Tennessee Conference Review

Electronic Version of The Tennessee Conference Review a publication of The Tennessee Conference - United Methodist Church

Thomas Nankervis, Editor

Monday, January 30, 2006

TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW JANUARY 27, 2006

Tennessee Conference Review January 27, 2005

The Common Table: Focusing God’s Declared Love for the World
by Randall Ganues*

(left to right) Bishop Richard Wills, CCOM Chairperson Cathie Leimenstoll, Conference United Methodist Youth representative Kate Phelps; and Assistant to the Bishop Barbara Garcia.





The Common Table composed of Lay Leaders from our seven districts, our Bishop, a District Superintendent, Conference Lay Leader, designated members by position from various entities of the Annual Conference and the Directors of Administrative Services, Communications and Connectional Ministries held a meeting on November 14, 2005 at Blakemore United Methodist Church.




(left to right) Velma Bradley, Steve Angus, Joyce Clark and Ken Edmondson.


The concept of the Common Table was approved by the 1998 Session of the Tennessee Annual Conference. As stated in the adopted proposal ‘the purpose of the Common Table is to provide a forum for constructive communication and mutual counsel and support among representatives from all bodies of the conference (program, leadership, and administrative ministries). The results would be clarification of issues, reduction of fragmentation, and increased mutual support by a common understanding of current reality through prayerful discernment of God’s will. As a Conference we accepted this challenge for better communication and mutual support which requires work and will result in change.

In the various ministries of the church we are often so focused on our assigned responsibility we forget that others are working just as diligently to fulfill God’s mission to the world. As we work together in our witness for Jesus Christ, His body-the Church, becomes alive and a powerful force in this world.

The goal of the Common Table is to focus on our mission as a local church, a district, an Annual or General Conference to proclaim God’s declared love for the world through Jesus Christ.

(left to right) Harriet Bryan, Jeremy Squires, Joe Williams, Jim Austin, Hap Hewgley, L.C. Troutt. The Common Table brings representatives of all aspects of Tennessee Conference’s life and ministry together
+to discuss common issues
+and to determine how various boards and agencies can most productively work together





Give!
Alan Griggs shares the story of the suicide of his son Lee, the loving compassion of friends, and his commitment to helping others understand the disease of depression, a condition he likens to a description from John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” Griggs, a Nashville broadcast writer and producer, is a member of Calvary United Methodist Church. His wife, Lee’s mom, is the Rev. Sandra Griggs, pastor of Glendale United Methodist Church. You can reach him through his email address: agriggs@comcast.net. Much of this article appeared in the Nashville Eye section of The Tennessean, January 1, 2006.


The piercing disturbance of our ugly-sounding doorbell brought our family small talk to an abrupt halt on the evening of December 7th. I hadn’t been home long so my wife, Sandra, and daughter, Elizabeth, were joining me in the usual mixture of catching up, listening to the television, and minding our three dogs. For us as parents, life was good: we were blessed with health, the warmth of love, and three beautiful children, each wondrously different creations of the God we know and love. The Christmas season held the promise of joy and homecoming for each of us, but perhaps more so for our 24-year old son, Lee, whose child-like eagerness for Santa’s arrival seemed to grow every year.

Lee was always the child who crawled under our tree and shook the presents, eyeing them with barely-controlled anticipation, surreptitiously lifting them to his ear, and listening closely for any hint of what they held. Eventually, Lee outgrew his need to shake the presents but the magical thrill of Christmas never left his heart. Just this year, he cheerfully told others about how this Christmas was going to be the best ever. He was going to get “new eyes” through laser surgery which would finally allow him to shed the unwanted glasses and contacts he was forced to wear since his early teens.

The doorbell, that terrible sound we still feel, demanded a response on that fateful night. Not expecting anyone, I asked who was beyond the door. The response boomed out: “Metro police!” and, while puzzled, I still didn’t worry. As far as I knew, everyone in my family was safe: Elizabeth and Sandra were with me, William, our 20 year old, was at Emory and Henry College, and Lee was busy preparing for finals at Belmont University. When I finally opened the front door I encountered a man who surely must have the toughest job under the sun. And then I heard the words that no parent should ever have to hear: “Mr. Griggs, I’m afraid I have some bad news about your son.” Bad news? Bad news for us lately had been an unexpected flat tire, maybe the nuisance of a car breakdown, or a bill we forgot to pay. The closest we had had come to truly bad news was William’s hospitalization for ten days in March, 2004, due to a serious, mysterious ailment no medical specialist could ever identify. William’s illness had traumatized us but through the grace of God William survived. This time would be different.

Bad news. Two words that change lives forever. Two words that, uttered in mere seconds, altered everything about our existence. Then the words, “Your son, Alan, is dead.” Disbelieving, recoiling from the police chaplain, my knees grew weak and I threw myself on the floor, yelling “No! No! No!” Over and over I loudly proclaimed my refusal to absorb such gut-wrenching news. I had always heard and read how the death of a child was the most profound grief a human could experience. But I shielded any thought of that by thinking what all of us think: that could only happen to other poor souls, not me. On that cold, hard floor I was beginning to grasp just how deep the hurt was.

Lee Griggs---the little boy who loved Christmas, the kind, considerate, quiet little boy who held a special place in his heart for those less fortunate, the Eagle Scout, the young man who searched for his passion and found it in the environment, the budding scientist whose textbooks I couldn’t begin to understand, who eagerly anticipated grad school and a career making our world a little safer and cleaner---was no longer with us. No more Monday night dinners with me, no more sharing life’s experiences, no more of anything that made him part of our family. The grief is beyond description, beyond even the strongest words, and is known only to fellow survivors of suicide.

To Lee, as to the apostle Paul, the true meaning of the word “give” was important. In 2 Corinthians 9-10, Paul tells how giving actually enriches and benefits the giver while serving as an act of worship to God and inspiring other people’s faith. Lee wore the word “give” tattooed to his forearm and was always open to people’s different interpretations of its significance. Some say he had it indelibly marked on his body after being influenced by the sights of so many street people during his travels through Europe. In truth, I believe giving was a crucial part of Lee’s emotional makeup. He knew how to give. He just didn’t know how to receive.

I don’t pretend to know much about depression. I know it is an evil disease and I know I hate it more than anything I have disliked in my life. Psychiatrists tell us that depression can originate in the very genetic makeup of a human and then flourish through environmental factors such as major disappointments and other bad experiences. I liken it to a description from John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” From an early age, Lee fought the insidious bad feelings he had about himself but, in the truest form of such a terrible affliction, used almost every set back, be it the disparaging words of unthinking others, the disappointing results of a crucial test, and, eventually, the crushing blow of a broken relationship to convince himself that he was not quite up to what he thought were society’s expectations. Those feelings caused Lee, within the span of just a few minutes, to do something he would never do in his rational mind. The decision to hang himself was an impulse, abetted by what I describe as a demonic force that overwhelmed him, a crippling, mind-controlling darkness so powerful beyond our comprehension that it compelled him to perform life’s most irrational act. The gut-wrenching irony is that, in his right mind, he would never do anything to hurt us.

