Mission partnership to serve 500 young people

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—More than 500 young people are expected to converge on the city next summer to perform mission work, learn leadership skills and discover more about what it means to be United Methodists. And they will be doing it all with the help of a multidenominational mission-planning group looking to expand into Music City. The seven-week Denominational Mission Experience, June 20-Aug. 6, is the result of a partnership linking the Minneapolis-based YouthWorks with Young People’s Ministries, a division of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship. {371}

Commentary: Promote civil debate on health care

MINNEAPOLIS (UMNS)—Bishop Sally Dyck says United Methodists should provide leadership in the health care debate. "We United Methodists need to provide opportunities to learn, discuss and identify what's most important to us in this health care coverage reform debate. Like at election times, a partisan approach is not appropriate. But there are a lot of 'confused and aimless' people in our communities who might appreciate a venue for civil and clear discourse for this critical concern," she writes in a UMNS commentary. {372}

Commentary: Think like Christians in health care debate

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (UMNS)—Christians should not be deterred by the complexity of the debate over health care, Bishop William H. Willimon says. "We think about these issues with Scripture, with Luke 10, where, in one of Jesus' favorite stories, the Samaritan says, 'Take care of the wounded man, and when I return I will repay you whatever it costs.' It would be great for every pastor and church to explore how your congregation can prayerfully, thoughtfully respond to this issue." {373}

Top executive of United Methodist Men resigns

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—The top staff executive of United Methodist Men is returning to his first love, the local church. In a letter of resignation read Sept. 10, the Rev. David C. Adams told the Commission on United Methodist Men he was honored to serve as general secretary of the agency for the past three years, but he missed serving a local church. The resignation is effective immediately. The commission, meeting through Sept. 12 in Nashville, will appoint a search committee for a successor. {374}

African bishops to take active role in university

MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS)—Bishops of the three United Methodist central conferences in Africa declared the time is now to take an active role in "our school," Africa University. Bishop John Innis of Liberia spoke of a growing desire among church leaders to make greater contributions to the development of Africa University during a meeting of the College of African Bishops, held Sept. 7-10 at the university. "This is the time and such is the time that God has appointed for us to begin to make a contribution to this university," Innis said. {375}

Pray With Africa builds community for continent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)—Two teams of young people will visit 30 U.S. cities this fall to build a worldwide community in support of African Christians working daily with the poor, sick and hungry. Pray With Africa, a new Upper Room Ministries initiative, seeks to inspire people to connect across continents, to pray each other’s prayers and to put those prayers into action by giving their time, energy and resources to address key issues facing the African people, says Cary Graham, project director. A list of cities the teams will visit and opportunities to schedule a viewing of the film, “Listen: A New African Narrative,” are available at the Pray With Africa Web site, www.PrayWithAfrica.com. {376}

Fight against poverty focuses on good, green jobs

WASHINGTON (UMNS)—The United Methodist Board of Church and Society is among 33 organizations that are speaking with one voice on the importance of making poverty reduction a central component of programs and policies aimed at creating a clean-energy economy. The national faith-based organizations have committed to participating in an interfaith week of action, "Fighting Poverty with Faith," Oct. 14-21, to urge elected officials to make poverty-reduction a key goal of the transition to a green economy. Further information is available at http://fightingpovertywithfaith.com/f2/.

Church leaders appeal for safety of Christians in Pakistan

NEW YORK (UMNS)—Two top mission leaders of The United Methodist Church are appealing to the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety of a Christian minority under violent attack in some parts of the officially Islamic nation. West Ohio Bishop Bruce Ough, president of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, and Inelda Gonzalez of Harlingen, Texas, president of the board's Women's Division, also asked the United Nations and the United States to pursue protection for Christians in Pakistan. In Geneva, the World Council of Churches has called on Pakistan to "guarantee the rights of all religious minorities in the country" and repeal the section of the country's penal code that has a mandatory death penalty for anyone found guilty of blasphemy.

'Overcoming Racism' gathering set in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (UMNS)—Three days of spiritual sharing and sensitive discussion will highlight "Overcoming Racism in the 21st Century, Marching On!" Sept. 24-26 at Quayle United Methodist Church. The gathering of the South Central Jurisdiction Commission on Religion and Race is being held in cooperation with the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference and the Oklahoma Conference Commission on Religion and Race. The event will feature workshops, panel discussions, worship and planning on overcoming racism. Further information is available at Overcoming Racism.

