Episcopal Address: follow Jesus into the world

“Our primary call is to follow Jesus into the world bring healing, hope and transformation from a church empowered by the Holy Spirit.” So began Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble’s episcopal address to the 2010 session of the Iowa Annual Conference.

 

After a video introduction based on the call to action of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, Bishop Trimble recalled the story of the Great Commission (Matthew 28.16-20), saying, “It is not the great suggestion nor the great option. The sending forth of the followers of Jesus to live above all limitations, baptizing, teaching and making real the love of Jesus to all nations… [includes being] reconciled to our sisters and brothers wherever we encounter the human family.” 

 

He encouraged the members of the Conference session to “focus on things that matter most…invest in new churches and new ministries…and tell the stories of Jesus.”

 

Bishop Trimble invited four persons to join him in a conversation about “Our Call to Action.” – Rev. Anne Lippincott, Dean of the Appointive Cabinet, Sarah Stevens, Field Outreach Minister of the Northwest District, Rev. Scott Hibben, Leadership Development Minister for Evangelism and New Ministry, and Miranda Walters, a teenager from First United Methodist in Cedar Falls.

 

In a video segment Rev Lippincott described the Appointive Cabinet as a prayerful covenant community that looks at the needs of churches and gifts of pastors in order to “deploy people to churches to fulfill the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” In response to Bishop Trimble’s question, “How are we equipping local churches for living out the Great Commission?” Rev. Lippincott said that the Appointive Cabinet offers encouragement, works with the FIT Challenge focus, resources congregations, clergy and laity, and “strives to create a culture of accountability to help the mission to be alive.” She also said, having been asked, “Is it your understanding that as united Methodists we are expected to relate to the church and community?” “Yes, yes, absolutely yes!”

 

Sarah Stevens, in her video introduction, said that the grounding principle for the eight Field Outreach Ministers is found in Luke 10, the story of the sending of the seventy, and that she and her fellow FOM’s are guided by the understanding that the “kingdom is right outside the door, it is at hand.” In conversation with Bishop Trimble she noted there is great strength in working and “walking together in the journey,” walking with people “in our congregations.”

 

Rev. Scott Hibben described the foundation of his work as a Leadership Development Minister in Jesus’ injunction to “go and tell.” Rev. Hibben said, “our lives are better because of Jesus…we’re blessed to be a blessing.” Responding to Bishop Trimble he added, “There is an urgency to start new faith communities because people need Jesus.”

 

In transition, Bishop Trimble noted, “I believe that people draw people and that one person can change the world by making a positive difference. I also believe that we have much to learn from children and their leadership modeled by focused passion to help others in need.”

 

Miranda Walters, a teenager from First United Methodist Church, was introduced a video clip from Good Morning America which described her action to save children and families from Malaria by purchasing mosquito nets from the proceeds of a bake sale. She described how she had been moved by a video she had seen at her church, collaborated with her grandmother, and held a bake sale with the goal of raising $100 to purchase 10 mosquito nets. At the end of the day some $640 was collected, enough for 64 nets, or, as Miranda said, “each net can protect up to four people so our little bake sale will help more than 250 people to live healthy lives.” Bishop Trimble asked her if she believed that “anybody and everybody can make a difference.” She said, “If you have time to watch TV you can change a life, change the world, make the world a better place…you can volunteer.” At the end of her conversation with Bishop Trimble the teenage baker presented Bishop Trimble with a pie (which immediately became the subject of a bidding war. At last report the Southeast District made a pledge of $1000 for the pie and one congregation pledged $1000 for the pie plate, a pledge that was later channeled to the FIT Challenge.) 

 

Concluding the Episcopal Address the Bishop noted that “Church growth and social justice are not opposing objectives.” He cited the Council of Bishops’ 2009 Pastoral letter which affirmed that “Our origins lie with efforts to carry the gospel to the poor, the unchurched and the immigrant. Offering God’s love was why the predecessors of United Methodists in Iowa started churches and other institutions that still love today.”

 

Three challenges were issued: