It isn't always possible to live into everything that comes our way or celebrate everything, but yesterday, those three occurrences (Aldersgate Day, Red Nose Day, and Day with the Bishop) converged on the same day and I was able to celebrate them. And when all these things have the color red in common, what color does one wear for the day? Red, of course. Besides, it is the Pentecost season and red is an appropriate color for that too.
The day started with a peaceful view off the deck.
I wanted to find a song that exemplified how I felt about the day, its beauty physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is what I found: ("It's a Beautiful Day" by Greg and Steve)
Yesterday, May 24, was Aldersgate Day. This is an important and meaningful day for those who follow a Wesleyan faith tradition. It is on this day in 1738 that Wesley became assured of his salvation and wrote in his journal the line that has become well-known about his heart being strangely warmed.
Aldersgate Day Resources:
UMC.org-- What is Aldersgate Day?
UMC Discipleship blog on Aldersgate Day
Yesterday was also Red Nose Day. Red Nose Day is a day set aside to help end child poverty. Comic Relief, Inc began a campaign to help end child poverty in American and around the world in 1985 in the UK. The first Red Nose Day in the US was in 2016.
I have seen the red noses around, but never knew where to get them nor really knew that there was a Red Nose Day and that the proceeds and fundraising went to help child poverty.
Last May, at the first wedding I officiated, the young couple had red noses for their family pictures. That was my first red nose. That was fun and pretty cool.
This year when I realized that Red Nose Day was the same day as our Day with the Bishop, I went to Walgreens and bought enough (and some extras) for our group, in hopes that they and the Bishop might be willing to put on the noses for the cause. They did!
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| Day with the Bishop at the Holston Conference (L-R: Front Row: Harrison Bell, Magan Stubblefield, Mickey Rainwater, Bishop Taylor, Teresa Atkins-McClure, Debra Dickerson, T.J. Burdine Back Row: Timothy Hankins, Scott Spence, Caleb Pitkin, Drew McCallie, Wayne Hickman, Todd Chancey) [Photo by Millie Meese, Conference Office] |
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| Annette Spence of The Call at the Holston Conference UMC took this picture and posted: "Today was Red Nose Day to end childhood poverty! It just so happens that today was also Bishop's Day with the Ordinands at the Alcoa Center. The incoming elders spent the morning with Bishop Dindy Taylor and got their photos made for Annual Conference. And then this happened... " |
Red Nose Day Website
Walgreens Red Nose Day
There are many videos that speak to the help that Red Nose Day contributions make. Here is one:
You can buy the red noses from Walgreens and contribute to the Red Nose fund through June 2nd (per the Red Nose show on television last night.) I didn't watch the entire show, but a clip of Puerto Rico and a young girl who saved her younger siblings, one being a 7 month old, and seeing the ongoing devastation there was difficult. I know it takes quite a bit of time to rebuild after a major storm/hurricane. It took years to rebuild after Katrina. Many teams went there to rebuild from all kinds of organizations. I hope people will not forget that Puerto Rico IS part of the United States and will continue to help them as well. The Red Noses help.
Day with the Bishop
Last, but definitely not least (these are not really in any specific order), yesterday was our "Day with the Bishop". Originally, I thought I would be heading to Alcoa post-surgery, but that wasn't the case. The fact that the drive was pre-surgery and not post-surgery did make the drive up and back less painful on the hips, though my better hip (right one) continues to make itself known. I guess it doesn't want the left one getting all the attention.
On my drive up I listened to some 95.1 Family Life Radio, Marcela Gándara, and 4 Him. Marcela Gándara is one of my go-to Spanish speaking singers who reminds me of my calling. Her songs "Un viaje largo", "Una aventura", and "Dame tus ojos" speak into my life. They have for many years. They remind me of who I am, whose I am, what God has done, what God is doing, what God can and will do. They give me hope, encouragement, affirmation.
If you don't speak Spanish, you might not get why these speak so much to me. I do have a few blogposts below with some English lyrics and explanations that might help you out.
