by John Collins on July 31, 2009
From United Methodist News Service:
The Rev. Joseph Lowery, 87, a United Methodist pastor and leader in the civil rights movement, is one of 16 people who will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor for a civilian.
Lowery said he was especially honored to be in President Obama’s “first class” of award recipients. The medals will be presented at a White House ceremony Aug. 12.
“I’m really excited to be in the company of the wonderful people that comprise the first class the president has named since he has been in office,” Lowery told United Methodist News Service July 31.
… Lowery co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957 and served as its president and chief executive officer for 20 years, beginning in 1977. King named him chairman of the delegation to take the demands of the Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965 to Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Wallace had ordered the marchers beaten—an episode that became known as “Bloody Sunday”—but apologized to Lowery in 1995 as the civil rights pioneer led the 30th anniversary re-enactment of the historic march that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
Link: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=7264505&tr=y&auid=5138742
by John Collins on July 30, 2009
On more than one occasion I’ve mentioned that Coffeyville First has a reputation in the community for being “an old church for old people.” (That particular phrase came from a child who attended our 2008 VBS—oftentimes children are more honest than polite society allows adults to be.) It occurs to me that clarification is probably needed. When I say that we need to change the community’s perception of us and find a way to reach out to younger people, I don’t mean that we need to replace our current congregation with younger people, but that we need to “supplement” (for lack of a better word) our current congregation with younger people. My ideal church is a church where multiple generations come together around shared beliefs, shared values, shared mission, a shared Gospel, and the one true God.
by John Collins on July 30, 2009
My friend and collegue, David Livingston has been tracking a conversation among mostly younger United Methodist Clergy and has a new post on “Young Clergy vs. Experienced Clergy.” I’ve linked to the whole post, but one paragraph in particular stood out:
It is possible that we have entered such a revolutionary time that the more experienced among us really have nothing to contribute. Maybe the world has changed so much that to do anything like it has been done before will just lead to failure. If that’s the case I’m probably going to be a pretty lousy pastor for the next few decades. It seems more likely to me that today’s young clergy have as much or more to learn from the older clergy than the old do from the young. So for any young clergy reading this, remember that you stand on the shoulders of giants. They still have something to contribute to the churches they serve and they have wisdom that we can learn from as fellow clergy. For any older clergy out there, thank you for your years of service and for the insights you have passed on to me and so many others.
I’m in complete agreement. I think we are in a revolutionary time when a great deal of adaptability will be demanded of clergy, but much of what experience teaches us is applicable to new circumstances.
Link: http://davidsthoughtson.blogspot.com/2009/07/young-clergy-vs-experienced-clergy.html
by John Collins on July 29, 2009
So far this year at least 106 individuals or families have been helped by the emergency assistance fund and the food pantry. Since there are still plenty of resources for the food pantry, we’ll continue to focus on the Pack Their Packs program.
by John Collins on July 29, 2009
by John Collins on July 28, 2009
Before anyone’s feelings get hurt, Jenny and I wanted to make it known that we aren’t sending out any birthday cards or letters this year as a cost cutting measure. If your birthday has already come and gone, we want you to know that you haven’t been left out. We wish everyone a happy birthday and a blessed year.
by John Collins on July 26, 2009
Over at United Methodist Deviations, Dan Dick has an excellent post titled “Cagey Christians.” It’s a follow-up to his “Cranky Christians ” post. An excerpt:
Whereas cranky Christians are those who gripe and moan about every little thing, throwing tantrums to get their own way, and acting out in a wide variety of unpleasant ways, cagey Christians employ much more subtle — but no less destructive — tactics.
There are several “cagey Christian” behaviors that Dan Dick addresses. I especially appreciated his recommendation not to try to address the problem of those who gossip, but rather to focus efforts on those who listen to them. I heartily recommend the whole article.
Link: http://doroteos2.wordpress.com/2009/07/27/cagey-christians/
by John Collins on July 26, 2009
by John Collins on July 25, 2009
Received from the Parsons’ District Office:
Hope for Africa Children’s Choir
The Hope for Africa Children’s Choir will perform in Kansas as part of their United States tour. Founded in 1984, the choir consists of children from across Africa, most of them from situations of dire poverty. They live at a United Methodist school in Uganda.
The choir sang at the 2008 General Conference in Forth Worth, Texas, and left a lasting impression on the audience.
Performances in the Kansas East Conference area will be:
July 25 & 26 at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood
July 27 at Holton Evangel UMC
July 28 at Ottawa First UMC
July 29 at Pittsburg First UMC, 7:00pm
July 30 at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City
July 31 at Emporia First UMC
Aug. 6 at Manhattan First UMC
Aug. 7 at Stull UMC
Aug. 8 at Old Mission UMC
For more information, check the conference calendar at www.kansaseast.org/calendar.asp.
by John Collins on July 24, 2009
Because the Salvation Army Community Service Volunteers have a good supplier for backpacks we can get them for about $5. The other school supplies we’re trying to collect can be had for about $10 per student. So if you’re wanting to know how many students your helping with you’re donation, its about one student for every $15.
This morning’s sermon is now online. It’s available at: 
This is the professional blog of John and Jennifer Collins. We are ordained clergy members of the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church and are currently appointed as pastors of Coffeyville First.
The views and opinions expressed here are our own.
