Church and Society

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:15:00 +0000

United Methodist social justice agency condemns assault on 'Freedom Flotilla'

General Board of Church & Society condemns act of 'high-seas piracy,' calls for end of Gaza blockade, urges all efforts to achieve 2-state peaceful Israel-Palestine solution.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) condemns the deadly interception Monday in international waters by Israeli troops that led to the deaths of nine persons on a humanitarian aid mission to Gaza. The nine persons were part of an international “Freedom Flotilla” of six vessels carrying nearly 10,000 tons of food and medicine to Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade for three years.

“We grieve the loss of life and injuries sustained in what became a tragic confrontation between the forces of peace and those of armed aggression,” said Jim Winkler, chief executive of the United Methodist social justice agency.

Winkler called the Israeli troops’ boarding of the “Freedom Flotilla” in international waters more than just an act of high-seas piracy. “It is symptomatic of a broader, hopelessly flawed policy by Israel to subjugate the Palestinian people, allegedly to protect its own security,” he said, adding that the United States has been “complicit in this flawed policy.”

Israel should end the blockade of Gaza, which has created a humanitarian crisis affecting 1.4 million Palestinians, according to Winkler. He pointed out that The United Methodist Church has long advocated for a peaceful settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict. “The violence must stop on both sides,” he said. “The time for decisive action to impose a just, peaceful resolution has never been more evident that in this tragic assault on persons whose sole purpose was to achieve peace and bring aid to an oppressed populace.”

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations.

The statement from the General Board of Church & Society follows:

Statement on “Freedom Flotilla” Incident
United Methodist General Board of Church & Society

The General Board of Church & Society of The United Methodist Church condemns the deadly interception Monday by Israeli troops of the “Freedom Flotilla” trying to bring aid to the beleaguered people of Gaza.

The killing of nine humanitarian-aid workers and injuries to many more occurred in international waters as the six-boat convoy, sponsored by the Free Gaza Movement and a Turkish humanitarian relief organization, headed toward breaking Israel’s three-year blockade of Gaza. About 700 passengers from 35 countries were on the vessels attempting to deliver 10,000 tons of humanitarian supplies such as food and medicine to Gaza.

We grieve the loss of life and injuries sustained in what became a tragic confrontation between the forces of peace and those of armed aggression. We pray for the families of those who lost their lives. We are thankful, though, that Israeli authorities have begun to release the peace activists and humanitarian aid workers they detained.

The United Methodist Church has long advocated for a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians: a settlement that provides justice and security for both parties (“Opposition to Israeli Settlements in Palestinian Land,” 2008 UMC Book of Resolutions). The United Methodist Church believes negotiation and diplomacy will achieve this rather than through methods of violence and coercion (“Saying No to Violence in Middle East Conflict,” 2008 UMC Book of Resolutions). The need for this has been made patently clear by this morally reprehensible assault in international waters on peace activists and humanitarian aid workers.

Boarding the Freedom Flotilla in international waters is more than just an act of high-seas piracy. It is symptomatic of a broader, hopelessly flawed policy by Israel to subjugate the Palestinian people, allegedly to protect its own security. The United States has been complicit in this flawed policy.

We urge the Obama administration to take immediate steps to facilitate an international, independent investigation of this deadly interception of the Freedom Flotilla. Israel’s violent assault on the peace activists and humanitarian workers further destabilizes an already incendiary situation. This high-seas confrontation demonstrates the urgency of achieving a just peace before more innocents are slaughtered.

The United Methodist Church works with ecumenical and interfaith bodies to advocate for Palestinian self-determination and an end to Israeli occupation. Our General Conference has repeatedly affirmed Israel’s right to exist within secure borders. But this assault against civilians engaged in peaceful activities is an affront to any standard of decency. It will set back any attempts to achieve a peaceful two-state solution.

This tragedy could have been averted had Israel permitted the boats to arrive at Gaza and then searched them to ensure they contained humanitarian aid only. Such restraint would be a sign of mature, thoughtful statesmanship, which has been consistently lacking on both sides in this 40-year-old drama of and oppression, destruction and death.

It is necessary for Israel to end the blockade of Gaza. The government of Israel should permit immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. It is time to implement the two-state solution originally envisioned for the region.

We urge the United States government to take steps to bring Israel to the negotiating table to seek a fruitful, honest peace. We urge Israel to stop blockading Gaza, ending its oppression of 1.4 million Palestinian civilians, who deserve the right of liberty in pursuing a livelihood.

The violence must stop on both sides. The time for decisive action to impose a just, peaceful resolution has never been more evident than in this tragic assault on persons whose sole purpose was to achieve peace and bring aid to an oppressed populace.

—Jim Winkler, General Secretary
General Board of Church & Society
The United Methodist Church

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:55:00 +0000

More than a quarter million dollars in General Commission on Religion and Race Grants Available for Immigration Advocacy Outreach
CORR Action Fund to provide Immigration Advocacy grants for Churches and Community Organizations Across the Nation in 2011

The General Commission on Religion and Race of the United Methodist Church (GCORR) is announcing the availability of more than $250,000 in grant dollars from the CORR Action Fund, funded by the Minority Group Self-Determination Fund. Between eight and 15 new grants will be awarded (up to $40,000 each) to programs and projects that provide action and advocacy efforts related to assuring the rights of racial ethnic immigrants and refugees. The length of the program/project period is one year, beginning January 1, 2011.

The deadline for applications for these grants is June 15, 2010. Applications can be found online at the gcorr.org website, along with directions for applying.

“These grants will assist church congregations and non-profit organizations in reaching out to assist those in our community who have suffered the double indignity of being mistreated because they are immigrants, and being mistreated because they are racial ethnic immigrants,” said Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Vice President of GCORR and chair of the UM Task Force on Immigration. “Immigration is part of the human experience. And while the U.S. hosts immigrant people from every major country in the world, the treatment of immigrants varies, based on racial differences. These grants will enable our churches and non-profit organizations to actively aid in the struggle for justice for immigrant people.”

CORR Action Fund grants are paid to the programs/projects on a semi-annual basis. After the first payment on approximately January 15, 2011, a subsequent payment will be made on approximately June 15, 2011, contingent upon receipt of an acceptable semi-annual progress report which identifies progress on program/project goals and a financial report on utilization of the funds. This process is explained in further detail upon grant approval.

Applicants for the CORR Action Fund grant for Immigration Advocacy must have provide evidence of fidelity bonding for the person authorized to handle the funds for the program/project, and leadership of the program/project board applying for the funding must be at least 50% racial/ethnic.

Applicants for the CORR Action Fund grant for Immigration Advocacy must provide evidence of fidelity bonding for the person authorized to handle the funds for the program/project, and leadership of the program/project board applying for the funding must be at least 50% racial/ethnic.

The primary mission of the CORR Action Fund is to invest in and assist churches, community organizations, conferences, seminaries, and ecumenical bodies that nurture programs focused on dismantling racism. The CORR Action Fund addresses four priorities, which actively support the Four Areas of Focus of the UMC dealing with leadership development, global health, poverty, and congregational development.
To learn more about the CORR Action Fund, grant application, or its requirements, please visit:
http://www.gcorr.org/site/c.mwKWJ9NTJtF/b.3038539/k.8A79/Get_Involved.htm

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:18:00 +0000

Health Care Reform: A Statement from THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS of The United Methodist Church

COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
The United Methodist Church

March 22, 2010

I am sure that your email boxes and phones have been active today following the debate and vote on Health Care Reform legislation that took place in the US House of Representatives late Sunday night. The flash point is, of course, the reference to The United Methodist Church made by the Speaker of the House in her speech. Neither the COB office nor the General Board of Church and Society had any prior knowledge of the content of any speeches made on the floor of the House on Sunday night, much less Speaker Pelosi’s speech.

It will come as no secret to you that The United Methodist Church has been fully involved in this conversation based on the work of eight successive General Conferences. As you respond to your calls and emails, you may find it helpful to refer people to the relevant material from the General Conference that provides a basis for the engagement of the UMC in this important conversation. Please note that these conversations on health care occurred before this current debate ever began.
First, I refer you to paragraph 162.V in the 2008 Book of Discipline (pp.117-118). Second, the 2008 General Conference approved Resolution 3201, entitled Health Care for All in the United States.

Below please find the full text of each of these.

I hope this material helps you to respond to the inquiries you receive. I remain your servant in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Bishop Gregory Vaughn Palmer, President
The Council of Bishops of
The United Methodist Church
TEL: 202-547-6270

Resolution 3201: Health Care for All in the United States[1]

Theological and Historical Statement

From our earliest days United Methodists have believed that providing health care to others is an important duty of Christians. John Wesley found ways to offer medical services at no cost to the poor in London. The first Methodist Social Creed (adopted in 1908) urged working conditions to safeguard the health of workers and community.

The provision of health care for all without regard to status or ability to pay is portrayed in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:24-35) as the duty of every neighbor and thus of every person. In a conversation that began with the question of how one might obtain eternal life, Jesus asserted that one must love God and one’s neighbor. In response to the next question as to who one’s neighbor is, Jesus portrayed a Samaritan, an outsider, who coming upon a wounded traveler, provided him with health care. Jesus portrayed the duty to provide health care as (1) one that is owed regardless of the merit or ethnicity of the person in need; (2) one that is owed to the limit of one’s economic capacity – the Samaritan told the innkeeper, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend”, and (3) a duty that one neglects at the peril of one’s eternal life. In a democracy, our duty to our neighbor merges with the duties that the Hebrew scriptures assign to government: the prophet Ezekiel denounced the leaders of ancient Israel whose failure of responsible government included failure to provide health care: “you have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them.” (Ezekiel 34:4, NRSV) The United Methodist Church therefore affirms in our Social Principles (¶162V) health care as a basic human right and affirms the duty of government to assure health care for all.

In the United States today, however, fulfillment of this duty is thwarted by simultaneous crises of access, quality, and cost. The result of these crises is injustice to the most vulnerable, increased risk to health care consumers, and waste of scarce public and private resources.

