Young Clergy in the Ministry of the Church

Posted on March 7, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

Thursday and Friday of this week, I was in Nashville at a gathering of 10 UMC young clergy. We were invited by folks from the GBHEM and two young clergy (Chris Roberts from the Indiana Conference and Jenny Smith, a seminary student at United). The agenda was for us to talk about some of the issues that young clergy face in the UMC. The momentum going on for the gathering was strong, as we had all Facebook “friended” one another and had begun thinking about our purpose for being together. I learned that the ball had begun rolling when Jenny did a series of video interviews about young clergy at General Conference last year and then posted them on a website that she created. Chris saw the videos and expressed interest in being a part of something intentional to bring young clergy together to talk about the issues that face the church and how we might work in a unified manner to approach those issues. The gathering that happened this week was the fruit of that interest.

The 10 of us (plus Meg Lassiat from GBHEM and a few other “drop-ins” from Nashville) spent our time reviewing a non-scientific survey that Jenny designed to gather some feedback from others who are young clergy or care about young clergy in the UMC. (If you see a trend of technology in the introduction above—Facebook, video interviews, website—just wait…we’re not done with technology yet! We also had a simultaneous “liveblog” that included 7 of us in Nashville and about 25 others, at any given time. The transcript of our conversation is here.) While I won’t attempt to summarize the entire 24 hours that we spent together (we did get a dinner break and night off, which of course consisted of us talking the whole evening!), I do want to give my concluding impressions:

• First of all, this is a very hopeful group! We’ve heard Lovett Weem’s excellent research on the clergy crisis in the UMC and while it would be tempting to despair, this group and many others have chosen to hope that God will use us to impact the church in a powerful way.
• Younger clergy, though appreciative of the work of their forebears, are not necessarily interested in the same discussions of previous generations (especially regarding theological diversity). What seems to be a recurrent trend is that we are often more interested in what unifies us. (Here are a couple of quotes that got bandied around a bit: “In the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity” and (my favorite) from E. Stanley Jones, “Here we enter a fellowship; sometimes we agree to differ, always we resolve to love and unite to serve.”)
• We decided that what unifies us is the desire to be disciples and make disciples.
• Many younger clergy feel isolated, voiceless in their annual conference and concerned about burn-out.
• Younger clergy seem to reject the perception that most appointment systems are based on a competitive model (rewarding—both financial and otherwise—those with more years of experience and making younger clergy “do their time” in more challenging appointments) and prefer to work in a more collaborative model of ministry. (This point here deserves a significant amount of analysis, some of which I hope to go into at another time.)

While we did do a significant amount of discussion, we did arrive at a couple of points of action. We talked about two different things that could address some of the needs of younger clergy that arose from the survey, our discussion and our online participants. First, we talked about enhancing the website that Jenny has already started. Our hopes are that it could become a “hub” that is keeping track of things pertinent to younger clergy—best practices, blogs, events of interest, and even forums for discussing topics of particular interest. (If you have a blog that you would like to include on our blogroll, or if you know of some “best practices” for young clergy, please email Ashlee.Alley@sckans.edu.) We also discussed the potential for a gathering of young clergy that would address some of the biggest concerns facing us (again, namely isolation, voicelessness, and burn-out). There will most definitely be more to come with all of this, but I have to say, that as a young clergy (for a few more years, anyway 😉 and also as one who works with college aged students who often are experiencing a call to ministry (and sometimes to ordination), I come away feeling really hopeful for the church in the days (and years, and decades) ahead. There are many who desire to serve Christ and his Church and they even want to do it under the auspices of the UMC. We’re not a perfect church, but God IS doing some great things within us. And I really think that this is one of them.

For another take on someone else who was there, read April Casperson’s blog.

Posted in GBHEM, Lovett Weems, Nashville, UMC young clergy | 6 Comments

Live From Nashville

Posted on March 6, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

I was asked, along with 9 other young UM clergy, to be in a conversation sponsored by the GBHEM about young clergy. I along with, these others, and a few drop-in guests, have spent the afternoon and evening chatting about the state of and opportunity for young clergy in the United Methodist Church. In typical technological form, we had a simultaneous live blogging conversation going on during our discussion, including those of us in the room, and anyone else who wanted to join in. We’re reconvening tomorrow from 8:30-noon (central time) and I would love to invite you to drop in.

