Middle

Have you ever tried hanging out in the “middle” of something?

It’s an interesting place to be.

“The Middle” is that place where you can “see all sides.” Everything is painted a calming, soothing, shade of gray. Other than the bullets that fly in from all directions, it’s a wonderful place to spend some time.

It’s the place where we Methodists are most at home. If we looked ourselves up in the Audubon Field Guide of North American Protestants, I’m pretty sure that the photo accompanying “United Methodist” would show a large and adequate nest, occupied by a perfectly pleasant-looking man or woman. He or she could be your neighbor, or librarian, or accountant, or dentist or teacher. Solid, not flashy. And did I mention pleasant? I can almost read the entry now…

Habitat and Range: Although primarily acclimated to upper-middle class climates of the Eastern U.S., United Methodists have a strikingly large and diverse range, found in small pockets throughout all regions of North America, and occasionally found in naturalized, isolated colonies worldwide.

Attributes and Characteristics: Highly adaptable to a number of settings and contexts, with a striking ability to “blend in.” United Methodists are not easily identified due to their perfectly average size and shape and plumage. Eggs are oblong, and of average color and size. Again, truly average in all ways, the United Methodist is of course known for its pleasant call and agreeable disposition. There has been a good bit of success with domestication in some regions. Did we mention average?

We’re just sort of in “the middle,” aren’t we?

Sometimes I think it would be great to be a flashy blue-jay-like kind of charismatic Christian. What if I could let go of it all during worship and cry and dance and just generally have a big ol’ party with the Holy Spirit?

But I’m United Methodist. Born and bred. It ain’t gonna happen.

But I’m not totally stiff and lifeless either, right? Garrison Keillor has said that a movement of the Holy Spirit in a Lutheran Church in Minnesota is noted by a slight inhalation of the left nostril.

But I’m Methodist. That means I can clap in church. Sort of. I mean, it will be done awkwardly, and only for a verse or two, and then I can keep going if at least three other brave souls in the congregation continue to clap with me, but maybe it would be better if I just stopped and sang along appropriately. But I was really enjoying myself. What was I thinking?

Moderation, Centrism, Middle. Now that’s exciting, huh? Don’t believe me? Just check out the fireball of energy that is the American Centrist Party.

See, “the middle” is a tough sell. Maybe.

I’m starting to adopt a crazy idea. I think that the middle might be the place where God is really at work in our country, our community, and our time.

We sell ourselves very short as UM’s if we think that the middle is just bland and boring. We do a great disservice to ourselves and others if we believe the legend that says Methodists don’t “believe anything.” We should never believe that a commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, justice, grace, forgiveness, discipline and moderation is simply “average.”

In a world where TV pundits tell you what to believe and instant poll results form the content of our leaders’ speeches and decisions, I’ve come to believe that there is a growing desire among the people for a place that will let them think. And struggle…and grow. The middle is the place where real challenges are picked up and carried.

Too often, the extreme is misrepresented as the majority opinion, and it’s up to the folks in the real middle to make a stand.

After living in Douglasville for nearly five months now, I’m amazed to see the number of charismatic, “community,” and seemingly independent churches that are thriving and being planted all around us. This is a great thing, and I pray that the Kingdom will be proclaimed and expanded in every way that it can.

But I wonder. Is there a group of folks out there, new to our community, or long-time in our county who are looking for something different? Could it be that something “different” here is actually something a little more “average?”

What I mean is this: Adam Hamilton, pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas has said that the middle ground of UM theology is our greatest strength and “selling point.”

I’ll never forget a conference that I attended where I heard him say, “Much of the success that C.O.R. has known is directly attributable to the fact that we don’t drive people to one extreme or the other. We think, and we challenge others to do the same. We are a church that holds fast to the fundamentals of faith in Christ and then we embrace one another, even across our differences. We are grounded in theological tradition while creative in our approach to ministry. The United Methodist church offers John Wesley’s notion of the "via media," the middle way. It is the way that many in our world are looking for today.”

The thousands who attend worship each weekend at C.O.R. can’t be wrong, right? At the very least, they show us the power of a United Methodist Church full of life, energy and creativity.

There are folks out there who want the power and passion of a contemporary church. They want the friendly spirit and warm embrace that a church turned outward toward the community has to offer. They want creativity and mission and purpose and significance.

But they also want a pastor who didn’t ordain himself. Or who changed his first name to Bishop. Or who makes up the church’s theological standards to fit her own tastes, needs or desires.

They want a church that didn’t rise up out of a vacuum, but that has instead grown up in a creative way from the deep and nourishing roots of history and tradition. They want organization, and order, and transparency that can be trusted.

You know what? That’s us. That’s the middle. We are the people of the “via media,” the middle way. We are the place where all the folks who’ve been wounded out there on the extremes can come and rest...and be healed...and then engage the world in powerful ministry.

Thank God for the middle. Let’s be radical and proud --- about being right in the center.

LIFE AT SOTH:

Much, much, much continues to happen in the life of our church:

-Welcome to Mara Cleveland, our newest member, who joined this Sunday at the 8:30 service on profession of faith. One of my favorite moments in church is becoming what I call the “SOTH Swamping” of new members when they join the church, surrounded by folks who hug and welcome them.

-Tonight we’ll start our three-week look at John Wesley, the UM church (you can tell it’s on my mind) and SOTH. Come out to our worship space at 6:30 (this is a change from what ran in Sunday’s bulletin) for “An English Dude, a Horse and a Mission.” Tonight is Part One – The English Dude.

-More Pumpkins arrive today at 5:30 this afternoon, anybody who can help is more than welcome.

-Our children’s Christmas musical rehearsals are beginning, this Sunday night. For more info, contact teresa@sothumc.net Also, the “angel tree” Christmas ministry begins this Sunday.

- Trunk or Treat happens here at the church, 6pm on Halloween night. This will be our first at SOTH, and we understand that it’s a huge event and lots of fun.

-“Reverse Trick or Treat” will also happen Halloween night as our servant evangelism teams distribute 1000 sacks of Halloween candy door-to-door through the neighborhoods that surround SOTH just to say, “God loves you.” Come on out and take part, the more the merrier, meeting up at the church at 6pm Halloween night.

Grace and Peace,
Adam