"Love and Justice and Breaking Decorum" A Sermon by Bishop Trimble presented to BMCR 56th General Meeting

Bishop Cynthia Moore-KoiKoi: 00:00:04

Beloved, I have the distinct honor and privilege of presenting to Saab and introducing to others none other than Bishop Julius C. Trimble. Amen. Bishop tremble was assigned in 2016 to the Indiana conference. Before that he served in the Iowa conference. We praise God for those cross racial appointments. Amen.

Bishop Cynthia Moore-KoiKoi: 00:00:41

Bishop is a native of Chicago and a graduate of Illinois State University. He earned his master of divinity from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary. He was ordained a deacon and elder in the northern Illinois conference, where he served two churches before transferring to the east Ohio conference. He served churches in the Cleveland area and was the district superintendent of the Cleveland district. Bishop tremble is married to First Lady Ray Selda Granberry tremble. They are the proud parents of three cameras, Candace and Julius and the proud grandparents of Corinne. Bishop tremble has a number of special honors and awards and including the James Thomas social action award that was awarded by the Methodist Federation for social action. That's a lot about his learning. Let me tell you something about his burning. His personal mission statement is to encourage all people, all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential in short, be encouraged. He is a Barnabas among us. I want to say to you that part of his burning is also in how he welcome some new bishops that came along how he mentored and nurtured us as we came along. As he encouraged us to speak up and not to wait our turn.

Bishop Cynthia Moore-KoiKoi: 00:03:07

We are blessed as the denomination. We are blessed as a Christian faith community. And tonight, we will be blessed by the word of God through this man of God. Let the church say amen. Amen. So I'm going to encourage you to stand as we prepare this place continue to prepare this atmosphere for the word to come forth

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:03:38

that the church say men, a man again, a man for the Holy Spirit. I was working on a sermon several weeks ago for this occasion when I found out I was going to be preaching. Now I don't know if I should preach or give a speech. I think I think that speech was was was pretty good. Well thank you, Dr. Tony love for all that you do. And where you bless my family as well, thank you so much. Will you pray with me just for a moment? Loving God. You are a loving God. And somebody tonight needs to know in a particular way. How much you love them? Oh, yes, somebody needs to know tonight. How much you love them all the way from heaven to earth. All the way from the earth to the cross. All the way from the cross to the grave. All the way from the gray To the sky somebody needs to know tonight that you love them. And I know you can do that you've done it before do it again. Somebody tonight needs to be affirmed and encouraged. With your help, Lord, I think I can do that. So help me. Now may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all of our hearts, be acceptable in thy sight Thou who has been our strength and our Redeemer? Jeremiah 2911. For surely I know the plans I have for you says the Lord's plans for your welfare, not for your harm. To give you a future with hope, that's from the New Revised Standard Version, the Common English Bible. I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace, not disaster. To give you a future, field, with hope. Just for a few moments, I want to meditate and testify and share with you from this theme, love and justice, love and justice. And I want to read an additional passage of Scripture, one you are all familiar with, but was laid on my heart just a few days ago, for this evening. It's the passage that's entitled The Gift of Love First Corinthians 13. One through 13. If I speak in tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing but give away all of my possessions and by hand over my body so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient. Love is kind. It's not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way is not irritable or resentful that does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all things. Love never ends. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us of that as well. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end is for the tongues they will cease for knowledge it will come to an end for we know only in part, we prophesy only in part but when the complete comes the partial will come to an end when I was a child. I spoke as somebody I've been reading the Bible again. I thought like a child I reasoned like a child when I became an adult, I put in too childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part but then I will know fully even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, love abides these three. And the greatest of these is love. I want to preach for a few moments on love and justice. Jeremiah the prophet Jeremiah, one of Judah's greatest prophets during the decades of conflict and condemnation. He lived and ministered, confronting moral decay, idolatry, disobedience, speaking truth, to power. He lived Jeremiah to witness the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, and did not himself escape, turmoil and rejection. The 29th Chapter, records words from a letter Jeremiah writes to exiles in Babylon sometime early in the reign of King Zedekiah. He says to them, be prepared to settle in Babylon for a long exile. Pray for the nation and for your sales. Ignore false hopes of short exile and false prophets. Though the night may seem long, and the exile is blurring your vision of a preferred future, God's positive plan And for the nation is a future filled with hope. Even in Israel's darkest hour, God assures a hopeful future. My brothers and sisters even when we don't see immediate results, we can remain assured of God's ultimate blessing. God's ultimate Shalom. God's ultimate peace is not to be found in the Quick overthrow of the Babylonians, or the absence of pain and disappointment in our lives. A new season of Hope awaits a church. With a newfound humility coupled with a fresh, embracing of audacity and veracity. I'm not going to get much louder than this. So if you plan on jumping in just just fine you spot a new season of Hope waits church with a newfound humility coupled with the fresh embracing of audacity and veracity. John Wesley says of Jeremiah that the promise of the Messiah is communicated and there is a pointing to the promise of the gospel while in prison, Jeremiah reminds those with the ears to hear. I'm quoting from the Bible.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:11:39