Here’s the link

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Getting Your Life in ORDER

Posted on February 25, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

I wrote this article for fellow campus ministers as they begin the new year. It is also found on the College Union website…

It’s that time of year again, when we give a little thought to our priorities, making resolutions, culling out the bad habits. It’s the time of year when tips for losing weight/getting organized/spending less/fill-in-the-blank are on every morning news show and magazine. Into this milieu of good-habit-making, I’m going to venture with my two cents. Wish me luck—that you’ll keep reading!

About two years ago in the summer (which is supposed to be the down time in campus ministry), I found myself overwhelmed, cluttered, and dreading when students would return. I had been in my current position for about two years and the initial momentum of figuring out how things work was turning into “ordinary time,” and I needed some handles to move me into leading others from running a program. I also knew that if I had any hope of having a good school year, I had better get my life in order. I needed to be organized, I wanted to keep reading, I knew I had to spend time in devotion, and yet stay energized, but not forget to relax. Sounds impossible? Well, not if you bring in some O.R.D.E.R.

At the risk of sounding like a cheesy tip in a self-help book, I present to you a strategy, an orienting framework for your day: an acronym (and I’ll do my best to convince you why you should remember this one and not submit it to the writers of The Office for another corporate mantra to mock!).

Organize
Organization is something that each of us must master at some level or another, but for some of us, organization presents a particular challenge. It comes pretty easily for me, but, even then, I must be intentional to keep things in their proper place and be able to put my hands on them when necessary. The first step in bringing order into one’s life is to organize. Spend a few minutes every day organizing—whether that is filing the papers that collect on your desk, re-shelving the books that you pulled the day before when writing that sermon, updating your to-do list at the end of the day with the next morning’s priorities, or cleaning out your inbox from the emails that are low priority but still need a response. Devoting even 15 minutes of time to organize your surroundings will also put in order your thoughts and remove just a little of the “office dread” that can creep in every now and then.

Read
When one is busy, it’s difficult to keep up with all the magazines, blogs, e-newsletters, and mail, let alone the “must-read” recommendations from your friends and colleagues. However, reading is something that should not be eliminated simply because there doesn’t seem to be any time in the schedule. Exposure to new ideas helps to keep ideas germinating in your mind and heart. Reading isn’t the only way that God can work in the creative process. Podcasts, movies and some T.V. programs also contribute to the infusion of new ideas that God can use to spark your imagination and refocus your mind on the new tasks of God in your campus ministry. Schedule time for this continued learning whether it is a weekly part of your life or a monthly study day. It will shape your vision for your ministry.

Devote
It is a no-brainer to tell someone in ministry (which includes any Christian!) that he or she should daily spend time in devotion to God. However, often our times in prayer and bible study are absorbed by appeals for desperate situations and preparation for tonight’s small group. The rich times of devotion which drew us into ministry in the first place often fade as our schedules crowd out this time of lingering in God’s presence. Yet, as we are reminded by the prayer in Lamentations, “[God’s mercies] are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness.” We also remember from God’s provision to the Israelites in the desert that they were only able to be fed for a day on manna and quail, and if they kept too much, it would spoil (except for the Sabbath). The Lord’s Prayer even says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” If we expect to live off of past spiritual growth and neglect daily habits of devotion, we will end up like those complaining Israelites and miss the joy of God’s providing hand.

Energize
I almost titled this section “exercise,” but I want to recognize that exercise isn’t the only way to increase our energy; the food that we put into our bodies fuels the work that our bodies do. Thus, healthy eating and exercise are both ways that we energize each day. Committing to an exercise program, whether the goal is to run a road race or climb a couple of flights of stairs without being out of breath, is more than just being physically fit. Being healthy is a matter of stewardship and, ultimately, affects the work that we are able to do for God. Integrating habits of eating healthy (fresh) foods as well as consistently exercising are non-negotiable in our mostly sedentary lifestyle. The world of campus ministry often includes doughnuts, pizza, cookies, or casseroles while early mornings and late nights prevent regular exercise schedules. However, overlooking these energizing habits can lead to lives that can’t sustain the challenging and exciting work to which God has called us in campus ministry. How about working out with a student or serving healthy options at meals in the ministry? These habits model lives that take seriously being a good steward, even of our bodies.

