United Methodist Advocate - Connecting Methodists in South Carolina Since 1837

Hope is a wish in your heart of good things to come.  It is the belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances of life.  For the Christian, hope is the desire and search for a good future, which may be difficult but never impossible to realize with God’s help.    

Hope is one of the most contagious things I know. On the evening news, Brian Williams reported that Susan Boyle, a 47-year-old woman from Scotland, had surprised the judges with her audition for the television show Britain’s Got Talent. She was not the typical contestant.  She had dreamed of being a singer since she was 12 years old, but had not had the opportunity.  She wowed everyone as she sang, “I Dreamed A Dream,” from “Les Misérables.” The following night, Brian Williams announced that this was the hottest video on the web. He read an e-mail from a viewer in Ohio, who wrote:  “In this hard time, coming home every night with a son in the army, never knowing if I have a job from day to day, I had a smile this evening after watching the video. That woman was great. Please report more things like this.”  As I write this article, the video on You Tube has been watched by more than nine million viewers. Someone even sent it to me in an e-mail attachment this evening, to be sure that I saw it.

I am convinced that people are hungry to experience hope in the midst of uncertain and difficult times. We are desperate for something that will lift our spirits. Hope gives us that fuel to keep trying.  But our hope has to be placed in something that is solid – that will stand the test of time.   

Our help and our hope are found in God.  We believe that.  Each Sunday, we celebrate God’s amazing “Yes” in the resurrection of Jesus. In Philippians, Paul reminds us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice.  Have no anxiety about anything.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The invitation is to open ourselves up to God in such a way that we are able to face whatever comes surrounded with God’s peace in Jesus.  

This is an opportunity for the church. The economy may be in question, but it costs nothing to rejoice in our hope in the Lord. The other day I read this anonymous verse that I think puts into perspective the realities of these days. “If you want to feel rich, just count all the things that money can’t buy.” I think most of us would find ourselves wealthy beyond measure if we count our blessings and name them one by one.  

“Rejoice in Hope” is our conference theme for the 2009 gathering of United Methodists in South Carolina.  Besides me, all of the preachers and Bible study leaders for conference are our new church planters. Each of them offers hope for the future by creating new places for new people. Sunday will be a celebration as we license, commission and ordain new Christian leaders for the church and the world. On Tuesday afternoon, June 2, once again we will offer hope in the Florence area as we serve those in need. During these days, we will make some hard decisions about how we will do ministry together in these challenging times.  I do not know how we will vote on various matters. I do know that we will unite with even greater resolve to be the church which offers the real hope across this state and around the world.