Transition meditation for 9/9

Pioneering:  Meditations for Our Transformation

Number 5                                      September 9, 2012

Transformation by Paul’s More Excellent Way

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.  My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:10-12).

Paul greets the house churches in Corinth by starting his first letter to them saying, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  I give thanks to God always for you.”  (1 Corinthians 1:3-4a).

He then appeals to them that that they should be in agreement with one another, and have no divisions among themselves, but to be perfectly united in mind and thought.

Oh, come on!  Isn’t that a bit too much to expect?  After all, these Corinthian Christians were a really mixed bag of believers, some long-time Jews, others Jewish proselytes (gentile converts to Judaism), and still others Greeks and assorted pagans who were first attracted to the commercial and hedonistic lifestyle of a major crossroads city astride a vital trade route, and then whose souls began to thirst for the living water of the Good News.  How could anyone imagine that such an oil-water-sand mixture could become a vital church?  We can imagine what Paul meant when he wrote to the Corinthians.

Now fast forward to Carlisle, 2012.   What would Paul say to our three churches in Carlisle?  Your Transformation journey is hard!  The ride gets bumpy.  Pioneers get weary, testy.  Your wagon seats have tacks, splinters.  Even with a call from God and a promise to be with us to the end, you pioneers, you Christians who walk by faith can experience feelings of conflict, mixed loyalties, difficult choices, and disillusionment.  These are the potholes and detours that plague your trail.

But in his letters to the Corinthian churches Paul told them of “a still more excellent way” to go about working and living together.  Paul wrote of a way that was better than every other spiritual gift given the body of Christ -- better than being apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, or tongue-speakers.  And, that better way, the way Paul showed to the churches of Corinth, indeed, the best way for God’s children in any place, and especially for the United Methodist Churches of Carlisle is the way of LOVE.

Paul describes this highest spiritual gift, the gift of Love in 1 Corinthians 13.  This single spiritual gift, available to each of us, equips us to overcome disagreement, divisions and disunity that can arise in any body of believers, even three fellowships called together into one new church.  Paul showed the Corinthians and us that LOVE will help us on our journey toward becoming One in Christ.

Really, you say?  Remember the classic TV series Little House on the Prairie?   Each episode told of events in the lives of the family and their neighbors in town.  Even with strong leadership, the family experienced adversity, trials, and problems.  But, as you know, the Ingalls family triumphed.  Why?  Because the series writers scripted it that way.

God has prepared a script – a plan for us.  However, God reveals God’s plan one step at a time.  As pioneers, we can only step out in faith on what we believe to be the way, informed by prayer, holy discernment, and our collective spiritual gifts.  And as Christians we know that God will provide answers at every step of the way if we are patient in listening for them.  None of us knows every detail we may encounter.  But, whatever we do not know now, we are assured that God will reveal God’s plan to us in God’s time.

We will have moments of insecurity and doubt.  Some of us may feel like turning back.  We may be uncomfortable with unfamiliar things like other people, other buildings, classrooms, and meeting rooms.

But, we, the brothers and sisters in Christ at Allison, First, and Grace, fellow pioneers on the Transformation Journey, are being called by God to go the distance.  We will lift high the cross of Christ and become His new church.

Spend some time in the days ahead to re-read both letters to the Corinthians, because some situations Paul addresses apply to us on our journey.  You can see that we, like those faithful, hardworking, called-by-God pioneers of Corinth, face challenges in changing times, leadership, administration, witness, stewardship, and transmitting the Gospel to others.

Let us pray that God will continue to give us minds, hearts, and spirits to glimpse the future God has planned for us at every step along the way.

And let us begin with the end in mind.  Let our holy journey be marked by our opportunities to use all of our spiritual gifts, especially by our opportunities to share selfless acts of love for one another.

Common Prayer.  O God of every journey, you have set us upon this pathway toward unity.  As we are transformed by your everlasting love into one body in Christ, remove our hard edges, soften our stiff necks, and melt our standoffish hearts.  Teach us to love one another boldly, fully, and more perfectly.  Let us reach across the tables and pews to greet one another in Christ’s love.  Open our eyes to see streams in the desert and springs in the valley that gush forth when we serve one another in love.  Let us make this journey so that all Your saints may look down on us and rejoice in what we are doing for You in Carlisle.  AMEN.

Lynda Myers.

Transformation Team emphasis for the next two weeks:

All focus groups, Improved Communications, Administrative Structure, Transitional Funding, and Congregational Meetings

Please address your feedback and comments to Charles L. Reynolds at papoo99@comcast.net.