FORGOTTEN

May 17^th was my last Sunday in the pulpit at Ridge United Methodist Church.  My understanding is that on May 28^th, at the Clergy Session of the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church I was voted on and approved to the status of Extension Ministry.  What does this mean --- To be honest, I am not completely sure.  No one ever discussed it with me.

In March I wrote a letter to the Bishop and District Superintendent requesting that I be placed in Extension Ministry.  The next day I got a one word response from the DS saying: “Thanks”.  I never heard back from the Bishop.

In April I wrote back asking if there was anything I was told to do.  I heard back saying not to worry everything would be taken care of.  On May 13^th, I finally heard back that they acted on it yesterday and that I was supposed to make a request to the Board of Ordained Ministry.  I immediately wrote a letter to that person and sent another copy of the materials that I sent in March.  Again, I never heard back.

I guess I am surprised, and saddened that I could fall through the cracks so quickly.  When I posted on Facebook that I had been approved, somebody wrote: “Welcome to Extension/disconnected ministry.”  Another wrote, “Welcome to extension ministry, or as a certain DS called it, "Leaving the ministry."

I don’t feel like I have left the ministry.  Preaching on Sunday mornings is not what ministry is all about.  My hunch is, I will do as much “ministry” as I ever did in the local church. 

We call ourselves a “connectional ministry”, but in my 30+ years, I have seen the thread of connection frayed and broken.  There is not much connection anymore.

Oh well, I will enjoy my dis-connection, and keep on doing my thing for God.