National Shalom Summit to focus on development

COLUMBIA, S.C. (UMNS)—The seventh National Shalom Summit, sponsored by the National Committee of the Communities of Shalom and the Theological School of Drew University, will be Oct. 28-31. The theme of the summit is “Stepping Up to Shalom — Seeking Systemic Change through Community Development.” Communities of Shalom are coordinated and equipped by Drew’s Theological School in partnership with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The summit is expected to bring together more than 400 community and church leaders representing over 100 shalom zones in the United States and Africa for a time of sharing, inspiration, learning, networking and training.

Norwegian theologian combines creativity, realism

GENEVA (UMNS)—When the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, a Norwegian theologian, takes charge of the World Council of Churches, he will be that ecumenical body’s youngest leader since its founding assembly 61 years ago. The 48-year-old Lutheran pastor, who will replace the Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Methodist from Kenya, is expected to start as chief executive on Jan. 1. “I like to combine visions and practical work, creativity and realism,” Tviet told members of the council’s Central Committee after his election in late August. “The most demanding tasks are quite often the most important ones. But my deepest joy is to follow a call and do what is really important for others.”

Appalachian Assembly to focus on eradicating poverty

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (UMNS)—Appalachian church leaders will gather for Bible study, leader training and networking at the Appalachian Assembly Oct. 28-31 at Mountainside Conference Center, Bethany, W.Va. Sponsored by the United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network, the assembly will focus on eradicating poverty and equipping leaders. Bishop Thomas Bickerton, leader of Pittsburgh Area and chairperson of the network, will be the keynote speaker, and participants will visit ministry sites in the region. Deadline to register is Sept. 30. For information, contact N. Sharon Leatherman, executive director, UM Appalachian Ministry Network, at (301) 791-7355 or umadc@aol.com, or go to www.appalachia-umc.org.

Commission to promote new relationship with Lutherans

NEW YORK (UMNS)—Directors of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns were encouraged to “lead the way” as church members enter into a new relationship with members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In his report during the commission’s Sept. 9-12 meeting, the Rev. Stephen J. Sidorak Jr., the group’s top executive, heralded the Lutheran approval of a full communion agreement in August and called upon each director to “become an ambassador of full communion and a practitioner of reception at every level of church life.” The commission plans to make two resources, jointly published by both denominations to promote the new relationship, available to every United Methodist annual conference, district and local church.

UMTV: Teaching Teens Tolerance

PINEY CREEK, N.C. (UMTV)—The summer after 9/11, the Rev. Peter Parish, Rabbi Murray Ezring and Shafiq Mohammad founded American Interfaith Camps. Two-week summer sessions at the United Methodist Elk Shoals Camp in North Carolina allow children of the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faiths to learn more about each other. Prayers can be heard several times a day between traditional camp activities like hiking and canoeing. The goal of the camp is not to persuade campers of any particular belief, but to provide the opportunity for children of different backgrounds to play, eat, pray and grow together as friends. UMTV's "Teaching Teens Tolerance" is available to view at http://www.umtv.org. UMTV stories can also be found on YouTube, Tangle and iTunes by typing "UMTV" in the keyword search.

News In Brief

Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology will begin a new chapter when it dedicates Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, and renovations to Kirby and Selecman Halls, Sept. 11. Prothro, who expanded her family’s support for SMU during a lifetime of philanthropy and leadership, died May 23 in Wichita Falls. The Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, a 20,000-square-foot facility, is the centerpiece of a revamped theology quad.

The people of The United Methodist Church and the Nothing but Nets campaign are finalists in the “2009 Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Awards” for, respectively, the brand promise “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.” and the tagline “Send a net. Save a life.” The taglines were selected as two of the 61 finalists (in 13 categories) from more than 1,700 nonprofit taglines from around the world.

The African American Methodist Heritage Center is sponsoring a regional learning event Oct. 2–4 at Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta. The event theme is “The Journey: History as a Bridge to the Future.” Participants will learn information about African-American contributions to The United Methodist Church designed to foster greater appreciation, insight and encouragement for effective discipleship, evangelism and mission. The heritage center’s workshop is also sponsored in partnership with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society and Commission on Archives and History. To register, write or call the Rev. Sherrie Dobbs Johnson at (973) 494-3322).

Elias Chacour, archbishop of the Melkite Catholic Church in the Galilee region of Israel and 1994 recipient of the World Methodist Peace Prize, will address the topic of peace and reconciliation from a faith perspective at events hosted by the Wesley Foundation at The College of William and Mary on Sept. 24, in Williamsburg, Va. For details, go to http://www.wmwesley.org/node/186; to register, go to http://www.doodle.com/pv8iz7bhduqd89ef.