John Helmiere wants you to hope, love and witness not with fear…but with faith.
By Jesse N. Love | Photos by Amy Pazan
The message from the Young People’s Service on Saturday, June 23 brought everyone up on their feet. Streamers of red and gold danced in the air as the crowd welcomed a message of being a church on fire, filled with the Spirit, free from fear.
The service opened with music from Kennewick First UMC’s youth praise band. Rachel Hanson, Geoff Helton, Sam Ward and Karyn Kuan led the Prayer of Yearning seeking peace, justice, rebirth and guidance. Elizabeth Schindler and Anthony Sy presented the People’s Prayer offering strength, the restoration of love, and sanctifying grace to our churches.
John Helmiere of Valley & Mountain Church in Seattle presented the morning’s message. He identified the frames of mind of our church: optimism and cynicism, with each having challenges. For optimists, folks may be at risk – ignore aspects of ministry in the midst of evil. For cynics, some may adopt an “armor of failure” as a coping strategy brace themselves for the world’s pains.
Helmiere shared the relative connection between despair and hope. He referenced the despair of Elijah, Job, and Jesus as each cried out to God in frustration, terror, and even in the midst of death. Yet, in all of these scenarios, God’s power is present, releasing each from fear and despair. Helmiere uses these examples to show that despair is only “a prelude to hope”; the key to understanding this connection is that we are not alone in the darkness of despair.
Our Conference was encouraged to consider having a mature, Christian hope that grows into fearlessness. To help illustrate his point, Helmiere shared an audio clip of the last words from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I’m so happy tonight I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” The audience was reminded that there’s a flame on the cross of the Church. In the core of our people and story is fire to help ‘ignite fear’ and “illuminate the world”.
As the Young People’s service concluded, A Litany to Our Social Creed was led by Katie Stickney. Young persons Kevin Sauceda, Emily Vasquez, Nico Romeijn-Stout, Crystal Shin, Sophia K.R. Agtarap, and Shane Moore called our Conference to be one with God’s love for the world. By having integrity for creation; having acceptance and tolerance of others; to be with the poor; to reject violence; to embrace peace and mercy; and to bring God’s good news to the oppressed, our Conference in the Pacific Northwest is now charged in taking steps leading towards Hope for Tomorrow.
View the Young People’s service at bit.ly/ac2012_ypservice. Special thanks to Katie Klosterman.
Jesse N. Love serves as the print & publications manager for the PNWUMC.