Access Barriers Are An Injustice to the Most Vulnerable
In today’s United States, healthcare access is disproportionately afforded to the affluent, the employees of government and large corporations, the very poor, and many receiving adequate pensions plus Medicare. Forty-seven million Americans are uninsured, largely the self-employed, recently unemployed, middle income, and working poor. Lack of health care access affects minorities disparately, and the results of the devastating expense of a long-term or terminal illness, inadequate care in general, and the extraordinary cost of insurance all contribute to keeping many minorities in the poverty cycle, dependent on welfare and other forms of assistance, and imprisoned in struggling and dangerous communities. Disparities in access lead to disparities in treatment. The poor, the aging, women, children, people with disabilities, and persons of color are most at risk. The infant mortality rate in the United States is the worst among the "developed" countries. African-American women die from cervical cancer at three times the rate of Caucasian women. African-Americans have a significantly lower life-span than Caucasians and Hispanics have the least access to the health care system of any group. Native Americans, besides suffering greatly from alcoholism, have a substantially higher diabetes and tuberculosis rate than average U.S. rates. Recent immigrants who experience health problems find the health care system poorly equipped to meet their needs. We believe it is unconscionable and abhorrent that any human being should ever be denied access to adequate health care due to economic, racial, or class barriers.

Such barriers, however, are endemic to our current system of employer-sponsored health coverage. This system is eroding, covering a smaller percentage of Americans each year, and rendering American employers less competitive in a world market. When a covered employee has a health crisis affecting his or her ability to work, a whole family’s coverage is jeopardized. Other difficulties with private insurance are that in a health care crisis, even those with insurance may have expenses that exceed the lifetime maximum under their policy. In some cases, the insurance policy may be cancelled just when it is needed most. Businesses are overwhelmed with the cost of health insurance. Persons with chronic diseases face special challenges of inadequate resources both in availability of health care professionals and economic support. United Methodist Conferences increasingly find health care costs consuming dollars intended for ministry.

Forcing Americans to rely on a safety-net program like Medicaid is unjust because if a health catastrophe should strike, those who have no coverage must deplete all assets in order to qualify for Medicaid, including selling of a home or surrendering a lifetime of savings. Even if this family is not among those who must declare bankruptcy in order to survive, these circumstances contribute to poverty, constant worry, and despair among many. While Medicaid provides some care to the poor, it does not encourage primary nor comprehensive care and disqualifies applicants with borderline incomes. Persons with episodic incomes are denied Medicaid during the period they have incomes, and therefore also receive episodic care. In addition, Medicaid systems remain under constant attack as one of the first places to cut the federal and state budgets, belying the claims of many civil leaders that health care is their priority.

Quality Issues Put All Patients At Risk
In the United States, the provision of health care has been transformed from a ministry to a commodity measured in patient encounters, tests performed, medications dispensed, and beds filled. In the process, quality of care suffers as the primary concern is often cost, not care. The physician-patient relationship is thereby compromised. Insurance companies in their efforts to reduce costs seek to control physicians’ practice of medicine, thereby interfering with the physician-patient relationship. As a result, medical decisions are often made with primary consideration for the costs to the corporation, not for the optimum health of the patient. In the current climate physicians who prescribe treatments or tests not pre-approved by the insurance corporation face severe financial penalties or other disincentives to optimum patient care. Physician time is consumed with excessive paperwork, malpractice suits, and inadequate government programs.

The American claim-based system produces enormous administrative burdens as well as denial of needed care. When claims are not denied by policy, they are often denied by the sheer burden of bureaucracy that must be overcome to obtain approvals. It has been estimated that today's physician spends about one-third of his or her time satisfying these insurance company regulations and seeking approvals for treatment, time the physician could be spending with patients. Competition for premium dollars and concern for high profits have taken priority over necessary care at actual cost. It is evident that private insurance companies are prone to deny claims while continuing to receive premiums, favoring higher profit over the "health and wholeness" of the weakened, the worried, and the sick. These same companies want to limit a patient's right to sue in civil court when the company breaches its own contract to provide benefits, regardless of the suffering or death a benefit denial may cause. In these types of cases a benefit denial is tantamount to medical malpractice.

Care Management has often been taken over by funding agencies rather than physicians. Managed care companies, HMOs, PPOs, and the like, interfere with the physician's ability to develop comprehensive treatment plans for his or her patients. They require that a decision be made by the corporation about treatment cost and efficacy. Medical decisions are in effect made by persons much less qualified than the patient's physician or the specialist a physician may recommend. In fact, persons with little or no medical training often make those decisions. Many insurance companies hire nurses to review the physicians' diagnoses and treatment plans. While it is unusual for nurses to oversee doctors, it is also evident that these nurses have had no contact with the patient under review.

Hospitals are required to provide uncompensated care. As a result, patients who are unable to pay for small primary care bills are able to incur large hospital bills when their untreated illness has become life-threatening. It has been estimated that the cost of uncompensated care included in each individual policy is $341, and in each family policy is $942.[2] Hospitals can no longer stay financially sound under existing policies.

Hospital staffing, due to cost concerns, imposes burdens on patient care that compromise quality, issues reflected in unhappy staff and increased numbers of union complaints and strikes in recent years. Error rates due to overwork and other factors are a crisis; the Institute of Medicine estimates that 100,000 persons die in American hospitals each year as a result of medical errors.

Spiraling Costs Waste Scarce Resources
Per capita health care costs in the United States are more than twice the median level for the 30 industrialized nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have estimated that by 2010, health care expenditures in the United States will reach $2.6 trillion.[3]

While some of the escalating costs of health care can be attributed to advances in technology and the aging of the population, a very significant part is due to the nature of America’s health insurance market, in which:

• Today’s physician spends one third or more of his or her time satisfying insurance requirements and seeking approvals for service.

• Multiple insurance companies, programs, coverage, claims processes, create confusion, duplication, and unnecessary administrative costs. It has been estimated that the cost of administration of Medicare is 4 percent to 5 percent of its budget, while the typical private company's budget for administration and profit is about 25 percent. Health care provision is managed by a massive bureaucratic complex: more than fifty state and state-level Medicaid systems, the Department of Veterans Affairs , the Railroad Employees insurance program, Indian Health Service, federal and state employee systems, health care for retired military personnel, Medicare and countless programs of the various private insurance companies: HMOs, PPOs, Medicare Supplemental Plans, etc. These entities rarely communicate in similar terms: neither to patients, to physicians, or to hospitals, thereby complicating efforts of providers and patients to properly file and receive payments on legitimate claims.

• Premium increases are driven by requirements to show a profit rather than rises in actual costs of treatment. High premiums to support the high profit margins of private health insurance companies force people to choose between health insurance and sustenance, housing, or other needs of a family, making even basic health insurance too expansive for an average individual or family. High co-payments and uncovered costs lead to significant impoverishment.

• Costs are shifted to the consumer through increasing deductibles and co-payments for care.

• Ever smaller insurance pools are promoted, with increasing portions of risk borne by the patient. The culmination of this trend is promotion of personal policies, with high deductibles and extraordinarily high premiums of thousands of dollars per month, that an average family, much less the working poor, simply cannot afford.

• Annual or lifetime limits are often imposed on policies, whether individual, group, or institutional, as a means of limiting the risk of private insurance companies. These harsh policies simply pass the risk back to individuals at the very time they can least cope with it, leaving the lingering worry that with a catastrophic illness or injury such limits may be reached, abruptly stopping all insurance benefits and leaving the policy beneficiary completely uninsured.

• More than half of all personal bankruptcies are now the result of illness. Even individuals with ostensibly good insurance, let alone those who are uninsured, find themselves in situations where they must sell and/or spend all assets, including homes, financial holdings, lifetime savings accounts, etc., in order to qualify for Medicaid and restore any medical coverage at all.
Increased costs of health care inevitably impact state and federal resources available for Medicaid, often leading to reduction in the number of providers willing to participate, and ultimately to decreased access to health care for the poor and the physically or mentally challenged.

More and more Annual Conferences and even congregations are feeling the burden of providing health care to their clergy and their lay staff. Small churches, even multiple point parishes, have difficulty paying for increasing health premiums for clergy. Funds going to this purpose are in effect diverted from other important ministries.

The Vision of Health Care for All
The United Methodist Church is committed to health care for all in the United States and therefore advocates for a comprehensive health care delivery system that includes access for all, quality care, and effective management of costs.

1. Access for All. In a just society, all people are entitled to basic maintenance and health-care services. We reject as contrary to our understanding of the gospel, the notion of differing standards of health care for various segments of the population. The American Health Care system must serve and be sensitive to the diversity of all people in the United States and its territories. Regional planning processes should coordinate the services rendered by all health-care institutions, including those funded by governments, to create a more effective system of health services in every area. Priorities should be established for the provision of health services, such as preventive care, mental-health services, home care, and health education. Corrective measures should be taken where there is maldistribution or unavailability of hospital beds, intermediate care and nursing home care, home-delivered care, neighborhood health centers, community mental-health centers, and emergency care networks.

2. Quality Care Health care should be comprehensive, including preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services. The American health care system should provide comprehensive and portable benefits to everyone; including preventive services, health promotion, primary and acute care, mental-health care, and extended care. It should promote effective and safe innovation and research for women and men in medical techniques, the delivery of health services, and health practices. It should assess the health impacts of environmental and occupational safety, environmental pollution, sanitation, physical fitness, and standard-of-living issues such as housing and nutrition. Professional health-care personnel should be recruited and appropriately educated to meet the health-care needs of all persons. Especially urgent is the need for physicians trained in geriatric medicine. Special priorities should be established to secure among the professional group at least proportional representation of women and minorities who are now seriously under-represented. We encourage development of community support systems that permit alternatives to institutional care for such groups as the aging, the terminally ill and mentally ill, and other persons with special needs. We encourage medical education for laypersons that will enable them to effectively evaluate medical care they need and are receiving. Religious and other appropriate forms of counseling should be available to all patients and families when they are called upon to make difficult medical choices, so that responsible decisions, within the context of the Christian faith, may be made concerning organ transplants, use of extreme measures to prolong life, abortion, sterilization, genetic counseling, institutionalization, and death with dignity. We support the medical community in its effort to uphold ethical standards and to promote quality assurance.