What a waste, what a terrible, awful loss for us as a family and for our world. But I am a firm believer that out of anything bad, no matter how awful, good things happen. Already, Lee’s legacy has been to bring people who had drifted apart closer together. Old friendships once fractured have begun to heal. We have been overwhelmed with the blessings of love, prayers, and support from friends everywhere. I am here to let everyone know that there is genuine goodness in our world, no matter what you see or hear to the contrary. True compassion not only survives, it thrives. For me, I will probably spend the rest of my life helping society realize that depression must be discussed openly and candidly. Away with the social stigma, the embarrassment, and all the other needless baggage that has dictated we place it out of sight and out of mind. Depression is widespread, it is far more prevalent than most think, and it needs to be addressed forthrightly.

Lee’s memorial service was a blessing beyond belief. As I joined other members of the family walking to our pews, I looked up and saw a church filled to overflowing with people giving of their time to mourn but also to celebrate the life of such a fine young man. My knees wobbled and I shed yet more tears. For here was the true reflection of a person’s life and the blunt, disturbing irony of depression. The disease prevented Lee from believing that so many people cared for him, yet there they were, turned out in force to worship God, thanking Him for the abbreviated life of one of God’s beloved creations.

Lee Griggs---the little boy who shook the Christmas presents, loved he outdoor world and its inhabitants, but who eventually succumbed to depression’s darkness---was celebrated through beautiful music, the testimony of a close friend, and God’s comforting word. And celebrated in solidarity as well. No long after his death, friends gathered to receive their own tattoos with the word “give” prominently placed on their bodies.

Isaiah 9:2 states: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Today, Lee has emerged from the shadows and walks in the light, runs with the wind, and is no doubt swapping high-fives with those friends and family who passed before him, free of pain while still cheering his beloved Chicago Cubs. God’s grace gave us Lee for 24 years. That is an irreplaceable blessing we will always cherish. It is also God’s grace that will enable us to carry on with our lives in the true spirit of the word “give.”

Bishop’s Wife Was Part of the Creation of McKendree Village
Louise Short Celebrated Her 100th Birthday on January 17, 2006
by Diane Miles*

Bishop Roy Short was the presiding bishop of the Tennessee Annual Conference between 1952 and 1964. His ministry as a former editor of The Upper Room magazine and as a bishop was remembered in a special memorial communion service at the Upper Room chapel on the morning of January 17th. His wife Louise was honored at McKendree Village on the occasion of her 100th birthday later on the same day.



An early family portrait with Bishop Roy Short, Louise Short and sons Hunter, Murray, and Riley.


Louise Short, an independent living resident at McKendree Village in Hermitage, Tennessee, is a magnificent example of “AGING WELL”. Unless you were told her age, you would never believe that she is celebrating 100 years of life! Active, energetic, and with a keen interest not only about her family, but the world around her, she is an inspiration to all who know her.
Louise grew up in Clarksville, Indiana. Her family pioneered settlement in Kentucky right after the Revolution. She was the oldest of eight children, and her father started a dairy and wholesale ice cream business in Clarksville. All of her siblings are still living. Four of them are in their 90’s and live in the Ft. Meyers, Florida area. Her mother lived to be 105, and her father was 102 when he died. Her parents were able to celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary, prior to her father’s death.

Louise attended the University of Louisville and graduated from Louisville Normal Teacher’s College. She met her husband, Roy Hunter Short when she was a freshman in college and he was in his senior year. They married 2 ½ years later.

Roy Short had always wanted to become a minister, and was very active in the Louisville Epworth League. During World War I there was a vast shortage of preachers. A friend asked Roy (who was 17 at the time), if he would take a small church as the pastor. He did, and preached all through his years in the Seminary.



A proud 100 year-old mother with sons Riley (standing) and Hunter (seated)



After attending the seminary, an opportunity arose for Roy to preach at a large church in Louisville. The position also included a parsonage in which the preacher could live, but also stipulated that the person who was hired for the position had to be married. It was at this point that Louise and Roy decided it was time to marry!

During Roy’s life, he was the District Superintendent for the Methodist church in Elizabethtown and Louisville, Kentucky. He was also the 2nd Editor of the Upper Room, a nationally distributed Methodist Daily Devotional Guide. (Currently this publication reaches 3 million people in 106 countries and is written in 44 different languages.) In 1948, he was elected as the Methodist Bishop for the Florida and Cuba region.

Louise kept very busy raising their three sons: Hunter (now an retired attorney); Murray (a retired college professor); and Riley (a retired pastor). She was of course, very active in the Methodist church, and contributed through teaching and volunteer work within the church community. She traveled extensively with her husband in his role as Bishop.



Before the singing of Happy Birthday Louise had to blow out the 100 candles on her birthday cake—she did.


Later, Louise and Roy were transferred to Nashville and lived in the Hillwood area of Nashville. They moved back to Louisville for 8 years, and then later retired in Hillwood.

“Retiring” in Hillwood became, however, the beginning of another “adventure” for Louise and Roy. They began talking with William Weaver of Nashville (Mr. Weaver, who backed the Grand Old Opry) about Mr. Weaver’s idea to start a Methodist retirement home in Nashville. Based on this beginning, the McKendree Manor was opened in 1962. After the Manor was built, construction began on the Health Care Center. Later the original Manor was torn down and the Towers apartment building and a new McKendree Manor for assisted living was built; along with a neighborhood of 40 cottage homes.



It was a hugging occasion when friends and family gathered to celebrate Louise Short’s birthday.


The Shorts moved into an apartment at McKendree Towers in 1985. Louise was 79 years old at the time, and Bishop Short was in his 80’s. He died at age 92, and Louise continues to occupy the apartment they originally occupied.

After living at McKendree Village for more than 20 years, Louise is very proud of all that she and her husband accomplished during their years together; including being instrumental in the creation of McKendree Village.

Two of her sons are married and between them have provided Louise and Roy with 7 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Many of Louise’s family and friends will be attending a reception at McKendree Village in her honor. The reception is being held in the Towers meeting room of McKendree Village on January 17, 2006 from 2-3:30 pm.

Riley Short spoke to the crowd and pointed out that in the year that his mother was born Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States, and Finland had become the first country to allow women to vote.


In trying to imagine how many people have been touched by Louise Short and her husband Roy during their lifetime, the Bible verse that comes to mind is Matthew 25:23: “Well done, good and faithful servant”….

Happy Birthday Louise, and may you have many more to come!!

