Roots of Peoples United Methodist Church
Part 62 Outside Organization Effects Local Church Actions and Activities
Let us begin this break with a brief look beyond the local church and see what was evolving first in the United Methodist Church. From the research that this writer has done I have found little "new history" from the time of the merger in 1968 with the United Evangelical Brethren Church. At the time that merger took place United Methodism could claim over 11 million members worldwide. Since that time membership in North America and Europe has significantly declined. This has also been a phenomenon experienced by other mainline Christian churches including the Catholic Church. While this can be seen in collected membership statistics it is also true and provable that United Methodism has grown significantly in Asia and Africa.
Those folks becoming pastors over this same period of time have seen a significant growth in the number of women who have become pastors while over that same period the number of men has dramatically declined. Another statistic to note is that the number of folks hearing their "call to ministry" have, in many instances, been at an older age. Many have experienced work in a number of other fields before becoming pastors. Since 1980 there has also been an increase in the number of women appointed to serve as District Superintendents and Bishops of the United Methodist Church. The first female Bishop in the United Methodist Church was Marjorie Matthews who was not appointed to that position until 1980.
A number of critical issues have added struggle to United Methodism. The church has made position statements on such far ranging issues as nuclear power, world peace, human sexuality, environmental concerns, abortion, AIDS, Evangelism and World Mission. All members did not agree upon some of those positions. Many members may have been bothered and in disagreement with the stance of a particular statement. As a result some members have taken leave of the church because they did not agree with a stance taken by leadership that may have seemed distant to the feelings of the local church. We can look at history of the church in just the state of Maine and find differences politically and socially from one end of the state to the other. When geographically speaking the United Methodist denomination like many others is global in organization it is difficult for all to be in agreement with statements that the denomination are to uphold. Perhaps, in part, it is for reasons such as this that many smaller denominations or singular parishes seem to be growing while the denominations that try to be all things to all people are struggling. Some of the above taken from "History: Our Story" found on the website of the United Methodist Church at UMC.org/site/c/w/4kmnilth/b.1720691/k.B5CB/History.Our Story.htm.
There may also be a feeling that the leadership of the church has become more distant from the local church and its needs and thus the decline in membership has been dramatic. An article included in the Portland Press Herald on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 and commented on by Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, supported this feeling.
While not directly related to the commentary above it is important to know that the last revision of the United Methodist Hymnal was done in 1989 although since then the United Methodist church has created a more modern supplementary song book called, The Faith We Sing. The last revision of the Book of Worship was completed and accepted in 1992. Every few years the Book of Discipline is revised and updated. At the time of this writing there is a proposal for a new hymnal and the international church has asked for suggested submissions which is one way of keeping some contact with local parishioners.
The New England Conference was reformed with a signed agreement on July 16, 1992. This newly re-formed Conference came as a result of merging the conferences of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Many church leaders from the Maine and New Hampshire Conferences felt there would be value in the merger, but many were also afraid of its consequences. While the resources that are available from a larger conference can be gratifying there are some that feel the personality and character of the church changes organizationally. The significance of each local church to some seems to have been diminished especially in the remoter areas of the new conference.
Resource personnel have been hired as well as support staff. This calls for increased Mission Shares from local churches that struggle just to keep the doors open. Some District Superintendents have told local churches to take care of their own financially first and yet others have placed the emphasis on the conference.
In order to save money conference leadership has cut corners in some areas by reducing the number of resources available and have placed some of the burden on those that remain employed. With redistricting having taken place in the last few years the burden on District Superintendents to serve local congregations has also increased. In the relatively newly formed Tri-State District the number of local congregations that a superintendent is responsible for has increased exponentially thus reducing the number of occasions when the person in that position can effectively be in good communication with local pastors and their constituents. Part of this phenomenon is financially driven as opposed to spiritually driven. These comments from 2008 are a break in the chronological development of Peoples Roots, and a bit editorial. This writer would say that we are fortunate at present in having a husband and wife team of superintendents that have effectively been able to divide the district in half. Mike and Jan Davis have been more effective in reaching out to local congregations than a single person could possibly do if responsible for the full district.
Another step in the ladder of leadership has been in the creation of Clusters within smaller areas. This is not a new phenomenon locally because there was a cooperative parish that linked the churches of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Casco Bay Cluster is its successor and was formed in the 1990’s. This organization meets once a month and today includes the four South Portland churches, Cape Elizabeth, West Scarborough and Buxton. Together the pastors and the laity of these churches plan Lenten Services, have held a revival, hold a training program for members and advertise each others activities. On occasion other Cluster have been invited to send folks to participate in the activities of the Casco Bay Cluster. In 2008 there is talk about the possible merger with the Greater Portland Cluster. Interestingly that combination would basically be the shape, size and membership of the District presided over by a Superintendent as late as the 1960’s.
Many of the decisions of the local church are made in relationship to the organizational structure of the United Methodist Church that we have included in the preceding paragraphs. In our next installment of Roots we will make reference to world and national events that have altered our way of thinking and praying.
