Bishop Ernest Lyght of the West Virginia Conference is retiring at year's end due to ill health. The Council of Bishops today assigned retired Bishop William Boyd Grove to take his place until a yet-to-be elected bishop takes over in September 2012.
The UMC's "Imagine No Malaria" campaign is getting $3 million from the Gates Foundation, Bishop Tom Bickerton announced at today's Council of Bishops meeting in Lake Junaluska, N.C.
The money will help cover administrative and fund-raising costs in the effort to raise $75 million. So far, $18 million has been raised.
Meanwhile, Bishop Sally Dyck announced an anonymous $600,000 matching gift to the Minnesota Conference's effort to raise funds for Imagine No Malaria.
Bishop Dyck called Imagine No Malaria an "opportunity to solve a problem that isn't about our institutional life."
Bishop Bickerton gave a progress report on the effort to make a vaccine against malaria, and said such efforts as bed nets have helped reduce the death rate. He said one million died in Africa from the disease in 2007, and 800,000 died in 2010.
"The rates are dropping but if we stop our efforts or lessen them to any degree the rates of malaria will rise again," he said.
The UMC's Council of Bishops voted overwhelmingly this afternoon to endorse major change in the denomination, including restructuring of general agencies, redistributing of $60 million to back the "vital congregations" effort, and giving annual conferences more freedom to organize.
Within the United States, the denomination has long been in decline in membership and worship attendance, and reform efforts are aimed at reversing that.
Of the vote, Council President Larry Goodpaster said, "It was a sign that we're ready to head off in a new direction."
The vote specifically endorsed a letter summarizing proposed changes, some requiring action by the 2012 General Conference, some not.
One of the handful of dissenters was Bishop Elaine Stanovsky, who failed in an effort to get the council to take straw votes on seven proposals in the letter that will require General Conference action.
She said she was concerned about "not being able to give that nuanced response" to the document, but does favor major change.
"I think the status quo is not working and we really need to change it," she said. "I will not go home and speak against this (letter) in my conference. I'll represent it postively."
The proposals the letter endorses include:
* Giving Annual Conferences freedom to organize their structures for "greater fruitfulness."
* Letting up to $60 million in general church funds be reallocated, mid-quadrennium, for creating and sustaining the "vital congregations" effort.
* Providing for the Council of Bishops to elect a non-residential bishop as president - the so-called "set aside bishop" proposal.
* Creating a Center for Connectional Mission & Ministry under one board of directors to combine the functions of the Connectional Table and nine general agencies
The letter says, "We see a new church. It is a church that is clear about its mission and confident about its future, a church that is always reaching out, inviting, alive, agile, and resilient. We ask all United Methodists to join us as together we work to do the `new thing' God intends for our church and discover the path God is making for our future.
The council will be in session all week at Lake Junaluska, N.C.
From the Florida Conference, there's concern about the United Methodist Church and the looming "death tsunami." Click here.
Scott Brewer has been elected assistant general secretary for connectional relations of the UMC's General Council on Finance and Administration.
He has worked for GCFA since 2001, and founded its office of analysis and research.
In his new job, he'll be in charge of strengthening relationships between annual conferences and GCFA. He also will oversee data collection, record-keeping and research.
Southern Methodist University has blocked publication of a student newspaper article about lack of transparency by the school's board of trustees. The edition in question goes to in-coming first year students. The paper posted the article online, and it references past United Methodist Church calls for greater transparency at SMU. The Student Press Law Center writes about the matter here.
Fred Koenig handles publications for the Missouri Conference of the UMC, and he has knocked himself out to put a human face on the Joplin tornado tragedy as it relates to United Methodists. Here's the most recent recent of several dispatches he has provided us:
Rev. George Triplett of Trinity UMC knows he is one of the very fortunate ones in Joplin. His house and church were not damaged by the tornado. But the devastation still hit very close to home.
“My daughter lost every, my sister lost everything, at least five families in my congregation lost their homes, and a couple more homes were damaged,” he said.
Triplett was at a family graduation party in Webb City when the tornado was ripping through Joplin. His daughter was tired from work, and decided not to make it to the party, but she woke up from her nap and changed her mind, and went to Webb City with her two boys not long before the tornado came. When she returned home there was nothing left of her house.
Triplett’s other daughter is a surgical technician at St. John’s hospital, but she was off that afternoon, and was also at the graduation party in Webb City.
Pam Davis, Triplett’s sister, was at home with her grandchildren. She got everyone into the bathtub in the bathroom in the middle of house when the tornado hit.
“After it passed, they opened the bathroom door and found that the tornado had taken everything but the room they were in,” Triplett said. “The only walls still standing were the walls that were around them.”
Triplett’s daughter-in-law, Marti, was at home at Hampshire Terrace apartments. She also took refuge in her bathroom, and got under the sink and held onto the pipes.
“She felt the wind picking her legs up, and dropping them back down again and again. She just held on and prayed,” Triplett said. “There are no walls standing at her apartment. She was exposed.”
Triplett is thankful his family members all made it through, and says his heart goes out to everyone who lost loved ones in the storm, and to people who are showing an outpouring of the love God and doing all they can to help.
The Rev. Kory Knott of Argyle United Methodist in North Texas shot an amazing video of a developing tornado. His footage made the Dallas Morning News Web site this morning. If you click on the link, hang on through the advertisement, then look to the column at right for the video shot by the pastor. "Argyle pastor films tornado" is the headline.
Bishop Robert Schnase of the Missouri Conference reports that three members of Webb City UMC died in the tornado that ripped through the Joplin, MO., area. Click here for his full update on UMC-related loss there.
UM-affiliate Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill., has announced a $5 million commitment to its unrestricted endowment, from Mary Joy and Jerre Stead. Mr. Stead is chair of the school's trustee board. The couple earlier agreed to endow three full-tuition, plus-stipend scholarships. More than $67 million has been pledged toward Garrett's $100 million campaign.
The Rev. Gayle Landis of Lakewood UMC in Dallas will get her Doctor of Ministry diploma in a ceremony tomorrow at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology. Her son Zach Landis will get his Master of Divinity degree in the same event. Zach has been a youth pastor at First UMC in Sherman, Texas, and expects to be commissioned next year as a provisional elder by the North Texas Conference.
The United Methodist Church's Connectional Table just wrapped up a big meeting focused on the denomination's finances. The picture is not pretty.
Due to declining numbers and giving in the United States, the UMC will likely have to cut its budget by 6 percent.
United Methodist News Service has a full report on the meeting.
The "2011 State of the Church Report" for the UMC is online, and it puts numbers to the well-known trends, including shrinking membership in the U.S. and Europe and rapid growth in Africa and the Philipines.
Some notable factoids:
* Through UMC work in Africa, nearly 500,000 insecticide-treated bed nets have been distributed as part of the Imagine No Malaria effort
* UM membership in the U.S. dropped by 8 percent from 1999 to 2009 but grew in Africa by 134 percent and in the Philippines by 161 percent
* The rate of decline in the U.S. was 0.4 percent in 1998-99 and jumped to 1.22 percent in 2008-2009
* Local churches in the U.S. reported more than $6.15 billion in contributions in 2009
To read the full report, go first to this press release, then click on the link in the story to get a PDF file.
The UMC's alcohol-free Lent campaign has a long way to go, according to this report from Madison, Wisc. The article notes the effort, which began with Myers Park UMC in Charlotte, NC, gained "little traction" among Wisconsin UMC churches.
UMC official: "Perhaps Wisconsin and beer are a little too close together."
Cedar Springs United Methodist Church, in Palo Pinto County, Texas, has burned to the ground in the wildfires that have spread across parts of the state.
"The church is over 100 years old and was located off Highway 180 back in a cedar break with a brush arbor," Bishop Mike Lowry of the Central Texas Annual Conference wrote in his blog. "While small (average attendance of 10-12), it is made up of bold and tenacious disciples for the Lord."
Bishop Lowry is pictured below at the church site. Click here for the conference Web site, which contains other information and Bishop Lowry's blog.
The Rev. Jim Senkel is pastor, and according to the conference had been pastor of another church, Cross Plains UMC, that lost a building to wildfire.
The New York Times recently had a story about nonprofits that choose to go out of business when they feel their mission is accomplished. One of the groups featured was Malaria No More, which according to the story plans to shut down in 2005.
But the idea that malaria has been licked does not sit well with Larry Hollon, general secretary of United Methodist Communications.
He answers back in this blog post.
The New York Times has a feature obituary on the prominent historian of American religion Edwin Gaustad, whose research interests included the Great Awakening.
Congrats to former m.e. Robin Russell and the United Methodist Reporter staff for multiple honors won in the Religion Communicators Council's DeRose-Hinkhouse Award competition. Details here.
The San Antonio Express reported yesterday that the Rev. Lorenza Andrade Smith (at right), a United Methodist pastor, has escalated a fast she began to show solidarity with thousands of young people advocating for the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.
Ms. Smith was arrested Nov. 30 along with more than a dozen University of Texas, San Antonio students after they participated in a sit-in at the office of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R.-Texas. They were protesting Ms. Hutchinson's opposition to the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. as children to apply for conditional legal status after attending college or serving in the military for two years.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he will move to force a vote on the legislation before the end of the year. A vote could come as early as Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
Before the sit-in, the group had fasted for several days and marched 16 miles to the university's downtown campus to stage a demonstration. On Dec. 6, rejecting an opportunity to post bail until after the vote, Ms. Smith stopped accepting water or juice. Seven others are taking fluids, but refusing to eat.
"I am not on a hunger strike, but rather a spiritual fast," Ms. Smith told United Methodist News Service Dec. 2 from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center. "I will break this fast when other clergy and laity join the fast by committing to relieve me of one or more days, to have fasting and prayer for the DREAM Act students going on all year."
Greetings, e-Readers!
Do you recognize the acronyms GBHEM, GBGM, UMCOR, COSROW, GBCS, GCORR or GCUIC? A straw poll of United Methodists conducted by UMR staffers showed that UMCOR was the most recognized, and about a fourth polled didn’t recognize any of those listed above. So it’s no surprise that a study commissioned by the Call to Action Steering Team shows a perceived “disconnect” between United Methodist general agencies and local congregations. Mary Jacobs reports on why this is so.
In features about global concerns, I offer an overview of Central American culture and history that the Council of Bishops recently experienced in Panama, and UMNS’ Victoria Rebeck outlines the work of Hmong congregations whose families come from China, Laos, Thailand and northern Vietnam.
Mary Jacobs has two Q&As for the Christmas season: Retired Bishop Richard Wilke spoke with her about his new Advent study, The Good, The Bad & The Ugly; and Dr. Michelle Gonzalez, author of Shopping, says that a person’s faith can help curb holiday overspending.
In commentaries, brand-new father Andrew Thompson reflects on how the motherhood of church should nurture and strengthen our faith; Jason Byassee feels that church giveaways should be less kitschy and include more about our faith message; Donald Haynes applauds the recent commitment of bishops to embrace change and challenges the denomination to do the same; and Gary Keene says that church leaders can learn a few things from watching Toy Story 3.
As we approach the end of 2010, the United Methodist Reporter is accepting nominations for its fourth annual United Methodist of the Year. If you know of someone who has had a significant impact for the denomination, please submit information by Dec. 10.
Don’t miss stories on Harry Potter theology; a review of a DVD on the life of John Howard Griffin; a ruling about a pastor’s right to determine church membership; History of Hymns and more!
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing Editor
It's time we give you a little taste of the behind-the-scenes hustle and bustle of the 13th presidential library groundbreaking.
Managing editor Robin Russell spoke with James Glassman, executive director of the George W. Bush Institute, Tuesday, Nov.16 before Mr. Bush and a posse of advisors, architects and companions broke ground for the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the SMU campus.
Hear what Mr. Glassman has to say to UMR readers:
Stay tuned for more original coverage of the groundbreaking! We have more interviews, photos, video clips and a cover story coming your way in the Dec. 3 issue of the United Methodist Reporter.
Hundreds of people waited in a line for hours this morning at a North Dallas bookstore to meet former President George W. Bush and have him sign copies of his newly released memoir Decision Points (Crown Publishing), which hit bookstores today.
Mr. Bush, 64, launched a media blitz this week to promote the book, after nearly two years of silent retirement in North Dallas. The booksigning was held a week before the groundbreaking for the Bush presidential library center at SMU.
The memoir recounts critical moments of Mr. Bush’s presidency, including his ordering the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the administration’s much-criticized response to Hurricane Katrina.
Bush supporters waited outside the Borders bookstore in a long line that snaked around and behind the entire North Dallas shopping plaza. The booksigning also drew a handful of people who were protesting the Bush administration policies.
Linda Foley of Fort Worth criticized Mr. Bush’s acknowledgement in his book of approving waterboarding as an interrogation technique. Ms. Foley said she is affiliated with Code Pink, a grassroots peace movement of women working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“That’s a real slippery slope,” she said. “We know a lot of terrible things happened at Abu Ghraib. I think this book will include a lot of self-aggrandizement.”
Protesters at a busy intersection near the bookstore held posters that read “Torture is illegal!” and “No one is above the law.” Among them were a United Church of Christ minister and members of the Dallas Peace Center, Veterans for Peace and Military Families for Peace.
Drivers passing by often honked long and loud at the protesters, some offering a “single-finger salute,” Ms. Foley said. Mr. Bush has been generally well-received in his Preston Hollow neighborhood and throughout the city since he left the White House.
“I think it’s despicable,” said David Hearn of Fort Worth, watching the protest while standing in line. “Our president served our country nobly for eight years. He had to make tough decisions in tough times.”
Mr. Hearn said he arrived at Borders to get in line at 4:30 a.m. Reading a protest sign that proclaimed “Arrest Bush,” he said, “That’s below low.”
Nicole Marion, 25, a United Methodist from Dallas, emerged from Borders about 9:30 a.m. with hew newly signed copy of Decision Points.
“I think he was a strong president who never wavered in his beliefs,” she said. “We love Bush.”
Greetings, e-Readers!
Should it matter that 10 percent of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife? Surprisingly, atheists and agnostics outperformed mainline Protestants and Catholics in a recent survey on religious literacy. In this week’s cover story, Mallory McCall tells why United Methodist scholars feel getting up to speed on interfaith understanding is important.
We also have stories on healing and hope: Linda Bloom reports on the work of repentance, covering the recent visit of United Methodists with Native Americans at the site of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, which sadly, was led by a Methodist minister; Melissa Lauber shares a story on the internationally recognized Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti that offers young men the opportunity to perform the storylines of their struggles—and help rebuild their country.
Q&As this week include a conversation Mary Jacobs had with the Rev. Bruce Cook on ministering to crime victims in his book Redeeming the Wounded. Mallory McCall chatted with Gregory Spencer on seven forgotten virtues that he explains in his new book Awakening the Quieter Virtues.
In commentaries, the recent rescue of 33 Chilean miners reminded Andrew Thompson that we all want to see stories of hope and resurrection in real life; The Body and Soul liturgical dance team—ages 50 to 81—bonds through dance, says Missy Buchanan; and Donald Haynes shares reader response to his recent suggestions regarding Charge Conference and the role of District Superintendents.
Don’t miss stories on a court victory for the denomination’s social action agency; a 90-day challenge to read the New Testament; college football fans who “worship” their teams on Saturday and God on Sunday; History of Hymns and more!
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing Editor
The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life on Tuesday issued results of a new survey on Americans’ religious knowledge. And the news isn’t good—at least not for mainline Protestants.
On average, a sample of 3,412 American adults correctly answered 16 of 32 questions. Evangelical Protestants and Mormons stood out for their knowledge of Christianity, while Jews, atheists and agnostics ranked high on a range of world religions and did well on questions about the role of religion in public life.