*Diane Miles is Director of Marketing and Public Relations, McKendree Village, Hermitage, Tennessee

A vibrant and very active Louise Short remembers fondly her two families—the McKendree Village community, and her biological family (sons, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and persons that married into the family)

A Closing Prayer for Louise Short Presented by Her Son Riley on Behalf of Her Family

Lord, I want to thank you for my mom. I thank you that she’s been such a joy in our lives and given us a lot of laughter and a lot of love. I thank you that she taught us the power of prayer and she pointed to you as our friend and our Savior and our Lord. I thank you for how she and our dad were a team together, not only in the church, but in raising us, and in leading us too.

And on the occasion when we celebrate her 100th birthday, an occasion marking the length of her life, we thank you for the depth of her life, the quality of her life. I pray that you continue to bless her. Help us to live life in a better and greater way because of what she has meant to us.

Thank you for these friends that have come to celebrate with us today. How rich we are because of their friendship and we thank you for that.

Continue to always be our deliverer, our healer, our friend, our savior and our Lord. Keep us in your peace and grace now and forever and forever. For we ask it in the name of Jesus the one who cares about us all. Amen

Bishop Felton E. May Challenges Tennessee United Methodists to Fights against Injustice and Poverty




Worship service planner Susan Groseclose (right) confers with Elijah McGee, Bishop Felton May, and Bishop Richard Wills before the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration began.


Approximately 350 persons attended the Tennessee Annual Conference’s celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Brentwood UMC on Sunday, January 15th. The worshipers reflected the rich diversity of the United Methodist Church—young and old, clergy and laity, individuals from various ethnic and racial groups. Liturgists for the service were Bishop Richard J. Wills, Jr., Rev. Diane Coppock, Rev. SungNam Kim, Rev. Alejandra Hinojosa, Rev. Dr. Ewart Watts, Marie King, and Rev. S. Renee Franklin. Four young people--Orrin Cowley, Jr., Jill Hernando, Carl Brown, Jr. and Breanna McCullough--represented the Tennessee Conference Council on Youth Ministries and presented a dramatic reading from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Liturgists for the King celebration included (front row) Rev. Alejandra Hinojosa, Rev. SungNam Kim, Rev. Diane Coppock, Rev. Dr. Ewart Watts, Marie King (Back row) Elijah McGee and Rev. S. Renee Franklin.



Music was provided by the Martin Methodist College Choir, the Ebenezer Echoes from Ebenezer UMC, and the Sudanese Christian Church Choir in Gallatin, Tennessee. The main speaker, Bishop Felton E. May was introduced by the Rev. Elijah McGee who as a young theology student had served on the staff of a local church with May who was the church’s senior pastor.

The Martin Methodist College lead a music salute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the hymn “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”.

Bishop May is a retired presiding bishop of the Washington D.C. Episcopal Area, and is the first bishop to be placed on special assignment by the Council of Bishops to organize and coordinate the Bishops’ Initiative on Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Violence in the Washington D.C. area. In response to rioting after the Rodney King verdict, May led United Methodist Communities of Shalom Initiative and today more than 380 Shalom Zones have been established. Upon his retirement in 2004, Bishop May became the Dean and Chair of the Harry R. Kendall Science and Health Mission Center at Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Representatives from the Tennessee Conference Youth present a dramatic reading of the “I Have a Dream” speech (From left to right ) Jill Hernando, Lewisburg 1st UMC; Carl Brown, Jr., Clark Memorial UMC; Breanna McCullough, Lewisburg 1st; and Orrin Cowley, Jr, Clark Memorial UMC (and a student at TSU).


In his sermon Bishop May launched a strong criticism of a culture and a church that allows poverty not only to exist but to increase. May used the illustration of Nicodemus who came to visit Christ under cover of darkness—and received words of advice that he didn’t quite comprehend, “You must be born again.” May noted that “The Institutional Church Must be Born Again and both demonstrate and live the proofs of the spirit.” It was a theme he returned to frequently during the sermon.




In his stirring sermon, Bishop Felton E. May stresses that “the institutional church must be born again”



Shortly before Martin Luther King’s assassination Felton May had been a pastor in Chicago, Illinois, and was part of a planning meeting that involved Dr. King. May, soon afterwards, accepted a position in the Delaware Annual Conference and it was there that he learned of Dr. King’s death. “Surely the church would pick up the mantle that that had been snatched from him (King)” but, May noted, “we have just done what was safe.”

He recounted how the first time he heard King speak he was on a balcony looking downward. One thing King said has stuck with May through the years, “Either we will learn to live together as sisters and brothers or we will die together as fools.”

May went on to urge the Tennessee Conference United Methodists to deal forcefully with the crucial issues of our time, to use the power of God’s Spirit to remove poverty completely, and to help solve the problems related to health care. He urged listeners to become a force of love, to remind the power brokers that they are our elected servants. “You can’t have polite conversations with the power brokers,” he warned. “We are in a MESS—MISERY and EVIL SIDE by SIDE.” Earlier he had warned, “There may be a falling away of members if we act like Christians.”

May shared the personal story of an invitation in 1967 received by Martin Luther King, Jr. from then president Lyndon Johnson. King visited with LBJ in the Oval Office only to discover that Johnson was trying to persuade him NOT to bring the poor people’s campaign to Washington. King, noting the devastating effect of poverty not just among African Americans but other ethnic groups as well, indicated that he had no choice but to bring the campaign to Washington. To this day Bishop Felton May feels that King was assassinated because he was about to galvanize the poor into an action force that would sweep out those in power and herald the day when all of God’s children would receive justice and be treated equally. He closed with a quote from the writings of Paul, “If God is for us who can be against us.”

At the end of the service each worshipper was asked to fill out a commitment card—telling what he or she would do to help bring in a day when poverty and injustice could be abolished. Over $1000.00 was raised at the service and the total amount will be credited to the Human Relations Day offering and the causes it supports.


Concluding music was presented by Sudanese Christian Church Choir in Gallatin, Tennessee.





The Story of Bishop Felton May’s Black Robe


Felton May tells the story of the last time he saw Martin Luther King alive. King was speaking to supporters in Chicago and recounted being summoned to the White House by Lyndon Baines Johnson. As they met in the Oval Office Johnson tried to convince King NOT to bring the Poor People’s Campaign to Washington.

Years later May was part of a college observance where black academic gowns were to be worn. Unfortunately, all he had was a white robe. He puzzled about what to do but was urged to try on a robe that had been left at the college years before. It was a good fit, and the robe was incredibly made. “Would you like to keep the robe,” he was asked? May knew a good thing when he saw it and indicated that he would indeed appreciate the gift of the robe.

It wasn’t until after everyone was in robes and ready to process that the question was asked, “Oh, did you have a chance to look at the label?” May flipped his gown off and checked the label—there embroidered in gold were the initials LBJ. May was flabbergasted, he had just been presented with an academic gown that had been ordered by the college for Lyndon Baines Johnson when the president spoke there—but the Secret Service has scurried him away so fast that the gown was left behind. May recalled that Johnson had tried to stop the Poor People’s Campaign and felt uneasy about keeping the gown. Then he thought to himself that the initials “LBJ” aren’t only the initials of a former president but can stand for everything that Martin Luther King, Jr. believed—LOVE BRINGS JUSTICE.