Relax
We sometimes hear that we need to make sure and include some “me” time in our schedules. While I agree with the importance of resting, I’m not so sure that all things are equal when it comes to relaxing. I have a student who swears to me that his preferred method of relaxation is playing video games and brags that when he wants to be social, he plays Guitar Hero with a friend, as if he is experiencing “community.” I’ve recounted to him the articles I’ve read about the effects of video games on the brain (and eyes!), and suggested other, more effective ways that he can relax, but to no avail. His trigger finger is fast, but he can’t sit through an hour long meeting without playing with his phone, laptop or iPod. When I’m honest, I realize that my own “relaxation techniques,” while they don’t include gaming, may not be quite as relaxing either. I’ve found that spending two hours “vegging” on the couch doesn’t provide nearly as much rest as playing a favorite playlist and writing a letter to a friend or journaling about my day while drinking some hot tea. While TV may be passively entertaining, rest isn’t analogous to sitting still. What about you? Do you find ways to rest—truly relax—each day (not to mention observing a Sabbath)? Do you sip that cup of coffee or tea and thank God for a bit of peace, brief though it may be? Do you break the rhythms of work or family time to relax in the capable hands of God? You should. No excuses.

Organize. Read. Devote. Energize. Relax. These five daily practices contribute to a life that is able to stay afloat during the chaos of a rigorous schedule. As cheesy as it sounds, I do actually rely on this acronym when I start to feel out of balance and overextended. The order that we seek in our lives is not something that is new to our fast-paced culture. Our challenges are the challenges of many others in other times. May we be disciplined enough to integrate some order into our lives. Many others are counting on it.

Posted in Campus Ministry, College Union, Sabbath | 3 Comments

To be, or not to be…emergent

Posted on February 20, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

This week, we hosted an event at Southwestern College that we call “Builders in Ministry Week.” It’s a three day event for current students, alumni and friends of Southwestern (whose mascot is the Moundbuilder) that allows for connection and continuing education. This year we had Tony Jones as our guest speaker. It seems that he’s fallen out of favor (or jumped the shark) with most evangelicals, probably for things like this. I will admit that I haven’t read The New Christians yet, but have read lots of other (shorter) representative writings of TJ and other Emergents and find much about which to agree! However, I have my share of things about which I do not agree, and they may be “deal breakers” to make me a true Emergent (what is that, by the way?). Here is my take on his time here at SC:

First, I found him to be really easy to just sit down and chat with (which happened for me at dinner the first night, before he spoke a word). I was really impressed with him, especially since he had back surgery a week ago yesterday. He was not even a week out and he put himself through the stress of travel. I commend his fortitude and willingness to keep a commitment!

After having him here for a couple of days, I think I can say this…I think he sort of sees his role as a gadfly—he’s trying to stir the pot and raise important questions—or perhaps he sees his role as prophetic. I’m not sure that I would characterize him as prophetic. Maybe, but for me time will tell and the jury is still out. That being said, he raised quite a few questions in our context, some of which were helpful, others, notsomuch (I’ll identify those below and you can guess which are in what category!).

Among the 10 “dispatches” about which he spoke (The New Christians is organized as a series of 20 “dispatches” from the Emergent frontier), several are particularly helpful correctives (by my standards) to the Church. 1.) Theology really matters. I appreciate the thoughtfulness by which they attempt to view all aspects of their ministry by considering the theology behind it. An example that Jones gave had to do with the fact that they don’t use microphones in their church (he’s currently a part of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis). They are demonstrating that no one voice is louder than another and a microphone symbolizes the lording of power of one person over another. Nice sentiment, but I must be too pragmatic. This is where I want to say that taking turns speaking (which they do, often) sends the same message while allowing the speaker to be heard, which he admitted only happened during the half of the time that the speaker was facing the hearer’s direction. That brings me to my second helpful corrective, 2.) Emergents will “move the pews,” taking them out of church and set up couches, for instance. He identified that Emergents will push the envelope a bit and remind us that “church” happened long before there were pews with plaques on them and some of our sacred cows can actually be sacrificed. For Solomon’s Porch, they do church “in the round” and sit where they can see one another (but it does lead to that pesky problem of only being able to hear the “speaker” half the time, since they use no microphone). The corrective is helpful, but at what point must a line be drawn for pragmatism?