I want you to think Bishop Jim, I'm making this stuff up. While in prison, Jeremiah reminds those with ears to hear call on God, and God will answer and show you things you do not know Jeremiah 33, verse two. And the prophet Jeremiah in the 31st chapter, the words echo through the corridors of time, from Babylon, to Pittsburgh. I have loved you with an ever lasting love that those are not my words. The prophet Jeremiah, God speaks to the Prophet and speaks to us as we are gathering at this annual meeting. I have loved you with an ever lasting that means there is no you know how you you got to read the milk bottle when you get it because there's an expiration date on that milk bar. You gotta read the cereal box when you when you been out of town for a while because there's an expiration on that cereal box. Even canned food that you can keep for months, and maybe yours has an expiration date. But Jeremiah says, Wait a minute. Jeremiah 31 Three, look it up. God says I have loved you. Somebody needs to know that tonight with an ever lasting love. It is this love that God has for us. That should fortify us. Even in these tough days. It's been a long three years French. You are the beloved of God. Turn to your neighbor and remind them you are the beloved of God. Frank you are the beloved of God. Tracy You are John you the beloved of God, the trail you

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:14:00

is this love this everlasting love? The God reminds us hang in there. I stopped by to tell you tonight. Your labor has not been in vain. Your leadership is not lacking or lagging. Your faithfulness has not gone on notice. Your humility has been consecrated by the holy God's plan for you has not been altered or abandoned. Your favor has not been forfeited. Your sacred word cannot be subject to debate. Your creativity cannot be canceled. Your song cannot be silenced. Your wokeness cannot be weakened, and your hunger for just This I want you to hear this part. I want you to hear this. Your hunger for justice cannot be juxtaposed into all lives matter. You get that

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:15:22

you will get some of y'all to get that tomorrow night. Some of y'all to get that tomorrow night. I'll send instructions with the sermon. I'll send instruction. Some of you Mr. Shout, you missed his shout. So I'm going to repeat it. This should tremble. Folks in Indiana know this. Folks in Iowa know this. Mr. Trimble? Why does he keep repeating the same thing over and over? Because sometimes everybody don't get it. Your labor has not been in vain. You need to hear that pastors lay people. You've been given money when you couldn't go to church. Your labor has not been in vain. Your leadership is not lacking or lagging. Your faithfulness has not gone unnoticed. Your humility has been consecrated by the holy God's plan for you has not been altered or abandon. Your favorite has not been forfeited. Your sacred worth is not subject to debate, your creativity cannot be cancelled. Your song cannot be silenced. Your wokeness cannot be weakened. Your hunger for justice cannot be juxtapose into all lives matter. Somebody's gonna report my art that district Trimble said all lives don't matter. That's not what I said. Your victory in Jesus is not to be voted on at General Conference.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:17:00

Some of y'all are not delegates to your victory and Jesus is not on the advanced what is that called advanced. The ADA s ACA. Don't pick three and Jesus is not to be voted on at General Conference. Now let me say something this should show. I don't know about you. But sometime bishops get unsolicited advice. Maybe that's just in the North Central Jurisdiction. I don't know. You know, people want to give Bishop Bridgford get get ready for this. People want to give you advice, even when you didn't ask for. And, you know, it's alright. You know, people want to tell you, Dr. Sally, how to do your job when sometimes they not doing their job

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:18:01

but sometimes God has a word from a voice that you need to hear. Sometimes God speaks through otherwise. prophetic voices several weeks ago, some of us here on this stage this altar chancel area. We're in Atlanta, Georgia with the pan Methodist gathering the bishops was a great time. The President dean of gammon Theological Seminary, made a presentation to the parent Methodist bishops meeting in Atlanta. Don't tell I said this. If you see a doctor Candace Lewis is a gift to the church, not just the seminary community. Somebody somebody's got to give her a hand because don't don't tell. Don't tell. I said don't tell I said that.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:19:12

She shared a bit of the study of the impact of COVID 19 on United Methodist clergy of color. One of the key findings was that the domain most negatively impacted by COVID-19 was relational health. Can I get a witness relational health, a ripple effect of grief loss and increased need for support for many members of the Black UMC clergy and also the bipoc community clergy as well as I suppose, laity as well. And a question was asked of Dean President Candace Lewis what is our most important work. What is our most important work as bishops? She was humbled but forthright, confident and compassionate. She said I'm gonna be honest with you. We are in a season I may be paraphrasing but only a little bit she'll correct me if I'm wrong. We are in a season of mending, mending and there is a need to tend to your flock. Bishops he ships she said go back. Wherever you are serving 10 to your flock. Your pastor's hurting. In Indiana, we gave everybody a little bonus and told them to go do something for a week and I thought I was doing something. Come on. That was good. But it wasn't enough. Go back. Tell people you care. People want to know that you care more than a care what you know.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:21:20

We to bishops, we were reminded we can't give water from an empty well. Can I get a witness? We can't get water from an empty well. If you're not praying for your bishop, I don't care. What color what size what shape your bishop is. You got to pray up your bishop, your bishop, we got to pray for you and we got to pray for each other can I get a witness? Season of mending the time to attend to sales. Austin Channing brown author of I'm still here. Black dignity in a world made for whiteness says I can't let go of belief in the church. And a universal body of belonging. And a community that reaches toward love in the world so often feel with hate. We ought to be instruments the church of God's grace. Bell Hooks in our book all about love says we need to see love as an action rather than a feeling. Love assumes accountability and responsibility. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of love, he said I'm not speaking of some sentimental and weak response. I speak of that force that all the great religions have seen as a supreme unifying principle of life. Love, Dr. King said, is somehow the key that unlocks the door which leads to ultimate reality. Friends, we need to give each other and give ourselves space for grace. To love ourselves. Can I get a witness to affirm our oddness our blessing assurance is not working for us to keep quiet about our pain and the pain of others. It's not working. Let me say that again. keeping quiet about our pain and the pain of others is not working. Since I last attended national BMC er the life expectancy for black people in America has gone down. Oh, that's a fact. Since the last time we gathered in a country with more guns than people. homicides and suicides are robbing us of our children and some of our own colleagues who shouldn't be here tonight.

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:24:07

pain and trauma can be come debilitating. Sometimes burying our pain and bearing witness to struggle means getting angry somebody say angry Brene Brown speaks of this when she says when we deny ourselves the right to be angry we deny our own pain. I know everybody don't have to agree with me on this Sra. I've been doing this for a while. When we deny ourselves the right to be angry we deny our pain. Why is he so hostile? Why are you all once you got to get so hysterical? Oh, like you got a chip on your shoulder. Sometimes it masks far more difficult emotion like grief, regret shame. But courage is forged in pain. I'm not interested in a church, unwilling Bishop Malone to bring the transforming power of the gospel to bear on all of society and sees that as an essential part of the church's mission. Let me say that again, I'm not interested in a church that's unwilling to bring the transforming power of the gospel to bear on all the society and sees that as an essential part of the church's mission. My wife said recently, Dr. Conway, that she's the next vehicle we're gonna get, it's gonna be a truck. Submission posting, when my wife tells me what kind of vehicle we're gonna get. That means usually that's what we're gonna get. She wants to she grew up driving trucks of her, her daddy was an electrical sign, hit his own electrical Sign Company, first black person in Chicago to be independent electric electrical sign a contractor. So she said the first vehicle she drove was her brother in Texas drives a truck. You know, the big trucks they drive in Texas with the big wheels. Her brother in Kentucky drives a truck. Her brother in Chicago, dry and she told us she needed a truck

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:26:40

so, so, so, so so so I so this is where I took my stand. I said we can look at the Toyota. I said we can look at a four. I said we can look at the Chevrolet. I say but I ain't Ryan in a GMC

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:27:07

am talking about a truck? I'm talking about a truck. I'm talking about a truck I'm just telling you. That's my house. That's miles Don't get in my business

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:27:28

I'm talking about a truck I'm not really I'm not interested in a church unwilling to bring the transforming power of the gospel about dismantling racism, it's serious business. Get ready for heaven. Yes. But let's interrupt some of the hell that people are experiencing here on earth