But Pew notes that large numbers seemed “uninformed about the tenets, practices, history and leading figures of major faith traditions—including their own.” Most surprising: More than half of Protestants couldn’t identify Martin Luther as the person who inspired the Protestant Reformation!
The survey also included questions on biblical knowledge and U.S. Supreme Court decisions on religion in public schools. For a complete report, visit pewforum.org.
Outreach Magazine recently partnered with LifeWay Research and released its annual report on the largest and fastest-growing churches in America. Researchers contacted more than 8,000 churches to gather the self-reported data used to compile the top-100 lists. (The listings are based on February and March weekend attendance averages.)
If you are tired of the church-numbers game, rest assured you are not alone. In fact, the magazine's editor is quick to say this special report offers more than tally marks.
“As we approached the 2010 Outreach 100, we knew we wanted to tell more stories of churches to truly reflect their impact and to get to the heart of why they’re growing,” said Outreach editor Lindy Lowry. “So we increased the number of profiles from five to 15 and added several other feature-length articles offering the stories behind the numbers.
"Ultimately, The Outreach 100 is not so much about numbers as it is the individuals those numbers represent—people who have found hope in Jesus, and the churches pointing them to Him.”
This year there are three United Methodist churches among the 100 fastest-growing churches: Morning Star Church in O’Fallon, Mo. (ranked #61), Harvest Church in Byron, Ga. (#76) and Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas (#83).
Want to guess the no.1 fasted-growing church?
How about the largest?
For more fast fact click here or pick up the 2010 Outreach 100 Special Issue.
The Council of Bishops has released a statement today (below) in regards to September 11. Let us all remember to keep the day as one of prayer and peace.
####
Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster
President, Council of Bishops
Bishop Neil L. Irons
Executive Secretary, Council of Bishops
**Full statement and list of attendees available at:http://www.isna.net/articles/News/Beyond-Park-51-Religious-Leaders-Denounce-Anti-Muslim-Bigotry-and-Call-for-Respect.aspx
The Rev. Tim Ross (left), a retired pastor in the British Methodist Church, was all set last Saturday to preside over the first-ever service of Holy Communion on Twitter. Users who follow TimRossMInister on the social-networking site would be ready with bread, wine or juice; Mr. Ross would post a eucharistic prayer in the form of seven short messages, or "tweets"—and then instruct them to take the bread and wine.
But it wasn't to be. The denomination's Faith and Order Committee raised objections, saying the idea of "remote Communion" conflicts with a 2003 British Methodist document, "His Presence Makes the Feast." The document emphasized "embodied" worship, noted that "participants in Holy Communion are not disembodied spirits indifferent to sound and sight" and said, "The arrangment of the worship space is a key part" of Communion.
In a statement on his website, Mr. Ross says he was "strongly urged" to cancel the service. Instead, he tweeted a series of short prayers for Christian unity. "The whole point of Twitter Communion," he says, "was offer the Christians around the world the opportunity to step beyond their differences, to meet in fellowship and love and to celebrate the common-union we all share through Christ's body and blood."
For now, Methodist Conference spokesman Ken Howcroft has said the church needs time to "reflect and pray deeply in order to discern what developments are appropriate."
For more details and a range of comments on the issue, visit episcopalcafe.com.
The Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree in Fort A.P. Hill, Va., won’t wrap up until tomorrow, but for United Methodists the highlight took place Sunday at a worship service led by Bishop Thomas Bickerton of the Western Pennsylvania Conference.
Bishop Bickerton, who chairs the denomination’s Global Health Initiative, was also there to support the Scouts’ first international “Good Turn” project—raising funds for the Nothing But Nets campaign to end malaria.
As you probably know, the effort started in 2006 through a partnership between the UMC, the United Nations Foundation, NBA Cares and Sports Illustrated. To date, more than $30 million has been raised to distribute 3.1 million insecticide-treated nets across Africa.
The bishop challenged 6,000 Scouts at the outdoor service to match $10,000 raised for Nothing But Nets at a recent youth assembly. They met the challenge and more—collecting $12,432. An exhibit booth at the Jamboree received $4,600, bringing the total to over $17,000!
For more details, see a report from the General Commission on United Methodist Men.
Our young leaders have wrapped things up at the 2010 Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly in Berlin.
Check out the closing worship ceremonies and check in again soon as we gather the scoop from some of this year's delegates. We'll be nice and let the jet-lag wear off before we bombard them with questions!
More to come on what legislation was adopted...
Over 300 young United Methodists from 32 countries have gathered in Berlin, Germany for the Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly, an event sponsored by Young People's Ministries--a division of the United Methodist Church's General Board of Discipleship.
This gathering, the second of its kind, is designed to bring young people together to learn from each other and celebrate who they are as church leaders.
For the next six days, participants will not only worship and grow in their faith, but will also help grow the church by proposing legislation, debating it and sending it to the 2012 General Conference in Tampa, Fla.
Check out this video from last year's gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Want to see more? Tune in tonight at 7:30 p.m.CEST for GYPC's first live-streaming event from Berlin.
Did you know the median age of the population in the U.S. is 35, and the median age of attendees in the United Methodist Church is 57?
