UMNS Weekly Digest
Oct. 23, 2009
NOTE: This is a digest of news features provided by United Methodist Communications for Oct. 19-23. 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:
Plus:
UMTV:
In battle of germs, Jesus wins
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Be not afraid. Jesus is more powerful than germs. That's the advice from The United Methodist Church's agency charged with providing leadership and resources to local churches in the face of concern over the H1N1 flu virus. "Do celebrate worship and the sacraments fully, and be not afraid," said Taylor Burton-Edwards, director of worship resources for the Board of Discipleship. United Methodist churches across the country are in some cases arming themselves with bottles of sanitizers, doing hand waves instead of handshakes and celebrating Holy Communion with a little more caution than usual, but they aren't letting the virus shut their doors. {411} Read story
Salon owner lifts up inner, outer beauty
JEFFERSON, Texas (UMNS)-Beauty is in the eyes - and minds - of the beholder. That is the philosophy Kathy Patrick has followed in building a literacy ministry from the foundation of a combination hair salon and bookstore in this small northeast Texas community. The proprietor of Beauty and the Book also heads the Pulpwood Queens book club, which she says has grown to 240 chapters. "It's combining my two passions, hair and books," she says. "And it's ended up, I think, this is what God wanted me to do." {412} Read story
Couple offers guide to adoption
NORTH MANKATO, Minn. (UMNS)-When the Rev. Bart and Claudia Fletcher married in June 1996, it didn't take them long to start a family. The day after their honeymoon, the couple submitted an application to become foster parents. By October, they had their first boy and, three months later, the second came along. Now, 13 years, six foster children, and 12 adopted children later, Fletcher, pastor of Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church, and his wife have published a book promoting adoption. Their book is both a guide and a memoir. {413} Read story
Philadelphia Methodists join to reverse history
PHILADELPHIA (UMNS)-Two pastors hope that a "reversal of history" between their congregations will set an example for present-day Americans. Instead of storming out of historic St. George's United Methodist Church - as their founder, Richard Allen, did some 200 years ago - the African-American members of Mother Bethel AME Church will return there Oct. 25 to embrace members of the denomination that had segregated them in the balcony. The reunion at St. George's was sparked by a conversation between the Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel, and the Rev. Fred Day, pastor of St. George's. Day asked Tyler if he would preach at St. George's as part of its 240th anniversary year. Day remembers Tyler's response: "'What if I bring Mother Bethel to church with me that day?'" "I can't even say that we really planned it," Tyler said. "It just kind of happened spontaneously." {414} Read story
Church court to address apportionments, sexuality
DURHAM, N.C. (UMNS)-The United Methodist Church's highest court will consider whether regional church groups have any latitude on payment to general church funds, what language is acceptable for statements on sexuality and whether clergy can fill local church positions reserved for laity when it meets Oct. 28-31. Those are among the issues raised from decisions made by United Methodist bishops during the 2009 annual conference season that compose the 21 docket items before the denomination's nine-member Judicial Council. {415} Read story
BloomBytes: Why church and politics sometimes must mix
Drawing on her experiences with her late father, an Indiana legislator, United Methodist News Service news writer Linda Bloom discusses the relationship between faith and politics. Allan Bloom thought that clergy needed to discuss political issues from the pulpit. "Any minister who doesn't concern himself with the political process is being negligent," he told a reporter in 1969. On the other hand, he added, "Any minister who discusses nothing but politics is being negligent, too." Read blog post
Church, Culture and Media: 'We have to change how we reach people'
The church's communications agency must engage its audiences - especially young people - with relevant messages, states Larry Hollon in his blog, Church, Culture and Media. In a Q&A, Hollon explains how United Methodist Communications is using new media and making other changes as it seeks to relate more directly to people's lives. "This agency is an expression of a global community, of a global church," he says. "... We have to stay ahead of the curve and be as interactive as we can in order to be of value to the church and to ensure the church has a presence and a voice in that interactivity." Read blog post
Congo church offers spouses' schools for theological education
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Spouses' schools offered in the Democratic Republic of Congo should be a role model for U.S. congregations, Bishop James Swanson of the Holston Annual (regional) Conference told United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry directors. The schools, offering theological education to pastors' spouses, were discussed during the board's Oct. 8-10 meeting. Bishop David Yemba, resident bishop of the Central Congo Area, said that church members in his area seemed to think the pastor's spouse had as much theological education as the pastor. "Spouses are called on to lead Bible studies and do all kind of things. Because of that, we created a school for spouses," Yemba said. They learn basic Bible study, how to lead a meeting and other skills.