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:28:01

love to see that. I see Dan taking time over there. Let's see up two thirds of the way through. Now she taken notes you just taken notes on love is necessary for our healing and are holding together be MCR hear me hear me. Love is necessary for healing and holding. There's also the motivator behind our commitment to justice. Cornell West and I don't think he was the first one to say it but but others have said it. Love is just as lived out in the public square. Can I get a witness in a world overrun with misinformation and disinformation where fear is being sold at bargain prices? where books are being banned and teachers are being undervalued and underpaid and undermined in a world? What some keep arguing that the solution to gun violence is more guns. If it ain't one thing, there's not segregation that's incarceration. If it's not incarceration, it's intimidation. If it's not intimidation, it's misinformation. If it's not misinformation is disaffiliation. If it's not one thing if it's not too hot, it's too cold. We are meeting at a moment. When the nation and the church I met with challenges in the area of racial justice and inclusiveness listened to this. We are meeting at a moment in time with the nation and churches met with challenges in the area of racial justice and inclusiveness. Bishop Bishop Kilcoy out of the deep realization and great necessity for for advocacy, black Methodist Church renewer was born. I just read a direct quote from Gilbert Caldwell. It's in the history book, our time together. So that sounds like today out of realization and the greatness necessity for advocacy, black methods for church renewal, Addison was born. Rooted in love, love of God and church and and uncompromising love for justice. First Corinthians 13 supports our witness. It reminds us of and describes love as the context for properly exercising the gifts in the church. Paul lifts up agape self giving love, and commends it for the building up of the body, the church. There is a permanence of agape love, because Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. A future with hope is signed, sealed and delivered by Jesus Christ, a future with hope, as evidenced by break through prayer and a commitment to love one another. A future with hope is connected to our willingness to do the hard things. Beware. Beware of campaigns to ban books, and to shield discomforting conversations, beware of those who offer confusion over confession. Beware of those who are challenging the gains that have been made. As lovers of Jesus and justice, we have a right to be angry. Stop trying to restrict our voting. Stop trying to mute our history. Stop trying to reverse our progress. Supreme Court talking about eliminating affirmative action. Don't you know that the gospel is affirmative action. God so loved the world, that God gave that's affirmative action. Jesus said, Let the children come to Me, do not hinder them. That was not an invitation to Vacation Bible School. That was affirmative action. Jesus told his disciples, you remember the on the mountainside, he saw 5000 It really was 20,000 because it said Not counting the women and the children. He said you feed them. That was not a church potluck. That was affirmative action. No child should go hungry. Don't you know that Jesus is all about affirmative action. All authority has been given to me. Then Jesus said, Go, therefore, make this affirmative action. He's affirming you and telling you to take action. The Bible I'm almost done. I'm not true, but I'm almost done. The Bible says those who are in Christ. This is your chance to get to last show. The Bible says those who are in Christ are new creations. The old has passed away. The Reverend Dr. Zan Holmes tells the story of Dr. William B. McLean, Professor of preaching and worship at Wesley Theological Seminary, a friend to be MCR of mentors. Some of you in this gathering. Some of you probably took classes with him. Bobby McLean, told of meeting a South Korean Taylor went while visiting Seoul, Korea. His name was Smitty Lee. Dr. Holmes tells the story in his book encountering Jesus. Dr. McLean asked Smitty Lee, the tailor he met, whether the name was Korean. Smith, the Taylor told a story of his life being saved by an American soldier named Smitty ransom during the Korean War. Being true to his culture, he summed up the story in two sentences. He saved my life. I took his name. Jesus Christ, saved my life. And I took his name If he's blessed you if he's healed you if he's held you, if he's helped you, if he's lifted you, He saved your life. Now you got his name

Bishop Julius Trimble: 00:35:18

on Christ, solid rock. All on the ground is sinking sand. God has a mission for the church. I believe the mission is a result of God's plan for us today, from Jeremiah to be MCR, tonight is rooted in love and justice. He saved our lives, and we share his name in his name JESUS CHRIST. Our burdens can be lifted, sickness can be healed. The church can be edified. Our souls can be sanctified. Witness can be magnified. God can be glorified. And the devil can be terrified. Don't get me wrong, don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for doing things with excellence and in order. But sometimes the occasion calls for breaking decorum. Oh, just a few days ago. And Tennessee. Two elected officials elected by the people got voted out of office. And the charge was they were breaking the quorum. Some sometimes the church ought to be guilty of breaking decor. Children are dying on the street from homicide and suicide. It's time BMC are the break decor. We will dine on ordinate numbers from COVID 19. And we would just gone along with with all the folks were saying we knew something wasn't right is time church to break decorum. When they talk about turning back voting rights, when they want to take away your ability to control your body and your mind. When they say an eight year old black girl can experience being called the N word. That eight yo white girl ought to be able to learn the meaning of racism in America. It's time to break the core. I'm all for doing things with excellence and in order. But sometimes, as bishop Easterling says, You can't follow the program. You got to follow God's plan. BMC are what am I saying? It's time BMC. To break to quorum. This church will not experienced renewal unless somebody says it's time to break the core in the name of Jesus. A fire that will never burn out in the name of Jesus, who is a bank that will never go broke. In the name of Jesus, who is a friend who will never forsake you. In the name of Jesus, who's a winemaker, a heavy shawl Shara the wheel in the middle of the wheel. Mary's little baby in the name of Jesus. It's time to break the record