3. Effective Administration of Care and Management and Financing of Costs The American health care system must incorporate an equitable and efficient financing system drawn from the broadest possible resource base. It must reduce the current rapid cost inflation through cost-containment measures. It must provide services based on equity, efficiency, and quality, with payments to providers that are equitable, cost-efficient, and easy to administer and understand.

The System must be sensitive to the needs of persons working in the various components of the health care system and gives special attention to providing not only for affirmative action in the recruitment, training, and employment of workers, but also for just compensation for all workers at all levels and for retraining and placement of those displaced by changes in the health care system.

Advocacy Steps
Globally, the church has a continuing duty to provide, in many parts of the world, the ministry of health care that government is unable to provide. In the United States, however, government has the capability to provide health care for all; doing so will extend health care to many who presently have no access, and doing so without the wastefulness of the current system will represent far better stewardship of resources than at present. The United Methodist Church supports a three-tiered approach to health care advocacy:

1. Single Payer. We call for swift passage of legislation which will entitle all persons within the borders of the United States to the provision of health care services, the cost of such services to be equally shared by American taxpayers, and the government to distribute the funds to providers in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. This concept, known as “single-payer”, would extend health care to all persons in the United States. Choice of private doctor and other health care providers would be maintained. Public funds would make payment, and these funds would be generated by individual premiums and payroll tax. Studies have shown that this method can be achieved with no increase over what is already being spent on health care from all sources. It therefore not only accomplishes the objective, but it best exercises our stewardship of public resources.

2. Incremental Steps toward Single Payer. We recognize that much of the cost savings of “single payer” flow from the virtually total elimination of the health insurance industry. We cannot wait to overcome the current barriers to a single payer plan, and therefore support all initiatives that move segments of our population closer to a single payer system. Particular incremental steps that we support include the State Child Health Improvement Program (S-CHIP), which should be extended to achieve health care for all children. We do not support legislation that requires individuals to choose to purchase health insurance from multiple insurance companies, because such bills radically waste resources through duplication of service, burdensome administration, marketing costs, and profits. They inherently promote “adverse selection” in which the sickest people sign up for the plans with the best benefits. Such plans drive up the costs, while healthy young workers sign up for plans with the poorest benefits, therefore removing them from the risk pool.

3. Recognizing that the nation is deeply divided nationally on the philosophical bases for addressing America’s health care delivery problems, we support state-level initiatives in which individual states, at their own initiative become laboratories for trying out varying approaches to providing health care for all. We support in particular efforts at the federal level to support state-based efforts through necessary waivers of federal regulations.

Bringing America’s health care crisis under control will call upon the efforts of every sector of society and demand both personal and social responsibility. We therefore call upon all United Methodist persons and entities to do their part:

• Individuals. We call upon United Methodist individuals and families to pursue a healthy lifestyle, preventing many health problems before they start and strengthening physical capacity to combat problems which do arise.

• Health Care Institutions. We call upon United Methodist affiliated health care institutions to adopt, reaffirm, and strengthen policies supporting care delivery which is Christ-like, compassionate and wholistic rather than fee driven and compartmentalized. We call upon such institutions as a requirement of their affiliation, to develop United Methodist standards of care which distinguish them from profit-driven, secular institutions.

• Seminaries. We call upon United Methodist seminaries to develop curricula linking sound biblical theology with clergy self-care and advocacy for universal health care.

• General Agencies. We call upon all Agencies, Commissions, and Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church in the United States to adopt principles and support policies which are consistent with this resolution.

We charge the General Board of Church and Society with primary responsibility for advocating health care for all in the United States Congress and for communicating this policy to United Methodists in the USA.

ADOPTED 2008, Resolution #108, 2004 Book of Resolutions; Resolution #95, 2000 Book of Resolutions

See Social Principles, ¶ 162V.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:31:00 +0000

Health-care bill's passage called 'huge step' toward affirming United Methodist Social Principles

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society chief executive said the U.S. House of Representatives took a "huge step" toward affirming the denomination's Social Principles when it passed health-insurance reform legislation on March 21.

Jim Winkler, chief executive of the General Board of Church & Society, said the House action affirms the United Methodist Social Principles that declares health care is “a basic human right.”

The House passed the U.S. Senate version of health insurance reform legislation by a vote of 219 to 212. That bill now goes to President Obama for his signature into law. A second bill, to improve the Senate legislation, passed by a vote of 220 to 211 and goes to the Senate for approval.

“For decades, the General Board of Church & Society has worked alongside thousands of United Methodists to achieve health care for all in the U.S.,” Winkler said. “This vote brings us closer to that reality.”

Resolution #3201 in the United Methodist Book of Resolutions charges the General Board of Church & Society with primary responsibility for advocating health care for all in the United States. The resolution was approved by the 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s highest policy-making body. (Resolution #3201 can be downloaded from the General Board of Church & Society website.

Winkler pointed out that when the bill is signed into law important protections for every person will be enacted. These include banning health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and more Americans will have access to health insurance.

“Over 31 million Americans are currently uninsured,” Winkler said. “This legislation will assist low-income working people who cannot afford the steep prices for health insurance now.”

Winkler said Jesus’ ministry serves as an example and a call to serve the least and the last in society. Jesus asked us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, Winkler noted, “setting forth a faith grounded in God’s abundance, generosity and a capacity for love that knows no bounds.”

During her remarks prior to the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., thanked the 350 organizations, including The United Methodist Church, that worked to achieve historic health-insurance reform:

That is why we’re proud and also humbled today to act with the support of millions of Americans who recognize the urgency of passing health-care reform. And more than 350 organizations, representing Americans of every age, every background, every part of the country, who have endorsed this legislation.

Our coalition ranges from the AARP, who said that our legislation “improves efforts to crack down on fraud and waste in Medicare, strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations.” I repeat: “Improves efforts to crack down on fraud and waste in Medicare, strengthening the program for today’s and future generations of seniors.” To the American Medical Assn., the Catholic Health Assn., The United Methodist Church and Voices of America’s Children. From A to Z, they are sending a clear message to members of Congress: Say yes to health-care reform.

Winkler said he appreciated Speaker Pelosi’s comments about the hard work that The United Methodist Church has done in helping secure passage of health-care reform for all people. He pointed out that the denomination’s General Conference has been advocating for reform since 1980.

The United Methodist Church was not alone among faith communities in working for health-care reform, according to Winkler. He said that more than 150 other faith organizations also sought change, working through coalitions such as Faithful Reform in Health Care.

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations.

The text of Winkler’s statement follows:
Health-care reform legislation passes House of Representatives
The United Methodist Social Principles declares health care is “a basic human right.”

The United States took a huge step toward affirming this right last night when the House of Representatives passed health insurance reform legislation. The bill now goes to the President for his signature into law. A second bill was adopted by a vote of 220 to 211 and now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.

I appreciate that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi thanked The United Methodist Church for the support our denomination has given to health-care reform. For decades, the General Board of Church & Society has worked alongside thousands of United Methodists to achieve health care for all in the U.S.; this vote brings us closer to that reality. When signed into law there will be important protections for every person including banning health-insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

Health-care reform will ensure that more Americans have access to health insurance. Over 31 million Americans are currently uninsured; this legislation will assist low income working people who cannot afford the steep prices for health insurance now.

Jesus’ ministry serves as an example and a call to serve the least and the last among us. He asked us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves — setting forth a faith grounded in God’s abundance, generosity and a capacity for love that knows no bounds.

We are not finished. There is more work to be done in the weeks, months and years ahead to fulfill the need for health care around the globe.

—Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church & Society, Washington, D.C., March 21, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:14:00 +0000

Youth Service Fund Fundraising Spurred by New Logo

By Tom Gillen

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2010/GBOD/ — The Youth Service Fund, a unique youth-led ministry of the United Methodist Church, is using a newly designed logo to lead its charge into a new decade of raising money to support youth projects around the world.

Overseen by Young People’s Ministries, a division of The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, YSF is completely led by youth. They contribute the money and decide what projects receive the money, and the projects supported are youth-designed, youth-led and benefit youth.

“Young People’s Ministries is eager to see excitement and growth in this ministry,” says Rev. Michael Ratliff, YPM’s associate general secretary. “The Youth Service Fund is offered because people in the United Methodist Church understand the need for youth to give in order to help youth in mission and ministry.”

Money for the fund is raised at local youth events or by church youth groups in the U.S. annual conferences. The annual conference youth organization designates 70 percent of the money for projects, and the rest is used to finance projects around the world.

In 2009, the YSF supported 21 United Methodist affiliated and non-affiliated projects. Ten were U.S.-based and 11 were international.

The new YSF logo was designed by Daniel Lee, 17, who attends Korean United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, N.M. His depiction of a modern dove with the unique flame of the United Methodist Church was selected from entries in an online contest in 2009.

“I had fun designing a logo for United Methodist Youth Service Fund, and I might apply to a fine art school next year,” says Lee, a senior at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque. “The fire represents the Holy Spirit and the young dove represents the fruit of the Holy Spirit.”

The logo is available for promotional use.

“With every new year comes change, and this logo is a significant one for the Youth Service Fund. We are excited and hopeful for YSF to reach many more people in countries throughout the world during this next decade,” says Sarah Smith, YPM’s grants and scholarships administrator.

For more information about donating to the fund or applying for a YSF grant, go to www.gbod.org/youngpeople/grants/grants.htm or contact Smith by phone at (877) 899-2780, ext 7184, or by e-mail at ssmith@gbod.org.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Update on Haiti from the Bahamas Methodist Habitat
By David and Patty McIntyre (parents of the Director of the Bahamas Methodist Habitat, Abraham McIntyre)

Hello to all who have shown interest:

The need in Haiti continues to be great ... and the response of able people here in the Bahamas and the United States is great as well.