Seminary establishes award for leadership in racial justice
EVANSTON, Ill. (UMNS)-Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary has established the Bishop Edsel A. Ammons Award for Leadership in Racial Justice and Understanding. The award was announced during a service Oct. 13 celebrating the 39th year of the seminary's Center for the Church and the Black Experience. It will be presented each spring to an individual who has distinguished herself or himself as a leader of racial justice and understanding. Seminary President Philip A. Amerson said Ammons "stands among the most distinguished alumni of Garrett-Evangelical. ... Throughout his remarkable career as pastor, urban missioner, professor, denominational leader and ecumenical champion, (he) has acted with tireless energy and distinction in seeking to do that which is (from Philippians 4:8) 'true, honorable, just, pure, commendable and pleasing to God.'"
United Methodists act to end Pennsylvania budget crisis
HARRISBURG, Pa. (UMNS)-Thousands of United Methodists advocated for children, the elderly, the homeless and other disadvantage persons during Pennsylvania's 101-day state budget crisis. By the time Gov. Edward Rendell signed the budget Oct. 9, at least 2,000 United Methodists had signed letters and petitions to the governor and the state's 253 legislators. The appeals for a fair, moral budget were the result of a statewide call to action and prayer by Pennsylvania's four United Methodist bishops and the church's advocacy unit, A United Methodist Witness in Pennsylvania.
Seminaries cooperate on Russian Methodist digital archive
MOSCOW (UMNS)-A digital archive of Russian Methodist history is being created through a joint project of the Boston University School of Theology and the Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow. The project was announced during a recent international academic conference on "Breaks and Links: Past, Present and Future of Russian Methodism" sponsored by the Russian seminary, The United Methodist Church in Eurasia, and the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. The first item for the archive is a photo album in the form of an annual missions report by the Russian Methodist Pastor Konstantin Egoroff, who was ordained by Bishop Ainsworth of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for mission work in Kharbin in 1926.
Dec. 15 deadline set for ethnic young adult internships
WASHINGTON (UMNS)-The deadline to apply for a 2010 Ethnic Young Adult Summer Internship is Dec. 15. The program is for people ages 18-22 with an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change. Interns will work in social justice placements in the U.S. capital from May 30 to July 31. Further information is available by contacting the Rev. Neal Christie, United Methodist Board of Church and Society, 100 Maryland Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002; phone: (202) 488-5611; e-mail: nchristie@umc-gbcs.org.
Postcards support comprehensive immigration reform
WASHINGTON (UMNS)-A United Methodist agency is asking church members to send postcards to Congress, urging lawmakers to enact immigration reform. The postcards are free and carry two messages: "This holiday season you can keep families together by supporting comprehensive immigration reform" and words from Leviticus 19:34: "The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." Bill Mefford, executive with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, said the agency wants participants to send postcards to each of their two U.S. senators and their representative in Congress. More information is available by contacting Mefford, bmefford@umc-gbcs.org or (202) 488-5657.
African-American history captured in photographs
ATLANTA (UMNS)-Participants at a workshop sponsored by the African American Heritage Center were told more than 8,000 photos of African-American life in the church's history are now in The United Methodist Church's archives. The workshop, "The Journey: History as a Bridge to the Future," was designed to celebrate and inspire African-American members of the Southeastern Jurisdiction to preserve their local church history. Gammon Theological Seminary and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society were partners in the workshop held on the seminary's campus Oct. 2-4. Robert Williams, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History, said telling local stories and capturing local history is essential to preservation.
