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Following Memorial Day, May 28th Pastor Steve and Jayna will begin the Lilly Religious Endowment
Renewal Leave. Through the vision of the Lilly Religious Endowment, our pastor was selected
to receive a grant to renew him for future ministry. The goal of the grant is to provide
churches an opportunity to give their pastors a time of renewal that will make their pastor’s
heart sing. Steve and Jayna shared a dream that would make their heart sing and the Lilly
Endowment granted Grace United Methodist Church the funds to make this dream become a
reality. Under the direction of the Staff/Parish Relations Committee (specifically Ron Harper,
who is supervising the expenditures of the grant) Grace United Methodist Church has
worked with Pastor Steve to give him the opportunity this summer to travel and renew himself
and study at Oxford University. The renewal grant is for up to three months long and is fully
funded by the Lilly Religious Endowment Fund.
AAny additional expenses that Grace UMC may accrue during Pastor Steve’s absence are also
covered by the Lilly Endowment. We will be sharing more information about Steve and
Jayna’s plans for their time away in the June newsletter so we may keep them in our prayers
during their time away for renewal. We trust that this will be a wonderful opportunity for both
our local congregation and our Senior Pastor and his wife to grow and expand our ministries
at Grace United Methodist Church.
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RRecognizing the importance and necessity for busy pastors to have an opportunity to take an extended break for renewal and refreshment, Lilly Endowment in 1999 introduced a new competitive grants program. The program awards grants to Indiana congregations that offer a program for the renewal of their pastor and, at the same time, give the congregations themselves an opportunity to better themselves as vital places of worship and mission.
CClick here for more information
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For your information, these are the courses that I will be taking at Oxford University, Lincoln College this summer. I hope they sound interesting and useful to you, as they do me: |
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The first series of classes will explore the religious links between Britain and America form the 17th century to the present. We will look at five themes: 1 – Church and State: crossing over to build God’s city in the brave New World. Why did so many religious groups make the journey across the Atlantic in the 17th century. Who were they? What did they believe and why did they leave Britain for America? 2 –Reason vs. Revival? Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers of America turned to England to learn about the Enlightenment, principles that under-girded the new country’s constitution as well as their own personal, rational religion. John Wesley’s influence upon this period. We will also study the slave trade, which went against the principles of both Enlightenment and religious freedom. 3 – Faith in the Gilded Age: Industrialization in the US and Britain led both to great wealth and great poverty. How did the churches respond? In the US, industrialization heralded great philanthropy. In Britain, new cities like Liverpool were seen as godless places. Industrialization led to secularization. How did the churches in each country learn from each other about how to respond to poverty, and what can we learn from them today as it relates to the issues of poverty and secularization? 4 – Utopian Religion. America has always been the ‘city on the hill, offering a site for the New Jerusalem and the promise of religious freedom. We will look at various American religious movements. 5 – The challenge of religious pluralism since 9:11. Both the US and Britain have seen a rise in immigration in the second half of the 20th century, and, as a consequence, a growth in religious pluralism. Both countries have also witnessed the development of religious fundamentalism in the last part of the 20th century. We will explore the resulting intertwined political and religious complexities of the early 21st century. The Professor for this series will be Revd Canon Dr. Shaw, Dean of Divinity, Chaplain and Fellow of New College, Oxford and University Research Lecturer on modern ecclesiastical history. Dr. Shaw is also the director of the Summer program in Theology at Oxford University |
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The second series of classes will study to what extent contemporary western society can be regarded as ‘secular’. How should theology try and engage with contemporary culture? Should churches try and resist cultural pluralism, in an attempt to remain distinctive? Should churches attempt to accommodate contemporary culture in an attempt to remain relevant? We will examine some of the recent Christian theological responses to contemporary culture, as well as examining the character and resilience of religion within secular society. We will explore and critically assess the shape of ecclesial resilience in the modern world, using practical theology, social sciences and cultural studies as our focus. The five themes we will study are 1 – secularization theories and their relation to contemporary ecclesiology and ministry 2 – Historic and emerging trends in church attendance in the context of contemporary culture 3 – Varieties of theological engagement with contemporary culture (particularly on the ‘hot-button’ issues of our day) 4 – Theology and the shaping of Christian congregations in the midst of theological divisions 5 – The place of practical theology and developing a grounded ecclesiology. Amongst other topics covered, this class will assess the current state of the church, gleaning insights from the latest writers and thinkers in the field. It examines how modern approaches to ecclesiology and congregational studies can help churches in their mission. An assessment of contemporary fundamentalism and revivalism, and the impact of such movements in shaping contemporary Christianity will also be included. The Professor for this series will be Revd Canon Professor Martyn Percy, Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford University and Honorary Professor of Theological Education at Kings’ College, London. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Hartford Seminary and the Canon Theologian for Sheffield Cathedral. He is also Director of Studies at Christ’s College, Cambridge University. He is considered one of the world’s top scholars on the church and contemporary culture. |
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Charles Wesley 300th Anniversary |
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Finally, I will doing studies on the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley’s birthday and his philosophy and use of music in the church – then and now. |
