What to Do About Nothing

A Perennial Problem

So we’re going through the annual audit of the membership rolls at my church and the perennial discussion comes up of which inactive members should be removed and who should be left on.

It’s a regular type of thing. A story that’s heard in many locales is one of “Bob,” who was confirmed in 1963, left for college in 1968, and hasn’t darkened the door of a church since (it’s 2009 now). But, no one wants risk the wrath of his mother (who’s a faithful, pillar of the church who also gives generously of her money to the church’s work). So, “Bob” is left on… year after year after year. His commitment to the church is literally nothing… no time, no service, no support of the church’s budget.

The question for me is, “What exactly is church membership supposed to mean?”

The House That Gossip Built

After hearing about the whole “mess” that Jon & Kate Gosselin’s marriage is in for the last few days — goodness knows how many bucks have been made thus far on the supposed scandal — I find a voice inside of me screaming louder and louder, “ENOUGH ALREADY!”

Ok, folks:  time for one of those annoying “life” questions that hopefully pull a few of us back from the mire of self-absorption.  Maybe, because Jon & Kate Plus Eight has their ‘private’ lives on public display in millions of homes, they have brought this upon themselves.  But, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves, “What business is it of ours if they’re having trouble?”

Reality: Gotta Love It

Ah, yes.  The election’s over.

Ah, yes.  The inauguration has come and gone.

Ah, yes.  The honeymoon seems to be over — at least for the centrists who actually believed that now-President Obama was actually going to pursue, or get away with truly bipartisan governing.

Ah, yes.  President “I’m getting all of the troops home faster than you can say ’surge’” Obama seems to be discovering that it’s not quite as simple as bringing the troops home “just like that.” Now that we’ve destabilised the region, we’re going to have to work on restabilising it before we can go home.  Unless we just leave a mess.

The cynic in me enjoys the return to painful reality that follows every election, when all of the lies, unreachable ideals and pretending that humanity’s better side will prevail if only we elect a certain person.

And So It Begins…

Now that Barack Obama has been confirmed as the next President of the United States, it’s time for all of us (whether we voted for him or not – I didn’t) to move along from the euphoria and hysteria of election season and get down to business. For once, it seems that we are fairly together as a country, and it’s a good feeling.  Now, before the socioeconomic currents of the day carry us away, let’s do some thinking abou the next four to eight years.

Tom Bevan on the Real Clear Politics blog puts it this way:

“Over the course of the two year campaign, Obama captured the imagination of the American people with his soaring rhetoric of hope and his calls for bipartisan unity. Now, he’ll need to use every ounce of his considerable political skill to help guide the country through the host of challenges America currently faces.”

Yes, indeed: now that the people have elected him, what comes next?  Will the realities of being the leader of a powerful nation draw him away from the high ideals and lofty goals he proclaimed throughout the campaign – or will “business as usual” continue the status quo?  We shall see.

A Thorn in the Flesh

The United Methodist Church is preparing for 2008 General Conference (the gathering of our denomination’s leadership that meets every 4 years), occurring this coming spring.

As United Methodists prepare for this significant event in the life of our Church, there are some perennial issues that are already arising. Let me explain: