Social Principles and Current Events

Each day we open our eyes and greet the world, we are greeted with issues and topics that are difficult. From ethical decisions about our purchases to moral decisions about proper behavior in the world, we face many dilemmas each day we get out of bed. No matter where you stand on political or social issues that face our nation and world, we face each day with the command from Christ to love. But what does that really mean? How do we live in this world that faces decisions that the Bible doesn’t talk about, like abortions and hospitalizations and global warming?

My prayer is that the Church’s Social Principles can help inform our work in the world around us. These are the official positions of the United Methodist Church that face us as a nation and a world, and they can be found here: https://www.umc.org/en/what-we-believe/basics-of-our-faith/our-social-positions.

These official statements about issues in the world address everything from creation to pornography to adoption to bullying. They address racism; rights of children, youth, and the elderly; alcohol use; food justice; gambling; war; and more.

This week, I want to address several of the topics that face us as we think about our bodies and our health. The church is not silent on issues that face our health. For example, we believe health care is a basic human right, while we “encourage individuals to pursue a healthy lifestyle and affirm the importance of preventive health care, health education, environmental and occupational safety, good nutrition, and secure housing in achieving health.” We believe “persons with mental illness and their families have a right to be treated with respect on the basis of common humanity and accurate information. They also have a right and responsibility to obtain care appropriate to their condition.” We believe that “organ transplantation and organ donation are acts of charity, agape love, and self-sacrifice,” and encourage people to consider becoming an organ donor.

A number of you have asked what the official position of the UMC is regarding abortion, since it’s back in the news with the Supreme Court’s impending ruling. As with most things, we have a nuanced and careful approach: abortion is not to be used as a form of birth control or gender selection, and we support women’s ability to choose the medical care that seeks to “preserve as much life as possible.” I encourage you to read more here: https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-is-the-united-methodist-position-on-abortion.

St. Mark’s believes we can change the world through Christ by caring for all people. Let’s care for a world wrestling with tough health decisions. How can you care for someone wrestling with mental illness or caring for someone who wrestles with mental illness? How can you care for someone who is choosing between purchasing gas for work or pills for their blood pressure? How can you care for a person who is making decisions about how to treat their cancer or whether or not to have surgery? How can you care for someone who carries the guilt of an abortion or is facing the decisions before them with their complicated pregnancy? When we stop seeing these as political issues and begin to care for the people, we can change the world. I’m confident of it!

See you soon.
Pastor Lynn

Worship Sunday with the Bartlows!
Joining Pastor Lynn this week will be Rev. Ron Bartlow and their kids, Will and Kate. They will serve as liturgists and preachers for our service as we consider the amazing acts of Christ in the work of the early church and in early Methodism. We will welcome new members, we will celebrate the work of the choirs for this last season, and we will, above all, worship our God who calls us into community! See you Sunday!

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

• 8:30 a.m. Traditional service with choirs in Sanctuary and child care in Rm 15
• 10 a.m. Modern worship service with Praise Team in Fellowship Hall
• 10 a.m. Traditional service with choirs in Sanctuary
• 10 a.m. Youth and children’s Sunday School and child care
• 10 a.m. Livestream premieres on YouTube and Website

To access our livestream service:

• From the main menu on our website click “Worship.”  -OR-
• Go to YouTube and search for UMC St. Mark’s Oro Valley or use this link.