The purpose The United Methodist People Podcast is to strengthen the connection in the United Methodist Church through conversation and commentary as a means of accomplishing the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The United Methodist People Podcast is published on regular basis by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller an Elder in the Indiana Conference.

In Episode 009 Brad continues with a series of Episodes “The Bishop’s Speak” by having an in-depth conversation with Chicago Area Bishop Sally Dyck who serves the Northern Illinois Annual Conference.

Bishop Dyck shared with Brad here early call to ministry in her home state of Washington influenced greatly by her experiences with a woman chaplain who opened her up to the opportunity of women serving in ministry. She pursued her calling in college and seminary at Boston University and then connecting with the East Ohio Annual Conference where she served as a local church pastor and District Superintendent for a number of years. In 2004 she was elected to the episcopacy and assigned to the Minnesota Annual Conference where she served for eight years until her assignment to the Northern Illinois Annual Conference (Chicago Area) in 2012.

Brad asked Bishop Dyck about how effective ministry has been in Northern Illinois in achieving our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Bishop Dyck spoke of a number of ministries and churches reaching millennials and transient populations. In particular, she pointed to “The Urban Village” ministry as an innovative approach which has been effective in reaching people with the Good News and forming new faith communities. She went on to talk about the profound challenges facing the church, including the reality that many approaches to ministry, even when done well, are no longer effective.

The conversation shifted to Bishop Dyck’s comments on “A Way Forward” in the UMC and her thought on what will happen at the 2019 General Conference. She spoke of how the movement to find a way forward has led to a time of simultaneous convergence and divergence in the church which necessitates a moment in the church dramatically different than the status quo.

She also talked about how she understands and the UMC as a “Big Tent” Church with much diversity which she sees as a strength. There is tension in the diversity of the big tent which can lead to growth, but she warned that when tension goes to a breaking point it can shatter the organization into a million pieces.

She is asking for and is hopeful that the UMC can move forward in peace and not in pieces if we focus on what we have in unity over what our differences are within the UMC. If the church shatters nobody wins.

She pointed out that many local churches have already dealt with divisive matters internally, including those dealing with human sexuality and how the General Conference can learn from these local churches.

She emphasized that the bulk of UMC’s what to move forward together and the big sign of hope in the church is that the church has been forced to examine deeply why we exist as a church and the way forward is forcing a course correction in the church which on balance is a healthy thing to do.

Bishop Sally Dyck gives a lot of food for thought for those who love the UMC and know we live in a demeaning moment in the church in Episode 009 of The United Methodist People Podcast with Rev. Dr. Brad Miller

Rev. Dr. Brad Miller
July 2018