Several dispatches were a bit hard for me to swallow. Most notably is that Jones is pretty ready for denominations to just “go away.” He didn’t outright say that, but he indicated that through many of his points (low view of ordination—about as low as it could get, frustration with institutional churches, to name a few). Maybe this isn’t shocking to anyone else, but it was a little surprising to me about how low his view is of institutional churches (even their organization–committees, books of discipline, etc.–seemed reprehensible to him, in my view). At one point, one experienced UM pastor basically asked him if he saw anything redemptive about the UMC, and he struggled for a minute and said, “They’re renting us a great building for Solomon’s Porch…and they’ve offered to sell it to us for over a million dollars, or for free if we want to become Methodist. If they really want to be the Church, they would just let us use the building for free to do ministry.” He went on to say that he did think it was great that people who might not get to serve a good church in another denomination (ie, women and minorities), got that chance in the UMC. Score one for inclusivity! I do think that we could shore up denominations a good bit (I could think of a few things in Methodism that I would like to see cleaned up), but I’m most definitely not ready to dissolve all structures. There is a baby in that bathwater!

I have many more things that I could blog about—his understanding of power, authority, and a few things that I think he just got plain wrong—but that will have to wait for another day. Instead, I’ll just give my parting impressions…one negative and one positive.

First the negative: Mr. Jones didn’t seem quite as willing to listen as he was to talk. Maybe he’s done listening. Maybe the pain from the recent back surgery got to him. Maybe I got it wrong. However, it was difficult for anyone to do more than ask a 20 second question (with nary a follow up statement or question from the questioner) during our hour and a half long Q&A time the morning after his lecture. The conversationalist from dinner the night before had re-emerged a bit more decided than I thought Emergents were supposed to be. Hm.

And the positive: I appreciated his understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit (though implicit) in the community of Christians. (His dissertation, he told us, is actually on the pneumatology of the Emergent Movement.) The dynamism of the Emergent Movement is refreshing. I’m sure that the Holy Spirit isn’t done with Tony Jones (or even me!) quite yet. Maybe we all have something left to learn.

PS For another view on Tony’s time with us at Southwestern, see Steve Rankin’s blog: steverankin.wordpress.com

Posted in Builders in Ministry, Emergent Movement, Southwestern College, Tony Jones | 8 Comments

A Sad Anniversary

Posted on January 25, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

It’s almost that day, January 26, when my thoughts (and the thoughts of many others) turn to one who is missed: Holly Mitchek. Last year on the 10th anniversary of Holly’s death, I wrote this little piece. I didn’t think anyone would find it, but many did…her friends (even Rie in Japan!), her family, one of her coaches. It has reminded me throughout the year that Holly is still very much alive in the hearts and minds of so many. Her life may have been short, but she made a huge influence in her two decades.

A couple of years ago, Southwestern College was beginning a new project to rebuild and renovate the Mound. A couple of her friends decided that it would be appropriate to donate a paver in her memory. The picture of the paving stone above is the result of that donation. Most here on campus at SC don’t know the impact that Holly made on the lives of those who she loved and who loved her, but for those who do remember, we are forever impacted. I pray that those still left to tell her story will love as freely and as generously as Holly did.

Lord, thank you for Holly’s life and the many ways that she demonstrated love, joy, and compassion. I pray that those of us that were blessed to know her would carry on her legacy of joy and touch as many lives as she did. Thank you for the life that she brought to others around her.

Posted in anniversary, Holly, Southwestern College, the Mound | 1 Comment

A Remarkable Witness

Posted on January 19, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

I read this recent article in the UM Reporter and it struck me for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s about a man who was formerly a staunch atheist and prominent Chemistry professor, so a dramatic conversion experience is pretty exciting in and of itself. But the thing that really grabs my attention is that he got his call to ministry in an academic community, attended seminary (my alma mater, so I’m sure that he got a fine education!), and then was appointed to pastor the campus UMC at the same university where he was a professor. Great job, Cabinet, for appointing him to a minister to the community that birthed him spiritually. I don’t know if it was a no-brainer, or someone had to convince someone else that it would be a good thing, but as one who works with college students, I’m thrilled to see this!