Vacation Bible School Preview and Training, Friday, February 10, 2006

The 2006 Vacation Bible School Preview and Training will be held on Friday, February 10, 2006, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon, at the Hillcrest United Methodist Church, 5112 Raywood Lane, Nashville, Tennessee.

Vacation Bible School directors and teachers are invited to come explore the 2006 United Methodist Vacation Bible School Curriculum units, "Treasure Seekers" and "Journey Into the Hush Arbor," with the VBS staff from the United Methodist Publishing House.

Participants will get a chance to preview the video, hear the Biblical stories, practice the songs and games, learn how do the crafts, taste a snack, see ways to decorate your classrooms, and much more. Plus, order your VBS curriculum that day from Cokesbury and receive a 20% discount. There is no need to pre-register for this training - just come ready to learn and explore together!

For more information, contact Susan Groseclose at sgroseclose@tnumc.org or 1-800-403-5795 or 615-329-1177, ext. 224.

Tennessee Conference Youth Mission Trip, June 15-21, 2006

The Tennessee Annual Conference youth will be participating a mission trip to the Eleuthera Island of the Bahamas, June 15-21, 2006. This is the fourth Conference Mission Trip. The group will be doing construction type work, rebuilding and repairs resulting from storm damage caused by several hurricanes that have hit the island since 1999.

The cost is $1,000 per person which includes transportation, housing, VIM insurance and all meals. Registrants will need additional money for souvenirs. Deadline for applications is March 31st and attendees will be chosen and notified by April 9th. A $300.00 deposit must be included with the application.

Selection of attendees will be made by the adult participants of the trip. Applications will be dated as they arrive and in the case of equal applicants, the earlier application will prevail. Incomplete applications, or applications with no deposit will not be considered. If you are not selected, your deposit will be refunded. A maximum of 16 participants will be allowed.

Local church pastors and youth directors should have copies of the brochure and application for Mission Team Members. If one is not available to you they may obtained by writing the Tennessee Conference Council, Youth Ministries, 1110 19th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37212 (615-329-1177). The application can also be downloaded from the Tennessee Annual Conference website http://www.tnumc.org (Click on “Youth”).

You will need to bring work clothes, comfortable shorts and shirts for after work hours, church clothing and personal tools. A complete list will be furnished to you at our group preparation session.

Note: A passport is desired, but not necessary. You will need an original birth certificate and a picture ID if no passport is available. No special shots are required. Attendance at the group preparation session is mandatory.

Limited scholarships will be available after all local and district possibilities are exhausted.

Monday, January 09, 2006

TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW JANUARY 13, 2006

Tennessee Conference Review January 13, 2006


The Financial Health of the Tennessee Annual Conference
(Part of a report given by the Conference Treasurer, David B. Hawkins, to the Common Table meeting and the Cabinet)
The generosity of United Methodists is astounding. It is, of course, a result of our being made in the image of a giving and generous God. We love because God first loved us. We give because God first gave to us. (For God so loved the world that he gave …) The commitment of United Methodists to the mission of the church is reflected in the ministries that apportionment funds make possible as they are given in the name of Christ. However, the economic environment of recent years in our nation (the effects of 9-11, wars, instability of stock markets, decline in the value of investments, and double digit increases in health care costs every year) have made this a hard financial road to travel at times. Still the good news remains that we travel the road knowing God is with us. In similar fashion there is both “good news” and “not so good news” to report about our financial health as an annual conference.

One item of good news is that the churches of the Tennessee Conference gave $10,397,959 in 2004 for apportionment ministries. This was $150,724 more than in 2003. We are on target for 2005 to also be an increase in apportionment dollars. Another item of good news is the increase in designated giving to non-apportionment ministries through UMCOR, the General Advance, etc. The opportunities for creative funding beyond apportionments for mission and ministry may also be seen as good news.

However, I must hasten to add that there is a list of “not so good news” items, too. There are serious deficits in conference accounts, most notably in the Clergy Health Insurance Plan. These deficits are made more serious by the lack of appropriate reserves in the conference operating funds. (However, please note that we have not established nor drawn upon the line of credit authorized by the last session of conference.) The continuing rise in health care costs heightens the sense of shrinking funds available for growth in program ministry. In fact, as some budgets are forced to designate more funds for insurance coverage for employees, it reduces the amount of funds available to simply maintain programs. Even the opportunities for creative funding may also be seen as a difficult challenge for those whose budgets have greatly depended on conference apportionment funding; and the opportunities could involve ministry leaders spending too much of their time as fund-raisers.

Let’s look at the good news and not so good news in more detail. First, the increase in apportionment dollars: Through the end of November, 2005, compared to that same time period in 2004, there is an increase in apportionment giving of $662,320, from $8,446,275 to $9,108,595, a 7.8% increase. This is partly explained by the increase in the conference budget by almost 10% in 2005 compared to 2004. Therefore, the percentage of apportionment receipts through the end of November, 2005, compared to that same time period in 2004, shows a slight decrease, 73.85% in 2005 compared to 74.99% in 2004 at this same time. The 2004 year ending percentage paid of apportionments was 92.32% which was an increase from 2003’s rate of 90.42 %. The number of churches which paid their apportionments at 100% in 2004 was 458. Next is the increase in designated non-apportionment giving such as UMCOR and the General Advance. The well publicized tragic events in Southeast Asia and the U.S. gulf coast triggered a tremendous response from generous United Methodists in the Tennessee Conference in 2005. Non-apportioned dollars given to tsunami relief, hurricane relief, and other mission causes totaled $1,423,477 by the end of November, 2005, which is $1,031,796 more than the same time period in 2004, a 263% increase. That would seem to challenge the notion that we are already giving all that we can. Opportunities for creative funding that extend beyond the apportionment system reveal the value of at least two other approaches. The conference campaign which resulted in the Pension Crusade Fund several years ago has provided a means of continued support for increases in the Past Service Rate for the Pre-1982 pension plan, highlighting the importance of endowing ministries and seeking planned gifts. Another example is the success of Miriam’s Promise development program which has drawn upon the desire of people to make a “heart connection” with their designated giving, allowing their program ministry to grow without relying on increases in apportionment funding.

Countering the good news is our not so good news. The trend of double digit increases in health care costs nationally for several years, and the increase in high dollar claims for the Tennessee Conference participants has created a crisis in our health plan. Our priority has been to maintain a health plan for our active clergy that assures them that if a catastrophe occurs they will be protected. Our Clergy Health Insurance apportionment continues to provide the total premium cost for 324 active clergy under appointment. The dollar value of this benefit being provided to the clergy has risen greatly in recent years. Even with increases in premium rates and increases in Clergy Health apportionments, we have not kept pace with the rising costs and our health plan is operating at a deficit. This is even more troubling because of our conference’s lack of appropriate operating reserves or contingency funds. The decline in investment earnings combined with the use of reserves for settlements were major factors in the decline of reserves which were already low. Instead of the recommended level of conference contingency reserves at 5 to 10% of total budget (reserves of $616,700 to $1,233,400), we have $60,079 or ½ of 1%. The rising cost of health care, the average age of our clergy, the stress-related illnesses, all contribute to the cost of our health plan. Improving our health with exercise, nutrition, rest, and spiritual renewal would enhance our ministry together as clergy and congregations, and also have a positive effect on our health plan costs.