Did you know over 92 percent of U.S. United Methodists have earned at least a high school diploma, while this is true for 87 percent of the general U.S.?
Did you know in the last five years 360 new United Methodist congregations have been planted in the U.S, and in the last two years, 177 new congregations have begun worldwide?
These fun facts are among the many statistics found in the newly released 2010 State of The Church Report. The report is an annual look at where the United Methodist Church stands statistically in membership, giving and church growth. This year's report also offers key findings from the United States Congregational Life Survey and resources to help United Methodists stay up-to-date with important conversations taking place across the denomination that could impact church structure and processes in the future.
"In this annual report, we see signs of hope," said Bishop John Hopkins of the Ohio East Episcopal Area and chairperson of the Connectional Table. "United Methodists are making great strides in the Four Areas of Focus of the denomination. Also, this report captures how the church is making changes to address the declining membership trend we have witnessed in the U.S. and Europe."
The Four Areas of Focus include: Developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world; creating new places for new people and revitalizing existing congregations; engaging in ministry with the poor; and combating the diseases of poverty by improving health globally.
Not only does the report give a comprehensive overview of the life of the church, but it also makes you wonder how we can better carry out the church's mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Go check it out. The charts and graphs are easy to interpret, and my guess is you will stumble across a something you did not know... now, anyone up for a game of United Methodist Church Jeopardy?
The Commission on the General Conference has selected the
theme for the United Methodist Church’s 2012 General Conference. Drum roll,
please…and the winner is: “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ to Transform the
World.” (I hope the graphic didn’t give it away.)
Sound familiar? It should. The theme echoes the church’s central mission of the United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
This is neither a coincidence, nor a product of a brainstorming meeting cut short. Instead, this clever alignment intentionally makes the conference more than a one-time event and more so a part of the ongoing ministry of the church.
“We sensed that people across the church are longing for clarity about our mission, and we believed that the theme of the General Conference should reinforce and celebrate that mission,” said Jim Harnish, a member of the commission and chair of the committee responsible for the theme and logo. “We hope that the Spirit of God will use this theme to unite and energize our people to fulfill this mission and enable us to set clear priorities for the use of our resources.”
Pretty clever, right? It gets better…
It turns out the logo is more than just a Clip Art graphic. The cross represents the presence of Jesus Christ at the center of the church's mission. The circles extending from the cross express energy and movement into ministry in the world and the bright sun and blue water representing Tampa, Fla. as the conference site. Also, the imperative verbs “make” and “transform” underscore the urgency of the mission and call for active response.
That’s good stuff.
The 2012 General Conference is scheduled for April 24-May 4 in Tampa, Fla., and the official conference website is expected to be up and running by early fall—so, mark your calendars and book your flights!
For a more detailed interpretation of the theme, click here.
“The University Project” was announced Wednesday by Claremont President Jerry Campbell. Donors have already pledged $10 million and Muslim and Jewish faculty are in place to offer programs in spiritual counseling for chaplaincy, interreligious education and urban ministries. The project will help the seminary draw more students and resources. Students will take classes at Claremont, The Academy for Jewish Religion and the Islamic Center of Southern California. Eventually, Claremont hopes to add clerical programs for Buddhists and Hindus. As expected, the project has come under criticism from some who fear the project will dilute the institution’s Methodist tradition. In January, the United Methodist Church’s University Senate suspended its funding of $800,000 toward Claremont’s budget for failing to consult with the church on “a substantial reorientation of the institution’s mission.”
“The old nostalgic ways of religious life that perpetuate competitive denominationalism no longer meet the realities of our new religiously plural America,” Dr. Campbell wrote. “And neither does the old segregated model of theological education that will produce the next generation of religious leaders and scholars.” The denomination's 25-member University Senate will meet June 23-24 to determine Claremont’s standing with the church. Stay tuned. Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology, a United Methodist-affiliated institution, plans to become the nation's first multi-faith seminary in the fall, offering clerical training for Muslims and Jews as well as Christians.
In a guest commentary Thursday on The Washington Post’s “On Faith” blog, Dr. Campbell said the multi-faith emphasis will benefit all who attend the seminary.
Blogger John Meunier and others are distressed over a debate on guaranteed appointment, and he asks this question:
“Am I picking up false signals in the news reports about the guaranteed appointment debate and in various conversations around the Internet?”
Quite frankly, I'd say yes. What’s going on is a premature reaction to what is only a draft of a recommendation.
Having been at the Council of Bishops meeting and hearing an update from the Commission to Study the Ministry, I can verify that what was presented was 1) a working draft, not a final recommendation; and 2) nothing new.
I wrote last fall that the Council had announced in its Call to Action statement for this denomination in trouble that working to eliminate guaranteed appointment was one of the items on the table. And we carried a March update by Kathy Gilbert on the study commission’s work.
So what’s the fearful buzz about now?
It’s over a report originally titled “Commission rejects clergy job guarantees.” The original version can still be seen on Facebook, but the headline has changed since its inaccuracy was pointed out. It now reads: "Commission takes aim at clergy job guarantees.”
Folks, the denomination has been talking about ending guaranteed appointment for years now. The discussion is nothing new. The new stories that have been released in recent days really don't contain anything earth-shattering. "This just in: Groups still talking about ending guaranteed appointment!"
