do. I want to sing like Magda. I want to look like Fred Astaire. I want to have it all. After all, I go to a church where it appears that many people already have it all. My offering is working hard in the choir - can't I have it all from where I am at?"

Wrath: "For all the money they pay the section leaders, they can't come up with nice vestments for the troopers?"

Sloth: "It will take hours of delicate cleaning and spray starch to even approach Ted's orb. Do I have that kind of time?"

Gluttony: "Heck, maybe I'll move several around and just have a spare. A nice one for those Sundays when you want to shine, and the other to pick up coffee stains."

The first Sunday of Lent. It’s going to take a lot of practice. So far, I just washed, ironed, and starched both orbs. Still deciding...

Jack Nickles

Blessed Be The Kids @ Glenn

"33 kids, more or less. One sermon written by a 10 year old in one month. One pastoral prayer written by my friend Susanna in one month. One benediction written by my brother James. A prayer of thanksgiving prepared by my cousins. 3 children's choirs with little time to practice. Writing the affirmation of faith in one Sunday School hour. 45 minutes this morning to practice. This is a true story of the children of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church in 2016. We give thanks to God for strong will and our growing faith. No matter if you’re a kid like me or a grown up - Jesus said it best: 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.'" - Carter Hales, 5th grader

Carter Hales delivering his sermon

"The best part was standing up at the front and reading my part. I was afraid of messing up but I liked everybody listening to me."  - James, 3rd grader. His mom goes on to say, “He also was very excited to go to church Sunday morning - which is rather unusual. He kept saying, "I can't wait for Children's Sabbath!"

Blessed be, indeed! Reflecting on a wonderful Sunday of our children leading worship, I am honored and humbled to serve in ministry alongside these remarkable children. I am grateful for a congregation that nurtures and celebrates all ages.

And just when we think this week couldn't get any better for Kids @ Glenn? Join us for a special Children's Ash Wednesday Service tonight at 6:15 p.m. in the Little Chapel (don't be late...it really is only 15 minutes!).

Grace and Peace,

Susan

A Sacred Space

This past weekend close to 50 Glenn women shared time and fellowship with one another at the annual Women’s Retreat. Held at Callaway Gardens, the group dove into the theme “Seasons of Our Lives” led by Rev. Blair Setnor. A time of rejuvenation and “infinite connections” according to Cheryl Griffin, this retreat has proven to be enriching and formative for many women year after year:

"As a longtime member of Glenn (75 years), I rejoice in Glenn’s future because of the strength, love and appreciation for each other and for our church that was so evident among the women who attended the Women’s Retreat. It was indeed a treat for me!"  Betty Asbury

"Our church is full of amazing women! I loved having time to have real conversations with old and new friends at the retreat. Sharing about our seasons of life strengthened connections and support for one another. I also can't say when I laughed so much, but it was probably at last year's women's retreat!"  Sara McKlin

"It was truly restorative to get away to beautiful Callaway Gardens for the weekend - but more than the location itself, I felt that spending time with the amazing women of Glenn was even more rejuvenating. I am constantly amazed by our multi-generational church family, and that was on full display here. As we discussed the seasons of our lives, it was so special to hear from strong women of all ages going through different joys and struggles, and to hear women who have already been there share their understanding and wisdom. From two months old (Baby Bess Shepherd got a wonderful welcome!) to 88 years old, every woman's story gave me hope for our church and our world. Please join us next year!"  Claire Asbury Lennox

A church community functions in many ways, but one of the most rewarding is simply doing everyday life together…choosing to gather regularly in support, encouragement, and inspiration. The Women’s Retreat is one of those sacred gathering spaces in our community, a space where women are encouraged to be themselves wholly and live into their unique story.  

If you were unable to attend this year, know that another season will roll around. Do your whole self a favor and GO!

Cynthia Shepherd and newborn daughter, Bess.

Left to right: Sara Maughan, Sara McKlin, Alison Mallard

Left to right: Betty Asbury, Claire Asbury Lennox, Nancy Asbury

Everybody!

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

For our Wednesday Nights at Glenn main stage program this evening, and for 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship this Sunday, we will sing hymns of Charles Wesley. Author of the words to over 6,000 hymns, Charles Wesley gave his brother John’s Methodist movement the wings of song. The music to one of these hymn’s, “O Thou Who Camest from Above,” was written by Charles’s grandson, Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810-1876), a leading church musician of his day.  