Continued discussions of financial issues affecting the annual conference must address the need to establish priorities and thereby identify true needs versus wants. It is important that we examine what we do and why we do it, in order to make a “heart connection” with the people and churches of the annual conference. A heart connection that promotes sacrificial yet cheerful giving and the encouragement of a Biblical and spiritual approach to stewardship will help improve the financial health of our annual conference and help keep us committed to the mission of the church, to make disciples of Jesus Christ.


Robert Brown (left) and Jimmy Wilson (right) with Hillcrest UMC Minister of Discipleship, Nancy Neelley.


Two Hillcrest UMC Members Share Christ’s Love as They Give Away Crosses Made from Nails

On the 14th of November 1940 much of the city of Coventry, England, was reduced to rubble by German bombs, and with it the beautiful medieval Coventry Cathedral. The words “Father, forgive” were written on the smoke-blackened wall of the sanctuary. Two charred beams which had fallen in the shape of a cross were set on the altar, and three of the medieval nails which had fallen from the roof of the ruined Cathedral were bound together into the shape of a cross.

The nail cross, and the story of the Cathedral, was to become a powerful and inspirational symbol of reconciliation and peace. After the war, replicas of the Cross of Nails were presented in Keil and Dresden, cities in Germany that had been shattered by Allied bombing raids towards the end of the war. “Partnerships between Coventry and German cities were established, with people from either side helping to repair the damage that had been caused. Out of the ashes and destruction of war grew trust and friendship between two countries who were once enemies.”

Nearly fifty years later the story of the Coventry Cross motivated a Nashville church to create nail crosses as part of a rebuilding project. Artisan Jimmy Wilson noted the crosses, some of which used nails from historic buildings. The crosses, symbolized God’s love and new life in Christ and were fashioned from the instruments that pierced Christ’s body as he was nailed to a cross The concept was appealing to Jimmy and it wasn’t long before he experimented making crosses from small nails—crosses that could be worn. The results of his experimentation were metal crosses--symbols of Christ’s reconciling love AND beautiful works of art.

The amazing story continued as Hillcrest United Methodist Church member and Lay Speaker Minister Robert Brown noted a friend wearing one of Wilson’s handcrafted crosses. He knew Wilson through various Hillcrest UMC programs but primarily through a Disciples I class that Brown taught with Wilson as one of the class members.

Brown, an individual who feels comfortable being creative with tools, felt that he too could learn to design and manufacture the crosses. He also saw almost immediately the value a cross—something he made—could have in his own brand of one on one witnessing to his faith. The rest, so they say, is “history.” Brown asked Jimmy Wilson to teach him how to make nail crosses. They got together one day in Wilson’s workshop and it wasn’t long before Brown was able to pick up the technique of prayerfully creating artistically beautiful crosses from common horseshoe nails.

Now, when you get the two cross makers together—and add to the mix Nancy Neelley, Minister of Discipleship at Hillcrest UMC and a chief distributor of crosses made by the two church members—you are going to have stories. The crosses have been given to persons attending a laity worship service; they have been given out to group members and Panamanians on a mission trip to Panama; they were given as gifts to orphans in Zimbabwe on a recent Hillcrest mission to that country; they have been given to each person attending a layspeaking ministries workshop on storytelling.

But most of the stories are about individuals in crisis. Having the hand-crafted crosses in their pockets or around the neck seems to allow individuals to notice people who need reassurance and the message of Christ’s love—an unconscious street person, a prostitute, a harried and overworked waitress, a musician struggling with a call to create religious music, a woman whose home is a sleeping bag on a roadside heating grate.

Robert Brown, who always carries several crosses in pocket, had lunch in a large restaurant and noticed that the waitress was run ragged—for one reason or another others on the service staff had not shown up that day. She was trying to do an impossible job by herself. “You’re having a tough day today,” he told her. Then he added, pressing a cross necklace into her hand, “When you need someone to help you, you are not alone, Jesus is there.” He left for a short while and when he came back the waitress was there, crying with Robert’s wife.

“The main thing about the cross is when you give it to someone,” Robert notes. “The cross is an extremely good way to witness. I want everyone to know I’m a Christian.” Jimmy adds thoughtfully, “You know if each person would determine that ‘I’m going to do something for Jesus’ and share his or her own talent with others this would be a very different world. The cross is just an object—it’s the thought that goes with it that is important. Think of what he can do for you.”

Neelley added. “There was a woman who approached the car ahead of me. She looked for all the world like a prostitute. I thought to myself, “I don’t want this!” She came up to my car and asked for money to get a hamburger from Krystal. I gave her some money—but then I stopped and really looked at her, “What’s your name?” She gave me her name, “JoAnn” and then poured out her heart. She then asked me to pray for her which I did. Now I had a larger wooden cross that Jimmy had made—it was on the seat beside me. I gave it to her and she put it around her neck. ”Thank you,” JoAnn responded, “I feel so good. You should be a minister.” ‘You know,” Neelley summarized, “that was a redemption moment.” Both Brown and Wilson nodded in agreement. They understood.

Because the giving of the cross is a redemption moment, the creation of each cross is basically a time of prayer. There is prayer before starting work, the actual making of the cross is a time of joy, and there is thanksgiving to God when the cross is completed. Though the crosses are most often given anonymously, there are a number of individuals who have sent a not letting Wilson and Brown know what the gift of the cross has meant to them—or what it means to pass a cross and loving words on to someone else.

An Episcopal priest wrote Jimmy Wilson: “I consider it a Divine gift from your hand, as I have been without the pewter Celtic cross that I have worn for many years. As I am a practicing Episcopal priest, as were John and Charles Wesley, I know the crosses are only mere symbols, but are powerful tools of inspiration.”

“The day I received your crosses is the day after I had given out my; last one. They have gone to a woman in a wheel chair who is coming to church for the first time; then one has gone to a woman named Norma who has been on her death bed and is now recovering; one has gone to Ronnie whose father passed away this last December, two years after the loss of his mother; the last one went to a man in his sixties who was baptized for the first time and was giving his life to God. . . . thank you for giving me the honor of passing on the word of God with your help.”

