With his usual zest and animated spirit, Bishop Jonathan Keaton officially opened the West Michigan Annual Conference by encouraging the 2010 church to look a little bit more like the 1st Century church described in Acts 2.
As it says in Acts 2:46-47 (NIV): “Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people.”
“The crowds shown in Acts 2 are looked at as the ideal church by some, focused on communion, prayer, teaching, helping others and all the things that should be important,” Keaton said. “But sometimes we focus so much on things like crime, homosexuality, inhumanity, hopelessness and all the things that divide us.”
Keaton made note that nowhere in Acts 2 does it talk about denominational divide, Jews and gentiles being separate, or longtime believers distinguishing themselves from new ones.
What it does reflect though, he said, is Christian community flourishes through personal and social holiness — something that was exemplified by the late Sam Dixon (UMCOR head) and late Clint Rabb (Rev. and missionary), as well as mission worker Jim Gulley when they were trapped under the Hotel Montana following the devastating Haiti earthquake in January. Keaton talked about the faith they showed by referencing reports that they sang hymns together, repeatedly tried to lift the spirits of those around them and never gave up despite the grave circumstances.
“What happened to Sam Dixon and Clint Rabb and Jim Gulley was social and spiritual,” he said. “Underneath that rubble was the spirit of Pentecost and the spirit of holiness, even during their most trying times.”
A special offering was taken for Haiti Thursday and Keaton applauded the conference’s response to the disaster through giving and prayer.
Keaton said the modern-day United Methodist Church needs to remember the words of John Wesley more often though, when he said, “The world is my parish.”
