 Annual
Conference 2007: Making The Invisible Visible
Embracing diversity *
Racial Acceptance *
Celebrating inclusiveness
June 13-16, 2007, Denver
Wednesday, June 13
"Scrumbling" Affirmed at Opening of Conference Session
Paul was a good "scrumbler," said Bishop Beverly Shemana
of the San Francisco Episcopal Area during her sermon to over 800
people gathered at the opening worship service of the 2007 Annual
Conference Session held in Denver June 13-16.
Diversity is not easy to talk about or to do or to be, even when we want
it badly, she said. But diversity is God's mission: she thanked RMC for
making it a centerpiece of Conference in the theme, "Making The Invisible
Visible; Embracing Diversity; Racial Acceptance; Celebrating Inclusiveness."
There's a built-in tension factor, she said, when diversity is the subject.
There's a "roll your eyes" factor and 3 types of "eye-rolls" happen: "Well,
here we go again." "Well, it's about time; the real story will
be told," and "Don't look now, but they're pointing the finger
at us again."
Scrumbling is a crochet metaphor for the kind of diversity that Paul affirms
in Galations 3:23-29, said Shemana. Scrumbles are left-over pieces of thread,
yarn, forgotten pieces of thread, knots, throwaways which can be knitted
together to make something creative and good. Using the metaphor of scrumbling
can open us up to the margins where diversity lives; it can be a way to
shape and change the edges where diversity lives. Paul is calling us together
at the edges, the margins of society. One half of each couplet is on the
margin: Greeks, Women, slaves, "ones who have a foot on their neck." The
scrumbles of society are on the margins and edges, outside the circle of
society's structures and care systems, forgotten and on the edges. Scrumbling,
said Shemana, "is a symbolic way of hands-on commitment to change
the shape of our world so that all of God's people are knitted together
for the common good for all of God's people...Scrumbling knows that the
heavy yarns must be mixed in with the lighter yarns so that every part
is held together without holes and without breaking."
God calls us to use our talents, our artists hats, our creativity to break
the pattern that puts the strong at the top and the weak at their mercy.
She told of her visit to a California's death row inmate. She wondered
aloud what kind of restorative justice could bring something creative out
of a murder and the families involved. She said that "God has enlisted
us to draw a bigger circle" referring to Edwin Markham's famous poem.
She said that we can't wait until we are more comfortable or more prepared. "God's
people are being tossed on the garbage heap" right now.
She brought a "scrumbling kit" and a "starter" that
conference attendees were invited to add to. "Whatever is missing,
that's what you should put in there; whatever is overlooked in our society,
that's what you want to put in there; whatever is silent and cannot speqk
for themselves, that's what you should put in there." God has knit
us together with a sacred diversity that is a witness to what the world
can be.
The worship service followed a short plenary session which included
greetings from the host district, Sunshine, whose members were wearing
sunglasses with sunshine stickers on each lens. There were greeings and
announcements from Skip Strickland, secretary of the conference as well
as current Director of Mission and Ministry and a motion to appoint Alane
Currier-Griggs as acting secretary until completion of the business of
the 2007 annual conference, after which she will be "secretary of
record." All those work with the secretary were recognized and Bishop
Gaspar Domingos and his wife Lucretia from the West Angola Conference
were welcomed.
Rules changes consisting of housekeeping items were presented and adopted
as well as the agenda in the Program Book. The Bishop ruled that the part
of last year's AC11 requiring all local church staff to attend the sexual
ethics training as incompatible with the Book of Discipline. The remainder
of the adopted legislation remains.
Kerry Greenhill, director of the Bishop's Young Adult Initiative, introduced
Bishop Shemana, elected in 2000 at the Casper Jurisdictional Conference
after serving multicultural ministries and as conference staff.
Stuart Davis New Communications Intern
Meet Stuart Davis, a Communications Intern who will be doing his
Advanced Field Education placement in the Communications Office
this coming academic year. Stuart comes from long experience as a journalist,
including
working for the Cal-Nevada office of communications. He is a single
dad, with 2 children, who is transferring from St. Paul School
of Theology
in
Kansas Ciy. He has written several feature pieces about the Conference
which will be sent to you tomorrow.
A report on Thursday's sessions is available here.
Reflections on a Celebration
Diana Huerta wasn't going to write, she says. "Trying to fit 4 full
days into my busy life feels impossible, and I always start Annual Conference
feeling anxious and tired - and then, every time, it happens again. I started
jotting notes as I was enveloped in the love of these people, this place,
this faith. My reflections follow……" -- Diana Huerta,
Trinity UMC, Denver, and Jurisdictional Conference delegate
The invisible becoming visible…..
…The sounds of the pianist filling the hall with melodies that touched
the heart - and on the screen, images of Gods children, one by one, celebrating
our diversity in the eyes and smiles of the faces.
…
A soloist with a song so sweet and a sound so powerful it brought
Gods spirit to this place.
…
The Liturgy - people rising as a way to display their uniqueness
and their connection. All touched by the honesty, the public expression,
the chance to find a place to belong. And as the individuals came together
- we are one body in this one Lord - the eyes filled with the tears of
the spirit.
…
And the images, always the images - as the backdrop to the experience
. The earth, the skies, the faces, all of Gods creations.
…
A prayer of confession - confessing our actions that separates us
one from another. And the eyes mist again with a tear.
…
Coming together at a table of grace and love - those in the margins
being given a place of honor. Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ
will come again - a proclamation by a people forgiven.
…
Passing the peace, the divine in me seeing the divine in you - sharing
in the love.
…
And always, always, the images. The bread and the wine, the symbols
of our faith and commitment.
…
Communion served, one person to another, communion stewards all.
The quiet murmur of service and love as the bread and wine was passed person
to person, row by row.
…
A piano playing Amazing Grace as a backdrop to communion - Methodists
lifting their voices, unable to resist the opportunity to share in song.
…
Another tear, the spirit bursting forth as the soul is lifted up.
…
And then the message - a message of Diversity as Gods mission, and
our chance to lean into it. Going through a different door - a collage
of hats and heritage. Being opened up to the margins where diversity lives,
forgotten and on the edges. And then there was Andre - the death row inmate.
Just another throw-away, with no opportunity to heal the wounds of those
he hurt. And again, the tear…..
…
Meeting the Scrambles - the pieces, the colors, the ideas, the people
that don't seem to fit. The heavy yarns mixed with the weak yarns, and
the cloth stronger for it.
…
The image of Paul as a Scrambler - "Where there is neither Greek nor
Jew…: but Christ is all, and in all." Bringing the outside to
the middle, and the middle to the outside so they can all have a conversation.
God enlisting us to draw a bigger circle.
…
Images of the Graceworks community. Our sisters and brothers making
a difference.
And through it all…the techno-church using lighted images to remind
us that all space is holy...the sign language interpreter reminding us
that all are welcome to our circle of love…the images, always the
images. And one more tear.
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands while you go out
with joy…..
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