Why target guaranteed appointment? Because having strong, healthy United Methodist congregations led by effective and fruitful pastors seems a no-brainer -- and even more critical for a denomination in decline. (“Effectiveness” is a whole ‘nother discussion, but you know it when you don’t see it).
The rather antiquated notion of “guaranteed appointment” has been seen as a consistent stumbling block to that effort, allowing some ineffective clergy to be shuffled around from congregation to congregation until retirement.
A follow-up report on clergy reaction brought the expected brouhaha by linking guaranteed appointment as a "promise" for being subject to the denomination’s itineracy system, or going where they are sent.
A brief history lesson: the whole idea of guaranteed appointment was established by the 1956 General Conference to protect clergy of color and female clergy from being denied an appointment. It was a civil rights issue, folks, not a reward system. I don’t know of any bishop today who would deny an appointment to a female or ethnic minority clergy.
Over the years, however, guaranteed appointment began to be considered a right. A fair exchange, if you will, for being an itinerant pastor. “If I have to go wherever I’m sent, at least I should be guaranteed a job.” Granted, the itinerant system likely also needs to be tweaked, but it’s a separate thing from guaranteed appointment.
Now I'm not clergy, but it seems to me that there's some needless panic stirring the pot right now. Only General Conference action can put an end to guaranteed appointments. General Conference meets every four years, and will not get a chance to vote on such legislation before 2012. And before the vote comes to the floor, legislation submitted to GC will likely be committee-d to death.
So, there's conversation and lots of tension over something that hasn't even begun to happen yet -- a draft of a recommendation of changing the word "shall" to "may."
Has anyone considered that a change like that might be necessary not because of concerns over clergy effectiveness, but instead because of financial constraints that don't leave enough churches open to provide jobs for pastors? Seriously, all kinds of things could happen between now and then. We even have a story on the clergy glut coming up in our June 4 issue.
Here’s some background from a story I did about a petition on guaranteed appointment presented to the 2008 General Conference.
Like I said, this is nothing new.
I remember writing about the late Mel and Norma Gabler back in Longview, longtime citizen advocates who spent decades monitoring textbooks and lobbying in Austin for more conservative changes.
As the Texas School Board readies to vote on social studies texts (their decision impacts the nation as Texas is the largest and most influential buyer of textbooks), I checked in to the debate again.
The board is made up of elected folks. In March, United Methodist Thomas Ratliff of Mount Pleasant, Texas, defeated one of the most conservative board members, Don McLeroy, a Bible church member from Bryan.
Mr. Ratliff has been lay leader at Tennison Memorial United Methodist Church in Mount Pleasant and is a frequent Sunday school teacher. He has a different take from McLeroy in how textbooks should explain things like evolution, or the role religion played in the founding of the country.
See both of them in this PBS report on whether conservatives in Texas are rewriting history.
Annual Conference season is around the corner, and we have a preview of what some sessions will address. Rich Peck takes a look at how United Methodists will be redrawing the map as some annual conferences are realigned.
And United Methodist bishops say that the controversial new immigration law in Arizona is mobilizing efforts for comprehensive reform. I have a report from the recent Council of Bishops meeting, where bishops had their say.
Parts of the country have seen some pretty severe weather—from flooding in Nashville and the Southeast to tornadoes in Oklahoma. In this issue we focus on the floods; twisters will be in the next issue.
United Methodists are also helping to change the world by starting in their own communities. Tim Tanton has a report on the April 24-25 Change the World Weekend, and Kathy Noble tells us about the launch of the Imagine No Malaria initiative held in Austin, Texas.
In commentaries, Bishop Woodie White reflects on how the repeal of the “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell” law would affect military chaplains; Eric Van Meter mulls over why a silent retreat was so hard for him—and yet provided some holy moments; Missy Buchanan tells how a church is using livestreaming to help older adults “attend” worship services; and Bishop Christian Alsted challenges the church, particularly in the West, to be in ministry with the poor.
All this, plus History of Hymns, a book review about a United Methodist who crossed the baseball color lines in the 1950s, and more.
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing Editor
I’ve been on the road for the past week, covering back-to-back events for the May 14 edition. First, I traveled to St. Louis for the United Methodist Women’s 2010 Assembly, which drew more than 6,500 United Methodist Women for worship, educational workshops, fellowship and service opportunities. You don’t want to mess with these hard-working and spiritually committed women! Besides the cover story, I have reports on their march for immigration rights and a visit from Judy Woodruff, who led a conversation about the millennial generation.
Then it was on to my current outpost: the Council of Bishops meeting in Columbus, Ohio. So far, the bishops have decided against a special session of General Conference, released results of annual conference voting on constitutional amendments, selected Bishop Peter Weaver to give the episcopal address at General Conference 2012 and been tested for HIV as a show of support for those affected by AIDS. And that was just through Tuesday!
Commentaries this week include more on the means of grace from Gen-X Rising columnist Andrew Thompson; a reminder from Donald Haynes that we’re called to be a part of God’s story as found in the Bible; Bishop Mike Lowry with the latest in our Kids and Christ series; and a reflection from Heather Bennett on what it means to “go green” when it comes to raising her child. (Those who enjoy Heather’s perspective will also want to read the Q&A with evangelical pastor Joel Hunter that covers Earth Day and creation care.)
Plus Bill Fentum’s review of the new DisneyNature documentary Oceans, an update on Haiti mission efforts, a tutoring ministry that features limousine rides, History of Hymns and a report on a Nashville-based radio show that mixes theology and satire.
