Teddy Ray @teddyrayKY Twitter profile

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Teddy Ray

5 months

A story about midlife career change. On my 40th birthday, I told my wife, Emily, "If I were 10 years younger, I think I'd go to law school." I'd said that a few times, mostly as a regret—a possibility that had passed. 🧵

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Her response: "You'll never be 10 years younger, but God willing, you'll be 10 years older. What are you going to do?" I was lamenting missed opportunities; she refused to let me off so easily.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Yesterday, I graduated. The past three years have been many things—challenging, humbling, exhausting. But above all, they've felt like a gift. --

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

First, several older people said some version of, "Let me tell you what I did when I was [insert age 35 to 55]." I was shocked by how many people had taken a significant new direction in life at those ages.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

The next week, I asked Emily if we'd even *think* about moving if I applied to @YaleLawSch and got in. Without hesitation, she looked me in the eye and said, "If you get into Yale, we go." Eight months later, we moved our family to Connecticut.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

A postscript: How are the kids? They e adjusted well. I couldn’t be prouder of them. They’ve said they’d like to stay in North Haven until they graduate high school. Emily and I have committed that we won’t move again until everyone living in our house is open to it.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

I share that because I don't want to sweep aside how hard this can be, especially for everyone else who's affected—those who aren't doing something new and exciting by their own choice.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

The move was tough. Our kids were entering 9th, 7th, 7th, and 5th grades. They have 4 grandparents, 10 aunts and uncles, and 16 first cousins all in Kentucky. They spent the first six months angry, the next six months sad.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Emily handled most of their school transitions (no small task) and did a lot to coach them through the change (a bigger task), all while transitioning into a new job herself.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

The next day, I began researching the law school application process. The natural assumption: if I did it, I'd attend school locally, we'd tighten our budget, and the rest of life would stay mostly the same.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

All described how hard it was—hard to make the decision, hard to start over, hard on the people around them. But they also described how good it had been.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

2 — Humility. It's tough to be at the same stage as people 20 years younger than you and to be many steps behind most people your age. This can be a humbling process.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Second, several people around my age asked if I could talk. Inevitably, those talks were because they were wondering if they could make a career change at that point in life, too. They had wanted to consider it but worried it was too late.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

1 – An amazing support system. If you have a family, change will likely be harder on them than you. Many spouses wouldn't support this kind of change—and often with good reason. I don't know if it can happen without that.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

When I began telling people three years ago that I was about to do this, it prompted two kinds of conversation I hadn't anticipated.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

3 — Faith. This process brings new challenges about identity. My faith and church community have been more important than ever. They remind me who I am.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

This *is not* for everyone. But if you think it might be for you, I hope you'll consider it. Two things you need, a third I recommend:

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@thatlawyerLisa Doing it as a single mom is incredible. Congratulations!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@WhitneyChanell Happy to talk via DM 🙂

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@WaverlyMaven I’ve seen this more than I expected. Thanks for sharing and best wishes.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@hootman47 What an amazing story!! That graduation is like a storybook ending.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

A lot of people responded to this post. It was SO good to see: 1 - All the stories from others who'd made major career changes at age 35+. So many proud stories from people who made a big change and pulled it off. 2 - All the people celebrating Emily and the kids. Thank you!

Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

A story about midlife career change. On my 40th birthday, I told my wife, Emily, "If I were 10 years younger, I think I'd go to law school." I'd said that a few times, mostly as a regret—a possibility that had passed. 🧵

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@NaithanJones A few things: - Equity in our home in Kentucky that we used to buy a house when we moved. - My wife continued working in CT, so we had her income. - YLS’s financial aid plan is unparalleled—especially for people in my situation. They provide a stipend that accounts for kids.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Next: I'll work for two judges consecutively over the next two years. Both keep their chambers in KY but have graciously allowed me to work mostly remote from CT. I'll travel back to KY on occasion. After that: I'd ultimately love to work in public service, maybe academia.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@gsandman62 Congratulations! Pastoral ministry is wonderful. But I imagine serving in the judiciary is, too.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Why law? A longer version of the story, told from the front end, here:

On leaving ministry

This June, I won’t be receiving reappointment to my church. It will mark the end of twenty years in pastoral ministry. I just shared the news with our church this morning. I wrote the narrative and…

teddyray.com

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Full circle. Advisory Opinions was the first legal podcast I listened to. Their nerdy love of the law probably influenced my decision to go to law school.

