Incorporation of the United Methodist Church of Martha's Vineyard
To the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
“I always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. I continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For I know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you…”
This passage comes from 1 Thessalonians.
It’s the Apostle Paul’s very first letter to a new Christian church in Thessalonia. These past two weeks, I wondered what the apostle Paul felt like being so far from home. Throughout Paul’s letters, he tried to reaffirm the Spirit in the local church and reiterated how the Gospel is lived out in the life of the church and in the hearts of its members.
As you all know, I have been in Atlanta, Georgia at Candler Seminary at Emory University. Emory is one of only 11 approved United Methodist Educational institutions in the United States. None are in New England. This mandatory Course of Study for Local Pastors is critical; not only to our call to ministry, but to the vision and mission of our local churches. Because we are all in active appointments, our course work and studies directly affect our local churches back home.
Part of the Traditional first days of the Course of Study is a public sharing of each pastor’s mission field and call to ministry. This helps us affirm each other’s ministry and calls attention to areas of concern and much needed prayers.
I am blessed to be involved with a program that includes different churches all over the South, I have brain-stormed in depth with pastors from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Montana, and the Carolinas. In that diversity however, you’d be surprised just how alike our local churches are. Every year I get the award for traveling the greatest distance. Everyone also wants to know if I personally know the Kennedy’s. Everyone has heard of the Vineyard, even the pastor of a tiny local church in Mobile, Alabama.
I realize just how quickly Susan Heafield and Brian Wren left for Pennsylvania. Then July came and I was off to Georgia. From the pulpit, there had really been very little announcements concerning how we are to work together as the “United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard.”I am indeed thankful to those pastors and laity that filled in for me while I was gone.
Shortly after I return, a letter will be mailed to all members addressing questions on mission, ministry, membership and administration. I will highlight two of those points here:
-Concerning Our Incorporation:
All three churches (Christ, Edgartown & Trinity United Methodist Churches) are now incorporated into one corporate, non-profit entity in the state of Massachusetts: “United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard, Inc”. Each of the three churches must exist under their own names for a time, in order to allow for the legal transfer of resources to this new entity. As of June 18, 2009, the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church has recorded that the designation of each of our three churches has changed. Each church no longer has a mission share connected to it and all buildings together make up the new “United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard”. For all intents and purposes all financial matters, all legal and Conference responsibilities are under the umbrella of the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard.
-Concerning Membership-
This was discussed at our last Charge Conference with Rev. Gary Shaw. Ever member of our three down-island churches (Christ, Edgartown, and Trinity) will automatically be shifted to membership in the United Methodist Church of Martha’s Vineyard. The original church in which the membership was held, legally no longer exists as an entity that can accept membership.
I look forward to seeing you all soon.
God bless you all, Pastor Rich
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