A Reflection on Lent

February brings a busy time this year with the season of Lent. However, not everyone knows what Lent is and what its purpose is to accomplish.

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days.

What are the “forty” days? Because Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, we skip over Sundays when we calculate the length of Lent. Therefore, in the Western Church, Lent always begins on Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter. In many countries, the last day before Lent (called Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, or Fasching) has become a last fling before the solemnity of Lent. For centuries, it was customary to fast by abstaining from meat during Lent, which is why some people call the festival “Carnival,” which is Latin for farewell to meat.

Enough explaining the details. What’s the purpose of Lent? What should the Christian feel and how should the Christian respond? We avoid Lent and Holy Week because it isn’t a happy and uplifting time – but to be honest, neither is most of life. Sometimes we come to church all scrubbed up, dressed nicely, with smiles on our faces, and when people ask how we are, we reply that everything is fine and we even boast how wonderful things are – but it’s not truthful at times. Life is not always uplifting, or wonderful, or pleasant, or joyous – but we have been taught the lie that for spiritual people like us, it must be so. So we become play actors. In a sense, we’re hypocrites.

But in this we miss the whole point of the incarnation! God became flesh in Jesus Christ. Jesus faced temptation, he suffered hunger and thirst, and he suffered the agony of crucifixion. Jesus our God did not face these things so that we would be exempt from them. He faced these things so that we would have dignity in them.

The people of this world believe in the power of positive thinking and in happiness, and in believing these things, they are very shrewd. For people of this world have only the present moment, and if they are unhappy in it, they have lost something. But we who are Christians can endure unhappiness and sadness and loneliness and backstabbing and betrayal and friendlessness and poverty and hunger and thirst; we can face mourning and grief and even death, because Jesus faced all those things. As Christians, we know that Jesus’ suffering was his way to glory, and his Crucifixion was the door to his Resurrection. We know that he ascended on high and sits, alive and well, at the right hand of his Father, where he rules over all things. We can face our own crucifixions in life, because we know that we will share in his Resurrection on the Last Day!

On Palm Sunday, there were crowds who cheered Jesus as the King, but where were all those fair-weather friends when Jesus prayed in agony on Gethsemane, and where were they when he hung upon the cross?

Therefore, let us show that we as Christians are not just Jesus’ groupies, we are his friends. Let us be bold to join him, fasting in the wilderness for forty days during Lent. Let us be bold to pray with him in the garden on Maundy Thursday. Let us fearlessly stand at the foot of his cross on Good Friday, so that we may witness his Resurrection and his Ascension, and join in his triumphant reign. And on that Last Day, when Jesus brushes away the groupies, let us be among his true friends, whom he welcomes into his glory.

Legislation Relfects Range of Young People's Concerns

By Kathy L. Gilbert (United Methodist News Service writer based in Nashville, TN)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (UMNS) - Young people from around the world worked on legislation ranging from social issues to representation in The United Methodist Church during a first ever global event held Dec. 28-Jan. 1.

"We got a lot accomplished for the voice of young people because a lot of good legislation came from this gathering," said Katie Zilm, a delegate from Song of Life United Methodist Church, Mesa, Ariz.

The Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly was sponsored by the Division on Ministries with Young People, United Methodist Board of Discipleship. The denomination's Book of Discipline states that a global convocation of young people will meet every four years "for the purpose of celebrating the mission and vitality of young people in the United Methodist Church."

Voting delegates from the five jurisdictions of the United States and from the seven central conferences in Africa, Asia and Europe considered 44 pieces of legislation to send to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, which meets April 23-May 2, Fort Worth, Texas.

General Conference, the denomination's top legislative assembly, approved the creation of the Division on Ministries with Young People at its last meeting, in 2004.

The legislation approved in Johannesburg was translated into French and Portuguese, and in order to pass, had to receive a two-thirds majority.

The two-thirds majority was important to Devin Mauney, a member of Christ Church United Methodist, Tucson, Ariz.

"We wanted to accurately represent the voice of young people at this convocation," he said. He noted there were two main streams of legislation: young people's representation in the church and statements on social issues.

