Popes, Bishops and Social Media

Pope Francis

Like almost everybody else in the country, I was thrilled  with  Pope Francis' visit.  My friend, Nancy, who is ill, said she'd love to have had the pope visit her (and kiss her on the head) but she would have had a better chance if she was a baby.  She's right.  Pope Francis kissed a lot of babies.  And, due to social media, we saw it all, up close and personal.

Bishop Ken Carter

We United Methodists don't have a pope.  We have a number of bishops.  They are our spiritual leaders in the United Methodist Church.  The bishop for Florida is Ken Carter.

When I was active and working as a consultant for many years, sometimes for church agencies, I made a point of knowing the bishop and the bishop knowing me.   Now, in retirement, I don't really have a personal relationship with Bishop Carter. Although he did speak at my church early on and I had the pleasure of meeting him.

Ken Carter said about this photo on his
Facebook page:
"Some people met the pope this week.
I met Rob Lowe (here with his son) at
the Duke-Georgia Tech game."

But what I do have is Facebook.  Bishop Carter is on Facebook.  Only it's not the bishop, it's Ken Carter, the man.  So, through Facebook, I know as much or more about Ken Carter as I have any other bishops.

He comes across as warm, caring, funny, smart and humble.  Also tall.  Also busy.  I know what he's doing and where he is (all over the world) most days.  Ken Carter's Facebook page makes me happy to be a United Methodist.

He also (like me) has a blog so I can read in depth about what he thinks and feels.

I don't know if he kisses a lot of babies but I do know he preaches good news to the poor and proclaims freedom for captives.  This morning he posted on Facebook his concern for Georgia death row inmate Kelly Grissendaner.

And I know, through Facebook, that the bishop and Rob Lowe are both Dukies.


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