Boy Howdy!

We have been in Texas over a week now. The Living Faith, Seeking Justice Conference in Ft. Worth, sponsored by the General Board of Church and Society, was very inspiring. One quote from a conference speaker:

"The Church is a lot like Noah's Ark, it may stink at times, but if you step out of it, you'll drown."

During the conference, there was some time to do some Texas things, like eat reel Texas bar-bee-que. Here are three happy Europeans chowing down on a moderate portion of ribs:

Helen, Dominic Schmidt from Germany, first time in USA and Finn Uth from Denmark.


The moderate portion of ribs. It was an all-you-can eat deal, by the way.


You sure can't get a ride like this in Germany:


Adam Hamilton, pastor of Church of the Resurrection which supports two of our churches in Ukraine and a main speaker at the Living Faith, Seeking Justice Conference commented on the fact the "sweet spot" of the United Methodist Church is our combining of the Evangelical and Social Gospels, how they cannot be separated. If we neglect either, the church does not do it's job. He quoted the General Rules, an official source for our doctrinal standards and which were the basic foundation of the Methodist Church:

Firstly: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind,

Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men:

To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.

To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that "we are not to do good unless our hearts be free to it."

Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are:
The public worship of God.
The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded.
The Supper of the Lord.
Family and private prayer.
Searching the Scriptures.
Fasting or abstinence.

A good foundation, let us build upon it.