Many supplies, several doctors, nurses and missionaries continue to pour into the country of Haiti bringing hope and help ... many have passed through this channel (being managed by Bahamas Methodist Habitat). Abraham and his two BMH volunteer intern colleagues are doing a remarkable job ... working 18-20 hours per day ... addressing and managing the relentless challenges. Nearly 50 doctors have been carried in on BMH flights and over 80 short-term missionaries who needed to get back to US have been brought out.

By tomorrow our volunteer pilot roster will pass 100 ... men (in this case only men so far ... with exception of Cameron, staff intern, who occasionally flies) who donate their own private planes as well as their time (most are still working; a few are retired), and for the most part paying their own fuel (expensive!!!). If a pilot needs support with their fuel costs BMH has money raised just for this to cover their fuel costs. Otherwise, these pilots are on their own ... all their own expenses for hotels, meals, etc. These people are making a significant contribution!!!

Thousands of pounds (sorry I don't know the current count ... but, lots and lots) of supplies have come in and gone out of here. Patty and I and about three other regular volunteers keep the daily grunt processes going of dealing with "support" details ... loading and unloading planes ... PR with the daily flow of volunteer pilots and medical personnel flowing through the system ... providing hospitality for the whole team (in cooperation with local congregations who bring out breakfast and lunch most days), etc.

Our setting here in Nassau is a private air facility on the far side of the main Nassau airport ... we have a large warehouse where we process all the donated medical supplies and donated food (and it's also where we eat and sleep). This Odyssey Aviation Center is a secured site but with no food service ... and a long way from almost anything. But, we're blessed with many supportive folks here ...

This past Sunday we had a marvelous experience at St. Micheal's Methodist Church, one of the supportive local congregations. We had an overwhelmingly affirming reception and a wonderful time of prayer where the congregation surrounded Abraham and his colleagues, Cameron and Matt, with the laying on of hands in prayer. Today that same congregation had a huge truck load of rice, beans and cooking oil delivered for us to fly down to Haiti. We needed the food ... most of our supplies coming from the States are medical ... and lots of them, Thanks be to God! Interesting Nashville connection: the SMMC pastor, Rev. Philip Stubbs, used to live in Nashville and attended Gordon Memorial UMC and is a dear friend of my former District Superintendent, Rev. Elijah McGee.

Mine and Patty's return home flights were scheduled for 01/31, but in light of the demands here, we forfeited those flights and decided to extend our stay indefinitely to continue the support of the effort. Hey, what's the hurry ... we're both retired ... someone's feeding the dog and cats ... the farm project will wait ... and best of all we're with one of our kids in a very important time in his life! It is pure joy seeing him yield himself to God's use ... a faithful servant he is indeed! Thanks be to God!

We send this in hopes that all is well with each of you. We love hearing from you ... just a quick hello means a lot! Please keep us and the people of Haiti in your prayers.

We each send our love.

Yours, Dave and Patty

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:38:00 +0000

Jan. 10 deadline to apply for Ethnic Local Church grant
To strengthen ethnic minority churches as they engage in social justice.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for an Ethnic Local Church Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants program is to strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership training and development as they engage in social justice.

To qualify for grant consideration, applicants must be either:

• a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference, racial/ethnic caucus, or other affiliated ethnic group/organization; or

• an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program impacts at least one United Methodist ethnic local church.

Two funding periods are available for consideration: Jan. 10 for the March cycle and Aug. 10 for the October cycle. The Ethnic Local Church Committee makes grant recommendations to GBCS’s Board of Directors.

Grant recipients must be programs initiated by or developed in partnership with one or more United Methodist ethnic local churches. Racial/ethnic persons shall be the majority of those served by the program.

The project must focus on needs identified by ethnic local churches as they address one or more chronic social problems or concerns, such as housing, employment, health care, human rights, education, the environment and racism. "The Social Principles" of The United Methodist Church contained in its Book of Discipline, (¶¶s 160-165) can provide more information on denominational social justice positions.

All applicants must have a supervisory board composed of a majority of ethnic persons that shall make all policy decisions.

Each funding request will be considered on its own merits with no required minimum or maximum amount. All funding from GBCS must be used for programmatic components and not for salaries, purchase of equipment, purely administrative costs, and direct delivery of services or building construction.

Intent of the grants program is to provide start-up money. Therefore, priority goes to first-time applicants.

Priority consideration shall be given to programs that are part of a Comprehensive Plan of an Annual Conference.

Applications may be downloaded at Ethnic Local Church Grants or may be obtained from Marvlyn Scott, (202) 488-5643.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:29:00 +0000

Jan. 10 deadline to apply for Human Relations Day grant
To support ministries that respond to non-violent young offenders.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jan. 10 is the deadline to apply for a Human Relations Day Grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS). The grants are to support ministries that respond to non-violent young offenders through education, advocacy or leadership training and development.

Grant funds are raised through The United Methodist Church’s Human Relations Day Special Sunday each year. Special Sundays are an opportunity for United Methodist churches to celebrate the denomination’s connectional work. This day of social action and raising awareness supports the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Program.

Human Relations Day happens the Sunday immediately following the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday: Jan. 17 next year. The United Methodist Book of Discipline describes Human Relations Day as a call to "the Church to recognize the right of all God's children in realizing their potential as human beings in relationship with each other."

To qualify for a Human Relations Day grant, the applicant must be either:

• a United Methodist local church, district, annual conference or other affiliated group/organization; or

• an ecumenical group/organization working with and through at least one United Methodist agency or organization, whose program affects at least one United Methodist local church.

Grants are awarded on two funding cycles. Jan. 10 is the deadline for March funding; Aug. 10 for October. Grant decisions are made by GBCS’s Board of Directors.

To be considered for funding, a project must be initiated by or developed in partnership with a United Methodist church. The project must focus on needs of non-violent juvenile youth offenders as they address one or more chronic social problems or concerns, such as housing, employment, health care, human rights, education, the environment and racism.

Applicants must have a supervisory board consisting of a majority of members of The United Methodist Church that shall make all policy decisions.

All funding from GBCS must be used for programmatic components and not for salaries, purchase of equipment, purely administrative costs, and direct delivery of services or building construction.

Intent of the grant is to provide start-up money.

Grant applications are available at Human Relations Day Grant, or by contacting Marvlyn Scott, in the office of Education and Leadership Formation, (202) 488-5643, mscott@umc-gbcs.org
.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:43:00 +0000

Important Hate Crimes Legislation Signed into Law

The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) celebrates the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. More than a decade since it was first introduced, President Obama today signed the act into law. The bill passed the Senate on October 22nd with a bipartisan 68-29 vote and the House on October 8, by a vote of 281-146.

Tragically, each year, thousands of Americans become victims of violent crimes because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevent Act will deter these crimes by directing important federal resources to help local law enforcement fight violent hate crimes, and authorizing federal law enforcement to step in when local officials do not. This important legislation ensures public safety and equal protection under the law from hate crimes.

In addition to greater enforcement and protection from hate crimes, this legislation protects free speech and religious liberty. Support for this legislation has come from across the political and theological spectrum because all people deserve to have equal protection.

The United Methodist Church condemns acts of violence committed against individuals of difference races, ethnicities, and sexual orientation. We urge all people to be proactive in resisting hate and bigotry by creating an atmosphere of love and tolerance. This legislation will help provide the necessary protections for all to live safely in our diverse society.
We celebrate passage of this legislation with millions of Americans who believe that we are all created equal in the image of God, and with the rest of the civil rights community who have worked so hard for its passage.

For more information, contact Bill Mefford , director of civil and human rights, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5657.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:46:00 +0000

Uncertain times call for alternative action -- Alternative Christmas gift cards feed those who are uncertain about their next meal

National Advance hunger-relief ministry unveils its 2009 alternative Christmas Gift Card

So much is uncertain these days: Domestic and world economy, peace among nations, home ownership, jobs, health care … and for nearly 40 million Americans, their next meal.

Alternative Christmas gifts are a sure way to share the true message and meaning of Christmas with those being honored and those who are in need.

People looking for alternative Christmas gifts that do good for others will feed the hungry when they make honor donations to the Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600), a national, grassroots hunger-relief ministry. For a minimum donation of $12 in honor of a family member or friend, you can provide about 800 servings of fresh, nutritious food to the hungry. Your gift donation will be announced with the Society of St. Andrew’s (SoSA) one-of-a-kind alternative Christmas Gift Donation Card, and you will also receive the card as a thank you and confirmation of how many honor gifts you make.

This year’s card is the fifteenth in a series designed exclusively for SoSA by Virginia liturgical artist Annis McCabe. The full-color, 5 inch by 7 inch card features original art on front and back. Inside is an original, inspirational verse and scripture passages reminding us of the abundance that God has provided to all through the birth of Jesus Christ. This unique card announces your generous gift to feed the hungry in the name of your honorees.

Through their fresh food rescue programs – Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Harvest of Hope, and Hunger Relief Advocate Initiative – the Society of St. Andrew saves perfectly good, excess produce that will go to waste only because it is less than perfect in appearance. This food is then donated to critical feeding agencies across the country.

“The popularity of this meaningful and relevant alternative Christmas gift program continues to grow,” said Carol Breitinger, communications director for the Society of St. Andrew, “providing more and more servings of fresh food to the hungry each year. Last year over $111,000 was raised, providing seven million servings of food nationwide! This year the need is greater than ever.
“This alternative Christmas gift is perfect for the person who has everything and a super stocking stuffer, too,” offered Breitinger. “No other gift can do so much for so many for so little! And you can finish your gift shopping and greeting card lists in just a few minutes while feeding thousands of hungry Americans.”
Individuals can order SoSA’s Christmas Gift Donation Cards by mail, phone, fax, or online: 800-333-4597; fax at 434-299-5949; email to card@endhunger.org; online at www.endhunger.org/card. SoSA will send the cards and envelopes to the donor to personalize and mail or they will send them on the donor’s behalf to the recipient in time for Christmas. The minimum gift donation for each card is $12. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
SoSA also has available order flier and church bulletin insert masters in color and black and white. To receive these digital files call or email Carol Breitinger at 800-333-4597 or mailto:sosapr@endhunger.org
For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger-relief ministry or Christmas Gift Donation Cards call 800-333-4597, email sosainfo@endhunger.org or go to SoSA’s website at http://www.endhunger.org/.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:38:00 +0000

Dec. 15 deadline to apply for Ethnic Young Adult Summer Internships

May 30 to July 31 in U.S. capital for ages 18 to 22 from United Methodist racial/ethnic minority caucuses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Deadline to apply for a 2010 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Dec. 15. The EYA program is for young adults, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.

