South Carolina Conference Communications

I received this to share from the General Commission on Religion and Race

The General Commission on Religion and Race has been engaging worship leaders from around the United Methodist Connection in discussing the racially charged events of the week, and ways United Methodists can be involved.

Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishop offers some notes that can help worship leaders answer the question, "Will Wednesday's NY Post Cartoon matter on Sunday?"

While profoundly disappointed with the NY Post and its racially charged editorial cartoon this week, Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, looks at the incident and the subsequent controversy as a fantastic opportunity. "It provides United Methodists with the tremendous opportunity to speak about radical hospitality, revelation and transparent disclosure, all elements of this season of Ephiphany." Bishop Palmer says that during this special season in the life of the church we are called to mirror God's deepest wish for humanity, to see the reflection of God in each other.
Bishop Palmer uses the Gospel text, Mark 9 to set the stage. "The cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud came a voice and the voice said, 'this is my son, my beloved, and listen to him.'"
In the text, God calls out to humanity and says, this is who I am. Look upon Jesus, know him as Beloved, and in turn, learn that we too are beloved. For every culture that has struggled with discrimination, this message - that God sees all of us as the beloved- is significant because it says we are accepted by the Author of our lives. It also calls us to look at our neighbor, the person who "looks like me" and is aligned socially, economically, and perhaps politically with me and see "beloved." But it also calls for us to look at the neighbor, the one who could use some ancient image of hate for the purpose of humor and see that one as beloved of God as well.
Bishop Palmer urges that we remember that as Christians, as United Methodists, we are designed to represent radical hospitality and that includes hospitality to those who may not look like us. We are called to exercise that hospitality in our own spheres of influence whether it's an office space or gymnasium, or on Sunday, in the pew.