Mauney serves on the United Methodist Commission on Communication. Having strong young people's voices in the church's board and agencies is important, he said. "I also appreciated the flexibility of the legislation that said whenever possible we would like consideration for appointive positions.

"On the other side we had a lot of statements on social issues," he said. "We had one on war and peace that was very important. Young people came out with a very strong voice on issues of homosexual involvement in the church - what rights and privileges they have."

The youth passed legislation to ensure no person will be denied membership or ordination in The United Methodist Church "because of their differences." The denomination's Book of Discipline forbids the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.

"The legislative process was full of youth and young adults and very few 'mature' adults," said Nicki Spencer, a member of Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Ark. "That was good."

Aarendy Gomez, a member of San Juan Mission Metodista Unida, Clanton, Ala., agreed. "It was us that did all the legislation instead of the adults."

Call for peace

The young people wrote a statement of concern on the human rights situation in the Philippines, with the help of delegates from that country.

In part, the statement says: "Human rights are in danger in the Philippines. The image of God in every person is being assaulted in many ways, including God's servants - bishops, pastors, deaconesses and women, men and youth lay leaders. These prophet servants of God have preached, with costly discipleship, the good news to the poor, deprived and marginalized peoples of the Philippines."

The statement calls for United Methodist young people to pray for the Philippines and to work with the United Methodist Youth and Young Adult Fellowship in the country.

In another statement on war and peace, the young people said: "We are those sent to the front lines of every war, by every nation and organization which chooses to engage in war." The statement goes on to say young people are "most affected by the insidiousness of war" while having the least voice in decision making.

The statement affirms The United Methodist Church's stance on war and peace as stated in the Social Principles, Paragraph 165, VI, Section C.

"We are the young people of The United Methodist Church. We affirm God's clear call to be instruments of peace in all corners of the world," the convocation said.

'Where we are headed'

In other action, the legislative assembly wrote a statement of concern for poverty around the world; affirmed the church's campaign to address malaria, "Nothing but Nets"; and called for $100,000 from apportioned funds to be allocated to the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund.

Additional legislation dealt with having youth and young adult representation in the local church, annual conferences, jurisdictional and central conferences, the Judicial Council and General Conference.

"We had an opportunity to sit down and talk with people with whom we disagree," said Bryan Plummer, Tempe (Ariz.) First United Methodist Church. "While we passed a lot of legislation that will be turned down, I hope General Conference looks at this and sees where the future of church leadership is. I hope we can start looking at ways right now where we can reconcile where we are and where we are headed as a church."

Snow Shoveling Brigades

Are you a service minded parent or young adult? Are you able and willing to work in cold temperatures? I am looking for someone able to help coordinate Snow Shoveling Brigades (based on location). These brigades will be teams of adults and youth who will help dig-out (or simply sweep the steps in some cases) our more fragile, fellow Bradleyans this winter in the event of a snow accumulation. Please let me know if you're willing to help coordinate this. I will assist you in this endeavor. Thank you!!!

Youth Christmas Party

Both Middle High and Senior High youth who have been involved with Youth Group this year are invited to my house (22 Oak Ct.) for a Christmas Party on Sunday, December 17!!! We will meet from 5-7:30 p.m. for food and games with "Christmas Vacation" playing in the background, of course! Parents are needed in food preparation. If you have a signature Christmas/Winter recipe (appetizer, main dish or dessert) please let me know!!! In lieu of a gift exchange, youth are encouraged to bring $5 and then as a youth group they will decide how to spend the money in terms of a local teens-helping-teens or similar initiative of their choosing. I look forward to seeing you there!

Online Advent Study

With 15 members strong and going, the online Advent Study is a success as far as people wanting to get the reading materials. Participation, however, is still a thing to be desired. After you read, please feel free to start a discussion topic on something you read - or ideas the reading sparks. If you are still interested in joining the online Advent Study you can, by clicking above or going to Bradley's homepage. Once you become a member of the group you may also send out personal invitations to friends and family members to join the group. The Week 2 readings are posted and will be the basis for discussion through Thursday, Dec. 14. The title of the study is "What You Can Do" and it addresses the obligations of Christians to be like Jesus in defending social justice issues and being agents of change in their community.