OPening Address, 2018 Annual mtg

The Ongoing Act of Repentance

by Patricia Parent,
​Chair New England CoNAM & Secretary of the NEJNAMC Executive Committee

Micah 6:8--"What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." (KJV)

This has become a sort of battle cry in our family.  Two years ago our beloved nephew, Seth Parent, died in his mother's arms at the age of 42.  He was not expected to live through his first night on earth, because the doctor, in inducing labor, struck Seth in the brain with the needle.  

They said he would be a vegetable.  Instead, he learned to talk, slowly, and he learned to walk at the age of 4.  He had a genius IQ, but struggled with bullying and shunning all the time he was growing up.  That didn't stop him from being the most gentle and spiritual of people.  At 16 he started to train to be a firefighter, but when all his friends got put on the company, he asked why he hadn't been put on as well.  He was told that they didn't take his kind.  But his mom, Marcia, drove him to the Storm King Volunteer Fire Company, Engine 2 one night.  The fire chief said, sure come on in, and for 25 years Seth was one of their dispatchers.  When he died, he left his body so that over 80 people can walk, even though Seth had balance problems.  Two people can see because of his corneas. 

Seth's sister, Ashley, was one of his champions.  They attended a church with an active youth group, and when Ashley went away to college, Seth was still involved.  She continually got notices of what was happening with the youth group, but Seth, who still lived locally, never did.  So Ashley sent a very honest, very respectful letter to the group and to the youth minister, saying how much it hurt her that they were ostracizing her brother.  The youth pastor sent her a terse reply telling her she needed to be more respectful.  And so Ashley sent one more communication to him, with the biggest font she could find.  On the page was just this:  "WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU, BUT TO DO JUSTICE, LOVE KINDNESS, AND WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD."

One of the things that really grabbed me early on as I became a Methodist was how well we do creative things.  Sometimes we can pull off quite a beautiful service with little preparation time.  Those of us who have had our Act of Repentance, or have seen the service at the 2012 General Conference experienced a powerful, memorable program that left many with a determination to do things differently.

It's so easy to slip away from that determination.  In James 1:23 and 24, we are told that if we don't act on our faith it's like looking at ourselves in the mirror and then walking away.  "For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like."  Now, when James wrote this, mirrors weren't all that clear, but I know that even with a crystal clear reflection, I look at myself in the morning and try not to do that again if I can help it.  Once my hair was luxurious and there were no sags and bags, but now I pull back what hair I have, pin it up and hope no one notices the luxurious days are over!
Our Acts of Repentance services were powerful, they struck chords, they showed us the truth about our history with Native peoples.  They were mirrors that showed us what we really are.  People were charged up and determined to change.  But then we all went home.  What now?  Where are we?  Have we forgotten?

We as CoNAMs and NEJNAMC cannot allow this to happen.  We have to keep that mirror shined and in front of people.  It is for us to teach, to speak, to never let down in educating our fellow United Methodists in how to be with Native people, how to listen, how to walk our talk.  There will be those who ask or demand of us that we stand down and keep our place, but that we cannot do. 
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As we meet over the next few days, let us look for ways to learn a stronger walk, to teach and urge and convince others to live out Micah 6:8.  It is our faith, it is our duty, it is our destined work.