Chartering Sunday, February 17th

Dear Abbey Family and Friends

We are chartering as a church. We began preview services in August of 2011. We began those services after a year of discernment and discussion that started in September of 2010. This moment is years in the making and I am ever grateful for all of the ways that people have cared for the every twist and turn of this adventure. There were moments of encouragement and critical leadership in the midst of significant challenge and uncertainty that brought us here, thank you for being a part.

On Sunday, the 17th of February, during our worship services, we will host a celebration in accordance with the Book of Worship and the Book of Discipline, both serious books! Please join us in the morning to celebrate with our District Superintendent, Rev. Chad Anglemyer. Below is a part of the service that the District Superintendent will say and it will be on the charter that all charter members sign.

In accordance with the laws and Discipline of the United Methodist Church
Urban Abbey United Methodist Church
is duly constituted and organized for the glory of God,
the proclamation of the gospel, and the service of humanity.

I invite you to join me in praying these words, reading them, speaking them, writing them - whatever works for you in the days leading up to the 17th of February. We have come so far, but this is only a milestone, not the destination. It is a celebration of discipline and good fortune, mistakes and course corrections, relationships and partnerships, and it is a space of reflection for what might be next. It is a way to pause in gratitude and to launch into deeper work, in the hope of reaching new milestones.

This is a day when we root into our tradition and claim space in the movement that Wesley inspired generations before us. A moment that is rooted in practice and a shared method, rather than a memorized creed. Our practice calls us to grow into seeing like God sees and loving like God loves. The possibility of our growth is born out of an ever present, all loving God. This practice is practical and everyday; it is personal transformation for the transformation of the world. It is born not out of our brokenness, heavy with original sin, but out of our creation in the image of God and the love that is so deeply woven into each one of us that we may be transformed. It is this practice of faith that we claim space through our chartering. In our chartering, we are called to continue the work. I pray that we have the courage.

Please join me in praying every day. I am stopping to pray at 10:00 (am and pm) every day, if you would like to join me at that time. Please join us on Sunday the 17th of February at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 5:30 pm.

Blessings from your friendly local Abbot
Rev. Debra McKnight

P.S. There will be cake and, at 11:00 am, Rabbi Steven Abraham is even going to offer us a Hebrew blessing.