Pastor Wayne Alloway's Perspectives...

02/05: Wayne writes from General Conference...

Dear St. Mark's Family,

As I write this, I am standing in front of a laptop computer in the delegates lounge at General Conference during the Friday morning break. This is the 10th day of the conference, and boy, am I ready to come home! The schedule has been brutal--8am to 11pm each day without a day off. Fortunately, there are some reserve delegates who have been able to sit in for me so that I have had a chance to get away from the meetings and relax for a few hours.

As far as I'm concerned the most exciting news to come out of this quadrennial meeting is the creation of four areas of focus for our denomination, the United Methodist Church.

They are:

1)Developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world
2)Starting new congregations and renewing existing congregations
3)Engaging in ministry with the poor
4)Stamping out killer diseases of poverty by improving health globally

The United Methodist Church is facing a crisis in clergy leadership (fewer and fewer young people are entering the ordained ministry), so the leaders of our church have committed themselves to the recruitment of young people. The plan also includes providing them with the training and the skills necessary to be effective

Our country has over 180 million unchurched people, making it the third-largest mission field in the English speaking world, and the fifth-largest globally. Our denomination is committed to a national strategy to train and equip church planters to start new congregations, and to renew and revitalize existing churches in order that they might be energized to live out and share the Good News.

A ministry with the poor will mean creating strategies to not only include the poor in the life of our congregations, but also confronting poverty's root causes, health care, housing, employment and public policy advocacy on a global scale.

The United Methodist Church has played a significant role treating and preventing the devasting effects of diseases in the third world such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. Already 700,000 bed nets have been distributed to families in Africa, and the church is poised to launch a new global health initiative (with the help of $15 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates
foundation) aimed at creating better health conditions for people around the world.

These are just a few of the exciting things that are happening in your global church! It is because of your continued love, prayers and generous financial support--along with that of 14 million other United Methodists around the world-- that this will become a reality.

Thank you, St. Mark's, and thank you United Methodists everywhere!!!

See you in church this Sunday.
Wayne

30/04: Dear St. Mark's Family,

As I write this, I'm sitting in my hotel room in Fort Worth, reflecting on the first two days of General Conference. The conference opened with an inspiring worship service that featured an orchestra, praise bands, a dozen choirs from Dallas area churches and the Bible read in many different languages. Over 6500 people were in attendance (a General Conference record), and it was truly a rousing moment when all those voices joined in singing the hymns of the church!

The altar was made from wood salvaged from Rayne Memorial Church in New Orleans (which made the service even more meaningful for me personally).

The General Conference newspaper described the opening events like this:

"Amid the pageantry, pomp, and circumstance as bishops, banners, and believers bedecked the arena, Bishop Janice Huie preached a sermon that sounded a clear call to all that, even in the midst of a world filled with AIDS, malaria, violence, global climate change, and fear, United Methodists are called to live a life with hope--resurrection hope.

The bishop shared a poignant story she heard from Elizabeth McKee Gore, a United Methodist laywoman who works at the United Nations Foundation with the "Nothing But Nets" campaign to eradicate malaria."

"While on a trip to Angola, Elizabeth met Esperanca Afonco, an 8-year-old girl. Esperanca was sick and in the hospital with both AIDS and malaria. The doctores had given her only weeks to live.

Bishop Huie said Elizabeth wrote about meeting Esperanca at the hospital. What struck her was that in the hospital, Esperanca's mother, Bela, had decorated the bed to look like it was fit for a Disney World princess. A pink bed net was draped over the bed, the dolls and the child.

Even Esperanca was pretty in a pink dress. All this in contrast to the drab surroundings of the other beds in other wards, filled with two or three to a bed.

The doctor asked Bela, "Why have you worked so hard to create such a lovely environment?"

The mother replied, "We have to have hope."

"Resurrection hope gives us the courage to stand beside the bed of a loved one with terminal disease," Bishop Huie said. "Resurrection hope overcomes the insults of institutional racism. Resurrection hope plants new seed when the rains finally come. Resurrection hope rebuilds homes and lives after the storm.

"We are no longer captives to fear. We are heirs to a new covenant--a new future."

And please, the bishop said to the church, do not forget Esperanca this week.

"In Portuguese," Bishop Huie said, "Esperanca means 'hope.'"

See you in church! (In a couple weeks)


Wayne

18/04: General Conference Beckons!

