FLUMC Lay Leader Update
April 22, 2022
Easter greetings my friends! I pray that you and your congregations are experiencing the joy and renewed hope that is offered to each of us through the power of Jesus's resurrection. This year’s Easter celebrations have been special for me at a personal level. I have been reflecting on the ways the world changed for every one after that first Easter morning. I have thought about the mixed emotions that Mary Magdalene, Peter, John, and the others must have felt when they saw the empty tomb. The Resurrection was both a celebration of Christ’s victory and an invitation to a new day. Those first disciples had a choice - they could simply observe the changes that the Resurrection would bring from a distance, or they could accept the invitation to be a part of the new thing God was about to do through the Church. I believe the power of the resurrection gave them the courage and faith they needed to boldly go into a new season, and this gives me a lot of hope.
For many of us, Easter and Springtime is a season of transition. It is usually around this time that our high school seniors are being celebrated for their achievements and preparing to enter into a new stage of life. For some of us this weekend, we are preparing to hear about the change of appointments of our clergy; celebrating all of the work that they have done and anticipating their move to another season of ministry. And it might be specific to this year, but I wonder how being back to in-person worship is sparking new ideas for how we serve our communities after two years of Covid protocols. There is change happening all around us.
The Resurrection of Jesus brings with it the possibilities of a new season of ministry for our congregations and a fresh vision of how we serve our communities for the sake of Christ. We as laity have a choice - we can either step back and simply observe these changes. Or we can, through the power of the resurrection, engage these changes with openness, courage and a willingness to partner with those around us. My hope is that laity all around the Florida Conference will find their place in the transitions of this season, and with boldness bring our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness to the table. May the empty tomb and the risen Christ signal for all of us the new day and a bold witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Derrick Scott III - Co-Lay Leader of the Florida Conference
News from the FLUMC and beyond
Continuing UMC Livestream with Alex Shanks
Alex Shanks shared about the Continuing UMC at St. Johns UMC Winter Haven on April 19. You can view the Facebook Video here.
"He was lynched because he didn't matter"
From FLUMC News - Robert Johnson of Tampa was lynched in 1934 because he was Black. They thought no one would care, but community leaders and United Methodists came together to prove those people were wrong. Pastors of Hyde Park UMC are joining with a Tampa City Council member to ensure victims of lynching in the city are not forgotten. Rev. Magrey deVega said the history needs to be told. Read the story here.
Table Talk Webinar featuring Rev. Geraldine McClellan
In this special one-on-one webinar, Rev. Geraldine McClellan shares her personal experiences dealing with racism growing up as a black woman in Florida and the racism she endured within the Church as the first black woman ordained in the Florida Conference. Table Talk: Conversations on Race is a monthly half-hour webinar series hosted by the The Beloved Community and the Anti-Racism Task Force.
Report released on church's net-zero efforts
From UM News - There's a delicate balance between meeting the goal of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions and running effective ministries that use energy. A one-year progress report issued by the United Methodist Interagency Just and Equitable Net-Zero Coalition shows progress in measuring emissions, but the search continues for ways to judge how cutting emissions may inadvertently cause damage to people already struggling. Read the story and the report.
Calendar Dates
Introducing Fresh Expressions United Methodist (FXUM)
Rev. Michael Beck is working with Discipleship Ministries to host a series of FREE webinars featuring experts and practitioners, laity and clergy, from local and global perspectives, working in both traditional and non-traditional settings! Webinars begin April 28. Get more information here.
#BeUMC Event at St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando - April 30
Everyone hoping to find a home in the UMC is welcome to join this event. We long for a church for all of God's people, and yet we recognize that we are still not perfect. We welcome anyone longing for the UMC to be more reflective of God's kingdom here on earth. We will gather together in worship and conversation to discuss and celebrate the future of the United Methodist Church here in the Florida Conference. Registration will be $10 per participant to cover the costs of food and facilities. Click here to register.
Annual Conference - June 9-11 at Florida Southern College - Lakeland, Florida
Mark your calendars and start planning for our few days of holy conferencing together. Get more info at the AC22 webpage on the schedule, hotels, 5K Race, Nursing Kids Camp, volunteer opportunities and more.