Part 62 Outside Organization Effects Local Church Actions and Activities
Let us begin this break with a brief look beyond the local church and see what was evolving first in the United Methodist Church. From the research that this writer has done I have found little "new history" from the time of the merger in 1968 with the United Evangelical Brethren Church. At the time that merger took place United Methodism could claim over 11 million members worldwide. Since that time membership in North America and Europe has significantly declined. This has also been a phenomenon experienced by other mainline Christian churches including the Catholic Church. While this can be seen in collected membership statistics it is also true and provable that United Methodism has grown significantly in Asia and Africa.
Those folks becoming pastors over this same period of time have seen a significant growth in the number of women who have become pastors while over that same period the number of men has dramatically declined. Another statistic to note is that the number of folks hearing their "call to ministry" have, in many instances, been at an older age. Many have experienced work in a number of other fields before becoming pastors. Since 1980 there has also been an increase in the number of women appointed to serve as District Superintendents and Bishops of the United Methodist Church. The first female Bishop in the United Methodist Church was Marjorie Matthews who was not appointed to that position until 1980.
A number of critical issues have added struggle to United Methodism. The church has made position statements on such far ranging issues as nuclear power, world peace, human sexuality, environmental concerns, abortion, AIDS, Evangelism and World Mission. All members did not agree upon some of those positions. Many members may have been bothered and in disagreement with the stance of a particular statement. As a result some members have taken leave of the church because they did not agree with a stance taken by leadership that may have seemed distant to the feelings of the local church. We can look at history of the church in just the state of Maine and find differences politically and socially from one end of the state to the other. When geographically speaking the United Methodist denomination like many others is global in organization it is difficult for all to be in agreement with statements that the denomination are to uphold. Perhaps, in part, it is for reasons such as this that many smaller denominations or singular parishes seem to be growing while the denominations that try to be all things to all people are struggling. Some of the above taken from "History: Our Story" found on the website of the United Methodist Church at UMC.org/site/c/w/4kmnilth/b.1720691/k.B5CB/History.Our Story.htm.
There may also be a feeling that the leadership of the church has become more distant from the local church and its needs and thus the decline in membership has been dramatic. An article included in the Portland Press Herald on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 and commented on by Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, supported this feeling.
While not directly related to the commentary above it is important to know that the last revision of the United Methodist Hymnal was done in 1989 although since then the United Methodist church has created a more modern supplementary song book called, The Faith We Sing. The last revision of the Book of Worship was completed and accepted in 1992. Every few years the Book of Discipline is revised and updated. At the time of this writing there is a proposal for a new hymnal and the international church has asked for suggested submissions which is one way of keeping some contact with local parishioners.
The New England Conference was reformed with a signed agreement on July 16, 1992. This newly re-formed Conference came as a result of merging the conferences of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Many church leaders from the Maine and New Hampshire Conferences felt there would be value in the merger, but many were also afraid of its consequences. While the resources that are available from a larger conference can be gratifying there are some that feel the personality and character of the church changes organizationally. The significance of each local church to some seems to have been diminished especially in the remoter areas of the new conference.
Resource personnel have been hired as well as support staff. This calls for increased Mission Shares from local churches that struggle just to keep the doors open. Some District Superintendents have told local churches to take care of their own financially first and yet others have placed the emphasis on the conference.
In order to save money conference leadership has cut corners in some areas by reducing the number of resources available and have placed some of the burden on those that remain employed. With redistricting having taken place in the last few years the burden on District Superintendents to serve local congregations has also increased. In the relatively newly formed Tri-State District the number of local congregations that a superintendent is responsible for has increased exponentially thus reducing the number of occasions when the person in that position can effectively be in good communication with local pastors and their constituents. Part of this phenomenon is financially driven as opposed to spiritually driven. These comments from 2008 are a break in the chronological development of Peoples Roots, and a bit editorial. This writer would say that we are fortunate at present in having a husband and wife team of superintendents that have effectively been able to divide the district in half. Mike and Jan Davis have been more effective in reaching out to local congregations than a single person could possibly do if responsible for the full district.
Another step in the ladder of leadership has been in the creation of Clusters within smaller areas. This is not a new phenomenon locally because there was a cooperative parish that linked the churches of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Casco Bay Cluster is its successor and was formed in the 1990’s. This organization meets once a month and today includes the four South Portland churches, Cape Elizabeth, West Scarborough and Buxton. Together the pastors and the laity of these churches plan Lenten Services, have held a revival, hold a training program for members and advertise each others activities. On occasion other Cluster have been invited to send folks to participate in the activities of the Casco Bay Cluster. In 2008 there is talk about the possible merger with the Greater Portland Cluster. Interestingly that combination would basically be the shape, size and membership of the District presided over by a Superintendent as late as the 1960’s.
Many of the decisions of the local church are made in relationship to the organizational structure of the United Methodist Church that we have included in the preceding paragraphs. In our next installment of Roots we will make reference to world and national events that have altered our way of thinking and praying.
posted by Arthur Tordoff | 3:16 PM
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