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing Editor The 2010 United Methodist Womens Assembly is in full swing, with a massive exhibit hall, workshops, films and the always-stunning opening session tonight.
I attended a few workshops today, and the most intriguing was one on school bullying. I'll have a report in the upcoming May 14th edition, but here's a tidbit from "Hate in the Hallways."
Youth who are bullied often don't believe adults can help. Many adults, it's true, don't understand the dynamics of teen behavior -- especially when it's carried out through cyberspace.
But United Methodist Women can help educate teachers and other adults to become allies for children and youth who are bullies.
“It should never go uncommented on or ignored,” said Denise DeCou of the National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis. “Young people who are bullied are embarrassed. We need to encourage them to tell someone, and help them find the power within them to confront it.”
A video clip during the workshop showed news reports of children as young as 11 hanging themselves to escape the pain. Here's our recent cover story on bullying.
“I just see it going to a whole different level than we had in our generation,” said Cozette Niedens, of the Kansas West Conference.
If anyone can do something to help, it's United Methodist Women. Give 'em a task and they're on it.
I was reminded of that by seeing a group of women wearing these jackets.
I have a feeling these 6,500 women here in St. Louis are ready to make a difference.
Stay tuned!
Bullying among children is a tough topic we’ve seen raised often lately, along with the tragic fallout that happens when youth engage in it—or even just stand by and allow it to happen. Mary Jacobs takes a look at what the church can do to teach kindness, empathy and standing up for those who are bullied as acts of faithful Christians. Included is an interview with the mom of an 8th-grader who ended his own life after he was the target of bullying.
And I had an interview with Shane Stanford, a United Methodist pastor who has been HIV-positive since he was a teen. His new book chronicles that journey, and our Q&A gives readers a glimpse into what he’s learned.
This week’s commentaries: Mike Slaughter emphasizes discipleship in the final installment in his series with us; Jeff Harlow suggests a “middle way” on the often-contentious topic of immigration reform; Dan Dick reminds us that even for Christians (especially for Christians?), Christlike behavior takes work; and Amy Forbus shares her view of animal rescue as ministry—from personal experience.
Plus, a “prom closet” where all the dresses and accessories are free; relief work happening in the wake of China’s April 21 earthquake; Russian missionaries come to Texas; homeless artists find a place for creativity; how to be an effective “first responder” when it comes to urgent spiritual care; History of Hymns and a film review of The Perfect Game.
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing Editor
New York Times blogger Stuart Elliott posted a short feature this morning on religious advertising, with mention of the Rethink Church campaign. It's nice to see United Methodism and 10thousanddoors.org weren't forgotten.
Mr. Elliott also cites iamnotashamed.org, an interactive "video Bible" where visitors are urged to upload clips of themselves reading Bible passages. It's sponsored by Answers in Genesis, a conservative ministry based in Kentucky. Ken Ham, president and CEO, is quoted: "We believe we have to be more aggressive than ever. . . . A lot of Christians feel a little beat down [because of] the legalization of gay marriage, abortions and the loss of Christian symbols in public places."
For balance, though, it should be noted that the United Church of Christ—on a much different side of the spectrum—this month launched a campaign of its own. The UCC posted a two-minute ad, "The Language of God," and has urged members to spread links via Facebook, Twitter and e-mail.
In 2004, TV spots for the denomination focused on inclusiveness, with dramatized shots of gays and minorities shunned by unnamed churches before finding a home in a UCC congregation. CBS and NBC rejected the ads as "too controversial"; the denomination then filed a complaint with the FCC that is still pending.
The church hopes to reach 4 million people with the new campaign, spending $50,000 to purchase space for the ad on popular blogs and social networking sites. "We're creating our own network," the Rev. Ben Guess, the UCC's director of communications, told Religion News Service.
Scouting has a 100-year history in the U.S., and the United Methodist Church is the second-largest sponsor of Scout troops in the nation. That’s not enough for the General Commission on United Methodist Men: That organization hopes to take the church’s involvement even deeper. Mary Jacobs has our cover feature on the difference Scouting continues to make in the lives of many youngsters and adults.Commentaries this week include Gen-X Rising columnist Andrew Thompson’s latest in his series on the means of grace; Donald Haynes shares his Wesleyan Wisdom on the need for Arminian theology as Calvinism makes a resurgence; Lovett Weems on the small but important changes that can make a church more hospitable to newcomers; Dick Staub on the wisdom of the apostle Paul’s advice to speak the truth in love; and Jim Harnish on meeting challenges of a changing culture—for our Kids and Christ series.
Plus, United Methodists help distribute anti-malaria nets in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the importance of Vacation Bible School in churches of any size; a Religion News Service report on the “church of baseball” and what it might teach the Christian church; a Q&A with N.T. Wright on virtue; History of Hymns; and a Hurricane Katrina survivor’s new home, made possible through a United Methodist ministry.
Enjoy!
Blessings,
Robin Russell, Managing EditorWildwood United Methodist Church outside Houston, Texas, has decided to do more than just follow news reports of international travelers grounded by the volcanic eruption in Iceland. While people stranded at nearby George Bush Intercontinental Airport wait for the ash cloud to clear and flights to resume, the congregation has opened the church to them—providing showers, meals from their kitchen and shelter in their classrooms. Church members have also offered to pick up passengers at the airport.