On March 2, 2011 I wrote a blog post in which I included English lyrics to "Dame tus ojos". If you'd like to read that blog post, you can click on it: Marcela Gándara's Music Ministers to my soul
In this next post, there is a video with the English lyrics of the song "Un viaje largo". This post came after my Tres Días con Dios on April 30, 2016: Affirmation for my Spanish Calling.... once again
Our meeting time with the Bishop, Rev. Mickey Rainwater, and one another was a blessing. Mickey offered a prayer from one of the Guide to Prayer books (he had all four with him-- red, green, blue, and black), he shared a devotion with us and we shared with one another. Then the Bishop went through the Historic Questions with us and shared some other words of exhortation and asked us if we had any concerns or questions.
I'll share some of my notes from our time together here:
Mickey Rainwater mentioned that he has been intentional in his spiritual practices in the 2nd half of ministry. He has used the Guides to Prayer for 20 years. He encouraged us all to be in Scripture not just for sermon preparation. He noted that each Guide has a Call to Ministry section. He spoke about the confirmation of the community call, sharing a personal example, and sharing from Jeremiah 1. (Though I am not 100% sure exactly what verses he shared or what version, Jeremiah 1:4-10 seem to capture what he read to us. When you click on the Scripture above, you can change out the version.)
The Bishop asked us to share 1-3 words about how we were feeling going into Ordination. As we shared, she would sometimes ask us to say more. I'm just going to share the words without saying who shared what because I believe that was for us.
The Ordinand Class of 2018 words leading up to Ordination:
empowered, relieved, excited, recognized, anticipate, humbled, servanthood, perseverance, amen, delight, grace(d), joy, enthusiasm, wholeness, affirmed, blessed
These words, these folks encouraged me yesterday. Being with them once again, listening to some of their stories blessed and encouraged me. There was one missing at the table yesterday that was supposed to be with at Ordination. Carl Marshall. We didn't leave him out. We spoke of him. We remembered him. He will not be left out of our group on June 13th either. For that, many of us are appreciative and grateful. As I shared in an earlier post, Carl was an influential colleague in my Provisional Elder journey.
Some of my notes from the Bishop:
Help the children of God take the next step in their faith and journey. See the children of God. #seeallthepeople. Love the local church. Share God with them. Recognize God leading. Do bold things for God. Every bold thing won't work. Do it anyway. Relationship with God and Jesus matters. Celebrate our 50th birthday in the UMC (I did that last Sunday). People are divisive these days. Have conversations to help people with difficult things. Create space for people.
Within the Historic Questions, we spoke about how it matters how it is with our soul, civil disobedience, hunger for community-- being with people, getting to know people-- not just in their homes, but where they are-- in the coffee shops, at the baseball fields, etc.
Our ordination is a celebration and a beginning as we become Full Elders in the UMC.
What is the next step?
The next step in Ordination is Annual Conference. That takes place June 10-13 at Lake Junaluska. Some of the sessions will be live streamed. The Service of Ordination, Commissioning of Provisional Elders and Sending Forth will begin at 9am on Wednesday, June 13.
Watch Lake Junaluska Live Streaming Events here.
To top off a great day:
This day, the three in one (Aldersgate Day, Red Nose Day, Day with the Bishop) was already special enough. Could it get any better? The day was topped off with the following: a great Band Parent meeting with all the dates for next year and some upcoming fundraisers; a dinner with friends at a local restaurant (where everyone knows at least one person's name and we can listen to bluegrass music), and a handmade double-sided stole that came in the mail from a dear colleague (and fellow board member of the Fellowship of United Methodists Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders) in MA. I will be wearing that proudly during the Advent season!
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| Dinner at Feed and Table, Bluegrass night |
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| Stole by Cynthia Good (I will make sure it's more even when I wear it for real. It was late last night when I tried it on.) |
This has been and continues to be a truly humbling and amazing adventurous journey as it unfolds. My desire continues to be to love God and love others as I love myself; to live, love, and lead like Jesus. May it be so.
Blessings on your journey,
Debra
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| Holston Conference Center, Alcoa, TN |
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