The Meaning of Methodist

May 13, 2008

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

One of the more common questions asked of me by church folks is “What is unique about being United Methodist?”  It’s a question that comes both from long-time members of the church as well as newcomers to the faith.  It often emerges from a theological interest in the distinctive qualities of Methodist doctrine.  Other seek clarity for their convictions against a myriad of available denominational options.  And others simply want to know what to tell their friends.

Regardless, the question of what is uniquely Methodist is often personalized:  “Why am I a United Methodist?  Why do I choose to align myself with this particular denomination?”

This is an important question at an important time.  Many of us are familiar with the recent survey released by the Pew Forum on Religion and American Life, which revealed that 29 percent of Americans have left the religious tradition of their childhood by choosing another religion or leaving religious life entirely.  If you add to that figure the number of people who have merely switched from one Christian denomination to another, the number jumps to 44 percent.

Clearly, there is a lot of movement and fluidity among people’s religious preferences today.  People are free to pick up, drop, and mix and match their religious affiliation just as easy as it is to pick out an outfit in your wardrobe.  

So why choose to be United Methodist?

In 1999, the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) formalized a “Concordat of Agreement,” recognizing full communion between the two denominations.  The next spring, Garrison Keillor, the famed radio storyteller from fabled Lake Wobegon, MN, sang the following song in one of his broadcasts:

    I was raised in Iowa, went to Concordia,
    Swedish, I’m proud to say.
    Got a job at Lutheran Brotherhood,
    And I never was sick one day.

    We sit in the pew where we always sit,
    And we do not shout Amen.
    And if anyone yells or waves their hands,
    They’re not invited back again.

    We’ve got chow mein noodles on tuna hotdish
    And Jello with cottage cheese,
    And chocolate bars and banana cream pie,
    No wonder we’re on our knees.
    
    This is the church where we sing Amen
    At the end of every song.
    The coffee pot is always on
    Cause the meetings are three hours long.

    I’m a Lutheran, a Lutheran, it is my belief,
    I am a Lutheran guy.
    We may have merged with another church
    But I’m a Lutheran til I die.

We should always embrace ecumenical partnerships and celebrate moments of full communion with Christians of all denominations around the world (just as our recent General Conference recently affirmed full communion with the ELCA.)  We should also always be clear about what it means to be distinctly United Methodist.  For we have unique gifts to offer the world, and a special capacity to reach out to those people for whom a Wesleyan understanding of the Christian faith is attractive and life-giving.


SO, WHAT IS A METHODIST?

I invite you to come along for the next five weeks on an exploration of the heritage, belief, practice, polity, and mission of the United Methodist Church.  This will be a timely reminder to all of us of what it means to be part of the Wesleyan movement, as we look toward our 150th Anniversary later this summer.

Also, toward the end of the series, you will be invited to participate in a special 30-day experiment we are calling “A Month of Living Wesleyan,” in which we will draw on the daily spiritual practices of John Wesley as a model for our own every day discipline.  You will find this process to be rejuvenating to your spirit and a deeply moving way of preparing for our sesquicentennial.  

This would also be a perfect series to invite your unchurched (and even non-Methodist) friends and family to attend.  Together, let’s celebrate and remember what it means to be “A People Called Methodist.”

Grace,

Magrey