What’s Old Is New Again
By Anne Packard
A little over fifty years ago, the Methodist church faced fierce debate to proposed changes in the organization and practices of the denomination. These proposed changes had been discussed for twenty years prior to the voting and members on both sides felt strongly that there was a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Sound familiar? What’s old is new again.
While accessioning local church records, an artifact from Edgewood UMC stood out for the timeless message it presented. It was a simple pamphlet advertising Commitment Sunday for 1967. Commitment Sundays have always been important and certainly worth advertising, but 1967 must have been just a bit different. The denomination was preparing for the General Conference meeting which was to be held in Dallas in April 1968. At this meeting, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Evangelical United Brethren merged to form The United Methodist Church. With this merger, Central Jurisdiction was abolished and the integration of all churches would be the only accepted form of organization.
I have no doubt that members of Methodist churches throughout the South Georgia Conference were anxious and uncertain about the future of their beloved denomination. These proposed changes had been discussed for years, and people held strong opinions. Cultural and generational differences throughout the United States were dividing the country and spilling into both politics and religion. So, how did one local church in our conference choose to address this issue?
With you, we move forward together.
What a wonderful message to anxious church members during a tumultuous time. These Methodists were moving forward into the unknown together, and together might be all that is needed to move forward. God doesn’t take away the dark and scary times, but He doesn’t make us live them in isolation. We have Him, and we have each other. We can choose to be together, making the days a little less dark and a little less scary.
What would we tell these church members knowing their future? We might tell them that their future was bright and filled with good tidings of great joy. Methodists would be breaking down barriers between each other and between Him. We would be living into God’s perfect grace and better represent His love and hope for humanity.
So, maybe during this uncertain, tumultuous time, our days are neither dark nor scary. We can choose to live into a bright future with God’s faith, hope and love…together.
With you, we move forward together.
Anne Packard serves as Conference Historian and director of the Arthur J. Moore Methodist Museum on St. Simons Island. Contact her at apackard@epworthbythesea.org.