United Methodist of the Year?

Lots of post-holiday kibbutzing here in the offices of UMR today.  (We've been closed since Dec. 21 but everybody's back to work today.) 

We’re all talking about a Religion News Service report about how former Vice President Al Gore has been named "Baptist of the Year" by EthicsDaily.com, the Web site of the Baptist Center for Ethics. 

The center's executive director cited Gore’s environmental advocacy work in the announcement of his selection. (The Baptist Center for Ethics, based in Nashville, Tenn., was founded in 1991 and is supported by moderate Baptist groups.) 

Well, we’re thinking the United Methodist Reporter needs to name a United Methodist of the Year. 

Names getting bandied about include the usual suspects: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Hilary Clinton and John Edwards. 

Or, we could go for the controversy card and pick Elvira Arellano.

  In August, the Mexican woman refused to be deported and took refuge in her church, Adalberto United Methodist in Chicago. The congregation publicly declared itself a sanctuary for Ms. Arellano and her 7-year-old son Saul, and a nationwide debate ensued.

Personally, I’d nominate actor Billy Bob Thornton,

if only as “Surprise United Methodist of the Year.”  I interviewed Mr. Thornton in early 2007 shortly before the film Astronaut Farmer premiered. He was a gracious interviewee and surprised me when, toward the end of the interview, he told me, "I'm a Methodist."

He spoke fondly of his experiences growing up in First UMC of Malvern, Ark. I called the folks at the church, who remember young Billy fondly, too, and even sent me a photo of him in his choir robe. 

Other possible nominees from the entertainment industry might include country music star Willie Nelson and folk/indie musician Sara Hickman. 

Got any better ideas? We’re accepting nominations, starting right now. 

Comments

[Amy Forbus]

While we were wondering why nobody has submitted nominations here in the comments, we found several mentions of our contest out on the MethoBlogosphere:

http://bethquick.blogspot.com/2008/01/united-methodist-of-year.html
http://www.gavoweb.com/hit_the_back_button_to_mo/2008/01/methodist-of-th.html
http://locustsandhoney.blogspot.com/2008/01/united-methodist-of-year.html

Keep it up, everyone! We especially like Beth Quick's rationale for her self-nomination.

[gavin]

i can't think of a better methodist of the year than beth quick. 2nd would be jay. as i stated, he has a story for everything, you can only assume he has been around since john wesley. though i think he was a baptist when serving with john.

[Al Comb-ova]

I'd have to nominate Pope B16 as Methodist of the Year.

Sure, he is not a Methodist, but his dismissive, negative remarks about inferior "Ecclesial Communities" (what he calls Protestant Churches) did more to galvanize and reinvigorate Protestantism (and the Methodist Church) than any current Methodist in recent memory.

[AAG]

In the year following the 50th anniversary of full clergy rights for clergywomen, I nominate Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball of Suncreek UMC in Allen, TX.

Her preaching was extraordinary at the largest UMC gathering of the year: Youth 07. She led her local church in high membership and worship attendance growth in 2007. In a year when a lot of United Methodist leaders placed great emphasis on the need to have more persons join our churches under the profession of faith category, she had 98 of 215 new members join by profession of faith and a significant number of those were adults.

By the end of 2007, she had the highest career worship attendance and membership growth every achieved by a clergywoman in the UMC. (www.AGloryBe.com). In 2007, she became the first clergywoman in the history of her conference to lead their delegation to General Conference. She completed a major capital campaign at her church.

She did all of this while fighting for her life every day of the 2007. 0n January 1, 2007, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a large mass of cancer throughout both lobes of her liver and a baseball sized mass in her chest cavity.
She endured very intensive chemotherapy throughout the year. Despite of this she kept preaching every week. She preached with hearty power and faith while being open about her struggles. She continued to preach about a God of profound love and goodness.

In 2008, she will preach at Southern Methodist University's national youth ministers conference and the denomination's national children's ministy conference.

She is the kind of leader that the United Methodist Church needs to lift up and celebrate!

[Dan J. Frisby- retired member of the Oklahoma Conference]

United Methodist of the Year
must be a person who exemplifies and reflects the global connection and nature of our church's spirit, integrity, diversity and credibility.

Many people come to mind, both laity and clergy, yet the one person I know personally who has reflected and demonstrated that global, missional and connectional spirit BEST in the global faith community is General Secretary of United Methodist Communications, Larry Don Hollon.
I have known Larry personally since our high school days in Oklahoma: his creative mind, compassionate heart, committed will and cooperative spirit is always seeking to engage the best of his gifts and graces to the needs of all God's children- especially those most vulnerable in this frightening and violent world. I was there the night Larry Don Hollon accepted the 'Call' of ministry in the Spring of 1962, and my life continues to be inspired by the resourceful, generous and gifted nature of his soul- the outstanding leadership he has given to the United Methodist Church in helping our 'people called United Methodists' to move into the 21st century with anticipation, inspiration and affirmation as a people of God-
but most I am blessed to be called his friend.