Through these hymns, not only will we worship through the poetic artistry and theological depth of Charles Wesley’s hymns, we will also undertake to follow John Wesley’s admonitions to raise these in song in a manner that commends our souls to God. You can find his Directions for Singing on page vii of our hymnal. May we ever strive to embody the Wesleys’ passion and faith in our singing and worship:

There let it for Thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return,
In humble prayer and fervent praise.
(O Thou Who Camest From Above)

The debt we Methodists, and Christians worldwide, owe Charles Wesley cannot be measured.

The Methodist movement was greatly facilitated by Charles’ hymns and their famous “lusty” singing. From the 16th century, the English reformation followed John Calvin’s precept that worship should not include words written by humans – hymns, but only those written by God – scripture. Thus, from the Reformation through most of the 18th century, congregational singing in the English speaking world, including the American colonies, consisted principally of metrical psalms, not hymns. Isaac Watts (1674-1748) and the Wesleys are the pioneers that brought the hymn singing revolution to congregational worship. 

John set the theological direction of the hymns they sang, selected the composers and edited the Methodist hymnals. Ever with a “method,” John Wesley insisted on standards of theology, poetry, music and taste. For example, a hymn written by Charles in our Lessons and Carols service, “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending,” we sing to the same tune the Wesleys used – Helmsley – which embodies a nobility appropriate to the subject. He and Charles did not always agree. For example, John excluded Charles’s great “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” from their definitive Wesleyan hymnal of 1780, presumably because of John’s known objection to the use of intimate language in reference to Jesus or God.

Charles loved great music and bred his children to it. His son Samuel and his grandson Samuel Sebastian Wesley figure among England’s greatest composers. As one measure of Charles Wesley’s influence, find the “Composers” index in our hymnal, and that of other hymnals when you find them, and count the number of his hymns included. The currency of his work is very impressive. Among his most well-known, are “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “Christ the Lord is risen Today.” It is a commonplace that hymns are the strongest purveyor of theology, for we take them from worship and sing them through our daily lives. Thus, over the centuries, Charles Wesley has set many thousands of tongues singing “Glory to the new-born King.”

Steven Darsey

From the Archives: 1956

If you thought the post on 1955 was a blast from the past, this one featuring 1956 will also remind you how much things have changed around Glenn.

As you read on, you'll also be reminded of how history tends to repeat itself. 60 years ago at Glenn, the young adults were trying to establish their own place and identity within the church, the youth were plentiful and active in the community, General Conference saw the passing of legislation regarding non-discrimination on the basis of race, and congregants faced the issue of political upheaval abroad and chose to adopt a refugee family from Holland.

A lot has changed. Yet a lot remains the same. As we dive into old issues of The Spire and notice the cyclical nature of time, we're faced with a question: "How will the church respond this time around?"

"Our Church School: The Builders Class"
January, 1956

The Builders Class was conceived during the latter part of World War II, largely through the efforts of Mrs. Emmett S. Johnson, then the Pastor’s Assistant. She and others recognized that many young adults in the University and neighboring community were not attending Glenn’s Church School because they could not find a suitable place in the existing School structure. Graduate students, young working people, and returning veterans formed the first ranks and soon made the class active in church and social functions. An early innovation was the Breakfast Club which gathered together before the school session. The building of a better world through greater spiritual understanding might well describe the theme of the Builders Class. The members chose their topics and generate stimulating and informative discussions under the leadership of a selected teacher. Such subjects include Protestant Beliefs, Communism, Romans, Religions of the World, and Missions.
 

"Glenn’s Young People Need Full Support"
January, 1956
If you were one of the privileged workers with youth, you could not help being thrilled with the interest, growth, and accomplishments of our young people. The parade of events that they carefully plan in their council meetings which meet once a month make possible growth within the individual lives of the members, but seek to extend the arms of Christ out into the community and throughout the world. The month of December was a stir with activities. Young people from all three divisions worked together to bring the Christmas story alive through their pageant; groups made visits to shut-ins and homes for the aged; 36 boys and girls from the Methodist Children’s Home enjoyed a Christmas Party given by the Intermediate Department; and when the six months’ givings for the Methodist Youth Fund was totaled, we found that we had given $201, leading the churches in the Atlanta East District.
 

"Mrs. Trimble Reports on Conference"
May, 1956
The General Conference of the Methodist Church held its recent quadrennial session in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There were 766 delegates, equally divided between ministers and laymen, representing one hundred and thirty-two conferences. The North Georgia Conference had twelve delegates. The proposed program was unanimously adopted. Much legislation of interest to all our people was enacted: the church declared the policy of non-discrimination on a basis of race and left implementation of that principle on a local option basis. Full clergy rights were granted to women. The liquor industry was strongly condemned as a spreading menace to the health and welfare of the nation. The missionary budget of the church was raised from thirty to forty-nine million dollars for the quadrennium.
 

