As we enter the period of Lent, a time of introspection and spiritual renewal, the historic meeting between St. George’s United Methodist Church and Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia resonates deeply within the Methodist community, offering a profound lesson in repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Recuerdo cuando leí estas líneas por primera vez. Mi alma se llenó de una emoción que no puedo describir. Fue una mezcla de sentimientos entre tristeza, desilusión y también emoción por la valentía de Jones y Allen (quien también fue parte del evento), quienes tuvieron que abandonar el lugar inspirados por un alto sentido de dignidad. Según la historia completa, este evento inició el movimiento metodista negro en los Estados Unidos, que a su vez marcó el comienzo de la Iglesia Episcopal Metodista Afroamericana.
I remember when I read these lines for the first time. My soul was filled with an emotion I cannot describe. It was a mix of feelings between sadness, disappointment, and also excitement because of the bravery of Jones and Allen (who was also part of the event), who had to leave the place moved by dignity. According to the completed story, this event began the Black Methodist movement in the United States, which started the African American Methodist Episcopal Church.
I recently came across a trend on social media in which content creators complain about the practice of some companies to use the sentence “don’t call us… We’ll call you,” as a euphemism for “you are not continuing the process,” when a job interview goes bad.
For some time now, sadly, spiritual maturity has been associated with important leadership positions in congregations or with great theological knowledge and eloquence by people in the church. This vision, without a doubt, is highly harmful to the proper development of life through the Gospel.
Comencemos afirmando que los Sacramentos son la expresión de la Gracia de Dios y su amor incondicional. Por tanto, estos son regalos inmerecidos que Dios da a la humanidad. Los sacramentos se diferencian de las ordenanzas porque los sacramentos son acciones de Dios (dones), pero las ordenanzas son acciones humanas (obediencia). Este aspecto diferencia la comprensión metodista del bautismo de otros grupos cristianos, por ejemplo.
Let us start by stating that the Sacraments are the expression of God’s Grace and God’s unconditional love. Therefore, these are undeserved gifts from God to humankind. Sacraments differ from ordinances because Sacraments are God’s actions (gifts), but ordinances are humans’ actions (obedience). This aspect differentiates the Methodist understanding of baptism from other Christian beliefs, for example.
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Where the invisible throw shadows,
the weak lead, the silent are heard,
and the pushed aside
are called into the center
where they are listened to,
lifted up and loved.
Whoever you are, you are welcome here!
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