"We want to make sure that they're taken [care] of and that they're shown hospitality and that's what we're about. We would like to demonstrate that in something bigger than words," the Rev. Rustie Moore, senior pastor at Wildwood, told the Associated Press in a story posted yesterday by the Houston Chronicle.
Over the weekend, Wildwood also celebrated its first nine years of ministry with a concert, a golf tournament, a barbecue fundraiser. Congratulations and a word of appreciation are certainly in order!
Greetings, e-Readers! Greetings, e-Readers!
Church planting is a big topic these days, with "creating new places for new people" as one of the four areas of focus for the denomination. So when we learned of a church plant that began as a coffeehouse instead of as a traditional church, we wanted our readers to know about it. It's a feature by Lynn Gosnell, courtesy of FaithandLeadership.com.
Around Resurrection season, folks tend to examine the ins and outs of belief. We have a story of hope from ordinary people of faith in light of questions raised by skeptics.
In our last issue, we ran a report on health care reform -- and we're still hearing reader feedback about the church's involvement in politics. So this issue, we have a commentary from Rich Peck explaining who has the authority to speak for the UMC, and what that means for individual church members. Other commentaries include Bishop White on the "little Easters" throughout the year, Mike Slaughter continues with his series adapted from his new book Change the World and Mike Ratliff on changes we need to make to connect with the Millennial generation.
For decades now, pastors ordained as elders in the UMC have been guaranteed appointments, but can we sustain that practice? A Ministry Study Committee is considering doing away with it. (Stay tuned for action at General Conference 2012.)
In more news: officials hope to recover historic documents stolen from the United Methodist Archives Center, a church bus flips on its side while carrying a group to a Black Methodists for Church Renewal meeting and an immigration rally in Washington draws hundreds of United Methodists.
Plus Bill Fentum's review of the television film Amish Grace, History of Hymns and more.
Enjoy!
It arrived almost 58 years late. But at least now the Rev. Calvin Quarles, a retired United Methodist pastor in the South Carolina Conference, has the honor he deserves as a U.S. combat veteran.
The Purple Heart was pinned on his chest in a ceremony on Sunday at Emmanuel UMC in Anderson, S.C.
Mr. Quarles, now 79, was wounded by shrapnel during the Korean War in a blast that killed everyone else in his unit. His service records were destroyed in a plane crash before the medal could be awarded (quite a story in itself). But discharge papers showed he was wounded in combat, so a Veterans Affairs officer recently suggested just asking for a replacement.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't hurt from all the shrapnel," he told the Anderson Independent Mail. "Receiving that medal today made me feel appreciated for what I'd done. It made me feel good to know that somebody cares. I feel blessed by that."
Find the whole story with a photo gallery at IndependentMail.com, and a TV news report at wyff4.com.
Six of the church fires have been blamed on arson; investigators are searching for a cause in the early morning blaze Feb. 4 at Russell Memorial UMC in Wills Point, Texas.
The Rev. Darrel Coats, who just came on board as interim pastor a week ago, has asked for prayers. “It’s quite a shock as you can imagine,” Dr. Coats said when I interviewed him this week. "But the congregation is very resilient—very healthy and strong.” In fact, members were already setting up chairs in a fellowship hall across the street for Sunday worship. The sanctuary itself was destroyed. Celebrating God's grace in the midst of tragedy "is what United Methodists do," Dr. Coats said. We'll have a complete story in the Feb. 19th Reporter.
The New York Journal News near Clint Rabb’s home in Hawthorne, N.Y., posted a beautiful story this morning on his last hours, and the strength of his wife Suzanne. Like Amy, I didn’t really know him or Sam Dixon—outside of a very helpful interview Rev. Rabb contributed last summer to a report on Volunteers in Mission.
Also, be sure to read Bishop Robert Schnase’s reflection on their lives and service in the world.
The New York Times reports sad news today, that the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem—hosted by NYC's Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church since 2006—is no more.
Founded by musician Walter Turnbull, the choir performed for decades around the world and in 1993 helped establish the Choir Academy of Harlem. But it was ousted from the school after a 2003 sex-abuse investigation and lawsuit. Neither institution recovered, and the school, too, will close in January.
At least today's story ends with a little hope: Alumnus Terrance Wright wants to revive the choir's goal of developing youths through music, and says "there is still life. It just means God has something else in mind."
This afternoon's Dallas Morning News obituary for evangelist Oral Roberts contained one graph that sent me on a brief fact-checking mission:
"In 1968, hoping to shed his Pentecostal image and attract mainline acceptance, he joined the United Methodist Church. He never advanced through the denomination's ministerial ranks, but his television ministry flourished."
A Google search doesn't reveal much beyond Roberts' own account of serving as a local elder in the Oklahoma Conference, from his 1995 autobiography. However, according to a United Methodist News Service story reprinted in the Gainesville (Fla.) Sun on Nov. 7, 1987, the denomination's Judicial Council ruled that fall that ordination of local elders ceased in the Methodist Church in 1964, and hadn't been recognized in the UM Book of Discipline since the new denomination was formed in ’68. The article also notes that Roberts never served as pastor of a United Methodist congregation.
I'm sure old issues of the Reporter could tell us more, but all pre-2000 archives are housed away from this office.