Wilson also heard from a young boy—“Thank you very much for the cross. It is amazing how you make them. It reminds me of my Lenten promise. May God go with you wherever you go. Alex”

Martin Methodist College faculty and staff pledge nearly $230,000 to capital campaign
Martin Family Drive results in 100 percent participation by full-time employees

PULASKI, Tenn. – The early stages of a major fund-raising campaign is quietly moving ahead at Martin Methodist College, and if the response by faculty and staff is any indication, the future of the four-year liberal arts college could not be brighter.

College officials have announced that each of the 110 full-time members of the faculty and administrative staff has made a financial commitment to the Martin Family Drive, with gifts and pledges totaling $229,792.

The Martin 2010 Campaign will move into its public phase with an official kickoff in the coming months, and President Ted Brown said that a key factor in its success would be how committed the employees of the college proved to be in underwriting the multimillion effort.

He said he was optimistic when the presentation was made in late October, but the subsequent results exceeded any prediction he could have made.

“With this remarkable result of the Family Drive, our faculty and staff have proven once again their extraordinary dedication to this institution,” he said. “Most colleges would be delighted with a high level of internal participation in a campaign, but to have 100 percent is almost unheard of. Add the astonishing dollar total and you have the strongest possible statement that the college family could make about their enthusiasm for the Martin 2010.”

The Martin 2010 Campaign follows the development of the Martin 2010 long-range plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in April of 2001. While a number of projects have already been completed over the past several years – such as the construction of Grissom Colonial Hall, the Barton Entrance Gates, and the two student apartment buildings, the creation of the Center for Church Leadership and Taylors Honors Program, the growth of the academic curriculum, and the increase in student enrollment toward the ultimate goal of 1,000 – a majority of the objectives will be funded through the comprehensive fundraising campaign.

The early stages of the campaign have focused on leadership gifts, including the $5 million endowment gift to the Center for Church Leadership made in 2002 by Nashville corporate executive Cal Turner Jr., a gift that was matched dollar-for-dollar by the college’s trustees.

Now the just-completed Martin Family Drive also sets the tone for what is to come, Brown said.

“This will turn the heads of alumni, friends and churches,” he said. “I cannot imagine a better early indicator for the future success of our fundraising campaign.”


Chairman of the Martin College Board Michael Barton is at the far left and President Ted Brown is at the far right. The announcement came at the annual faculty-staff Christmas luncheon.



Tennessee Bishops Meet With Governor Bredesen
by Dickie Hinton*

The 2005 Tennessee Annual Conference passed a resolution asking the Governor, State Legislature and our Federal Senators and Representatives to continue to seek solutions to the TennCare crisis in a manner that protects the health and well-being of all Tennesseans. A resolution from the floor by Harold Olds “moved that Bishop Wills and a representative group from the Memphis and Tennessee Conferences meet with Governor Bredesen to explore ways that United Methodists can respond to the TennCare crisis, and in addition, that a task force from the Tennessee Conference find ways to respond in ministry to those most directly affected by this proposed change in health coverage in our state.” An amendment suggested by Vin Walkup proposed that Bishop James Swanson be invited to name persons from the Holston Conference to the Task Force. The resolutions resulted in a meeting on November 15th between Governor Phil Bredesen and Bishops Dick Wills and James Swanson. Bishop Wills had taken the Conference resolutions to heart and made arrangements for that meeting to occur. The purpose of the meeting was to discern how Tennessee Churches could respond to the people left without health benefits because of TennCare reform.

The meeting with Governor Bredesen and his representatives, Commissioner of Health, Kenneth Robinson and Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Finance and Administration, Jim Shulman, was beneficial to the church representatives of all three of our Tennessee Conferences. In addition to our two Bishops, Steve Hodges, Holston Conference TennCare Task Force chairperson, Brett Hillesheim, pastor of Shiloh United Methodist Church, and Dickie Hinton, pastor of Byrdstown First United Methodist Church, were present.

The meeting began with Governor Bredesen addressing the group and sharing his concerns not only for the persons who lost TennCare coverage, (approximately 190,000 people), but also his concerns for the 600,000 persons who have no health benefits at all. He and his staff are continually working to help develop safety nets to help meet the needs of all of these persons in our state. Governor Bredesen shared his conviction to continue to address these needs and to do everything possible to make sure that people who need health care can get it.

There was also much discussion with Governor Bredesen’s representatives of how the churches in our state could be involved in health ministry and in enhancing the safety net programs that are currently in place. Bishop Wills shared his desire for our churches to be trained in more effective ministry in our communities and to be able to meet human needs of persons living in those communities. The two bishops were of one mind on the necessity for Tennessee United Methodist churches to work together with our state health agencies to meet more of the comprehensive needs of persons with limited incomes.

Bishop Swanson presented the concern of Tennessee United Methodists as a “theological question.”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Swanson asked. He quickly added, “the answer is yes.”

There was little doubt when the meeting concluded that both state governmental agencies and the United Methodist Church could find ways to begin partnering in health ministries within our state. Bishop Wills and Bishop Swanson are committed to helping our conferences and local churches receive training on the availability of safety net programs and criteria for participation. They also see the United Methodist Church becoming active in helping to develop new safety net procedures that will achieve better health care in the future. Local health departments and local health councils are essential in this vital process of meeting the needs of Tennesseans.

The November 15th discussion was just the first step in our church’s response to this essential human need in our great state. Each local church should look for upcoming training events offered by the state and by the church. This is a tremendous challenge and a tremendous opportunity to “minister unto the sick and the lonely and the cold”.

*Hinton has been heavily involved in working on TennCare safety net programs within the Cookeville District.

Tennessee Conference Resolution on TennCare
(RESOLUTION #5, 2005 Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church). From page 287 of the 2005 Tennessee Annual Conference Journal.
WHEREAS, the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church affirm that health care is a basic human right; and
WHEREAS, one in four Tennesseans are covered by TennCare; and
WHEREAS, TennCare provides health care coverage for Tennessee’s most vulnerable and sickest citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church has previously expressed its desire that the State of Tennessee find solutions to the crisis in TennCare in such a way so that the health and welfare of all those in need are assured; and
WHEREAS, the State of Tennessee is currently poised to cut 323,000 adults from TennCare.
The groups to be cut are
1. individuals who are uninsurable due to a chronic illness or pre-existing condition,
2. persons who have a catastrophic illness and such high medical bills that they spend down their income to well below poverty, and
3. individuals with incomes under $776* who are uninsured; and
WHEREAS, the State of Tennessee is preparing to cut benefits to persons remaining on TennCare including a revised definition of medical necessity, cost sharing, benefits limits, monthly premiums, removal of out-of-pocket maximums, and pharmacy benefit limits of 4 or 5 prescriptions per month; and
WHEREAS, proposed TennCare changes will result in many Tennesseans being without health care coverage and others not being able to receive the care they need;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church commit to sharing information on pending TennCare changes through its congregations and publications; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church urge the Governor, State Legislature and our Federal Senators and Representatives to continue to seek solutions to the TennCare crisis in a manner that protects the health and well-being of all Tennesseans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church ask each of its congregations to prayerfully consider how it can respond with love, justice and care to this health care crisis.
*monthly income figure.

McKendree Village Honors Employees for Service

McKendree Village recently honored 41 employees for their length of service at the continuing care retirement community in Hermitage.

Receiving particular recognition were three employees who have worked at McKendree Village a combined total of more than 85 years. Pictured left to right are Sarah McClain, CNA, a 25-year employee; Lillian Watson, CNT, a 30-year employee; and Nell Human, Director of Materials Management, a 30- year employee.

Established in 1963, McKendree Village is affiliated with The United Methodist Church and is in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. McKendree Village provides a continuum of retirement living options and health care services, including independent living, assisted living, nursing home care and Alzheimer's care.



John E. Maupin, Jr., president of United Methodist-related Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tenn., addresses participants on opening day of the Nashville Community Health Disparities Summit2, an Oct. 30-Nov. 2 conference examining the unequal burden of illness and disease borne by Nashville residents who are racial or ethnic minorities. A UMNS photo courtesy of Meharry Medical College.


UM Related Meharry Medical College Sponsors Community Health Disparities Summit2

by David Hefner*

Note: As we wrap up 2005 The Review presents some “old news” because it focuses on strong efforts of United Methodist related Meharry Medical College to lead out in efforts to curb health disparities in Tennessee.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Health disparities research is at the top of the agenda for the National Institutes of Health, along with creating consistent “streams of funding,” according to a top official of the agency.

“There are amazing differences in life expectancy and death in this country,” said Raynard Kington, deputy director of the National Institutes of Health. African Americans are at the bottom of “almost every measure in health status and well-being.”

“Absolutely,” he concluded, “health disparities research is at the top of our agenda.”

Kington’s remarks kicked off an Oct. 30-Nov. 2 summit examining the unequal burden of illness and disease borne by Nashville residents who are racial or ethnic minorities. United Methodist-related Meharry Medical College sponsored the second annual event, called Nashville Community Health Disparities Summit2.

Summit2, supported by an NIH grant from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, brought together researchers, health care providers and laypeople to address local health disparities. In sponsoring the event, the Meharry EXPORT Center for Health Disparities partnered with Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and the Metropolitan Nashville Public Health Department.

“We can sum up the problem in a single sentence,” said Meharry President John E. Maupin Jr. at the summit’s opening. “The health of too many people is at risk because of their racial or ethnic background. However, while the problem can be easily summarized, we know the solutions are far from simple. A collective response that involves sharing information and enhancing collaboration is the only way we can reduce the health disparities that exist for people of color.”

In 2004, Tennessee ranked as the 48th lowest state out of 50 in “America’s Health: State Health Rankings,” a report compiled by the United Health Foundation. The state ranked in the bottom 10 states on other individual measures, including a high prevalence of smoking, obesity, violent crime, deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer deaths and premature deaths.

A stark indication of ethnic-based health disparities in the state is summed up in the premature death rate: blacks experience 14,538 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000, while whites experience 8,395 years of potential life lost before age 75 per 100,000.

Health disparities in Nashville, Tennessee’s capital city, mimic those across the state.

“He who has a why to live, can bear any how,” said Stephanie Bailey, director of the Metro Public Health Department. “Our how is partnering.”

From discussions of cultural competency to metabolic syndrome to HIV to drug abuse, the four-day summit covered a spectrum of topics involving basic science and clinical and behavioral research areas. The daylong events were held on alternate days on the campuses of Meharry and Vanderbilt.

“This summit brought together different facets of the community that don’t always collaborate to discuss the causes of health disparities in Nashville and to collectively develop strategies for addressing them,” said Paul D. Juarez, program director of the Meharry EXPORT Center for Health Disparities.

The Oct. 31 discussion focused on diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, beginning with the epidemiology and treatment of the illnesses and ending with prevention and implementation of proven medications. Exercise and a healthy diet were themes consistently touted as empowering solutions for both prevention and intervention of metabolic syndrome.

The next day’s discussion moved to HIV, led by James Hildreth, director of the Center for Health Disparities Research in HIV at Meharry. In Nashville, African Americans make up 51 percent of cumulative HIV/AIDS cases yet represent only 25 percent of the population.

“This problem is not going to be solved without the help of the black church,” Hildreth said. His center is approaching HIV research in three ways: biology, behavior and community outreach. “It’s very important that we have close interaction both at Meharry and Vanderbilt.”

In 2003, the Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for AIDS Research became one of 20 such centers established worldwide to address the global AIDS pandemic. Among the center’s goals are community outreach and faculty recruitment.

“The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Nashville is not going down,” said Richard D’Aquila, the Addison B. Scoville Jr. Professor of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University.

Discussions about HIV/AIDS addressed such topics as genetics and intervention, and the development of microbicides to prevent HIV transmission. The summit also heard from a panel of community HIV advocates.

“We want to improve outcomes by knowing patients’ genetics,” said David W. Haas, director of the AIDS Clinical Trial Center at Vanderbilt.

Hildreth discussed his research involving the sugar betacyclodextrin, which is used to bind cholesterol, a necessary component of HIV transmission. In 2001, Hildreth and his team of researchers discovered that betacyclodextrin can be used to extract cholesterol from HIV, blocking transmission of the disease. The Meharry scientist is working to develop a vaginal cream using betacyclodextrin.

“The impact of this vaginal cream could potentially be quite considerable,” he said. “It could literally slow down, if not stop, the progression of AIDS. One of the exciting things about the technology that we’re exploring is that a vaginal cream based on a natural product will be fairly inexpensive, within the reach of many people in the world, especially in developing countries.”

Concluding with a focus on behavioral research, summit participants discussed the nature of drug addiction, particularly alcoholism. Researchers have long drawn the correlation between addiction and high-risk behaviors that lead to illness and disease.

Meharry also offered free child passenger safety seat tips to the community and gave away about 75 car seats. That outreach was sponsored by the Meharry-State Farm Alliance with the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, the Tennessee Health Department and the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

“We all have a stake in this,” said Nathan Stinson Jr., director of Meharry’s Center for Optimal Health.

“The elimination of health disparities is our collective responsibility. We mustn’t miss our opportunity. Not on our watch.”

*Hefner is publications manager at Meharry Medical College.


Carol of the Belles in Brentwood
by Marilyn Ann Manson*

(left to right) Joan Wooden, Jodi Hibbett, Amity Marsh, Patti Mantooth, Jayne Lockhart, Jo Anderson, Gwen Cassidy, Kathy Carpenter, Jeanette Winters and Pat Turner.

