UMNS Weekly Digest
Oct. 30, 2009
NOTE: This is a digest of news features provided by United Methodist Communications for Oct. 26-30. It includes summaries of stories, UMTV video reports and additional briefs from United Methodist News Service. Full versions of the stories with photographs and related features can be found at http://umns.umc.org.
Stories this week:
Blogs:
UMTV:
Plus:
New Web site expands audience for misconduct issues
CHICAGO (UMNS)—An updated sexual ethics Web site for The United Methodist Church will offer resources for those accused of sexual misconduct in addition to information for victims and church leaders. The new site, www.umsexualethics.org, will debut Nov. 2. The accused and those who may be confused about what constitutes inappropriate behavior are “a new intended audience” for the site, explained the Rev. Darryl Stephens, an executive with the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women. The site is a ministry of the United Methodist Inter-agency Sexual Ethics Task Force, which is convened by the commission. {416} Read more
Historic churches unite for 240-year anniversary
PHILADELPHIA (UMNS) — In celebration of a 240-year anniversary of Methodism, the coming together of two churches is making a new history. On Oct. 25, hundreds of members of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church poured into St. George’s United Methodist Church and filled the sanctuary for a combined Sunday morning worship service in a symbolic reversal of the history of division of the two churches. Dating to the late 1700s, the division resulted from racism experienced by St. George’s members who left and formed Mother Bethel. The October service was part of St. George’s 240th anniversary celebration. {417} Read more
Pumpkins harvest funds for missions
FARMINGTON, N.M. (UMNS)—What’s orange and round, grows on the ground and for one month a year is worth a few million bucks? If you live near a United Methodist church that turns into a Halloween wonderland every October, you know the answer: pumpkins. For 684 of those churches, the only place to get the magical gourds are from Pumpkin Patch USA. Grown on a Navajo reservation in Farmington, the pumpkins are sowed and reaped with tender loving care by the “Pumpkin Man,” Richard Hamby, and his crew. {418} Read more
Vets in need get free food at Texas church
RAYMONDVILLE, Texas (UMNS)—When military veterans who fought in World War II, Southeast Asia and Korea have trouble putting food on the table, a Texas church steps in to help. Members of First United Methodist Church of Raymondville open their food pantry once a month to veterans. The church works in partnership with the local American Legion chapter to provide food to about 30 vets and their families. {419} Read more
Scrub Club kids wash wheelchairs, walkers
TULSA, Okla. (UMNS)—Fifth- and sixth-graders at an Oklahoma church are reaching across generations—washing wheelchairs and walkers at nursing homes—and proving that mission work appeals to all ages. Members of the Scrub Club at Christ United Methodist Church in Tulsa are volunteering their time to visit retirement homes with their mops and buckets. “I just like helping out people,” says Troy Amos, 12, while cleaning wheelchairs and walkers at Oklahoma Methodist Manor. “And I like washing stuff.” {420} Read more
Study highlights lack of young clergy
CHICAGO (UMNS)—The need for young clergy—and the wide age gap that exists among pastoral leaders in the denomination—is made clear in a recently released study. It shows the number of "young elders"—clergy under age 35—isn't keeping pace with clergy entering retirement age. The fastest-growing segment of United Methodist clergy is over age 55, according to the study by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington. "The decline in young clergy has been far more dramatic than the decline in church membership," said project director Lovett H. Weems Jr. "There's no quick fix to turning around the trend." {421} Read more
Race agency creates new positions
WASHINGTON (UMNS)—The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race will hire three new team leaders and add at least four other staff positions in a reorganization plan that will focus on the global mission of the agency. On Oct. 12, the agency announced it would eliminate five associate general secretary positions. Erin Hawkins, top executive, said new positions at lower salaries with greater emphasis on programming are being created. {422} Read more
Meharry Medical College receives $24.1 million grant
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—Meharry Medical College has received a $21.4 million grant to turn clinical discoveries about health disparities into cures. The federal grant is the largest in the college’s history and will be used to establish a clinic and research center, said Russell E. Poland, vice president for research at Meharry, a historically black college related to The United Methodist Church. “Most drugs on the market work for only one-third to one-half of the population. Treatments are not meant to fit all groups and all people. We want to look at how ethnicity, race, economic status and other factors influence access to care, diagnosis and treatment,” Poland said. Read more
BloomBytes: The sin against women in Congo
NEW YORK (UMNS)—A photo of an 11-year-old girl who was gang-raped is one of the images in an exhibition on gender-based violence called “Congo/Women: Portraits of War,” on view in the north gallery of the public lobby at the United Nations through Nov. 12. Information and essays on the topic also can be found at http://congowomen.org/. Read blog
UMTV: Food Bank for Vets
RAYMONDVILLE, Texas (UMTV)—For some U.S. veterans, the battle isn’t over. They are fighting hunger. Men as old as 88 have to turn to a food bank for help. Raymondville First United Methodist partnered with the local American Legion to offer food assistance to vets once a month. The program started two years ago to aid veterans, but in the down economy, it has expanded to help others. Still, vets are always first in line. UMTV’s “Food Bank for Vets” is available to view at http://www.umtv.org/archives/food_bank_for_vets.htm.