Sarah Isgur

@whignewtons

5 months

For AO listeners who ask, "is it too late for me to go to law school?" cc @DavidAFrench

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Funding? YLS's financial aid is unparalleled, at least for people in my situation. I receive a stipend that accounts for kids. I also used student loans for some tuition. For low earners, YLS pays back the loans. For high earners, YLS (rightly) expects you to repay them yourself

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

Pastors blatantly aligning themselves with right-wing politics hasn't been a good look for the church. I don't expect pastors blatantly aligning themselves with left-wing politics (a growing trend from my vantage point) to be any better a look for us.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@CasPrag How great to hear! Life is long 🙂 Best of wishes to you.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Answers to common questions... Why Yale? Mainly because of the learning experience, the doors it opens, and financial aid. Though many schools offer good versions of these, what YLS offered was on a different plane. We thought of it like moving for an exceptional job opportunity

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

Dispelling a common #UMC myth: “Licensed local pastors aren’t educated...” 80 LLPs at #kac2018 are M. Div. At least 2 are Ph. D.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

I also had the advantage of a working spouse, no previous school debt, and built up home equity to make finances work.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@adventurelolo Love these stories! Thank you.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@NaithanJones I also took on debt for some tuition. YLS has a very generous loan repayment program. For alumni who don’t have high earnings, they’ll pay back some/all of your loans. If you earn a lot, they (rightly) expect you to pay it back. I came in without other school debt, which helped.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@NaithanJones Regarding relationships: I had no Yale connections. I had some very good recommenders from my seminary work, which I imagine helped. They didn’t have Yale connections, either, but I think they wrote very strong letters for me.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

4 months

A short thread about a part of the Trump immunity case that's being misunderstood... Many are concerned the Supreme Court just gave the President nearly unfettered power. According to Justice Sotomayor, “the President is now a king above the law.” Should we be afraid? 🧵

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

When the church talks about "going on offense," good to remember that the enemies are sin, injustice, heresy. All worth combatting. #WCA2016

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

@UMCGC How did the office of Bishop come to require sound parliamentary knowledge more than doctrinal knowledge? #UMCGC

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@molls You’re still plenty young! 🙂

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

A (relatively) simple guide for posting about #UMCGC on social media.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@KS_Gwen I’ll be working for two judges over the next two years. After that, we’ll see …

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

The new #UMC quadrilateral: Bolsinger Friedman Heifetz Anatomy of Peace

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@RichgirlinParis What a story!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

Quote of the day to @utsdoc : "The problem is that we lack not only a common vision for the church, but a common vision of the church[...] It’s not just that we disagree over what the church should do. Rather, we disagree over what it means to be a church."

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

Nice story MarketWatch wrote about my career change and our family.

MarketWatch Economy

@MKTWeconomics

5 months

At 40, he thought it was ‘too late’ to attend law school. Now, this father of four is a Yale grad. @hannaherinlang

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 months

@UMNS @StopAntisemites Goodness. He was serving on the Cabinet less than a year ago. This is an obvious chargeable offense. "¶ 2702. 1. A . . . clergy member of an annual conference . . . may be tried when charged with . . . (j) harassment, including, but not limited to racial . . . harassment."

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@JulianneMarini What an amazing story!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

On vacation, I nearly always end up at an Anglican / Episcopal church for worship. Would prefer to go to a #UMC church but have a hard time finding one that will serve communion.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

What if eternity for John Piper were a loud voice saying, "Come up here." But the voice is female. Would he come?

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

9 years

My interview with Stanley Hauerwas ( @HauerwasQuotes ) about his newest book, The Work of Theology http://t.co/1f2geqmr8Q

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@GS13029196 @NaithanJones Yes - test scores and GPA are still key metrics. If you search them, you can find the medians and 25th & 75th percentile ranges for schools.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

9 months

CBS showed Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl 12 times for a total of 53 seconds. If that ruined the Super Bowl for you ... that's a bit strange. If you watched the Super Bowl for that ... also a bit strange.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

In times of heightened tensions (i.e. all the time now??), cynicism and contempt widen divisions. It would be great to avoid both open and veiled contempt. Here's an attempt to identify both -- hopefully so we can avoid them ourselves, and not promote them in others. #UMC #USA

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

I have a (perhaps minor) objection to the exegesis used to establish this plan’s foundations. I have a major objection to what the plan actually accomplishes. #UMC

The theology of the One Church Plan

With many other United Methodists in the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time considering the various proposals for our denomination’s way(s) forward. Other people, and ultimately J…

teddyray.com

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@JonesN4Rheum That’s outstanding! I always thought of med school as even tougher to pull off later. Well done.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

The most I've ever cringed at a typo in one of our worship lyrics: "You're the defender of the week You comfort those in need..."

