{"id":5731,"date":"2019-02-27T11:29:52","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T16:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/?p=5731"},"modified":"2019-02-27T11:29:52","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T16:29:52","slug":"letter-from-bishop-re-general-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/2019\/02\/letter-from-bishop-re-general-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter from Bishop re. General Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<nav class=\"back-navigation generic-toolbar\">\n<div class=\"button\"><a class=\"back\" href=\"https:\/\/connect.xfinity.com\/appsuite\/#\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-left\"><\/i>\u00a0Back<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"position\">15<\/div>\n<div class=\"prev-next\"><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"thread-view-list scrollable abs\">\n<div class=\"thread-view-header\">\n<h1 class=\"subject\">A message from Bishop Devadhar: General Conference 2019<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"thread-view list-view\">\n<article class=\"list-item mail-item mail-detail f6-target focusable expanded\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-cid=\"default0\/INBOX.660957\" data-loaded=\"true\">\n<header class=\"detail-view-header\">\n<div class=\"contact-picture\" data-drag-data=\"default0\/INBOX.660957\" data-drag-message=\"A message from Bishop Devadhar: General Conference 2019\" data-original=\"v=7.8.4-39.20190205.083133\/apps\/themes\/com.dark-green\/fallback-image-contact.png\"><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"notifications\"><\/section>\n<section class=\"warnings\"><\/section>\n<section class=\"body user-select-text focusable shadow-root-container\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"mail-detail-content noI18n colorQuoted\">\n<div id=\"ox-bf72054764\">\n<center><\/p>\n<table id=\"ox-bf72054764-wraptable\" border=\"0\" width=\"700\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\"ox-bf72054764-logodiv\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.neumc.org\/!GYrqz551a5pt7j4sELfpUgTY4BiJwWblhlNUjE+RaK6u7KTgL2UqOlJrhit7O8OQM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/neumc-email.brtapp.com\/files\/email\/fromthedeskofbishop.png\" alt=\"Image\" width=\"700\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table id=\"ox-bf72054764-contenttable\" border=\"0\" width=\"700\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"20\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td id=\"ox-bf72054764-bodytd\" valign=\"top\" width=\"500\">\n<div id=\"ox-bf72054764-bodyp\" class=\"ox-bf72054764-BRT-CE\">\n<h3>Feb. 26, 2019<\/h3>\n<p>God is our refuge and strength,<br \/>\na very present\u00a0help in trouble.<br \/>\nTherefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,<br \/>\nthough the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;<br \/>\nthough its waters roar and foam,<br \/>\nthough the mountains tremble with tumult.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 46:1-3<\/p>\n<p>Dear Beloved in Christ,<\/p>\n<p>Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<p>We have just concluded the special session of the General Conference in St Louis. During this gathering of the global church, we worshiped and prayed together\u00a0and spent time in Christian conferencing, but much remains unresolved and unknown.<\/p>\n<p>Though the actions of the General Conference are still subject to review by the Judicial Council, we return with a\u00a0<em>Book of Discipline<\/em>\u00a0that moves us further from full inclusion. This is disheartening at best\u00a0and despairing at worst.<\/p>\n<p>While our call as United Methodists is to do good, do no harm, and stay in love with God &#8230; I suspect we have fallen far shorter on the first two than the last. I ask that we spend time in prayerful confession of the ways our church has caused deep pain to beloved children of God, particularly LGBTQIA\u00a0and their allies. No matter what plan you supported for the way forward, remember that when one part of the body suffers, so do we all &#8211; and so now we are all in need of healing.