UMTV: Kids’ Wheelchair Scrub Club
TULSA, Okla. (UMTV)—A lot of young people hold car washes for their favorite causes. But some kids are scrubbing wheelchairs and walkers to help their neighbors in nursing homes. The “Scrub Club,” a group of about two dozen pre-teens from Christ United Methodist in Tulsa, visits assisted-living facilities. Residents enjoy the company and kids leave with a better understanding of their elders. UMTV’s “Kids’ Wheelchair Scrub Club” is available to view at http://www.umtv.org/archives/kids_wheelchair_scrub_club.htm.
Worship and music director sought for 2012 assembly
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—The Commission on the General Conference is seeking a worship and music director for The United Methodist Church’s 2012 assembly. The deadline for applying is Feb. 1, 2010. The top legislative body for the 11.5 million-member denomination will meet April 24-May 4, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. The worship and music director is responsible for the overall worship and music program management at General Conference and oversees liturgy and music, including inviting choirs and worship groups from across the church to participate.
Those interested in applying may view the position description at http://www.umcevents.org/2012GC/Worship&Music_Director_Position_Description.pdf. Applications should include a brief resume and a short audition video highlighting music leadership abilities in a variety of settings. The position description provides technical requirements for the video. Application materials should be sent to the Rev. Alan J. Morrison, Business Manager of General Conference, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN, 37203-0029.
Hate crimes legislation signed into law
WASHINGTON (UMNS)—The United Methodist Board of Church and Society issued a statement affirming the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. More than a decade after the act was introduced, President Obama signed it into law Oct. 28. In addition to more enforcement and protection from hate crimes, the legislation protects free speech and religious liberty, the agency said.
Rally protests Uzbekistan child labor
WASHINGTON (UMNS)—Jim Winkler, chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, was among protesters speaking out about the Uzbekistan government’s use of forced child labor to pick cotton in a rally Oct. 21. Other speakers calling for an end to forced child labor included teachers, students, labor rights advocates and consumer advocates.
Uzbekistan is the world’s second largest exporter of cotton, and up to one-third of the country’s workers are on cotton farms. Thousands of children as young as 7 are forced, by government decree, to work in the cotton fields instead of attending school in order to meet government-imposed cotton production quotas. Last month, the U.S. Dept. of Labor included cotton from Uzbekistan on its List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor. The United Methodist Church has called for an end to child labor for more than 100 years.
Shalom summit to include live Webcasts
COLUMBIA, S.C. (UMNS)—Seven sessions of the seventh national "summit" of Communities of Shalom, a movement of faith-inspired community development, will be broadcast live via the Web from its meeting site in Columbia through the facilities of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The Oct. 29-31 sessions cover themes such as justice, prophetic leadership, training and the use of Web technology for Shalom ministries. The Web site for the broadcast is http://gbgm-umc.org/shalom. Facebook users can post comments and engage in discussion at facebook.com/globalministries. A Twitter group has been set up using the connection #shalom09. For more information on the Shalom Summit, go to communitiesofshalom.org.
High winds topple United Methodist steeple
SHREVEPORT, La. (UMNS)—A driver suffered minor injuries when the steeple from First United Methodist Church fell on his car Oct. 29 during high winds, which caused widespread damage in this north Louisiana town. The driver, Michael Williams, was pried from the car and suffered numerous broken bones. The United Methodist Louisiana Annual (regional) Conference is requesting prayers for his recovery. The steeple was installed after a tornado in 2000 damaged the original 1972 steeple. See a video report at http://bit.ly/1Tkb7G. | 
Korean News