"Glenn Acts to Sponsor Refugee Family From Holland"
May, 1956
The Refugee Relief Act of 1953 was enacted to provide through nationwide church participation a plan for the resettlement in the United States of worthy families driven from their homes in Europe and Asia by political upheaval. These Displaced Persons are neither symbols nor statistics – they are real human beings who have undergone tragedy and sacrifice. When a family is chosen, the church submits to MCOR (Methodist Committee for Overseas Relief) an assurance that employment will be available for the head of the family and that the family’s immediate needs for transportation from the point of entry to their new home, housing, and a small “nest egg” will be supplied. Thus a new life may be born for a family through the missionary effort of the church. Within a few months, Glenn was able to select Mr. and Mrs. Gustaef L. Thiess. Mr. Thiess, an architectural draftsman, was born in Indonesia. Mrs. Thiess has had experience teaching children. The couple, who have no children, were strongly recommended by the World Council of Churches.

Once again, our deepest gratitude to the late Bob Gerwig for his gifts of paper and time, ensuring that Glenn remembers and continues to tell its story.

The Communications Team

Everything Changes and Remains the Same

Seven years ago today I preached my first sermon as a college intern at Greenville UMC in Greenville, GA. I know this date because not only did social media remind me of this occasion, but it showed me a video posted from it that I had long since forgotten about. So I shared the video with my Facebook friends and I started my day with reliving this moment from the past.

As I am sure you can imagine, a few things have changed in the last seven years. My wife, Alli, and I hadn’t even met yet when I preached that sermon! However, in spite of the many ways that I have changed from this time seven years ago, there are many things that have stayed the same. The content of that sermon seems like something I would still preach; the style is similar to my current casual and excitable demeanor; the prayer before the sermon is how I still introduce my sermons.

The older I get, the more amazed I am to see how much things change yet how much they remain the same. This was the case as I watched the younger version of myself deliver a sermon and it is the case for many areas of my life. Even though I have experienced this paradox for myself, I still tend to naturally fear change. I suspect most people do. I become afraid that change will transform me into a fundamentally different person, but life experience shows me again and again that this is not what happens. Most often, I grow or evolve. I have yet to completely change at my very core.

The beauty of change is that it gives us reason to grow. Seven years ago, my core convictions of God’s love and grace being available to all were present, but it was a lot more difficult to articulate them. I believed that sermons should be passionate, but I didn’t yet understand that every once in a while you have to take a deep breath and allow something to resonate. Even then, I desired to see a more inclusive and accepting church, but I did not yet understand the importance of inclusive language and gender neutral pronouns. Over these seven years, it was always change that challenged me to seek a richer theology and provided opportunities of growth.

The first month of a fresh year was an appropriate time for social media to remind me of the passage of time and its accompanying changes. It made me ponder what changes will take place at Glenn. A new year means new faces in our community and in our church family. A successful capital campaign means that we will be renovating and changing our facilities. The prospect of an updated YAAB will mean new youth and children at Glenn. 2016 will bring with it new members, visitors, activities, ministries, and opportunities. We know change will happen this year because it always does.

My hope is that all of us will lean into that change, to be willing to grow and evolve in 2016. As long as our foundation remains strong, we can grow in the midst of change. So how can you accept change as an opportunity to grow in 2016? How can you deepen your theology, improve your practices, and evolve in this year without sacrificing your core convictions? After all, everything will change, but it will somehow remain the same.

Kaylen

On Writing and the Unexpected

Writing is a great way to process so many things that we deal with in our lives. Yet, the age of digital communications, such as Twitter, Facebook and emails, and the emphasis on concise speech with bullet points and time limits reduces the benefits the written word gives us. Honestly, how much processing can one really do in 140 characters?

I missed writing. I know no one stopped me from writing in a journal or keeping a diary, but I just could not seem to start. Luckily for me, Claire Asbury Lennox started a writing class at Glenn last year. I thought this would be just the focus I needed to be more diligent and disciplined about creative writing. 

For reasons I am now forgetting, the year 2015 brought more reflections on events and people from my past. I wished I could ask Mom or Dad; why hadn’t I asked Mom or Dad? Now they are not available for the questions. I suppose it is just my age that made me realize how quickly facts and memories slip away from a family if someone does not write their stories. 

My mother must have had the same realization when she was around my age. I have lots of facts about relatives and pieces of furniture. My grandmother was a librarian, and she provided lots of identification about folks in old pictures, including writing their names on their foreheads in the picture! I found myself longing for the rich stories associated with these people and places. I struggle to remember the stories I have heard about these relatives. For me, it is not the big facts of who married whom and where they lived. I wanted to preserve the jokes told at a family reunion and the small shared moments together. In case my children ever have this same curiosity, I thought I better start writing at least what I know. This project is my own little Story Corp for our family, and Claire’s class would provide the impetus to begin.

Claire was finishing her Masters in Fine Arts at the time she began the class. She had requirements needed to complete the program, and teaching this class would help her meet those. For her students (US!), Claire offered the skills she was being taught. Claire emphasized the class would be a memoir writing class and began by teaching from the wealth of resources she has on constructing memoirs. She introduced us to passages that were constructed in ways that conveyed emotions and to phrases used to emphasize the author’s intent with a minimum of well-chosen words. Claire gave us exercises in class to help us learn to dredge up the feelings that are associated with the facts we remember. (At one point, Claire was ready to move on, I think, and we begged for more exercises!) 

Try one yourself. Write down five public events that occurred during your life before age 18. Take only about 3 minutes to make the list. Now, pick one and write about the event, emphasizing how you felt when you learned the news, how people around you reacted, and how the event changed you, if it did. The class members my age included on our lists the day John Kennedy was shot and the Vietnam War. The younger members led off with the events on 9/11. The Challenger explosion was an overlap between the age groups. We only wrote about our chosen event for about 10 minutes, and we only shared our piece if we desired to do so. Once the sharing began, we were enthralled by the different perspectives each of us had on the same event. I was amazed by what memories lingered way back in my brain!

If you know Claire, you know she is generous with her talents and positive in her approach. Claire is the same when she teaches. That said, Claire could be much tougher on me than she is. Attempts have been made, and several pieces are in progress on documenting the memories of my life. I still have the bad habits of thinking I’ll finish that later and of putting other mundane things in life ahead of my goals for writing. Maybe confessing this on a church blog will provide the magic elixir to be more proactive on this project. 

Even knowing I am not prioritizing my writing project, I will continue to participate in Claire’s new sessions. I love learning of other people’s approaches to their projects and hearing their pieces. I am inspired by the diligence others bring to their projects and encouraged to do more. I am delighted to be the recipient of Claire’s knowledge of this area. I enjoy having a class so different from my occupation in which to participate. 

Our core group is supportive and close. Where else do you find friends to listen to your home movies, who will gently tell you how to change that phrase to gain emphasis on the emotions you were trying to convey, who will pat you on the arm if tears come along with the words. Being true to the spirit of Glenn, we do not always stick to memoir writing, either. Our members have shared fiction, poetry, and even stories written through obituaries.

Glenn is indeed a rich spiritual community. Glenn offers support in ways we would expect of a church community and in many ways I would not expect. Writing class is one of those unexpected pleasures. I hope others will be encouraged to take advantage of this creative outlet to hone their writing skills and keep an art form, which we too often forget to practice, alive!

Ann Rushing

The class "Writing Your World" will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Room 401 of the Church School Building on the following Sunday evenings: January 31, February 14, February 28, March 13, April 10, and April 21. Cost is $60.00. For more information and to sign up, contact Claire Asbury Lennox at clasbury10@gmail.com.

What Are Your Plans?

My cousins Joseph, Cathy, and Ann grew up on a farm in South Georgia. It was the same farm that my mother and her sister and brother grew up on. It was the same farm we visited as children when we went to see my mother’s side of the family on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This farm is no longer a legal part of our family; however, the memories of our time spent fishing in the lakes, hiding in the tobacco barns, and teasing the hogs will be a part of my life forever. 

My Aunt Janice died last December 26 and we traveled down to Lakeland United Methodist Church to join with family and friends to celebrate her life. My Aunt Janice and Uncle Pete raised their children, my three cousins, on that farm and most of the stories told that day came from those days.

The story that has stayed with me all year, and the one I think of as we enter a new year, 2016, is one that my cousin Joseph told as he delivered his mother’s eulogy. He told of how she would come into their bedrooms early on Saturday morning carrying a cup of cold water. She would dip her fingers into the water and flick the water on his face until he would wake up. She would then say, “What are your plans? What are your plans for the day?” Joseph said that his first thoughts were always something like “Well, after I get rid of you, I plan to go back to sleep.” She would continue to flick water on his face until he responded with some reasonable plan for the day.

Joseph told those gathered for his mother’s funeral that as a teenage boy he hated that Saturday morning ritual. All of his friends got to sleep as long as they wanted to. He, on the other hand, had to get up with some kind of a plan for the day. As he recalled this memory, Joseph confessed that as an adult he realized this obnoxious Saturday morning ritual had instilled in him a sense of motivation and direction that to this day enables him to live intentionally. 