Last June, I was one of four pastors elected by the Nebraska Conference to represent our constituency at the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas—an event held once, every four years. General Conference is the top policy-making body of the international United Methodist Church, and is the only group that officially speaks for our 11.5-million member denomination. The conference will take place from April 23rd to May 2nd, and I’ll be honored to attend.

The official website of the United Methodist Church describes the activities of this decision-making body as follows: “During the nine-day session, 992 delegates from around the world will revise the Book of Discipline, which regulates the manner in which local churches, annual conferences and general agencies are organized. The book also sets policies regarding church membership, ordination, administration, property and judicial procedures. Delegates also revise the Book of Resolutions, a volume declaring the church’s stance on a wide variety of social justice issues. The book contains more than 300 resolutions that are considered instructive and persuasive, but are not binding on members.”

The four big agenda items for this year’s conference are: starting new churches, revitalizing existing churches, training and equipping future leaders, and focusing on global poverty & world health issues. This is a departure from past agendas that have focused on issues that (in my humble opinion) have had very little relevance to the life and health of local churches – like whether or not the headquarters should be moved from Nashville to New York. With this new agenda, I’m hopeful we’ll make the main thing the main thing once more; that is, the great commandment & great commission of Jesus Christ. I’m also hopeful that by focusing on fundamental issues of faith and leadership, we can break down the Liberal vs. Conservative walls that divide us as a denomination and bring back the “united” part of “United Methodist.” I sense that fresh winds of change are blowing across our great church, and I’m really excited to be a part of it.

For more information follow this link: General Conference at UMC

See you in church!
Wayne

08/04: St. Mark's Cornerstone...

You can imagine my delight and excitement when Dana Hamm, our finance officer, recently discovered an old copper box (welded shut on all sides) stored away in our church vault. Turns out it’s a time capsule from our property at 70th and Vine that was removed from the cornerstone when we moved south. I must confess that the kid in me wanted to open it right away so I could see what the founding members of St. Mark’s had placed inside; fortunately, my adult judgment and reason prevailed, and the box remains sealed shut. This hasn’t stopped me, however, from speculating about the box’s contents. Does it hold letters from the founding pastor and charter members? Their photographs? A 51 year old copy of the Lincoln Journal Star? A church bulletin? A newsletter? An IBM stock certificate? (A pastor in the midst of a building project can dream, can’t he?)

There’s an easy way to find out, of course: We could gather as a congregation and open the capsule. But should we? Is the time right for such a revelation? Or, should we wait? Maybe we shouldn’t open it at all; maybe we should leave it sealed shut, and place it in one of the cornerstones of our new sanctuary, along with a time capsule of our own. And, if we do create a time capsule, what should we put in it?

William Jarvis, a historian who has special interest in time capsules, says that most “intentional” time capsules—as opposed to “unintentional” time capsules, like Pompeii—usually don’t contain much useful information about the people of the time. He suggests enclosing descriptions of the people who created them, like personal notes, pictures, and documents that would be of interest to future generations. 

So…what do you think? Open the time capsule? Leave it shut? Create our own time capsule?

Drop me an email with your thoughts on the matter.

See you in church!

24/03: Journey from Disappointment to Joy

I laughed out loud yesterday while reading about a Baptist preacher who likes to wave his arms around to emphasize important points in his sermons. Unfortunately, he’s so animated that his shirttail often comes out of his trousers—which has resulted in his habit of stuffing his shirt back into his pants while preaching.

One Easter Sunday, while admonishing his congregation with great fervor, the old preacher reached around behind his back and began stuffing material into his pants. There seemed to be a bit more fabric to his shirt than usual, but he persisted nonetheless—despite the “psst, psst” sounds being made by the choir members behind him. It wasn’t until he started moving back across the stage—with half of the American flag stuffed in his pants, and the other half dragging on a pole behind him—that he discovered what had happened. I wonder if that congregation remembers anything else about his sermon.

Note to self: Do not stuff anything down pants while preaching Easter Sunday (or any other Sunday, for that matter).

I’m excited about Easter, aren’t you? The crowds, the music—and especially the story. As the old hymn says,

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

For over a billion people around the world, this is the greatest story ever told. Perhaps that’s because above all, it’s the most profound story ever told—a story about hope in the face of certain and universal disappointment, broken dreams, and death.

The Easter story is not only hopeful, but life-transforming as well.
Happy Easter!

Wayne

17/03: We’ve had a mighty heavy diet of bad news, lately.

