Author: Tim Crouch, Board Member
Friends,
I recently attended the funeral of a longtime family friend. As part of his eulogy, the son sang the great hymn We are one in the Spirit. I think it speaks to us as United Methodists more than ever.
My dream for the United Methodist Church in this post-separation UMC is that we live together in the words of this great hymn. The time for fighting and bickering is over. The work of the Church is in front of us and there is exciting news about the future coming out every day. While there are disaffiliations, and we grieve those who have chosen to leave, we continue to pray “that all unity may one day be restored.”
Read again these powerful verses:
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come;
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.*
I’m willing to guess that as you read the words you started to sing along. It is not just the tune; the spirit of the song is contagious. When our families camped on vacations together, this was one of the songs we would sing around the campfire.
Mainstream UMC’s preparations for General Conference in 2024 include claiming the narrative of who we are as United Methodists and not letting someone else do it for us. As United Methodists, we hope that the world will indeed know us by our love. Look at all those key phrases that really are part of our identity.
We are one in the spirit, one in the Lord. We work with each other and work side by side. We guard everyone’s dignity, and we praise Christ Jesus and the Spirit that makes us one.
In the big picture of the United Methodist Church, the disaffiliation numbers are small because as United Methodists we are one in the Spirit. Where there have been disaffiliations, new United Methodist Churches are springing up because as United Methodists we “spread the word that God is in our land.”
It is time to move past the disinformation and unfortunate lies and move into our future as the United Methodist Church and embrace the new opportunities for working together to spread the Good News. At Mainstream UMC, we are working together with United Methodists on all sides that are willing to be in communion with those with whom they may disagree on some issues, but who all agree that God is with Us. “And they will know we are Christians by our Love.”
Please join me in making a donation to Mainstream UMC. Together, we can help our great church to be one in the Spirit at General Conference 2024: www.MainstreamUMC.com/Donate
In the Spirit,
Tim Crouch
Lay Delegate, North Texas Annual Conference
Board Member, Mainstream UMC
Mainstream UMC is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization.
*Copyright:
Words: 1966 F.E.L. Publications. Assigned 1991 Lorenz Publishing Company (Admin. by Lorenz Corporation), Music: 1966 F.E.L. Publications. Assigned 1991 Lorenz Publishing Company (Admin. by Lorenz Corporation)