While even the best of plans can change in a moment’s notice, not having any plans for our lives is dangerous. It can lead to aimless wandering, futility and, ultimately, despair. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that even God has a plan for God’s children: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God’s plan for us is to love us, to care for us, and to give us one day after another in which we can live intentionally.

As my Aunt Janice might ask, “As you enter 2016, what are your plans?”

Wishing each and everyone a Happy New Year!

Peace, Alice

Gift of God to me and the world

Our final post in this Advent series is on the 5:00 p.m. Christmas Service. Glenn member Amy Bugg Burke writes on her own memories, reminding us of why it is indeed a community favorite and a beloved tradition.

When my dear friend Nancy Fleming found out I was pregnant with my son, she insisted that we should be the Holy Family at the Christmas Eve service the next year.

“But won’t Joseph be too old? He’s due in May!”

“No! He’ll just be an Epiphany baby! It will be great! You have to do it!”

Glenn’s 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service is the most important of all my Christmas traditions. I have not missed a single year since I was about six weeks old – indeed, I have refused other plans at Christmas simply because they would mean missing this beloved service.

Although there have been a few years when I enjoyed being a part of the congregation, I much prefer participating. Growing up, I sang in the children’s choir, the Parish choir, and in a trio for “What Child is This?” I wore a paper mache donkey head (twice!) and spent several years as a rather ungraceful sacred dancer. After I went off to college, Nancy invited me back to help her wrangle dancers and 5th grade angels, which I did for many years (mostly so that I could spend time with her and enjoy one of the best seats in the house up on stage). Five years ago, I had the privilege of portraying the holy family with my husband and our son.

On that rainy Christmas Eve, Ryan and I somehow managed to make it to the front of the church and say our lines – the same lines I had been hearing (with minor tweaks here and there) every Christmas for 32 years. Moments later, we were headed behind the triptych to take the pillow out from under my robe and present “baby Jesus” to the congregation.

We brought Joseph out, and I proudly held him up for all to see while Ryan went to light the Christ candle. I had been afraid that Joseph would be too cold, or that he’d be afraid of the loud organ and bright lights, but he was comfortable in my arms and mesmerized by everything going on around him. It turns out that 7 months is a wonderful age to play baby Jesus! That year they also decided that Mary should sing a lullaby to the baby. Watching Joseph look around with wonder while I sang, I felt the rush of joy that all mothers feel for their young babies in those special, tender moments. Even now, tears spring to my eyes as I remember that sweet, warm baby in my arms (now a rowdy five year old). I find myself imagining another young girl on the very first Christmas night, also holding her new baby, warm and sweet:

Rock-a-bye, my dear little boy, dear little boy,
wonder of wonders, my blessing and joy;
slumber as I gently hold you,
let my tender love enfold you;
gift of God to me and the world,
here in my arms lies so peacefully curled.

Little Jesus, Infant Divine, Infant Divine,
one with the Father, yet born to be mine;
as I rock you calmly sleeping,
angel guards their watch are keeping;
precious child, one day we shall see
what love has destined for you and for me.

Whether this is your 1st, 38th, or 50th year at Glenn, I hope you will come and enjoy this special re-telling of the Christmas story at our Christmas Eve service. It may be a little crowded and noisy – babies will cry as parents strip sweaters off complaining toddlers – but by the end, when the candles are lit and we all sing “Silent Night,” you may also experience the joy and wonder of the Christ child, and the peace that he brings to us.

Amy Bugg Burke

A d v e n t

For our fourth post in the series, Glenn member and Lay Minister John Roeser shares a poem he wrote about the heavy and hard moments we often encounter in this season of waiting. All are welcome to come to "In the Bleak Midwinter: A Service of Grief and Hope" this Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Chapel.

a single candle was glowing a light and bright yellow -
alone - but for a reason,
for in this season, we wait

this single candle stood with three others -
their dark wicks stood sentry -
a clock with four positions
one lit, three quietly
even reverently telling us -
this is a new season, we wait

I had a closer view of this rack of four
moving up to the communion rail -
turned to my right and saw this new widow
she too, might have been staring at this light
but our eyes met - she smiled brightly
I was surprised and then I wasn't
for she knew in this season of hope, we wait

her handkerchief in her hand was knotted tight
her world changed over the weekend past,
dear John, put up a fight
darkness coming, it will soon be night
but that single light -
a side of this quadrangle of hope
stays in our minds - our minds
maybe race ahead - but our faith
is strengthened and allows
us to wait