Trial by Storm, in the March 16 'Reporter'

Greetings Colleagues!

An early-in-the-year wave of tornadoes and other storms badly damaged some UM churches and put UM volunteers to work in various states, helping communities begin to recover. United Methodist News Service has the roundup story.
 
Bishop Robert Schnase is among the UMC leaders strongly backing agency restructuring and other reform proposals to be decided on at General Conference. He shared his views in a Q&A with UMR. Sample quote: “For 50 years, the number of United Methodist members and churches in the U.S. has faced uninterrupted decline while the population has increased. Our mission in Christ is fundamentally at risk.”
 
The UMC’s pension board leaders have passed a resolution opposing divestment of stock in companies that critics say aid Israeli human rights violations of Palestinians. Our story quotes a board member as to why this is the right decision, as well as a UM pastor who strongly disagrees.
 
The Rev. Tyrone Gordon, St. Luke “Community” UMC and the North Texas Conference face another lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct by Mr. Gordon and lax supervision by the church and conference. Our story notes that Mr. Gordon, who recently surrendered his UMC credentials, has started an “interdenominational” church in Dallas. 
 
Associate editor Bill Fentum finds some plot contrivances, but also old-fashioned charm and intelligence, in the new film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.
 
A recent book called The Accidental Slaveowner, by Mark Auslander, investigates the extent of slave ownership by Bishop James O. Andrew, key figure in the 1844 split of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A.V. Huff, historian of the South Carolina Conference, has our review.
 
In commentaries, Ben Boruff argues that the UMC should reach out to youth and young adults, but not in the expectation that they will save the denomination. The Rev. Donald Haynes uses his latest “Wesleyan Wisdom” column to suggest that retired clergy should be a part of renewal efforts for the UMC. Missy Buchanan’s “Aging Well” column looks at Grand Camp, a program that brings grandparents and grandchildren to the UMC retreat center on St. Simon’s Island, Ga.
 
There’s plenty more in this edition, including the Rev. Morgan Guyton’s review of Brian Zahnd’s book Beauty Will Save the World: Rediscovering the Allure and Mystery of Christianity, and a UMNS feature about a clergy-laity rock band in the North Texas Conference that has raised more than $100,000 for the Imagine No Malaria campaign.
 
We welcome story tips, comments and brief, civil letters to the editor. Send to news@umr.org.
 
Thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us.
 
Sam Hodges, managing editor

Comments

[Jim]

This Sunday--March 11--and last, our pastor has put in the church bulletin the "official" envelope for UMCOR One Great Hour of Sharing.

A thought has crossed my mind--perhaps more than one: Of all the dollars the UMC is likely to collect from this special offering is the information available for the following items? (1) How many of these dollars go for salaries of individuals at UMCOR? (2) How many of these dollars go for "over-head" costs at UMCOR (3) Is there a "detailed" list as to where these dollars go? (4) How many of these dollars actually go to His children so that "Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness. And for His wonderful works to the children of men!" Psalm 107:8 (NKJV)

Just wondering if all of this information is readily available........................

[Kevin]

here is what UMCOR says on their website

UMCOR keeps its operating costs (including fund raising) under 10% of the total budget. We work responsibly while focusing our efforts on bringing help and hope to those who need it most.

[Jim]

Other bureaucracies make the same claim--they are all tightly managed and fairly administered!! It would be good to see "actual" dollars and "actual" expenditures rather than percentages.

[UMPortal Blogger]

More information on UMCOR and how funds from One Great Hour of Sharing are used can be found here. http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/about/

[Jim]

Thank you for access to UMCOR. The information is "high-sounding" and good. If UMCOR does what your information says that is does, it does many good things. This corresponder remains skeptical however...........

[Kevin]

Jim
You are tough to convince and I can understand. There is a very high level of distrust between the rank and file and UM leadership. For what it is worth of the various UM agencies UMCOR is the one that I trust the most.

[Jim]

Kevin: As I recall you are "United Methodist" from another denomination and probably did much searching and soul searching before you left your prior denomination. I appreciate very much your comments. And, yes, there are "pockets" within the umc who love and serve Father/Son/Holy Spirit. Perhaps UMCOR is one of those few pockets.............