Posted in Asbury Theological Seminary, atheist, Campus Ministry, UM Reporter | Leave a comment

An Experiment and a Plug!

Posted on January 9, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

I’m posting this below as an experiment (I guess I’m still a scientist at heart!).

Kevin Watson at http://deeplycommitted.com has started an experiment to see how much social capital Methodist bloggers have. This experiment was prompted by the feeling among some Methodist bloggers that United Methodism does not always do as good of a job as it could at getting the Wesleyan message out there, particularly on-line. So, he wants to see how many views a YouTube video can get if Methodist bloggers work together to promote it. The experiment is to see how many hits the video will receive in two weeks.

If you want to participate you can: First, watch the video below. Second, copy and paste this entire post into a new post on your blog and post it. Third, remind people about this experiment in one week.

Based on the results of the experiment, Kevin will get in touch with the folks at Discipleship Resources and let them know the ways in which Methodist bloggers are often an underused resource.

Here is a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ISKTrScpzQ

Watch the video…the resource is a good one!

Posted in blogging, UMC, YouTube | Leave a comment

Sharing the Secret

Posted on January 6, 2009 by ashleealleycrawford

Here’s a thought for the day, or maybe for the year! It’s a good reminder for getting off to a good start…

“Joy, which was the small publicity of the page, is the gigiantic secret of the Christian.”

G.K. Chesterton in Orthodoxy (the chapter entitled, “Authority and the Adventurer”)

How ’bout we share the secret in the new year? I’m game.

Posted in GK Chesterton, secret, thought for the day | 1 Comment

The Lord’s Boot Camp

Posted on December 28, 2008 by ashleealleycrawford

I watched the 48 Hours Special last night on The Lord’s Boot Camp. It is akin to the documentary Jesus Camp (which I’m trying to get a hold of) and outlines 3 youth as they attend a Teen Missions camp. Two of the students that they followed were being prepared for a mission trip to Zambia to work with children and one of the students was going to Indiana to evangelize at what looked like a county fair. The methods were pretty intense…providing “practice” evangelistic conversations on how to “lead” someone to the Lord and even going to a nursing home to “practice” on some elderly. They did personally challenging tasks that were designed to test their mettle and they came away with a clear sense of purpose and training for the tasks that they would undertake on their mission trips.

Okay. Hold up! A “practice” evangelistic conversation with elderly folks at the nursing home? Seriously? What makes it okay for a 13 year old (chock full of righteous training) to go into a vulnerable population and tell the woman how sinful she was just so that she can “pray the prayer” with her and write her name on a card. I’m not exaggerating…that’s what happened. The other two students who were being trained for Zambia were shown to experience pretty rough conditions in order to be able to endure what they would physically have to endure. Their minds were shaped, their bodies were shaped, and then, just so that they wouldn’t be a total mess, they brought in Billy Graham’s grandson, Will, to build them back up and commission them for their trip. Hmm.

I’m all for evangelism, and I’m sure that the tv show was slanted to some degree, but I actually heard one of the leaders of the camp say that they “use” children to do the evagelism because who wouldn’t want to talk to the children? Manipulation, anyone? I do not call what the kids were being trained to do as evangelism–sharing the good news. They were sharing a “hell fire and damnation” gospel (of which I was well acquainted during some of my formative years) that reeks of emotional (and temporary) conversion, the kind that requires asking Jesus into your heart again and again. Seriously? Unfortunately it is this manipulative, disjointed, fear-induced gospel that the world seems to be rejecting. I pray that the life-giving gospel of Christ is proclaimed and true evangelism–redemptive, faithful, hope-giving–is able to be shared.

This video is a part of a panel discussion that CBS engineered with a broad base of students to respond. There are several other videos and they provide some good food for thought to hear how teens themselves respond.

