Stories

An Encouragement for September

Stories Published on
September 20, 2023

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Martha K. McLean, Executive Pastor at First UMC in Cary. Feel free to forward this Encouragement to a friend. Anyone can sign up to receive these monthly emails here.

The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever; the Lord’s faithfulness to all generations. (adapted from Psalm 100 v. 5)

Throughout the witness of scripture, the steadfast covenant love of the Lord is with us. Even in the lowest of valleys and the darkest of days the love of the Lord endures. It leans forward, it stretches out, it carries us forth into the future.

This love is steadfast in character, not fleeting. This love is faithful, not conditional or coercive or corruptible. This love is one that gives fully and completely of self for the good of the other. This love gathers us up, offering grace upon grace, not limited by time and space or circumstances, but rather, is able to overcome all that seeks to overwhelm us. This steadfast covenant love is one that unites us, guiding us into God’s way of life and how we live together as a people. It is full of blessing and the goodness that God intends for us and for all of creation.

As we all experience seasons of challenge and change, ups and downs, ebbs and flows, sorrows and joy, may we cling to the steadfast love of the Lord which endures forever, the Lord’s faithfulness to all generations. Amen and Alleluia!

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

Lighthouse Congregations: Wesley Memorial UMC (Wilmington)

Stories Published on
September 5, 2023

“We’re a beacon of light, we shine Christ’s light, and we welcome people and say, ‘It’s safe here.'”

Members of Wesley Memorial UMC in Wilmington share what it means to them for their church to be a Lighthouse Congregation.

An Encouragement For August

Stories Published on
August 14, 2023

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Tobi Nguyen, Pastor of Trinity UMC in Durham. Anyone can sign up to receive these monthly emails here.

Romans 8:14-15, NRSV

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. ¹⁵For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption.

I have two siblings, both are brothers. Mark is 16 months younger than me. We are a year apart in school. My baby brother, Drew, is 14 years younger than me. Our family adopted Drew when Mark and I were in middle school. Drew was 11 days old, and my parents flew to Lima, Peru, for the adoption process.

When Drew was three years old, he noticed the differences between the four of us who were blue-eyed and himself. That was the day I first heard my mom talk about adoption to Drew.

Now in my experience, adoption was a complicated process. My family spent years saving money, being interviewed, inquiries, doing paperwork, and research. In my view, adoption was so complicated and, at times, heart-wrenching.

Back to the conversation in the mini-van as we left a preschool playground. Three-year-old Drew asked, “Mama, why is my skin brown, but Tobi’s skin matches yours?”

My mom turned around from the passenger’s seat to lock eyes with her precious kid, her face filled with love. You’ve seen that before, when the gaze is locked-in, but the face softens with all the adoration in the world.

And she said these two sentences to Drew. “Tobi and Mark were born from my tummy. You were born from my heart.”

All of a sudden, nothing was more true about adoption than this. Nothing is more true about who Drew is and how we are family together.

My family has been shaped by adoption. My life is shaped by adoption.

Adoption is complicated but at its simplest, clergy and lay friends—you were born from God’s heart. And nothing is more true.

You are born of God’s heart. That is not a free pass to escape suffering. What it does mean is that we have the Spirit—we are inspired to work in the present for things to get better in the present—to confront systems of power and injustice. We are not satisfied with the present, but live toward a future promised by God. That future in which we hope for, work for, and participate in is life abundant.

How do you experience hope? Who reminds you of this hope?

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

Orientation and Covenant Renewal Day

Stories Published on
August 8, 2023

New Faith Communities hosted Orientation and Covenant Renewal Day with current church planters at the NC Conference building on August 2. The planters were able to learn more about the NC Conference offices and ministry programs.

Rev. Beth Hood, Assistant to the Bishop for the Office of Clergy Life, and Leah Wiebe-Smith, Director, Leadership Development and Christian Formation, Center for Leadership Excellence

Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton speaking with church planters

Rev. Ernesto Barriguete, Director of Race Equity & Justice Ministries

Lou Braswell Jennings, Director of District Administration

An Encouragement For July

Stories Published on
July 24, 2023

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Kristen Hanna, Associate Pastor at Christ Church UMC. Anyone can sign up to receive these monthly emails here.

This summer, in our neck of the woods in Chapel Hill, we have been journeying together through the “humble beginnings” of God’s people as recounted in Genesis. A few weeks ago, we came to the story of Jacob’s vision of the ascending ladder filled with angels traveling back and forth into paradise.

Genesis 28:16 (CEB):
When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The Lord is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it.

Verse sixteen of the pericope struck me. How often have I encountered God and been surprised to find God there? Or, how many times has the Holy Spirit snuck up behind me, completely unawares?

And furthermore, how many situations have I walked through and been surprised to encounter the Divine around the corner, waiting like an unsuspecting friend who was there the entire time?

I have always joked that my best intentions for the summer months are to catch up on everything that I’ve needed to do, but every time summer rolls around, I find myself in a new kind of busy. Sure, it’s not the same fast-paced rhythm that comes with the cooler fall and spring seasons, but it is a different kind of hectic, one marked by schedule changes, VBSs, travel, mission trips, Annual Conference, and the list goes on.

As we straddle the middle of July, savoring these last summer weeks before the coming onslaught of fall scheduling mayhem, I wonder what it would look like to pause, to rest, and to dream as Jacob dreamed. Who knows, God may show up in the places we least expected!

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

Lighthouse Congregations: Ann Street UMC

Stories Published on
July 11, 2023

Members at Ann Street UMC discuss being a Lighthouse Congregation and welcoming people in their church and community. Learn more about Lighthouse Congregations.

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