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

I'm assessing the theological foundations of the #UMC Way Forward plans and whether the plans accomplish what they set out to do. The One Church Plan's focus: Eradicating Suffering

The theology of the One Church Plan

With many other United Methodists in the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time considering the various proposals for our denomination’s way(s) forward. Other people, and ultimately J…

teddyray.com

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

The One Church Plan claims it does not divide us into camps. But its theological foundations have already broken us into two camps: those causing suffering and those alleviating it; the Oppressors and the Liberators. #ICYMI #UMC

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@nienna121 Very similar story. I hope the rest goes well for all four of you!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

@UMCGC Could we hire a gracious, impartial parliamentarian to run plenary sessions. Free the bishops to give spiritual leadership? #UMCGC

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@AffordAnything Love it! Congratulations!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

It's not uncommon for a church to receive a dozen calls like this in a day. That's without being added to a list of those known to provide this kind of support. It would be great if churches could routinely do this, but the asks can be overwhelming and sometimes exploitative.

Jules

@JulianeWriter

5 months

I called 13+ churches in my area asking if they could help a family whose water was about to get shut off and they all said some version of, "No, we don't do that." They acted Like I was weird for asking.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

For anyone who thinks we surely have enough churches already, this shows why we need more churches. In case you missed this earlier edition of my series on church resources.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

The #UMC is likely to divide somehow. My proposal: HT: @RitterChris @RevTomBerlin @BillTArnold @utsdoc @DrewBMcIntyre

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

I led a study of pastoral transitions in KYUMC over the past 10 years. Avg worship attendance change in first 3 yrs of transition: -8.5%

Wesleyan Way

@wesleyanway

7 years

3 Reasons Why Itinerancy is an Idea Whose Time Has Come...and Gone #UMC #ICYMI

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

HOW should we plant churches? Several studies have confirmed the same 2 starting components of most successful church plants. We should try doing it this way more.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@read_cook Thank you! I’ll be clerking for two judges consecutively over the next two years. Both keep their chambers in Kentucky, but they’re both graciously allowing me to work most of the clerkship remote from Connecticut, with occasional trips back to Kentucky.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

This morning in the Ray household: Learning about the 5 languages of apology as we write notes of apology to a cousin who we didn't respect last night. #homeschoolsummer

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@MLanceFrazier Thank you! Love these stories.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@TimeOpinion Well you’re still young enough 🙂 Best wishes as you make that decision.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

The enemy ≠ liberals. The enemy ≠ conservatives. The enemy = sin, injustice & heresy, via Satan (Those endorsing them = the competition.)

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

Remember when an "October Surprise" was learning that one of the candidates got a DUI 24 years earlier?

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@EthelMonticue Love it. Life is long.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

Why the #UMC should use itinerant preachers.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@joycekjensen That is great! Should be one of your proudest moments. Thank you.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 months

This post marks something we need more of generally, and especially in the world of tweeting pastors and theologians. It advocates for criticism without contempt. Point out what's wrong with a particular view or practice. But do it without pejorative language or tone.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

I've been increasingly frustrated watching pastors' feeds for the last year. Many seem fixated on one of these, with scarce attention to the other. (They're also regularly outraged by people from 1 political party, but not the other.) Robert's balanced focus has been refreshing

Robert Cunningham

@RobertC4KY

7 years

The thing about Jesus is He always confronts where we need confronting. I think He would say to gospel justice guy “I actually came to forgive your sins” and I think He would say to gospel evangelism guy “I actually came to fix the world”

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

@RitterChris Yep. Personally, I think it's more important to establish gracious exit at 2019 than anything else. We already have irreconcilable differences. Want to ensure it will be nasty? Say that one partner gets all the assets if the other should dare leave the unhealthy relationship.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

9 years

How's this def? Wesleyan catechesis: instilling doctrine (taught), spirit (caught), and discipline (practiced) of Methodism #newroomconf

