May's Article

Dear Centenarians,

While I was driving into the downtown area one morning, a local public radio station aired a brief commercial that publicized one of its sponsors: “brought to you by the United Methodist Church, working to combat the threat of malaria around the world.”

I was pleasantly surprised to hear those words, as they referred to the efforts of our denomination's United Methodist Committee On Relief (U.M.C.O.R.) in this area. This agency has also been busy working with our United Methodist missionaries in Japan, helping to fund the recovery efforts in areas that were devastated by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

As I write this column, U.M.C.O.R. is also at work providing disaster relief funds in the areas of the southeastern U.S. that have been devastated by the recent tornadoes that destroyed communities and neighborhoods not unlike the damage done in Japan.

It is fashionable nowadays for so called church growth experts to portray mainline Protestant church denominations (such as the United Methodist Church) as "old line" and dying out. Comparisons are often made with newer, independent churches and para-church organizations which emphasize numerical growth to the exclusion of outreach and mission, especially to people who don't look or live like they do.

It is in this regard that the United Methodist Church makes known the presence of Jesus Christ in the midst of hardship and human suffering, wherever it occurs throughout the world. While you and I may not be able to physically stand with people in northeast Japan or the southeastern part of the U.S., we make the living Christ known to them through our gifts that provide much-needed aid and comfort at the most critical times.

In this season of Easter, let us strive to make real the presence of our resurrected Lord visible in our lives, in ways that will touch other lives. Whether it's through combating the effects of malaria in a far off land, giving disaster relief funds here at home, or simply praying for a friend, neighbor or family member, we live to make the life and spirit of Jesus Christ a reality for all.

Grace and Peace,

Reverend Mark M. Nakagawa