Massachusetts churches will ring bells for climate change
BOSTON (UMNS)-Hundreds of churches across the state of Massachusetts will hold climate action events Oct. 24- 25 and ring their steeple bell 350 times to draw attention to the number 350 - the maximum number of "parts per million" of carbon in which the earth can sustain life. "Prayer is a carbon-neutral energy source, and we plan to use it in abundance ahead of the critical gathering in climate in Copenhagen and Congress's deliberation of the climate change legislation," said the Rev. Jack Johnson, a United Methodist pastor and executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. More information is available at www.masscouncilofchurches.org.
WCC, Asian Christians urge lifting sanctions against North Korea
HONG KONG (ENI)-The leaders of the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia are urging the international community to lift economic sanctions against North Korea. The Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Methodist from Kenya and the WCC's top executive, led a delegation to North Korea Oct. 17-20, accompanied by Prawate Khid-arn, leader of the Christian Conference of Asia. U.N. sanctions against North Korea were intensified in June after the country conducted an underground nuclear test in violation of international treaties. The two church leaders stated their positions to Ecumenical News International after attending a church-backed meeting in Hong Kong Oct. 21 on the peaceful reunification of North and South Korea.
Online environmental workshop will be offered Oct. 26-Nov. 6
WASHINGTON (UMNS)-"God, Earth and Us: Faithful Responses to Environmental Challenges" is an online course focusing on the relationship between humans and the rest of creation. The Oct. 26-Nov. 6 workshop will be led by the Rev. Jenny Phillips, a United Methodist clergywoman recognized for her ability to help people of faith re-read biblical texts in ways that offer new insights for contemporary issues. She is a 2007 National Council of Churches Eco-Justice fellow and is one of 135 faith leaders trained by Al Gore to teach about climate change. She is executive director of Creation Change. Cost is $50 to register. More information and enrollment are available at Be a Disciple Workshops.
Church's 'Open hearts' tagline wins award
MAPLEWOOD, N.J. (UMNS)-The United Methodist Church's advertising and welcoming tagline-"Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors. The people of The United Methodist Church"-was selected as a best-in-class tagline in the 2009 Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Awards. The 13 winners were chosen by more than 4,800 voters (nonprofit professionals and others) from 60 finalists drawn from 1,702 nonprofit taglines submitted. The tagline was the winner in the category "Religion and Spiritual Development." In use since 2001, the tagline has gained new visibility through the church's Rethink Church campaign. Rethink Church ads appear in traditional and new media, and direct viewers to www.10thousanddoors.org, where they can interact, learn about the church and find opportunities for involvement.
News In Brief
The Rev. Randolph Cross has been named assistant general secretary of clergy supervision and accountability for the United Methodist Board of Higher Education's Division of Ordained Ministry. Cross, who will join the national agency on Dec. 1, is superintendent of the Lower James River District, director of connectional ministries and leadership development, and dean of the cabinet in the Dakotas Annual (regional) Conference. He also spent 20 years in pastoral roles in the North and South Dakota areas.
The United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits will hold a public forum at 11:45 a.m. Nov. 13 at the Sheraton Denver West, 360 Union Blvd., in Lakewood, Colo. The forum is designed to allow the board of directors to hear concerns of constituents from across the church. Those wishing to make a short presentation can place their names and topics on the agenda by calling Colette Nies by Nov. 6 at (800) 269-2244, Ext. 4296, or sending an e-mail to cnies@gbophb.org.
UMTV: Beauty Parlor Literacy Program
JEFFERSON, Texas (UMTV)-Kathy Patrick mixes her careers as a beautician and a writer to help people feel good about themselves. At her combination hair salon and bookstore, customers can get a beauty makeover and pick up an inspiring book to read. Patrick's tiara-wearing book club, "The Pulpwood Queens," now has 240 chapters across the country. The club has been featured on "Good Morning America" and "Oprah." Patrick shares her talents by helping homeless writers develop their skills and tell their personal stories through a workshop at Newgate United Methodist Mission in Longview, Texas. Watch video | 
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