Sponsored by the United Methodist Inter-Ethnic Strategy Development Group (IESDG) and administered by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), interns will work in social justice placements in the U.S. capital from May 30 to July 31, 2010.

IESDG is a coalition of the denomination’s five racial/ethnic minority caucuses: Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans (MARCHA), the Native American International Caucus (NAIC), the National Federation of Asian American United Methodists (NFAAUM), and the Pacific Islander National Caucus of United Methodists (PINCUM).

Interns will live in Christian community. Work placements will be supplemented by evening intern-led devotions, Friday seminars on topics of social justice concern, area field trips and Sunday worship in area United Methodist churches. Participants must commit to participating in these activities.

The intern group will experience the rich diversity of The United Methodist Church by visiting a different congregation each Sunday. Congregations will reflect diversity in worship style as well as ethnicity.

Concern for social justice
Applicants must be in good academic standing at their college or university, demonstrate evidence of their concern for social justice through extracurricular activity, academic study and have some history of involvement in their church and/or community.

If employed full-time, applicants must show active leadership and participation in their local church and community, including involvement in social justice activities.

IESDG and GBCS will provide round-trip transportation to and from Washington, D.C.; housing for the eight-week EYA Internship; commuter stipend for travel to intern work sites; and $1,500 for each intern for the eight-week period.

Ethnic Local Church Grant
EYA is funded through GBCS’s Ethnic Local Church Grant program.

Participants are expected to return to their schools, churches and communities with an increased commitment to working with and on behalf of marginalized groups in society. Participants are also expected to share their experience with other persons from their community, school and church.

Application form is available at EYA Internship Program.

For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5611 or the Rev. L.A. McCrae, EYA coordinator, (202) 488-5644 (office) or (443) 528-5138 (mobile).

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Bishop Wilke prepares DISCIPLE study guide for United Methodist men

Bishop Richard B. Wilke

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––Bishop Richard B. Wilke, the principal architect and author of DISCIPLE Bible Study, has produced a “Meditation and Action Guide” for UM men studying DISCIPLE II. The guide offers personal meditations for men and weekly calls to action.

Nearly two million people in 10,000 congregations have completed at least one of four DISCIPLE courses. The men’s guide is designed to accompany DISCIPLE II “Into the Word and Into the World, a 16-week study of Genesis, Exodus and a 16-week study of Luke-Acts. Participants are encouraged to evaluate and reorder their priorities in response to God’s call. The study guide suggests weekly actions that provide services to others.

“While DISCIPLE Bible Studies were designed for both men and women, there are issues and actions that are particularly focused on men,” said Wilke. “I hope this new study guide especially designed for men will encourage active churchmen and men who don’t normally attend church services to engage in a study of the beginning chapters of the Hebrew Scriptures and Luke’s story of the beginning of Christianity.”

The booklet is produced in cooperation with the General Commission on United Methodist Men.

“The commission is excited to partner with Bishop Wilke and the United Methodist Publishing House to offer a men's ministry resource to complement the powerful and popular DISCIPLE II curriculum,” said Larry Malone, director of men's ministry. “We are pleased to encourage deep disciple-building resources that come from within the UMC. This supplement may also be used as a small group exercise for men using personal meditations for spiritual growth.”

“It is a privilege to provide the DISCIPLE constellation of resources for the holy work of living as faithful followers of Jesus Christ,” said Neil Alexander, president and publisher of The United Methodist Publishing House. “We continue to hear stories from all over the world that reveal spectacular evidence of faith strengthened, hearts opened, minds engaged, and lives transformed through DISCIPLE BIBLE STUDY. It is our hope that this new study guide, when paired with INTO THE WORD, INTO THE WORLD, will help men read Scripture with new eyes and commit to live vital and faithful Christian lives.”

Good beginning
While the study guide is designed to be used with the second of four DISCIPLE Bible studies, the bishop suggests this is still a good beginning point for United Methodist Men. The study begins with creation and men are asked to find ways to protect God’s magnificent creation by clearing up a street, a river or a vacant lot.

As the second 16-week study begins with Luke-Acts, Wilke reminds his readers that Luke was a physician who gave us good news in his gospel and in his history of the early church. He then invites men to think of the times they have received good news from a doctor, pastor or employer. They are then invited to think of the good news of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, new life and life beyond death.

Persons leading DISCIPLE groups for men may want to substitute Wilke’s suggestions for some of the regular study questions, or they may simply supplement existing study questions. There are countless ways in which the study can be tailored to meet the needs of the participants.

The author
Currently serving as bishop-in-residence at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kans., Wilke was elected to the episcopacy in 1984 and served the Arkansas Area for 12 years. Prior to presiding over the Little Rock and North Arkansas Annual Conferences, Wilke served as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Wichita for over 10 years.

After serving several Kansas churches, he served as superintendent of the Winfield (Kansas) District from June 1971 to January 1974 when he was appointed to the Wichita congregation.

Bishop Wilke is especially well qualified to write a study guide for men as he not only designed and wrote most of the DISCIPLE studies, he began a unit of United Methodist men in 1983 while serving as pastor of the Wichita church.

Download the study guide at the “new resources” section of gcumm.org.

DISCIPLE II resources can be ordered from Cokesbury at 1-800.672.1789, at Cokesbury.com, or at your local Cokesbury store.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Peace Begins Within Your Heart

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — Reinvigorated for Peace. With a sense of purpose, 403 Hebrews, Muslims and Christians from 16 states and 4 countries gathered at the Lake Junaluska Peace Conference September 20-22, 2009. Participants discussed how to implement interfaith peace-building techniques once they returned to their own communities. Keynote speakers of each of the Abrahamic Faith agreed that action must be taken in order to make peace a reality.

“It is not enough to be peace contemplators – we need to be proactive peace actors,” said Elias Chacour, Archibishop of the Galilee. “There’s no other way but to get our hands dirty.”

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling agreed. “Peace is not theoretical – peace is not abstract. Peace is something we have to do every day.”

On the second day of the conference, participants attended dialogue groups to discuss what they could do in their own communities to foster interfaith understanding and collaborative efforts for peace. Atif Mahmood, a Muslim Duke University student, hopes that participants take what they’ve learned to heart. “This conference has reinvigorated me to go out in my community and encourage interfaith communication.”

Atif was asked by the group how he felt we as Americans, regardless of our faiths, could improve relations between our own faith and Muslims in particular. Originally from Pakistan, Atif commented that an education is necessary for us to be leaders for peace. “If we just leave the country alone, things will get worse. We need infrastructure, development and education to make things better. Opening the doors of America would better the world,” Atif concluded. “We need to start training and exposing Muslims to our culture and let them go back and educate others.”

Rev. Dr. James W. Thurman, Jr., retired pastor from the North Georgia Conference, discusses how to promote interfaith relations. To his left, Atif Mahmood, a Duke University student, prepares to share his ideas.

One of Atif’s dialogue group mates, a retired Methodist minister, came to listen and open his heart to what was being said about the three faiths. “Begin with making peace within your own heart. If you don’t do that, anything else you do is useless.”

At the conclusion of the conference, ideas from all the dialogue groups were shared. Like Atif and the retired Methodist Minister, many participants hoped to apply what they had learned from others at this conference through practical applications for peace – like beginning an Interfaith Club that shares the spiritual reasoning of sacred texts. Some hoped to organize interfaith peace camps for children, while others planned to begin interfaith Habitat for Humanity projects to foster interfaith cooperation.

Following the success of this conference, the Lake Junaluska Peace Committee announced Marian Wright Edelman will be a featured presenter at the 2010 Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, Children at the Table of Peace. Ms. Edelman is the Founder and Director of the Children’s Defense Fund. For highlights from the 2009 Peace Conference or more information about the 2010 Peace Conference, visit www.lakejunaluska.com/peace.aspx.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:03:00 +0000

Nothing But Nets Raises More Than $7 Million in 2008
United Methodists Provide People Power

Washington, DC: In 2008, the Nothing But Nets campaign eclipsed its ambitious fund-raising goals and raised more than $7 million from some 40,000 individual donors. The 2008 annual report issued by the United Nations Foundation, creator of the grassroots campaign, declared that 2008 donations represent significant increases over annual fund-raising the two previous years.

“Based on the momentum of what began halfway through 2006, Nothing But Nets raised nearly $25 million by the end of 2008 from over 100,000 individuals and distributed over 2 million bed nets to areas of greatest need in Africa,” stated Timothy E. Wirth, president, United Nations Foundation.

“As always, these achievements could not have been possible without our unique set of partners who are helping us to reach diverse communities to spread the message that malaria kills and nets save lives,” he continued.

As a founding partner of Nothing But Nets, the people of The United Methodist Church have contributed significant energy and funds to the campaign. The United Methodist Church contributed more than $2 million to purchase and distribute bed nets in 2008 alone.

“We bring the value of people power to the campaign—11.5 million United Methodists,” said Bishop Thomas Bickerton, chairperson of The United Methodist Church’s Global Health Initiative. “When you have grassroots support fueling a movement like this, saving lives is the joyous result.”

The United Methodist Church took a leadership role in coordinating and convening the Nothing But Nets “city tours,” a multi-city grassroots initiative to engage Americans across the country in the fight against malaria. The city tours included faith events in which church leaders came together to discuss how the faith community can take a leadership role in eliminating malaria. In 2008, six city tours convened in Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

In November 2008, the people of The United Methodist Church and their partners worldwide helped Cote d’Ivoire’s National Program in the Fight against Malaria launch an integrated health campaign and net distribution to protect children under age five in Côte d’Ivoire against malaria, measles, Vitamin A deficiency and intestinal worms. This campaign was the culmination of a Texas Annual Conference effort to raise more than $1 million for bed nets for Côte d’Ivoire’s children.

