“I’d like to order One Miracle, please.”

If only this were the way. We see a deep need from a friend or in the community, and we simply order one up! Miracles often seem like amazing, nearly unbelievable changes that happened when Jesus was living among the people of earth. We experience miraculous results in health and healing, or dramatic rescues in the modern era, but these seem to be few and far between! And yet, witnessing a miracle is often simply a matter of perspective. 

When we look with fresh eyes, we see miracles in everyday events, like experiencing the birth of a child or even one of God’s creatures. In our own lives, we may experience a miracle by making small changes that lead to transformed perspectives and lives. 

And sometimes we are even part of dreaming up a miracle. The song says, “Are you ready for a miracle? Ready as I can be!” We have an opportunity to be part of a miracle that offers theological education for United Methodist pastors around the world! Outside of the US, only about 5% of the pastors serving are theologically trained. Our hope, led by our Bishops, is to create an endowment that will make education possible for pastors across the globe!

Miracle Sunday is May 17! We will join with 30,000 United Methodists around the world to make a miracle. Are you ready? Do you and your congregation have plans to join this miracle? Let’s make it happen! 

In the month of May this year, we celebrate the miracle and mystery of Pentecost! The story goes like this:

“When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. 

There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. They were surprised and amazed, saying, ‘Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? How is it that each of us hear them speaking in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages! They all were surprised and bewildered!” (bold lettering mine)

What a miracle, not dreamed up by the people, and yet they were part of this mysterious miracle which we celebrate each year. It’s the birth of the church, and it didn’t come about by people drinking new wine! It’s a celebration of faith-filled unity and diversity, of people coming together, and of the Holy Spirit enabling all to understand one another. May it be so. 

This day is a receiving of the Holy Spirit! Celebrate this day, engage in this work, and this hope, dear friends!

A myth (and a joke): pastors work only one hour per week! We all know this is not reality. The myth is that pastors do not have options for renewal and refreshment unless they have served the same appointment for at least 6 years. We all know that pastors are writing sermons, visiting parishioners, taking communion to the sick and homebound, managing committees and meetings, attending required conference and district meetings, and much more. 

The Truth: They DO have access to Renewal Leave! And we are spreading the news! This is a planned time away – planned in a partnership between pastor and SPRC/Church Council –  that will be a month or so every six years. A Renewal Leave grant, offered by the NCC and The Duke Endowment, is designed to assist pastors in paying for a colleague to fill in while they are away and to assist the pastor in being away for four weeks to rest, renew, perhaps study, and grow – whatever they need to feel refreshed for ministry! Congregations can also support their pastors to make this much-needed time available. 

If you are a pastor who needs this break, or a congregant who wants to help make this happen for your pastors, please contact your DS or Leah Weibe-Smith at the NCC for more information! Grants are available for 2027, along with a curriculum to support your planning for this time of respite and renewal. 

May the peace of Christ be with you,

photo credit – Tara Lain, Statue of St. Benedict