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DECEMBER 2021
The Christian Recorder
CHANNELING MARTHA AND MARY By Dr. Jennifer Sims, Contributing Writer
A JOURNEY FROM BROKENNESS TO PEACE By Dr. Herman Kelly, Columnist
When I heard the story of Martha and Mary as a child, I took away the message that caring for others involved both providing for them materially as well as emotionally. As the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice, extreme weather, and other crises continue to stress and strain our daily lives, the message of these two sisters’ different but equally necessary orientations remains relevant and important.
In our life’s journey, we experience difficulties and circumstances beyond our control. We sometimes experience the sunshine, but we must also be prepared for the rain that will also come into our existence. As pastors and wounded healers, we must continue to preach and give a word of healing even in our own existential space.
The Martha-work during the pandemic is unending. In schools across the country, teachers are passionately teaching classes—in-person, on Zoom, or both simultaneously. At drive-thru restaurants, employees take one order while making change for a second and bagging a third. In homes, coast to coast, parents cook and clean and wash clothes and check homework. From hospitals to farms to living rooms and everywhere in between, people are hard at work, like Martha, keeping our collective proverbial house running. However, in our haste to complete orders and meet deadlines and sign all the permission slips, and then get ready to do it all over again the next day, the Mary-work of the pandemic can easily slip through the cracks. In other words, working in these trying times can mean becoming so focused on getting through our material to-do list that we skip the quiet sitting and listening that Jesus reminded us is so important. Yet when Jesus told Martha that Mary was indeed doing something worthwhile sitting at his feet and listening to him, it was a reminder to us all that amid the hustle and bustle (or here recently panic and chaos), taking a moment to just be with each other is invaluable. The story of Martha and Mary thus reminds us that we are not created to grind our way through life. While material work, especially our paid employment, is necessary, so too is nurturing interpersonal connections and being there for each other. That is what Mary was doing at the feet of Jesus, not simply learning from him but spending quality time with him. In fact, since it is safe to assume that she, too, knew there was a long to-do list full of chores, we can even say that she was making time for Jesus. Mary knew that sometimes work can wait, not indefinitely, but long enough to remind ourselves and our loved ones that our time spent together is what truly matters. So, as we head into a new year, let us plan not only to channel both sisters by doing what we need to do at work but also to prioritize quiet time with our families. ❏ ❏ ❏
PAIN AND AGONY! BUILDING AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRUST By Cynthia Gordon-Floyd, C.P.A., Contributing Writer
It can be agonizing and painful to learn that funds are not being used for their intended purpose within the church. A breach of trust among God’s people is serious and must be addressed properly. Why is it so important to build a solid foundation of the church so that breaches of trust do not occur? Simply stated, if we have not built a solid foundation, we dishonor the Lord and his standard of holiness. We must rebuild and confront failure without compromise. We can learn and grow from failure, but we should never try to build on failure. Failure makes a great teacher, but it is a rotten foundation. First, we must face the reality of our situation. Are we being proactive to avoid failure? We do not want to offend, so we often give without ever knowing how much was raised or used for the intended purpose. We remain quiet, and we think it is unloving to question our leaders. Yet, there is a respectful way to ask questions. Second, we must set a practice of transparency for God’s people. All should have access to accurate, timely, and consistent financial reporting. We cannot continue the same processes and expect a different outcome. We should not be ignorant about how
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We all will experience some brokenness in our life journey. As Christian believers and followers of the Almighty God, our faith journeys take us from brokenness to peace. A journey has a beginning and an ending. The beginning is not so important, nor is the ending; it is the journey that we must internalize and capture. It is our faith that anchors us through the brokenness of life. Isaiah 53:5 reminds us that “[Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” In our wounds and brokenness, we can find a renewed understanding of the holy. The journey from brokenness to peace is a journey of steps and phases. First, when we are broken, we believe we will never be fixed again. The brokenness attempts to direct our journey, and it attempts to overshadow our worldview. At this moment, and in this space, one must look at the faith journey through a new vision recognizing that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). During this phase of brokenness, one must search the deepness of one’s faith. Nice words and platitudes will not help. One must find the sacred place and sacred space of his or her existence. In my own brokenness, for example, the swimming pool was my sacralized space. I arrived between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., and as I looked at the water and the black line in the pool and the flags hanging across the lanes, I found my peace. I found God there, bringing peace to my brokenness. I only heard the water beat against the side of the pool as I listened to God’s voice speak to my spirit. Secondly, our brokenness has a purpose in others’ healing. In our brokenness, we can help someone else heal. The stripes help heal someone else. The pain can provide purpose for ministry and service. The brokenness can help one renew and revive his or her journey; sunshine can still come through the pain of brokenness. In my experience, the sacralized moment and the sacred place give strength for me to look beyond my personal pain and look for the ministry and purpose God calls me to do in the chapter of my existence. Frederick Douglass tells us, “Without struggle, there is no progress.” The struggle through brokenness moves one to another level of service and ministry. The swimming pool is not just for me to work out my strokes and practice my technique; it also helps me work on my spirit and my faith journey. Lastly, the journey through brokenness gives one an appreciation for the healing power of God. Only God can heal and mend brokenness. When Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall, he believed he would never be whole again. However, God still works miracles, and the impossible becomes possible, and we move beyond our expectations. The journey belongs to God. The ministry through brokenness is driven by the spirit of a loving and compassionate God. The journey is not for the weak or the faint of heart. The journey is for those who can endure to the end. So me, I just keep swimming. Even if the water is too cold or too deep, I just keep swimming. ❏ ❏ ❏
m money is used and reported aat the connectional, ddistrict, conference, and llocal church levels. We sshould not assume that proper stewardship will occur without accountability. If we accept the lack of accountability in many areas of ministry, we will continue on this path. Here are a few steps we can take to build a stronger foundation in our Zion: 1) Ensure that those charged with fiduciary responsibility for monies, governance, and financial reporting have the qualifications necessary to be responsible for their position. Our Doctrine and Discipline should be rewritten for all components to
revamp our position qualifications. 2) Develop and implement proper internal control mechanisms in every aspect of our ministry so that individuals are not given complete control of receipt, custody, and disbursement of funds. 3) Create internal audit and quality control committees at all levels of the Connection consisting of independent, qualified AME members to monitor compliance with our stated policies and procedures for all levels of responsibility. 4) Use external fiduciaries with the needed expertise to assist with management reporting, oversight, and maintenance. These fiduciaries will be paid to provide reporting to all stakeholders routinely.
Cynthia Gordon-Floyd is a certified public accountant and founder of Willing Steward Ministries, LLC. Willing Steward Ministries (www.willingsteward. com) is a financial consulting and accounting firm for churches and other faith-based non-profits, specializing in Bible-focused financial practices, pastoral compensation issues, IRS compliance, and other financial needs specific to churches. Cynthia is a graduate of Lake Forest College and holds her MBA in Accounting from DePaul University. She is a steward and the financial secretary at the First AME Church of Manassas in Manassas, Virginia.
