Balancing Act

Last Saturday (12/11) the Conference Leadership Team met at the Cicero Conference Center.   The agenda included discussion on how to effectively structure our program ministries, establish our advocacy ministries (status and role of women, religion and race, Native American ministries chief among them) and provide funds for new ministry ventures.   The conversation ranged from the big picture to the fine detail.   I think we moved forward on all of these topics.   Once they approved the minutes of their meeting, I know CLT members will have more to share with you.    I don't want to steal their thunder, so I'll stick with some broader reflections. 

Reflecting back on these conversations, I'm struck by the tension I heard between our yearning to get going and our conviction not to get out ahead of where we sense God leading.   The tension shows up in a very concrete way whenever we talk about specific conference programs, committees and structures.   The old joke that you could pick out the United Methodists in heaven by looking for the cloud where all the committees met contains as much fact as fantasy.  We United Methodists pride ourselves on being organized for service.   We meet, we plan, and we carry out those plans.   Its a good thing.  Mostly...

There is also a danger: because we're so good at organizing, we may be tempted to bring forward our old organization to meet our present needs.   Especially in a time of transition, where so much is confusing, different and unfamiliar, a "familiar" committee structure can be a source of comfort.  As someone once said,  "when people don't know what to do, they tend to do what they know."

The easiest thing in the world, at least in the short-term, would be for the Conference Leadership Team to suggest we recreate in our new conference the old committee and program structure of our former conferences.   They've resisted that temptation, though, because they've heard the call to prayerfully and carefully build for a new day.  

Tension arises, of course, when the desire to move carefully rubs up against the yearning to act passionately.   United Methodists in Upper New York are people with a mission.  We have work to do.   This tension between being careful and passionate isn't easy to resolve.   And it shouldn't be.   We need to take the time to discern new ways of doing our work.  But  we also mustn't waste time and leave urgent and important ministries undone.  We need to get going.  The Conference Leadership Team is seeking to strike a good balance.  Its not easy, but with God, all things are possible.

Thoughts?  There's a place for you to comment below, if you feel led.  I'd be grateful for your feedback.