Pastoral Reflections… CHARGE CONFERENCE-2026 MINISTER'S REPORT
Well, here we are again-another charge conference! This is my fifth charge conference as pastor of Midland Park UMC, and my 56th charge conference.
I have heard the United Methodist Church described as a church of the warm heart, the helping hand and the learning mind. And, somewhere along the way I believe I have preached on this ----and it will likely happen again.
Midland Park UMC is a church of the warm heart---reflected in the way you greet each other, welcome visitors, work together, laugh, and enjoy the ritual of fellowship.
Visitors always tell me how friendly you are, and that you make them feel so special and so welcome. Bless you for your warm heart!
You are also a church of the helping hand---help and ministry reflected in so many ways.
An active prayer list, visits and phone calls to members and others as occasions call for, meals for the sick and the shut-ins, providing transportation for people to come to worship and for other gatherings and for medical appointments, bereavement meals, the "Lunch-Bag Give Away," the blessing box, Christmas gift certificates to people in the neighborhood, the outreach and ministry of the United Methodist Men and the United Women of Faith, inviting and welcoming those in the neighborhood to church events/programs and meals, cards to members and others at tender/difficult times---the helping hand, O, yes!
Also, your helping hand is reflected in 100% payment of conference apportionments, which helps support tangible ministry near and far.
Midland Park UMC continues to support the ministry of Epworth Children's Home through the Mother's Day offering and the Work Day offering.
And, the Adult Sunday School classes also help to support the mission and work of the church through their financial commitments.
I believe that the "helping hand" at Midland Park is becoming even stronger!
Thanks be to God, for as you have heard me say at least several times, I believe what Jesus said about a person also applies to the church---that the church finds its life when it loses it in serving God's people!
And now, the learning mind!
Our adult Sunday school classes meet every Sunday and have faithful attendance and meaningful lessons. One class uses the United Methodist Bible Study series, the other class selects an appropriate book/subject to study. I appreciate the faithfulness to Sunday school, but I would like to see greater attendance/participation. Currently, the average attendance is 18-21.
I have attended both United Women of Faith circles and they have good, the meaningful lessons/devotionals/discussions. They are serious about mission and do not hesitate to embrace projects/opportunities that help to serve. They are really very active and do not hesitate to reach out to minister.
When it comes to the learning mind I sense that for the most part the congregation embraces worship---looking forward to the music, the liturgy, the prayers, the fellowship, and are gracious in my attempt to preach.
But, and I've been saying this since I arrived---as clergy and laity we need to continually reach out to our inactive members, neighbors and others. Evangelism/witnessing/reaching out to others must be a top priority.
So, as to the state of the church, I celebrate that we are indeed a fellowship of the warm heart, the helping hand and the learning mind.
And in the days ahead, let our heart become even more warm, our helping hand stronger and with a longer reach, and our learning mind more enriched and deeper.
Other reports will come from the trustees, the finance committee and the committee on nominations.
Remember the joy when the minister announced hymn no. 121 in the Cokesbury Hymnal? I do; it's one of my favorites and ought to be in our UM hymnal. The word's of "The Church in the Wildwood" were composed in 1857 by a young music teacher named William Pitts.
During a trip to visit his fiancée in Fredericksburg, Iowa, the stagecoach stopped at Bradford, allowing him to wander around. He came upon a beautiful piece of land in the valley near the Cedar River. Unable to shake the memory, he returned to Wisconsin and wrote a poem about a church he envisioned in that spot.
In 1862, Pitts returned with his fiancée and discovered a church was being erected in that very place. It was painted brown, just as he had written, but only because it was Ohio Mineral Paints' cheapest color.
The hymn took a while to gain any attention, but later became a hit, and the Carter Family recorded it in 1932. It has even been sung by Sheriff Andy and Barney Fife.
The Church in the Wildwood is still standing, and tourists often step inside just to sing the song and experience the flood of memories it evokes.
Whether our faith is deeply rooted in a little brown church in the vale, or a little white church on the plains, or a Cathedral in the city, or a brick church on Midland Park Road, we are held in its everlasting arms and, no matter what we are called to face, we continue to draw from the courage it gives and we continue to sing! In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, AMEN! Reverend Cooper Stonestreet