A driving force behind the church’s Nothing But Nets fund-raising activities are children and youth who have participated in everything from lemonade stands and bake sales to basketball tournaments and skits featuring mosquito-costumed Sunday school classes. Eight-year-old champion net raiser Katherine Commale has raised more than $100,000 for the cause to date—and her efforts have attracted significant media coverage, helping increase awareness of the campaign. In 2008, Katherine was featured both on CNN and a front page article in the New York Times.

“Our youth have stepped up and done really remarkable things,” Bishop Bickerton acknowledged. “Children helping to save other children have raised global awareness about the malaria situation in Africa in unprecedented ways.”

To learn more about Nothing But Nets or to send a net and save a life, visit http://www.umcnothingbutnets.org/.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:40:00 +0000

President Obama to take part in faith community conference call on health-care reform

General Board of Church & Society among sponsors of historic Aug. 19 call-in event.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is co-sponsor of an unprecedented nationwide faith-community call-in and audio webcast on health-care reform featuring President Obama on Wednesday, Aug. 19. The event, "40 Minutes for Health Reform," will be from 5 to 5:40 p.m. EST.

Sponsors of the event support the need for health-care reform in the United States, but no specific legislation will be endorsed during the call. Instead the call is to provide the most up-to-date information about proposed legislation, and will focus on health-care reform as a moral imperative.

President Obama will urge the faith community to action, and a high-level administration official will answer questions from participants. Questions can be submitted online after signing the electronic RSVP: United Methodists.

The call will be hosted by Blog Talk Radio. Participation is unlimited. Participants can either log on to www.FaithforHealth.org at the time of the call or dial (347) 996-5501; no passcode is necessary, but long-distance charges may apply.

The president’s decision to address the health-care debate specifically with the faith community demonstrates how important religious organizations are to passing reform, according to the Rev. Cynthia Abrams, director of GBCS’s work area on Alcohol, Other Addictions & Health Care. “The faith community's engagement in the debate is desperately needed to pass reform,” she said. “Special interests are trying to hijack the debate with misinformation, negative and disruptive tactics. The stakes are high, because without reform this year, health care will become increasingly unaffordable or inaccessible to average Americans for years to come.”

The call with President Obama is part of a broader effort to make sure that the faith community has a strong voice in the outcome of the health-reform debate. For example, in partnership with PICO National Network, Sojourners and Catholics in Alliance, Faith in Public Life has released a new TV ad with grassroots faith leaders calling for reform. It began airing on national cable this week.

United Methodists are invited to participate in the “John 10:10 Challenge” to raise the faith community’s voice in support of comprehensive U.S. health-care reform. The challenge, issued by GBCS, is based on Jesus’ declaration that he came so all “may have life, and have it abundantly.” A new website, John 10:10 Challenge, contains resources to enable persons to be informed, engaged and empowered to begin advocacy for U.S. health-care reform.

The United Methodist Church states in its Social Principles (¶162.V) that it believes health care is “a basic human right.” Last year, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, adopted a resolution that supports a single-payer system.

That resolution, #3201 in the 2008 Book of Resolutions, urges United Methodists to exert influence through all structures and means “to connectionally advocate and fervently lobby the federal government for the adoption and implementation of a totally nonprofit health-insurance system, a single-payer system administered by the federal government.”

40 Minutes for Health Reform's sponsors encourage RSVPs for the call and/or listening online. Sponsors hope to direct participants to a website where they can sign up to receive action alerts to stay involved in the effort to reform health care.

Among the numerous faith groups working in collaboration to achieve health-care reform are the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, Church Women United, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Islamic Society of North America, National Council of Jewish Women, National Episcopal Health Ministries, Presbyterian Church (USA), Network: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby and United Jewish Communities.

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church, which has more than 11 million members worldwide. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the nearly 35,000 local churches of the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:47:00 +0000

The Hispanic/Latino Academy very highly recommends the book Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States by Juan Francisco Martinez

Evaluation of the book by Lovett H. Weems, Jr. -- Latino/a Ministry in the United States

The growing Latino and Latina population in the United States is transforming the religious landscape in ways that will shape virtually all Christian traditions as this century unfolds. These communities, characterized by a shared language and culture, are not new to the country or to its religious life. The difference today is the size and growth of the Latino/a community.

Juan Francisco Martinez has written a book that should inform all congregational and denominational leaders who have a heart for the newcomer in our midst. Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States (Abingdon Press, 2008, also available from Abingdon in a Spanish edition) gives a perspective on the past, the present realities, and lessons for planning for the future.

Those who do not come out of the Latino/a community need a book like this to orient them to basic social, cultural, and religious realities that must inform any new ministries. The profound diversity of the Latino/a people in the United States is one of those realities. There are no one-size-fits-all answers. But there are general principles and understandings that make mutual ministry more likely to occur.

Observations about Latino/a Church Life

The strong Catholic tradition of Latinos and Latinas is well known, especially among those with a Mexican heritage. One-third of U.S. Catholics today have a Spanish-speaking heritage. There is also something of a generational movement toward Protestantism – with those who have been in the U.S. for three or four generations more likely to be Protestant.

Today virtually every denomination in the U.S. has an outreach to the Latino/a community. Some of these have long traditions, and others only began recently. In addition, there are churches with no affiliation to U.S. denominations. These congregations, often Pentecostal, represent some of the greatest non-Catholic growth.

While the number of Latinos and Latinas attending predominantly majority population churches is growing, the largest number by far worship in churches rooted in their own language and culture. A Pew study found that most of these churches have three characteristics: services in Spanish, Latino/a pastors, and a strong Latino/a presence among its members. But keep in mind that most of the churches are multicultural in that they reflect the many differences among Latino/a people in the U.S.

The Protestant Latino/a congregations mirror other such congregations in the U.S. in terms of their small size, usually with fewer than 100 members. (The median worship attendance for all United Methodist churches in 2007 was 50, and for Episcopal churches it was 69). But there are also differences. Their constituencies are often much newer residents and sometimes transient. Various models of ministry have emerged such as multiple churches working together, sharing space with other congregations, and working with congregations in transition.

The most dominant characteristic of Latino/a churches is that they are growing. Not all traditions are growing, but the religious witness of this community is very much alive.

Strengths and Challenges of the Latino/a Church

It is a mistake for those outside the Latino/a community to ignore the tremendous strengths these Christians bring to any church. They exhibit a high level of religious commitment with what Martinez calls a “live faith in God.” Latino/a congregations have shown a close identification with and service to their communities, great flexibility in adjusting to new realities, a willingness to work very hard, strong family ties, strong mission outreach, and a lively sense of God’s presence in their worship.

In the midst of their great strengths, there are also great challenges, The Latino/a experience in their communities and within U.S. denominations has been on the peripheries. They also have to find ways to function with limited financial resources requiring many of their clergy to serve bi-vocationally.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

Churches seeking to support outreach to the Latino/a communities need to understand that previous models based on a deficiency mindset are not helpful. White the Latino/a communities often do have great needs, they also bring tremendous resources that call for more mutuality and partnership than is often practiced.

Martinez challenges majority population churches to get clear on some basic assumptions, especially about what their vision for ministry is and what “success” means. For example, a growing number of Latino/a congregations are self-sustaining. However, if self-sustaining is defined using denominational assumptions designed more for majority population congregations, such a goal may be beyond their reach. Thriving Latino/a congregations are more likely to resemble Latino/a congregations across denominational lines than some other churches in their own denominations. Latino/a churches must have the opportunity to develop in ways consistent with their circumstances and culture to be viable.

The Martinez book helps those new to Latino/a ministry to understand the phases that congregations and denominations have tended to go through in their relationship with Latino/a Christians in the U.S. This should help prevent the perpetuation of some unhelpful and insensitive practices and show where there can be positive engagement across cultural and ethnic boundaries for more faithful and fruitful ministry in the name of Christ.

Walk with the People: Latino Ministry in the United States can be purchased online from Cokesbury.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:45:00 +0000

'John 10:10 Challenge' calls people of faith to work for health-care reform

New website provides resources to empower advocacy in community and with Congress.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — United Methodists are invited to participate in the “John 10:10 Challenge” to raise the faith community’s voice in support of comprehensive U.S. health-care reform. The challenge, issued by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), is based on Jesus’ declaration that he came so all “may have life, and have it abundantly.” A new website, www.1010challenge.org, contains resources to enable persons to be informed, engaged and empowered to begin advocacy for U.S. health-care reform.

The United Methodist Church states in its Social Principles (¶162.V) that it believes health care is “a basic human right.” Last year, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, adopted a resolution that supports a single-payer system. That resolution, #3201 in the 2008 Book of Resolutions, urges United Methodists to exert influence through all structures and means “to connectionally advocate and fervently lobby the federal government for the adoption and implementation of a totally nonprofit health-insurance system, a single-payer system administered by the federal government.”

More than 47 million people are without health care in this country, and 14,000 people are losing their coverage daily, according to both health-care industry and congressional estimates. While the U.S. Congress deliberates on health-care reform, the 10:10 Challenge will enable the faith community to learn about details under consideration, start dialogues around reform, and to act on behalf of the United Methodist witness that health care is a basic human right.

The 10:10 Challenge website offers a “justice-filled prescription for health care.” People who visit the site are asked to make a commitment to take action in the next 10 weeks to help convince Congress that reform is necessary.

The website offers 10 actions that persons who accept the challenge can choose to take during these 10 intensive weeks of congressional advocacy. Actions are suitable for individuals or groups, such as United Methodist Women or Men, youth fellowships or Sunday school classes. The website encourages persons to start a team challenge and invite others to join to commit to being a part of health-care reform.

Actions include:
• Signing a “Prescription for Health-care Reform.” The petition will be forwarded to the White House and Congress. The petition gives a strong endorsement to a public option to insure everyone.
• Conducting a Health-care Justice Sabbath. The website contains a suggested worship service, including litanies, prayers and Bible verses.
• Holding prayer vigils. The website offers an enhanced prayer service that supports the United Methodist position on health-care reform.
• Contacting members of Congress. The website includes scripts that feature faith-based messaging.

