One of my summer rituals growing up was an annual trip to Lakeland, Florida to see my aunt, uncle and cousins for a week. Often my aunt and cousins would come back to North Carolina with us. On one particular return trip, we stopped in Jessup, GA for lunch. Coming out of the restaurant we heard a car crash i front of the establishment. As the police made their way to the parking lot to investigate the incident, they asked "did anyone see anything". My cousin eagerly exclaimed 'I saw it all!' Just as eagerly my aunt pushed his head into the back of the car like a jack-in-the-box saying 'Hush, you didn't see a thing.' My aunt was so afraid of being retained as a witness.
Years later as I think back to this story it reminds me how often the church responds to the call to witness like my aunt. We are afraid to stand out in the crowd, to say what we believe and tell our Faith story to others. What a missed opportunity for us to be the body of Christ in the world.
At the 2008 General Conference the delegation voted to change the liturgy for confirmation and the reception of new members. The question is asked "will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church and uphold it by your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness." The addition of "witness" emphasizes a priority needed among United Methodism in 2011.
CAN I GET A WITNESS?