<\/p>\n<p>My prayers continue for our church and for each of you in this covenantal community, for all LGBTQIA\u00a0children of God and their allies, as well as for those who are listening to our words and watching our actions.<\/p>\n<p>I continue to pray for a day when we can live together in the unified Spirit in a fully inclusive church. I \u00a0celebrate the beauty and rich variety of gifts that God has created, and I have faith that God will create, in and through us, a beautiful incarnation of the Body of Christ for the transformation of the whole world.<\/p>\n<p>As you gather with your congregations this Sunday, I pray you will build up one another in love, caring for each other\u2019s needs, and praying for God\u2019s spirit to inspire you to witness to Christ\u2019s love in your communities.<\/p>\n<p>In the next two weeks, your superintendents, in coordination with our delegation to this special session of\u00a0General Conference,\u00a0have scheduled opportunities for you to gather for support, prayer, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/neumc-email.brtapp.com\/!HGmXwymUeAjet1B5ZqYYZgqZjD4u+n7TGVEdDH8eGmfQNkXPgz7xQY5PeULzdz2Ag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cCourageous Conversations\u201d<\/a>\u00a0with one another as we process the actions &#8211; and inactions &#8211; of the general church and seek a faithful response. I hope and pray these will be opportunities for us to do good and begin to heal while we stay in love with God and each other.<\/p>\n<p>May our faithful God hold us in strength as we witness to\u00a0the powerful love of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, for such a time as this.<\/p>\n<p>In Christ\u2019s Love,<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/neumc-email.brtapp.com\/files\/tables\/emails\/2218444\/files\/Devadhar%20Signature%208-2017.png?width=200\" alt=\"\" \/><br \/>\nBishop Devadhar<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<td id=\"ox-bf72054764-sidetd\" valign=\"top\" width=\"200\">\n<div id=\"ox-bf72054764-sideedit\" class=\"ox-bf72054764-BRT-CE\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/neumc-email.brtapp.com\/files\/email\/sudarshana%20devadhar.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><img alt=\"\" width=\"176\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Bishop&#8217;s Office<\/h3>\n<p>Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar<\/p>\n<p>Erica Robinson-Johnson Assistant to the Bishop\/DCM Phone: (978) 682-7555 ext. 251<br \/>\n<a class=\"mailto-link\" href=\"mailto:erica@neumc.org\" target=\"_blank\">erica@neumc.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Brenda Borchers<br \/>\nAdministrative Assistant<br \/>\nPhone: (978) 682-7555 ext. 250<br \/>\nFax: (978) 682-9555<br \/>\n<a class=\"mailto-link\" href=\"mailto:BishopsOffice@neumc.org\" target=\"_blank\">BishopsOffice@neumc.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td id=\"ox-bf72054764-footertd\" colspan=\"2\">\n<div>Transformed by the Holy Spirit, united in trust,<br \/>\nwe will\u00a0boldly\u00a0proclaim Christ to the world.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/email.brtapp.com\/wf\/open?upn=E3DHllE8l4yTPUeumoQUueSuRIyCbnV9twp2VAu89jLmDkU3JRdJJ3Q1CzNn-2FjceB1Vc4uEBha-2BkRRwfKpTbrsAOCmQaWvpgiVNKNtqycNrvVFCr9SKVamxo02klp5f6z9adY0JHo1NksBvuzb3YtIsnfULOUx8MFGk4XFFVba9JHhFIZk4zUKkXm-2FgTeYm8KRrTn0YYbUFk7B97u96xKypoOxmnyUxfwSZhFTyUEg-2BgOxiqFMPLXIqRVSg6-2BGtK4FQoNPhWQg9jWbPHRlnrpy6wiyiiyU5fMc-2BfaBZBk-2F3T-2BzmHaRxCgFVMW3SlJ00xqhDF-2FlF8VCUEyMPEEFP-2BMvxxGWQD2XgKLw7zAMHoQ6Z3jbknW-2Ffanr7xo2d0PQja4wJwfuS70HoJfv-2Bmz-2Bc2rQ-3D-3D\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0Back 15 A message from Bishop Devadhar: General Conference 2019 Feb. 26, 2019 God is our refuge and strength, a very present\u00a0help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5732,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5731\/revisions\/5732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}