The website is predicated on United Methodist principles that health care should be inclusive, available, accessible and accountable for all. The site states: “As people of faith, we envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness and human dignity.”

A one-page 10:10 Challenge overview is available in .pdf format.

For more information about the 10:10 Challenge or United Methodist positions on comprehensive health-care reform, contact the Rev. Cynthia Abrams, director of GBCS’s work area on Alcohol, Other Addictions & Health Care, (202) 488-5636 or by e-mail to cabrams@umc-gbcs.org.

The General Board of Church & Society is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church. The board’s primary areas of ministry are Advocacy, Education and Leadership Formation, United Nations and International Affairs, and resourcing these areas for the denomination. It has offices on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and at the Church Center at the United Nations in New York City.

To reach the website click on the address http:www.1010challenge.org

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute, October 8-9, 2009

Hello! I am Debi Nixon and I serve as one of the Executive Directors at Church of the Resurrection with direct oversight of our annual Leadership Institute team. Our Institute design team just completed a planning meeting with our Senior Pastor Adam Hamilton. I can't tell you how excited I am about this year's Institute! As we dream and plan, we are also praying about the impact the Institute will have throughout the church. We understand, from our own experience, that this year in particular all of us as church leaders have to make careful decisions about how to spend valuable (and limited) church resources. Knowing that, we want to tell you why we believe that, this year more than ever, you need to be at the Leadership Institute in October.

This year has been one of tremendous growth at Resurrection in both the depth and the reach of our ministries, and we are thrilled to share what we have leanred. At Leadership Institute, we are going to share powerful new ministry ideas we implemented since last year's Institute. These ideas have never before been shared at the Institute. We wil be particularly sharing ideas emerging from our efforts to reach young adults and to lead our congregation through a time of economic struggle.

We will also share innovations we have used in Children's Ministry, Student Ministry, Congregational Care, Media Technology, Worship, and more. You'll also gain learning and inspiration from our Keynote Speaker Michael Slaughter, Senior Pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC in Tipp City, Ohio.

This year we have intentionally planned for young adults. As a part of our Young Adult Focus, we are inviting men and women 25 and under to attend the Institute for a deeply discounted rate of $49 (including a Special Pre-Institute). We encourage you to indentify young people who are leaders in the church, considering vocational or lay ministry, or who are key volunteers in your congregation. Bring them with your team or sponsor them to attend this incredible opportunity.

Our team is committed to giving you the maximum possible value for your training investment including opportunities for great networking with others from across the country and of course, awesome Kansas City barbeque. This year's Institute is so packed with great ideas aimed directly at the most pressing issues for the church right now, I believe it's a "can't miss" exprience.

For more information and to register go to www.cor.org/li2009 (includes a video incerpt featuring Debi Nixon)

We look forward to welcoming you and your team at the Institute October 8-9! If I can serve in any way as you prepare to register or make your travel plans, please email me at debi.nixon@cor.org. See you at the Institute.

Debi Nixon
Church of the Resurrection

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Call to Action Steering Committee Begins Review

Note: To read and or download the full Call to Action issued by the Council of Bishops in May CLICK on the words Call to Action

Chicago: The steering committee formed in response to the Call to Action issued in May by the Council of Bishops began work on its task last week during an organizational meeting in Chicago.

The purpose of the steering committee is to further align the mission of the church and the four areas of focus, and to refashion and reposition the church for the future. The committee will look at the current realities and systems of The United Methodist Church to better understand how they affect our ability to reach desired outcomes, and generate dramtic alternative options to reshape and reorder the life of the denomination.

"We have a vision of a church that is vital, growing, diverse, relevant, appealing to youth and young adults, and engaged in effective, life-changing ministry -- but we're limited by an outdated organizational structure. We must have the courage to change that which no longer works for that vision to become a reality," said Bishop Larry Boodpaster, project director.

Other members of the steering committee are: Bishop Gregory Palmer, chair, Bishop John Hopkins, Bishop Sharon Rader, Bishop Joel Martinez, Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, Bishop John Yambasu, Bishop Grant Hagiya, Neil Alexander, the Rev. Larry Hollon, Barbara Boigegrain, Erin Hawkins, Moses Kumar, the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, Benjamin Boruff, Jay Brim, and the Rev. Deborah McLeod.

The committee will generate proposals to be presented to the Council of Bishops and Connectional Table in November 2009. A consulting firm experienced in organizational change management, systems analysis, and renewal/redesign has been retained to assist the committee in its work.

The formation of the steering committee was one element of a five-point call to action by the Council of Bishops that outlines the need for urgent response to the economic crisis and its impact on an already declining church. "The current global financial our hesitancy to act, but it has also gifted us with a sense of urgency and an opportuntiy to lead courageously," the Call to Action states.

Other steps outlined in the Call to Action address freezing the salaries of active U.S. bishops at the 2008 level, shartening semi-annual Council meetings, redesigning the operation of the 2012 General Conference, convening a series of "conversation circles" around the four areas of focus, gathering information about economic challenges and how congregations are adapting creatively to economic stress, and a commitment to raise $20 million for the Central Conference Pension Initiative and $75 million for the Global Health Initiative to help eliminate malaria.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 22:46:00 +0000

Finance agency thanks church members for support
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH:

Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ.

We wonder at times – particularly at financially difficult times like these – how did we get in this situation? We are all aware that giving within the Church has decreased, which diminishes the amount of monies available for mission and ministry. We’ve been worried and anxious about where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going. We’ve been concerned with protecting what we have; worrying that life as a United Methodist as we know it – being in ministry and doing mission work to the world – just can’t go on as it is.

It’s okay to be concerned. Healthy concern allows us to open our hearts and minds to the existing situation. It is the nature of the community to be concerned about our collective futures. And this is not a time to chastise or criticize each other for expressing these concerns. This is a time for the faithful to take action to curb the effects of the economic challenges we face today. Out of our concerns can grow constructive actions.

In many arenas, bold and deliberate actions are being taken to curb the downturn and look to the future. Annual conferences across the connection have prayerfully given consideration to their expenses by rethinking finances and focusing on ministry. They are redirecting their efforts to enhance current and developing new ministries. Praise God for this creative thinking on the part of so many United Methodists across the connection.

The United Methodist Church is in the forefront of compassionate giving. A few examples of the way groups within the connection are living into the reality of a strained economy are exemplified in the reports from annual conferences and agency board meetings. Among them are included: reduction or no increase in salaries for conference staff in 2010; decreases or a freeze in current missional budgets among several annual conferences; the Council of Bishops voted to return bishop salaries to the 2008 level beginning in 2010; and general agencies of the church adjusted spending plans for 2009 and re-evaluating 2010 spending plans. These are just a few.

Experts tell us the economy will begin a turnaround near the end of the year. When? No one knows the exact day, or time, or event, or even by how much. We should be encouraged by some of the early signs of economic recovery: credit markets are thawing and the financial sector is showing early signs of growth. At the same time, our optimism should be tempered with patience. Many in our communities will continue to bear the burdens of this economic crisis and they will need our prayers and support in these difficult times. Although the likely slow pace of recovery will continue to challenge our churches, conferences, and agencies, United Methodists are still a generous people.

The Economic Advisory Committee of the General Council on Finance and Administration (GFCA) continues to monitor the situation and provide their insights to our leaders. Their models indicate that giving to apportionments in 2009 and 2010 will be below the levels of previous years, but similar to the lowered levels experienced during previous recessions.

As Methodists committed to the lessons of John Wesley, we remain faithful to the word of God as the director of our faith. As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we know that during these times, God continues to show us a new thing: mission work around the world is still continuing, leaders are developing in their effectiveness to shepherd congregations into a new path of growth, donations are being made to purchase life-sustaining supplies that will help stamp out killer diseases associated with poverty. God has, is currently, and will continue to supply all that we need to carry out our ministries, as stated in Philippians 4:19: And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (NRSV)

Thank you for your continued support of the mission and ministry of The United Methodist
Church.

Bishop Lindsey Davis
President, Board of Directors,
The General Council on Finance and Administration

A. Moses Rathan Kumar
General Secretary and Treasurer
The General Council on Finance and Administration

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:25:00 +0000

The “Love Doctor” to Speak at National Black Church Health Summit

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Dr. Sheron C. Patterson, senior pastor of Highland Hills United Methodist Church Dallas, Texas, will speak at the National Black Church Health Summit, being held August 5-7, 2009 at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

The Office of African-American Ministries of the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center and Nia’s Ark, Inc. is co-hosting the summit, whose theme is “Building Bridges Between the Faith Community and Public Health,” to bring together members of the faith community, academia, health agencies and clergy leaders to address health disparities to strengthen community partnerships.

Being nationally recognized as a Christian relationship expert, Dr. Patterson has offered a helping word to many couples and had her advice broadcast via Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Jet Magazine. She has a broadcast on the syndicated ABC radio format REJOICE, called the “Love Doctor.” In addition to her experience, she is also the “relationship expert” for the Good Morning Texas television broadcast on WFAA and Channel 8.

Facing one of the biggest and most unexpected challenges of her life, Dr. Patterson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She kept hope in her heart and decided to use her illness to help others by making her recovery steps public. In doing so she created a radio, print and television education/inspiration campaign to help others face their health issues at their onset.

Dr. Patterson decided to become a health and wellness advocate in hopes of helping other women who might be facing a similar struggle. Because of her determination she became the driving force behind The Patterson Pledge, a program that motivates thousands to take control of their health. In addition to her numerous projects Dr. Patterson began to collaborate with the U.S. State Department in 2007 to host international delegations of breast cancer survivors. The intent of these delegations is to inform and inspire patients and breast survivors alike.

Breast Cancer Builds, a program that Dr. Patterson launched in 2008, brings survivors of breast cancer together to build a Habitat for Humanity house. Dr. Patterson calls Breast Cancer Builds a gratitude project, because just like the other survivors, she is grateful to God to be alive and this is one way to give back. This project raises awareness about breast cancer prevention and raises funding to provide low income women with free mammograms via a second project called Mammograms for the Masses launched in 2007 with the help of two Dallas hospitals.

Dr. Patterson is also the author of eight books. She is a member of the Southern Methodist University Board of Trustees, the Dallas Assembly, Methodist Health Care System Board of Trustees, Perkins School of Theology Board of Directors and The UMR Communications Board of Directors.

For further information about the National Black Church Health Summit, go to www.lakejunaluska.com/health-summit.aspx

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:47:00 +0000

A Laywoman's Perspective -- Commentary by Scarritt-Bennett Center Laywoman in Residence, Joyce D. Sohl

There is a hot wind blowing outside, but the cool of the air conditioner in my office at least gives me the illusion that I am cool. Even the birds are looking for a cool spot and the squirrels are stretched out on any shady tree limb they can find. Such is summer here in Nashville!

Before the heat and humidity hit, we had a group of song writers here on campus. They had paid "big bucks" to improve their writing skills and attended lectures, participated in critical peer and leader review sessions, and became a community of people seeking the elusive lyrics and melody of a song. It was fun having them scattered around the campus with their guitars.

I sat in on one of the review sessions where they critiqued each other's songs. One young woman shared a song about not being able to find God in the church. At the end of her first verse she said something like: "But I was able to find God when the circus came to town." No one understood her metaphor and she could not explain it so that others understood, but I got it! Remember the movie "The Parable" that portrayed Jesus as a clown that came to town with the circus? (Youth work days back in the 60's) The girl was too young to have seen the movie, but she had a concept that spoke to her. The leader worked with her until finally the chorus of the song ended with God being found within. A spiritual moment within the midst of a secular class!

I taught a course this month entitled "Spirituality of Protest", talking to God in the midst of troubling times. We explored lament Psalms; the healing stories of Jesus; contemporary and ancient prayers and poems; spirituals and hymns; and art. We also wrote our own laments and talked about the need for honesty with God in our personal and public lives. The lament addressed to God can lead to justice, healing, and hope.

Tuesdays in the Chapel, a half-hour noon-time preaching service started on June 16th with Bishop Melvin Talbert as the first preacher. This service is for the community as well as the Center's staff and guests. We had great music and great preaching and are looking forward to sermons by Sharon Howell, Rami Shapiro, Beth Richardson, Kathleen Flood and Michael Waldrop. This may be the beginning of a "new tradition" and happen every week starting in the fall.

Conversation with staff, guests, and visitors are still an important part of my time. One Saturday I explained all about the Center to a Seven-day Adventist couple that were taking their Sabbath walk through the grounds. Another time I shared with a guest the purpose of the labyrinth. And yet at another time I spent about two hours with a group of United Methodist Women telling them about the Research Library and its tie to the history of this institution. Conversations with one another is as important as conversations with God, I believe. This is my perspective as a laywoman observing and participating in the activities of this sacred place.

Joyce D. Sohl
Laywoman in Residence

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:37:00 +0000

“Produce Parade” feeds inner-city hungry -- Potato Drop goes awry, inner-city benefits

What originally started as a Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) Potato Drop – 45,000 pounds of potatoes dropped in a parking lot for re-bagging and distribution to feeding agencies – has turned into a “produce parade” right into the streets of neighborhoods that are most in need in the Fort Myers, FL area.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Fort Myers and Christ Lutheran Church in Cape Coral, FL have partnered to make a positive impact for those in need in the Fort Myers area. For three years, these groups have worked with the Society of St. Andrew, a national non-profit hunger relief ministry that saves fresh produce from being dumped due to market and cosmetic reasons, to deliver nutritious produce to critical feeding agencies. But the Potato Drop they co-sponsored in 2008 went slightly awry, producing an unexpected benefit.

“What an amazing morning! I never thought that showing up to help with a Potato Drop would lead to such an awesome experience of delivering food directly to the people who need it,” said a young couple who attend Christ Lutheran Church.

Organizing a Potato Drop can be very tricky. Between setting a date, getting volunteers to bag the potatoes, scheduling food banks and agencies to pick up the fresh produce, and hoping that a load of excess produce will be available through the Society of St. Andrew, any number of things is likely to go wrong. Miraculously, most events go off without a hitch, but during the Potato Drop in May of 2008, after all the potatoes were bagged and most of the volunteers had left, it became evident the food bank that had reserved half of the potatoes was not showing up. The remaining volunteers couldn’t just let those potatoes go to waste. Taking matters into their own hands, they loaded up their vehicles and headed to a low-income area of the city and delivered nutritious sweet potatoes to small food pantries, soup kitchens, rescue missions, local shelters, and a benefit event they happened upon that was being held for a neighbor in need. Every recipient was grateful for the food; each volunteer came back overwhelmed by the experience and with a story to tell. In fact, these dedicated volunteers were so impacted by their experience many became organizers of this year’s event and officially incorporated the “produce parade” distribution.

Child hands out food bag

“Rather than just dropping off a truck load of potatoes to a feeding agency, we had the satisfaction of meeting and talking to the people that we would otherwise have never met,” said Kimberly Volz, a Cape Coral, FL resident. “At the end of the day, my whole family felt really blessed by the opportunity for hands on mission work.”

The 2009 event, which has come to be known as the “Produce Parade,” included squash, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, and some citrus, all provided by the Society of St. Andrew’s Florida Gleaning Network. The groups partnered with Mount Hermon Ministries in the Dunbar area of Fort Myers where the potatoes had been distributed in 2008. After the food was bagged at the drop site, 12 trucks loaded down with 15,000 pounds of produce were driven to the inner city area. Mount Hermon Ministries, a Baptist mission outreach facility, is well known in the area for being an important asset to the community and their large parking lot was the perfect staging area as the produce “paraded” into the community. Smaller agencies picked up various produce and people in the neighborhood were encouraged to take bags home and to their neighbors who could not get out to pick up the food on their own. “One of the greatest things to come out of this year’s event is the connection that has been made between Mount Hermon Ministries and Christ Lutheran,” said Tracy Moffat, event coordinator. “Kids who would have otherwise never met, joined together to feed their own community – what a great way to share the love of Christ,” said Moffat. Plans are already being made for another “Produce Parade” in 2010.

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) is a national, faith-based, ecumenical, nonprofit ministry that gleans America’s fields and feeds America’s hungry. It effectively tackles the problem of hunger in America through its grassroots Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project and Harvest of Hope programs, which salvage fresh produce that will otherwise be wasted and donates it to feed the hungry. For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger relief programs: call toll free 800-333-4597; e-mail: sosainfo@endhunger.org; website: http://www.endhunger.org/. The Society of St. Andrew: Gleaning America's Fields ~ Feeding America's Hungry.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Rodriguez to lead Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts Division/Path 1

NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 18, 2009/GBOD/ — The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) has named Samuel Rodriguez director of the Hispanic/Latino New Church Starts Division/Path 1, effective July 1.

“Sam will be very instrumental in helping achieve the important and significant goals that are set before us,” said the Rev. Thomas G. Butcher, executive officer of New Church Starts/Path 1. “We are excited to have him on our team,” he said.

Prior to this appointment, Rodriguez was a commissioned missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) of The United Methodist Church.

He was the conference coordinator for Hispanic/Latino Ministries in the Central Texas (regional) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas for seven years. In this capacity, Rodriguez facilitated training opportunities for the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry Module Trainings, Pentecost Journey: Guide to Hispanic Ministry, Hispanic Culture Training, and Language Immersion weekends.

He also resourced dialogue and reflection with pastors actively involved in or seeking to incorporate Hispanic-Latino ministries. As a staff member of the Office of Church Growth and Development, Rodriguez assisted in creating opportunities for several Hispanic /Latino New Church Starts.

Prior to his current assignment, Sam served four years in the Northwest Texas Conference as director of Hispanic Ministries in the Big Spring District. Two of those years Rodriguez was a GBGM Missionary under the National Plan for Hispanic/ Latino Ministries.

New Church Starts/Path 1 owns the goal of recruiting 1,000 pastors to start 650 new United Methodist congregations in the United States by 2013.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Rodriguez holds a BA in English and American Literature from the University of Texas in El Paso and an MA in Christian Service from Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University.

Rodriguez and wife Demetria have two children: Samuel Joseph 19, and Vanessa Rae 15. His parents Luis Armando and Esperanza Rodriguez, reside in El Paso, Texas where they are members of Wesley United Methodist Church.

noreply@blogger.com (TN Conference UMC) — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:15:00 +0000

IRS Names J. Daniel Gary to ACT Advisory Panel

Nashville, TN – The Internal Revenue Service’s Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT) will introduce newly named members at a public meeting on June 10. J. Daniel Gary, Administrative Counsel to The General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA), has been named one of the 10 new members of the panel. They will begin two-year terms and join 11 returning members.

Gary is Administrative Counsel for the General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of The United Methodist Church, the third largest religious denomination in the United States. GCFA is responsible for protecting the legal interests of the denomination, and Gary provides guidance on a wide variety of issues related to tax-exempt organizations, including charitable giving, legislative and political campaign activities, and unrelated business income tax (UBIT). Gary received his Juris Doctorate from the Washington and Lee University School of Law and his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Illinois.

A. Moses Rathan Kumar, General Secretary and Treasurer of GCFA states "We are very pleased that Dan has been selected to serve on this IRS advisory committee. This honor is well deserved. Dan is known throughout our Church as someone with a great deal of expertise in tax issues affecting clergy and churches. We are grateful that through his service on this committee, Dan will have the opportunity to share with the IRS and others the unique perspective of the faith community on the tax issues faced by churches and other religious organizations."

ACT includes external stakeholders and representatives who deal with employee retirement plans, tax-exempt organizations, tax-exempt bonds and federal, state, local and Indian tribal governments. ACT members are appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury and advise the IRS on operational policies and procedures.

The General Council on Finance and Administration coordinates and administers finances and
safeguards the legal interests and rights of The United Methodist Church.
www.gcfa.org