The parlor of Southerland Place, a personal care residence in Brentwood, was filled with angelic voices singing Christmas carols on December 15. The Lady’s Vocal Ensemble of Forest Hills United Methodist Church serenaded the residents with a program of yuletide favorites and new arrangements to celebrate the holidays. Director Joan Wooden led the group in songs, such as “Mary’s Little Boy Chile’, “Good News,” “Stable Prayers and “What Gift Can I Bring?”
As the group visited Southerland Place, members were delighted to meet resident Corrine Lewis who had been a professional singer in the 1940’s. Lewis was a soprano in a blended voices group that toured the United States out of Nashville.
Lady’s Ensemble members are Jodi Hibbett, Patti Mantooth, Jayne Lockhart, Jo Anderson, Gwen Cassidy, Kathy Carpenter, Jeanette Winters, and Pat Turner. They are directed by Forest Hills United Methodist Church Minister of Music, Joan Wooden and accompanied by church organist, Amity Marsh.
*Marilyn Ann Manson is a member of Forest Hills United Methodist Church


Minister of Music for Forest Hills UMC and director of the Lady's Vocal Ensemble, Joan Wooden, visits with Southerland Place resident and former professional singer, Corinne Lewis.





New Director of Bahamas Methodist Habitat Looks forward to Help from the Tennessee Annual Conference


A young man who grew up in the Tennessee Annual Conference has accepted the post of Director of The Bahamas Methodist Habitat, Camp Symonette, James Cistern community on the island of Eleuthera, Bahamas. Abraham McIntyre, son of Tennessee Conference pastor David McIntyre and his wife Patricia, graduated from East Tennessee State University December 2004 with a double degree in business management and camp leadership. He spent four high school summers working as a volunteer with the Appalachia Service Project. While in college he worked full time for five summers with the Appalachia Service Project—experience that proved to be invaluable when he applied for the Directors position in the Bahamas.

The experience that most shaped his future was a trip a group of volunteers from the ETSU Wesley Foundation made to the Bahamas. McIntyre loved the people and the experience so much that he longed to go back, and in March of 2005 he was given the opportunity to intern with The Bahamas Methodist Habitat. When the Director’s position opened up friends in The Bahamas and the States urged him to apply. He has now been interviewed, hired, and has attended the Bahamas Methodist Central Conference “to be introduced, meet everyone, and have his first board meeting.”

Though his on-site work began December 30, 2005, he kept busy in Nashville and elsewhere during November/December building support for The Bahamas Methodist Habitat, and meeting with potential volunteer group leaders.

There are about 700 islands in the Bahamas. The island of New Providence which contains Nassau is perhaps the best known to tourists, but Grand Bahama Island which received a direct hit from Hurricane Wilma has been much in the news recently. There are thirty-four Methodist churches spread out through the inhabited Bahamian islands with fifteen of those being on the Island of Eleuthera, headquarter island of the Bahamas Methodist Habitat. The Tennessee Conference is no stranger to providing volunteer groups to work in the Bahamas. Both West End and Hendersonville First UMC’s have had groups there, and the Conference United Methodist Youth have sponsored work groups during three separate years and have planned a trip for this summer with spaces still available. Individuals and an occasional family have also come to demonstrate why Tennessee is called the Volunteer State."

The main work for volunteer groups is in disaster relief and in emergency home construction and repair. Of two new homes recently completed on Eleuthera, one was a replacement for a house destroyed by fire, and another replaced a home destroyed by a sink hole. Volunteer work is mainly done on Eleuthera with housing arranged at Camp Symonette which can house up to 55 volunteers, but work has also been done on five or six other islands and BMH has arranged to host groups from 10-15 persons on those other islands. The first volunteer group in 2006 will be repairing hurricane damaged homes on Grand Bahama Island. This will be McIntyre’s first actual group to host."

Tourism and off-shore banking are big industries in the Bahamas, but there is also a great deal of unemployment, subsequent poverty, and health issues related to poverty that are very similar to the issues that McIntyre experienced in Appalachia. Though BMH has worked mainly in emergency home construction and repair, it is also researching the possibilities of branching out in other directions. The BMH staff sees community sustainability and economic development as a major priority with a goal of allowing small island communities to ultimately be more sustainable themselves. “That means that though we will continue to need construction teams, we also need people who can work with us in the area of sustainability such as energy and agriculture. Right now we are experimenting with a hydroponic garden we established using 4” PVC pipe and specially formulated nutrients. We’ve been able to raise lettuce, tomatoes, some beans.”

“The Belize Central Prison,” visited by McIntyre last January, “has been able to save some $30,000 a month by raising their own chickens which are used for eggs and meat to feed the 1,300 prisoners and staff. We’ve learned a great deal from them.”

When questioned about how Tennessee Conference Churches and individuals can help The Bahamas Methodist Habitat, McIntyre is quick to respond:



  • First, we need volunteer groups of any size or makeup. Groups or individuals who may have special skills that they would be willing to share—persons with background in hydroponic farming, professional chicken farming, individuals involved in sustainable
    agriculture, and professionals in economic development to help us come up with new ideas.
  • We desperately need to redo the kitchen at Camp Symonette. We could use the support of persons who know how to design an efficient industrial kitchen and have “connections” with in the area of appliance sales.
  • A 15-passenger van to aid in our on-island transportation, bringing groups to Camp Symonette from the airport, moving them to and from work sites, etc. would be a huge help. Eleuthera is 110 miles long and for the most part a mile and a half across. Currently we use a 50-passenger bus—but it is\n expensive to operate especially with smaller groups of 10-15 persons.


  • Since few building products are available locally and have to be obtained from Nassau or the States, it is safe to say we ultimately need a 14-foot flatbed truck to haul our building materials because our small pick-up truck can’t come close to holding the load of cement blocks, shingles, lumber, or sand required for our varied jobs.

  • A tractor, bobcat, or a front end loader would make our labors much more efficient when digging new foundations and septic tanks as well as help save time and energy with loading heavy materials.
  • We need contacts or in-kind-gifts of building supplies—windows, singles, lumber, concrete, appliances, etc.

Los Tres Reyes Magos visit Bethlehem United Methodist Church





The Visit of the Three Wise Men (Magi)
Epiphany Sunday is passively held in most of our churches, or not at all. The visit of the Magi (“Los Tres Reyes Magos”) is on of the most important events during the Christmas Season for Hispanic/Latino children, but it should be as important to all Christian children.
Before going to Puerto Rico and other Latino countries on January 5, the Magi made a special stop at, what better place than, Bethlehem United Methodist Church in the Clarksville District. They brought wonderful presents for the children. Each child took turns in trying to break a star-shaped piñata (made by Martha Pile) which was filled with delicious sweets. The also enjoyed cookies and refreshments provided by Jo and Bill Stanford.
The Rev. Liana Perez-Felix, pastor of Bethlehem UMC, said “In my country it is an honor to be asked to portray one of the Magi.” She was deeply touched when Roger Pile, Greg Dahl, and David Unruh graciously accepted to portray the Three Magi. Rev. Perez-Felix added, “We hope to continue this new tradition at our church, and maybe next time we may have the Magi visit the Hispanic/Latino children in our communities, riding horses, instead of camels. One of my dreams is that all of our United Methodist Churches can do the same.