Foundation

My favorite hymn continues to be, "The Church's One Foundation". Since my youth I was drawn to the tune and the message of this great hymn still inspires me.

The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Jesus Christ is still the foundation of the church. Recently members of our church gathered with delegates from the other 450 United Methodist churches that constitute the Detroit Annual Conference. These churches are small and large, urban and rural, multicultural and multi-theological. They face significant challenges. Over the last 40 years, the membership of that collective body has lost half of its members. If our decline continues at the same rate, by the year 2050 there will be no United Methodist church left in Michigan.

However I come home from conference more hopeful this year than I have in a long time. It is true that many of the same struggles remain. We still spend more time on protecting what was once important and ignore the new ways God is moving in the world. We often see our differences faster than what we have in common. Something though is changing.

This year I felt the stirring of a new spirit. The conversations were more focused on what we can do and less about what others were not getting done. New ministries are emerging that begin at meeting the needs of the world in the name of Christ. New faces and passionate hearts alive for the sake of Christ are rising up focused more on doing than talking. The jury is still out on whether Michigan Methodists will rebound to its former strength. I believe it will. Clarkston UMC is my assurance it is possible. Christ is doing a mighty work in our midst and we have been wise enough to not get in the way. This is not to brag or falsely believe it is because of us. It is the work of Christ. It is the church living upon our true foundation.

The fact is the hope and foundation of the church remains.

Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee