The UMC Appointment Process with the Not Big/Not Rich Charge

Last updated on: March 13, 2018 at 11:10 am By Christy Thomas

And I also contend that the UMC connection, with its politically-influenced appointment process, really only works well for the rich and well-funded churches and their highly select clergy, but not so well for the smaller, less well-funded and less influential charges and clergy. At the height of their summer glory, the elephant ears gracing the front of the parsonage where I live looked like something this: After the unusually early and quite hard frost we experienced here on Nov. 12,... Read more

The Crucial Difference Between Schism and Division: Lessons from the Garden

Last updated on: February 9, 2016 at 8:39 am By Christy Thomas

The question appears again and again in church life and right now particularly with mainline denominations: should we just give up and split up? There is a way to divide and still thrive. Let’s pay attention to the lesson from the garden here. In 2012, I wrote a post about the now-impossibility of actually reforming the death-giving structure of The United Methodist Church. My frustration emerged after the Judicial Council, doing exactly what they are supposed to do, put the... Read more

A Time to Feast and a Time to Fast: Ash Wednesday Approaches

Last updated on: February 8, 2016 at 4:30 pm By Christy Thomas

If every day were Christmas, we’d be miserable. We’d be stuffed, bored, broke and fractious. Irritations would win the day and gloom and unfulfilled expectations would slather everyone with despondency. Adults would desperately turn to TV, youth and teens to video games, as a way to disconnect from person-to-person contact. Children, surrounded by piles of overly-stimulating toys, would resort to whining, “Is that all there is?” as a way to remove themselves from their mental and emotional chaos. Christmas is... Read more

Standing Up to Oppression: Will We Pay the Cost?

Last updated on: February 8, 2016 at 10:03 am By Christy Thomas

A man sits in a house of worship, struggling with despair, staring at his useless hand. He couldn’t harness an ox, hold a plow, slaughter an animal, or build a shelter. Total ruin for his family loomed. He’d beg, but his wife and children would be sold into slavery. Others entered into the worship space, with them a teacher, Jesus. He stood before the despairing man. “Stand up. Let us see you.” He rose reluctantly, expecting to be shamed. Slowly,... Read more

Ten Commandments for the Political Season

Last updated on: February 5, 2016 at 3:35 pm By Christy Thomas

I am currently cleaning up my blog archive. I wrote this in 2012. How little things have changed. Sigh. Two weeks, two National Conventions, and the airways spew impossible promises, nastiness, low blows and the usual mud-slinging. Yet both parties claim to be full of decent human beings and aiming for the most upright of principles. Ten things I find useful to keep in mind. Perhaps they will help others. 1. The President is NOT the Messiah or the Savior.... Read more

When Theology Drives a Presidential Race, It is Time to be Scared

Last updated on: February 4, 2016 at 8:31 am By Christy Thomas

We passed a campaign sign for a local race that read “Protect Your Religious Liberties. Vote for . . . ” I turn to my husband and said, “As one who has sought to live as Christianly as possible all my adult life, I am at a point where I refuse to vote for anyone who runs on a “Christian” platform because it is just code for “It’s OK to both discriminate AND to frame anyone who disagrees with you... Read more

Ask the Thoughtful Pastor: Why Can’t We Have an Ideology like ISIS?

Last updated on: September 9, 2016 at 1:18 pm By Christy Thomas

Dear Thoughtful Pastor: Is there or should there be a push for an inter-faith message transmitted via sophisticated communication media that counters the narrative ISIS is using to seduce young people? I don’t mean inter-faith get-togethers, which we already have, but rather a strong, concerted outreach to young people that offers what they seem to be looking for in jihad, meaning and affiliation. To me, this battle with ISIS is an ideological contest. Yes, there should be. We need an... Read more

A Pastor’s Day

Last updated on: March 12, 2018 at 2:41 pm By Christy Thomas

I sit in my office this evening, utterly worn out. Not that the day was particularly stressful, but I’m running on empty right now after several very intense weeks of work and ministry. Wednesdays see our “Midweek Miracle” night when about 40 or 45 children and youth and nearly that many adults come together for an evening of child-centered worship, Bible study, play and a shared meal served family style, with the children rotating as the servers of the week.... Read more

"Trumpian" or Christian?

Last updated on: January 28, 2016 at 8:16 am By Christy Thomas

It has been announced: The Donald isn’t going to show up for the January 28 Republican debate because he doesn’t like Megyn Kelly and her, “I’m going to keep you accountable for your sexist remarks” questions. Trump’s got money and the power that goes with it. He has no need to be questioned about his stances by people he knows disagree with him. So he’s not going to show up and will hold a rival event of his own. I... Read more

Ask the Thoughtful Pastor: Facebook Fights and Prayers for the Dead

Last updated on: January 27, 2016 at 10:02 am By Christy Thomas

Dear Thoughtful Pastor: I’m torn between being reactive and being Christian and taking the ‘high road’. My predicament. Last night as I reviewed my Facebook News Feed, I saw a friend’s post and immediately felt compelled to post something nasty back. My friend said he should unfriend “my leftist liberal fb friends!” Further comments followed such as “they are afraid to confront me about it! LOL.” A few of his friends agreed, validating his suggestion to unfriend those that are... Read more