A bright and talented college-bound boy, Jamiel Shaw, was senselessly gunned down by gang members in Los Angeles. Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped by members of al Qaeda and subsequently murdered. A dozen more American soldiers were killed in Iraq. Eight Jewish seminary students were gunned down in Jerusalem. Dozens of Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers. The governor of New York was caught in a liaison with a prostitute. Here in Lincoln, a Nebraska football player was arrested for first degree sexual assault. And those were just some of the headlines. Little wonder I find myself identifying with the guy who said, "My incurable optimism was just cured by the evening news.”

It can be difficult, sometimes, to remain positive in the face of so much adversity – but we always have our Savior’s example to see us through.

As we approach Palm Sunday, and our commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, I think it’s important for us to remember what made his entry triumphant. We tend to focus on the welcoming crowds of followers that greeted Jesus along the streets waving palm fronds – but that’s not what his entry was all about. And it certainly isn’t what his “triumph” was about.

Jesus triumphed over the grave. He triumphed over evil. He triumphed over sin. And, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day, he triumphed over all the negative things going on around him – and over all that lay before him, as well. His faith remained steadfast. He always trusted in God.

So should we.

See you in Church!

17/03: We’ve had a mighty heavy diet of bad news, lately.

A bright and talented college-bound boy, Jamiel Shaw, was senselessly gunned down by gang members in Los Angeles. Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped by members of al Qaeda and subsequently murdered. A dozen more American soldiers were killed in Iraq. Eight Jewish seminary students were gunned down in Jerusalem. Dozens of Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers. The governor of New York was caught in a liaison with a prostitute. Here in Lincoln, a Nebraska football player was arrested for first degree sexual assault. And those were just some of the headlines. Little wonder I find myself identifying with the guy who said, "My incurable optimism was just cured by the evening news.”

It can be difficult, sometimes, to remain positive in the face of so much adversity – but we always have our Savior’s example to see us through.

As we approach Palm Sunday, and our commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, I think it’s important for us to remember what made his entry triumphant. We tend to focus on the welcoming crowds of followers that greeted Jesus along the streets waving palm fronds – but that’s not what his entry was all about. And it certainly isn’t what his “triumph” was about.

Jesus triumphed over the grave. He triumphed over evil. He triumphed over sin. And, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day, he triumphed over all the negative things going on around him – and over all that lay before him, as well. His faith remained steadfast. He always trusted in God.

So should we.

See you in Church!

07/03: Life Lessons...

Life lessons are all around us. We can even find one on the second story ledge of the northwest corner of St. Mark’s office building, if we’re willing to watch and learn.

The aforementioned ledge has been the favorite haunt of an extremely self-absorbed raven for some time now. By my estimation, the raven has sat there cawing at its window-reflected image for at least four hours a day, seven days a week, for the past two years. Other ravens have sought to capture its attention, cawing at it from other perches nearby – but to no avail. Our resident raven is entirely too besotted with itself to be concerned with others.

The lovesick bird reminds me of Narcissus from Greek mythology. Remember him? He was the handsome guy who was so in love with his lake-reflected image that he spent his life there at the water’s edge gazing at himself, to the exclusion of anything (or anyone) else. Not surprisingly, things didn’t end very well for Narcissus; he eventually fell into his watery visage, and drowned.

I wonder if a similar fate awaits our raven. I hope not. The pastor in me hopes for its redemption.

Ravens can live remarkably long lives. I read that some in captivity (like those at the Tower of London) have lived for more than forty years. Unfortunately, the lifespan of ravens in the wild is much, much shorter – less than 10, for most. Assuming our self-absorbed resident is more than two years of age now, it’s already wasted a large portion of its very short life on something that isn’t real. In that sense, our feathered friend is not so very different from a lot of people out there. Fortunately, there’s still time to change.

Like I said, life lessons are all around us…

See you in church!

03/03: Sully Update:

Our scruffy little “Westy” is now fully integrated into the Alloway household—he acts like he’s been here since the day he was born!

25/02: Trials of the Tender-Hearted

We’ve recently added a new member to the Alloway family: A scruffy little rescue dog called “Sully” – name subject to change. Personally, I’m leaning toward Dickens myself, as in “the little Dickens,” because I’ve referred to him that way almost daily since we got him. Other names up for consideration are Neville (after a Harry Potter character), and Chauncey (after an eccentric English professor my wife had in college). Normally, I wouldn’t try re-naming a dog, but since this little guy doesn’t respond to his current name anyway, I figure we have nothing to lose in terms of training. Our other dogs (yes, we already had more than one dog before this adoption – more on that later) have taken our new addition in stride. Oz even seems to like him. Jasper could care less.

So, “Why the addition?” you ask? 

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