It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting;
for this is the end of everyone,
and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning;
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
- Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
We’ve missed out on quite a bit these last few months. I have especially held sorrow for those whose weddings have been postponed, whose graduation ceremony was postponed or not what they envisioned, and many more. There are so many events that should have happened, but have either been changed or cancelled.
One event on my mind today, is our Annual Conference as the people of Holston in the United Methodist Church. Some might say that Annual Conference hasn’t been as great over the last several years because of all the arguing over decisions that are being made at the general conference level concerning human sexuality, and even the potential splitting of the United Methodist Church as we know it. However, Annual Conference is also the place we celebrate the many wonderful things that are happening in the church. It is a chance for clergy and laity to see one another in one place, who typically live at great distance from one another.
Annual Conference is when we celebrate those whose ministry has come to a close with retirement, and ignite into ministry those who have been called and are about to be commissioned and ordained. These events will still happen, but like other events this year it won’t be the same.
This week would have been that time of gathering, and celebrating, as well as debating, and working towards resolutions. My heart is a little sad to miss this time, however, as I really pay attention to the teacher in Ecclesiastes, the sadness of the heart is where it is made glad and wise. In our current sadness, I realize that we in the church aren’t arguing over the same issues as we have in the past few years. Instead we are working together to see that the church continues in a time of coronavirus, as well as sharing resources to make sure we stay connected with the most vulnerable. I also see the church coming together to take a stronger stand against systematic racism, and in our mourning, and in our sadness, we have been moved to a greater action of love and brother/sisterhood.
Yes, we can be saddened by many things, we can be mournful, but we must remember that the Lord turns our mourning into dancing, and calls our hearts to look up. For things are getting better, will get better, and God is leading us to rejoice again. And maybe in our rejoicing we can forget about those things that have previously divided us, and work to make a better world, by focusing on the things that unite us instead.
Grace & Peace,
Sam