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@eleskeleto Oh good! Life is long. Best wishes in that new pursuit.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

Tell me the number of UMC churches in your county, and I can tell you with decent accuracy what percentage of the county you’re reaching. Tell me the average size of UMC churches in your county, and I can tell you… nothing. #NCD #kac2018 #UMC

Why we need more churches: How to NOT squander church resources (pt. II)

In the coming years, the church must find a way to maximize its resources. The United Methodist Church serves as an excellent experimental lab, with thousands of ongoing experiments running in diff…

teddyray.com

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@abinayasuri Thank you! I've tended to get most of the glory while they made most of the sacrifices. I wanted to celebrate them. I'm glad people have responded with such a hearty celebration of them!

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

8 years

If #UMC ever divides, I'm not sure many will fight to keep the name. I like a return to MEC, but E for Evangelical. Honors EUB roots, too.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

Serious answer: The right-wing fight for guns and closed borders seems incongruent with the gospel. Maybe some could justify them for other reasons, but they're certainly not CHRISTIAN positions. So left-wing politics on gun control and welcoming immigrants seems a better look.

Jeremy Allen

@jallenuab

7 years

@TedRay80 What left wing politics do you think is a good look for the church? Serious question.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

Kevin Watson is spot on pretty much all of the time. An addition to this - my favorite quote from Wesley: "Unity and holiness are the two things I want among Methodists." Wesley never separated these. We can have one only to the degree that we have the other.

Kevin M. Watson

@kevinwatson

6 years

[New on the blog] Holiness is Essential to Our Unity #UMC

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

4 months

I had a similar experience. @YaleLawSch financial aid was incredibly generous compared to others. Especially when coupled with its debt repayment program. But I also left with significant debt. Both can be true. This is an attempted gotcha from someone ignorant of the system.

David Gura

@davidgura

4 months

Sen. J.D. Vance just talked about leaving Yale Law School with $120,000 in debt. In “Hillbilly Elegy,” this is what he wrote about his financial aid package:

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@ULoving4 Thanks! The YLS choice was mainly about the learning experience, the doors it opens, and financial aid. Though many schools offer good versions of these, what YLS offered for me was on a different plane. I thought of it like someone choosing to move for a great job opportunity.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

Liberal/progressive theology and ethics can quickly run toward heresy and relativism. Bless those who hold the center.

Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

Conservative/evangelical theology and ethics can quickly run toward fundamentalism and nationalism.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@Melissa34895510 This is great. Love to hear these stories.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

The other part of the Methodist history of itineracy. #localpastors #UMC

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

@DrewBMcIntyre @jarrodjohnston @aaronjmansfield Thanks for the (lengthy!) discussion everyone. I decided to write a bit more where I have more than 140 characters:

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

4 months

The Court: “When the President acts pursuant to constitutional and statutory authority, he takes official action to perform the functions of his office. Determining whether an action is covered by immunity thus begins with assessing the President’s authority to take that action.”

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

4 months

Most of the alarmist hypos are confusing a grant of immunity for a grant of authority. Get those categories straight and nearly all of the alarmist hypos fail. The President doesn't have the authority to carry out the basic actions they propose, so he also doesn't get immunity.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

This has circulated quite a bit in #UMC world. But #ICYMI The One Church Plan has been marketed as a plan that respects diverse theological opinions. However, its theological foundations name who's right (the Liberators) and who's wrong (the Oppressors).

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

@KySportsRadio Totally disagree with this. For all the people upset about conservative play-calling, you're going to criticize for going for punt block??

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

90% off on DeSilva's Hebrews commentary today on Kindle:

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

6 years

Holy Moly. He comes out of the gates strong with "Jesus isn't God." Then qualifies that to say he believes "Jesus was divine (in the way that you and I are)"

Drew McIntyre

@DrewBMcIntyre

6 years

When people say everyone in the #UMC shares a doctrinal core of basic Christian beliefs, point them to this:

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

5 months

@elliebellie36 I'm glad to hear it! Not for everyone. But it's more of an option than many of us think.

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Teddy Ray

@teddyrayKY

7 years

"The astonishing truth is this: the most important symbol of Christ in the room is not the minister, not the altar, not even the bread and wine or the water of the font. It is the assembly, the BODY OF CHRIST, as the New Testament says." -Gordon Lathrop in THE PASTOR

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