Posted in Evangelism, Missions, Youth Ministry | Leave a comment

You Are Not Alone…

Posted on December 22, 2008 by ashleealleycrawford

In mid October, I attended a women’s retreat led by women from my church. One of the speakers, Lisa, a woman that I’ve known for over 10 years, was sharing an experience about how God reminded her of his love during a particularly difficult time in her life. As she went about her day, she began noticing flowers. Not just any flowers, but yellow flowers with a black center. Sometimes the flowers were sunflowers, other times wildflowers, and sometimes they were printed on t-shirts, bags or in pictures. Every time Lisa saw one of these flowers (which was often), she was reminded of God’s love for her. It was as simple as that. God notices her and he loves her and as a symbol of his love, he sends her flowers.

As she was speaking, I was reminded of a time when I went alone on a silent retreat. I had gone hiking and as I was moving from place to place, I discovered that a butterfly seemed to be following me. For probably an hour, the butterfly was my companion. At the end of the day, I sat on a bench and spent some time in prayer and journaling and discovered, once again, that a butterfly had joined me. In that moment, God was more tangible to me than I had remembered in quite some time. Lisa’s story of the yellow flowers brought my encounter with the butterfly to my mind.

The next morning, I was standing in the church office, speaking with several people and a magazine caught my eye. The cover was a photo of a swarm of butterflies. I smiled as I thought back to the day before, when I identified the butterfly as an experience of God’s presence several years earlier. The next day, I saw a moth as I walked into the Student Center to go to lunch. I laughed as I thought of the fact that it wasn’t quite a butterfly, but that a moth was the next best thing! On Tuesday, I had a meeting with my District Superintendent and would you believe what she was wearing on her lapel? A painted butterfly pin! I began to put together all of my “butterfly sightings” and thought that maybe, just maybe God was sending me a little message.

You see, I’m not usually one to “look for signs” or read too much into what is happening at the moment, but I most definitely believe in a God who cares about each of us individually and communicates with us. I know that God loves me, but sometimes I suppose that I, like Lisa, tend to get overly busy and distracted and feel lonely and need a reminder of God’s love. On Wednesday, my suspicions that this may be a part of God’s plan were confirmed as I went to speak to a woman that occasionally attends our chapel services. As I spoke to her, I noticed that she, too, was wearing a pin: a painted butterfly! I almost laughed out loud and as I did, I remembered that Reinhold Niebuhr said that laughter is the beginning of a prayer. I decided to thank God, right then and there, for the little ways that he was showing me that he loves me…I know in big ways that God loves me—I know the joy of being a Christian, I have everything that I need, I have a strong sense of calling, I have friends and family that show me love—but the butterflies began to minister to me in a very intimate way. The next day, I was reading a friends’ blog from several months earlier when I happened to see pictures of her family at a butterfly farm. On Friday, the butterfly was on a student’s t-shirt. On Saturday evening, I realized that I had not yet seen a butterfly. I was coming back from the grocery store and listening to the radio when the DJ spoke about how he used to dismiss people’s stories of “weird” things being God’s voice but he had come to realize that God could speak through anything, when just then, my headlights caught the side of a house that had 3 painted wooden butterflies attached to the side of the house. If I had any intellectualized skeptic left in me, that soon disappeared!

Over the course of an entire week, a butterfly had been present with me in some form or fashion every single day. I began to think back through all that was happening in my life: I was entering a time in my life that was particularly stressful, a time when I was looking for God’s guidance and strength in a new way and somehow the vulnerability of the butterfly has become a gift from God to encourage me through these difficult days. Would you believe that every single day for 6 weeks, I saw a butterfly? It’s true! Perhaps my butterflies were sent to give me that extra little bit of encouragement during a particularly difficult 6 weeks. Perhaps there have been butterflies all along, but I’ve been too busy to notice. Perhaps there is another explanation. However, I choose to believe that God was sending me a message that isn’t too different than the message that he sends to each of us, if we would only have the ears to hear it. That message is this: I love you. I notice you. I’m with you. I will give you strength. Be not afraid.

P.S. One of my butterfly sightings during that 6 weeks was the cover of the book that is shown above. I was examining a book catalog and spied the little butterfly in the picture. And then I read the title of the book!

Posted in butterflies, personal | Leave a comment